A research team has used a new method to study how environmental exposure during pregnancy can affect children later in life.
According to the University of Southern California, scientists developed the technique using multi-omics. Multi-omics examines biological information such as proteins, metabolites, and gene expression to understand how the body works.
The team used this method to research how exposure to mercury during pregnancy is linked to children's liver injuries. The research aimed to understand environmental diseases better, with the goal of identifying why some people get sick and some don't. The team also hopes to prevent these diseases in the future.
According to assistant professor of population and public health science Jesse Goodrich, three data analysis methods were involved. The first involved blood markers to see if the person is "at risk for certain diseases based on your previous environmental exposures."
The second looked at how environmental exposure causes diseases. The last method identified who is at the highest risk of disease based on exposure.
The research showed that the higher level of exposure led to a higher risk of liver injury for children.
The team's findings were published in the Environment International journal. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences also selected the study as one of October's Papers of the Month.
"It highlights the importance these methods hold in identifying biologically significant insights that are fundamental to progressing precision environmental health," Goodrich said.
If researchers can better understand how environmental exposure is linked to liver disease in children, parents can better protect their children in utero. Identifying or preventing the disease earlier can also save families money on medical costs.
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Yes — often 😬 According to the Environmental Protection Agency, most people in the United States are exposed to methylmercury primarily by digesting it. Once it enters the air, it settles into bodies of water, contaminating fish. People can also be exposed to it when a thermometer breaks. Some jewelry also contains mercury.
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The EPA has set a limit on the mercury levels in water called the methylmercury fish tissue criterion.
Agencies and governments can update regulations based on new findings, so it is essential to stay informed and explore critical climate issues such as this one.
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