Researchers testing debris from the collapsed World Trade Center towers have found the potential risk of toxic exposure is lower than expected. The researchers examined the debris for substances called persistent organic pollutants, or POPs -- highly stable compounds that pose a special problem because they endure in the environment and can be toxic to humans and wildlife. They found no evidence of high levels of two particular POPs: pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, which were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications until they were banned in 1977. The team estimated, however, that the dust covering lower Manhattan contained between 100 and 1000 tons of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are considered probable human carcinogens. Although the amount of PAHs was high, the researchers said, the dust particles to which the chemicals stuck were large enough to stay out of a person's lungs. "That means, in terms of potential lifetime exposures, we're probably going to be very lucky in that these may not be exposures of significant health risk," they said.

WORKPLACE ABUSE CAN HARM THE BOTTOM LINE

Abusive behavior by supervisors toward employees might achieve short-term goals, but it usually hurts the organization in the long run, a new study suggests. The study, published in the December issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, found employees who worked for abusive supervisors tended to work less at promoting organizational effectiveness, such as helping coworkers, not complaining about trivial problems and speaking favorably about the company to outsiders. Abusive behavior included yelling or screaming at someone for disagreeing, using derogatory names or aggressive eye contact, using threats of job loss and humiliating someone in front of others. When abused subordinates work less productively, it allows them to achieve a kind of low-intensity revenge, the study's authors said. "A number of studies have suggested that employee citizenship behaviors benefit organizations in terms of sales, performance quality and quantity, and operating efficiency," they said. "Our data provide further motivation for organizations to be concerned about allowing abusive supervision to go unchecked."

NEW STUDY FINDS NO DIETARY FAT-DEMENTIA LINK

Although high fat consumption is associated with several health problems, new research suggests there is no link between dietary fat and the onset of dementia. A study published in the Dec. 24 issue of the journal Neurology examined more than 5,000 subjects in the Netherlands. The subjects had normal cognition, lived independently and had reliable dietary assessments. They were screened for such factors as age, gender, body mass index, diseases, level of education, smoking habits, alcohol use, and intake of dietary supplements. After an average of six years, with adjustments made for the variables given above, researchers concluded that the intake of total fat, saturated and trans fats and cholesterol was not associated with an increased risk of dementia. In addition, intakes of specific fatty acids and/or cholesterol lowering medications were not associated with a reduced risk of the debilitating condition.

SIMPLER THERAPY CAN HELP HIV PATIENTS

HIV-infected patients with cognitive impairment need simpler drug therapies to prevent them from failing to take their medications, a new study concludes. The study, published in the Dec. 24 issue of Neurology, also found failure to take prescribed medications could even lead to the development of drug-resistant HIV strains. A three-times-per-day medication requirement, which is often prescribed for HIV patients, caused patients with cognitive impairment to fail to stay on their medication schedules far more often than those given a schedule of once or twice per day. HIV-related cognitive impairment can include mild to severe memory problems, difficulties with planning and judgment and reductions in how fast the brain can process information. Although the research does not prove cognitive impairment causes HIV patients to lapse in their medication schedules, researchers said, "in fact, it could be the opposite -- poor adherence to one's medication schedule may have many damaging consequences, including cognitive decline."

(Editors: For more information on WTC DUST, contact Beverly Hassell at 202-872-4065 or b_hassell@acs.org. For WORKPLACE ABUSE, David Partenheimer at 202-336-5706 or dpartenheimer@apa.org. For FAT/DEMENTIA, Cheryl Alementi at 651-695-2737 or calementi@aan.com. For HIV THERAPY, Cheryl Alementi at 651-695-2737 or calementi@aan.com)