Policy makers and health professionals should advise women and employers to avoid exposure to the well-known occupational risk factors, while epidemiologic research should pursue methodological improvements and provide more insight into the magnitude of exposures responsible for detrimental effects.

This study, although based on a limited number of cases, for the first time provides evidence of an association between maternal exposure to EDCs, in particular elevated plasma hexachlorobenzene concentration, and the development of hypospadias in the offspring.

Objectives This study assessed whether job stress alters menstrual patterns among nurses working in 2 different settings: a tertiary care hospital in New York (99 nurses) and a university hospital in Rome (25 nurses). Methods Data on menstrual patterns were collected by a daily diary in which the nurses recorded their basal body temperature (BBT) and their menstrual bleeding status for a 3-month period. The BBT curves were used to classify cycles as biphasic or monophasic, and as adequate or inadequate with respect to the luteal phase. Job stress was evaluated by both objective (environmental and work characteristics) and subjective (perceived stress) criteria. Results The American nurses, especially those assigned to high stress units, had an increased risk for long and monophasic cycles [relative risk (RR) 4.3,95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1-16.2 and RR 5.5,95% CI 1.2-25.5, respectively]. Among those who perceived their stress at work to be high or reported strenuous work activity, the risk for longer cycles was also raised (RR 2.3,95% CI 0.6--8.0 and RR 1.6,95% CI 0 . 7 4 . 2 , respectively). Luteal phase inadequacy followed the same pattern. Similar trends were observed in the Italian data. In addition, the rotating shiftwork pattern prevalent in the Italian group was possibly associated with higher rates of short cycles and inadequate luteal phases when compared with those of nurses working fixed shifts either day or night. C O~C~U S~O~S Menstrual function may be affected by stressful work conditions.

Background: A smoking ban in all indoor public places was enforced in Italy on 10 January 2005. Methods: We compared indoor air quality before and after the smoking ban by monitoring the indoor concentrations of fine (,2.5 mm diameter, PM 2.5 ) and ultrafine particulate matter (,0.1 mm diameter, UFP). PM 2.5 and ultrafine particles were measured in 40 public places (14 bars, six fast food restaurants, eight restaurants, six game rooms, six pubs) in Rome, before and after the introduction of the law banning smoking (after 3 and 12 months). Measurements were taken using real time particle monitors (DustTRAK Mod. 8520 TSI; Ultra-fine Particles Counter-TRAK Model 8525 TSI). The PM 2.5 data were scaled using a correction equation derived from a comparison with the reference method (gravimetric measurement). The study was completed by measuring urinary cotinine, and pre-law and post-law enforcement among non-smoking employees at these establishments Results: In the post-law period, PM 2.5 decreased significantly from a mean concentration of 119.3 mg/m 3 to 38.2 mg/m 3 after 3 months (p,0.005), and then to 43.3 mg/m 3 a year later (p,0.01). The UFP concentrations also decreased significantly from 76 956 particles/cm 3 to 38 079 particles/cm 3 (p,0.0001) and then to 51 692 particles/cm 3 (p,0.01). Similarly, the concentration of urinary cotinine among nonsmoking workers decreased from 17.8 ng/ml to 5.5 ng/ml (p,0.0001) and then to 3.7 ng/ml (p,0.0001). Conclusion: The application of the smoking ban led to a considerable reduction in the exposure to indoor fine and ultrafine particles in hospitality venues, confirmed by a contemporaneous reduction of urinary cotinine.

This was an open case-control study of the possible association between parental occupational and domestic exposures to potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) assessed by questionnaire and cryptorchidism and hypospadias in their offspring in the agricultural area of Ragusa. Cases of infants born between 1998 and 2002 with either of these two malformations (n=90), and controls (n=203), were recruited through the paediatric services (for cases) and a random sample of healthy infants attending the same services born in the same period of time (for controls). Data on occupational and environmental exposures of parents prior to and during the index case (or control), were collected through interviews with both parents. Concerning occupational exposures, we did not find a statistically significant increase in risk among parents directly involved in agricultural work. We did find a non-statistically significant increase in risk for cryptorchidism in mothers employed in agriculture [adjusted odds ratios (OR) 2.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-11.47] and with probable exposure to pesticides (adjusted OR 2.74; 95% CI 0.72-10.42). Fathers who had indirect contact with agricultural products (transport and retail) had an increased risk (not statistically significant) for cryptorchidism (adjusted OR 2.45; 95% CI 0.63-9.59) and hypospadias and cryptorchidism combined (adjusted OR 2.24; 95% CI 0.67-7.48). Increases in risk of the two malformations pooled were also observed in relation to the mother's age below 25 (adjusted OR 1.99; 95% CI 0.97-4.09), to the presence of genital disease of the father (adjusted OR 2.41; 95%C I0.94-6.17), and the mother (adjusted OR 3.47;95% CI 1.34-8.99), to low birth weight of the infant (adjusted OR 4.49; 95% CI 1.23-16.31). Increased risk was also observed for mothers consuming alcohol during pregnancy (adjusted OR 3.09; 95% CI 0.98-9.66), and for couples who conceived while using condoms (adjusted OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.02-4.41). The study therefore provides only limited support to the hypothesis of a possible association between the risk of cryptorchidism and hypospadias and the occupational exposure to EDC and agricultural work.