International journal of hygiene and environmental health最新文献

{"title":"Sewer transport conditions and their role in the decay of endogenous SARS-CoV-2 and pepper mild mottle virus from source to collection","authors":"Élisabeth Mercier ,&nbsp;Patrick M. D'Aoust ,&nbsp;Walaa Eid ,&nbsp;Nada Hegazy ,&nbsp;Pervez Kabir ,&nbsp;Shen Wan ,&nbsp;Lakshmi Pisharody ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Renouf ,&nbsp;Sean Stephenson ,&nbsp;Tyson E. Graber ,&nbsp;Alex E. MacKenzie ,&nbsp;Robert Delatolla","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the decay patterns of endogenous SARS-CoV-2 and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) within wastewaters spiked with stool from infected patients expressing COVID-19 symptoms, and hence explores the decay of endogenous SARS-CoV-2 and PMMoV targets in wastewaters from source to collection of the sample. Stool samples from infected patients were used as endogenous viral material to more accurately mirror real-world decay processes compared to more traditionally used lab-propagated spike-ins. As such, this study includes data on early decay stages of endogenous viral targets in wastewaters that are typically overlooked when performing decay studies on wastewaters harvested from wastewater treatment plants that contain already-degraded endogenous material. The two distinct sewer transport conditions of dynamic suspended sewer transport and bed and near-bed sewer transport were simulated in this study at temperatures of 4 °C, 12 °C and 20 °C to elucidate decay under these two dominant transport conditions within wastewater infrastructure. The dynamic suspended sewer transport was simulated over 35 h, representing typical flow conditions, whereas bed and near-bed transport extended to 60 days to reflect the prolonged settling of solids in sewer systems during reduced flow periods. In dynamic suspended sewer transport, no decay was observed for SARS-CoV-2, PMMoV, or total RNA over the 35-h period, and temperature ranging from 4 °C to 20 °C had no noticeable effect. Conversely, experiments simulating bed and near-bed transport conditions revealed significant decreases in SARS-CoV-2 and total RNA concentrations by day 2, and PMMoV concentrations by day 3. Only PMMoV exhibited a clear trend of increasing decay constant with higher temperatures, suggesting that while temperature influences decay dynamics, its impact may be less significant than previously assumed, particularly for endogenous RNA that is bound to dissolved organic matter in wastewater. First order decay models were inadequate for accurately fitting decay curves of SARS-CoV-2, PMMoV, and total RNA in bed and near-bed transport conditions. F-tests confirmed the superior fit of the two-phase decay model compared to first order decay models across temperatures of 4 °C–20 °C. Finally, and most importantly, total RNA normalization emerged as an appropriate approach for correcting the time decay of SARS-CoV-2 exposed to bed and near-bed transport conditions. These findings highlight the importance of considering decay from the point of entry in the sewers, sewer transport conditions, and normalization strategies when assessing and modelling the impact of viral decay rates in wastewater systems. This study also emphasizes the need for ongoing research into the diverse and multifaceted factors that influence these decay rates, which is crucial for accurate public health monitoring and response strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114477"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142396299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of specific PM2.5 chemical constituents and ozone exposure with pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology treatment in central China","authors":"Kai Huang ,&nbsp;Zeling Zhang ,&nbsp;Meihong Hu ,&nbsp;Jiawen Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhenhua Li ,&nbsp;Chengyang Hu ,&nbsp;Shun Bai ,&nbsp;Dequan Wu ,&nbsp;Yile Wu ,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Hu ,&nbsp;Xueping Wang ,&nbsp;Xiang Yan ,&nbsp;Ruojie Li ,&nbsp;Bo Xu ,&nbsp;Xiu-Jun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The associations of air pollutants exposure with assisted reproductive technology (ART) pregnancy outcomes are mixed, and the effects of specific components of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and ozone (O₃) are not well understood. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study to explore the association of PM_2.5 constituents and O₃ exposure with three ART outcomes among women undergoing ART treatment. The exposure window was segmented into five periods corresponding to the cycle of ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval procedure. Generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was applied to explore the relationships between PM_2.5 constituents, O_3, Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) exposure and three ART outcomes. The combined effect of PM_2.5 constituents was evaluated by the quantile g (qg)-computation. We also explored the modifying effect of different covariate. Elevated exposure level of PM_2.5 (OR = 0.915, 95% CI: 0.859, 0.974) and its constituents (BC: 0.905, 95% CI: 0.840, 0.975; OM: 0.910, 95% CI: 0.848, 0.976; NO₃⁻: 0.909, 95% CI: 0.850, 0.972, SO₄²⁻: 0.905, 95% CI: 0.846, 0.968, and NH₄⁺: 0.902, 95% CI: 0.842, 0.966) exposure throughout the year before oocyte retrieval (period 1) was correlated with a reduced odds ratio (OR) of live birth with statistical significance. Similarly, for each interquartile range (IQR) increase in O₃ exposure during periods 2 (85 days prior to oocyte retrieval), 3 (30 days prior to oocyte retrieval), 4 (oocyte retrieval to embryo transfer) and 5 (embryo transfer to hCG test) was significantly related to a decreased OR of live birth. Especially, participants who underwent fresh embryo transfer cycles and received two cleavage-stage embryo transfer, and were younger than 30 years old, showed a higher susceptibility to particulate matter. Findings from this study suggest that PM_2.5 constituents and O₃ exposure may have adverse effects on the ART outcomes, highlighting the importance of identifying critical exposure periods for various air pollutants and the need for meticulous management of particulate matter.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114474"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142396298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exposure to submicron particulate matter and long-term survival: Cross-cohort analysis of 3 Chinese national surveys","authors":"Minjin Peng ,&nbsp;Yachen Li ,&nbsp;Jing Wu ,&nbsp;Yi Zeng ,&nbsp;Yao Yao ,&nbsp;Yunquan Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114472","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Cohort evidence linking increased mortality with airborne fine particulate matter (PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, particulate matter [PM] with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) exposure was extensively validated worldwide. Nevertheless, long-term survival associated with submicron particulate matter (PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤1 μm) exposure remained largely unstudied, particularly in highly exposed populations.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We performed a population-based investigation involving 86844 adults aged 16+ years from 3 national dynamic cohorts spanning from 2005 to 2018. Residential annual exposure to PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; and PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; was assigned for each follow-up year using satellite-derived spatiotemporal estimates at a 1-km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; resolution. The concentration of PM&lt;sub&gt;1-2.5&lt;/sub&gt; (PM with aerodynamic diameter between 1 and 2.5 μm) was calculated by subtracting PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; from PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;. Time-independent Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to assess the associations of all-cause mortality with long-term exposure to size-specific particles. To investigate the effect of PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; on PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;-mortality associations, we categorized participants into low, medium, and high groups based on PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;/PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; ratio and examined the risk of PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;-associated mortality in each stratum. Effect modifications were checked via subgroup analyses.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;A total of 18722 deaths occurred during 497069.2 person-years of follow-up (median 5.7 years). Participants were exposed to an average annual concentration of 31.8 μg/m³ (range: 7.6–66.8 μg/m³) for PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, 56.3 μg/m³ (range: 19.8–127.2 μg/m³) for PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, and 24.5 μg/m³ (range: 7.3–60.3 μg/m³) for PM&lt;sub&gt;1-2.5&lt;/sub&gt;. PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, and PM&lt;sub&gt;1-2.5&lt;/sub&gt; were consistently associated with elevated mortality risks, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.029 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.013–1.046), 1.014 (95% CI: 1.005–1.023), and 1.019 (95% CI: 1.001–1.038) for each 10-μg/m&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; increase in exposure, respectively. Compared with low (HR = 0.986, 95% CI: 0.967–1.004) and medium (HR = 1.015, 95% CI: 1.002–1.029) PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;/PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; ratio groups, PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;-related risk of mortality was more pronounced in high PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;/PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt; ratio stratum (HR = 1.041, 95% CI: 1.019–1.064). Greater risks of mortality associated with size-specific particles were found among the elderly (&gt;80 years old), southeastern participants, and those living in warmer areas.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study demonstrated that long-term exposure to PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt;, PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;, and PM&lt;sub&gt;1-2.5&lt;/sub&gt; was associated with heightened mortality, and PM&lt;sub&gt;1&lt;/sub&gt; may play a predominant role in PM&lt;sub&gt;2.5&lt;/sub&gt;-induced risk. Our results emphasized the population health implications of establishing amb","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114472"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142383065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and subsequent risk of lower respiratory tract infections in childhood and adolescence: A systematic review","authors":"Maxine Pepper ,&nbsp;Poliana Rebouças ,&nbsp;Ila R. Falcão ,&nbsp;Nuria Sanchez Clemente ,&nbsp;Rachel Lowe ,&nbsp;Rochelle Schneider ,&nbsp;Julia M. Pescarini ,&nbsp;Gervásio F. dos Santos ,&nbsp;Roberto FS. Andrade ,&nbsp;Taísa R. Cortes ,&nbsp;Otavio T. Ranzani ,&nbsp;Elizabeth B. Brickley ,&nbsp;Mauricio L. Barreto ,&nbsp;Enny S. Paixao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pregnancy represents a critical window of vulnerability to the harmful effects of air pollution on health. However, long-term consequences such as risk of having lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are less explored. This systematic review aims to synthesize previous research on prenatal exposure to ambient (outdoor) air pollution and LRTIs in childhood and adolescence.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We systematically searched Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, and Global Health up to May 17, 2024. We included peer-reviewed publications of studies which investigated the association between prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution and LRTIs up to the age of 19. We excluded conference abstracts, study protocols, review articles, and grey literature. Screening and data extraction was conducted by two reviewers independently. We used the Office of Health Assessment and Translation tool to assess risk of bias and conducted a narrative synthesis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The search yielded 6056 records, of which 16 publications describing 12 research studies were eligible for the synthesis. All studies were conducted in high- or upper-middle-income countries in Europe or Asia. Half (6) of the studies focused on LRTIs occurring within the first three years of life, and the others also included LRTIs in older children (up to age 14). Air pollutants investigated included nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter (PM_2.5: diameter ≤2.5 μm and PM₁₀: diameter ≤10 μm), carbon monoxide, ozone, and benzene. Findings on a potential association between prenatal ambient air pollution exposure and LRTIs were inconclusive, without a clear and consistent direction. There was some suggestion of a positive association with prenatal PM_2.5 exposure. The small number of studies identified, their poor geographical representation, and their methodological limitations including concerns for risk of bias preclude more definitive conclusions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The available published evidence is insufficient to establish whether prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution increases risk of LRTIs in children and adolescents. With many populations exposed to high levels of air pollution, there is an urgent need for research in more diverse settings, more transparent reporting of methods, and exploring how, when, and for whom prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution leads to the greatest health risks.</div></div><div><h3>PROSPERO registration number</h3><div>CRD42023407689.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114473"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142378725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of antibiotic-resistant enterobacteriaceae in domestic wastewater and associated health risks in reuse practices","authors":"Jenita Cangola ,&nbsp;Felix K. Abagale ,&nbsp;Samuel J. Cobbina ,&nbsp;Richard A. Osei","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of wastewater for non-potable purposes is an important alternative for addressing water scarcity, especially in developing regions. However, minimizing the risks, particularly those associated with emerging contaminants that may induce resistance among pathogens in wastewater, is crucial. This study assessed the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in untreated wastewater used for agricultural purposes and evaluated the quantifiable health risks associated with this practice in Tamale, Ghana. The resistance of some Enterobacteriaceae, such as <em>E. coli, Klebsiella, and Salmonella-Shigella,</em> to four commonly used antibiotics in Ghana was assessed using a conventional microbiological culture approach and the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method. A Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) was performed to estimate the health risks associated with two distinct scenarios of wastewater reuse: (1) accidental ingestion of contaminated wastewater and soil, and (2) consumption of vegetables irrigated with wastewater. This approach applied a Monte Carlo simulation based on 10,000 interactions and identified <em>E. coli</em> O157:H7 as the reference pathogen. Among Enterobacteriaceae, <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella-Shigella</em> and <em>E. coli</em> were isolated, in concentrations exceeding the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (10³ CFU/100 ml). All the isolated bacteria were resistant to metronidazole (5 μg). Thirty-three per cent of <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> isolates were intermediate/moderately susceptible, and all other bacteria were resistant to amoxicillin (30 μg). All <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> and the majority of <em>Salmonella-Shigella</em> (69.8 %) isolates were resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (25 μg) and tetracycline (30 μg). When assessing health risks, the mean annual probability of infection associated with consuming vegetables irrigated with wastewater varied between 5.14 × 10⁻² and 9.79 × 10⁻¹ per person per year. Conversely, for the accidental ingestion scenario, the probability was 1.00 per person per year. In these scenarios, the probability of illness ranged from 1.29 × 10⁻² to 2.4 × 10⁻¹ and 2.5 × 10⁻¹ per person per year. The health risks posed by these findings surpass the maximum threshold prescribed by the World Health Organization, thereby emphasizing the need for prompt mitigation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114478"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142383066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental, climatic, socio-economic factors and non-pharmacological interventions: A comprehensive four-domain risk assessment of COVID-19 hospitalization and death in Northern Italy","authors":"Lucia Palandri ,&nbsp;Cristiana Rizzi ,&nbsp;Vittoria Vandelli ,&nbsp;Tommaso Filippini ,&nbsp;Alessandro Ghinoi ,&nbsp;Giuliano Carrozzi ,&nbsp;Gianfranco De Girolamo ,&nbsp;Isabella Morlini ,&nbsp;Paola Coratza ,&nbsp;Enrico Giovannetti ,&nbsp;Margherita Russo ,&nbsp;Mauro Soldati ,&nbsp;Elena Righi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Up to now, studies on environmental, climatic, socio-economic factors, and non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) show diverse associations, often contrasting, with COVID-19 spread or severity. Most studies used large-scale, aggregated data, with limited adjustment for individual factors, most of them focused on viral spread than severe outcomes. Moreover, evidence simultaneously evaluating variables belonging to different exposure domains is scarce, and none analysing their collective impact on an individual level.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Our population-based retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the comprehensive role played by exposure variables belonging to four different domains, environmental, climatic, socio-economic, and non-pharmacological interventions (NPI), on individual COVID-19-related risk of hospitalization and death, analysing data from all patients (no. 68472) tested positive to a SARS-CoV-2 swab in Modena Province (Northern Italy) between February 2020 and August 2021.</div><div>Using adjusted Cox proportional hazard models, we estimated the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, investigating dose-response relationships through restricted cubic spline modelling for hazard ratios.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Several significant associations emerged: long-term exposure to air pollutants (NO₂, PM₁₀, PM_2.5) was linked to hospitalization risk in a complex way and showed an increased risk for death; while humidity was inversely associated; temperature showed a U-shaped risk; wind speed showed a linear association with both outcomes. Precipitation increased hospitalization risk but decreased mortality. Socio-economic and NPI indices showed clear linear associations, respectively negative and positive, with both outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings offer insights for evidence-based policy decisions, improving precision healthcare practices, and safeguarding public health in future pandemics. Refinement of pandemic response plans by healthcare authorities could benefit significantly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114471"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142376405","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the pathways linking prenatal and early childhood greenness exposure to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms during childhood: An approach based on robust causal inference","authors":"Leire Luque-García ,&nbsp;Gonzalo García-Baquero ,&nbsp;Aitana Lertxundi ,&nbsp;Wael K. Al-Delaimy ,&nbsp;Jordi Julvez ,&nbsp;Marisa Estarlich ,&nbsp;Montserrat De Castro ,&nbsp;Mònica Guxens ,&nbsp;Manuel Lozano ,&nbsp;Mikel Subiza-Pérez ,&nbsp;Jesús Ibarluzea","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to greenness during childhood may protect children from developing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We analyzed the effect of both prenatal (pregnancy) and early childhood (4-5-year follow-up) residential greenness exposure and green space availability on ADHD symptoms during childhood (up to the age of 12 years) and further explored the potential mediating role of PM_2.5 and physical activity in the association.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study population included participants from the <em>INfancia y Medio Ambiente</em> (INMA) prospective birth cohort (Gipuzkoa, Sabadell, and Valencia). Average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in buffers of 100-, 300- and 500-m around the residential addresses was used as an indicator of greenness, while green space availability was determined based on the presence of a major green space within 150-m from the residence. Childhood ADHD symptoms were assessed at the 6-8- and 10-12-year follow-ups using Conners Parents Rating Scale-Revised: Short Form.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Although no association was found for the prenatal exposure period, increased early childhood NDVI inversely associated with the OR of clinically significant ADHD symptoms during the 6-8-year follow-up at the 100-m (OR 0.03, 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.44), 300-m (OR 0.04, 95% CI: 0.003 to 0.42) and 500-m (OR 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.76) buffers, but exclusively in the context of direct effects. Additionally, the 10-12-year follow-up analysis found moderate to weak evidence of potential total and direct effects of NDVI at both 100- and 300-m buffers on inattention scores, as well as for NDVI at the 300-m buffer on ADHD index scores. The analysis did not reveal evidence of mediation through PM_2.5 or physical activity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The evidence suggests that early childhood greenness exposure may reduce the risk of developing ADHD symptoms later in childhood, and that this association is not mediated through PM_2.5 and physical activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114475"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142376406","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations between metal/metalloid exposure during pregnancy and placental growth characteristics: Findings from the Hangzhou birth cohort study II","authors":"Hao Zhao ,&nbsp;Lanfei Jin ,&nbsp;Kegui Huang ,&nbsp;Kunhong Zhong ,&nbsp;Yexinyi Zhou ,&nbsp;Yang Xu ,&nbsp;Qinheng Zhu ,&nbsp;Jiena Zhou ,&nbsp;Jun Tang ,&nbsp;Qiong Luo ,&nbsp;Jing Guo ,&nbsp;Dan Zhang ,&nbsp;Guangdi Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies have suggested that metal/metalloid (hereafter referred to as metal) exposure may influence placental growth by affecting gene expression in the placenta. However, no epidemiological studies have been conducted to validate the relationships between metals exposure, placental gene expression, and placental growth at the population level. This study aims to investigate these relationships based on Hangzhou birth cohort study II (HBCS-II). Totally, 1025 participants were derived from HBCS-II. Thirteen metals levels in the placenta were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Placental growth characteristics were assessed, including placental weight, chorionic disc area, placental eccentricity, and distance from cord insertion site to the nearest edge of placenta (DCIEP). The relationships between metals exposure and placental growth characteristics were examined using the elastic net model combined unpenalized linear regression model. Placental gene expression levels were analyzed through RNA sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and mediation analysis was conducted to investigate whether placental gene expression could mediate the relationship between metal exposure and placental growth. Notably, the results showed that a unite increase in Ln-transformed cadmium (Cd) levels was associated with a reduction of 16.4 g [95% confidence interval (CI): 31.2, −1.5] in placental weight, 13.9 cm² (95%CI: 20.0, −7.8) in chorionic disc area, and 0.3 cm (95%CI: 0.55, −0.06) in DCIEP. Through RNA sequencing followed by validation, significant associations were observed between placental Cd level and increased expression of placental genes, including <em>TNFAIP2</em>, <em>OLAH</em>, <em>FLT4</em>, <em>SH3PXD2A</em>, <em>LIMCH1</em>, <em>BCL6</em>, <em>SLCO2A1</em>, and <em>CPSF1</em>. Additionally, increased placental <em>TNFAIP2</em>, <em>OLAH</em>, <em>FLT4</em>, <em>SH3PXD2A</em> and <em>LIMCH1</em> expression was linked to reduced placental weight. Moreover, <em>SH3PXD2A</em> was associated with decreased chorionic disc area. Mediation analysis showed that placental Cd level was associated with a 12.0 g (95%CI: 23.8, −2.7) decrease in placental weight mediated through the upregulation of <em>FTL4</em> gene expression. The study provides evidence of the association between placental Cd exposure and decreased placental weight, and the <em>FLT4</em> gene may play a mediating role in this relationship. Future experiment studies should be performed to validate the results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114470"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142335205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal black carbon exposure and DNA methylation in umbilical cord blood","authors":"Chloe Friedman ,&nbsp;Sierra Niemiec ,&nbsp;Dana Dabelea ,&nbsp;Katerina Kechris ,&nbsp;Ivana V. Yang ,&nbsp;John L. Adgate ,&nbsp;Deborah H. Glueck ,&nbsp;Sheena E. Martenies ,&nbsp;Sheryl Magzamen ,&nbsp;Anne P. Starling","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background/objectives</h3><div>Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in childhood. We previously observed that prenatal black carbon (BC) was inversely associated with adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, in early childhood. Changes to DNA methylation have been proposed as a potential mediator linking <em>in utero</em> exposures to lasting health impacts.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Among 532 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Colorado-based Healthy Start study, we performed an epigenome-wide association study of the relationship between prenatal exposure to a component of air pollution, BC, and DNA methylation in cord blood. Average pregnancy ambient BC was estimated at the mother's residence using a spatiotemporal prediction model. DNA methylation was measured using the Illumina 450K array. We used multiple linear regression to estimate associations between prenatal ambient BC and 429,246 cysteine-phosphate-guanine sites (CpGs), adjusting for potential confounders. We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) using DMRff and ENmix-combp. In a subset of participants (n = 243), we investigated DNA methylation as a potential mediator of the association between prenatal ambient BC and lower adiponectin in childhood.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We identified 44 CpGs associated with average prenatal ambient BC after correcting for multiple testing. Several genes annotated to the top CpGs had reported functions in the immune system. There were 24 DMRs identified by both DMRff and ENmix-combp. One CpG (cg01123250), located on chromosome 2 and annotated to the <em>UNC80</em> gene, was found to mediate approximately 20% of the effect of prenatal BC on childhood adiponectin, though the confidence interval was wide (95% CI: 3, 84).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Prenatal BC was associated with DNA methylation in cord blood at several sites and regions in the genome. DNA methylation may partially mediate associations between prenatal BC and childhood cardiometabolic outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114464"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142324026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the impact of occupational noise exposure on workplace fatal and nonfatal injuries in the U.S. (2006–2020)","authors":"Jie He,&nbsp;Lauren M. Smith,&nbsp;Abas Shkembi,&nbsp;Richard L. Neitzel","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study assessed the relationship between occupational noise exposure and the incidence of workplace fatal injury (FI) and nonfatal injury (NFI) in the United States from 2006 to 2020. It also examined whether distinct occupational and industrial clusters based on noise exposure characteristics demonstrated varying risks for FI and NFI.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An ecological study design was utilized, employing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for FI and NFI and demographic data, the U.S. Census Bureau for occupation/industry classification code lists, and the U.S./Canada Occupational Noise Job Exposure Matrix for noise measurements. We examined four noise metrics as predictors of FI and NFI rates: mean Time-Weighted Average (TWA), maximum TWA, standard deviation of TWA, and percentage of work shifts exceeding 85 or 90 dBA for 619 occupation-years and 591 industry-years. K-means clustering was used to identify clusters of noise exposure characteristics. Mixed-effects negative binomial regression examined the relationship between the noise characteristics and FI/NFI rates separately for occupation and industry.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among occupations, we found significant associations between increased FI rates and higher mean TWA (IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.01–1.12) and maximum TWA (IRR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07–1.14), as well as TWA exceedance (IRR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01–1.07). Increased rates of NFI were found to be significantly associated with maximum TWA (IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04–1.09) and TWA exceedance (IRR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.05). In addition, occupations with both higher exposure variability (IRR with FI rate: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.23–1.80; IRR with NFI rate: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.14–1.73) and higher level of sustained exposure (IRR with FI rate: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.12–1.44; IRR with NFI rate: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05–1.39) were associated with higher rates of FI and NFI compared to occupations with low noise exposure. Among industries, significant associations between increased NFI rates and higher mean TWA (IRR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.08) and maximum TWA (IRR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04–1.08) were observed. Unlike the occupation-specific analysis, industries with higher exposure variability and higher sustained exposures did not display significantly higher FI/NFI rates compared to industries with low exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The results suggest that occupational noise exposure may be an independent risk factor for workplace FIs/NFIs, particularly for workplaces with highly variable noise exposures. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive occupational noise assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"263 ","pages":"Article 114468"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142324025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}