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Since its introduction to in the United States about six years ago, 4% articaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine has been used by dentists as a local anesthetic agent. This article reviews three claims that have been advanced regarding articaine: high diffusibility, reduced incidence of failure in block injections, and effectiveness in achieving anesthesia when used in cases involving irreversible pulpitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifty years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began implementing new provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act aimed at assuring the safety of new food additives before they enter the marketplace. Today, the agency's procedures for premarket evaluation of food additive safety have evolved into a scientifically rigorous, sound and dependable system whose objective and independent evaluations by FDA scientists assure that new food additives are safe for their intended uses before they arrive on the consumer's plate. Although controversy often surrounds food additives in the popular media and culture, and science-based challenges to FDA's decisions do arise, the agency's original safety judgments successfully withstand these challenges time and again. This article reviews the basic components of the FDA's decision-making process for evaluating the safety of new food additives, and identifies characteristics of this process that are central to assuring that FDA's decisions are marked by scientific rigor and high integrity, and can continue to be relied on by consumers.

This special issue of Biodemography and Social Demography assesses the value to social science and health research of incorporating biomeasures in a social survey. The focus is on the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), an ongoing, nationally representative panel study of U.S. households. A brief description of the PSID and the features that make it a promising survey for biomeasures is provided along with an overview of each individual article. Seven of the nine articles cover a major health domain: fatness and obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, inflammation and immune function and cardiovascular disease, daily stress exposure and reactivity, respiratory health, and genetics. These articles describe the scientific rationale for collecting data in each domain as well as the specific biological samples or measurements needed to assess the domain, potential respondent burden, ethical- and legal issues, fieldwork logistics, and costs. The final two articles address a pair of overarching issues: one provides international comparisons and perspectives and the other discusses ethical and legal concerns.

The Institute of Medicine has frequently been the source of expert advice to the government and others on questions related to health and medicine. Such has been the case as Congress, federal agencies, and veterans attempt to resolve conflicts and develop policies to address the health concerns of Persian Gulf War veterans. Twelve reports issued by Institute of Medicine committees address what is known about exposures and illnesses in Gulf War veterans and what additional information is needed, how clinical programs for Gulf War veterans could be improved, and what strategies could help prevent or better address similar health problems in the future. The Institute of Medicine reports recommend guidelines and interventions to treat sufferers of medically unexplained symptoms, longitudinal studies to measure changes in health status, and improved risk communication. They emphasize the need for the maintenance of retrievable electronic records of baseline health status, of exposures, and of health events that occur during a service member's career.

Examines the influence of Irish immigration in the U.S. on developments in neuroophthalmology. Focus on the story of Tammany Hall and the recognition of Irish immigrants in New York; Clinical teaching of medicine in Dublin; Importance of Ireland for scientific strategies.

Background: Outdoor workers face unique challenges in preventing heat-related illnesses (HRI). Although preventable, HRI and death from heat exposure continue. A review of the most recent recommendation for HRI prevention in outdoor workers in the United States was warranted. A scoping review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted to compile policy statements and recommendations on the prevention of HRI and synthesize them into a three-step plan for prevention using the Haddon Matrix. Method: PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, and websites from organizations and regulating bodies were searched for sources. Key terms such as occupational OR workers OR employers OR policymakers, HRI OR heat stress OR heat, prevention, recommendations OR position statements were used. Inclusion criteria were articles published within the last 5 years written in English and containing recommendations for preventing HRI in outdoor workers. Research not based on U.S. workers was excluded from the review. Results: Twenty sources comprised the review. Several themes emerged, indicating deficient recommendations for secondary and tertiary prevention. Conclusion/Application to Practice: This review's findings can be used by occupational health nurses (OHNs) in developing comprehensive interventions for preventing HRI and injury, using clear language, and following evidenced-based practices to increase workplace health and safety and promote equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate is changing, and our laws and policies threaten to leave behind vulnerable communities and ecosystems. About half of the people and imperiled plants and animals in the United States are in coastal counties. Coastal communities' ability to cope with the impacts of climate change will depend on how well local adaptation and resiliency laws and policies work to protect them from rising seas, flooding, saltwater intrusion, intensifying storm activity, and increased heat indices. At the same time, these very same adaptation laws and policies may inadvertently harm vulnerable communities and biodiversity. By 2040 -- when today's kindergarteners graduate college -- Florida's population will increase by 20% and sea levels will rise an additional foot. With its low elevation and location at the end of Hurricane Alley, Florida is "ground zero" for climate change impacts in the United States. The region's struggles with industrial pollution create additional risk factors. Marginalized communities and imperiled biodiversity are caught amid climate impacts and existing, dangerous infrastructure. Florida is an apt case study for exploring concepts such as managed retreat, social vulnerability, species extinctions, assisted migration, and adaptive management. This Article concludes by making general recommendations for local governments looking to proactively center their resiliency and adaptation efforts on the survival of vulnerable communities and imperiled plants and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prescribed burning is an important fuel management tool to prevent severe wildfires. There is a pressing need to increase its application to reduce dry fuels in the western United States, a region that has experienced many damaging wildfires. Public support for this practice is tempered by concern around smoke impacts and escape risks. This study aims to understand how recent experiences with wildfire smoke and perceived risk of smoke events affect public support for prescribed burning., Methods: Data were from the May 2023 Household Emergency Preparedness Survey, an online panel survey of 1,727 adults in 12 western conterminous states, applying survey weights to reflect the underlying population demographics. In weighted logistic regression models, we evaluated associations between predictor variables (past experiences with smoke, wildfire risk perception) and support for prescribed burns in general or near a respondent's neighborhood, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, gender, education, household income, and wildland urban interface status. Mediation models were used to assess whether perceived risk of smoke exposure mediates the relationship between recent smoke experience and support for prescribed burning., Results: Approximately two-thirds of the population supported prescribed burning in general, and more than half supported prescribed burning near their neighborhood. 44% reported experiencing a smoke event in the past 3 years, which increased the odds of support for prescribed burning in general (OR = 2.03, 95%CI 1.51-2.74) and near their neighborhood (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.20-2.09). High perceived risk of future smoke impacts was associated with support for prescribed burns in general (adjusted OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.15-2.39) and near their residence (adjusted OR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.23-2.39). Although only trending towards significance, perceived future risk mediated 16.9% (p = 0.066) of the association between recent smoke experience and support for prescribed burning nearby. Among those who experienced recent smoke events, reporting high degrees of overall smoke impacts or outdoor air quality impacts were positively associated with support for prescribed burns., Conclusions: Recent experience with wildfire smoke and perceived future risk are strongly associated with support for prescribed burns. Educational campaigns can apply these findings to improve public support toward prescribed fire activities and funding to reduce wildfire risks and protect public health., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The Salus Institutional Review Board (IRB) determined that this study qualifies for an exemption from the need for IRB review (Study ID: 23074-01). All participants provided informed consent prior to taking the survey. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Consent to participate: Not applicable. Clinical trial number: Not applicable., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Central Asia is among the most heavily affected regions worldwide by climate change and water shortages. Impacts include changes in precipitation patterns, more frequent temperature extremes and increased aridity causing a negative impact on agricultural production, food availability, and environmental security. To combat this threat, it is important to enhance information literacy among all water users. This can be done through awareness campaigns, blended learning by providing the proper Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs and utilizing all available facilities. This will address relevant issues, such as miscommunication, complexities of transboundary water sharing issues, overexploitation of water resources, and poor flood-drought mitigation techniques. Proper and user-friendly lifelong blended learning for scientific information dissemination focusing water issues can provide stronger support to increase awareness among water users and decision policy makers. Worldwide, especially in North America and Australia, information literacy campaigns have proven successful. This strategy can be replicated in the Mountainous Kyrgyz-Kazakh Chu-Talas transboundary river basin. The issues concerning the Mountainous KyrgyzKazakh Chu-Talas transboundary river basin is elaborated and compared with Australian, Canadian, and US river basin management programs. The foresight analysis is presented, as to what would be a rationale to improve water resources more sustainably in Central Asia. Methodologies, programs, technologies, communities-based river basin committees, snow-water collection with agroforestry, and basin-based water market opportunities were analyzed to assess potential applications in Central Asia region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on examining the impact of shifts in drug policy, particularly in Jackson County, on the drug court model. It delves into the historical context of drug regulations in the U.S., including the origins of the War on Drugs and its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. It discusses the failures of the War on Drugs, its enormous cost, and the growing public sentiment favoring more sensible drug policies emphasizing health-based strategies over criminalization.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provides policy makers with scientific and technical advice in relation to food safety and human nutrition in an independent and transparent way, and communicates such advice to the general public. Requirements for the scientific substantiation of health claims referring to children's development and health are the same as for other health claims. However, children (particularly infants) have peculiarities which should be taken into account, because these may impair the extrapolation of results to other groups. Conclusion: Health claims used in commercial communications should be authorized only after a scientific assessment of the highest possible standard by EFSA. EFSA's negative opinions on rejected claims should not be read as a criticism to research studies published in paediatric nutrition but rather highlight their limitations in relation to the substantiation of specific health claims made on foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about farm animal welfare vary among individuals and societies. As people increasingly consider the values underlying current farm animal production methods, farm animal welfare policy debates have escalated. Recent food animal protection policies enacted in the European Union have fueled highly contentious discussions about the need for similar legislative activity in the United States. Policy-makers and scientists in the United States are apprehensive about the scientific assessment, validation, and monitoring of animal welfare, as well as the unforeseen consequences of moving too hastily toward legislating farm animal welfare. The potential impact of such legislation on producers, food prices, animals, and concerned citizens must also be considered. Balancing the interests of all stakeholders has therefore presented a considerable challenge that has stymied US policymaking. In this review, we examine the roles of ethics and science in policy decisions, discuss how scientific knowledge relative to animal behavior has been incorporated into animal welfare policy, and identify opportunities for additional refinement of animal welfare science that may facilitate ethical and policy decisions about animal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative study of GM food and crops may reveal the extent to which systems of scientific regulatory assessment are related to priorities which are derived through cultural influence rather than positivistic assessment. Differing regulatory outcomes, and differing priorities for scientific assessment of agricultural biotechnology, are visible in the UK, the USA and India. Explanations of these differences can be obtained by investigating the nature of the differing interest groups whose values underpin different national regulatory paradigms and also by investigating the way that these interest groups came to have influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing urgency for improved public and commercial services to support a resilient, secure, and thriving United States (US) in the face of mounting decision‐support needs for environmental stewardship and hazard response, as well as for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Sustained space‐based Earth observations are critical infrastructure to support the delivery of science and decision‐support information with local, national, and global utility. This is reflected in part through the United States' sustained support of a suite of weather and land‐imaging satellites. However, outside of these two areas, the US lacks an overarching, systematic plan or framework to identify, prioritize, fund, and implement sustained space‐based Earth observations to meet the Nation's full range of needs for science, government policy, and societal support. To aid and accelerate the discussion on our nation's needs, challenges and opportunities associated with sustained critical space‐based Earth observations, the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) sponsored a multi‐week think‐tank study to offer ways forward. Based on this study, the KISS study team suggests the establishment of a robust coordination framework to help address US needs for sustained Earth observations. This coordination framework could account for: (a) approaches to identify and prioritize satellite observations needed to meet US needs for science and services, (b) the rapidly evolving landscape of space‐based Earth viewing architecture options and technology improvements with increasing opportunities and lower cost access to space, and (c) the technical and programmatic underpinnings required for proper and comprehensive data stewardship to support a wide range of research and public services. Plain Language Summary: The Keck Institute of Space Studies has carried out a think tank study to codify best practices, articulate successes, and identify challenges and opportunities in the prioritization, acquisition, curation, and stewardship of sustained space‐based Earth observations. The goal of the study is to accelerate discussion and plans for a greater and more impactful US contribution to the global satellite observing system that will support decision‐making regarding climate change, environmental hazards, and national security. Based on this study, the KISS study team suggests the establishment of a nimble and responsive coordination framework to help guide and shepherd US concerns regarding sustained Earth observations. This coordination framework should account for: (a) approaches to identify and prioritize satellite observations needed to meet US needs for science and services, (b) the rapidly evolving landscape of space‐based Earth viewing architecture options and technology improvements with increasing opportunities and lower cost access to space and (c) the technical and programmatic underpinnings required for proper and comprehensive data stewardship with a broad science and services user base in mind. Key Points: There is growing urgency for improved public and commercial services to support a resilient, secure, and thriving USSpace‐based Earth observations represent an essential component of the infrastructure needed to support the delivery of needed informationThe US would benefit from an overarching plan for sustained Earth observations to support our science, policy, and resilience goals [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are becoming more frequent due to the global climate change. Large amounts of greenhouse gases emitted by wildfires can lead to increases in extreme climate events. Accurately estimating the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from wildfires is important for mitigation of climate change. In this paper, we develop a novel method to estimate wildfire CO2 emissions from the relationship between local CO2 emissions and XCO2 anomalies. Our method uses the WRF-Chem assimilation system from OCO-2 XCO2 retrievals which coupled with Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART). To validate our results, we conducted three experiments evaluating the wildfire CO2 emissions over the conterminous United States. The four-month average wildfire emissions from July to October in 2015∼2018 were estimated at 4.408 Tg C, 1.784 Tg C, 1.514 Tg C and 2.873 Tg C, respectively. Compared to the average of established inventories CT2019B, FINNv1.5 and GFASv1.2 fire emissions, our estimates fall within one standard deviation, except for 2017 due to lacking of OCO-2 XCO2 retrievals. These results suggest that the regional carbon assimilation system, such as WRF-Chem/DART, using OCO-2 XCO2 retrievals has a great potential for accurately tracking regional wildfire emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large reductions in anthropogenic emissions of particulate matter and its precursor emissions have occurred since the enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments network has measured PM2.5 gravimetric mass (mass of particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm, also referred to here as fine mass, "FM") and speciated PM2.5 aerosol composition at remote sites since 1988. Measured species include inorganic anions such as sulfate, nitrate, and chloride, carbonaceous aerosols such as organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), and elemental concentrations used to estimate fine dust (FD). Trends in seasonal and annual mean mass concentrations were calculated from 2000 through 2021, a period that includes the largest reductions in emissions. On average, annual mean FM at remote sites in the continental United States has decreased at a rate of −1.8% yr−1. This reduction is largely due to annual mean trends in sulfate (−6.1% yr−1), nitrate (−2.7% yr−1), EC (−2.2% yr−1), FD (−1.3% yr−1), and OC (−0.9% yr−1), although the OC annual mean trend was insignificant. Seasonal and regional mean FM trends varied significantly, with strong reductions in the East in all seasons due to sulfate reductions, and flat and insignificant trends in summer and fall in the West due to the influence of biomass burning emissions on OC trends. Evaluating regional and seasonal mean trends in aerosol composition helps identify sources that continue to adversely impact air quality and hinder progress in FM reductions due to successful regulatory activity. Plain Language Summary: Particulate matter in the atmosphere is made up of many species that have both anthropogenic and natural sources. Thanks to the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, anthropogenic emissions that lead to some particulate matter (PM) have decreased, which has resulted in measurable improvements in air quality in remote regions of the United States. Evaluating trends in aerosol measurements from a large‐scale monitoring network over the past two decades has shown that at remote sites in the United States, some aerosol species, like sulfates, nitrates, and some carbonaceous aerosols, have decreased significantly due to the emission reductions; but others, like mineral dust and carbonaceous aerosols from wildfire smoke, have not. In order to continue to make progress in improving air quality in the United States, targeting future sources for emission reductions will require accurate assessments of the contributions from these sources. Dust and wildfire smoke contributions to PM in remote locations across the United States are now larger fractions compared to two decades ago and will likely continue to grow with climate change. Key Points: Fine mass seasonal mean concentrations have significantly decreased in remote regions of the U.S. in response to regulatory activitySulfate aerosols have decreased at the highest rate, followed by nitrate, elemental carbon, fine dust, and organic carbonFlat and insignificant trends in organic carbon and fine mass at western sites in summer/fall were influenced by biomass smoke emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenological indicators (PI) are used to study changes to animal and plant behavior in response to seasonal cycles, and they can be useful to quantify the potential impacts of climate change on ecosystems. Here, multiple global climate models and emission scenarios are used to drive dynamically downscaled simulations using the WRF Model over the contiguous United States (CONUS). The wintertime dormancy of plants [chilling units (CU)], timing of spring onset [extended spring indices (SI)], and frequency of proceeding false springs are calculated from regional climate simulations covering historical (1995-2005) and future periods (2025-2100). Southern parts of the CONUS show projected CU decreases (inhibiting some plants from flowering or fruiting), while the northern CONUS experiences an increase (possibly causing plants to break dormancy too early, becoming vulnerable to disease or freezing). Spring advancement (earlier SI dates) is projected, with decadal trends ranging from approximately 1-4 days per decade over the CONUS, comparable to or exceeding those found in observational studies. Projected changes in risk of false spring (hard freezes following spring onset) vary across members of the ensemble and regions of the CONUS, but generally western parts of the CONUS are projected to experience increased risk of false springs. These projected changes to PI connote significant effects on cycles of plants, animals, and ecosystems, highlighting the importance of examining temperature changes during transitional seasons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study examines how phenological indicators, which track the life cycles of plants and animals, could change from 2025 to 2100 as simulated in a regional climate model over the contiguous United States. Chilling units quantify the presence of cooler weather that can benefit plants prior to their growing season. They are projected to decrease in the southern United States, possibly inhibiting agricultural production. Spring onset is projected to occur earlier in the year, advancing by 1-4 days on average over each future decade. Risk of false springs (damaging hard freezes after spring onset) increases in the western United States. Our findings highlight the need to understand effects of climate change during transitional seasons, which can impact agriculture and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of anthropogenic climate change, the ability of communities to reduce the heat-health burden remains a significant public health issue. This research is the first to identify cooling centers across the southeastern United States, providing a resource for stakeholders. The study evaluates the spatial relationship of these venues for heat-vulnerable populations. Using a survey and publicly available data, researchers identified 1,433 cooling centers, though significant variability exists across states and local jurisdictions. Of the nine states examined, Tennessee was the only location with a health system–supported cooling center network. Only 36 percent of the Southeast's population lives within a fifteen-minute drive of a cooling center. In most states, less than 10 percent of vulnerable populations (elderly, non-white, below poverty) are within this driveshed. Most cooling centers were found in urban environments, although heat vulnerability is not exclusively a city issue. Further research is needed to strengthen cross-agency collaboration and evaluate the effectiveness of cooling centers in areas of both high and low population density. Some states have integrated heat as part of hazard mitigation plans, but additional research is needed to explore how these plans go beyond hazard identification and strengthen vulnerable communities' ability to mitigate heat risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency and intensity of heat extremes over the United States have increased since the mid‐20th century and are projected to increase with additional anthropogenic greenhouse gas forcing. We define heat extremes as summertime (June–August) daily maximum 2m temperatures that exceed historical records. We examine characteristics of historical and near‐future heat extremes using observations and past and future projections using 100 ensemble members from three coupled global climate models large ensemble simulations. We find that the large ensembles capture the trend and variability of heat extremes over the period 2006–2020 relative to the 1991–2005 climatology but overestimate the frequency at which the heat extremes occur. In future warming scenarios, heat extremes continue to increase over the next 30 years, with high amplitude records in the Northwest and Central US. After 2050, we find there is a spread in the frequency of heat extremes that is dependent on the emissions scenario, with a high emissions until mid‐century followed by a high mitigation scenario showing a decrease in heat extremes by the end of the century. Although the frequency of future heat extremes is likely overestimated in the large ensembles, they are still a powerful tool for researching extreme temperatures in the climate system. Plain Language Summary: Heat extremes have been increasing around the world and the United States, driven largely by human‐caused global warming. With additional warming projected, heat extremes are likely to increase. It is important to understand how heat extremes will change in the future since heat has many societal impacts, especially on human health as it causes more fatalities than any other weather‐related hazard in the US. In this study we use 100 ensemble members from three global climate models simulating past and future climate to evaluate characteristics of record breaking maximum daily temperature records from June to August. We find that the models capture the observed trend and variability of past heat extremes but appear to overestimate the frequency that they occur. The models project an increase in heat extremes in the next 30 years, with high amplitude extremes projected in the Northwest and Central US, and high frequency extremes in the Southwest and Mountain West. The amount of warming directly impacts the frequency of heat extremes past year 2050. In a scenario with rapid reduction of greenhouse emissions after 2040 the frequency of heat extremes declines toward the end of the century. We find that while the frequency of future heat extremes is likely overestimated in the models, the ensembles are nevertheless a powerful tool for researching extreme temperatures in the climate system. Key Points: Large ensembles of climate model simulations capture the observed variability and trend of heat extremes but overestimate the frequency and amplitudeHeat extremes are projected to increase in the next 30 years with additional warming due to greenhouse gas forcingThe frequency of heat extremes toward the end of the century is highly dependent on the emissions scenario and extent of warming [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of a study conducted in November 1990 at the Long-Range Analysis of War Project, University of Colorado. Results from this study conducted in November 1990 at the Long-Range Analysis of War Project, University of Colorado, predict that the magnitude of a war between Iraq and the linked Nations collective security coalition will be between 5 and 6. This study was initially undertaken for international officials in late November 1990, and was completed in early December. The main conclusion, as sustained in this article, was the forecast that the magnitude of an Iraq-United Nations (UN) war would range somewhere between 5.0 and 6. The forecast was communicated to high-ranking international officials, diplomats, selected members of the United States Senate and top Iraqi decision makers before the UN Security Council`s ultimatum set for midnight January 15, 1991, and no response was received. No future war has certain dimensions, only probable occurrence, development, and outcome. These are therefore probabilistic estimates that some of the best currently available scientific analyses and data can offer, based on historical fact, not intuition or speculation. Any scientific assessment of the likely dimensions of an Iraq-UN war must be based on systematic findings from past historical experience with due consideration given to historical change and current factors.

The article reports that a Consensus Development Conference was held at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) on January 13, 14, and 15, 1982, to seek positions on issues involving defined diets and childhood hyperactivity. At NIH, Consensus Development Conferences bring together biomedical investigators, practicing physicians, consumers and health advocacy groups to provide a scientific assessment of technologies, including drugs, devices and procedures, and to seek agreement on their safety and effectiveness. Childhood hyperactivity, officially termed the "attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity," but variously referred to as "hyperkinetic reaction of childhood," "hyperkinetic syndrome," "hyperactive child syndrome," "minimal brain damage," "minimal brain dysfunction," "minimal cerebral dysfunction," and "minor cerebral dysfunction," is an important health concern affecting afflicted children, their families, and those around them. Traditional therapy for this condition has included behavior modification, educational techniques, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy most prominently amphetamine-like medications.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are terminal members of any anaerobic food chain. For example, they critically influence the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and metals (natural environment) as well as the corrosion of civil infrastructure (built environment). The United States alone spends nearly $4 billion to address the biocorrosion challenges of SRB. It is important to analyze the genetic mechanisms of these organisms under environmental stresses. The current study uses complementary methodologies, viz., transcriptome-wide marker gene panel mapping and gene clustering analysis to decipher the stress mechanisms in four SRB. Here, the accessible RNA-sequencing data from the public domains were mined to identify the key transcriptional signatures. Crucial transcriptional candidate genes of Desulfovibrio spp. were accomplished and validated the gene cluster prediction. In addition, the unique transcriptional signatures of Oleidesulfovibrio alaskensis (OA-G20) at graphene and copper interfaces were discussed using in-house RNA-sequencing data. Furthermore, the comparative genomic analysis revealed 12,821 genes with translation, among which 10,178 genes were in homolog families and 2643 genes were in singleton families were observed among the 4 genomes studied. The current study paves a path for developing predictive deep learning tools for interpretable and mechanistic learning analysis of the SRB gene regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An assessment of the likelihood of use and abuse potential for new tobacco products is an important part of tobacco product regulation in the United States and abroad. This paper reports the results of a randomized, open-label, crossover clinical study that assessed factors related to product adoption and abuse liability (AL), comparing two closed electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products to combustible cigarettes and nicotine gum, high- and low-AL comparator products, respectively. During an 11-day confinement period that included multiple product familiarization sessions, healthy adult smokers participated in AL test sessions to evaluate the abuse liability of each product. During these test sessions, changes in subjective measures; speed and amount of nicotine uptake; and maximum changes in physiological effects before, during, and after use of each assigned product were assessed over 4 h. Positive subjective effects measures scores such as product-liking and overall intent to use again were highest for cigarettes, followed by the Vuse ENDS, with nicotine gum consistently having the lowest scores. The PK results (Cmax and Tmax) of the Vuse ENDS products are between UB cigarettes and nicotine gum, which correlates with the subjective effects. All nicotine uptake measures for the Vuse ENDS products were lower than that of usual brand (UB) cigarettes, including peak nicotine uptake and overall nicotine uptake, and were either similar to or lower than nicotine gum. The time course of nicotine uptake after use of the ENDS was more similar to that of combustible cigarettes than nicotine gum. The results indicate that the AL of each ENDS product is lower than that of UB cigarettes and similar to that of nicotine gum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence of the physical and economic impacts of climate change is a critical input to policy development and decision-making. In addition to the magnitude of potential impacts, detailed estimates of where, when, and to whom those damages may occur; the types of impacts that will be most damaging; uncertainties in these damages; and the ability of adaptation to reduce potential risks are all interconnected and important considerations. This study utilizes the reduced-complexity model, the Framework for Evaluating Damages and Impacts (FrEDI), to rapidly project economic and physical impacts of climate change across 10 000 future scenarios for multiple impact sectors, regions, and populations within the contiguous United States (US). Results from FrEDI show that net national damages increase overtime, with mean climate-driven damages estimated to reach USD 2.9 trillion (95 % confidence interval (CI): USD 510 billion to USD 12 trillion) annually by 2090. Detailed FrEDI results show that for the analyzed sectors the majority of annual long-term (e.g., 2090) damages are associated with climate change impacts to human health, including mortality attributable to climate-driven changes in temperature and air pollution (O 3 and PM 2.5) exposure. Regional results also show that annual long-term climate-driven damages vary geographically. The Southeast (all regions are as defined in Fig. 5) is projected to experience the largest annual damages per capita (mean: USD 9300 per person annually; 95 % CI: USD 1800–USD 37 000 per person annually), whereas the smallest damages per capita are expected in the Southwest (mean: USD 6300 per person annually; 95 % CI: USD 840–USD 27 000 per person annually). Climate change impacts may also broaden existing societal inequalities, with, for example, Black or African Americans being disproportionately affected by additional premature mortality from changes in air quality. Lastly, FrEDI projections are extended through 2300 to estimate the net present climate-driven damages within US borders from marginal changes in greenhouse gas emissions. Combined, this analysis provides the most detailed illustration to date of the distribution of climate change impacts within US borders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on possible changes at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which would upend scientifically-backed methods the EPA uses in protecting the public from ambient air pollution. It states the chair of the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), Louis Anthony Cox Jr., proposed changing the EPA's scientific assessment process to limit studies informing causality determinations to use manipulative causality instead of existing multidisciplinary frameworks.

Cyanobacteria are the most common toxigenic algae in inland waters. Their toxins can affect the health of aquatic and terrestrial organisms, including humans. Other algal groups, such as haptophytes (e.g., Prymnesium parvum) and euglenoids (e.g., Euglena sanguinea), can also form harmful algal blooms (HABs) whose toxins cause injury to aquatic biota but currently have no known effects on human health. Prymnesium parvum, however, is responsible for some of the worst HAB-related ecological disasters recorded in inland waters. Here, we provide an overview of the primary toxigenic algae found in U.S. inland waters: cyanobacteria (planktonic forms), P. parvum, and E. sanguinea with the objective of describing their similarities and differences in the areas of HAB ecology, algal toxins, and the potential for future range expansion of HABs. A detailed account of bloom habitats and their known associations with land cover and use is provided from the perspective of water quality. This review revealed that salinity may have an influence on inland cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins that had not been fully recognized previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 7.15 million cases of domestically acquired infectious waterborne illnesses occurred in the United States in 2014, causing 120,000 hospitalizations and 6,600 deaths. We estimated disease incidence for 17 pathogens according to recreational, drinking, and nonrecreational nondrinking (NRND) water exposure routes by using previously published estimates. In 2014, a total of 5.61 million (95% credible interval [CrI] 2.97-9.00 million) illnesses were linked to recreational water, 1.13 million (95% CrI 255,000-3.54 million) to drinking water, and 407,000 (95% CrI 72,800-1.29 million) to NRND water. Recreational water exposure was responsible for 36%, drinking water for 40%, and NRND water for 24% of hospitalizations from waterborne illnesses. Most direct costs were associated with pathogens found in biofilms. Estimating disease burden by water exposure route helps direct prevention activities. For each exposure route, water management programs are needed to control biofilmassociated pathogen growth; public health programs are needed to prevent biofilm-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the associations between climate change and public health. Topics include the National Public Health Week and Earth Day celebrations in April, "The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment" report from the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and the Climate Change and Health: Assessing and Modeling Population Vulnerability to Climate Change program by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Objectives. To examine commonalities and gaps in the content of local US heat action plans (HAPs) designed to decrease the adverse health effects of extreme heat. Methods. We used content analysis to identify common strategies and gaps in extreme heat preparedness among written HAPs in the United States from jurisdictions that serve municipalities with more than 200 000 residents. We reviewed, coded, and analyzed plans to assess the prevalence of key components and strategies. Results. All 21 plans evaluated incorporated data on activation triggers, heat health messaging and risk communication, cooling centers, surveillance activities, and agency coordination, and 95% incorporated information on outreach to at-risk populations. Gaps existed in the specific applications of these broad strategies. Conclusions. Practice-based recommendations as well as future areas of research should focus on increasing targeted strategies for at-risk individuals and expanding the use of surveillance data outside of situational awareness. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(5):559–567. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307217) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emissions of ozone (O3) precursors in the United States have decreased in recent decades, and near-surface O3 concentrations showed a significant decrease in summer but an increase in winter. In this study, an O3 source tagging technique is utilized in a chemistry–climate model to investigate the source contributions to O3 mixing ratios in the US from various emitting sectors and regions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and reactive carbon species during 1995–2019. We show that domestic emission reductions from energy and surface transportation are primarily responsible for the decrease in summertime O3 during 1995–2019. However, in winter, the emission control also weakens the NOx titration process, resulting in considerable increases in O3 levels from natural sources. Additionally, increases in aviation and shipping emissions and transpacific transport of O3 from Asia largely contribute to the winter O3 increase. We also found that changes in large-scale circulation favoring O3 transport from the upper atmosphere and foreign transport from Asia also explain 15 % of the increase in the US near-surface O3 levels in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earth is rapidly warming, driven by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and other gases that result primarily from fossil fuel combustion. In addition to causing arctic ice melting and extreme weather events, climatologic factors are linked strongly to the transmission of many infectious diseases. Changes in the prevalence of infectious diseases not only reflect the impacts of temperature, humidity, and other weather-related phenomena on pathogens, vectors, and animal hosts but are also part of a complex of social and environmental factors that will be affected by climate change, including land use, migration, and vector control. Vector- and waterborne diseases and coccidioidomycosis are all likely to be affected by a warming planet; there is also potential for climate-driven impacts on emerging infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Additional resources for surveillance and public health activities are urgently needed, as well as systematic education of clinicians on the health impacts of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In taking stock of environmental and administrative scholarship for the future, one area in need of investigation is whether expert agencies are actually given the authority and tools they need to carry out their delegated assignments. We know that the political branches and courts often impose constraints on agency experts in ways that are likely to compromise the agencies' ability to fulfill their statutory assignments. But we have little understanding of how many constraints there are, how they operate, or how to think of them more generally. In our contribution to this Special Issue, we spotlight the importance of this topic for regulatory studies in the USA and abroad by mapping out the multi-faceted ways that agencies in the USA are constrained from carrying out their delegated assignments. We discover numerous and consequential constraints that are both invisible and undermine the agencies' ability to carry out their statutory mandates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an update on news related to public health in the U.S. as of June 2006. Role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the utility of Toxic Exposure Surveillance System in the early detection of illnesses associated with chemical releases; Public health applications of the Biomonitoring Program of the Division of Laboratory Sciences of CDC; Action taken by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's Emergency Response and Scientific Assessment Branch in response to Hurricane Katrina.

Simple Summary: On-farm euthanasia of diseased or injured chickens is a common task within the poultry industry. For animal welfare, the aim of any euthanasia technique is to achieve rapid loss of sensibility, for the process to cause minimal pain, and for death to follow quickly. Manual cervical dislocation (separating the skull from the spine by hand) is a common method for killing poultry on farms, but it can be aesthetically displeasing. Therefore, different tools for neck dislocation (separating the skull from the spine by mechanical device) are developed as alternative euthanasia methods. These tools need scientific assessment for their effectiveness and humaneness. The Koechner Euthanasia Device (KED) (Koechner MFG. CO., INC, USA) is commercially available as a mechanical cervical dislocation tool for poultry. We compared the efficacy of KED with manual cervical dislocation based on time to brain death (irreversible insensibility) and degree of damage to the brain and neck in anesthetized chickens. The anesthetic agents reduced any distress and pain associated with the killing technique. Our results indicated that KED resulted in less damage to the brain, causing longer times to brain death and cardiac arrest in comparison to manual cervical dislocation. We suggest that manual cervical dislocation is more efficient and humane for layer chicken euthanasia than KED. The main objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of mechanical cervical dislocation using the Koechner Euthanasia Device Model C (KED) in comparison to manual cervical dislocation in layer chickens. Laying hens and/or roosters in three different age groups (12, 27–29, and 65–70 weeks old) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: manual cervical dislocation in conscious birds (CD), manual cervical dislocation in anesthetized birds (aCD), or mechanical cervical dislocation by KED in anesthetized birds (aMCD). Anesthetized birds received an intramuscular dose of 0.3 mg/kg medetomidine and 30 mg/kg of ketamine to achieve clinical anesthesia. A comparison of CD vs. aCD responses confirmed that the anesthetic plane abolished or reduced clonic convulsions, nictitating membrane reflex, tonic convulsions, and cloacal relaxation. Time to loss of the pupillary light reflex (~123 s), and time to cardiac arrest (~172 s) were longer (p < 0.001) in the birds in the aMCD group than aCD (~71 and ~137 s, respectively). Radiographs revealed that the majority of the birds killed by manual cervical dislocation (CD + aCD) had dislocations between the skull and atlas (C1) or between cervical vertebrae C1–C2. The KED resulted in a majority of dislocations at C2–C3. Birds killed by manual cervical dislocation presented more subdural and parenchymal hemorrhage in the brain stem compared to birds killed by KED. Radiographs indicated the presence of fractures in a few birds killed by either method (CD + aCD versus aMCD). Compared to manual CD, KED resulted in less brain trauma and a longer latency to brain death, indicating a lower efficacy of KED as an on-farm killing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In response to disease outbreaks or other urgent circumstances, an increasing number of farm animals in the United States (US) are being killed en masse by depopulation. In the past few years, depopulation methods that rely on heatstroke as the mechanism of killing have been used with increasing frequency to kill birds and pigs raised for food production. While they are defended as expedient and faster to implement, heatstroke-based methods severely compromise animal welfare and there is a prolonged period prior to the animals losing consciousness. The US veterinary profession is entrusted with an ethical responsibility to protect and advance animal welfare, yet its classification of the heatstroke-based depopulation method Ventilation Shutdown Plus is used to justify this method's widespread use. Numerous strategies are suggested for how the US veterinary profession, including the American Veterinary Medical Association, can encourage the use of more humane methods when depopulations are performed. Depopulation of food-producing animals is becoming increasingly common in response to both disease outbreaks and supply chain disruptions. In 2019, the American Veterinary Medical Association released depopulation guidelines classifying certain heatstroke-based killing methods as "permitted in constrained circumstances", when circumstances of the emergency constrain reasonable implementation of "preferred" methods. Since then, tens of millions of birds and pigs have been killed by such methods, termed ventilation shutdown (VSD) Plus Heat and VSD Plus High Temperature and Humidity. While no research using validated measures of animal welfare assessment has been performed on these methods, their pathophysiology suggests that animals are likely to experience pain, anxiety, nausea, and heat distress prior to loss of consciousness. Heatstroke-based methods may result in prolonged suffering and often do not achieve 100% mortality. Potential and available alternative depopulation methods are briefly reviewed. The veterinary profession's ethical obligation to protect animal welfare in the context of depopulations is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs are experiencing severe decline, and urgent action is required at local and global scales to curb ecosystem loss. Establishing new regulations to protect corals, however, can be time consuming and costly, and it is therefore necessary to leverage existing legal instruments, such as policies originally designed to address terrestrial rather than marine activities, to prevent coral reef degradation. Focusing on the United States, but drawing on successful examples worldwide, we present actionable pathways to increase coral protections under legislation that was originally designed to advance clean freshwater, safe drinking water, and emergency management. We identify specific legal policies and procedures (e.g., industrial permit limits, nonpoint source management incentives, and floodplain restoration programs) that can curb coral reef pollution and can be extended to other countries with similar regulations in place. Coral reef practitioners should consider a broad array of currently underused, actionable, and intersecting environmental policies that can be applied to mitigate coral stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current regulatory path for new drug registration in East Asian countries has led to significant delay of the new medicines in these countries. A unified regulatory path and allowance of mutual usage of clinical data in East Asian countries would lead to cost saving in drug development and expedite the new drug registration in these countries. The objectives of the present analysis are to compare the approval dates of a selection of products developed by Pfizer in the United States and East Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea) and compare the pharmacokinetics and recommended doses of these products in East Asian countries. Eighteen products (20 drugs, 2 products with 2 combination drugs) with exposure data available in at least 2 of the 3 East Asian countries across different therapeutic areas were included in the analyses. The results showed that most products had delayed approval in East Asian countries (up to 8 years) after US or EU approval. No distinct differences were observed in the drug exposure and recommended doses for the selected products in East Asian countries. These results together with literature data of genetic similarity of the East Asian populations support the mutual usage of the clinical data in the East Asian countries for expedited regulatory submission and approval., (© 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Clinical Pharmacology.)

Several locations across the United States in noncompliance with the national standard for ground‐level ozone (O3) are thought to have sizable influences from distant extra‐regional emission sources or natural stratospheric O3, which complicate the design of local emission control measures. To quantify the amount of long‐range‐transported O3 (LRT O3), its origin, and change over time, we conduct and analyze detailed sensitivity calculations characterizing the response of O3 to emissions from different source regions across the Northern Hemisphere in conjunction with multidecadal simulations of tropospheric O3 distributions and changes. Model calculations show that the amount of O3 at any location attributable to sources outside North America varies both spatially and seasonally. On a seasonal‐mean basis, during 1990–2010, LRT O3 attributable to international sources steadily increased by 0.06–0.2 ppb yr−1 at locations across the United States and arose from superposition of unequal and contrasting trends in individual source‐region contributions, which help inform attribution of the trend evident in O3 measurements. Contributions of emissions from Europe steadily declined through 2010, while those from Asian emissions increased and remained dominant. Steadily rising NOx emissions from international shipping resulted in increasing contributions to LRT O3, comparable to those from Asian emissions in recent years. Central American emissions contribute a significant fraction of LRT O3 in southwestern United States. In addition to the LRT O3 attributable to emissions outside of North America, background O3 across the continental United States is composed of a sizable and spatially variable fraction that is of stratospheric origin (29%–78%). Plain Language Summary: Though implementation of control measures and technological advances have reduced ground‐level ozone pollution across the United States, increasing amounts of ozone pollution inter‐continentally transported from other world regions with increasing emissions, combined with changing and uncertain amounts of natural ozone from variability in stratosphere‐troposphere exchange processes, can confound design and implementation of local air pollution abatement strategies. "Background" or amount not produced locally constitutes a larger fraction of the ozone pollution at a location as local control measures are implemented. Detailed model calculations are analyzed to explain the role of the dominant source regions that drive the 1990–2010 changes noted in observed ground‐level ozone measurements across the United States. In recent years, the contributions of shipping emissions to ozone imported to the U.S. troposphere are comparable to those from the transport of ozone attributable to East Asian emissions and could be higher in the future if commercial shipping operations were to increase in response to anticipated growth in seaborne trade. In addition to the O3 attributable to emissions from different world regions, air masses entering the North American domain have sizable contributions of natural ozone of stratospheric origin, variability in which needs improved quantification to guide background ozone assessments and policy deliberations. Key Points: Changes in global emission patterns have and continue to alter long‐range transport and background O3 air pollution levelsLong‐range‐transported O3 to North America has a prominent contribution from open sea shipping emissions and needs improved quantificationStratospheric O3 (ranging between 6 and 20 ppb) constitutes 29%–78% of the estimated Spring‐time background O3 across the continental United States [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reductions in anthropogenic emissions have drawn increasing attention to the role of the biosphere in O3 production chemistry in U.S. cities. We report the results of chemical transport model sensitivity simulations exploring the relative impacts of biogenic isoprene and soil nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions on O3 and its temporal variability. We compare scenarios with high and low anthropogenic NOx emissions representing the reductions that have occurred in recent decades. As expected, summertime O3 concentrations become less sensitive to perturbations in biogenic isoprene emissions as anthropogenic NOx emissions decline. However, we demonstrate for the first time that across policy relevant O3 nonattainment areas of the United States, O3 becomes more sensitive to perturbations in soil NOx emissions than to identical perturbations in isoprene emissions. We show that interannual variability in soil NOx emissions may now have larger impacts on interannual O3 variability than isoprene emissions in many areas where the latter would have dominated in the recent past. Plain Language Summary: Ozone (O3) is a criteria air pollutant that continues to pose a threat to more than one hundred million Americans each year, despite progress in regulating precursor emissions. In many O3‐polluted areas, the role of natural emissions of isoprene in the production of ground‐level O3 has been well recognized, but this chemistry depends strongly on local anthropogenic emissions which have been changing rapidly. We use an updated estimate of anthropogenic emissions to demonstrate that many areas that remain in nonattainment of the federally mandated O3 standard are now much less sensitive to natural isoprene emissions, with biogenic nitrogen oxide emissions from soils becoming more and more important. The role of these soil emissions on O3 in nonattainment areas has not been well characterized, but, as we show here, this will become increasingly necessary for good O3 policy in nonattainment areas. Key Points: Following anthropogenic nitrogen oxides (NOx) reductions, O3 sensitivity to biogenic isoprene is decreasing in many US O3‐nonattainment areasSoil NOx dominates isoprene in interannual tendencies of O3 in nonattainment areas of the Great Lakes, Ohio River Valley, and Northeast (NEA)Emerging importance of soil NOx emissions implies potentially unexpected variability in high O3 where volatile organic compound‐limitation previously dominated [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]