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In the Flint Hills region of eastern Kansas, there is a long tradition of spring prescribed burns. However, air quality concerns in downwind communities have sparked conversation regarding the environmental and social impacts of these burns. This study aimed to identify the risk perceptions associated with prescribed burns using two theoretical frameworks: the social amplification of risk framework and the protective action decision model. In April 2022, we conducted 18 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Flint Hills community members from different social stations. Participants identified several benefits of prescribed burns: cattle production gains, invasive species management, prairie ecological health maintenance, and wildfire prevention. Some participants viewed prescribed burning as a protective response. However, risk perceptions differed between rural and urban participants: rural community members were primarily concerned with prescribed fires that went out of control, while those in downwind cities were primarily concerned with smoke exposure. Participants sometimes used protective actions to mitigate their risks, but also explained the complexities of changing burn practices that are integral to the local culture, economies, and greater society. Additionally, formal communication of health and safety risks from prescribed burns is not uniform across Kansas counties. We therefore recommend systematic county and statewide communication of burn practices and protective behaviors. Understanding community perceptions of the risks and effects of prescribed burns, and any protective actions taken, can inform how professional communicators approach burning in similar agricultural and ranching communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: Dairy cattle shed pathogenic Escherichia coli O157 (O157) in faeces, playing a role in human exposure. We aimed to measure faecal microbial communities in early lactation dairy cattle, and model outcomes with O157 shedding metrics. Methods and Results: Daily faecal samples were collected from 40 cattle on two Colorado dairies for five consecutive days, and characterized for O157. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to measure sample‐level microbial communities. Alpha‐diversity metrics were associated with O157 outcomes via regression modelling, adjusting for confounders. Differential abundance of taxa were identified between O157(+) and O157(−) samples and between shedding days of individuals, using matched Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests, zero‐inflated Gaussian (ZIG) regression and negative binomial regression. After removing an outlier, multi‐day and intermittently shedding cows had lower average richness compared to those that never shed. ZIG modelling revealed Bacillus coagulans to be more abundant in O157(−) samples, while Moryella were more abundant in O157(+) samples. Negative binomial models and Wilcoxon tests revealed no differentially abundant taxa between O157(+) vs O157(−) samples, or between shedding days of individuals. Conclusions: Microbial diversity and some taxa may be influenced by or affect O157 shedding by dairy cattle. Significance and Impact of the Study: If future work corroborates these findings, dairy cow microbial community changes may be used to guide on‐farm strategies that mitigate O157 dissemination, protecting the human food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: We report the results of a school-based asthma case-identification survey to determine the prevalence and predictors of possible undiagnosed asthma in a population of urban adolescents. METHODS: During school years 2006-2008, middle school students in Oakland, California, completed a brief survey adapted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Children. Students were classified into one of three categories: no asthma, current asthma, or possible undiagnosed asthma. Students reported demographic information and residential address, which was geocoded and matched tract-level data from the US Census 2000, Oakland land use designations, public and assisted housing locations, and distance from closed-access roadways. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with possible undiagnosed asthma. RESULTS: Of the 4,017 students who completed the survey, 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.1, 5.5) were classified as possible undiagnosed asthma. Female students (odds ratio: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.19) and students who resided in an urban residential area (odds ratio: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.05, 4.05) had significantly increased odds of classification as 'possible undiagnosed asthma' compared to current asthma. Percentage of noncitizen recent immigrants in a census tract was related to increased odds of possible undiagnosed asthma. Residence in a census tract with older residential units was significantly associated with decreased odds of undiagnosed asthma. CONCLUSIONS: In urban settings, school-based asthma surveillance can aid in the identification of children with possible undiagnosed asthma. Implementation of a geographic information systems framework can enhance the identification of demographic and physical environmental factors associated with possible undiagnosed asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In urban communities with high prevalence of childhood asthma, school-based educational programs may be the most appropriate approach to deliver interventions to improve asthma morbidity and asthma-related outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of Kickin' Asthma, a school-based asthma curriculum designed by health educators and local students, which teaches asthma physiology and asthma self-management techniques to middle and high school students in Oakland, CA.METHODS: Eligible students were identified through an in-class asthma case identification survey. Approximately 10-15 students identified as asthmatic were recruited for each series of the Kickin' Asthma intervention. The curriculum was delivered by an asthma nurse in a series of four 50-minute sessions. Students completed a baseline and a 3-month follow-up survey that compared symptom frequency, health care utilization, activity limitations, and medication use.RESULTS: Of the 8488 students surveyed during the first 3 years of the intervention (2003-2006), 15.4% (n = 1309) were identified as asthmatic; approximately 76% of eligible students (n = 990) from 15 middle schools and 3 high schools participated in the program. Comparison of baseline to follow-up data indicated that students experienced significantly fewer days with activity limitations and significantly fewer nights of sleep disturbance after participation in the intervention. For health care utilization, students reported significantly less frequent emergency department visits or hospitalizations between the baseline and follow-up surveys.CONCLUSIONS: A school-based asthma curriculum designed specifically for urban students has been shown to reduce symptoms, activity limitations, and health care utilization for intervention participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the tobacco industry's tactics in the political, grassroots, and media arenas in attempting to subvert California's smoke-free bar law, and the efforts of health advocates to uphold and promote the law by using the same 3 channels. METHODS: Interviews with key informants involved in the development and implementation of the smoke-free bar law were conducted. Information was gathered from bill analyses, internal memoranda, tobacco industry documents, media articles, and press releases. RESULTS: The tobacco industry worked both inside the legislature and through a public relations campaign to attempt to delay implementation of the law and to encourage noncompliance once the law was in effect. Health groups were able to uphold the law by framing the law as a health and worker safety issue. The health groups were less successful in pressing the state to implement the law. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to enact and defend smoke-free bar laws, but doing so requires a substantial and sustained commitment by health advocates. The tobacco industry will fight this latest generation of clean indoor air laws even more aggressively than general workplace laws. © 2002 by the United States Cancer Pain Relief Committee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Increased risk of occupational exposure to bioaerosols has long been recognized in livestock operations including dairy facilities. Spanning the inhalable fraction (0-100 μm), dairy bioaerosols comprise a wide variety of inflammatory components that deposit in the nasopharyngeal region. The resultant inflammatory response from bioaerosol exposure is likely driving the increased prevalence of respiratory disease observed in dairy workers. It is also thought the microbiome of the upper respiratory system may help mediate this inflammation. We investigated the viability of a low-cost hypertonic saline nasal rinse intervention in modulating inflammatory responses in bioaerosol exposed dairy workers and its impact on microbial diversity., Methods: Pre- and post-shift nasal rinses were administered and collected alongside full shift inhalable personal breathing zone (PBZ) samples for each participant for up to 5 consecutive days. Treatment group participants ( n  = 23) received hypertonic saline rinses while control group participants ( n  = 22) received normotonic saline rinses. Particulate matter (PM) and endotoxin concentrations were quantified from PBZ samples using gravimetric and enzymatic analytical methods, respectively. Pre- and post-shift rinses were analyzed for pro- and anti-inflammatory markers and microbial diversity using a multiplex assay and 16S rRNA sequencing, respectively., Results: PM and endotoxin concentrations were comparable between groups indicating similar exposures. Post-shift pro-inflammatory markers were significantly higher than pre-shift for IL-13 ( p = .047), IL-1β ( p  < .001), IL-6 ( p  < .001), IL-8 ( p  < .001), and TNF-α ( p  = .024). There was no evidence of a difference in log concentrations between intervention group or day among any of the measured inflammatory markers. Anti-inflammatory IL-10 concentrations increased across the 5 sample days, independent of treatment group suggesting tonicity may not be driving the change. However, this result was not significant ( p  = .217). Nasal microbiome alpha (within sample) and beta (between sample) diversity metrics did not differ significantly between group or day demonstrating no adverse washout intervention effects., Conclusion: This study provided encouraging results that warrant future research to further evaluate saline nasal rinses as a workplace intervention.

Background: Ambient air pollution, detrimental built and social environments, social isolation (SI), low socioeconomic status (SES), and rural (versus urban) residence have been associated with cognitive decline and risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Research is needed to investigate the influence of ambient air pollution and built and social environments on SI and cognitive decline among rural, disadvantaged, ethnic minority communities. To address this gap, this cohort study will recruit an ethnoracially diverse, rural Florida sample in geographic proximity to seasonal agricultural burning. We will (1) examine contributions of smoke-related fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) exposures to SI and cognitive function; (2) determine effects of built and social environments on SI and cognitive function; and (3) contextualize SI and cognitive function among residents from different ethnoracial groups during burn and non-burn seasons., Methods: We will recruit 1,087 community-dwelling, dementia-free, ≥45-year-olds from five communities in Florida's Lake Okeechobee region. Over 36 months, participants will complete baseline visits to collect demographics, health history, and health measurements (e.g., blood pressure, body mass index) and 6-month follow-ups assessing cognitive function and social isolation at each visit. A subsample of 120 participants representative of each community will wear smartwatches to collect sensor data (e.g., heart rate) and daily routine and predefined activities (e.g., GPS-captured travel, frequent destinations) over two months. Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) (e.g., whether smoke has bothered participant in last 30 minutes) will occur over two months during agricultural burning and non-burning months. PurpleAir monitors (36 total) will be installed in each community to continuously monitor outdoor PM 2.5 levels., Ethics and Expected Impact: This study received Florida Atlantic University's Institutional Review Board approval and will require participant informed consent. We expect to identify individual- and community-level factors that increase the risk for SI and cognitive decline in a vulnerable rural population.

The 2022 wildfires in New Mexico, United States, were unparalleled compared to past wildfires in the state in both their scale and intensity, resulting in poor air quality and a catastrophic loss of habitat and livelihood. Among all wildfires in New Mexico in 2022, six wildfires were selected for our study based on the size of the burn area and their proximity to populated areas. These fires accounted for approximately 90 % of the total burn area in New Mexico in 2022. We used a regional chemical transport model and data-fusion technique to quantify the contribution of these six wildfires (April 6 to August 22) on particulate matter (PM 2.5 : diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and ozone (O 3 ) concentrations, as well as the associated health impacts from short-term exposure. We estimated that these six wildfires emitted 152 thousand tons of PM 2.5 and 287 thousand tons of volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere. We estimated that the average daily wildfire smoke PM 2.5 across New Mexico was 0.3 μg/m 3 , though 1 h maximum exceeded 120 μg/m 3 near Santa Fe. Average wildfire smoke maximum daily average 8-h O 3 (MDA8-O 3 ) contribution was 0.2 ppb during the study period over New Mexico. However, over the state 1 h maximum smoke O 3 exceeded 60 ppb in some locations near Santa Fe. Estimated all-cause excess mortality attributable to short term exposure to wildfire PM 2.5 and MDA8-O 3 from these six wildfires were 18 (95 % Confidence Interval (CI), 15-21) and 4 (95 % CI: 3-6) deaths. Additionally, we estimate that wildfire PM 2.5 was responsible for 171 (95 %: 124-217) excess cases of asthma emergency department visits. Our findings underscore the impact of wildfires on air quality and human health risks, which are anticipated to intensify with global warming, even as local anthropogenic emissions decline., 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., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background/objectives: Prenatal exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with adverse cardiometabolic outcomes in childhood. We previously observed that prenatal black carbon (BC) was inversely associated with adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, in early childhood. Changes to DNA methylation have been proposed as a potential mediator linking in utero exposures to lasting health impacts., Methods: Among 532 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Colorado-based Healthy Start study, we performed an epigenome-wide association study of the relationship between prenatal exposure to a component of air pollution, BC, and DNA methylation in cord blood. Average pregnancy ambient BC was estimated at the mother's residence using a spatiotemporal prediction model. DNA methylation was measured using the Illumina 450K array. We used multiple linear regression to estimate associations between prenatal ambient BC and 429,246 cysteine-phosphate-guanine sites (CpGs), adjusting for potential confounders. We identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) using DMRff and ENmix-combp. In a subset of participants (n = 243), we investigated DNA methylation as a potential mediator of the association between prenatal ambient BC and lower adiponectin in childhood., Results: We identified 44 CpGs associated with average prenatal ambient BC after correcting for multiple testing. Several genes annotated to the top CpGs had reported functions in the immune system. There were 24 DMRs identified by both DMRff and ENmix-combp. One CpG (cg01123250), located on chromosome 2 and annotated to the UNC80 gene, was found to mediate approximately 20% of the effect of prenatal BC on childhood adiponectin, though the confidence interval was wide (95% CI: 3, 84)., Conclusions: Prenatal BC was associated with DNA methylation in cord blood at several sites and regions in the genome. DNA methylation may partially mediate associations between prenatal BC and childhood cardiometabolic outcomes., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: Evidence suggests historical redlining shaped the built environment and health outcomes in urban areas. Only a handful of studies have examined redlining's association with air pollution and adverse birth outcomes in New York City (NYC). Additionally, no NYC-specific studies have examined the impact of redlining on birth weight., Methods: This longitudinal cohort study analysed data from the National Institute of Health Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes Programme to investigate the extent to which maternal residence in a historically redlined neighbourhood is associated with fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) exposure during pregnancy using multivariable regression models. Additionally, we examined how maternal residence in a historically redlined neighbourhood during pregnancy influenced birth weight z-score, preterm birth and low birth weight., Results: Our air pollution model showed that living in a historically redlined census tract or an ungraded census tract was associated with increased PM 2.5 exposure during pregnancy. We also found living in a historically redlined census tract or an ungraded census tract was associated with a lower birth weight z-score. This finding remained significant when controlling for individual and census tract-level race, ethnicity and income. When we controlled PM 2.5 in our models assessing the relationship between redlining grade and birth outcome, our results did not change., Discussion: Our study supports the literature linking redlining to contemporary outcomes. However, our research in ungraded tracts suggests redlining alone is insufficient to fully explain inequality in birth outcomes and PM 2.5 levels today., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Limited research exists on impacts of air pollution on non-human mammals, particularly animal athletes such as Thoroughbred racehorses. Athletes have a greater risk of exposure as heightened exertion and increased airflow carry more pollutants deeper into the respiratory tract., Objectives: To provide insights into the impact of ambient air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), on race speed., Study Design: Retrospective observational study., Methods: Data were obtained from The Jockey Club Information Systems, covering 31 407 winning races by Thoroughbred horses in California spanning 10 years (2011-2020) and evaluated the association between air pollution and winning race speeds. For race days, we collected PM 2.5 data from the nearest U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitoring site within 100 km of each racetrack (n = 12). We assessed the associations between daily average PM 2.5 concentrations and speed of winning horses with linear mixed effects regression. We adjusted for horse characteristics, race-related covariates, temporal indicators (e.g., year), other air pollutants and temperature. We conducted sensitivity analyses by adjusting extreme air pollution days by reassigning values to the 95th percentile value and conducting linear mixed effects regression on series of datasets with incremental cutpoints of PM 2.5 ., Results: In the cutpoint analysis, we found that for PM 2.5 between 4 and 23.6 μg/m 3 , speed decreased 0.0008 m/s (95% CI: -0.0014562 to -0.00018) for every 1 μg/m 3 increase of PM 2.5 ., Main Limitations: Limitations include the use of offsite monitors leading to imprecise exposure measurements, not using training practice data, and generalisability as the study focuses on California racetracks., Conclusion: This study highlights the need to create advisories to safeguard the performance of horses during periods of poor air quality. Further research is recommended to explore additional factors influencing the relationship between air pollution and equine welfare., (© 2024 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.)

Air pollution exposure is associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes. Evidence from occupational and community-based studies also suggests agricultural pesticides have negative health impacts on respiratory health. Although populations are exposed to multiple inhalation hazards simultaneously, multidomain mixtures (e.g. environmental and chemical pollutants of different classes) are rarely studied. We investigated the association of ambient air pollution-pesticide exposure mixtures with urinary leukotriene E4 (LTE4), a respiratory inflammation biomarker, for 75 participants in four Central California communities over two seasons. Exposures included three criteria air pollutants estimated via the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (fine particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide) and urinary metabolites of organophosphate (OP) pesticides (total dialkyl phosphates (DAPs), total diethyl phosphates (DE), and total dimethyl phosphates (DM)). We implemented multiple linear regression models to examine associations in single pollutant models adjusted for age, sex, asthma status, occupational status, household member occupational status, temperature, and relative humidity, and evaluated whether associations changed seasonally. We then implemented Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to analyse these criteria air pollutants, DE, and DM as a mixture. Our multiple linear regression models indicated an interquartile range (IQR) increase in total DAPs was associated with an increase in urinary LTE4 in winter ( β : 0.04, 95% CI: [0.01, 0.07]). Similarly, an IQR increase in total DM was associated with an increase in urinary LTE4 in winter ( β :0.03, 95% CI: [0.004, 0.06]). Confidence intervals for all criteria air pollutant effect estimates included the null value. BKMR analysis revealed potential non-linear interactions between exposures in our air pollution-pesticide mixture, but all confidence intervals contained the null value. Our analysis demonstrated a positive association between OP pesticide metabolites and urinary LTE4 in a low asthma prevalence population and adds to the limited research on the joint effects of ambient air pollution and pesticides mixtures on respiratory health., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Past studies support the hypothesis that the prenatal period influences childhood growth. However, few studies explore the joint effects of exposures that occur simultaneously during pregnancy. To explore the feasibility of using mixtures methods with neighborhood-level environmental exposures, we assessed the effects of multiple prenatal exposures on body mass index (BMI) from birth to age 24 months. We used data from two cohorts: Healthy Start (n = 977) and Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES; n = 303). BMI was measured at delivery and 6, 12, and 24 months and standardized as z-scores. We included variables for air pollutants, built and natural environments, food access, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). We used two complementary statistical approaches: single-exposure linear regression and quantile-based g-computation. Models were fit separately for each cohort and time point and were adjusted for relevant covariates. Single-exposure models identified negative associations between NO 2 and distance to parks and positive associations between low neighborhood SES and BMI z-scores for Healthy Start participants; for MADRES participants, we observed negative associations between O 3 and distance to parks and BMI z-scores. G-computations models produced comparable results for each cohort: higher exposures were generally associated with lower BMI, although results were not significant. Results from the g-computation models, which do not require a priori knowledge of the direction of associations, indicated that the direction of associations between mixture components and BMI varied by cohort and time point. Our study highlights challenges in assessing mixtures effects at the neighborhood level and in harmonizing exposure data across cohorts. For example, geospatial data of neighborhood-level exposures may not fully capture the qualities that might influence health behavior. Studies aiming to harmonize geospatial data from different geographical regions should consider contextual factors when operationalizing exposure variables., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Sheena E. Martenies reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of HealthOffice of the Director. Dana Dabelea reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of HealthOffice of the Director. Dana Dabelea reports financial support was provided by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Carrie V. Breton, Theresa M. Bastain, Rima Habre, and Shohreh F. Farzan report financial support was provided by National Institutes of HealthOffice of the Director. Carrie V. Breton and Theresa M. Bastain report financial support was provided by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. If there are other authors, they 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 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The environmental justice literature demonstrates consistently that low-income and minority communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. In this case study, we examined cumulative multipollutant, multidomain, and multimatrix environmental exposures in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin for the year 2015. We identified spatial hot spots in Milwaukee County both individually (using local Moran's I) and through clusters (using K-means clustering) across a profile of environmental pollutants that span regulatory domains and matrices of exposure, as well as socioeconomic indicators. The cluster with the highest exposures within the urban area was largely characterized by low socioeconomic status and an overrepresentation of the Non-Hispanic Black population relative to the county as a whole. In this cluster, average pollutant concentrations were equivalent to the 78th percentile in county-level blood lead levels, 67th percentile in county-level NO 2 , 79th percentile in county-level CO, and 78th percentile in county-level air toxics. Simultaneously, this cluster had an average equivalent to the 62nd percentile in county-level unemployment, 70th percentile in county-level population rate lacking a high school diploma, 73rd percentile in county-level poverty rate, and 28th percentile in county-level median household income. The spatial patterns of pollutant exposure and SES indicators suggested that these disparities were not random but were instead structured by socioeconomic and racial factors. Our case study, which combines environmental pollutant exposures, sociodemographic data, and clustering analysis, provides a roadmap to identify and target overburdened communities for interventions that reduce environmental exposures and consequently improve public health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this study., (© 2024 The Authors. GeoHealth published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Geophysical Union.)

Background: Estimates for the effects of environmental exposures on health outcomes, including secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, often present considerable variability across studies. Knowledge of the reasons behind these differences can aid our understanding of effects in specific populations as well as inform practices of combining data from multiple studies., Objectives: This study aimed to assess the presence of effect modification by measured sociodemographic characteristics on the effect of SHS exposure during pregnancy on birth weights that may drive differences observed across cohorts. We also aimed to quantify the extent to which differences in the cohort mean effects observed across cohorts in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium are due to differing distributions of these characteristics., Methods: We assessed the presence of effect modification and transportability of effect estimates across five ECHO cohorts in a total of 6,771 mother-offspring dyads. We assessed the presence of effect modification via gradient boosting of regression trees based on the H-statistic. We estimated individual cohort effects using linear models and targeted maximum likelihood estimation (TMLE). We then estimated transported effects from one cohort to each of the remaining cohorts using a robust nonparametric estimation approach relying on TMLE estimators and compared them to the original effect estimates for these cohorts., Results: Observed effect estimates varied across the five cohorts, ranging from significantly lower birth weight associated with exposure [ - 167.3 g ; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 270.4 , - 64.1 ] to higher birth weight with wide CIs, including the null ( 42.4 g ; 95% CI: - 15.0 , 99.8). Transported effect estimates only minimally explained differences in the point estimates for two out of the four cohort pairs., Discussion: Our findings of weak to moderate evidence of effect modification and transportability indicate that unmeasured individual-level and contextual factors and sources of bias may be responsible for differences in the effect estimates observed across ECHO cohorts. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13961.

Prescribed fires (fires intentionally set for mitigation purposes) produce pollutants, which have negative effects on human and animal health. One of the pollutants produced from fires is fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). The Flint Hills (FH) region of Kansas experiences extensive prescribed burning each spring (March-May). Smoke from prescribed fires is often understudied due to a lack of monitoring in the rural regions where prescribed burning occurs, as well as the short duration and small size of the fires. Our goal was to attribute PM 2.5 concentrations to the prescribed burning in the FH. To determine PM 2.5 increases from local burning, we used low-cost PM 2.5 sensors (PurpleAir) and satellite observations. The FH were also affected by smoke transported from fires in other regions during 2022. We separated the transported smoke from smoke from fires in eastern Kansas. Based on data from the PurpleAir sensors, we found the 24-hr median PM 2.5 to increase by 3.0-5.3 μg m -3 (based on different estimates) on days impacted by smoke from fires in the eastern Kansas region compared to days unimpacted by smoke. The FH region was the most impacted by smoke PM 2.5 compared to other regions of Kansas, as observed in satellite products and in situ measurements. Additionally, our study found that hourly PM 2.5 estimates from a satellite-derived product aligned with our ground-based measurements. Satellite-derived products are useful in rural areas like the FH, where monitors are scarce, providing important PM 2.5 estimates., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this study., (© 2024 The Authors. GeoHealth published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Geophysical Union.)

Background: Early life exposure to air pollution, such as particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ), may be associated with obesity and adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes in childhood. However, the toxicity of PM 2.5 varies according to its chemical composition. Black carbon (BC) is a constituent of PM 2.5 , but few studies have examined its impact on childhood cardiometabolic health. Therefore, we examined relationships between prenatal and early childhood exposure to BC and markers of adiposity and cardiometabolic health in early childhood., Methods: This study included 578 mother-child pairs enrolled in the Healthy Start study (2009-2014) living in the Denver-metro area. Using a spatiotemporal prediction model, we assessed average residential black carbon levels during pregnancy and in the year prior to the early childhood follow-up visit at approximately 5 years old. We estimated associations between prenatal and early childhood BC and indicators of adiposity and cardiometabolic biomarkers in early childhood (mean 4.8 years; range, 4.0, 8.3), using linear regression., Results: We found higher early childhood BC was associated with higher percent fat mass, fat mass index, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and lower leptin and waist circumference at approximately 5 years old, after adjusting for covariates. For example, per interquartile range (IQR) increase in early childhood BC (IQR, 0.49 μg/m 3 ) there was 3.32% higher fat mass (95% CI; 2.05, 4.49). Generally, we did not find consistent evidence of associations between prenatal BC and cardiometabolic health outcomes in early childhood, except for an inverse association between prenatal BC and adiponectin, an adipocyte-secreted hormone typically inversely associated with adiposity., Conclusions: Higher early childhood, but not in utero, ambient concentrations of black carbon, a component of air pollution, were associated with greater adiposity and altered insulin homeostasis at approximately 5 years old. Future studies should examine whether these changes persist later in life., 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 © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Ultraviolet light (UV) is a risk factor for the development of cutaneous neoplasia in many mammalian species. This study evaluated UV exposure as a risk factor of concern for the development of cutaneous neoplasia in equine species due to the significant UV exposure that may accrue over their lifetimes., Animals and Samples: Neoplastic biopsy specimens from 3272 horses that were submitted over a 10-year period to the Colorado State University Diagnostic Medicine Center and to the University of Saskatchewan Western College of Veterinary Medicine and Prairie Diagnostic Services were evaluated., Procedure: This retrospective study assessed the spatial relationships between altitude, latitude, longitude, and UV maximum value and the probability of UV-induced cutaneous neoplasia., Results: Cases from areas at high altitude proved to have a higher prevalence of UV-induced cutaneous neoplasia than those from areas at lower elevations. A multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that altitude was the only factor significantly and positively associated with the diagnosis of UV-induced neoplasia., Conclusion and Clinical Relevance: Evidence of cutaneous neoplasia in horses and environmental factors that influence the degree of UV exposure in a geographic location may aid in diagnosis and suggest preventive measures from UV overexposure., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Introduction: Individuals living in rural communities are at heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), which parallels other persistent place-based health disparities. Identifying multiple potentially modifiable risk factors specific to rural areas that contribute to ADRD is an essential first step in understanding the complex interplay between various barriers and facilitators., Methods: An interdisciplinary, international group of ADRD researchers convened to address the overarching question of: "What can be done to begin minimizing the rural health disparities that contribute uniquely to ADRD?" In this state of the science appraisal, we explore what is known about the biological, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental influences on ADRD disparities in rural settings., Results: A range of individual, interpersonal, and community factors were identified, including strengths of rural residents in facilitating healthy aging lifestyle interventions., Discussion: A location dynamics model and ADRD-focused future directions are offered for guiding rural practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in mitigating rural disparities., Highlights: Rural residents face heightened Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) risks and burdens due to health disparities. Defining the unique rural barriers and facilitators to cognitive health yields insight. The strengths and resilience of rural residents can mitigate ADRD-related challenges. A novel "location dynamics" model guides assessment of rural-specific ADRD issues., (© 2023 the Alzheimer's Association.)

Wildfires are a growing concern to society and the environment in many parts of the world. Within the United States, the land area burned by wildfires has steadily increased over the past 40 years. Agricultural land management is widely understood as a force that alters fire regimes, but less is known about how wildfires, in turn, impact the agriculture sector. Based on an extensive literature review, we identify three pathways of impact-direct, downwind and downstream-through which wildfires influence agricultural resources (soil, water, air and photosynthetically active radiation), labour (agricultural workers) and products (crops and livestock). Through our pathways framework, we highlight the complexity of wildfire-agriculture interactions and the need for collaborative, systems-oriented research to better quantify the magnitude of wildfire impacts and inform the adaptation of agricultural systems to an increasingly fire-prone future., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Tools for assessing multiple exposures across several domains (e.g., physical, chemical, and social) are of growing importance in social and environmental epidemiology because of their value in uncovering disparities and their impact on health outcomes. Here we describe work done within the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)-wide Cohort Study to build a combined exposure index. Our index considered both environmental hazards and social stressors simultaneously with national coverage for a 10-year period. Our goal was to build this index and demonstrate its utility for assessing differences in exposure for pregnancies enrolled in the ECHO-wide Cohort Study. Our unitless combined exposure index, which collapses census-tract level data into a single relative measure of exposure ranging from 0-1 (where higher values indicate higher exposure to hazards), includes indicators for major air pollutants and air toxics, features of the built environment, traffic exposures, and social determinants of health (e.g., lower educational attainment) drawn from existing data sources. We observed temporal and geographic variations in index values, with exposures being highest among participants living in the West and Northeast regions. Pregnant people who identified as Black or Hispanic (of any race) were at higher risk of living in a "high" exposure census tract (defined as an index value above 0.5) relative to those who identified as White or non-Hispanic. Index values were also higher for pregnant people with lower educational attainment. Several recommendations follow from our work, including that environmental and social stressor datasets with higher spatial and temporal resolutions are needed to ensure index-based tools fully capture the total environmental context.

Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are widely used in California for agricultural pest and weed control despite their well-documented adverse health effects among infants, children, and adults. We sought to identify factors affecting urinary OP metabolites among families living in high-exposure communities. Our study included 80 children and adults who lived within 61 m (200 ft) of agricultural fields in the Central Valley of California in January and June 2019, which are pesticide non-spraying and spraying seasons, respectively. We collected one urine sample per participant during each visit to measure dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites; these were coupled with in-person surveys to identify health, household, sociodemographic, pesticide exposure, and occupational risk factors. We used a data-driven, best subsets regression approach to identify key factors that influenced urinary DAPs. Participants were mostly Hispanic/Latino(a) (97.5 %), over half were female (57.5 %), and most households reported having a member who worked in agriculture (70.6 %). Among the 149 urine samples suitable for analysis, DAP metabolites were detected in 48.0 % and 40.5 % of samples during January and June, respectively. Total diethyl alkylphosphates (EDE) were only detected in 4.7 % (n = 7) of samples, but total dimethyl alkylphosphates (EDM) were detected in 41.6 % (n = 62) of samples. No differences were observed in urinary DAP levels by visit month or by occupational exposure to pesticides. Best subsets regression identified several individual- and household-level variables that influenced both urinary EDM and total DAPs: the number of years spent living at the current address, household use of chemical products to control mice/rodents, and seasonal employment status. Among adults only, we identified educational attainment (for total DAPs) and age category (for EDM) as significant factors. Our study found consistent urinary DAP metabolites among participants, regardless of spraying season, and identified potential mitigating factors that members of vulnerable populations can implement to protect their health against OP exposure., 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 © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Disaster events adversely affect the health of millions of individuals each year. They create exposure to physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial hazards while simultaneously exploiting community and individual-level vulnerabilities that allow such exposures to exert harm. Since 2013, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has led the development of the Disaster Research Response (DR2) program and infrastructure; however, research exploring the nature and effects of disasters on human health is lacking. One reason for this research gap is the challenge of developing and deploying cost-effective sensors for exposure assessment during disaster events., Objectives: The objective of this commentary is to synergize the consensus findings and recommendations from a panel of experts on sensor science in support of DR2., Methods: The NIEHS convened the workshop, "Getting Smart about Sensors for Disaster Response Research" on 28 and 29 July 2021 to discuss current gaps and recommendations for moving the field forward. The workshop invited full discussion from multiple viewpoints, with the goal of identifying recommendations and opportunities for further development of this area of research. The panel of experts included leaders in engineering, epidemiology, social and physical sciences, and community engagement, many of whom had firsthand experience with DR2., Discussion: The primary finding of this workshop is that exposure science in support of DR2 is severely lacking. We highlight unique barriers to DR2, such as the need for time-sensitive exposure data, the chaos and logistical challenges that ensue from a disaster event, and the lack of a robust market for sensor technologies in support of environmental health science. We highlight a need for sensor technologies that are more scalable, reliable, and versatile than those currently available to the research community. We also recommend that the environmental health community renew efforts in support of DR2 facilitation, collaboration, and preparedness. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12270.

Background: In 2020, the American West faced two competing challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst wildfire season on record. Several studies have investigated the impact of wildfire smoke (WFS) on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, but little is known about how these two public health challenges impact mortality risk for other causes., Objectives: Using a time-series design, we evaluated how daily risk of mortality due to WFS exposure differed for periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Our study included daily data for 11 counties in the Front Range region of Colorado (2010-2020). We assessed WFS exposure using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and used mortality counts from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. We estimated the interaction between WFS and the pandemic (an indicator variable) on mortality risk using generalized additive models adjusted for year, day of week, fine particulate matter, ozone, temperature, and a smoothed term for day of year., Results: WFS impacted the study area on 10% of county-days. We observed a positive association between the presence of WFS and all-cause mortality risk (incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 1.03, 95%CI: 1.01-1.04 for same-day exposures) during the period before the pandemic; however, WFS exposure during the pandemic resulted in decreased risk of all-cause mortality (IRR = 0.90, 95%CI: 0.87-0.93 for same-day exposures)., Discussion: We hypothesize that mitigation efforts during the first year of the pandemic, e.g., mask mandates, along with high ambient WFS levels encouraged health behaviors that reduced exposure to WFS and reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Our results suggest a need to examine how associations between WFS and mortality are impacted by pandemic-related factors and that there may be lessons from the pandemic that could be translated into health-protective policies during future wildfire events., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Sheryl Magzamen reports financial support was provided by A.J. Kauvar Foundation. Ander Wilson reports financial support was provided by A.J. Kauvar Foundation., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent record-breaking hot temperatures in Alaska have raised concerns about the potential human health implications of heat exposure among this unacclimated population., Objectives: We estimated cardiorespiratory morbidity associated with days above summer (June-August) heat index (HI, apparent temperature) thresholds in three major population centers (Anchorage, Fairbanks, and the Matanuska-Susitna Valley) for the years 2015-2019., Methods: We implemented time-stratified case-crossover analyses of emergency department (ED) visits for International Classification of Diseases, 10 th Revision codes indicative of heat illness and major cardiorespiratory diagnostic codes using data from the Alaska Health Facilities Data Reporting Program. Using conditional logistic regression models, we tested maximum hourly HI temperature thresholds between 21.1°C (70°F) and 30°C (86°F) for a single day, 2 consecutive days, and the absolute number of previous consecutive days above the threshold, adjusting for the daily average concentration of particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μ g ., Results: There were increased odds of ED visits for heat illness above a HI threshold as low as 21.1°C (70°F) [ odds ratio  ( OR ) = 13.84 ; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.05, 47.29], and this increased risk continued for up to 4 d ( OR = 2.43 ; 95% CI: 1.15, 5.10). Asthma and pneumonia were the only respiratory outcomes positively associated with the HI: ED visits for both were highest the day after a heat event (Asthma: HI > 27 ° C ( 80 ° F ) OR = 1.18 ; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39; Pneumonia: HI > 28 ° C ( 82 ° F ) OR = 1.40 ; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.84). There was a decreased odds of bronchitis-related ED visits when the HI was above thresholds of 21.1-28°C (70-82°F) across all lag days. We found stronger effects for ischemia and myocardial infarction (MI) than for respiratory outcomes. Multiple days of warm weather were associated with an increased risk of health impacts. For each additional preceding day above a HI of 22°C (72°F), the odds of ED visits related to ischemia increased 6% (95% CI: 1%, 12%); for each additional preceding day above a HI of 21.1°C (70°F), the odds of ED visits related to MI increased 7% (95% CI: 1%, 14%)., Discussion: This study demonstrates the importance of planning for extreme heat events and developing local guidance for heat warnings, even in areas with historically mild summertime climates. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11363.