Environmental Contaminants and Reproductive Health of Akwesasne Mohawk Women

由Schell博士和Carpenter博士领导的题为“Akwesasne Mohawk妇女的环境污染物和生殖健康”的项目是建立在Akwesasne Mohawk民族与奥尔巴尼大学之间大约20年的合作关系基础上的，同时也代表着中心将重点扩大到奥尔巴尼和阿姆斯特丹以外的地区。这项研究的目的是确定接触多氯联苯、其他持久性有机污染物和铅对20至35岁之间、居住在Akwesasne的莫霍克妇女月经周期特征的影响，Akwesasne毗邻一个联邦和两个州超级基金地点。该研究将招募180名女性，通过收集血液，尿液和每日唾液样本来跟踪一个月经周期，以调查PCB同系物和其他毒物与性腺功能，垂体功能和月经周期其他特征的关系，通过日记和问卷进行测量。本研究具有若干创新的方法特点：同时考虑具有内分泌干扰特性的多种毒物，对多氯联苯进行特定同系物分析，以测试其对生殖影响的结构-功能关系，在对生殖参数的其他常见影响的范围内考虑这些影响，以及统计技术和增长曲线分析的应用，这些技术和分析充分利用了在整个周期中获得的数据密度。该项目对社区的意义和重要性同样值得注意。表达和重申莫霍克人身份和文化的活动可能会增加对多氯联苯等当地污染物的接触，特别是通过饮食。这项研究的结果不仅对促进良好的生殖健康（对国家作为一种文化和一个民族的生存至关重要），而且对了解可能与莫霍克人传统生活方式有关的活动有关的风险具有重大意义。 多氯联苯（PCBs）和铅（Pb）等内分泌干扰化合物可能对人类生殖健康产生的影响令人十分关切。对哺乳动物生殖的影响是已知的，但缺乏关于非职业性接触环境毒物对人类生育力相关参数的影响的证据。生殖健康是位于圣劳伦斯河上的Akwesasne Mohawk族极为关切的问题。像许多少数民族社区一样，Akwesasne位于一个主要环境污染地点附近：它毗邻一个联邦和两个州超级基金地点。当地重要的食物来源受到污染，暴露被认为是对社区的威胁， 同化和扩散。良好的生殖健康被视为国家文化和民族生存的关键。该项目建立在Akwesasne Mohawk Nation和奥尔巴尼大学之间长达12年的合作关系之上。本研究旨在确定多氯联苯，其他持久性有机污染物和铅（未充分研究其内分泌干扰特性）对20至35岁之间的莫霍克妇女月经周期特征的影响。本研究将追踪180名女性在一个月经周期内的血液、尿液和日常唾液样本，以研究PCB同系物和其他有毒物质与以下方面的关系：1）性腺功能，以月经周期中的类固醇雌二醇和孕酮水平为指标 在唾液中测量，2）通过促性腺激素水平索引的垂体功能，和3）通过日记和问卷报告的月经周期的其他特征。该项目在以下方面具有创新性：“同时考虑具有内分泌干扰特性的多种毒物，对多氯联苯进行同族体具体分析，以便测试生殖影响方面的结构-功能关系，并在对生殖参数的其他常见影响的背景下考虑这些影响。（甲状腺功能、自身免疫性疾病、超重、和体力活动）使用标准统计方法和增长曲线分析，充分利用整个周期获得的数据密度， 在此之前的研究中，没有应用过。

The project led by Drs. Schell and Carpenter, entitled "Environmental contaminants and reproductive health of Akwesasne Mohawk women" builds on a collaborative relationship between the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and the University at Albany reaching back some 20 years, while also representing an expansion of the Center's focus to the region beyond Albany and Amsterdam. The study's objective is to determine the effect of exposure to PCBs, other persistent organic pollutants and lead on characteristics of the menstrual cycle among Mohawk women who are between 20 and 35 years of age and living in Akwesasne, which is adjacent to a federal and two state Superfund sites. The study will enroll 180 women who will be followed through one menstrual cycle with collection of blood, urine and daily saliva samples to investigate the relationship of PCB congeners and other toxicants to gonadal function, pituitary function and other characteristics of the menstrual cycle measured through diaries and questionnaires. This study has several innovative methodological features: the simultaneous consideration of multiple toxicants with endocrine disrupting properties, the congener specific analysis of PCBs for testing structure-function relationships with regard to reproductive effects, the consideration of these effects within the context of other common influences on reproductive parameters, and the application of statistical techniques and growth curve analyses that take full advantage of the density of data obtained throughout the cycle. The project is equally notable for its meaning and salience to the community. Activities that express and reaffirm Mohawk identity and culture may increase exposure to local contaminants such as PCBs, particularly through diet. The findings of this study will have great significance not only for the promotion of good reproductive health (critical to the survival of the nation as a culture and a people) but also for understanding the risk possibly related to activities that have been traditionally associated with Mohawk ways of life. Considerable concern exists over possible effects of endocrine disrupting compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead (Pb) on human reproductive health. Effects on mammalian reproduction are known, but evidence regarding non-occupational exposure to environmental toxicants on parameters related to human fertility is lacking. Reproductive health is of great concern to the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation which is located on the St. Lawrence River. Like many minority communities, Akwesasne is located near a site of major environmental contamination: it is adjacent to a federal and two state Superfund sites. Important local food sources are contaminated, and exposure is perceived as a threat to the community already under pressure of assimilation and dispersal. Good reproductive health is seen as essential to the survival of the nation as a culture and a people. The project builds on a 12 year collaborative relationship between the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation and the University at Albany. This study aims to determine the effects of PCBs, other persistent organic pollutants, and lead (understudied for its endocrine disrupting properties) on characteristics of the menstrual cycle among Mohawk women between the ages of 20 and 35. It will follow 180 women through one menstrual cycle collecting blood, urine and daily saliva samples to investigate the relationship of PCB congeners and other toxicants to: 1) gonadal function as indexed by steroid estradiol and progesterone levels throught the cycle measured in saliva, 2) pituitary function indexed by gonadotropin levels, and 3) other characteristics of the menstrual cycle reported through diary and questionnaire. The project is innovative in its' simultaneous consideration of multiple toxicants with endocrine disrupting properties, the congener specific analysis of PCBs that allows testing structure-function relationships with regard to reproductive effects and the consideration of these effects within the context of other common influences on reproductive parameters (measures of thyroid function, autoimmune disease, overweight, and of physical activity) using standard statsitical methods and growth curve analyses to take full advantage of the density of data obtained throughout the cycle and which have not been applied before in studies of this matter.