Integrating exposomics into biomedicine.

Military service members encounter a range of occupational and environmental exposures during their military service. These exposures may affect both physical and mental health. This chapter provides an overview of military occupational and environmental exposures throughout the last decades and outlines risk communication strategies for addressing these exposure concerns.

Allergies, infections and the hygiene hypothesis – The epidemiological evidence

By 2030, 60% of the global population is expected to live in urban areas. Exposure to urban environments during the first 2000 days of life can have positive or negative health outcomes across the life course. Understanding the types of urban exposures that influence health outcomes is needed to guide research priorities for public health and urban planning. This review aims to summarise the published research examining the health outcomes of all urban environmental exposures during the first 2000 days of life, identify the quantity and characteristics of research in this area, methods used, and knowledge gaps. We conducted a scoping review using the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Eight databases were searched for peer-reviewed primary studies. Inclusion criteria were studies that measured maternal, infant and child exposure to everyday urban environment features and conditions in cities/metropolitan areas during the first 2000 days of life and reported offspring health outcomes across the life course, including embryo, fetal/newborn, infant, child, adolescent, and adult outcomes. We used Covidence software for data screening and extraction. Study characteristics and findings were summarised using tables and narrative synthesis. We reviewed 235 articles, which included studies conducted across 41 countries, the majority in the US (n = 63). A broad range of environmental exposures were studied, spanning seven categories: air pollution; energy-based pollution; atmosphere, chemical and metal exposure; neighbourhood-built and natural environment features; neighbourhood community conditions; and residential living conditions. Air pollution was the most studied exposure type (n = 153 studies). Health outcomes were reported for all life stages except adults, with fetal/newborn outcomes the most studied life stage (n = 137). We found that most research investigating urban environmental exposures in the first 2000 days and health outcomes across the life course focused on air pollution exposures and fetal/newborn health outcomes, using correlational retrospective cohort designs. Few studies included multiple environmental exposures. There is a clear need for more longitudinal research to determine the health impacts of multiple urban environmental exposures across the life course. This will assist in developing urban design and planning strategies and population health to mitigate health risks across the life course.

Manganese transporter genetics and sex modify the association between environmental manganese exposure and neurobehavioral outcomes in children

Throughout life individuals are exposed to a large array of diverse environmental exposures (exposome). Hair analyses can assess chronic exposure to a large number of chemicals with less intra-variability than urine and blood. This is essential for studies that aim to achieve a global vision of the exposome. We aimed at characterizing the adult exposome by describing 175 environmental exposures and correlation patterns between and within exposure groups. A subsample of participants of the European Health Examination Survey, covering information on exposure to chemical pollutants in hair samples, were included in the present analysis (N = 442). Concentrations of micronutrients, lifestyle, home environment and socioeconomic information completed the exposome description and were obtained through blood analyses and questionnaires. We detected 29 persistent and non-persistent chemical pollutants in more than 70% of hair samples. Compared to women, men had higher concentrations of pesticides, lower concentrations of micronutrients (with the exception of vitamin A), and presented higher alcohol consumption. Across all exposures, a low median absolute correlation was found, 0.05 (5th − 95th centiles = 0.10, 0.20). We observed higher correlations and median correlations within exposure groups than between groups of exposure. The highest median correlation was observed between plasticizers (bisphenol A and S) in both men (0.50) and women (0.31). A 70% and 95% of cumulative variance was explained by 37 and 73 principal components respectively. We found a wide range of chemical exposures in hair samples of men and women. The adult exposome was complex and multidimensional. Future exposome studies should include hair as a matrix for characterizing exposure to multiple environmental chemicals.

To study the effect on lung cancer incidence of a long exposure to low levels of radon, 500 male 3-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats, were exposed to a cumulative dose of 25 WLM of radon and its daughters, 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, during 18 months. Exposure conditions were controlled in order to maintain a defined PAEC: 42 x 10-6 J.m-3 (2 WL), in the range of domestic and environmental exposures. Animals were kept until they died or given euthanasia when moribund. Mean survival times were similar in both irradiated and control groups: 828 days (SD = 169) and 830 days (SD = 137), as well as lung cancer incidence, 0.60% at 25 WLM and 0.63% for controls. The incidence of lung lesions was compared statistically with controls and those previously obtained at cumulative exposures of 25 and 50 WLM delivered over a 4-6 month period, inducing a significant increase of lung cancer, 2.2% and 3.8% respectively. Such a comparison showed a decreased lung cancer incidence related to a decrease in the dose rate for low levels of radon exposure.

Leveraging the Canadian Health Measures Survey for environmental health research

Microglia, the central nervous system innate immune cells, play a critical role in maintaining a homeostatic environment in the brain throughout life. These cells exhibit an impressive range of functions and characteristics that help to ensure proper functioning of the brain. Notably, microglia can present differences in their genetic and physical traits, which can be influenced by a range of factors, including age, environmental exposures, disease, and sex. Remarkably, microglia have been found to express receptors for sex hormones, suggesting that these hormones may play a role in modulating microglial behavior and potentially contribute to sex differences. Additionally, sex-chromosomal factors were shown to impact microglial genetics and functioning. In this review, we will examine how microglial responses in homeostasis are impacted by their interaction with sex hormones and sex chromosomes. Specifically, our investigation will focus on examining this interaction from embryonic development to adulthood, and the influence of lifestyle elements on various microglial features, including density and distribution, morphology, transcriptome, and proteome.

Early life multiple exposures and child cognitive function: A multi-centric birth cohort study in six European countries

Outdoor environmental exposome and the burden of tuberculosis: Findings from nearly two million adults in northwestern China

Study question What novel environmental exposures found in seminal plasma, as individual metabolites and concurrent exposure patterns, are associated with poor male reproductive parameters? Summary answer Seminal plasma levels of etridiazole, diethyl phthalate, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are negatively associated with semen parameters. What is known already Numerous environmental exposures have been linked to poor male reproductive markers, but they have typically examined only a limited set of exposures in the urine, which may not be accurate representation of the chemical burden in tissue and do not holistically consider a large range of potential concurrent exposures. Study design, size, duration This cross-sectional study included 100 heterosexual couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatment at a Tertiary University Affiliated Medical Center. Semen samples were collected and fractionated to separate sperm (outcome measurement) and seminal plasma (exposomics analysis). Participants/materials, setting, methods Semen parameters were assessed for sperm concentration (millions/mL), percent motility, and total motile sperm (millions/mL). Using a novel QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged, and safe) based extraction method, targeted and untargeted organic pollutant exposures were measured from 500uL of seminal plasma using a Thermo Q Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer. We used linear regression, principal component pursuit (PCP), and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to estimate the associations of organic pollutants with semen parameters. Main results and the role of chance We identified 118 known chemicals in seminal plasma from the targeted panel of organic pollutants. Using an exposome-wide association approach, we modeled each exposure with the outcome individually and found that etriadizole, a common pesticide, was negatively associated with total motile sperm (p < 0.001), concentration (p = 0.002), and percent motility (p = 0.04). Using PCP, a machine learning pattern recognition approach, we derived a low-rank matrix with one major principal component. This principal component was primarily loaded by one phthalate (diethyl phthalate) and three PAHs (anthracene, pyrene, phenanthrene) and was associated with lower total sperm (p = 0.03) and percent motility (p = 0.05) in linear regression models. BKMR results confirmed that as an overall mixture, these four pollutants were negatively associated with percent motility, although anthracene was not an important component of the mixture effect. Furthermore, BKMR models showed that other PAHs did not confound or modify the impact of diethyl phthalate, pyrene, and phenanthrene. Limitations, reasons for caution Our sample only included 100 men and larger studies are necessary to confirm the associations identified by this investigation. Furthermore, this current analysis only included a limited number of targeted chemicals and future studies should examine untargeted features as well. Wider implications of the findings To our knowledge, our study is the first to assess a large set of seminal plasma exposures and their relation to semen parameters. Although the biological mechanism(s) underlying the observed associations are unknown, we identified novel associations. Thus, future investigations using broad exposomic approaches in seminal plasma is warranted. Trial registration number PGA 2102 Environmental Health Fund Israel

Recent information from several laboratories suggest that power frequency fields may stimulate cell differentiation in a number of model systems. In this way, they may be similar to pulsed electromagnetic fields, which have been used therapeutically. However, the effects of power frequency fields on phenotypic or genotypic expression have not been explained. This study describes the ability of power frequency fields to accelerate cell differentiation in vivo and describes dose relationships in terms of both amplitude and exposure duration. No change in proliferation or cell content were observed. A clear dose relationship, in terms of both amplitude and duration of exposure, was determined with the maximal biological response occurring at 0.1 mT and 7-9 h/day. Because this study was designed to explore biological activity at environmental exposure levels, this exposure range does not necessarily define optimal dosing conditions from the therapeutic point of view. This study reports the stimulation by power frequency fields of transforming growth factor-beta, an important signalling cytokine known to regulate cell differentiation. The hypothesis is raised that the stimulation of regulatory cytokines by electromagnetic fields may be an intermediary mechanism by which these fields have their biological activity.

In this study, we present the green synthesis and multifunctional potential of amino-functionalized carbon quantum dots (ACQDs) derived from Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) for the sensitive detection of Rhodamine B (RhB), a toxic dye commonly found in adulterated food and cosmetic products. The ACQDs exhibited quasi-spherical morphology with a uniform size distribution (2.82 ± 0.07 nm), abundant surface functional groups (-OH, -COOH, -NH₂), and strong photoluminescence. Structural and optical analyses confirmed their excellent stability across a range of environmental conditions, including pH, UV exposure, and saline media. A dual-mode sensing of RhB was achieved via visible colorimetric change and fluorescence quenching, with a low quantification limit (LOQ) of 1.9 μgL-1. Mechanistic studies revealed that both static and dynamic quenching, involving electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and π-π stacking, contributed to the sensing process. The ACQDs also demonstrated notable antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.168 mg mL-1) and low cytotoxicity (< 90 μg mL-1) in NIH-3 T3 cells, confirming their biocompatibility. Furthermore, their efficient internalization into plant tissues highlights their suitability for plant imaging. These results establish ACQDs as a promising nanomaterial for applications in environmental monitoring, food safety, biomedical diagnostics, and agricultural research.

The search for the causes of cancer and means of cancer prevention has entered a new era as recent developments allow correlation of environmental and behavioural exposures, genetic variation and patient outcomes. The Multiethnic Cohort Study was designed to take advantage of these advances to prospectively explore the roles of lifestyle and genetic susceptibility in the occurrence of cancer. The ethnic diversity of the cohort in this study provides a wide range of dietary exposures and genetic variation, thereby providing a unique dimension to this research.

Arsenic exposure from drinking water is associated with adverse respiratory outcomes, but it is unknown whether arsenic affects pulmonary microbiota. This exploratory study assessed the effect of exposure to arsenic in drinking water on bacterial diversity in the respiratory tract of non-smokers. Induced sputum was collected from 10 subjects with moderate mean household water arsenic concentration (21.1 ± 6.4 ppb) and 10 subjects with low household water arsenic (2.4 ± 0.8 ppb). To assess microbiota in sputum, the V6 hypervariable region amplicons of bacterial 16s rRNA genes were sequenced using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine. Microbial community differences between arsenic exposure groups were evaluated using QIIME and Metastats. A total of 3,920,441 sequence reads, ranging from 37,935 to 508,787 per sample for 316 chips after QIIME quality filtering, were taxonomically classified into 142 individual genera and five phyla. Firmicutes (22%), Proteobacteria (17%) and Bacteriodetes (12%) were the main phyla in all samples, with Neisseriaceae (15%), Prevotellaceae (12%) and Veillonellacea (7%) being most common at the genus level. Some genera, including Gemella, Lactobacillales, Streptococcus, Neisseria and Pasteurellaceae were elevated in the moderate arsenic exposure group, while Rothia, Prevotella, Prevotellaceae Fusobacterium and Neisseriaceae were decreased, although none of these differences was statistically significant. Future studies with more participants and a greater range of arsenic exposure are needed to further elucidate the effects of drinking water arsenic consumption on respiratory microbiota.