The present research investigated the role of two sources of psychological need satisfaction (inside and outside a passionate activity) as determinants of harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP) passion. ...Four studies were carried out with different samples of young and middle‐aged adults (e.g., athletes, musicians; total N = 648). Different research designs (cross‐sectional, mixed, longitudinal) were also used. Results showed that only a rigid engagement in a passionate activity (OP) was predicted by low levels of need satisfaction outside the passionate activity (in an important life context or in life in general), whereas both OP and a more favorable and balanced type of passion, HP were positively predicted by need satisfaction inside the passionate activity. Further, OP led to negative outcomes, and HP predicted positive outcomes. These results suggest that OP may represent a form of compensatory striving for psychological need satisfaction. It appears important to consider two distinct sources of need satisfaction, inside and outside the passionate activity, when investigating determinants of optimal and less optimal forms of activity engagement.
Objective
Passion research has focused extensively on the unique effects of both harmonious passion and obsessive passion (Vallerand, 2015). We adopted a quadripartite approach (Gaudreau & Thompson, ...2010) to test whether physical and psychological well‐being are distinctly related to subtypes of passion with varying within‐person passion combinations: pure harmonious passion, pure obsessive passion, mixed passion, and non‐passion.
Method
In four studies (total N = 3,122), we tested whether passion subtypes were differentially associated with self‐reported general health (Study 1; N = 1,218 undergraduates), health symptoms in video gamers (Study 2; N = 269 video game players), global psychological well‐being (Study 3; N = 1,192 undergraduates), and academic burnout (Study 4; N = 443 undergraduates) using latent moderated structural equation modeling.
Results
Pure harmonious passion was generally associated with more positive levels of physical health and psychological well‐being compared to pure obsessive passion, mixed passion, and non‐passion. In contrast, outcomes were more negative for pure obsessive passion compared to both mixed passion and non‐passion subtypes.
Conclusions
This research underscores the theoretical and empirical usefulness of a quadripartite approach for the study of passion. Overall, the results demonstrate the benefits of having harmonious passion, even when obsessive passion is also high (i.e., mixed passion), and highlight the costs associated with a pure obsessive passion.
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•We derived non-cancer biomonitoring equivalents (BEs) for serum PFOA.•BEs for different exposure guidance values spanned three orders of magnitude.•BEs were lower when based on ...epidemiological studies than animal studies.•Lower BEs were obtained based on developmental endpoints vs. adult endpoints.•Serum PFOA levels in Canada/US were higher than or close to the lowest BEs.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is detected in the blood of virtually all biomonitoring study participants. Assessing health risks associated with blood PFOA levels is challenging because exposure guidance values (EGVs) are typically expressed in terms of external dose. Biomonitoring equivalents (BEs) consistent with EGVs could facilitate health-based interpretations.
To i) derive BEs for serum/plasma PFOA corresponding to non-cancer EGVs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and Health Canada, and ii) compare with PFOA concentrations from national biomonitoring surveys.
Starting from EGV points of departure, we employed pharmacokinetic data/models and uncertainty factors. Points of departure in pregnant rodents (U.S. EPA 2016, ATSDR) were converted into fetus and pup serum concentrations using an animal gestation/lactation pharmacokinetic model, and equivalent human fetus and child concentrations were converted into BEs in maternal serum using a human gestation/lactation model. The point of departure in adult rodents (Health Canada) was converted into a BE using experimental data. For epidemiology-based EGVs (U.S. EPA 2023, draft), BEs were directly based on epidemiological data or derived using a human gestation/lactation pharmacokinetic model. BEs were compared with Canadian/U.S. biomonitoring data.
Non-cancer BEs (ng/mL) were 684 (Health Canada, 2018) or ranged from 15 to 29 (U.S. EPA, 2016), 6–10 (ATSDR, 2021) and 0.2–0.8 (U.S. EPA, 2023, draft). Ninety-fifth percentiles of serum levels from the 2018–2019 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were slightly below the BE for ATSDR, and geometric means were above the non-cancer BEs for the U.S. EPA (2023, draft).
Non-cancer BEs spanned three orders of magnitude. The lowest BEs were for EGVs based on developmental endpoints in epidemiological studies. Concentrations in Canadian/U.S. national surveys were higher than or close to BEs for the most recent non-cancer EGVs.
Hydraulic fracturing, a method used in Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) to extract natural gas, can release contaminants with potential deleterious health effects on fetal development. To date, ...the association between hydraulic fracturing activity and birth outcomes has not been evaluated in this region.
To evaluate the association between the hydraulic fracturing well density/proximity and birth outcomes (birthweight, head circumference, preterm birth and small for gestational age (SGA)).
We used birth records from the Fort St John hospital between December 30, 2006 and December 29, 2016 (n = 6333 births). To estimate gestational exposure, we used inverse distance weighting (IDW) to calculate the density/proximity of hydraulic fracturing wells to pregnant women's postal code centroid. For each birth, we calculated three IDWs using 2.5, 5, and 10 km buffer zones around women's postal code centroid. We used linear and logistic regressions to evaluate associations between quartiles of postal code well density/proximity and birth outcomes, controlling for relevant covariates.
No associations were found between postal code well density/proximity and head circumference or SGA. A negative association was found between postal code well density/proximity and birthweight for infants born to women in the 2nd quartile of the 10 km buffer (β 95% confidence interval (CI): -47.28 g -84.30; -10.25), and in the 2nd (β 95% CI: -40.87 g -78.01; -3.73) and 3rd (β 95% CI: -42.01 g -79.15; -4.87) quartiles of the 5 km buffer. Increased odds of preterm birth were observed among women in the 2nd quartile of the 2.5 km buffer (odds ratio (OR) 95% CI: 1.60 1.30; 2.43).
This is the first epidemiological study in Northeastern British Columbia evaluating associations between hydraulic fracturing and health outcomes. Our results show inconsistent patterns of association between hydraulic fracturing, preterm birth and reduced birthweight, and effect estimates did not match expected dose-response relationships.
Most children are exposed to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) through placental transfer, breastfeeding, and other environmental sources. To date, there are no validated tools to estimate exposure ...and body burden during infancy and childhood. In this study, we aimed to (i) develop a two-generation pharmacokinetic model of prenatal and postnatal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS); and to (ii) evaluate it against measured children’s levels in two studies. We developed a pharmacokinetic model consisting of a maternal and a child compartment to simulate lifetime exposure in women and transfer to the child across the placenta and through breastfeeding. To evaluate the model, we performed simulations for each mother–child dyad from two studies in which maternal PFAS levels at delivery and children’s PFAS levels were available. Model predictions based on maternal PFAS levels, sex of child, body weight, and duration of breastfeeding explained between 52% and 60% of the variability in measured children’s levels at 6 months of age and between 52% and 62% at 36 months. Monte Carlo simulations showed that the daily intake through breastfeeding and resulting internal PFAS levels can be much higher in nursing infants than in mothers. This pharmacokinetic model shows potential for postnatal exposure assessment in the context of epidemiological studies and risk assessment.
Silicone passive samplers were assessed for measuring personal exposure to 37 flame retardants at three Québec e-waste recycling facilities. Silicone brooches (n = 45), wristbands (n = 28), and ...armbands (n = 9) worn during a ∼8 h work shift accumulated detectable amounts of 95–100% of the target compounds. Brooch concentrations were significantly correlated with those from active air samplers from which we conclude that the brooches could be used to approximate inhalation exposure and other exposures related to air concentrations such as dermal exposure. The generic sampling rate of the brooch (19 ± 11 m3 day–1 dm–2) was 13 and 22 times greater than estimated for home and office environments, respectively, likely because of the dusty work environment and greater movement of e-waste workers. BDE-209 concentrations in brooches and wristbands were moderately and significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with levels in blood plasma; organophosphorus esters in brooches and wristbands were weakly and insignificantly correlated with their metabolite biomarkers in post-shift spot urine samples. Silicone brooches and wristbands deployed over a single shift in a dusty occupational setting can be useful for indicating the internal exposure to compounds with relatively long biological half-lives, but their use for compounds with relatively short half-lives is not clear and may require either a longer deployment time or an integrated biomarker measure.
Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of intense hydraulic fracturing for unconventional natural gas exploitation. There have been multiple reports of air and water contamination by ...volatile organic compounds in the vicinity of gas wells. Although these chemicals are known developmental toxicants, no biomonitoring effort has been carried out in the region.
To evaluate gestational exposure to benzene and toluene in the Peace River Valley, Northeastern British Columbia (Canada).
Urine samples were collected over five consecutive days from 29 pregnant women. Metabolites of benzene (s-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) and trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA)) and toluene (s-benzylmercapturic acid (S-BMA)) were measured in pooled urine samples from each participant. Levels of benzene metabolites were compared to those from the general Canadian population and from a biomonitoring study of residents from an area of active gas exploitation in Pavillion, Wyoming (USA). Levels measured in participants from the two recruitment sites, and self-identifying as Indigenous or non-Indigenous, were also compared.
Whereas the median S-PMA level (0.18μg/g creatinine) in our study was similar to that in the general Canadian population, the median t,t-MA level (180μg/g creatinine) was approximately 3.5 times higher. Five women had t,t-MA levels above the biological exposure index® proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. The median urinary S-BMA level in our pilot study was 7.00μg/g creatinine. Urinary metabolite levels were slightly higher in self-identifying Indigenous women, but this difference was only statistically significant for S-PMA.
Urinary t,t-MA levels, but not S-PMA levels, measured in our study are suggestive of a higher benzene exposure in participating pregnant women from the Peace River Valley than in the general Canadian population. Given the small sample size and limitations of t,t-MA measurements (e.g., non-specificity), more extensive monitoring is warranted.
•Northeastern British Columbia (NEBC) is a region of natural gas exploitation.•Hydraulic fracturing may release volatile organic compounds like benzene.•We measured urinary metabolites of benzene in pregnant women from NEBC.•t,t-muconic acid levels were ~3.5 times higher than in the Canadian population.•Further monitoring of benzene exposure in NEBC is warranted.
Infant exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may contribute to obesity. However, many studies so far have been small, focused on transplacental exposure, used an inappropriate measure to ...assess postnatal exposure through breastfeeding if any, or did not discern between prenatal and postnatal effects.
We investigated prenatal and postnatal exposure to POPs and infant growth (a predictor of obesity).
We pooled data from seven European birth cohorts with biomarker concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (PCB-153) (n = 2,487), and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) (n = 1,864), estimating prenatal and postnatal POPs exposure using a validated pharmacokinetic model. Growth was change in weight-for-age z-score between birth and 24 months. Per compound, multilevel models were fitted with either POPs total exposure from conception to 24 months or prenatal or postnatal exposure.
We found a significant increase in growth associated with p,p'-DDE, seemingly due to prenatal exposure (per interquartile increase in exposure, adjusted β = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.22). Due to heterogeneity across cohorts, this estimate cannot be considered precise, but does indicate that an association with infant growth is present on average. In contrast, a significant decrease in growth was associated with postnatal PCB-153 exposure (β = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.19, -0.01).
To our knowledge, this is the largest study to date of POPs exposure and infant growth, and it contains state-of-the-art exposure modeling. Prenatal p,p'-DDE was associated with increased infant growth, and postnatal PCB-153 with decreased growth at European exposure levels.
Current acceptable chemical exposure levels (e.g., tolerable daily intake) are mainly based on animal experiments, which are costly, time-consuming, considered non-ethical by many, and may poorly ...predict adverse outcomes in humans.
To evaluate a method using human in vitro data and biological modeling to calculate an acceptable exposure level through a case study on 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) developmental neurotoxicity (DNT).
We reviewed the literature on in vitro assays studying BDE-47-induced DNT. Using the most sensitive endpoint, we derived a point of departure using a mass-balance in vitro disposition model and benchmark dose modeling for a 5% response (BMC05) in cells. We subsequently used a pharmacokinetic model of gestation and lactation to estimate administered equivalent doses leading to four different metrics of child brain concentration (i.e., average prenatal, average postnatal, average overall, and maximum concentration) equal to the point of departure. The administered equivalent doses were translated into tolerable daily intakes using uncertainty factors. Finally, we calculated biomonitoring equivalents for maternal serum and compared them to published epidemiological studies of DNT.
We calculated a BMC05 of 164 μg/kg of cells for BDE-47 induced alteration of differentiation in neural progenitor cells. We estimated administered equivalent doses of 0.925–3.767 μg/kg/day in mothers, and tolerable daily intakes of 0.009–0.038 μg/kg/day (composite uncertainty factor: 100). The lowest derived biomonitoring equivalent was 19.75 ng/g lipids, which was consistent with reported median (0.9–23 ng/g lipids) and geometric mean (7.02–26.9 ng/g lipids) maternal serum concentrations from epidemiological studies.
This case study supports using in vitro data and biological modeling as a viable alternative to animal testing to derive acceptable exposure levels.
Northeastern British Columbia (Canada) is an area of unconventional natural gas (UNG) exploitation by hydraulic fracturing, which can release several contaminants, including volatile organic ...compounds (VOCs). To evaluate gestational exposure to contaminants in this region, we undertook the Exposures in the Peace River Valley (EXPERIVA) study.
We aimed to: 1) measure VOCs in residential indoor air and tap water from EXPERIVA participants; 2) compare concentrations with those in the general population and explore differences related to sociodemographic and housing characteristics; and 3) determine associations between VOC concentrations and density/proximity to UNG wells.
Eighty-five pregnant women participated. Passive air samplers were analyzed for 47 VOCs, and tap water samples were analyzed for 44 VOCs. VOC concentrations were compared with those from the Canadian Health Measure Survey (CHMS). We assessed the association between different metrics of well density/proximity and indoor air and tap water VOC concentrations using multiple linear regression.
40 VOCs were detected in >50% of air samples, whereas only 4 VOCs were detected in >50% of water samples. We observed indoor air concentrations >95th percentile of CHMS in 10–60% of samples for several compounds (acetone, 2-methyl-2-propanol, chloroform, 1,4-dioxane, hexanal, m/p-xylene, o-xylene, styrene, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, dodecane and decanal). Indoor air levels of chloroform and tap water levels of total trihalomethanes were higher in Indigenous participants compared to non-Indigenous participants. Indoor air levels of chloroform and acetone, and tap water levels of total trihalomethanes were positively associated with UNG wells density/proximity metrics. Indoor air BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) levels were positively correlated with some well density/proximity metrics.
Our results suggest higher exposure to certain VOCs in pregnant women living in an area of intense unconventional natural gas exploitation compared with the general Canadian population, and that well density/proximity is associated with increased exposure to certain VOCs.
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•Northeastern British Columbia (NEBC) is a region of natural gas exploitation.•Unconventional natural gas operations may release volatile organic compounds (VOC).•We measured a suite of VOC in indoor air and tap water from 85 pregnant women in NEBC.•Density of UNG wells was associated with indoor air chloroform, acetone and BTEX.•Density of UNG wells was associated with tap water trihalomethanes.