Fan Liu

TL;DR: The hypothesis that prenatal phthalate exposure at environmental levels can adversely affect male reproductive development in humans is supported.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported reduced sperm concentration and motility in fertile men in a U.S. agrarian area (Columbia, MO) relative to men from urban centers (Minneapolis, MN; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY).

TL;DR: Sperm concentration was significantly lower in Columbia, Missouri, than in New York, New York; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Los Angeles, California, and between-center differences remained significant in multivariate models that controlled for abstinence time, semen analysis time, age, race, smoking, history of sexually transmitted disease, and recent fever.

TL;DR: The data reported here suggest that even at current low levels, environmental exposure to DEHP can adversely affect male genital development resulting in reproductive tract changes that may impact reproductive health later in life.

TL;DR: Prenatal exposure to antiandrogenic phthalates may be associated with less male-typical play behaviour in boys and the findings suggest that these ubiquitous environmental chemicals have the potential to alter androgen-responsive brain development in humans.