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Abstract Background: Fetal exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with the development of noncommunicable diseases in the offspring. Maternal smoking may induce such long-term effects through persistent changes in the DNA methylome, which therefore hold the potential to be used as a biomarker of this early life exposure. With declining costs for measuring DNA methylation, we aimed

Abstract Background: Increasingly, risk of bias tools are used to evaluate epidemiologic studies as part of evidence synthesis (evidence integration), often involving meta-analyses. Some of these tools consider hypothetical randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as gold standards. Methods: We review the strengths and limitations of risk of bias assessments, in particular, for reviews of observational

Abstract Background: Studies have reported that ambient air pollution is associated with an increased risk of developing or dying from coronavirus-2 (COVID-19). Methodological approaches to investigate the health impacts of air pollution on epidemics should differ from those used for chronic diseases, but the methods used in these studies have not been appraised critically. Objectives: Our study aimed

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Abstract Background: Research on the health effects of chemical mixtures has focused mainly on early life rather than adolescence, a potentially important developmental life stage. Objectives: We examined associations of a metal mixture with general cognition in a cross-sectional study of adolescents residing near ferromanganese industry, a source of airborne metals emissions. Methods: We measured

Abstract Background: Extreme heat poses current and future risks to human health. Heat vulnerability indices (HVIs), commonly developed using principal components analysis (PCA), are mapped to identify populations vulnerable to extreme heat. Few studies critically assess implications of analytic choices made when employing this methodology for fine-scale vulnerability mapping. Objective: We investigated

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Abstract Background: Living in greener areas of cities was linked to increased physical activity levels, improved mental well-being, and lowered harmful environmental exposures, all of which may affect human health. However, whether living in greener areas may be associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence, progression, and premature mortality is unclear. Objectives: We conducted

Abstract Background: Epidemiological evidence for the association between traffic-related noise and the incidence of major cardiovascular events such as acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and congestive heart failure (CHF) is inconclusive, especially in North America. Objectives: We evaluated the associations between long-term exposure to road traffic noise and the incidence of AMI and CHF. Methods:

Abstract Background: The genotoxicity of benzene has been investigated in dozens of biomonitoring studies, mainly by studying (classical) chromosomal aberrations (CAs) or micronuclei (MN) as markers of DNA damage. Both have been shown to be predictive of future cancer risk in cohort studies and could, therefore, potentially be used for risk assessment of genotoxicity-mediated cancers. Objectives: We

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Abstract Background: Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a significant public health problem. Methylation of iAs by arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT) controls iAs detoxification and modifies risks of iAs-induced diseases. Mechanisms underlying these diseases have been extensively studied using animal models. However, substantive differences between humans and laboratory animals in efficiency

Abstract Background: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of widely used persistent chemicals with suspected immunotoxic effects. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the association between infant PFAS exposure and antibody responses to measles vaccination as well as morbidity in a low-income country. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, children from Guinea-Bissau, West Africa

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Abstract Background: While various policies have been implemented globally to mitigate climate change and reduce exposure to toxic air pollutants, policy assessments have considered few if any of the benefits to children. Objective: To comprehensively assess the co-benefits of climate change mitigation to children, we expanded the suite of adverse health outcomes in the U.S. Environmental Protection

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Abstract Background: Prenatal exposures to phthalates and bisphenols are associated with impaired brain development in animals. However, epidemiological studies investigating the association between prenatal phthalate or bisphenol exposure and cognition have produced mixed findings and mostly had modest sample sizes and measured the exposure during the third trimester. Objective: We examined the association

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Abstract Background: High-throughput screening of chemicals with in vitro reporter gene assays in Tox21 has produced a large database on cytotoxicity and specific modes of action. However, the validity of some of the reported activities is questionable due to the “cytotoxicity burst,” which refers to the supposition that many stress responses are activated in a nonspecific way at concentrations close

Abstract Background: Xenobiotic metabolism is complex, and accounting for bioactivation and detoxification processes of chemicals remains among the most challenging aspects for decision making with in vitro new approach methods data. Objectives: Considering the physiological relevance of human organotypic culture models and their utility for high-throughput screening, we hypothesized that multidimensional

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Abstract Background: From 1980 to 2017, a fluorochemical manufacturing facility discharged wastewater containing poorly understood per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Cape Fear River, the primary drinking water source for Wilmington, North Carolina, residents. Those PFAS included several fluoroethers including HFPO-DA also known as GenX. Little is known about the bioaccumulation potential

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Abstract Background: Prior studies suggest exposure to oil and gas development (OGD) adversely affects birth outcomes, but no studies have examined flaring—the open combustion of natural gas—from OGD. Objectives: We investigated whether residential proximity to flaring from OGD was associated with shorter gestation and reduced fetal growth in the Eagle Ford Shale of south Texas. Methods: We conducted

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Abstract Background: Firefighting foam–contaminated ground water, which contains high levels of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), is frequently found around airports. In 2018 it was detected that employees at a municipal airport in northern Sweden had been exposed to high levels of short-chain PFAS along with legacy PFAS (i.e., PFOA, PFHxS, and PFOS) through drinking water. Objectives: In this study

Abstract Background: Extensive exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been observed in many countries. Current deterministic frameworks for risk assessment lack the ability to predict the likelihood of effects and to assess uncertainty. When exposure exceeds tolerable intake levels, these shortcomings hamper risk management and communication. Objective: The integrated probabilistic

Abstract Background: Reusing wastewater for irrigation is a longstanding practice that enhances crop yields and improves climate resilience. Without treatment, however, wastewater contains harmful pathogens and chemicals. Reuse of untreated wastewater has been shown to be harmful to the health of nearby communities, but the routes of exposure are unknown and do not appear to be occupational. Some routes

Abstract Background: Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) are repellants that cross the placental barrier, enabling interference with fetal programming. Maternal PFAA concentrations have been associated with offspring obesity and dyslipidemia in childhood and adulthood, but this association has not been studied in infancy. Objectives: We investigated associations between maternal PFAA concentrations and repeated

BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) are repellants that cross the placental barrier, enabling interference with fetal programming. Maternal PFAA concentrations have been associated with offspring obesity and dyslipidemia in childhood and adulthood, but this association has not been studied in infancy. OBJECTIVES We investigated associations between maternal PFAA concentrations and repeated markers

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

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 potential

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 intensity-weighted

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