scholarly journals Inequalities in Exposure to Ambient Air Neurotoxicants and Disparities in Markers of Neurodevelopment in Children by Maternal Nativity Status

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7512
Author(s):  
Faven Araya ◽  
Jeanette A. Stingone ◽  
Luz Claudio
Keyword(s):  
Short Form ◽  
Environmental Pollutants ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Nativity Status ◽  
Maternal Nativity ◽  
Exposure Levels ◽  
Different Populations

Exposure levels to environmental pollutants vary significantly among different populations. These inequities in exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAP) among different populations can contribute to disparities in neurodevelopmental outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine if exposure to HAP varies by maternal nativity status, a demographic marker often overlooked in the study of health disparities. We also assessed if those inequalities in exposure levels are associated with neurodevelopmental measures in young children. To do this, we obtained data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth cohort (ECLS-B), a nationally representative sample of children born in the U.S. in the year 2001 (N = 4750). Bayley’s Short Form-Research Edition (BSF-R) was used to measure cognitive development at 2 years of age. Using residential location at nine months of age, participants were assigned exposures to ten HAPs identified as potentially neurotoxic. Linear regression models were used to assess the joint effect of maternal nativity status and HAP exposure on neurodevelopment. Results showed inequities in exposure levels to ten different HAPs among the populations, as approximately 32% of children of foreign-born mothers were exposed to high levels of HAPs, compared to 21% of children born to U.S.-born mothers. Adjusting for socioeconomic factors, both isophorone exposure (a marker of industrial pollution) (−0.04, 95% CI, -0.12, 0.04) and maternal nativity status (−0.17, 95% CI, −0.27, −0.06) were independently associated with lower standardized BSF-R mental scores in children. Interaction between nativity status and isophorone was not statistically significant, but the change in mental scores associated with isophorone exposure was greater in children of foreign-born mothers compared to children of U.S.-born mothers (−0.12, vs. −0.03, p = 0.2). In conclusion, exposure to HAPs within the highest quartile was more commonly found among children of foreign-born mothers as compared to children of US-born mothers, indicating inequities in pollutant exposure by nativity status within urban populations. Exposures associated with nativity status may negatively contribute to children’s neurodevelopment.

scholarly journals Assessing the Psychometric Proprieties of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) Among Latino Adults

Assessment ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-224
Author(s):  
Lucas Torres ◽  
Brooke Magnus ◽  
Natasha Najar
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Psychological Help ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Help Seeking Attitudes ◽  
Nativity Status ◽  
Professional Psychological Help ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Practical Implications

The Latino population continues to underutilize mental health services at an alarming rate. The Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale–Short Form (ATSPPH-SF) is one of the most commonly used instruments to assess help-seeking attitudes. The current study sought to evaluate the factor structure and test for the presence of differential item functioning on the ATSPPH-SF with a sample of Latino adult individuals across nativity status (U.S.- vs. foreign-born), language format (English vs. Spanish), and gender. The analyses revealed two relatively independent factors named Openness to Seeking Treatment and Value and Need in Seeking Treatment. Measurement equivalence and practical implications are discussed in the context of use with Latino individuals.

scholarly journals Intersections Of Neighborhood Co-Ethnic Density and Nativity Status On Heavy Drinking In a General Population Sample Of US Latinos and Asians

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-81
Author(s):  
Christina C Tam ◽  
Camillia K Lui ◽  
Katherine J Karriker-Jaffe
Keyword(s):  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Heavy Drinking ◽  
Heavy Episodic Drinking ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
California Health Interview Survey ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Ethnic Density ◽  
Nativity Status

Abstract Aims Greater neighborhood co-ethnic density (living in proximity with people sharing an ethnicity) and being foreign-born each can protect against risky drinking, but little is known about whether these two factors interact. Using a representative sample of Latinos and Asians from California, USA, we investigate main and interactive effects of neighborhood co-ethnic density and nativity status in relation to heavy episodic drinking (HED). Methods This study uses the California Health Interview Survey (N = 30,203) linked with neighborhood data to investigate associations of co-ethnic density and nativity status with HED. Co-ethnic density was based on matching each respondent’s ethnicity to the proportion of residents of the corresponding group in their Census tract. Using weighted logistic regression, we first examined main effects of neighborhood co-ethnic density and respondent nativity status on HED. Next, we assessed the interaction of co-ethnic density and nativity status. Finally, we estimated nativity-stratified models to investigate variation in effects of co-ethnic density. Results Co-ethnic density was not associated with HED for the full sample, but US-born nativity status was associated with increased odds of past-year HED. The interaction model showed co-ethnic density and nativity had synergistic effects, whereby greater levels of neighborhood co-ethnic density buffered risk associated with being US-born. Further, greater neighborhood co-ethnic density was associated with reduced odds of HED for US-born respondents, but it was not associated with HED for foreign-born respondents. Conclusions Protective effects of high neighborhood co-ethnic density on HED are stronger for US-born than for foreign-born Latinos and Asians in California.

scholarly journals Residue Levels of Organochlorine Pesticides in Breast Milk and Its Associations with Cord Blood Thyroid Hormones and the Offspring’s Neurodevelopment

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng-Chih Kao ◽  
Danielle E. Que ◽  
Sayre J. Bongo ◽  
Lemmuel L. Tayo ◽  
Yi-Hsien Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Cord Blood ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Growth Hormones ◽  
Exposure Group ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Postnatal Exposure ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Infant Neurodevelopment

Previous studies have demonstrated that organochlorine pesticide (OCP) exposure has a negative impact on the neurological function of infants. Only a few reports have investigated the thyroid and growth hormones and their relationship to neurodevelopment after human exposure to OCPs, especially in the case of infants. Our goal was to determine whether breastmilk OCP residues were associated with negative impacts and/or alterations in the neurodevelopment of infants among specific southern Taiwanese mother–breastfed infant pairs. Our subjects (n = 55 pairs) were recruited from southern Taiwan between 2007 and 2010. The thyroid and growth hormone levels in the cord blood samples collected after childbirth were determined. The breastmilk was gathered within one month after childbirth for the determination of OCP levels using a high-resolution gas chromatograph with mass spectrometry, and the neurodevelopment of 10–12-month-old infants was examined using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development®, Third Edition (Bayley-III). It was observed that 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene (4,4′-DDE) (mean = 10.3 ng/g lipid) was the most predominant OCP compound in the breastmilk samples. At higher concentrations (>75th percentile), specific OCPs were associated with significantly lower levels of thyroid and growth hormones than at lower concentrations (<75th percentile). Significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) were observed for binary cognitive (OR = 8.09, p = 0.025 for 4,4′-DDT), language (OR = 11.9, p = 0.013 for 4,4′-DDT) and social–emotional (OR = 6.06, p = 0.01 for trans-CHL) composite scores for specific OCPs belonging to the lower exposure group as compared to the higher OCP exposure group. The five domain Bayley-III infant neurodevelopment outcomes were negatively associated with specific OCPs in the breast milk samples based on the redundancy analysis (RDA) test. Bayley-III scales, which include cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, and adaptive behavior scales, could be predicted by 4,4′-DDT, endrin, endosulfan I, heptachlor, or heptachlor epoxide using multivariate linear regression models with adjustment for maternal age, pre-pregnant BMI, parity, and infant gender. In conclusion, although our study showed that postnatal exposure to breast milk OCPs may be associated with infant neurodevelopmental outcomes and that prenatal exposure, if extrapolated from breastmilk levels, is associated with changes in thyroid and growth hormones that may have effects on neurodevelopment, these associations are only suggestive; thus, further studies are recommended for confirmation.

scholarly journals Residential Proximity to Greenness Mitigates the Hemodynamic Effects of Ambient Air Pollution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Riggs ◽  
Ray Yeager ◽  
Daniel J. Conklin ◽  
Natasha DeJarnett ◽  
Rachel J Keith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arterial Stiffness ◽  
Pulse Pressure ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Augmentation Index ◽  
Systolic Pressure ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Ambient Air Pollution ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Residential Proximity ◽  
Augmentation Pressure

Background: Residential proximity to greenness is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. However, it is unclear whether the beneficial effects of greenness are linked to a reduction in the effects of ambient air pollutants. Methods and Results: We measured arterial stiffness in 73 participants with moderate to high CVD risk. Average levels of ambient PM2.5 and ozone were calculated from local monitoring stations. Residential greenness was estimated using satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for a 200m and 1km radius around each participant's home. Participants were 51% female; average age of 52 years; and, 79% had diagnosed hypertension. In multiple linear regression models, residential NDVI was negatively associated with augmentation index (-3.8% per 0.1 NDVI). Ambient levels of PM2.5 (per interquartile range (IQR) of 6.9 μg/m3) were positively associated with augmentation pressure (3.1 mmHg), pulse pressure (5.9 mmHg), and aortic systolic pressure (8.1 mmHg). Ozone (per IQR of 0.03 ppm) was positively associated with augmentation index (5.5%), augmentation pressure (3.1 mmHg), and aortic systolic pressure (10 mmHg). In areas of low greenness, both PM2.5 and ozone were positively associated with pulse pressure. Additionally, ozone was positively associated with augmentation pressure and systolic blood pressure. However, in areas of high greenness, there was no significant association between indices of arterial stiffness with either PM2.5 or ozone.Conclusions: Residential proximity to greenness is associated with lower values of arterial stiffness. Residential greenness may mitigate the adverse effects of PM2.5 and ozone on arterial stiffness.

scholarly journals Uncertainty of PM10 concentration measurement on the example of an optical measuring device

2018 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 02008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Owczarek ◽  
Mariusz Rogulski
Keyword(s):  
Regression Models ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Reference Method ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Measuring Device ◽  
Incomplete Knowledge ◽  
Uncertainty Of Measurements ◽  
Definition Of

The interest in the natural environment, in particular the ambient air, has been growing. For this reason, growing interest in measuring of concentration of pollutants in the air. To the reduction of costs and time of obtained results, increasingly are used non-reference, alternative methods and devices. However, it is necessary to ensure equivalence of results obtained by alternative methods with the results of the reference method. One of the equivalence issues is the assessment of the measurements uncertainty of the alternative method in relation to the reference method. This uncertainty is understood as the probability of obtaining a measurement result which differs from the real (reference) result by a predetermined value. Uncertainty can be caused by many reasons: imperfect implementation of the definition of the measurand, incomplete knowledge of the influence of external factors, heterogeneity of the analyzed phenomenon, errors of the measuring device and others. The paper presents methods for testing the uncertainty of measurements used in the study of equivalence and also proposed extending the test procedure with equivalence models, different from the linear regression models.

scholarly journals Examining the Association of Socioeconomic Position with Microcephaly and Delayed Childhood Neurodevelopment among Children with Prenatal Zika Virus Exposure

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1342
Author(s):  
Grace M. Power ◽  
Suzanna C. Francis ◽  
Nuria Sanchez Clemente ◽  
Zilton Vasconcelos ◽  
Patricia Brasil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
Socioeconomic Indicators ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Virus Exposure

Increased rates of Zika virus have been identified in economically deprived areas in Brazil at the population level; yet, the implications of the interaction between socioeconomic position and prenatal Zika virus exposure on adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes remains insufficiently evaluated at the individual level. Using data collected between September 2015 and September 2019 from 163 children with qRT-PCR and/or IgM-confirmed prenatal exposure to Zika virus participating in a prospective cohort study in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (NCT03255369), this study evaluated the relationships of socioeconomic indicators with microcephaly at birth and Bayley-III neurodevelopmental scores during the early life course. Adjusted logistic regression models indicated increased odds of microcephaly in children born to families with lower household income (OR, 95% CI: 3.85, 1.43 to 10.37) and higher household crowding (OR, 95% CI: 1.83, 1.16 to 2.91), while maternal secondary and higher education appeared to have a protective effect for microcephaly compared to primary education (OR, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.11 to 0.98 and 0.10, 0.03 to 0.36, respectively). Consistent with these findings, adjusted linear regression models indicated lower composite language (−10.78, 95% CI: −19.87 to −1.69), motor (−10.45, 95% CI: −19.22 to −1.69), and cognitive (−17.20, 95% CI: −26.13 to −8.28) scores in children whose families participated in the Bolsa Família social protection programme. As such, the results from this investigation further emphasise the detrimental effects of childhood disadvantage on human health and development by providing novel evidence on the link between individual level socioeconomic indicators and microcephaly and delayed early life neurodevelopment following prenatal Zika virus exposure.

scholarly journals Family Structure Change Among Latinos: Variation by Ecologic Risk

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (15) ◽  
pp. 2123-2145
Author(s):  
Natasha J. Cabrera ◽  
Elizabeth Karberg ◽  
Jay Fagan
Keyword(s):  
Family Structure ◽  
Ecological Risk ◽  
Father Involvement ◽  
Structure Change ◽  
Economic Stress ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Nativity Status ◽  
Urban Sample ◽  
Break Up ◽  
Latino Mothers

We examined differences in family structure change in an urban sample of mothers ( N = 1,314) from their child’s birth to age 5 and whether ecological risk moderated this association. We found that compared with U.S.-born Latino mothers, foreign-born Latino mothers were 62% less likely to break up and 75% less likely to repartner than remain stably resident. Across nativity status, Latina mothers with fewer children, more economic stress, less income, and less frequently reported father involvement were more likely to break up and repartner than remain stably resident. We found no moderation effects of ecological risk.

scholarly journals Association between Personal Social Capital and Loneliness among Widowed Older People

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 5799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongdong Jiang ◽  
Yitan Hou ◽  
Jinwei Hao ◽  
Jiayi Zhou ◽  
Junfeng Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Older People ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Bridging Social Capital ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

To explore the association between the personal social capital and loneliness among the widowed older adults in China. Data from 1497 widowed older adults were extracted from China’s Health-Related Quality of Life Survey for Older Adults 2018. The Chinese version of the Personal Social Capital Scale (PSCS-16) was used to evaluate the participants’ status of bonding and bridging social capital (BOC and BRC). Loneliness was assessed by the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8). Multiple linear regression models were established to examine the relationship between social capital and loneliness. The BOC and BRC of rural widowed older people were significantly lower than those of widowed older people in urban areas, while loneliness of rural widowed older people was higher than that of widowed older people in urban areas. The result of the final model showed that loneliness of rural participants was significantly associated with both BOC (B = 0.141, p = 0.001) and BRC (B = −0.116, p = 0.003). The loneliness of the urban widowed sample had no association with both BOC and BRC (p > 0.05). These findings suggested that more social support and compassionate care should be provided to enrich the personal social capital and thus to reduce loneliness of widowed older adults, especially those in rural areas.

Supplementary descriptions and DNA barcodes of two rarely encountered Trisetacus species (Eriophyoidea, Phytoptidae) associated with Tertiary relict conifers from the Mediterranean region

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1631-1652
Author(s):  
Philipp Chetverikov ◽  
S.J. Bolton ◽  
M.S. Burlakovskiy ◽  
C. Craemer ◽  
P.G. Efimov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Synonymous Substitution ◽  
Complex Life Cycle ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Cedrus Deodara ◽  
Abies Nordmanniana ◽  
Different Populations ◽  
Coi Sequences ◽  
First Time

New records and supplementary morphological descriptions of two rarely encountered Trisetacus species from Pinaceae, T. abietis Postner 1968 and T. cedri (Nalepa 1920), are reported. Trisetacus abietis was found in Abkhazia under the needle epidermis of Abies nordmanniana (Steven) Spach, a conifer endemic to the mountainous Asian coast of the Black Sea. Trisetacus cedri was found in buds of introduced Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don in Abkhazia and South Africa. It is the only member of Trisetacus known from Cedrus spp. For the first time we provide sequences of two genes (COI and D1–D2 28S) of T. abietis (MN022221, MN025333) and T. cedri (MN022222, MN022223, MN025334, MN025335), along with microphotographs of the damage caused by these mites on their coniferous hosts. Sequences of D1–D2 28S of T. cedri from Abkhazian and South African populations are identical; COI sequences from different populations differ by only one synonymous substitution in a codon for asparagine. Females of T. abietis have long asymmetrical 8/7-rayed empodia, whereas males have shorter symmetrical 6/6-rayed empodia and shorter solenidia ω I. Similar sexual dimorphism in tarsal appendages was previously reported in Novophytoptus, representing an endoparasitic lineage of phytoptids on monocots. In T. cedri, a “long form” and a “short form” of both males and females were detected, suggesting a complex life cycle in this species. The evolution of Trisetacus is discussed within the broader context of the molecular phylogenies of Pinaceae and Eriophyoidea, including estimations of divergence times.

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