Physical and compositional characteristics of drinking water storage tank sediment.

Thirty-one drinking water storage tank sediment samples were collected in 13 states, 17 distribution systems, and 29 tanks over the course of 4 years. Sediment samples were characterized for elemental composition and physical properties, which were found to be inconsistent both between samples of the same distribution system and across geographical regions. Differences between samples from the same tank also indicated spatial differences in sediment composition within storage tanks.

Upgraded space and time resolved visible spectroscopic diagnostic on ADITYA-U tokamak.

Poloidal asymmetries in neutral and impurity ion temperatures and particle and impurity transports have been observed in many tokamaks. To investigate these asymmetries, space-resolved visible spectroscopic diagnostic of the ADTIYA-U tokamak has been upgraded to measure the spatial profile of Hα and impurities spectral line profile, ion temperature, and plasma rotation from both low and high field sides of the plasma, simultaneously with a better spatial resolution. This has been done by developing a linear array of 15 optical fibers as compared to the present linear array of nine fibers having a core diameter of 400 μm and coupling it to the entrance slit of a 1 m long high-resolution spectrometer of the existing diagnostic.

A Cheminformatics Workflow to Select Representative TSCA Chemicals for New Approach Methodology (NAM) Screening.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires the US EPA to evaluate the hazard and exposure of new and existing chemicals. New chemical notifications are typically data-poor and EPA has historically relied upon approaches including chemical categories to fill data gaps. As part of a multi-year Research Program, opportunities are being explored to leverage New Approach Methods (NAMs) in hazard and exposure assessments.

Radiation Therapy for Rectal Cancer: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline Focused Update.

Purpose: With the results of several recently published clinical trials, this guideline focused update provides evidence-based recommendations for the indications and dose-fractionation regimens for neoadjuvant radiation therapy (RT), optimal sequencing of RT and systemic therapy in the context of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT), and considerations for selective omission of RT and surgery for rectal cancer.

Methods: The American Society for Radiation Oncology convened a multidisciplinary task force to update 3 key questions that focused on the role of RT for patients with operable rectal cancer. The key questions addressed (1) indications for neoadjuvant RT, (2) selection of neoadjuvant regimens, and (3) indications for consideration of a nonoperative management (NOM) or local excision approach after definitive/preoperative chemoradiation.

A new approach methodology to identify tumorigenic chemicals using short-term exposures and transcript profiling.

Current methods for cancer risk assessment are resource-intensive and not feasible for most of the thousands of untested chemicals. In earlier studies, we developed a new approach methodology (NAM) to identify liver tumorigens using gene expression biomarkers and associated tumorigenic activation levels (TALs) after short-term exposures in rats. The biomarkers are used to predict the six most common rodent liver cancer molecular initiating events.

Archival records housed at USTUR support radium dial worker dosimetry.

The American radium dial worker (RDW) cohort of over 3,200 persons is being revisited as part of the Million Person Study (MPS) to include a modern approach to RDW dosimetry. An exceptional source of data and contextualization in this project is an extensive collection of electronic records (requiring 43 gigabytes (GB) of storage) digitized from existing microfilm and microfiche housed at the United States Transuranium and Uranium Registries (USTUR). Although the type, extent, and quality (e.

Application of FISH based G2-PCC assay for the cytogenetic assessment of high radiation dose exposures: Potential implications for rapid triage biodosimetry.

The main goal of this study is to test the utility of calyculin A induced G2-PCC assay as a biodosimetry triage tool for assessing a wide range of low and acute high radiation dose exposures of photons. Towards this initiative, chromosome aberrations induced by low and high doses of x-rays were evaluated and characterized in G2-prematurely condensed chromosomes (G2-PCCs) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using human centromere and telomere specific PNA (peptide nucleic acid) probes. A dose dependent increase in the frequency of dicentric chromosomes was observed in the G2-PCCs up to 20 Gy of x-rays.

Weather conditions and legionellosis: a nationwide case-crossover study among Medicare recipients.

Legionellosis is a respiratory infection caused by sp. that is found in water and soil. Infection may cause pneumonia (Legionnaires' Disease) and a milder form (Pontiac Fever).

Comprehensive compilation of congener profiles to support health assessment of environmental exposures to polychlorinated biphenyl mixtures.

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remains a potential human health risk due to their persistence in the environment, despite a global ban on their production. Understanding the composition of PCB mixtures is essential for the application of a mixtures-based approach to assessing health risks of PCB exposure. This work represents the most extensive effort to date to compile and make publicly available the PCB congener profiles for mixtures with toxicological data, providing a foundation for understanding toxicological potency of PCB mixtures in the environment.

In Vitro Hepatic Clearance Evaluations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) across Multiple Structural Categories.

Toxicokinetic (TK) assays and in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) models are New Approach Methods (NAMs) used to translate in vitro points of departure to exposure estimates required to reach equivalent blood concentrations. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large chemical class with wide-ranging industrial applications for which only limited toxicity data are available for human health evaluation. To address the lack of TK data, a pooled primary human hepatocyte suspension model was used with targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to investigate substrate depletion for 54 PFAS.

Machine learning-enhanced stochastic uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the ICRP human respiratory tract model for an inhaled radionuclide.

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has developed the reference Human Respiratory Tract Model (HRTM), detailed in ICRP Publications 66 and 130, to estimate the deposition and clearance of inhaled radionuclides. These models utilize reference anatomical and physiological parameters for particle deposition (PD). Biokinetic models further estimate retention and excretion of internalized particulates, aiding the derivation of inhalation dose coefficients (DC).

In Vitro Screening for ToxCast Chemicals Binding to Thyroxine-Binding Globulin.

Thyroid hormone (TH) carrier proteins play an important role in distributing TH to target tissue as well as maintaining the balance of free versus bound TH in the blood. Interference with the TH carrier proteins has been identified as a potential mechanism of thyroid system disruption. To address the lack of data regarding chemicals binding to these carrier proteins and displacing TH, a fluorescence-based screening assay was utilized to screen over 1,400 chemicals from the U.

Screening the ToxCast Chemical Libraries for Binding to Transthyretin.

Transthyretin (TTR) is one of the serum binding proteins responsible for transport of thyroid hormones (TH) to target tissue and for maintaining the balance of available TH. Chemical binding to TTR and subsequent displacement of TH has been identified as an end point in screening chemicals for potential disruption of the thyroid system. To address the lack of data regarding chemicals binding to TTR, we optimized an assay utilizing the fluorescent probe 8-anilino-1-napthalenesulfonic acid (ANSA) and the human protein TTR to screen over 1500 chemicals from the U.

Signature analysis of high-throughput transcriptomics screening data for mechanistic inference and chemical grouping.

High-throughput transcriptomics (HTTr) uses gene expression profiling to characterize the biological activity of chemicals in in vitro cell-based test systems. As an extension of a previous study testing 44 chemicals, HTTr was used to screen an additional 1,751 unique chemicals from the EPA's ToxCast collection in MCF7 cells using 8 concentrations and an exposure duration of 6 h. We hypothesized that concentration-response modeling of signature scores could be used to identify putative molecular targets and cluster chemicals with similar bioactivity.

Non-Linkage to Care and Non-Viral Suppression among Hispanic/Latino Persons by Birthplace and Social Vulnerability-United States, 2021.

Background: Assessing individual- and community-level factors may help to explain differences among Hispanic/Latino adults with diagnosed HIV not linked to care and without viral suppression in the United States.

Methods: We analyzed CDC's National HIV Surveillance System data among Hispanic/Latino persons aged ≥ 18 years with HIV diagnosed during 2021 in 47 states and the District of Columbia and linked cases via census tracts to the CDC/ATSDR's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for non-linkage to care and non-viral suppression were estimated using Poisson regression model.

High-Throughput Transcriptomics Screen of ToxCast Chemicals in U-2 OS Cells.

New approach methodologies (NAMs) aim to accelerate the pace of chemical risk assessment while simultaneously reducing cost and dependency on animal studies. High Throughput Transcriptomics (HTTr) is an emerging NAM in the field of chemical hazard evaluation for establishing in vitro points-of-departure and providing mechanistic insight. In the current study, 1201 test chemicals were screened for bioactivity at eight concentrations using a 24-h exposure duration in the human- derived U-2 OS osteosarcoma cell line with HTTr.

Mortality follow-up of Fernald Feed Materials Production Center workers exposed to uranium from 1951 to 1985.

Objective: This follow-up study of uranium processing workers at the Fernald Feed Materials Production Center examines the relationship between radiation exposure and cancer and non-cancer mortality among 6403 workers employed for at least 30 days between 1951 and 1985.

Methods: We estimated cumulative, individual, annualised doses to 15 organs/tissues from external, internal and radon exposures. Vital status and cause of death were ascertained in 2017.

Lead brownfields and birth defects in North Carolina 2003-2015: A cross-sectional case-control study.

Background: Brownfields consist of abandoned and disused sites, spanning many former purposes. Brownfields represent a heterogenous yet ubiquitous exposure for many Americans, which may contain hazardous wastes and represent urban blight. Neonates and pregnant individuals are often sensitive to subtle environmental exposures.

Effectively engaging faith-based leaders on syringe services programs: U.S. pastors' knowledge, perceptions, and questions.

Objective: To identify faith-based leaders' (FBLs') knowledge, perceptions, and questions about syringe services programs (SSPs).

Methods: We conducted a one-time, national online survey of 461 Christian FBLs August-September 2022.

Results: 56% of FBLs agreed they support having SSPs in their communities; only 7% strongly disagreed.

Advancements in mapping areas suitable for wetland habitats across the conterminous United States.

Wetland habitats provide critical ecosystem services to the surrounding landscape, including nutrient and pollutant retention, flood mitigation, and carbon storage. Wetland connectivity to water bodies and related ecosystems is critical in habitat sustainability, but there are limited resources for landscape-level wetland planning. Considering the network connectivity of an ecosystem type can derive different benefits to the natural and built environment, as well as human health.

Using Zebrafish to Screen Developmental Toxicity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are found in many consumer and industrial products. While some PFAS, notably perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), are developmentally toxic in mammals, the vast majority of PFAS have not been evaluated for developmental toxicity potential. A concentration-response study of 182 unique PFAS chemicals using the zebrafish medium-throughput, developmental vertebrate toxicity assay was conducted to investigate chemical structural identifiers for toxicity.