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Abstract Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Short-term exposures to air pollution have been associated with AF triggering; less is known regarding associations between long-term air pollution exposures and AF incidence. Objectives: Our objective was to assess the association between long-term exposures to air pollution and distance to road on

Abstract Background: Pesticide exposure is associated with many long-term health outcomes; the potential underlying mechanisms are not well established for most associations. Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, may contribute. Individual pesticides may be associated with specific DNA methylation patterns but no epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) has evaluated methylation in relation

Abstract Background: Episodic memory decline varies by age and underlying neuropathology. Whether ambient air pollution contributes to the heterogeneity of episodic memory decline in older populations remains unclear. Objectives: We estimated associations between air pollution exposures and episodic memory decline according to pollutant, exposure time window, age, and latent class subgroups defined

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Abstract Background: Schools are often located near traffic sources, leading to high levels of exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including black carbon (BC). Thus, the school environment could play in a significant role in the adverse respiratory health of children. Objectives: Our objective was to determine associations between personal BC levels at school and airway inflammation [i.e.,

Abstract Background: Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to ambient fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 μm (PM2.5) correlates with a decrease in sperm count, but the biological mechanism remains elusive. Objectives: This study tested whether hypothalamic inflammation, an emerging pathophysiological mediator, mediates the development of lower epididymal

Abstract Background: Type 2 diabetes is a leading contributor to the global burden of morbidity and mortality. Ozone (O3) exposure has previously been linked to diabetes. Objective: We studied the impact of O3 exposure on incident diabetes risk in elderly Mexican Americans and investigated whether outdoor physical activity modifies the association. Methods: We selected 1,090 Mexican American participants

Abstract Background: Phthalates are commonly used endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are ubiquitous in the general population. Prenatal phthalate exposure may alter placental physiology and fetal development, leading to adverse perinatal and childhood health outcomes. Objective: We examined associations between prenatal phthalate exposure in the second and third trimesters and the placental transcriptome

Abstract Background: Household cleaning products may be a significant source of chemical exposures, including carcinogens and suspected endocrine disruptors. Objectives: We characterized exposures during routine household cleaning and tested an intervention to reduce exposures to cleaning product chemicals. Methods: The Lifting Up Communities with Interventions and Research (LUCIR) Study is a youth-led

Abstract Background: Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a prevalent class of persistent pollutants, may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Objective: We examined associations between PFAS exposure and glucose metabolism in youth. Methods: Overweight/obese adolescents from the Study of Latino Adolescents at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (SOLAR; n=310) participated in annual visits

Abstract Background: High surrounding greenness has many health benefits and might contribute to slower biological aging. However, very few studies have evaluated this from the perspective of epigenetics. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the association between surrounding greenness and biological aging based on DNA methylation. Methods: We derived Horvath’s DNA methylation age (DNAmAge), Hannum’s

Abstract Background: Recent developments in technologies have offered opportunities to measure the exposome with unprecedented accuracy and scale. However, because most investigations have targeted only a few exposures at a time, it is hypothesized that the majority of the environmental determinants of chronic diseases remain unknown. Objectives: We describe a functional exposome concept and explain

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Abstract Background: Exposure to ambient air pollution particulate matter (PM) is associated with increased risk of dementia and accelerated cognitive loss. Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment are well recognized. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) promotes neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier weakening, which may augment neurotoxic effects of PM. Objectives: This study examined interactions

Abstract Background: The current production and use of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) at >1 million tons/y likely exceeds the lifetime production of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are a concern to human health. Objectives: The United Nations Environment Programme conducts global surveys of human milk samples from individual countries as a noninvasive method

Abstract Background: Chronic environmental exposure to manganese (Mn) can cause debilitating damage to the central nervous system. However, its potential toxic effects on the enteric nervous system (ENS) have yet to be assessed. Objective: We examined the effect of Mn on the ENS using both cell and animal models. Method: Rat enteric glial cells (EGCs) and mouse primary enteric cultures were exposed

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Abstract Background: The effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on fertility and reproductive development represent a rising concern in modern societies. Although the neuroendocrine control of sexual maturation is a major target of EDCs, little is known about the potential role of the hypothalamus in puberty and ovulation disruption transmitted across generations. Objectives: We hypothesized

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Abstract Background: Air pollution may be associated with elevated dementia risk. Prior research has limitations that may affect reliability, and no studies have evaluated this question in a population-based cohort of men and women in the United States. Objectives: We evaluated the association between time-varying, 10-y average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and hazard of all-cause dementia

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Abstract Background: Associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise have been established for ischemic heart disease, but findings have been mixed for atrial fibrillation (AF). Objectives: The goal of the study was to examine associations of long-term exposure to road traffic noise and air pollution with AF. Methods: Time-varying Cox regression models were used to estimate

Abstract Background: Global concerns of methylmercury (MeHg) exposure have been raised, especially on its effects on pregnant women. Recent epidemiological studies have revealed associations between maternal blood/hair MeHg concentrations, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and developmental deficits. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objectives: In this study, we characterized the effects

Abstract Background: Chemicals in disparate structural classes activate specific subsets of the transcriptional programs of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) to generate adipocytes with distinct phenotypes. Objectives: Our objectives were to a) establish a novel classification method to predict PPARγ ligands and modifying chemicals; and b) create a taxonomy to group chemicals on

Abstract Background: Some pesticides are immunotoxic and have been associated with an increased risk of immune-mediated diseases. The risk of shingles, the clinical reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, increases with aging and immunosuppression; little is known about its associations with pesticides. Objective: We examined the use of agricultural pesticides in relation to incident shingles in a

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Abstract Background: Growing epidemiological evidence suggests that organochlorine chemicals (OCCs), including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Objectives: We aimed to systematically review the experimental evidence (in vivo and in vitro) on the associations between exposure to OCCs and endometriosis-related end points. Methods: A systematic

Abstract Background: Since the dawn of cities, the built environment has both affected infectious disease transmission and evolved in response to infectious diseases. COVID-19 illustrates both dynamics. The pandemic presented an opportunity to implement health promotion and disease prevention strategies in numerous elements of the built environment. Objectives: This commentary aims to identify features

Abstract Background: Thousands of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with diverse structures have been detected in the ambient environment. Apart from a few well-studied PFAS, the structure-related toxicokinetics of a broader set of PFAS remain unclear. Objectives: To understand the toxicokinetics of PFAS, we attempted to characterize the metabolism pathways of 74 structurally diverse PFAS

Abstract Background: Oil and natural gas extraction may produce environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of nearby populations. Available studies have primarily focused on unconventional gas drilling and have not accounted for local population changes that can coincide with drilling activity. Objective: Our study sought to examine associations between residential proximity

Abstract Background: Established breast cancer risk factors, such as hormone replacement therapy and reproductive history, are thought to act by increasing estrogen and progesterone (P4) activity. Objective: We aimed to use in vitro screening data to identify chemicals that increase the synthesis of estradiol (E2) or P4 and evaluate potential risks. Method: Using data from a high-throughput (HT) in

Abstract Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a major public health concern caused by complex genetic and environmental components. Mechanisms of gene–environment (G×E) interactions and reliable biomarkers associated with ASD are mostly unknown or controversial. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients or with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated

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Abstract Background: Both human health and the health systems we depend on are increasingly threatened by a range of environmental crises, including climate change. Paradoxically, health care provision is a significant driver of environmental pollution, with surgical and anesthetic services among the most resource-intensive components of the health system. Objectives: This analysis aimed to summarize

Abstract Background: Naphthalene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon that has been associated with health effects, including cancer. As the state of the science on naphthalene toxicity continues to evolve, updated toxicity reference value(s) may be required to support human health risk assessment. Objectives: We present a systematic evidence map of studies that could be used to derive toxicity reference

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Abstract Background: Chemicals in consumer products are a major contributor to human chemical coexposures. Consumers purchase and use a wide variety of products containing potentially thousands of chemicals. There is a need to identify potential real-world chemical coexposures to prioritize in vitro toxicity screening. However, due to the vast number of potential chemical combinations, this identification

Abstract Background: The general population is ubiquitously exposed to the toxic metal cadmium through the diet and smoking. Cadmium exposure is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in myocardial infarction and stroke. Atherosclerosis is the main underlying mechanism of myocardial infarction. However, associations between cadmium and coronary artery atherosclerosis have not been examined

Abstract Background: Cancer risk assessment of complex exposures, such as exposure to mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), is challenging due to the diverse biological activities of these compounds. With the help of text mining (TM), we have developed TM tools—the latest iteration of the Cancer Risk Assessment using Biomedical literature tool (CRAB3) and a Cancer Hallmarks Analytics

Abstract Background: Gestational lead (Pb) exposure can adversely affect offspring health through multiple mechanisms, including epigenomic alterations via DNA methylation (5mC) and hydroxymethylation (5hmC), an intermediate in oxidative demethylation. Most current methods do not distinguish between 5mC and 5hmC, limiting insights into their individual roles. Objective: Our study sought to identify

Abstract Background: Private wells are an important source of drinking water in Kewaunee County, Wisconsin. Due to the region’s fractured dolomite aquifer, these wells are vulnerable to contamination by human and zoonotic gastrointestinal pathogens originating from land-applied cattle manure and private septic systems. Objective: We determined the magnitude of the health burden associated with contamination

Abstract Background: Groundwater quality in the Silurian dolomite aquifer in northeastern Wisconsin, USA, has become contentious as dairy farms and exurban development expand. Objectives: We investigated private household wells in the region, determining the extent, sources, and risk factors of nitrate and microbial contamination. Methods: Total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and nitrate were evaluated

Abstract Background: In utero exposure to heavy metals lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) may be associated with higher childhood blood pressure (BP), whereas trace elements selenium (Se) and manganese (Mn) may have protective antioxidant effects that modify metal-BP associations. Objectives: We examined the individual and joint effects of in utero exposure to Pb, Hg, Cd, Se, and Mn on childhood

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Abstract Background: Delivery of high quality, at-scale, and sustained services is a major challenge in the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector, made more challenging by a dearth of evidence-based models for adaption across contexts in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: We aim to describe the value of implementation science (IS) for the WASH sector and provide recommendations for