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Introduction Long COVID is a multisystemic condition following acute infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) characterized by symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction, pain, digestive [...]

Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter ([PM.sub.2.5]) during pregnancy poses health concerns for both the mother and fetus. Prenatal exposure has been associated with an increased risk of developing allergic [...]

Introduction Numerous studies have found that fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter Brake and tire wear are one of the primary contributors to non-exhaust emissions but are rarely addressed by [...], Background: Although many studies have linked prenatal exposure to P[M.sub.2.5] to adverse birth outcomes, little is known about the effects of exposure to specific constituents of P[M.sub.2.5] or mechanisms that contribute to these outcomes. Objectives: Our objective was to investigate effects of oxidative potential and P[M.sub.2.5] metal components from non-exhaust traffic emissions, such as brake and tire wear, on the risk of preterm birth (PTB) and term low birth weight (TLBW). Methods: For a birth cohort of 285,614 singletons born in Los Angeles County, California, in the period 2017-2019, we estimated speciated P[M.sub.2.5] exposures modeled from land use regression with cokriging, including brake and tire wear related metals (barium and zinc), black carbon, and three markers of oxidative potential (OP), including modeled reactive oxygen species based on measured iron and copper (ROS), OH formation ([OP.sup.OH]), and dithiothreitol (DTT) loss ([OP.sup.DTT]). Using logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for PTB and TLBW with speciated P[M.sub.2.5] exposures and P[M.sub.2.5] mass as continuous variables scaled by their interquartile range (IQR). Results: For both metals and oxidative potential metrics, we estimated increased risks for PTB (ORs ranging from 1.01 to 1.03) and TLBW (ORs ranging from 1.02 to 1.05) per IQR exposure increment that were robust to adjustment for P[M.sub.2.5] mass. Associations for P[M.sub.2.5] mass, black carbon, metal components, and oxidative potential (especially ROS and [OP.sup.OH]) with adverse birth outcomes were stronger in Hispanic, Black, and mixed-race or Native American women. Discussion: Our results indicate that exposure to P[M.sub.2.5] metals from brake and tire wear and particle components that contribute to oxidative potential were associated with an increased risk of PTB and TLBW in Los Angeles County, particularly among Hispanic, Black, and mixed-race or Native American women. Thus, reduction of P[M.sub.2.5] mass only may not be sufficient to protect the most vulnerable pregnant women and children from adverse effects due to traffic source exposures. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12196

Introduction The emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in animal and human medicine can be linked to increased consumption and misuse of antibiotics (Chapin et al., 2005; Gandolfi et al., 2011; van [...], The issue of antimicrobial resistance, particularly among Gram-negative enteric bacteria, in agricultural settings has been documented in literature and continues to be a growing public health concern. Among the Enterobacteriaceae family, the presence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are especially concerning because of the impact they have on healthcare worldwide. We employed a novel approach by constructing and placing adhesive air strips in a stockyard in Madison County, Kentucky. Samples were placed in enteric enrichment (EE) broth after collection and incubated for 24 hr. Samples that turned yellow due to fermentation were subsequently inoculated on ESBL and CRE screening media. We transferred colonies that grew on both plates onto MacConkey and sheep blood agar to use for further testing. We recovered 8 of the 10 placed air strips. Of the EE broth tubes, 7 of the 16 turned yellow, indicative of enteric bacteria. Of the 7 positive tubes, 5 isolates grew on ESBL and CRE screening media with only 1 isolate displaying pigmentation indicative of a resistant organism. We were able to isolate resistant enteric bacteria from particulate matter in an agricultural setting using our novel sampling approach.

Over the last several years, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has gone from being characterized as not only a receptor that modulates cellular responses to myriad external environmental changes but [...]

Reductions in air pollution emissions, whether via policy, economics, or other factors, can benefit public health and welfare. However, additional scrutiny can reveal that the distribution and extent of such [...]

Introduction T helper 2 (Th2) cells have long been considered to mainly regulate the pathogenic manifestations of allergic asthma, such as immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated sensitization, airway hyperresponsiveness, and eosinophil infiltration. [...], BACKGROUND: Ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of [less than or equal to]2.5 [micro]m (P[M.sub.2.5]) is suggested to act as an adjuvant for allergen-mediated sensitization and recent evidence suggests the importance of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells in allergic diseases. However, the impact of P[M.sub.2.5] exposure and its absorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) on Tfh cells and humoral immunity remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the impact of environmental P[M.sub.2.5] and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (IP), a prominent PAH, as a model, on Tfh cells and the subsequent pulmonary allergic responses. METHODS: P[M.sub.2.5]- or IP-mediated remodeling of cellular composition in lung lymph nodes (LNs) was determined by mass cytometry in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced mouse allergic lung inflammation model. The differentiation and function of Tfh cells in vitro were analyzed by flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation, and western blot analyses. RESULTS: Mice exposed to P[M.sub.2.5] during the HDM sensitization period demonstrated immune cell population shifts in lung LNs as compared with those sensitized with HDM alone, with a greater number of differentiated Tfh2 cells, enhanced allergen-induced immunoglobulin E (IgE) response and pulmonary inflammation. Similarly enhanced phenotypes were also found in mice exposed to IP and sensitized with HDM. Further, IP administration was found to induce interleukin-21 (Il21) and 114 expression and enhance Tfh2 cell differentiation in vitro, a finding which was abrogated in aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-deficient [CD4.sup.+] T cells. Moreover, we showed that IP exposure increased the interaction of AhR and cellular musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma (c-Maf) and its occupancy on the 1121 and Il4 promoters in differentiated Tfh2 cells. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that the P[M.sub.2.5] (IP)-AhR-c-Maf axis in Tfh2 cells was important in allergen sensitization and lung inflammation, thus adding a new dimension in the understanding of Tfh2 cell differentiation and function and providing a basis for establishing the environmentdisease causal relationship. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11580

Introduction Because the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed millions of lives worldwide since December 2019, a better understanding of drivers of risk for severe disease and death is [...], Background: Studies have suggested links between ambient air pollution and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) mortality, yet confirmation by well-designed epidemiological studies with individual data is needed. Objectives: We aimed to examine whether short-term exposure to air pollution is associated with risk of mortality from COVID-19 for those infected with COVID-19. Methods: The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office reports individual-level data for deaths from COVID-19 that occur in its jurisdiction, which includes all confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Cook County, Illinois. Case-crossover analysis was conducted to estimate the associations of estimated short-term exposures to particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter [less than or equal to]2.5 [micro]m (P[M.sub.2.5]) and ozone ([O.sub.3]) on the day of death and up to 21 d before death at location of death with COVID-19. A total of 7,462 deaths from COVID-19 that occurred up to 28 February 2021 were included in the final analysis. We adjusted for potential confounders by time-stratified case-crossover design and by covariate adjustments (i.e., time-invariant factors, meteorological factors, viral transmission, seasonality, and time trend). Results: Of the 7,462 case and 25,457 self-control days, almost all were days with exposure levels below the P[M.sub.2.5] 24-h National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) (35 [micro]g/[m.sup.3]); 98.9% had [O.sub.3] levels below the maximum 8-h NAAQS (35.7 [micro]g/[m.sup.3] or 70 parts per billion). An interquartile range (IQR) increase (5.2 [micro]g/[m.sup.3]) in cumulative 3-wk P[M.sub.2.5] exposure was associated with a 69.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 34.6, 113.8] increase in risk of COVID-19 mortality. An IQR increase (8.2 [micro]g/[m.sup.3]) in 3-d [O.sub.3] exposure was associated with a 29.0% (95% CI: 9.9, 51.5) increase in risk of COVID-19 mortality. The associations differed by demographics or race/ethnicity. There was indication of modification of the associations by some comorbid conditions. Discussion: Short-term exposure to air pollution below the NAAQS may increase the mortality burden from COVID-19. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10836

Author(s): Pei Yu 1, Rongbin Xu 1, Shanshan Li 1, Xu Yue 2, Gongbo Chen 3, Tingting Ye 1, Micheline S. Z. S. Coêlho 4,5, Paulo H. N. Saldiva 4,5, [...], Background Long-term exposure to fine particles [less than or equal to]2.5 [mu]m in diameter (PM.sub.2.5) has been linked to cancer mortality. However, the effect of wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 exposure on cancer mortality risk is unknown. This study evaluates the association between wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 and site-specific cancer mortality in Brazil, from 2010 to 2016. Methods and findings Nationwide cancer death records were collected during 2010-2016 from the Brazilian Mortality Information System. Death records were linked with municipal-level wildfire- and non-wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 concentrations, at a resolution of 2.0° latitude by 2.5° longitude. We applied a variant difference-in-differences approach with quasi-Poisson regression, adjusting for seasonal temperature and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the exposure for specific cancer sites were estimated. Attributable fractions and cancer deaths were also calculated. In total, 1,332,526 adult cancer deaths (age [greater than or equal to] 20 years), from 5,565 Brazilian municipalities, covering 136 million adults were included. The mean annual wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 concentration was 2.38 [mu]g/m.sup.3, and the annual non-wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 concentration was 8.20 [mu]g/m.sup.3 . The RR for mortality from all cancers was 1.02 (95% CI 1.01-1.03, p < 0.001) per 1-[mu]g/m.sup.3 increase of wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 concentration, which was higher than the RR per 1-[mu]g/m.sup.3 increase of non-wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 (1.01 [95% CI 1.00-1.01], p = 0.007, with p for difference = 0.003). Wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 was associated with mortality from cancers of the nasopharynx (1.10 [95% CI 1.04-1.16], p = 0.002), esophagus (1.05 [95% CI 1.01-1.08], p = 0.012), stomach (1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.017), colon/rectum (1.08 [95% CI 1.05-1.11], p < 0.001), larynx (1.06 [95% CI 1.02-1.11], p = 0.003), skin (1.06 [95% CI 1.00-1.12], p = 0.003), breast (1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.007), prostate (1.03 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], p = 0.019), and testis (1.10 [95% CI 1.03-1.17], p = 0.002). For all cancers combined, the attributable deaths were 37 per 100,000 population and ranged from 18/100,000 in the Northeast Region of Brazil to 71/100,000 in the Central-West Region. Study limitations included a potential lack of assessment of the joint effects of gaseous pollutants, an inability to capture the migration of residents, and an inability to adjust for some potential confounders. Conclusions Exposure to wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 can increase the risks of cancer mortality for many cancer sites, and the effect for wildfire-related PM.sub.2.5 was higher than for PM.sub.2.5 from non-wildfire sources.

Introduction The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history (National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling 2011). An [...], Background: During the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) disaster, controlled burning was conducted to remove oil from the water. Workers near combustion sites were potentially exposed to increased fine particulate matter [with aerodynamic diameter [less than or equal to] 2.5 [micro]m (P[M.sub.2.5])] levels. Exposure to P[M.sub.2.5] has been linked to decreased lung function, but to our knowledge, no study has examined exposure encountered in an oil spill cleanup. Objective: We investigated the association between estimated P[M.sub.2.5] only from burning/flaring of oil/gas and lung function measured 1-3 y after the DWH disaster. Methods: We included workers who participated in response and cleanup activities on the water during the DWH disaster and had lung function measured at a subsequent home visit (n = 2,316). P[M.sub.2.5] concentrations were estimated using a Gaussian plume dispersion model and linked to work histories via a job-exposure matrix. We evaluated forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1; milliliters), forced vital capacity (FVC; milliliters), and their ratio (FEV1/FVC; %) in relation to average and cumulative daily maximum exposures using multivariable linear regressions. Results: We observed significant exposure-response trends associating higher cumulative daily maximum P[M.sub.2.5] exposure with lower FEV1 (p-trend = 0.04) and FEV1/FVC (p-trend = 0.01). In comparison with the referent group (workers not involved in or near the burning), those with higher cumulative exposures had lower FEV1 [-166.8 mL, 95% confidence interval (CI): -337.3, 3.7] and FEV1/FVC (-1.7, 95% CI: -3.6, 0.2). We also saw nonsignificant reductions in FVC (high vs. referent: -120.9, 95% CI: -319.4, 77.6; p-trend = 0.36). Similar associations were seen for average daily maximum P[M.sub.2.5] exposure. Inverse associations were also observed in analyses stratified by smoking and time from exposure to spirometry and when we restricted to workers without prespill lung disease. Conclusions: Among oil spill workers, exposure to P[M.sub.2.5] specifically from controlled burning of oil/gas was associated with significantly lower FEV1 and FEV1/FVC when compared with workers not involved in burning. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP8930