Abstract Background: Chronic exposure to arsenic (As), a human toxicant and carcinogen, remains a global public health problem. Health risks persist after As exposure has ended, suggesting epigenetic dysregulation as a mechanistic link between exposure and health outcomes. Objectives: We investigated the association between total urinary As and locus-specific DNA methylation in the Strong Heart Study

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Abstract Background: Potential adverse health effects of Asian dust exposure have been reported, but systematic reviews and quantitative syntheses are lacking. Objective: We reviewed epidemiologic studies that assessed the risk of mortality, hospital admissions, and symptoms/dysfunction associated with exposure to Asian dust. Methods: We performed a systematic search of PubMed and Web of Science to

Abstract Background: Arterial stiffness, and its progression with age, is an important indicator of cardiovascular aging. Greenspace exposure may protect against arterial stiffness by promoting physical activity, fostering social cohesion, and reducing stress and exposure to air pollution and noise. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of long-term exposure to outdoor

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Abstract Background: Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) during wildfire seasons has been associated with adverse health outcomes. Previous studies have focused on daily exposure, but PM2.5 levels in smoke events can vary considerably within 1 d. Objectives: We aimed to assess the immediate and lagged relationship between sub-daily exposure to PM2.5 and acute health outcomes during wildfire

Abstract Background: Chemical and nonchemical environmental exposures are increasingly suspected to influence the development of obesity, especially during early life, but studies mostly consider single exposure groups. Objectives: Our study aimed to systematically assess the association between a wide array of early-life environmental exposures and childhood obesity, using an exposome-wide approach

Abstract Background: Research on the relationship between long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5) and poor cognitive function is lacking in developing countries, especially in highly polluted areas. Objectives: We evaluated associations of long-term exposure to PM2.5 with poor cognitive function in a diverse, national sample of older adults in China. Methods:

Abstract Background: Three billion people burn nonclean fuels for household purposes. Limited evidence suggests a link between household fuel use and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Objectives: We investigated the relationship between indoor burning of biomass, kerosene, and natural gas with the subsequent risk of GI cancers. Methods: During the period 2004–2008, a total of 50,045 Iranian individuals

BACKGROUND Despite the importance of understanding associations of air pollution and noise exposure with loss of neurocognitive performance, studies investigating these exposures and local brain structure are limited. OBJECTIVE We estimated associations of residential air pollution and noise exposures with neurocognitive test performance and the local gyrification index (lGI), a marker for local brain

Abstract Background: Despite the importance of understanding associations of air pollution and noise exposure with loss of neurocognitive performance, studies investigating these exposures and local brain structure are limited. Objective: We estimated associations of residential air pollution and noise exposures with neurocognitive test performance and the local gyrification index (lGI), a marker for

Abstract Background: Although substantial concerns about the inflammatory effects of engineered nanomaterial (ENM) have been raised, experimentally assessing toxicity of various ENMs is challenging and time-consuming. Alternatively, quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models have been employed to assess nanosafety. However, no previous attempt has been made to predict the inflammatory

Abstract Background: Agricultural work and occupational pesticide use have been associated with increased risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer. However, few prospective studies have investigated links to specific pesticides. Objective: We evaluated the lifetime use of individual pesticides and the incidence of RCC. Methods: We evaluated the associations between

Abstract Background: Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is an environmental toxicant associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in chronically exposed populations worldwide. However, the biological mechanisms underlying iAs-induced prostate carcinogenesis remain unclear. Objectives: We studied how iAs affects normal human prostate stem-progenitor cells (PrSPCs) and drives transformation and interrogated

Abstract Background: Although previous epidemiological studies have explored associations of phthalate metabolites with thyroid function, no studies to date have assessed associations of mixtures with thyroid function and autoimmunity among potentially susceptible subgroups such as subfertile women. Objective: We aimed to explore associations of mixtures of urinary phthalate metabolites with serum

Abstract Background: Studies suggest associations between oil and gas development (OGD) and adverse birth outcomes, but few epidemiological studies of oil wells or inactive wells exist, and none in California. Objective: Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between residential proximity to OGD and birth outcomes in California. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,918,089

Abstract Background: The epigenetic effects of individual environmental toxicants in tobacco remain largely unexplored. Cadmium (Cd) has been associated with smoking-related health effects, and its concentration in tobacco smoke is higher in comparison with other metals. Objectives: We studied the association of Cd and smoking exposures with human blood DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles. We also evaluated

Abstract Background: Few epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) on air pollutants exist, and none have been done on transportation noise exposures, which also contribute to environmental burden of disease. Objective: We performed mutually independent EWAS on transportation noise and air pollution exposures. Methods: We used data from two time points of the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and

Abstract Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that individuals with glucose metabolism disorders are susceptible to mortality associated with fine particles. However, the mechanisms remain largely unknown. Objectives: We examined whether particle-associated respiratory inflammation differed between individuals with prediabetes and healthy control participants. Methods: Based on a panel study

BACKGROUND Bacillary dysentery (BD) remains a significant public health issue, especially in developing countries. Evidence assessing the risk of BD from temperature is limited, particularly from national studies including multiple locations with different climatic characteristics. OBJECTIVES We estimated the effect of temperature on BD across China, assessed heterogeneity and attributable risks across

BACKGROUND Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus are mosquito vectors of more than 22 arboviruses that infect humans. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to develop regional ecological niche models for Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in the conterminous United States and Canada with current observed and simulated climate and land-use data using boosted regression trees (BRTs). METHODS We used BRTs to assess climatic

BACKGROUND The Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on Bisphenol-A (CLARITY-BPA) is a rare collaboration of guideline-compliant (core) studies and academic hypothesis-based studies to assess the effects of bisphenol A (BPA). OBJECTIVES We aimed to a) determine whether BPA showed effects on the developing rat mammary gland using new quantitative and established semiquantitative methods

BACKGROUND Chlorination is globally used to produce of safe drinking water. Chlorination by-products are easily formed, and there are indications that these are associated with adverse reproductive outcomes. OBJECTIVES We conducted a nationwide register-based prospective study to assess whether gestational exposure to the four most common chlorination by-products [total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)] via

BACKGROUND Low-income countries have reduced health care system capacity and are therefore at risk of substantially higher COVID-19 case fatality rates than those currently seen in high-income countries. Handwashing is a key component of guidance to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior systematic reviews have indicated the effectiveness of handwashing

BACKGROUND Epidemiological research on effects of transportation noise on incident hypertension is inconsistent. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate whether residential road traffic noise increases the risk for hypertension. METHODS In a population-based cohort of 57,053 individuals 50-64 years of age at enrollment, we identified 21,241 individuals who fulfilled our case definition of filling ≥2 prescriptions

BACKGROUND Air pollution exposure has been linked to coronary heart disease, although evidence on PM2.5 and myocardial infarction (MI) incidence is mixed. OBJECTIVES This prospective cohort study aimed to investigate associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and MI incidence, adjusting for road traffic noise. METHODS We used data from the nationwide Danish Nurse Cohort on 22,882 female

BACKGROUND Mediation analysis is used in epidemiology to identify pathways through which exposures influence health. The advent of high-throughput (omics) technologies gives opportunities to perform mediation analysis with a high-dimension pool of covariates. OBJECTIVE We aimed to highlight some biostatistical issues of this expanding field of high-dimension mediation. DISCUSSION The mediation techniques

INTRODUCTION To date, the evidence for an association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is inconclusive. OBJECTIVE We investigated the association between early life exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and ADHD in a collaborative study including nine European population-based studies

BACKGROUND Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are environmental toxicants; PCB exposure has been associated with adverse effects on wildlife and humans. However, the mechanisms underlying these adverse effects are not fully understood. The steroid and xenobiotic receptor [SXR; also known as the pregnane X receptor (PXR) and formally known as NR1I2] is a nuclear hormone receptor that regulates inducible

BACKGROUND Globally, nearly 3 billion people rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating, the vast majority residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The resulting household air pollution (HAP) is a leading environmental risk factor, accounting for an estimated 1.6 million premature deaths annually. Previous interventions of cleaner stoves have often failed to reduce exposure to levels

BACKGROUND Biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, and effect are fundamental for understanding environmental exposures, mechanistic pathways of effect, and monitoring early adverse outcomes. To date, no study has comprehensively evaluated a large suite and variety of biomarkers in household air pollution (HAP) studies in concert with exposure and outcome data. The Household Air Pollution Intervention

BACKGROUND High quality personal exposure data is fundamental to understanding the health implications of household energy interventions, interpreting analyses across assigned study arms, and characterizing exposure-response relationships for household air pollution. This paper describes the exposure data collection for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN), a multicountry randomized

BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread persistent organic pollutants and endocrine disruptors. High doses of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure can cause pregnancy loss and infant deaths in animals, but the associations between PFAS exposures and risk of miscarriage in humans are not well studied. METHODS Using a case-control

BACKGROUND In an effort to decrease the rates of smoking conventional tobacco cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have been proposed as an effective smoking cessation tool. However, little is known about their toxicological impacts. This is concerning given that e-cigarette use is perceived as less harmful than conventional tobacco cigarettes during pregnancy for both the mother and fetus

BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a diverse class of industrial chemicals with widespread environmental occurrence. Exposure to long-chain PFAS is associated with developmental toxicity, prompting their replacement with short-chain and fluoroether compounds. There is growing public concern over the safety of replacement PFAS. OBJECTIVE We aimed to group PFAS based on shared

BACKGROUND Exposure mixtures frequently occur in data across many domains, particularly in the fields of environmental and nutritional epidemiology. Various strategies have arisen to answer questions about exposure mixtures, including methods such as weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression that estimate a joint effect of the mixture components. OBJECTIVES We demonstrate a new approach to estimating

BACKGROUND Land-use changes in city fringes due to urbanization can lead to a reduction of greenspace that may reduce its associated health benefits. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the association between changes in residential surrounding built-up land use and cardiometabolic risk factors in an urbanizing peri-urban area of south India and explored the mediating roles of air pollution, physical activity

INTRODUCTION Ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for adverse birth outcomes, but the role of ultrafine particles (UFPs) is not well understood. Aircraft-origin UFPs adversely affect air quality over large residential areas downwind of airports, but their reproductive health burden remains uninvestigated. OBJECTIVES This analysis evaluated whether UFPs from jet aircraft emissions are associated

BACKGROUND The Cameroon government has set a target that, by 2030, 58% of the population will be using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a cooking fuel, in comparison with less than 20% in 2014. The National LPG Master Plan (Master Plan) was developed for scaling up the LPG sector to achieve this target. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to estimate the potential impacts of this planned LPG expansion (the

BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous environmental endocrine disruptor targeting estrogen receptors (ERs), has been implicated in the promotion of breast cancer. Perinatal exposure of BPA could induce longitudinal alteration of DNA hydroxymethylation in imprinted loci of mouse blood cells. To date, no data has been reported on the effects of BPA on DNA hydroxymethylation in breast cells. Therefore

BACKGROUND The etiology of autism spectrum disorder is poorly understood. Few studies have investigated the link between endocrine-disrupting chemicals and autistic traits. We examined the relationship between gestational phthalates and autistic traits in 3- to 4-y-old Canadian children. We also investigated potential effect modification by sex and folic acid supplementation. METHODS We enrolled 2

BACKGROUND Many nonpublic water well users unknowingly consume contaminated groundwater containing unsafe levels of pollutants. This has important implications for more than 13 million households in the United States that rely upon nonpublic water wells for drinking, cooking, and other household uses. Although public water quality is regulated through the Safe Drinking Water Act, there are no drinking

BACKGROUND In spring 2013, groundwater of a vast area of the Veneto Region (northeastern Italy) was found to be contaminated by perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a PFAS manufacturing plant active since the late 1960s. Residents were exposed to high concentrations of PFAS, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), through drinking water until autumn 2013. A publicly funded health surveillance

BACKGROUND Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a poly- and perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes in mice and humans, but little is known regarding one of its replacements, hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, referred to here as GenX), both of which have been reported as contaminants in drinking water. OBJECTIVES We compared the toxicity of PFOA and GenX

BACKGROUND Air pollution has been related to brain structural alterations, but a relationship with white matter microstructure is unclear. OBJECTIVES We assessed whether pregnancy and childhood exposures to air pollution are related to white matter microstructure in preadolescents. METHODS We used data of 2,954 children from the Generation R Study, a population-based birth cohort from Rotterdam, Netherlands

BACKGROUND Fuel oil-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inhalation is associated with accidental marine spills. After the Prestige petroleum tanker sank off northern Spain in 2002 and the Deepwater Horizon oil rig catastrophe in 2009, subjects involved in environmental decontamination showed signs of ongoing or residual lung disease up to 5 y after the exposure. OBJECTIVES We aimed at investigating

BACKGROUND Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are xenobiotics that mimic the interaction of natural hormones and alter synthesis, transport, or metabolic pathways. The prospect of EDCs causing adverse health effects in humans and wildlife has led to the development of scientific and regulatory approaches for evaluating bioactivity. This need is being addressed using high-throughput screening (HTS)

BACKGROUND Lead (Pb) exposure and prenatal stress (PS) during development are co-occurring risk factors with shared biological substrates. PS has been associated with transgenerational passage of altered behavioral phenotypes, whereas the transgenerational behavioral or biochemical consequences of Pb exposure, and modification of any such effects by PS, is unknown. OBJECTIVES The present study sought