Associations of Ambient Particulate Matter with Maternal Thyroid Autoimmunity and Thyroid Function in Early Pregnancy.

This prospective birth cohort study evaluated the association of exposure to PM2.5 (diameter ≤2.5 µm), PM1-2.5 (1-2.5 µm), and PM1 (≤1 µm) with maternal thyroid autoimmunity and function during early pregnancy. A total of 15,664 pregnant women were included at 6 to 13+6 gestation weeks in China from 2018 to 2020. Single-pollutant models using generalized linear models (GLMs) showed that each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 and PM1-2.5 was related with 6% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01, 1.12) and 15% (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.22) increases in the risk of thyroid autoimmunity, respectively. The odds of thyroid autoimmunity significantly increased with each interquartile range increase in PM2.5 and PM1-2.5 exposure (P for trend <0.001). PM1 exposure was not significantly associated with thyroid autoimmunity. GLM with natural cubic splines demonstrated that increases in PM2.5 and PM1-2.5 exposure were associated with lower maternal FT4 levels, while a negative association between PM1 and FT4 levels was found when exposure exceeded 32.13 µg/m3. Only PM2.5 exposure was positively associated with thyrotropin (TSH) levels. Our findings suggest that high PM exposure is associated with maternal thyroid disruption during the early pregnancy.

Development of a novel membrane-based quorum-quenching microbial isolator for biofouling control: Process performance and microbial mechanism.

Quorum quenching (QQ) can mitigate biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) by inhibiting cell-to-cell communication. However, it is difficult to maintain long-term QQ activity. Here, a novel microbial isolator composed of tubular microfiltration membranes was developed to separate QQ bacteria (Rhodococcus sp. BH4) from sludge. The time to reach a transmembrane pressure of 50 kPa was delayed by 69.55 % (p = 0.002, Student's t test) in MBR with QQ microbial isolator (MBR-Q), compared to that in the control MBR (MBR-C) during stable operation. The concentration of proteins in the extracellular polymeric substances of sludge was reduced by 20.61 % in MBR-Q relative to MBR-C. The results of the bacterial community analyses indicated less enrichment of fouling-associated bacteria (e.g., Acinetobacter) but a higher abundance of QQ enzymes in MBR-Q than in MBR-C. This environmentally friendly technique can decrease the cleaning frequency and increase the membrane lifespan, thus improving the sustainability of MBR technology.

Antimony and arsenic migration in a heterogeneous subsurface at an abandoned antimony smelter under rainfall.

While antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) co-contamination in subsurface soil systems due to the legacy of Sb smelting wastes has been documented, the role of inherent heterogeneity on pollutant migration is largely overlooked. Herein this study investigated Sb and As migration in a slag impacted, vertically stratified subsurface at an abandoned Sb smelter. A 2-dimensional flume was assembled as a lab-scale analogue of the site and subject to rainfall and stop-rain events. Reactive transport modeling was then performed by matching the experimental observations to verify the key factors and processes controlling pollutant migration. Results showed that rainfall caused Sb and As release from the shallow slag layer and promoted their downward movement. Nevertheless, the less permeable deeper layers limited physical flow and transport, which led to Sb and As accumulation at the interface. The re-adsorption of Sb and As onto iron oxides in the deeper, more acidic layers further retarded their migration. Because of the large difference between Sb and As concentrations, Sb re-adsorption was much less effective, which led to higher mobility. Our findings overall highlight the necessity of understanding the degree and impacts of physicochemical heterogeneity for risk exposure assessment and remediation of abandoned Sb smelting sites.

Greenspace and human microbiota: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Potential effect of greenspace exposure on human microbiota have been explored by a number of observational and interventional studies, but the results remained mixed. We comprehensively synthesized these studies by performing a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. METHODS: Comprehensive literature searches in three international databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) and three Chinese databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and China Biology Medicine disc) were conducted from inception to November 1, 2023. Observational and interventional studies that evaluated associations between greenspace exposure and human microbiota at different anatomical sites were included. Studies were assessed using the National Toxicology Program's office of Health Assessment and Translation risk of bias tool and certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Two authors independently performed study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment, and evidence grading. Study results were synthesized descriptively. RESULTS: Twenty studies, including 11 observational studies and 9 interventional studies, were finally included into the systematic review. The microbiota of the included studies was from gut (n = 13), skin (n = 10), oral cavity (n = 5), nasal cavity (n = 5) and eyes (n = 1). The majority of studies reported the associations of greenspace exposure with increased diversity (e.g., richness and Shannon index) and/or altered overall composition of human gut (n = 12) and skin microbiota (n = 8), with increases in the relative abundance of probiotics (e.g., Ruminococcaceae) and decreases in the relative abundance of pathogens (e.g., Streptococcus and Escherichia/Shigella). Due to limited number of studies, evidence concerning greenspace and oral, nasal, and ocular microbiota were still inconclusive. CONCLUSION: The current evidence suggests that greenspace exposure may diversify gut and skin microbiota and alter their composition to healthier profiles. These findings would be helpful in uncovering the potential mechanisms underlying greenspace and human health and in promoting a healthier profile of human microbiota.

Exposure to ambient air pollution and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: Findings from over 2.7 million adults in Northwestern China.

Ambient air pollutants exposures may lead to aggravated Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD). However, there is still a scarcity of empirical studies that have rigorously estimated this association, especially in regions where air pollution is severe. To fill in the literature gap, we conducted a cross-sectional study involving 2711,207 adults living in five regions of southern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 2021. Using a Space-Time Extra-Trees model, we assessed the four-year (2017-2020) average concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤1 µm (PM1), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm (PM10), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO), and then assigned these values to the participants. Generalized linear mixed models were employed to examine the relationships between air pollutants and the prevalence of MAFLD, with adjustment for multiple confounding factors. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of MAFLD were 2.002 (1.826-2.195), 1.133 (1.108-1.157), 1.034 (1.027-1.040), 1.077 (1.023-1.134), 2.703 (2.322-3.146) and 1.033 (1.029-1.036) per 10 µg/m3 increase in the 4-year average PM1, PM2.5, PM10, O3, SO2 and CO exposures, respectively. The robustness of the findings was confirmed by a series of sensitivities. In summary, long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants was associated with increased odds of MAFLD, particularly in males and individuals with unhealthy lifestyles.

Association Between Home Renovation and Sleeping Problems Among Children Aged 6-18 Years: A Nationwide Survey in China.

BACKGROUND: Although the indoor environment has been proposed to be associated with childhood sleep health, to our knowledge no study has investigated the association between home renovation and childhood sleep problems. METHODS: The study included 186,470 children aged 6-18 years from the National Chinese Children Health Study (2012-2018). We measured childhood sleeping problems via the Chinese version of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (C-SDSC). Information on home renovation exposure within the recent 2 years was collected via parent report. We estimated associations between home renovation and various sleeping problems, defined using both continuous and categorized (binary) C-SDSC t-scores, using generalized mixed models. We fitted models with city as a random effect variable, and other covariates as fixed effects. RESULTS: Out of the overall participants, 89,732 (48%) were exposed to recent home renovations. Compared to the unexposed group, children exposed to home renovations had higher odds of total sleep disorder (odd ratios [OR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2, 1.4). Associations varied when we considered different types of home renovation materials. Children exposed to multiple types of home renovation had higher odds of sleeping problems. We observed similar findings when considering continuous C-SDSC t-scores. Additionally, sex and age of children modified the associations of home renovation exposure with some of the sleeping problem subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: We found that home renovation was associated with higher odds of having sleeping problems and that they varied when considering the type of renovation, cumulative exposure, sex, and age differences.

Association of residential greenness with obstructive sleep apnea among Chinese old adults and the mediation role of PM2.5 and leisure-time physical activity.

Few studies have investigated the association of residential greenness with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This study was to comprehensively examine the association of residential greenness exposure with OSA and explore the mediating effect of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and PM2.5 on the association among Chinese old adults. A prospective cohort study that enrolled 2027 adults aged ≥65 was conducted between 1st July 2015 and 30th September 2019 in Southern China. OSA was ascertained by Berlin Questionnaire. Greenness exposure was measured by contemporaneous and cumulative average normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in the 1000 m radius around each participant's residential address. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by Cox proportional hazards model to assess the impact of greenness exposure on the incidence of OSA after adjusting for confounders. LTPA and PM2.5 were examined as potential mediators in the aforementioned models. A total of 293, nearly 14.5 %, participants developed OSA within 59,251 person-months of follow-up. When comparing the highest with lowest tertiles, both contemporaneous NDVI (>0.351 vs. ≤0.325: HR = 0.20, 95 % CI = 0.13-0.31) and cumulative NDVI (> 0.346 vs. ≤ 0.317: HR = 0.32, 95 % CI = 0.21-0.47) were associated with a reduced risk of OSA after adjusting for confounders. LTPA and PM2.5 significantly mediated the association between greenness and OSA. In conclusion, this study indicated that exposure to higher residential greenness could decrease OSA risk, and this benefit may be achieved by promoting physical activity and decreasing PM2.5 concentration. The findings suggest to formulate targeted interventional strategies by expanding residential greenness to prevent OSA and reduce disease burden.

Severer air pollution, poorer cognitive function: Findings from 176,345 elders in Northwestern China.

BACKGROUND: Limited evidence exists regarding the link between air pollution exposure and cognitive function in developing countries, particularly in areas with abundant natural sources of particulate matter. OBJECTIVES: To investigate this association in a large representative sample of the elderly in northwestern China. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study among 176,345 participants aged 60-100 years in northwestern China in 2020. A satellite-based spatiotemporal model was applied to assess three-year annual averages of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤ 10 µm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3) at residential address. Poor cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess associations. RESULTS: Compared with participants with the lowest quartiles of PM2.5, PM10, and O3 levels, those with the second, third, and highest quartiles of air pollutants consistently showed increased odds of poor cognitive function and decreased MMSE scores. The odds ratios of poor cognitive function associated with a 10 µg/m3 increment in PM2.5, PM10, and O3 were 1.26 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.17, 1.36), 1.06 (95 %CI: 1.04, 1.08), and 2.76 (95 %CI: 2.11, 3.62), respectively. Subgroup analyses suggested stronger associations between air pollution exposures and poor cognitive function among participants who were younger, were non-Uyghur and were physically active. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposures to PM2.5, PM10 and O3 were associated with poor cognitive function in elders. Our results suggest that reducing air pollution may alleviate the burden of poor cognitive function in the elderly.

Urban greenspace and visual acuity in schoolchildren: a large prospective cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: Greenspace is known to have a positive impact on human health and well-being, but its potential effects on visual acuity have not been extensively studied. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to examine the relationship between long-term greenspace exposure and visual acuity in children, while also exploring the potential mechanisms in this association. METHODS: We conducted this prospective cohort study based on the Children's growth environment, lifestyle, physical, and mental health development project (COHERENCE), which screened 286,801 schoolchildren in Guangzhou, China, starting in the 2016/17 academic year and followed them up for three academic years (2017/18-2019/20). Visual acuity was measured using a standardized logarithmic chart, and visual impairment was defined as visual acuity worse than 0.0 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) units in the better eye. We used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) to assess the greenspace surrounding child's geocoded home and school at each visit. RESULTS: Our analysis indicated that higher greenspace exposure was associated with greater visual acuity z-score at baseline and with slower decline in visual acuity z-score during the 3-year follow-up. An interquartile range increase in home-school-based NDVI 300m was associated with a 7% decrease [hazard ratios (HRs): 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.92, 0.94] in the risk of visual impairment. We also found that air pollution, physical activity, outdoor time, and recreational screen time partially mediated the greenspace-visual acuity association. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that increasing greenspace exposure could benefit children's visual acuity development and reduce the risk of visual impairment by reducing air pollution and recreational screen time while increasing physical activity and outdoor time. All results could have potential policy implications, given the individual and societal burdens associated with visual impairment.

The association between outdoor light at night exposure and adult obesity in Northeastern China.

Previous studies have linked exposure to light at night (LAN) with various health outcomes, but evidence is limited for the LAN-obesity association. Thestudy analysed data from 24,845 participants of the 33 Communities Chinese Health Study and obesity (BMI ≥28 kg/m2) was defined according to the Working Group on Obesity in China. The Global Radiance Calibrated Nighttime Lights data were used to estimate participants' LAN exposure. The mixed-effect regression models examined the LAN-BMI and LAN-obesity association. We found that higher LAN exposure was significantly associated with greater BMI and higher risk of obesity. Changes of BMI and the odds ratios (ORs) of obesity and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th against the 1st quartile of LAN exposure were 0.363 (0.208, 0.519), 0.364 (0.211, 0.516) and 0.217 (0.051, 0.383); 1.228 (1.099, 1.371), 1.356 (1.196, 1.538) and 1.269 (1.124, 1.433), respectively. Age and regular exercise showed significant modification effects on the LAN-obesity association.

Outdoor light at night and depressive symptoms in male veterans: a multicenter cross-sectional study in China.

Previous studies have indicated depression was associated with environmental exposures, but evidence is limited for the association between outdoor light at night (LAN) and depression. This study aims to examine the association between long-term outdoor LAN exposure and depressive symptoms using data from the Chinese Veteran Clinical Research platform. A total of 6445 male veterans were selected from 277 veteran communities in 18 cities of China during 2009‒2011. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Outdoor LAN was estimated using the Global Radiance Calibrated Nighttime Lights data. The odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals of depressive symptoms at the high level of outdoor LAN exposure against the low level during the 1 years before the investigation was 1.49 (1.15, 1.92) with p-value for trend < 0.01, and those associated with per interquartile range increase in LAN exposure was 1.22 (1.06, 1.40).

Urban greenspaces and child blood pressure in China: Evidence from a large population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: With the world's population steadily shifting toward urban living, children's engagement with the natural environment seems to be diminishing. This raises significant concerns about the influence of urban greenspaces on the cardiovascular health of children. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between urban greenspaces exposure and blood pressure (BP) in Chinese primary schoolchildren. METHODS: This prospective cohort study used data from the Children's growth environment, lifestyle, physical, and mental health development (COHERENCE) project in Guangzhou, China. Participants included 164,853 primary schoolchildren starting from 2016/17 to 2019/20 academic year. We assessed the surrounding greenspaces at home and school by using Sentinel-2 satellite data on the normalized difference vegetation index. Prehypertension and hypertension status were defined with BP above 90th to less than the 95th percentile, at or above the 95th percentile, respectively. The association of surrounding greenness with children's BP levels and risk of prehypertension/hypertension were examined using linear mixed-effects models and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among 164,853 eligible children aged 7.21 (0.74) years, 89,190 (54.1%) were boys. Our results showed that average systolic and diastolic BP increased by 0.48 and 0.42 standard deviations, respectively, over the 3-year follow-up. We identified 23,225 new cases of prehypertension and 35,067 of hypertension status. An interquartile range increase both in home-, school- and home-school NDVI100m was significantly associated with a reduction of 0.018-0.037 in BP z-scores and a 2.7%-7.6% lower risk of hypertension. Additionally, family socioeconomic status modified the impact of home-school greenness on BP levels. Air pollution exhibited mediating effects solely in school-greenness-BP associations, while physical activity and children's BMI mainly mediated the relationships between home-greenness and BP. CONCLUSION: The findings of this large cohort study suggest that surrounding greenspaces are associated with lower BP levels and a decreased risk of prehypertension and hypertension in Chinese schoolchildren.

Exposure to ambient air pollution and chronic bronchitis: Findings from over 6.6 million adults in northwestern China.

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution increases the risk of respiratory mortality and morbidity, but evidence concerning effects of air pollution on chronic bronchitis (CB) is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of a set of air pollutants with the burden of CB, and to explore potential modifiers on the associations. METHODS: In 2020, a total of 6,556,440 adults living in the Northwestern region of China were recruited. The Space-Time Extra-Trees model was employed to assess the annual average concentrations of six air pollutants for the three years (2017-2019) before 2020 , and subsequently allocated to the participants based on the latitude and longitude of their home addresses. We investigated the associations between the levels of various air pollutants and the odds of CB using generalized linear mixed models, and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses. RESULTS: The odds of CB displays an approximately linear association with particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 µm (PM10), while it shows a non-linear relationship with gaseous pollutants. In the adjusted model, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for CB per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM10, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were 1.297 (1.262-1.332), 1.072 (1.064-1.080), and 2.587 (2.186-3.063), respectively. Furthermore, several additional sensitivity analyses demonstrated the stability of these associations. Subgroup analyses found that the aforementioned associations were greater among participants aged below 50 years old and those who smoked and had no leisure time exercise. CONCLUSION: Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants may increase the odds of CB, especially among younger people and those with unhealthy lifestyles.

Prenatal Exposure to PFAS, Associations with Preterm Birth and Modification by Maternal Estrogen Levels: The Maoming Birth Study.

BACKGROUND: Estrogens play a critical role in parturition, and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have estrogenic effects, have been associated with preterm birth. However, the impact of estrogens on the association between PFAS and preterm birth is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate if estrogens modified the association between PFAS and preterm birth, using a nested case-control study design. METHODS: A total of 371 preterm births and 508 controls were selected from a birth cohort study in China between 2016 and 2018. Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its branched isomer, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and its branched isomer, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) were quantified in maternal serum (mean gestational age of 32 wk). Estradiol and estriol were quantified in cord serum. Preterm birth was defined as live delivery at <37 gestational weeks. Causal mediation analysis was used to estimate the mediation and interaction effects of estrogen on the association between PFAS and preterm birth. Latent profile analysis was used to identify important estrogen profiles. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate associations between PFAS and preterm birth and interactions between PFAS and estrogens on preterm birth. RESULTS: Overall, higher odds ratios (ORs) of preterm birth were associated with each 1 ln-unit PFAS increase: PFBA [1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 1.26], PFNA (1.30, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.39), PFOA (1.98, 95% CI: 1.54, 2.55), and PFOS (1.91, 95% CI: 1.76, 2.07) and its branched isomer (1.91, 95% CI: 1.90, 1.92). We detected statistically significant interactions between cord estradiol and PFAS on preterm birth, while no mediation effects of cord estrogen were observed. The ORs of PFOS (4.29, 95% CI: 1.31, 8.25), its branched isomer (6.71, 95% CI: 1.06, 11.91), and preterm birth were greater for participants with high cord estrogen levels than for participants with low cord estrogen levels. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that estrogen modified the association between maternal PFAS exposure and preterm birth. Further studies on maternal PFAS exposure and preterm birth, taking interaction effects of cord estrogens into account, are warranted. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11377.

The potential mechanism of the progression from latent to active tuberculosis based on the intestinal microbiota alterations.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) poses a serious challenge to global health systems. The altered intestinal microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of TB, but the exact links remain unclear. METHODS: 16 S rDNA sequencing was performed to comprehensively detect the changes in the intestinal microbiota of feces from active TB (ATB), latent TB infection (LTBI) and healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: The rarefaction curves demonstrated the sequencing results' validity. The alpha diversity was lowest in ATB, while highest in HC. Boxplot of beta diversity showed significant differences in every two groups. LDA Effect Size (LEfSe) Analysis revealed differences in probiotic bacteria like Romboutsia, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in LTBI, and pro-inflammatory bacteria like R. gnavus, Streptococcus and Erysipelatoclostridium in ATB, corresponding to the cluster analysis. PICRUST2 analysis revealed the pentose phosphate pathway was active in ATB and LTBI (more active in ATB). The differences between the groups are statistically significant at the P<0.05 level. CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that from LTBI to ATB, some intestinal microbiota inhibit the synthesis of interferon (INF)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17, promoting the survival and spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). In addition, the metabolites secreted by intestinal microbiota and dysbiosis in intestine also have an effect on the development of LTBI to ATB.

Untargeted Metabolomics of Feces Reveals Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers for Active Tuberculosis and Latent Tuberculosis Infection: Potential Application for Precise and Non-Invasive Identification.

Purpose: Distinguishing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) from active tuberculosis (ATB) is important to control the prevalence of tuberculosis; however, there is currently no effective method. The aim of this study was to discover specific metabolites through fecal untargeted metabolomics to discriminate ATB, individuals with LTBI, and healthy controls (HC) and to probe the metabolic perturbation associated with the progression of tuberculosis. Patients and Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to comprehensively detect compounds in fecal samples from HC, LTBI, and ATB patients. Differential metabolites between the two groups were screened, and their underlying biological functions were explored. Candidate metabolites were selected and enrolled in LASSO regression analysis to construct diagnostic signatures for discriminating between HC, LTBI, and ATB. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate diagnostic value. A nomogram was constructed to predict the risk of progression of LTBI. Results: A total of 35 metabolites were found to exist differentially in HC, LTBI, and ATB, and eight biomarkers were selected. Three diagnostic signatures based on the eight biomarkers were constructed to distinguish between HC, LTBI, and ATB, demonstrating excellent discrimination performance in ROC analysis. A nomogram was successfully constructed to evaluate the risk of progression of LTBI to ATB. Moreover, 3,4-dimethylbenzoic acid has been shown to distinguish ATB patients with different responses to etiological tests. Conclusion: This study constructed diagnostic signatures based on fecal metabolic biomarkers that effectively discriminated HC, LTBI, and ATB, and established a predictive model to evaluate the risk of progression of LTBI to ATB. The results provide scientific evidence for establishing an accurate, sensitive, and noninvasive differential diagnosis scheme for tuberculosis.

Research on the psychological status of medical staff during the COVID-19 epidemic in China: A longitudinal study.

An online questionnaire, including the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), was used to assess the psychological status of medical staff in Wuhan during the COVID-19 epidemic. Lasso-Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the risk factors of abnormal psychological status (anxiety or depression). 36.6% of the study subjects experienced anxiety, and 41.5% experienced depression. Female (OR [odds ratio] = 7.22, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.58-89.33), basic diseases (OR = 17.95, 95% CI: 1.59-202.49), suspected exposure history (OR = 9.63, 95% CI: 1.40-66.29), smoking (OR = 6.07, 95% CI: 0.38-96.78) were risk factors for anxiety. Female (OR = 5.00, 95% CI: 0.45-55.91), basic diseases (OR = 37.19, 95% CI: 2.70-512.73), suspected exposure history (OR = 5.10, 95% CI: 0.78-33.10), drinking wine (OR = 6.27, 95% CI: 0.38-103.85) were risk factors for depression. The results of the re-sampling evaluation after 2 years showed that some medical staff still showed anxiety (42.4%) and depression (27.3%), and the proportion of females was higher. Early intervention should be carried out, and short-term and long-term intervention plans should be formulated.

Association between Residential Greenness and Human Microbiota: Evidence from Multiple Countries.

BACKGROUND: Greenness, referring to a measurement of the density of vegetated land (e.g., gardens, parks, grasslands), has been linked with many human health outcomes. However, the evidence on greenness exposure and human microbiota remains limited, inconclusive, drawn from specific regions, and based on only modest sample size. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to study the association between greenness exposure and human microbial diversity and composition in a large sample across 34 countries and regions. METHODS: We explored associations between residential greenness and human microbial alpha-diversity, composition, and genus abundance using data from 34 countries. Greenness exposure was assessed using the normalized difference vegetation index and the enhanced vegetation index mean values in the month before sampling. We used linear regression models to estimate the association between greenness and microbial alpha-diversity and tested the effect modification of age, sex, climate zone, and pet ownership of participants. Differences in microbial composition were tested by permutational multivariate analysis of variance based on Bray-Curtis distance and differential taxa were detected using the DESeq2 R package between two greenness exposure groups split by median values of greenness. RESULTS: We found that higher greenness was significantly associated with greater richness levels in the palm and gut microbiota but decreased evenness in the gut microbiota. Pet ownership and climate zone modified some associations between greenness and alpha-diversity. Palm and gut microbial composition at the genus level also varied by greenness. Higher abundances of the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and lower abundances of the genera Anaerotruncus and Streptococcus, were observed in people with higher greenness levels. DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that residential greenness was associated with microbial richness and composition in the human skin and gut samples, collected across different geographic contexts. Future studies may validate the observed associations and determine whether they correspond to improvements in human health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12186.

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

We simultaneously assessed the associations for a range of outdoor environmental exposures with prevalent tuberculosis (TB) cases in a population-based health program with 1940,622 participants ≥ 15 years of age. TB status was confirmed through bacteriological and clinical assessment. We measured 14 outdoor environmental exposures at residential addresses. An exposome-wide association study (ExWAS) approach was used to estimate cross-sectional associations between environmental exposures and prevalent TB, an adaptive elastic net model (AENET) was implemented to select important exposure(s), and the Extreme Gradient Boosting algorithm was subsequently applied to assess their relative importance. In ExWAS analysis, 12 exposures were significantly associated with prevalent TB. Eight of the exposures were selected as predictors by the AENET model: particulate matter ≤ 2.5 µm (odds ratio [OR]=1.01, p = 0.3295), nitrogen dioxide (OR=1.09, p < 0.0001), carbon monoxide (OR=1.19, p < 0.0001), and wind speed (OR=1.08, p < 0.0001) were positively associated with the odds of prevalent TB while sulfur dioxide (OR=0.95, p = 0.0017), altitude (OR=0.97, p < 0.0001), artificial light at night (OR=0.98, p = 0.0001), and proportion of forests, shrublands, and grasslands (OR=0.95, p < 0.0001) were negatively associated with the odds of prevalent TB. Air pollutants had higher relative importance than meteorological and geographical factors, and the outdoor environment collectively explained 11% of TB prevalence.