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Oxidative stress has been linked to many obesity-related conditions among children including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Exposure to environmental chemicals such as phthalates, ubiquitously found in humans, may also generate reactive oxygen species and subsequent oxidative stress. We examined longitudinal changes of 8-isoprostane urinary concentrations, a validated biomarker of oxidative stress, and associations with maternal prenatal urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites for 258 children at 5, 9 and 14 years of age participating in a birth cohort residing in an agricultural area in California. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors, and in utero exposure has been also linked to altered lipid metabolism, as well as adverse birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes. We found that median creatinine-corrected 8-isoprostane concentrations remained constant across all age groups and did not differ by sex. Total cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were positively associated with 8-isoprostane in 14-year-old children. No associations were observed between 8-isoprostane and body mass index (BMI), BMI Z-score or waist circumference at any age. Concentrations of three metabolites of high molecular weight phthalates measured at 13 weeks of gestation (monobenzyl, monocarboxyoctyl and monocarboxynonyl phthalates) were negatively associated with 8-isoprostane concentrations among 9-year olds. However, at 14 years of age, isoprostane concentrations were positively associated with two other metabolites (mono(2-ethylhexyl) and mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalates) measured in early pregnancy. Longitudinal data on 8-isoprostane in this pediatric population with a high prevalence of obesity provides new insight on certain potential cardiometabolic risks of prenatal exposure to phthalates.

This paper describes preparation methodology and research results of newly developed materials from post-production fibrous waste that are resistant to high temperatures. Widely available raw materials were used for this purpose. Such approach has significant impact on the technological feasibility and preparation costs. Obtained materials were verified via applying of various tests including characterization of shrinkage, porosity, density and water absorption as well as X-ray analysis (XRD), followed by mechanical bending and compressive strength determination. Based on the research results, the possible applications of materials as thermal insulators were indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, the technology of the production of the modified ceramic proppants used in the shale gas extracting process is described. The natural available materials and uncomplicated process to new ceramic proppants preparation were applied. The modification of the ceramic proppants based on the addition of the waste material as fly ash. The produced ceramic material in the form of granules characterized by high mechanical properties and low production costs. Moreover, the obtained good values of compressive strength and gas permeability for investigated proppants confirmed that this material has appropriate properties to be used in the hydraulic fracturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective This study aimed to determine the environmental conditions for the occurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a non-industrial area, and patient-reported outcomes after surgical release. Material and methods This observational study utilized convenience sampling to screen 100 consecutive patients for carpal tunnel syndrome at the Orthopedic Clinic, using two questionnaires. Data were collected from the Disability of Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, and the PROMIS® (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) Upper Extremity and PROMIS® SF 3a questionnaire (Pain Intensity). The relationship of various repetitive musculoskeletal disorders to CTS was validated by questionnaire scores, PROMIS® T-score, and correlation coefficients. Results Finally, CTS was confirmed by electromyography in 69 patients (55 females and 14 males; average age: 47.5 years). Aging significantly influenced the occurrence of symptoms associated with pain (neck, thoracic, lower back, shoulder, and CTS (p

For several recent years Faculty of Energy and Fuels of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow conduct intensive studies on the occurrence of mercury contained in thermal and coking coals, as well as on the possible reduction of fossil-fuel mercury emissions. This research focuses, among others, on application of sorbents for removal of mercury from flue gases. In this paper we present the methodology for testing mercury adsorption using various types of sorbents, in laboratory conditions. Our model assumes burning a coal sample, with a specific mercury content, in a strictly determined time period and temperature conditions, oxygen or air flow rates, and the flow of flue gases through sorbent in a specific temperature. It was developed for particular projects concerning the possibilities of applying different sorbents to remove mercury from flue gases. Test stand itself is composed of a vertical pipe furnace inside which a quartz tube was mounted for sample burning purposes. At the furnace outlet, there is a heated glass vessel with a sorbent sample through which flue gases are passing. Furnace allows burning at a defined temperature. The exhaust gas flow path is heated to prevent condensation of the mercury vapor prior to contact with a sorbent. The sorbent container is positioned in the heating element, with controlled and stabilized temperature, which allows for testing mercury sorption in various temperatures. Determination of mercury content is determined before (coal and sorbent), as well as after the process (sorbent and ash). The mercury balance is calculated based on the Hg content determination results. This testing method allows to study sorbent efficiency, depending on sorption temperature, sorbent grain size, and flue-gas rates.

Over the last years, the European Union has seen a rapid increase in installed capacity of generating units based on renewable energy sources (RES). The most significant increase in installed capacity was recorded in 2015, in wind farms and solar PV installations. One of the most serious is the volatile character of RES on a time basis. Therefore, for a further expected increase in the use of RES and their effectiveness improvements, investments are needed allowing for electricity to be stored. One of the electricity storage options is to use excess electricity in order to produce hydrogen by electrolysis of water. Although this process plays a marginal role in obtaining hydrogen on a worldwide basis due to high costs, experience in recent years has shown that periodically low (negative) electricity prices, developing on the power exchanges in the situation where there is surplus electricity available, affect economic requirements for hydrogen production technologies. The paper shows activities undertaken by European countries (mainly Germany) aiming at making it possible for hydrogen to be stored in the natural gas grids. A particular attention is given to material resource issues and possible operational problems that might arise while blending natural gas with hydrogen into the grid. The experiences of selected European countries are of particular interest from the Polish perspective, having regard to significant increase of RES in electricity generation during the last few years and adopted objectives for the growing importance of RES in the Poland’s energy balance.

Returning results to participants of environmental exposure studies has become more common in recent years. Despite evidence of benefits for study participants, there are challenges in communicating results to people with limited resources or capacity to mitigate chemical exposures. We interviewed N = 54 participants and compared exposure report-back conducted in 2010-2013 across three susceptible study populations: 1) low-income pregnant individuals in the Chemicals in Our Bodies (CIOB) study; 2) the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort; and 3) early childhood educators (ECE). Report-back differed between the cross-sectional studies (CIOB and ECE), which offered an opportunity to consult with research staff by phone or email, and the prospective cohort study (CHAMACOS), which allowed for participants to discuss individual and group-level results directly with researchers at a community meeting. Participants in all three studies were motivated to participate by children's health and wanted more information about health implications and exposure reduction strategies, with cost and limited resources cited as common barriers to change. We observed overall positive experiences with report-back across studies, with improved environmental health literacy and constructive learning experiences that were most evident in CHAMACOS. While many noted individual actions they had made or intended to make to reduce exposures, CHAMACOS participants were more likely to mention systems-level changes achieved through actions such as contacting decision-makers and raising community awareness. Our findings suggest that researchers may have a unique opportunity to support environmental health literacy and informed action at both the individual and community or policy levels through long-term study engagement, various forms of direct consultation with study participants, and thoughtful report-back methods that leverage existing tools and are sensitive to barriers faced by specific study populations. This work informs best practices for communicating chemical exposure results among sensitive or highly exposed communities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Middle age is increasingly acknowledged as a critical window for prevention of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) since research has shown that AD develops in the course of 20-30 years (1) but we know very little about middle-aged individuals' perspectives on ADRD. Knowledge gaps are particularly large for Latinas living in regions typically underrepresented in ADRD research, such as rural and/or agricultural regions. This is important given that over the next 40 years Latinos are projected to have the largest increase in ADRD cases in the U.S. Therefore, this study aims to assess knowledge, perceptions, and feelings associated with ADRD among a sample of middle-age, Spanish-speaking Latina women., Method: Using qualitative methods involving semi-structured interviews, we examined knowledge, perceptions, and feelings associated with ADRD among a subsample of the Center for Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study. Participants are Latina women residing in an underserved agricultural community entering mid-life (mean = 46.5 years old). Interviews were conducted with 20 women and data was analyzed with inductive thematic content analysis., Results: We identified themes regarding perceptions, knowledge, and feelings. First, participants perceive ADRD as involving (1) Loss of memory, (2) Getting lost; (3) Losing the person they once were. With regard to knowledge about ADRD, participants reported: (1) Some knowledge about protective and risk factors for ADRD, (2) No awareness of the links between cardiovascular risk factors and ADRD; (3) A desire to learn prevention methods alongside signs and symptoms of ADRD. Themes related to feelings about ADRD were: (1) Fear of developing ADRD and not being aware of reality or who they are; (2) Worry about losing relationships with loved ones and caretaking if diagnosed with ADRD; (3) Sadness about forgetting one's family and depending on others if diagnosed with ADRD., Conclusion: The knowledge gaps and negative feelings associated with ADRD highlighted in this study underscore the need for ADRD interventions to include CVD prevention, particularly for mid-life Latino populations residing in rural regions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Several studies have reported immune modulation by organophosphate (OP) pesticides, but the relationship between OP exposure and SARS-CoV-2 infection is yet to be studied. We used two different measures of OP pesticide exposure (urinary biomarkers (N = 154) and residential proximity to OP applications (N = 292)) to examine the association of early-childhood and lifetime exposure to OPs and risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 using antibody data. Our study population consisted of young adults (ages 18-21 years) from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, a longitudinal cohort of families from a California agricultural region. Urinary biomarkers reflected exposure from in utero to age 5 years. Residential proximity reflected exposures between in utero and age 16 years. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood samples collected between June 2022 and January 2023 were detected via two enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, each designed to bind to different SARS-CoV-2 antigens. We performed logistic regression for each measure of pesticide exposure, adjusting for covariates from demographic data and self-reported questionnaire data. We found increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection among participants with higher urinary biomarkers of OPs in utero (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: 0.71, 5,58) and from age 0-5 (OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 0.54, 6.95)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Most pneumococcal disease occurs among infants and older adults and is thought to be driven by the transmission of Streptococcus pneumoniae from young children to these vulnerable age groups. However, pneumococcal disease outbreaks also affect non-elderly adults living or working in congregate, close-contact settings. Little is known about pneumococcal carriage in such populations. From July to November 2020, we collected saliva from low-income adult farmworkers in Monterey County, California, and tested for pneumococcal carriage following culture enrichment via quantitative PCR assays targeting the pneumococcal lytA and piaB genes. Participants were considered to carry pneumococci if lytA and piaB cycle threshold values were both below 40. Among 1,283 participants enrolled in our study, 117 (9.1%) carried pneumococci. Carriers tended more often than non-carriers to be exposed to children aged <5 years [odds ratio (OR) = 1.45 (0.95-2.20)] and overcrowding [OR = 1.48 (0.96-2.30) and 2.84 (1.20-6.73), respectively, for participants in households with >2-4 and >4 persons per bedroom vs ≤2 persons per bedroom]. Household overcrowding remained associated with increased risk of carriage among participants not exposed to children aged <5 years [OR = 2.05 (1.18-3.59) for participants living in households with >2 vs ≤2 persons per bedroom]. Exposure to children aged <5 years and overcrowding were each associated with increased pneumococcal density among carriers [ piaB c T difference of 2.04 (0.36-3.73) and 2.44 (0.80-4.11), respectively]. While exposure to young children was a predictor of pneumococcal carriage, associations of overcrowding with increased prevalence and density of carriage in households without young children suggest that transmission also occurs among adults in close-contact settings.IMPORTANCEAlthough infants and older adults are the groups most commonly affected by pneumococcal disease, outbreaks are known to occur among healthy, working-age populations exposed to overcrowding, including miners, shipyard workers, military recruits, and prisoners. Carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae is the precursor to pneumococcal disease, and its relation to overcrowding in adult populations is poorly understood. We used molecular methods to characterize pneumococcal carriage in culture-enriched saliva samples from low-income adult farmworkers in Monterey County, CA. While exposure to children in the household was an important risk factor for pneumococcal carriage, living in an overcrowded household without young children was an independent predictor of carriage as well. Moreover, participants exposed to children or overcrowding carried pneumococci at higher density than those without such exposures, suggesting recent transmission. Our findings suggest that, in addition to transmission from young children, pneumococcal transmission may occur independently among adults in overcrowded settings., Competing Interests: J.A.L. discloses receipt of grant funding from Pfizer, Inc. and Merck, Sharp & Dohme and consulting honoraria from Pfizer, Inc.; Merck, Sharp & Dohme; and VaxCyte, Inc. A.L.W. discloses receipt of grant funding from Pfizer, Inc.; Merck, Sharp & Dohme; SalivaDirect, Inc.; Valvi.io; and Shield T3 and consulting honoraria from Pfizer, Inc.; Merck, Sharp & Dohme; Diasorin; PPS Health; Co-Diagnostics; and Global Diagnostic Systems. All other authors declare no competing interests.

Objective: Individuals and families from racial and ethnic groups experience social and economic disadvantage making them vulnerable to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to capture the impacts of Shelter in Place (SIP) across key life domains including family life, education, work, mental health, and coping strategies among a sample of Mexican-origin mothers who were currently engaged in agricultural work, or whose spouses were engaged in agricultural work, and young adults who had a parent working in agriculture., Method: During the summer of 2020, while California was under SIP orders, we conducted three virtual focus groups using Zoom(r). We recruited focus group participants from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), an ongoing, 20-year, longitudinal cohort study of Mexican-origin families in a predominantly agricultural area of California. Three focus groups were conducted with mothers (n = 9), mean age = 48 years, young adult women (n = 8) and young adult men (n = 5), mean age = 18 years, respectively., Results: Mothers reported high levels of stress stemming from fear of Covid-19 infection, work instability and financial concerns, children's schooling, anxiety about an uncertain future, and the demands of caretaking for dependents. Adverse mental health impacts were particularly pronounced among participants experiencing multiple adversities pre-dating the pandemic, including unemployment, single motherhood, and having undocumented family members. For young adults, work instability and varying work hours were also a source of stress because they made it difficult to make decisions about the future, such as whether to attend college or how many classes to take. Families used coping strategies including expressing gratitude, focusing on what's under one's control, familismo, and community engagement to manage mental health challenges during SIP., Conclusion: In the event of future pandemics or disasters, particular attention is needed to those who experience unemployment, are undocumented and/or have undocumented family members, and/or are single parents facing economic adversity. During public health emergencies, action at the local, state, and national level is needed to support farmworkers and other vulnerable groups' secondary major stressors stemming from inequities in access to affordable housing, childcare, living wages, healthcare, and other benefits., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The proposed study aims to assess users' perceptions of a surgical safety checklist (SSC) reimplementation toolkit and its impact on SSC attitudes and operating room (OR) culture, meaningful checklist use, measures of surgical safety, and OR efficiency at 3 different hospital sites., Background: The High-Performance Checklist toolkit (toolkit) assists surgical teams in modifying and implementing or reimplementing the World Health Organization's SSC. Through the explore, prepare, implement, and sustain implementation framework, the toolkit provides a process and set of tools to facilitate surgical teams' modification, implementation, training on, and evaluation of the SSC., Methods: A pre-post intervention design will be used to assess the impact of the modified SSC on surgical processes, team culture, patient experience, and safety. This mixed-methods study includes quantitative and qualitative data derived from surveys, semi-structured interviews, patient focus groups, and SSC performance observations. Additionally, patient outcome and OR efficiency data will be collected from the study sites' health surveillance systems., Data Analysis: Statistical data will be analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions, while qualitative data will be analyzed thematically using NVivo. Furthermore, interview data will be analyzed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance implementation frameworks., Setting: The toolkit will be introduced at 3 diverse surgical sites in Alberta, Canada: an urban hospital, university hospital, and small regional hospital., Anticipated Impact: We anticipate the results of this study will optimize SSC usage at the participating surgical sites, help shape and refine the toolkit, and improve its usability and application at future sites., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Early life exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides has been linked with poorer neurodevelopment from infancy to adolescence. In our Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort, we previously reported that residential proximity to OP use during pregnancy was associated with altered cortical activation using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a small subset (n = 95) of participants at age 16 years., Methods: We administered fNIRS to 291 CHAMACOS young adults at the 18-year visit. Using covariate-adjusted regression models, we estimated associations of prenatal and childhood urinary dialkylphosphates (DAPs), non-specific OP metabolites, with cortical activation in the frontal, temporal, and parietal regions of the brain during tasks of executive function and semantic language., Results: There were some suggestive associations for prenatal DAPs with altered activation patterns in both the inferior frontal and inferior parietal lobes of the left hemisphere during a task of cognitive flexibility (β per ten-fold increase in DAPs = 3.37; 95% CI: -0.02, 6.77 and β = 3.43; 95% CI: 0.64, 6.22, respectively) and the inferior and superior frontal pole/dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the right hemisphere during the letter retrieval working memory task (β = -3.10; 95% CI: -6.43, 0.22 and β = -3.67; 95% CI: -7.94, 0.59, respectively). We did not observe alterations in cortical activation with prenatal DAPs during a semantic language task or with childhood DAPs during any task., Discussion: We observed associations of prenatal OP concentrations with mild alterations in cortical activation during tasks of executive function. Associations with childhood exposure were null. This is reasonably consistent with studies of prenatal OPs and neuropsychological measures of attention and executive function found in CHAMACOS and other birth cohorts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Asa Bradman reports a relationship with The Organic Center that includes: board membership., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Latinos are the fastest growing aging population in the U.S. However, there has been limited attention to conceptualizing successful aging among Latinos, especially those residing in rural communities. Latinos are the largest racial or ethnic group residing in rural underserved communities and rural Latinos experience significant structural barriers to access the conditions they need to age well. The goal of this study is to make unique contributions to the successful aging literature by describing what successful aging means for middle-aged Latinas residing in a rural community., Methods: This qualitative paper used inductive thematic content analysis to examine definitions of successful aging among Latina women (n = 40) residing in an underserved agricultural community and entering mid-life (mean = 49 years old; age range 40-64)., Results: With regards to definitions of successful aging, four themes emerged: 1) Having good health; 2) maintaining an active lifestyle; 3) the wellbeing of one's children; and 4) being independent., Discussion: Participants' definitions of successful aging aligned to some extent with existing frameworks, specifically related to health and independence. However, middle-aged Latina participants' unique definitions of successful aging also diverged from existing frameworks, especially around the wellbeing of their children and the importance of work as a way of maintaining an active lifestyle. More research is needed to understand the unique social context and circumstances of middle-aged Latinos residing in rural communities and how they influence their aging journeys. This can provide important information for the development of culturally sensitive services, interventions, and policies to help Latinos age well., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Ambriz et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of poor health outcomes later in life. Psychosocial stressors may also have intergenerational health effects by which parental ACEs are associated with mental and physical health of children. Epigenetic programming may be one mechanism linking parental ACEs to child health. This study aimed to investigate epigenome-wide associations of maternal preconception ACEs with DNA methylation patterns of children. In the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas study, cord blood DNA methylation was measured using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. Preconception ACEs, which occurred during the mothers' childhoods, were collected using a standard ACE questionnaire including 10 ACE indicators. Maternal ACE exposures were defined in this study as (1) the total number of ACEs; (2) the total number of ACEs categorized as 0, 1-3, and > 4; and (3) individual ACEs. Associations of ACE exposures with differential methylated positions, regions, and CpG modules determined using weighted gene co-expression network analysis were evaluated adjusting for covariates., Results: Data on maternal ACEs and cord blood DNA methylation were available for 196 mother/newborn pairs. One differential methylated position was associated with maternal experience of emotional abuse (cg05486260/FAM135B gene; q value < 0.05). Five differential methylated regions were significantly associated with the total number of ACEs, and 36 unique differential methylated regions were associated with individual ACEs (Šidák p value < 0.05). Fifteen CpG modules were significantly correlated with the total number of ACEs or individual ACEs, of which 8 remained significant in fully adjusted models (p value < 0.05). Significant modules were enriched for pathways related to neurological and immune development and function., Conclusions: Maternal ACEs prior to conception were associated with cord blood DNA methylation of offspring at birth. Although there was limited overlap between differential methylated regions and CpGs in modules associated with ACE exposures, statistically significant regions and networks were related to genes involved in neurological and immune function. Findings may provide insights to pathways linking psychosocial stressors to health. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between changes in DNA methylation and child health., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

The topic of waste combustion/co-combustion is critical, given the increasingly restrictive legal regulations regarding its environmental aspects. In this paper, the authors present the test results of selected fuels of different compositions: hard coal, coal sludge, coke waste, sewage sludge, paper waste, biomass waste and polymer waste. The authors conducted a proximate and ultimate analysis of the materials and mercury content in them and their ashes. An interesting element of the paper was the chemical analysis of the XRF of the fuels. The authors conducted the preliminary combustion research using a new research bench. The authors provide a comparative analysis of pollutant emissions-especially mercury emission-during the combustion of the material; this is an innovative element of this paper. The authors state that coke waste and sewage sludge are distinguished by their high mercury content. The value of Hg emission during the combustion depends on the initial mercury content in the waste. The results of the combustion tests showed the adequacy of mercury release compared to the emissions of other compounds considered. Small amounts of mercury were found in waste ashes. The addition of a polymer to 10% of coal fuels leads to a reduction in mercury emissions in exhaust gases.

Background: Because fine particulate matter [PM, with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μ m ( PM 2.5 )] is a ubiquitous environmental exposure, small changes in cognition associated with PM 2.5 exposure could have great societal costs. Prior studies have demonstrated a relationship between in utero PM 2.5 exposure and cognitive development in urban populations, but it is not known whether these effects are similar in rural populations and whether they persist into late childhood., Objectives: In this study, we tested for associations between prenatal PM 2.5 exposure and both full-scale and subscale measures of IQ among a longitudinal cohort at age 10.5 y., Methods: This analysis used data from 568 children enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS), a birth cohort study in California's agricultural Salinas Valley. Exposures were estimated at residential addresses during pregnancy using state of the art, modeled PM 2.5 surfaces. IQ testing was performed by bilingual psychometricians in the dominant language of the child., Results: A 3 - μ g / m 3 higher average PM 2.5 over pregnancy was associated with - 1.79 full-scale IQ points [95% confidence interval (CI): - 2.98 , - 0.58 ], with decrements specifically in Working Memory IQ (WMIQ) and Processing Speed IQ (PSIQ) subscales [WMIQ - 1.72 (95% CI: - 2.98 , - 0.45 ) and PSIQ - 1.19 (95% CI: - 2.54 , 0.16)]. Flexible modeling over the course of pregnancy illustrated mid-to-late pregnancy (months 5-7) as particularly susceptible times, with sex differences in the timing of susceptible windows and in which subscales were most affected [Verbal Comprehension IQ (VCIQ) and WMIQ in males; and PSIQ in females]., Discussion: We found that small increases in outdoor PM 2.5 exposure in utero were associated with slightly lower IQ in late childhood, robust to many sensitivity analyses. In this cohort there was a larger effect of PM 2.5 on childhood IQ than has previously been observed, perhaps due to differences in PM composition or because developmental disruption could alter the cognitive trajectory and thus appear more pronounced as children get older. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10812.

Background: The prevalence of liver disorders and metabolic syndrome has increased among youth. Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide worldwide, could contribute to the development of these conditions., Objective: We aimed to assess whether lifetime exposure to glyphosate and its degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), is associated with elevated liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome among young adults., Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study ( n = 480 mother-child dyads) and a nested case-control study ( n = 60 cases with elevated liver transaminases and 91 controls) using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS). We measured glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in urine samples collected during pregnancy and at child ages 5, 14, and 18 y from cases and controls. We calculated glyphosate residue concentrations: [ glyphosate  +   ( 1.5 × AMPA ) ]. We estimated the amount of agricultural-use glyphosate applied within a 1 - km radius of every residence from pregnancy to age 5 y for the full cohort using California Pesticide Use Reporting data. We assessed liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome at 18 y of age., Results: Urinary AMPA at age 5 y was associated with elevated transaminases [relative risk (RR) per 2 - fold increase = 1.27 , 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06, 1.53] and metabolic syndrome ( RR = 2.07 , 95% CI: 1.38, 3.11). Urinary AMPA and glyphosate residues at age 14 y were associated with metabolic syndrome [ RR = 1.80 (95% CI: 1.10, 2.93) and RR = 1.88 (95% CI: 1.03, 3.42), respectively]. Overall, a 2-fold increase in urinary AMPA during childhood was associated with a 14% and a 55% increased risk of elevated liver transaminases and metabolic syndrome, respectively. Living near agricultural glyphosate applications during early childhood (birth to 5 y of age) was also associated with metabolic syndrome at age 18 y in the case-control group ( RR = 1.53 , 95% CI: 1.16, 2.02)., Discussion: Childhood exposure to glyphosate and AMPA may increase risk of liver and cardiometabolic disorders in early adulthood, which could lead to more serious diseases later in life. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11721.

Background: Prenatal pesticide exposure has been associated with poorer neurodevelopment during childhood, which could lead to greater risk-taking behaviors and delinquency in adolescence. This association may be augmented by adversity exposure., Objectives: Evaluate the relationship between prenatal pesticide exposure and risk-taking behavior in young adults at 18-years of age. Assess whether adversity exposure modifies these associations., Methods: Participants included mother-child dyads (n = 467) enrolled in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children Of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a longitudinal birth cohort set in the agricultural Salinas Valley of California. We estimated agricultural pesticide use within one km of maternal residences during pregnancy using a geographic information system, residential addresses, and California's Pesticide Use Reporting data. We used Bayesian hierarchical regression to evaluate associations of prenatal exposure to a mixture of 11 neurotoxic pesticides with self-reported police encounters, risk-taking behaviors, and unique types and frequency of delinquent acts. We also evaluated effect modification of these relationships by adversity exposure., Results: We observed generally null associations of neurotoxic pesticide use with risk-taking behaviors. Prenatal residential proximity to chlorpyrifos use was associated with higher risk of a police encounter, a delinquent act, and higher incidence of both unique types of acts committed and total frequency of delinquent acts. Prenatal residential proximity to dimethoate use was associated with a higher incidence of police encounters and methomyl with a higher risk of committing a delinquent act. There were no consistent differences when stratified by the number of adverse childhood experiences., Conclusions: We observed mostly null associations between prenatal residential proximity to agricultural pesticide use and risk-taking behaviors at age 18, with little evidence of effect modification by childhood adversity. There were suggestive associations for chlorpyrifos use with having any police encounter and with all measures of delinquent acts that warrant confirmation in other studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Dr. Robert Gunier has consulted for law firms in cases involving pesticide exposure and human health. The other authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Half the world's population is at risk for malaria. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) with insecticides has been effective in controlling malaria, yet the potential neurotoxicity of these insecticides is of concern, particularly for infants exposed in utero., Objectives: To determine the association of prenatal exposure to DDT/DDE and pyrethroid insecticides and behavioral/emotional problems in two-year-old children., Methods: The Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) birth cohort in South Africa, measured concentrations of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE in maternal serum and pyrethroid metabolites (cis-DBCA, cis-DCCA, trans-DCCA, and 3-PBA) in maternal urine collected during pregnancy. At 2 years, 683 mothers were interviewed about their children's behavior and emotional development, using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). We examined associations between behavioral or emotional problems and biomarkers of prenatal insecticide exposure., Results: Maternal serum p,p'-DDT concentrations were associated with heightened withdrawn behavior in 2-year olds, with a 0.24 increase in raw scores (95%CI = 0.00, 0.49) and a 12% increase (95%CI = 1.01, 1.23) in risk of being at or above the borderline-clinical level, per 10-fold increase in concentrations. Ten-fold increases in p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE were related to 30% (RR = 1.30; 95%CI = 1.01, 1.67) and 39% (RR = 1.39; 95%CI =1.01, 1.91) higher risks, respectively, for increased oppositional-defiant behavior. p,p'-DDE concentrations were also related to increased risk of ADHD-related problems (RR = 1.30; 95%CI = 0.98, 1.72). Maternal urinary concentrations of cis-DBCA and 3-PBA were associated with increased risk of externalizing behaviors (RR = 1.30; 95%CI = 1.05, 1.62; RR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.03, 1.78 per 10-fold increase, respectively), with some evidence of an association between cis-DBCA and affective disorders (RR = 1.25; 95%CI = 0.99, 1.56). Some associations with maternal pyrethroid concentrations were stronger in girls than boys., Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to DDT and pyrethroid insecticides may be associated with maternally-reported behavioral problems in two-year-old children. Given their long history and continued use, further investigation is warranted., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to p,p'-dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) is associated with poorer cognitive function in children and adolescents, but the neural mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear., Objective: We investigated associations of prenatal and childhood exposure to p,p'-DDT and its metabolite p,p'-dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) with cortical activation in adolescents using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)., Methods: We administered fNIRS to 95 adolescents from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) aged 15-17 years. We assessed cortical activity in the frontal, temporal, and parietal brain regions while participants completed tasks of executive function, language comprehension, and social cognition. We measured serum p,p'-DDT and -DDE concentrations at age 9 years and then estimated exposure-outcome associations using linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. In secondary analyses, we back-extrapolated prenatal concentrations using prediction models and examined their association with cortical activation., Results: Median (P25-P75) p,p'-DDT and -DDE concentrations in childhood were 1.4 (1-2.3) and 141.5 (75.0-281.3) ng/g lipid, respectively. We found that childhood exposure to p,p'-DDT and -DDE was associated with altered patterns of brain activation during tasks of cognition and executive functions. For example, we observed increased activity in the left frontal lobe during a language comprehension task (β per 10 ng/g lipid increase of serum p,p'-DDE at age 9 years = 3.4; 95% CI: 0.0, 6.9 in the left inferior frontal lobe; and β = 4.2; 95% CI: 0.9, 7.5 in the left superior frontal lobe). We found no sex differences in the associations of childhood p,p'-DDT and -DDE concentrations with neural activity. Associations between prenatal p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE concentrations and brain activity were similar to those observed for child p,p'-DDT and -DDE concentrations., Conclusions: Childhood p,p'-DDT and -DDE exposure may impact cortical brain activation, which could be an underlying mechanism for its previously reported associations with poorer cognitive function., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have documented independent adverse associations between prenatal and early-life exposure to environmental chemicals and social adversity with child neurodevelopment; however, few have considered these exposures jointly. The objective of this analysis is to examine whether associations of pesticide mixtures and adolescent neurobehavioral development are modified by early-life adversity in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort., Methods: We used linear mixed effects Bayesian Hierarchical Models (BHM) to examine the joint effect of applications of 11 agricultural pesticides within 1 km of maternal homes during pregnancy and youth-reported Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) with maternal and youth-reported internalizing behaviors, hyperactivity, and attention problems assessed via the Behavior Assessment for Children (BASC) (mean = 50, standard deviation = 10) at ages 16 and 18 years (n = 458)., Results: The median (25th-75th percentiles) of ACEs was 1 (0-3); 72.3% of participants had low ACEs (0-2 events) and 27.7% had ACEs (3+ events). Overall, there was little evidence of modification of exposure-outcome associations by ACEs. A two-fold increase in malathion use was associated with increased internalizing behaviors among those with high ACEs from both maternal- (β = 1.9; 95% Credible Interval (CrI): 0.2, 3.7 for high ACEs vs. β = -0.1; 95% CrI: 1.2, 0.9 for low ACEs) and youth-report (β = 2.1; 95% CrI: 0.4, 3.8 for high ACEs vs. β = 0.2; 95% CrI: 0.8, 1.2 for low ACEs). Applications of malathion and dimethoate were also associated with higher youth-reported hyperactivity and/or inattention among those with high ACEs., Conclusion: We observed little evidence of effect modification of agricultural pesticide use near the home during pregnancy and adolescent behavioral problems by child ACEs. Future studies should examine critical windows of susceptibility of exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors and should consider biomarker-based exposure assessment methods., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Initial orthostatic hypotension (IOH) is defined by a large drop in blood pressure (BP) within 15 s of standing. IOH often presents during an active stand, but not with a passive tilt, suggesting that a muscle activation reflex involving lower body muscles plays an important role. To our knowledge, there is no literature exploring how sympathetic activation affects IOH. We hypothesized involuntary muscle contractions before standing would significantly reduce the drop in BP seen in IOH while increasing sympathetic activity would not., Methods: Study participants performed 4 sit-to-stand maneuvers including a mental stress test (serial 7 mental arithmetic stress test), cold pressor test, electrical stimulation, and no intervention. Continuous heart rate and beat-to-beat BP were measured. Cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance were estimated from these waveforms. Data are presented as mean±SD., Results: A total of 23 female IOH participants (31±8 years) completed the study. The drops in systolic BP following the serial 7 mental arithmetic stress test (-26±12 mm Hg; P =0.004), cold pressor test (-20±15 mm Hg; P <0.001), and electrical stimulation (-28±12 mm Hg; P =0.01) were significantly reduced compared with no intervention (-34±11 mm Hg). The drops in systemic vascular resistance following the serial 7 mental arithmetic stress test (-391±206 dyne×s/cm 5 ; P =0.006) and cold pressor test (-386±179 dyne×s/cm 5 ; P =0.011) were significantly reduced compared with no intervention (-488±173 dyne×s/cm 5 ). Cardiac output was significantly increased upon standing (7±2 L/min) compared with during the sit (6±1 L/min; P <0.001) for electrical stimulation., Conclusion: Sympathetic activation mitigates the BP response in IOH, while involuntary muscle contraction mitigates the BP response and reduces symptoms. Active muscle contractions may induce both of these mechanisms of action in their pretreatment of IOH. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03970551.

Secular trends in earlier initiation of puberty have been observed in recent decades. One risk factor appears to be increases in adiposity, as measured by body mass index. This trend is particularly notable among Latino populations, who have higher rates of overweight/obesity compared with non-Latino White youth. Previous research has focused primarily on White girls, resulting in data gaps regarding male puberty and among potentially high-risk populations. Using data from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, we examined body mass index at age 5 years (2005-2006) and multiple markers of pubertal onset, assessed repeatedly and longitudinally at 7 in-person visits, starting at age 9 and continuing through age 14 (2009-2015), among 336 Mexican Americans in Salinas, California. We observed no associations among boys, but found significantly earlier thelarche in overweight (HR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.7) and obese girls (HR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.4), menarche in overweight girls (HR = 1.6; CI: 1.0, 2.4), and pubarche in obese girls (HR = 1.9; CI: 1.2, 3.0), compared with normal-weight girls. This study examined an understudied population and included key covariates, such as birth weight and early adverse events, which are typically omitted in studies., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Emerging research suggests associations of physical and psychosocial stressors with epigenetic aging. Although this work has included early-life exposures, data on maternal exposures and epigenetic aging of their children remain sparse. Using longitudinally collected data from the California, Salinas Valley CHAMACOS study, we examined relationships between maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) reported up to 18 years of life, prior to pregnancy, with eight measures (Horvath, Hannum, SkinBloodClock, Intrinsic, Extrinsic, PhenoAge, GrimAge, and DNAm telomere length) of blood leukocyte epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in their children at ages 7, 9, and 14 years (N = 238 participants with 483 observations). After adjusting for maternal chronological age at delivery, pregnancy smoking/alcohol use, parity, child gestational age, and estimated leukocyte proportions, higher maternal ACEs were significantly associated with at least a 0.76-year increase in child Horvath and Intrinsic EAA. Higher maternal ACEs were also associated with a 0.04 kb greater DNAm estimate of telomere length of children. Overall, our data suggests that maternal preconception ACEs are associated with biological aging in their offspring in childhood and that preconception ACEs have differential relationships with EAA measures, suggesting different physiologic utilities of EEA measures. Studies are necessary to confirm these findings and to elucidate potential pathways to explain these relationships, which may include intergenerational epigenetic inheritance and persistent physical and social exposomes.

The brain's prefrontal cortex directs higher-order cognitive and behavioral processes that are important for attention, working memory, and inhibitory control. We investigated whether gestational exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides was associated with these abilities in childhood and early adolescence. Between 1999 and 2000, we enrolled pregnant women in a birth cohort drawn from an agricultural region of California. We measured dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites of OP pesticides in maternal pregnancy urine samples (13 and 26 weeks) and estimated associations with behaviors related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and executive function, assessed longitudinally; 351 families provided neurodevelopmental outcome data at any point when the child was aged 7-12 years. We assessed function across multiple dimensions (e.g., working memory, attention), methods (e.g., behavior reports, child assessment), and reporters (e.g., mothers, teachers, child self-reports). Higher gestational DAP concentrations were consistently associated with behaviors related to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and executive function. For example, a 10-fold increase in gestational DAP concentration was associated with poorer longitudinally assessed Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function scores, as reported by mothers (β = 4.0 (95% confidence interval: 2.1, 5.8); a higher score indicates more problems), and Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition Working Memory scores (a 3.8-point reduction; β = -3.8 (95% confidence interval: -6.2, -1.3)). Reducing gestational exposure to OP pesticides through public health policy is an important goal., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.)

Importance: Essential workers in agriculture and food production have been severely affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic., Objective: To identify risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among farmworkers in California., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study invited farmworkers in California's Salinas Valley (Monterey County) receiving transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection at federally qualified community clinics and community sites to participate. Individuals were eligible if they were not pregnant, were 18 years or older, had conducted farmwork since the pandemic started, and were proficient in English or Spanish. Survey data were collected and SARS-CoV-2 tests were conducted among participants from July 16 to November 30, 2020., Exposures: Sociodemographic, household, community, and workplace characteristics., Main Outcomes and Measures: TMA- and immunoglobulin G (IgG)-positive SARS-CoV-2 infection., Results: A total of 1107 farmworkers (581 [52.5%] women; mean [SD] age, 39.7 [12.6] years) were included in these analyses. Most participants were born in Mexico (922 [83.3%]), were married or living with a partner (697 [63.0%]), and worked in the fields (825 [74.5%]). Overall, 118 of 911 (13.0%) had a positive result on their TMA test for SARS-CoV-2 infection, whereas 201 of 1058 (19.0%) had antibody evidence of infection. In multivariable analyses accounting for recruitment venue and enrollment period, the incidence of TMA-positive SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher among those with lower than primary school-level education (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.32; 95% CI, 0.99-1.76; non-statistically significant finding), who spoke an Indigenous language at home (aRR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.97-1.73; non-statistically significant finding), who worked in the fields (aRR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.03-2.50), and who were exposed to a known or suspected COVID-19 case at home (aRR, 2.98; 95% CI, 2.06-4.32) or in the workplace (aRR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.18-2.14). Positive results on IgG tests for SARS-CoV-2 infection were more common among those who lived in crowded housing (aRR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.98-1.53; non-statistically significant finding), with children aged 5 years or younger (aRR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.11-1.76), with unrelated roommates (aRR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.19-1.64), and with an individual with known or suspected COVID-19 (aRR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.13-2.24). The risk of IgG positivity was also higher among those with body mass index of 30 or greater (aRR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.01-2.70) or diabetes (aRR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.98-1.75; non-statistically significant finding)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of farmworkers in California, both residential and workplace exposures were associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Urgent distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and intervention on modifiable risk factors are warranted given this population's increased risk of infection and the essential nature of their work.

Background: Though prenatal organophosphate pesticide (OP) exposure has been associated with lower intellectual quotient and behavioral disorders in childhood, factors related to later delinquency, no research has directly evaluated the impact of OPs on delinquency., Objective: To evaluate the association between prenatal and childhood OP exposure and juvenile delinquency in Mexican-American youth in the Center for Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS)., Methods: We measured dialkyl phosphate (DAPs) urinary metabolites of OPs in two prenatal maternal samples and in five child samples collected between six months and five years of age. Youth completed delinquency questionnaires at 16 years. We examined associations of prenatal and childhood DAPs with several delinquency outcomes (n = 313) using survival and generalized linear models., Results: Almost 60% of youth reported delinquent acts (mostly minor), and 8% reported a police arrest. We observed largely null results of prenatal or childhood DAP concentrations and delinquency outcomes, with some isolated associations. A ten-fold increase in maternal dimethylphosphate (DM) concentrations measured after 20 weeks gestation was associated with an earlier age of first delinquent act (Hazard Ratio = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.88) and an increased Odds Ratio (OR) of having committed 1-3 or ≥4 delinquent acts, compared to the no delinquency reference group (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.01-3.08 and 2.17, 95% CI: 1.13-4.17, respectively). Higher childhood diethylphosphate (DE) concentrations were associated with a later age of first delinquent act (HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.46-0.97)., Discussion: We did not find strong evidence of association between prenatal or childhood OP exposure and juvenile delinquency in the present cohort. There is an increasing literature that relates OP exposure to neurobehavioral impairments in childhood, and there is a need to understand long-term potential neurodevelopmental effects of early-life OP exposure., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Studies suggest that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and early childhood is associated with adverse child neurodevelopment. Research to date has focused primarily on exposure to single pesticides or pesticide classes in isolation; there are little data on the effect of exposure to pesticide mixtures on child and adolescent neurodevelopment., Methods: Using California's Pesticide Use Reporting database, we estimated agricultural pesticide use within 1 km of the home during the prenatal and postnatal (ages 0-5 years) periods among participants in the Center for the Health Assessment for Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) birth cohort. We implemented a Bayesian Hierarchical linear mixed-effects model to examine associations with maternal- and youth-reported behavioral and emotional problems from the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2) at ages 16 and 18 years (n = 593)., Results: We observed mostly null associations between pesticide applications and neurobehavioral outcomes. There were some trends of modestly increased internalizing behaviors and attention problems in association with organophosphate insecticide use near the home during the prenatal period. In the postnatal period, a two-fold increase in glyphosate applications was associated with more youth-reported depression (β = 1.2, 95% credible intervals [CrI] = 0.2, 2.2), maternal-reported internalizing behaviors (β = 1.23, 95% CrI = 0.2, 2.3), and anxiety (β = 1.2, 95% CrI = 0.2, 2.3). We observed some protective associations with imidacloprid during the prenatal period, particularly in sex-specific analyses., Conclusions: We found only some subtle associations between some pesticides and neurobehavioral outcomes. This study extends previous work by considering potential exposure to mixtures of pesticides., Competing Interests: A.B. is a volunteer member of the Board for The Organic Center, a nonprofit organization addressing scientific issues about organic food and agriculture and is also a member of the USDA National Organic Standards Board. The other authors have no conflicts to report., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The Environmental Epidemiology. All rights reserved.)

During the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, farmworkers in the United States are considered essential personnel and continue in-person work. We conducted prospective surveillance for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and antibody prevalence among farmworkers in Salinas Valley, California, during June 15-November 30, 2020. We observed 22.1% (1,514/6,864) positivity for SARS-CoV-2 infection among farmworkers compared with 17.2% (1,255/7,305) among other adults from the same communities (risk ratio 1.29, 95% CI 1.20-1.37). In a nested study enrolling 1,115 farmworkers, prevalence of current infection was 27.7% among farmworkers reporting >1 COVID-19 symptom and 7.2% among farmworkers without symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 4.16, 95% CI 2.85-6.06). Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies increased from 10.5% (95% CI 6.0%-18.4%) during July 16-August 31 to 21.2% (95% CI 16.6%-27.4%) during November 1-30. High SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among farmworkers underscores the need for vaccination and other preventive interventions.

The quality of environmental perception is crucial for automated vehicle capabilities. In order to ensure the required accuracy, the occupancy grid mapping algorithm is often utilised to fuse data from multiple sensors. This paper focuses on the radar-based occupancy grid for highway applications and describes how to measure effectively the quality of the occupancy map. The evaluation was performed using the novel grid pole-like object analysis method. The proposed assessment is versatile and can be applied without detailed ground truth information. The evaluation was tested with a simulation and real vehicle experiments on the highway.

Background: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic form of orthostatic intolerance associated with a significant symptom burden. Compression garments are a frequently prescribed treatment, but the effectiveness of waist-high compression has not been evaluated in adults with POTS., Objectives: This study evaluated compression garments as a treatment for POTS using a head-up tilt test (HUT), and a noninflatable core and lower body compression garment., Methods: Thirty participants completed 10-min HUT with each of 4 compression conditions in a randomized crossover design. The conditions were no compression (NONE), lower leg compression (LEG), abdominal/thigh compression (ABDO), and full abdominal/leg compression (FULL). Heart rate, beat-to-beat blood pressure, and Vanderbilt Orthostatic Symptom Score ratings were measured during each HUT., Results: The compression garment reduced heart rate (NONE: 109 ± 19 beats/min; LEG: 103 ± 16 beats/min; ABDO: 97 ± 15 beats/min; FULL: 92 ± 14 beats/min; p < 0.001) and improved symptoms (p < 0.001) during HUT in a dose-dependent manner. During HUT, stroke volume and systolic blood pressure were better maintained with FULL and ABDO compression compared with LEG and NONE compression., Conclusions: Abdominal and lower body compression reduced heart rate and improved symptoms during HUT in adult patients with POTS. These effects were driven by improved stroke volume with compression. Abdominal compression alone might also provide a clinical benefit if full lower body compression is not well tolerated. (Hemodynamic Effects of Compression in POTS; NCT03484273)., Competing Interests: Author Disclosures This study was supported by funding from the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. Ms. Kate Bourne is a Vanier Scholar supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Sheldon has been a network investigator for the Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada. Dr. Exner has been a network investigator for the Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada. Dr. Raj has been a consultant for Lundbeck NA Ltd. and Theravance Biopharma; has been the Chair of the Data Safety and Monitoring Board for Arena Pharmaceuticals; has been a network investigator for Cardiac Arrhythmia Network of Canada; and has been a member of the Medical Advisory Board of Dysautonomia International and PoTS UK, both without financial compensation. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spot urine samples are often used to assess exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in place of "gold standard" 24-hr samples, which are cumbersome to collect. Assessment of non-persistent chemicals using spot urine samples may result in exposure misclassification that could bias epidemiological analyses towards the null. Few studies have examined the validity of measurements of urinary metabolites in spot samples to estimate daily OP dose or the potential implications of reliance on spot samples for risk assessments., Objective: Examine the validity of using first morning void (FMV) and random non-FMV urine samples to estimate cumulative 24-hr OP pesticide dose among children living in an agricultural region., Methods: We collected urine samples over 7 consecutive days, including two 24-hr samples, from 25 children living in an agricultural community. We used measurements of urinary dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites, data on nearby agricultural pesticide applications, and daily dietary intake data to estimate internal dose from exposure to a mixture of OP pesticides according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cumulative Risk Assessment guidelines. Dose estimates from volume- and creatinine-adjusted same-day FMV and non-FMV spot urine samples were compared to the "gold standard" estimates from 24-hr samples., Results: Non-FMV samples had relatively weak ability to predict 24-hr dose (R 2  = 0.09-0.38 for total DAPs) and tended to underestimate the percentage of samples exceeding regulatory guidelines. Models with FMV samples or the average of an FMV and non-FMV sample were similarly predictive of 24-hr estimates (R 2 for DAPs = 0.40-0.68 and 0.40-0.80, respectively, depending on volume adjustment method)., Conclusion: Reliance on non-FMV samples for risk assessments may underestimate daily OP dose and the percentage of children with dose estimates exceeding regulatory guidelines. If 24-hr urine sample collection is infeasible, we recommend future studies prioritize the collection of FMV samples to most accurately characterize OP dose in children., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background Worry about deportation has been associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors in cross-sectional research. No research has evaluated this association longitudinally or examined the association between deportation worry and incident cardiovascular disease outcomes. Methods and Results We used data from an ongoing community-based cohort of 572 women primarily of Mexican origin. We estimated associations between self-reported deportation worry and: (1) trajectories of blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference with linear mixed models, and (2) incident hypertension with Cox proportional hazards models. Nearly half (48%) of women reported "a lot," 24% reported "moderate," and 28% reported "not too much" deportation worry. Higher worry at baseline was associated with nonlinear systolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure trajectories. For example, compared with not too much worry, a lot of worry was associated with a faster initial increase (β, interaction with linear year term: 4.10; 95% CI, 1.17-7.03) followed by a faster decrease in systolic blood pressure (β, interaction with quadratic year term: -0.80; 95% CI, -1.55 to -0.06). There was weak evidence of an association between deportation worry and diastolic blood pressure and no association with body mass index, waist circumference, or pulse pressure trajectories. Among 408 women without baseline hypertension, reporting a lot (hazard ratio, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.15-4.10) and moderate deportation worry (hazard ratio, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.17-4.30) were each associated with greater risk of incident hypertension compared with reporting not too much worry. Conclusions Deportation worry may contribute to widening disparities in some cardiovascular disease risk factors and outcomes over time.