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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in industry and have been linked to various adverse health effects. Communities adjacent to sites where PFAS are manufactured, stored, or used may be at elevated risk. In these impacted communities, significant exposure often occurs through contaminated drinking water, yet less is known about the role of other pathways such as residential exposure through house dust. We analyzed a paired serum and house dust dataset from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's PFAS Exposure Assessments, which sampled eight United States communities with a history of drinking water contamination due to aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) use at nearby military bases. We found that serum PFAS levels of residents were significantly positively associated with the dust PFAS levels in their homes, for three of seven PFAS analyzed, when accounting for site and participant age. We also found that increased dust PFAS levels were associated with a shift in the relative abundance of PFAS in serum towards those chemicals not strongly linked to AFFF contamination, which may suggest household sources. Additionally, we analyzed participant responses to exposure questionnaires to identify factors associated with dust PFAS levels. Dust PFAS levels for some analytes were significantly elevated in households where participants were older and had lived at the home longer, cleaned less frequently, used stain resistant products, and had carpeted living rooms. Our results suggest that residential exposure to PFAS via dust or other indoor pathways may contribute to overall exposure and body burden, even in communities impacted by AFFF contamination of drinking water, and the magnitude of this exposure may also be influenced by demographic, behavioral, and housing factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ED visits for older adult falls were significantly higher during winter. • Seasonal variation in ED visits was found only for outdoor falls. • Variation in outdoor falls was seen only in males and the 65–74 age group. • Males and the 65–74 age group had higher ED visits for weather-related falls. Introduction: In the United States, fall-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults (age 65 and older) have increased over the past decade. Studies document seasonal variation in fall injuries in other countries, while research in the United States is inconclusive. The objectives of this study were to examine seasonal variation in older adult fall-related ED visits and explore if seasonal variation differs by the location of the fall (indoors vs. outdoors), age group, and sex of the faller. Methods: Fall-related ED visit data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program were analyzed by season of the ED visit, location of the fall, and demographics for adults aged 65 years and older. Results: Total fall-related ED visits were higher during winter compared with other seasons. This seasonal variation was found only for falls occurring outdoors. Among outdoor falls, the variation was found among males and adults aged 65 to 74 years. The percentages of visits for weather-related outdoor falls were also higher among males and the 65–74 year age group. Conclusion s: In 2015, there was a seasonal variation in fall-related ED visits in the United States. Weather-related slips and trips in winter may partially account for the seasonal variation. Practical Implications: These results can inform healthcare providers about the importance of screening all older adults for fall risk and help to identify specific patients at increased risk during winter. They may encourage community-based organizations serving older adults to increase fall prevention messaging during winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Beach volleyball officially became a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I sport in 2015-2016. Few studies have examined the epidemiology of injuries in indoor versus beach volleyball in NCAA Division I athletes. Purpose: To compare the epidemiology of injuries and time lost from participation between female NCAA Division I athletes who participate in indoor versus beach volleyball. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Injury surveillance data (2003-2020) were obtained using an institutional database for all NCAA Division I women's beach or indoor volleyball athletes. The total injury rate was expressed per 1000 hours played. The injury rate per body site was calculated by dividing the number of injuries in each body region by the total number of injuries. The frequency of injury per body site was also expressed as number of injuries per 1000 hours of practice or number of injuries per 1000 hours of game. The injury rate (total and per body site) and time lost from participation were compared between indoor and beach volleyball athletes. Results: Participants were 161 female NCAA Division I volleyball athletes (53 beach volleyball and 108 indoor volleyball athletes). In total, 974 injuries were recorded: 170 in beach volleyball and 804 in indoor volleyball. The injury rates for beach versus indoor volleyball were 1.8 versus 5.3 injuries per 1000 hours played (P < .0001). Indoor volleyball athletes had significantly higher injury rates compared with beach volleyball players for concussion (7.5% vs 6.5%; P < .0001) and knee injury (16.7% vs 7.6%; P ¼ .0004); however, the rate of abdominal muscle injury was significantly higher in beach versus indoor volleyball (11.8% vs 4.7%; P ¼ .0008). Time lost from sport participation was significantly longer in beach versus indoor volleyball for knee (24 vs 11 days; P ¼ .047), low back (25 vs 17 days; P ¼ .0009), and shoulder (52 vs 28 days; P ¼ .001) injuries. Conclusion: Based on this study, injury was more likely to occur in indoor compared with beach volleyball. Sport-related concussion and knee injuries were more common in indoor volleyball, but the rate of abdominal muscle injury was higher in beach volleyball. Beach volleyball players needed longer time to recover after injuries to the knee, low back, and shoulder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are critical to the pollination of many important crops in the United States, and one crop that demands large numbers of colonies early each year is almonds. To provide adequate numbers of colonies for almond pollination, many beekeepers move colonies of bees to high-density holding yards in California in late fall, where the bees can fly and forage, but little natural pollen and nectar is available. In recent years, high colony losses have occurred in some operations following this management strategy, and alternative approaches, including indoor storage of colonies, have become more commonly used. The current study evaluated colonies kept indoors (refrigerated and/or controlled atmosphere) for the winter compared with those kept outdoors in either Washington or California. Colonies were evaluated for strength (frames of bees), brood area, lipid composition of worker bees, colony weight and survival, parasitic mites (Varroa mites, tracheal mites), and pathogens (Nosema spp.). No differences were found in colony weight, survival, parasitic mite levels, or pathogen prevalence among the treatments. Colonies stored indoors and outdoors in WA had significantly more frames of bees and less brood present after the storage period than colonies stored outdoors in CA. Lipid composition of honey bees stored indoors was significantly higher than colonies stored outdoors in WA or CA. The implications of these findings for overall colony health and improved pollination activity are discussed., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Population Impact Assessment Modeling Framework (PIAMF) was expanded to enable determination of indoor PM 2.5 concentrations and exposures in a set of 50,000 homes representing the US housing stock. A mass-balance model is used to calculate time-dependent pollutant concentrations within each home. The model includes size- and species-dependent removal mechanisms. The particle model was applied to the housing samples of the Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor, and Personal Air (RIOPA) and The Detroit Exposure and Aerosol Research Study (DEARS) studies to compare model- and measurement-based estimates of indoor PM 2.5 of outdoor origin. Model-derived distributions of infiltration factors (ratio of indoor PM 2.5 of outdoor origin to outdoor PM 2.5 ) are compared to measurement-based distributions obtained in studies conducted in 11 US cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the United States, asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood across all socioeconomic classes and is the most frequent cause of hospitalization among children. Asthma exacerbations have been associated with exposure to residential indoor environmental stressors such as allergens and air pollutants as well as numerous additional factors. Simulation modeling is a valuable tool that can be used to evaluate interventions for complex multifactorial diseases such as asthma but in spite of its flexibility and applicability, modeling applications in either environmental exposures or asthma have been limited to date. Methods: We designed a discrete event simulation model to study the effect of environmental factors on asthma exacerbations in school-age children living in low-income multi-family housing. Model outcomes include asthma symptoms, medication use, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits. Environmental factors were linked to percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%), which in turn was linked to risk equations for each outcome. Exposures affecting FEV1% included indoor and outdoor sources of NO2 and PM2.5, cockroach allergen, and dampness as a proxy for mold. Results: Model design parameters and equations are described in detail. We evaluated the model by simulating 50,000 children over 10 years and showed that pollutant concentrations and health outcome rates are comparable to values reported in the literature. In an application example, we simulated what would happen if the kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans were improved for the entire cohort, and showed reductions in pollutant concentrations and healthcare utilization rates. Conclusions: We describe the design and evaluation of a discrete event simulation model of pediatric asthma for children living in low-income multi-family housing. Our model simulates the effect of environmental factors (combustion pollutants and allergens), medication compliance, seasonality, and medical history on asthma outcomes (symptom-days, medication use, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits). The model can be used to evaluate building interventions and green building construction practices on pollutant concentrations, energy savings, and asthma healthcare utilization costs, and demonstrates the value of a simulation approach for studying complex diseases such as asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals spend the majority of their time indoors; therefore, estimating infiltration of outdoor-generated fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can help reduce exposure misclassification in epidemiological studies. As indoor measurements in individual homes are not feasible in large epidemiological studies, we evaluated the potential of using readily available data to predict infiltration of ambient PM2.5 into residences. Indoor and outdoor light scattering measurements were collected for 84 homes in Seattle, Washington, USA, and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, to estimate residential infiltration efficiencies. Meteorological variables and spatial property assessment data (SPAD), containing detailed housing characteristics for individual residences, were compiled for both study areas using a geographic information system. Multiple linear regression was used to construct models of infiltration based on these data. Heating (October to February) and non-heating (March to September) season accounted for 36% of the yearly variation in detached residential infiltration. Two SPAD housing characteristic variables, low building value, and heating with forced air, predicted 37% of the variation found between detached residential infiltration during the heating season. The final model, incorporating temperature and the two SPAD housing characteristic variables, with a seasonal interaction term, explained 54% of detached residential infiltration. Residences with low building values had higher infiltration efficiencies than other residences, which could lead to greater exposure gradients between low and high socioeconomic status individuals than previously identified using only ambient PM2.5 concentrations. This modeling approach holds promise for incorporating infiltration efficiencies into large epidemiology studies, thereby reducing exposure misclassification.Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology (2009) 19, 570–579; doi:10.1038/jes.2008.45; published online 20 August 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Most studies investigating the role of residential mouse allergen exposures in asthma have focused on inner-city populations. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether elevated mouse allergen levels were associated with occupants' asthma status in a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. METHODS: Data for this study were collected as part of the National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing. This cross-sectional study surveyed 831 housing units inhabited by 2,456 individuals in 75 different locations throughout the United States. The survey obtained information on demographics, household characteristics, and occupants' health status by questionnaire and environmental observations. We used a polyclonal immunoassay to assess concentrations of mouse urinary protein (MUP) in vacuumed dust collected from various indoor sites. RESULTS: Of the surveyed homes, 82% had detectable levels of MUP, and in 35% of the homes, MUP concentrations exceeded 1.6 µg/g, a level that has been associated with increased mouse allergen sensitization rates. Current asthma, defined as having doctor-diagnosed asthma and asthma symptoms in the preceding 12 months, was positively associated with increased MUP levels. The observed association was modified by atopic status; in allergic individuals, elevated MUP levels (> 1.6 µg/g) increased the odds of having asthma symptoms [adjusted OR = 1.93; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14--3.27], but we found no association in those who did not report allergies (adjusted OR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.33--1.44). CONCLUSIONS: In allergic asthma, residential mouse allergen exposure is an important risk factor for asthma morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing was the first population-based study to measure indoor allergen levels in US homes. Objective: We characterized the overall burden to multiple allergens and examined whether increased allergen levels were associated with occupants'' asthma status. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed a nationally representative sample of 831 housing units in 75 different locations throughout the United States. Information was collected by means of questionnaire and environmental assessment. Allergen concentrations in dust samples were assessed by using immunoassays. The following cutoff points were used to define increased allergen levels: 10 μg/g for Der p 1, Der f 1, and Can f 1; 8 μg/g for Fel d 1; 8 U/g for Bla g 1; 1.6 μg/g for mouse urinary protein; and 7 μg/g for Alternaria alternata antigens. Allergen burden was considered high when 4 or more allergens exceeded increased levels in any of the sampling locations. Results: Exposure to multiple allergens was common in US homes. Of the surveyed homes, 51.5% had at least 6 detectable allergens and 45.8% had at least 3 allergens exceeding increased levels. Race, income, housing type, absence of children, and presence of smokers, pets, cockroaches, rodents, and mold/moisture-related problems were independent predictors of high allergen burden. Among atopic subjects, high allergen burden increased the odds of having asthma symptoms (odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.04-3.15). Conclusion: Increased allergen levels in the home are associated with asthma symptoms in allergic individuals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article discusses the need to retest houses for radon in Alabama. According to the authors, houses which were tested in summer with air conditioning recorded significantly lower values of radon incidence than those who retested in winter. Test kits were mailed to several hundred homeowners who were asked to retest their houses on a voluntary basis. Reportedly, over a quarter of these homes had results greater than or equal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) action level. The authors conclude that there is a one-in-three chance that a house tested in the summertime and having a radon concentration of less than the action level will have a wintertime retest result equal to or greater than the action level in the known high radon areas of Alabama.

The article examines the proposed standard dose rate estimate of the Yucca mountain and the Amargosa Valley in the U.S. It is said that the proposed rule for the establishment of dose rate standard was published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It aims for the reduction of radionuclide releases from the proposed Yucca Mountain high level radio active waste repository for a time period. The proposed standard was based on the difference in the estimated dose rate from the natural background in the Amargosa Valley and the average annual background radiation for the State of Colorado. On the other hand, upon further review of the difference dose rate, residents in the Amargosa valley have the indoor radon concentrations lesser than or comparable to outdoors.

With the advancement of industrialization, the health risks in occupational environments are attracting increasing attention, and growing efforts have been devoted to environmentally friendly production and sustainable development in the manufacturing industry. As an industrial area, the indoor occupational environment was of necessity to be considered when assessing health risks in the workplace. However, no such systematic analysis has been performed and make it difficult to grasp deeper insights into indoor occupational environmental health risks. Therefore, an in-depth bibliometric and visual analysis was conducted using Citespace to analyze the knowledge structure, hot topics, and trend directions of this field based on 1211 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection. The results showed that 235 institutions of 58 countries have published articles in this field. The United States was the most productive contributor, with numerous publications and active institutions. Indoor Air , Environmental Health Perspectives , and Atmospheric Environment were the three most cited journals. Additionally, collaboration between authors tends to occur in groups and becomes frequent in recent years. According to the co-occurrence article and keywords analyses, three hot topics in indoor occupation environmental health risks were recognized, including "indoor air quality", "health risks", and "occupational exposure". Moreover, the keywords burst analysis suggested that the topics of sustainable management and green production topics within the manufacturing industry are emerging trends. Besides, the identification of occupational pollutants and design of research methods will advance. To our best knowledge, this study is the first to specifically visualize the research field of indoor occupation environments, and is conducive for identifying current research hots pots and predicting potential future research directions. [Display omitted] • Industrial indoor environment may present occupational health risks. • Bibliometric analysis regarding the development, hotspots and trends was performed. • The United States played a leading role in this research field. • Three hot topics were recognized with high frequency and centrality. • Energy saving, pollutant identification, research method design are common trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor air pollution assessment in work environments remains challenging due to a combination of logistic reasons and availability of costly instrumentation for data acquisition and post-processing. Existing literature focuses on energy production environments, hospitals, and less so on food production spaces. Studies on indoor air quality in bakeries are scarce or even absent. Motivated by this, the present study investigates indoor air quality in a bakery located in Bari province in South Italy, using a combination of approaches including analytical chemistry analyses and computational fluid dynamics to reconstruct the air ventilation in response to air temperature gradients within the working environment. PM 2.5 indoor samplings were collected every 6 h from 7 to 19 April 2013 in the proximity of two bakery ovens powered by gas and wood, respectively. For each sampling day, 4 PM 2.5 samples were collected: from 3:00 to 9:00 h (first), from 9:00 to 13:30 h (second), from 14:00 to 21:00 h (third), and from 21:00 to 3:00 h (fourth). In total, 40 samples were collected. On each sample, several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined such as benzo[a]anthracene (228), benzo[b]fluoranthene (252), benzo[k]fluoranthene (252), benzo[a]pyrene (252), benzo[g,h,i]perylene (276), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (276), and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (278), the main compounds of 16 priority US Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) PAHs in particulate phase. The PAH mean concentrations showed higher values during the first (from 3:00 to 9:00 h) and fourth (from 21:00 to 3:00 h) sampling intervals than the other two with benzo[a]pyrene mean values exceeding the Italian law limit of 1 ng/m 3 . Taking into account benzo[a]pyrene mean concentration for the first interval and the first plus the second one, which are the hours with the largest working activity, we have estimated that the baker and co-workers are exposed to a cancer risk of 4.3 × 10 -7 and 5.8 × 10 -7 , respectively (these values are lower than US-EPA recommended guideline of 10 -6 ). Our study was complemented by numerical analyses using state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics to reconstruct at high resolution air movement from the various working places, i.e., the bakery and the selling area which were connected via a door. The numerical simulations were possible given that surface temperature using infrared thermography as well as air temperature was continuously recorded throughout the sampling acquisition. The use of this approach allowed us to estimate the transport and diffusion of benzo[a]pyrene from one area to the other thus complementing the point sampling information. Computational fluid dynamic simulation results confirm the presence of benzo[a]pyrene in the laboratory as obtained from the measurements and suggests its presence in the sales' area of the bakery with concentrations similar those found in the laboratory.