Diagnosis, monitoring and prevention of exposure-related non-communicable diseases in the living and working environment: DiMoPEx-project is designed to determine the impacts of environmental exposure on human health

Abstract

The WHO has ranked environmental hazardous exposures in the living and working environment among the top risk factors for chronic disease mortality. Worldwide, about 40 million people die each year from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cancer, diabetes, and chronic cardiovascular, neurological and lung diseases. The exposure to ambient pollution in the living and working environment is exacerbated by individual susceptibilities and lifestyle-driven factors to produce complex and complicated NCD etiologies.Research addressing the links between environmental exposure and disease prevalence is key for prevention of the pandemic increase in NCD morbidity and mortality. However, the long latency, the chronic course of some diseases and the necessity to address cumulative exposures over very long periods does mean that it is often difficult to identify causal environmental exposures.EU-funded COST Action DiMoPEx is developing new concepts for a better understanding of health-environment (including gene-environment) interactions in the etiology of NCDs. The overarching idea is to teach and train scientists and physicians to learn how to include efficient and valid exposure assessments in their research and in their clinical practice in current and future cooperative projects.DiMoPEx partners have identified some of the emerging research needs, which include the lack of evidence-based exposure data and the need for human-equivalent animal models mirroring human lifespan and low-dose cumulative exposures. Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach incorporating seven working groups, DiMoPEx will focus on aspects of air pollution with particulate matter including dust and fibers and on exposure to low doses of solvents and sensitizing agents. Biomarkers of early exposure and their associated effects as indicators of disease-derived information will be tested and standardized within individual projects. Risks arising from some NCDs, like pneumoconioses, cancers and allergies, are predictable and preventable. Consequently, preventative action could lead to decreasing disease morbidity and mortality for many of the NCDs that are of major public concern. DiMoPEx plans to catalyze and stimulate interaction of scientists with policy-makers in attacking these exposure-related diseases.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12995-018-0186-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Exposure to fumigants in containers: a questionnaire assessment on 125 French dockers

“…This questionnaire is at this time a part of diagnostic scheme of occupational or environmental intoxication to fumigants with clinical examination, biomonitoring and paraclinical exams. It has to be used in face-to-face interviews, as recommended by DiMoPEX Group [20]. For the daily routine use and screening of populations at risk, we developed a quicker questionnaire which can be easily filled in by the worker and a guide for paraclinical exams (Appendix 1).…”

Translation Regulation by eIF2α Phosphorylation and mTORC1 Signaling Pathways in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

“…The original classification of diseases was first established by Jacques Bertillon in 1893 and relied on the affected anatomical site rather than specific pathology or characteristics [1]. Unlike most infectious diseases, which are complex, the additional complexity of NCDs is introduced by the long latency periods involved in their development, the association of multiple genetic and risk factors that underlie the development of NCDs, that often involve several co-morbidities, and the prolonged course of disease [2].…”

High Particulate Matter Burden of Cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates and Germany: Are There Country-Specific Differences?

“…Therefore, a global and consistent obligation to declare the amounts of nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and PM amounts is useful and necessary. Additionally, it should be obligatory for tobacco companies to fully inform health officials, the public, and projects, e.g., DiMoPEx (Diagnosis, Monitoring and Prevention of Exposure-related Non-Communicable Diseases) by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology [60,61], about ingredients and production design of their tobacco products. This information can help to determine all characteristics of tobacco products (e.g., tobacco blend, additives or filter design) that make smoking even more harmful.…”