BACKGROUND Although recent in vitro experimental results have raised the question of whether maternal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be a potential environmental risk factor for chromosomal abnormalities, epidemiological studies investigating these associations are lacking. OBJECTIVES This study examined whether prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with a higher prevalence

BACKGROUND Environmental contaminants (ECs) are increasingly recognized as crucial drivers of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the comprehensive impact spectrum and interlinking mechanisms remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically evaluate the association between exposure to 80 ECs across seven divergent categories and markers of dyslipidemia and investigate their underpinning

BACKGROUND Phthalates and their replacements have been implicated as developmental toxicants. Young children may be exposed to phthalates/replacements when using skin care products (SCPs). OBJECTIVES Our objective is to assess the associations between use of SCPs and children's urinary phthalate/replacement metabolite concentrations. METHODS Children (4-8 years old) from the Environmental Influences

BACKGROUND Significant progress has been made over the past decade in measuring the chemical components of the exposome, providing transformative population-scale frameworks in probing the etiologic link between environmental factors and disease phenotypes. While the analytical technologies continue to evolve with reams of data being generated, there is an opportunity to complement exposome-wide association

BACKGROUND Exposure to lead during childhood is detrimental to children's health. The extent to which the association between lead exposure and elementary school academic outcomes varies across geography is not known. OBJECTIVE Estimate associations between blood lead levels (BLLs) and fourth grade standardized test scores in reading and mathematics in North Carolina using models that allow associations

BACKGROUND Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental problem, emerging as contaminants with potentially alarming consequences. However, long-term exposure to polystyrene microspheres (PS-MS) and its effects on diet-induced obesity are not yet fully understood. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the effect of PS-MS exposure on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and underlying mechanisms

BACKGROUND A major industrial fire accident occurred in a tire manufacturing factory in Daejeon, Korea, on 12 March 2023 and lasted for 3 d, generating air pollutant emissions. Although evidence regarding the health effects of urban fires is limited, residents near tire factory may have experienced health hazards due to smoke exposure from fire plumes. OBJECTIVES Capitalizing on the timing of this

BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies have repeatedly found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure associated with higher circulating cholesterol, one of the greatest risk factors for development of coronary artery disease. The main route of cholesterol catabolism is through its conversion to bile acids, which circulate between the liver and ileum via enterohepatic circulation. Patients

BACKGROUND Exposure to arsenic (As) in well water is a well-documented public health issue for Maine and New Hampshire, as well as for other states in the United States and abroad. Arsenic contamination of well water in these locations is primarily attributed to metasedimentary bedrock that leaches As into groundwater. However, As can also enter groundwater reserves from soils contaminated by the historical

BACKGROUND While it is well-established that exposure to dampness or mold in homes negatively affects physical health, the association with mental health remains less well evidenced. As plausible psychosocial and biological pathways exist between dampness and mold exposure and poor mental health, a review of evidence is required. OBJECTIVE This State-of-the-Science review sought to assess what is known

BACKGROUND Phenols and parabens are two classes of high production volume chemicals that are used widely in consumer and personal care products and have been associated with reproductive harm and pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. However, studies examining their influence on maternal blood pressure and gestational hypertension are limited. OBJECTIVES We investigated

BACKGROUND Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and disruptions in the gastrointestinal microbiota have been positively correlated with a predisposition to factors such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes; however, it is unclear how the microbiome contributes to this relationship. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the association between early life exposure to a potent

BACKGROUND Currently, many emerging polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been found to be widely present in the environment. However, little has been reported about their toxicity, particularly in relation to CYP1A1. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the toxicity of naphtho[2,1-a]pyrene (N21aP) and elucidate the mechanism underlying N21aP-induced expression of CYP1A1. METHODS The concentration

BACKGROUND Dioxin-like chemicals are a group of ubiquitous environmental toxicants that received intense attention in the last two decades of the 20th century. Through extensive mechanistic research and validation, the global community has agreed upon a regulatory strategy for these chemicals that centers on their common additive activation of a single receptor. Applying these regulations has led to

BACKGROUND Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are flame retardants and plasticizers used in consumer products. OPEs are found ubiquitously throughout the environment with high concentrations in indoor house dust. Exposure to individual OPEs is associated with immune dysfunction, particularly in macrophages. However, OPEs exist as complex mixtures and the effects of environmentally relevant mixtures on the

BACKGROUND Exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5) via air pollution may be a risk factor for psychiatric disorders during adulthood. Yet few studies have examined associations between exposure and the trajectory of symptoms across late childhood and early adolescence. OBJECTIVE The current study evaluated whether PM2.5 exposure at 9-11 y of

BACKGROUND The field of toxicology has witnessed substantial advancements in recent years, particularly with the adoption of new approach methodologies (NAMs) to understand and predict chemical toxicity. Class-based methods such as clustering and classification are key to NAMs development and application, aiding the understanding of hazard and risk concerns associated with groups of chemicals without

BACKGROUND In recent years, public discourse has increasingly brought institutional and structural racism to the foreground of discussion on the well-being of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. Environmental toxicity in combination with the social triggers of institutional and structural racism are among the factors that shape the short- and long-term health of BIPOC Americans

Having a more diverse lung microbiome was associated better lung capacity and lower measures of airway inflammation among a small group of volunteers exposed to diesel exhaust-even in those with COPD.

Scientists are scrambling to fill major research gaps about the types of pollutants released when wildfires burn not just vegetation, but also structures and vehicles-and how nearby residents can protect themselves.

BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely detected in humans and the environment. Exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) or perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) was previously shown to cause dark-phase hyperactivity in larval zebrafish. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to elucidate the mechanism by which PFOS or PFHxS exposure caused hyperactivity

BACKGROUND Environmental contamination by fluorinated chemicals, in particular chemicals from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class, has raised concerns around the globe because of documented adverse impacts on human health, wildlife, and ecosystem quality. Recent studies have indicated that pesticide products may contain a variety of chemicals that meet the PFAS definition, including

BACKGROUND Evidence suggested that abiotic airborne exposures may be associated with changes in body composition. However, more evidence is needed to identify key pollutants linked to adverse health effects and their underlying biomolecular mechanisms, particularly in sensitive older adults. OBJECTIVES Our research aimed to systematically assess the relationship between abiotic airborne exposures and

BACKGROUND Increased exposure to ambient air pollution, especially fine particulate matter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5) is associated with poorer brain health and increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias. The locus coeruleus (LC), located in the brainstem, is one of the earliest regions affected by tau pathology seen in AD. Its diffuse projections throughout the brain include afferents to

BACKGROUND Midlife residential exposure to greenspace may slow cognitive decline by increasing opportunities for physical activity and social connection, restoring attention, or reducing stress or adverse environmental exposures. However, prospective studies on the association between greenness and cognitive decline are sparse. OBJECTIVE We investigated the prospective association between greenness

BACKGROUND Microplastics are a pervasive contaminant cycling through food webs-leading to concerns regarding exposure and risk to humans. OBJECTIVES We aimed to quantify and characterize anthropogenic particle contamination (including microplastics) in fish caught for human consumption from the Humber Bay region of Lake Ontario. We related quantities of anthropogenic particles to other factors (e.g

BACKGROUND Following the removal of lead from gasoline, paint and pipes were thought to be the main sources of lead exposure in the United States. However, consumer products, such as certain spices, ceramic and metal cookware, traditional health remedies, and cultural powders, are increasingly recognized as important sources of lead exposure across the United States. OBJECTIVE This paper reviews data

A study of more than 650 toddlers found that two polyunsaturated fatty acids were associated with fewer cases of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) in children who had been exposed prenatally to higher levels of PM2.5.

BACKGROUND Parametric g-computation is an attractive analytic framework to study the health effects of air pollution. Yet, the ability to explore biologically relevant exposure windows within this framework is underdeveloped. OBJECTIVES We outline a novel framework for how to incorporate complex lag-responses using distributed lag models (DLMs) into parametric g-computation analyses for survival data

BACKGROUND Organophosphate esters (OPEs), used ubiquitously as flame retardants and plasticizers in consumer products, are suspected of having developmental toxicity. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to estimate associations between prenatal exposure to OPEs and fetal growth, including both ultrasound (head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight) and delivery [birth

BACKGROUND The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) continues to prioritize research to better understand the health effects resulting from exposure to mixtures of chemical and nonchemical stressors. Mixtures research activities over the last decade were informed by expert input during the development and deliberations of the 2011 NIEHS Workshop "Advancing Research on Mixtures:

BACKGROUND Changes in land use and climate change have been reported to reduce biodiversity of both the environment and human microbiota. These reductions in biodiversity may lead to inadequate and unbalanced stimulation of immunoregulatory circuits and, ultimately, to clinical diseases, such as asthma and allergies. OBJECTIVE We summarized available empirical evidence on the role of inner (gut, skin

BACKGROUND Evidence linking gaseous air pollution to late-life brain health is mixed. OBJECTIVE We explored associations between exposure to gaseous pollutants and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers among Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants, with attention to the influence of exposure estimation method and confounding by site. METHODS We considered data from 1

Mice exposed orally to microspheres showed changes in lipid and other metabolic pathways, and the particles were detected in tissues throughout the body. Changes were greater after exposure to mixed microplastics compared with polystyrene alone.

Most tools that measure environmental health literacy are broad in nature. Researchers have now developed a tool specific to phthalate awareness and behaviors as they relate to reproductive health.

BACKGROUND Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic and widespread environmental oxidative stressor that causes a myriad of health problems, including osteoporosis and bone damage. Although nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and its Cap 'n' Collar and basic region Leucine Zipper (CNC-bZIP) family member nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 1 (NRF1) coordinate various stress responses by

BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that domestic water hardness is linked to health outcomes, but its association to all-cause and cause-specific cancers warrants investigation. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the association of domestic hard water with all-cause and cause-specific cancers. METHODS In the prospective cohort study, a total of 447,996 participants from UK Biobank

BACKGROUND Overweight and obesity impose a considerable individual and social burden, and the urban environments might encompass factors that contribute to obesity. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of research that takes into account the simultaneous interaction of multiple environmental factors. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to perform an exposome-wide association study of body mass index (BMI) in

BACKGROUND The potential health benefits of exposure to vegetation, or greenness, are well documented, but there are few nationwide studies in Brazil, a country facing challenges related to land-use planning, deforestation, and environmental health risks. OBJECTIVES In this study, we investigated the association between greenness and hospitalizations for cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil. METHODS

BACKGROUND Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes in infants and children with potential lifelong consequences. Negative effects of MSDP on placental DNA methylation (DNAm), placental structure, and function are well established. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to develop biomarkers of MSDP using DNAm measured in placentas (N=96), collected as part

BACKGROUND Depression is a social and public health problem of great concern globally. Identifying and managing the factors influencing depression are crucial for preventing and decreasing the burden of depression. OBJECTIVES Our objectives are to explore the association between residential greenness and the incidence of depression in an older Chinese population and to calculate the disease burden

BACKGROUND Maternal exposure to environmental chemicals can cause adverse health effects in offspring. Mounting evidence supports that these effects are influenced, at least in part, by epigenetic modifications. It is unknown whether epigenetic changes in surrogate tissues such as the blood are reflective of similar changes in target tissues such as cortex or liver. OBJECTIVE We examined tissue- and

Human cells and zebrafish coexposed to nanoplastics and the sunscreen ingredient homosalate showed more plastics in tissues, estrogenic activity, and relevant gene expression changes than they showed after either exposure alone.

BACKGROUND While limited studies have evaluated the health impacts of thunderstorms and power outages (POs) separately, few have assessed their joint effects. We aimed to investigate the individual and joint effects of both thunderstorms and POs on respiratory diseases, to identify disparities by demographics, and to examine the modifications and mediations by meteorological factors and air pollution

BACKGROUND Acute exposure to high ambient temperature and heat waves during the warm season has been linked with psychiatric disorders. Emerging research has shown that pregnant people, due to physiological and psychological changes, may be more sensitive to extreme heat, and acute exposure has been linked to increased risk of pregnancy complications; however, few studies have examined psychiatric