Targeting the 'DNA methylation mark': Analysis of early epigenetic-alterations in children chronically exposed to arsenic.

Chronic exposure to arsenic causes adverse health effects in children. Aberrant epigenetic modifications including altered DNA methylation pattern are one of the major steps towards malignant transformation of cells. Our group has previously identified significant alteration in DNA methylation mark in arsenic exposed adults, affecting major biological pathways.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and lead (Pb) as "cardiovascular disruptors" in 9-11-year-old children living in Syracuse, New York, United States.

Objective: Per- and polyfluoro-alkyl substances (PFAS) and lead (Pb) are ubiquitous environmental toxicants with apparent impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. As one possible mechanism for this increased risk, we have previously demonstrated an association between Pb exposure and heightened cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress, a CVD risk factor. The present study expands this approach and considers both PFAS and Pb exposures (and the possible interaction).

Race, cortisol, and subclinical cardiovascular disease in 9- to 11-year-old children.

Background: Non-Hispanic Black Americans have a greater risk for certain subtypes of cardiovascular disease (CVD; e.g., stroke and heart failure) relative to non-Hispanic White Americans.

Exposure to Arsenic and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease in 9- to 11-Year-Old Children, Syracuse, New York.

Importance: Studies in adults have demonstrated associations between arsenic exposure and clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). No studies to date have considered potential associations in children.

Objective: To examine the association between total urinary arsenic levels in children and subclinical indicators of CVD.

Feasibility of remote self-collection of dried blood spots, hair, and nails among people with HIV with hazardous alcohol use.

Background: The use of biomarkers in behavioral HIV research can help to address limitations of self-reported data. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many researchers to transition from standard in-person data collection to remote data collection. We present data on the feasibility of remote self-collection of dried blood spots (DBS), hair, and nails for the objective assessment of alcohol use, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and stress in a sample of people with HIV (PWH) who are hazardous drinkers.

Airborne levels of cadmium are correlated with urinary cadmium concentrations among young children living in the New York state city of Syracuse, USA.

Air pollution is a serious public health issue with early childhood exposure being of high concern because of the greater risk that children might experience negative health outcomes. Industrial sources in and near communities are one potential path of exposure that children might face with greater levels of air pollution correlating with higher levels of toxicants detected in children. We compare estimated ambient air concentrations of Cadmium (Cd) to a cohort (n = 281) of 9 to 11-year old children during their early childhood years (0-5 years of age) in a mid-size city in Upstate New York.

Twenty-Four-Hour Central Hemodynamic Load in Adults With and Without a History of COVID-19.

Background: Although hypertension is a risk factor for severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness, little is known about the effects of COVID-19 on blood pressure (BP). Central BP measures taken over a 24-hour period using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) adds prognostic value in assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk compared with brachial BP measures from a single time point. We assessed CVD risk between adults with and without a history of COVID-19 via appraisal of 24-hour brachial and central hemodynamic load from ABPM.

Social Stressors, Arboviral Infection, and Immune Dysregulation in the Coastal Lowland Region of Ecuador: A Mixed Methods Approach in Ecological Perspective.

Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits arboviral diseases such as dengue (DENV), chikungunya (CHIKV), and Zika viruses (ZIKV), is present in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Individuals at risk of mosquito-borne disease (MBD) in the urban tropics face daily challenges linked to their socio-environment conditions, such as poor infrastructure, poverty, crowding, and limited access to adequate healthcare. These daily demands induce chronic stress events and dysregulated immune responses.

Physical activity is associated with lower pulsatile stress but not carotid stiffness in children.

The cardiovascular disease (CVD) process may begin early in life when accompanied by atherosclerotic risk factors. CVD risk factors in children are associated with stiffening of the large elastic arteries, a reflection of subclinical atherosclerosis. Physical activity is a preventative lifestyle strategy that may benefit arterial stiffness by attenuating the hemodynamic stress on the artery wall.

Association of Sleep Quality With Greater Left Ventricular Mass in Children Aged 9 to 11 Years.

Objective: Research has consistently found associations between sleep characteristics and cardiovascular disease risk in children, adolescents, and adults. Although primarily investigated in clinical samples (e.g.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus antibodies in adults and children from upstate New York: A cross-sectional study.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of viral hepatitis around the world, especially in developing countries. Recently, HEV has also been recognized as important cause of hepatitis in Europe and Japan, however, there is a paucity of clinical data from the United States. The overall seroprevalence of HEV antibodies is around 10% in the United States, but considerable variation is seen based on geographic location, year, and assay used.

Linking metal (Pb, Hg, Cd) industrial air pollution risk to blood metal levels and cardiovascular functioning and structure among children in Syracuse, NY.

Background: Exposure to air pollution has been linked to individual health effects in occupational environments and communities proximate to air pollution sources. Use of estimated chemical concentrations from the Risk Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI) model, derived from the Toxics Release Inventory, can help approximate some contributions to individual lifetime exposure to risk from air pollution and holds potential for linkages with specific health outcome data.

Objectives: Our objectives were: (1) use regression modeling to test for associations between observed blood metal concentrations in children and RSEI total air concentrations of the same metals released from proximate manufacturing facilities; (2) determine the relative contribution of RSEI air pollution to blood metal concentrations; and (3) examine associations between chronic metal exposure and cardiovascular functioning and structure in study participants.

Vacation's lingering benefits, but only for those with low stress jobs.

Vacationing provides potential recovery from work stress and is associated with cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. This study considered psychological variables that might change as a vacation is approaching (fade-in) or after a vacation ends (fade-out) and how these associations might vary as a function of ongoing work stress. Sixty workers eligible for paid time off were recruited from the community.

A pragmatic approach to the comparison of wrist-based cutpoints of physical activity intensity for the MotionWatch8 accelerometer in children.

Background: A variety of wearable monitors are available for objectively assessing physical activity but there is a lack of established values for the activity intensity of MotionWatch8 (MW8) and a similar lack of studies on comparability across devices. Our study aimed to establish activity intensity cutpoints for the MW8 accelerometer in children, which are necessary to determine whether they are meeting physical activity guidelines.

Methods: Children (n = 39, ages 9-13 years) were asked to wear two different accelerometers (MW8 and ActiGraph) simultaneously on the same dominant wrist as they performed different activities designed to mimic activities of variable intensity that a child might perform in a free-living environment.

Dietary contributions to increased background lead, mercury, and cadmium in 9-11 Year old children: Accounting for racial differences.

Background: Initial interest in the adverse consequences of exposure to lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) focused on relatively high exposures through environmental or occupational sources; however, recent evidence suggests even low-level background exposure to non-essential metals might be detrimental, particularly for children's health and development. One potentially important source of increased background levels of non-essential toxic metals is diet.

Objectives: We considered whether differences in diet are associated with levels of non-essential metals in blood and whether racial differences in metals are mediated by dietary differences.

Race Differences in the Effect of Subjective Social Status on Hostility and Depressive Symptoms Among 9- to 11-Year-Old Children.

Purpose: Research shows that subjective social status (SSS) is a salient determinant of health. However, there is little research on SSS-related group differences on psychosocial outcomes among children. The purpose of the current study was to determine if associations between psychosocial functioning and SSS in children varied as a function of racial groups.

Do vacations alter the connection between stress and cardiovascular activity? The effects of a planned vacation on the relationship between weekly stress and ambulatory heart rate.

To examine how the association between psychological stress and ambulatory heart rate varies in the weeks before and after a planned vacation. We hypothesized that the impact of stress on heart rate would weaken in the weeks leading up to the vacation and return to normal levels in the weeks following the vacation. Fifty-four workers eligible for paid vacation time were recruited; stress ratings obtained via weekly surveys and ambulatory heart rate readings obtained via a wrist-worn consumer device were collected before and after the vacation.

Vacation frequency is associated with metabolic syndrome and symptoms.

To examine the extent to which vacationing behavior is associated with metabolic outcomes. Specifically, we consider how total vacation episodes and total vacation days from the past 12 months relate to metabolic syndrome and metabolic symptoms. Sixty-three workers eligible for paid vacation attended a lab visit during which their blood was drawn and they completed an interview assessing vacationing behavior in the past 12 months.

Variability in the spatial density of vacant properties contributes to background lead (Pb) exposure in children.

Background: Heightened blood lead levels (BLL) are associated with cognitive deficiencies and adverse behavioral outcomes. Lead-contaminated house dust is the primary source of exposure in U.S.

Dog Ownership and Training Reduces Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Increases Self-Compassion Among Veterans: Results of a Longitudinal Control Study.

The aims of this study were to measure the potential impact of a therapeutic dog ownership and training program for Veterans with symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The study used a quasi-experimental design with two cohorts of Veterans-a dog owner-trainer intervention and a wait list control group. Participants completed baseline and 12-month follow-up assessments.

Arterial stiffness and cerebral hemodynamic pulsatility during cognitive engagement in younger and older adults.

Unlabelled: This study examined central artery stiffness and hemodynamic pulsatility during cognitive engagement in younger and older adults.

Methods: Vascular-hemodynamic measures were completed in 19 younger (age 35±1yrs) and 20 older (age 69±2yrs) adults at rest and during a Stroop task. Aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, PWV) and carotid pulse pressure (PP) were assessed using applanation tonometry.

Background lead and mercury exposures: Psychological and behavioral problems in children.

Background: The potential harm from exposure to nonessential metals, particularly mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb), has been the focus of research for years. Initial interest focused on relatively high exposures; however, recent evidence suggests that even background exposures might have adverse consequences for child development. Identifying the extent of these consequences is now a priority.