Agricultural paraquat dichloride use and Parkinson's disease in California's Central Valley

BACKGROUND

Paraquat dichloride is currently among the most widely used commercial herbicides in the USA. In the present study, we provide epidemiological assessment of ambient paraquat exposure and Parkinson's disease (PD) risk in a population-based study of PD in agricultural regions of Central California.

METHODS

Based on 829 PD patients and 824 community controls, we assessed associations between ambient paraquat dichloride exposure and PD. We estimated residential and workplace proximity to commercial agricultural applications in three California counties since 1974 using the CA pesticide use reporting (PUR) data and land use maps. We evaluated any, duration and average intensity [pounds (0.45 kilograms) per acre per year] of exposure for paraquat in four time windows.

RESULTS

Ambient paraquat exposure assessed at both residence and workplace was associated with PD, based on several different exposure measures. The PD patients both lived and worked near agricultural facilities applying greater amounts of the herbicide than community controls. For workplace proximity to commercial applications since 1974, working near paraquat applications every year in the window [odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.46, 3.19] and a higher average intensity of exposure [per 10 pounds (4.54 kilograms), OR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.31, 3.38] were both associated with an increased odds of PD. Similar associations were observed for residential proximity (duration: OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.30, 2.83; average intensity: OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 0.99, 3.04). Risk estimates were comparable for men and women, and the strongest odds were observed for those diagnosed at ≤60 years of age.

CONCLUSION

This study provides further indication that paraquat dichloride exposure increases the risk of Parkinson's disease.

Coupled social and ecological change drove the historical extinction of the California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus)

Large carnivores (order Carnivora) are among the world's most threatened mammals due to a confluence of ecological and social forces that have unfolded over centuries. Combining specimens from natural history collections with documents from archival records, we reconstructed the factors surrounding the extinction of the California grizzly bear (Ursus arctos californicus), a once-abundant brown bear subspecies last seen in 1924. Historical documents portrayed California grizzlies as massive hypercarnivores that endangered public safety. Yet, morphological measurements on skulls and teeth generate smaller body size estimates in alignment with extant North American grizzly populations (approx. 200 kg). Stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of pelts and bones (n = 57) revealed that grizzlies derived less than 10% of their nutrition from terrestrial animal sources and were therefore largely herbivorous for millennia prior to the first European arrival in this region in 1542. Later colonial land uses, beginning in 1769 with the Mission era, led grizzlies to moderately increase animal protein consumption (up to 26% of diet), but grizzlies still consumed far less livestock than otherwise claimed by contemporary accounts. We show how human activities can provoke short-term behavioural shifts, such as heightened levels of carnivory, that in turn can lead to exaggerated predation narratives and incentivize persecution, triggering rapid loss of an otherwise widespread and ecologically flexible animal.

Rapid Detection of the Strawberry Foliar Nematode Aphelenchoides fragariae Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay with Lateral Flow Dipsticks

Rapid and reliable diagnostic methods for plant-parasitic nematodes are critical for facilitating the selection of effective control measures. A diagnostic recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for Aphelenchoides fragariae using a TwistAmp® Basic Kit (TwistDx, Cambridge, UK) and AmplifyRP® Acceler8® Discovery Kit (Agdia, Elkhart, IN, USA) combined with lateral flow dipsticks (LF) has been developed. In this study, a LF-RPA assay was designed that targets the ITS rRNA gene of A. fragariae. This assay enables the specific detection of A. fragariae from crude nematode extracts without a DNA extraction step, and from DNA extracts of plant tissues infected with this nematode species. The LF-RPA assay showed reliable detection within 18-25 min with a sensitivity of 0.03 nematode per reaction tube for crude nematode extracts or 0.3 nematode per reaction tube using plant DNA extracts from 0.1 g of fresh leaves. The LF-RPA assay was developed and validated with a wide range of nematode and plant samples. Aphelenchoides fragariae was identified from seed samples in California. The LF-RPA assay has great potential for nematode diagnostics in the laboratory with minimal available equipment.

Examining the Role and Strategies of Advocacy Coalitions in California's Statewide Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Debate (2001-2018)

PURPOSE

California's failed attempts to enact a statewide sugary beverage tax presents an opportunity to advance understanding of advocacy coalition behavior. We investigate the participation of advocacy coalitions in California's statewide sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax policy debate.

DESIGN

Document analysis of legislative bills and newspaper articles collected in 2019.

SETTING

California.

METHOD

A total of 11 SSB tax-related bills were introduced in California's legislature between 2001-2018 according to the state's legislative website. Data sources include legislative bill documents (n = 94) and newspaper articles (n = 138). Guided by the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), we identify advocacy coalitions involved in California's SSB tax debate and explore strategies and arguments used to advance each coalitions' position.

RESULTS

Two coalitions (public health, food/beverage industry) were involved in California's statewide SSB tax policy debate. The public health coalition had higher member participation and referred to scientific research evidence while the industry coalition used preemption and financial resources as primary advocacy strategies. The public health coalition frequently presented messaging on the health consequences and financial benefits of SSB taxes. The industry coalition responded by focusing on the potential negative economic impact of a tax.

CONCLUSION

Multiple attempts to enact a statewide SSB tax in California have failed. Our findings add insight into the challenges of enacting an SSB tax considering industry interference. Results can inform future efforts to pass evidence-based nutrition policies.

Tuberculosis Diagnostic Delays and Treatment Outcomes among Patients with COVID-19, California, USA, 2020

We assessed tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic delays among patients with TB and COVID-19 in California, USA. Among 58 persons, 43% experienced TB diagnostic delays, and a high proportion (83%) required hospitalization for TB. Even when viral respiratory pathogens circulate widely, timely TB diagnostic workup for at-risk persons remains critical for reducing TB-related illness.

Understanding fatality patterns and sex ratios of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) at wind energy facilities in western California and Texas

Background

Operation of wind turbines has resulted in collision fatalities for several bat species, and one proven method to reduce these fatalities is to limit wind turbine blade rotation (i.e., curtail turbines) when fatalities are expected to be highest. Implementation of curtailment can potentially be optimized by targeting times when females are most at risk, as the proportion of females limits the growth and stability of many bat populations. The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is the most common bat fatality at wind energy facilities in California and Texas, and yet there are few available data on the sex ratios of the carcasses that are found. Understanding the sex ratios of fatalities in California and Texas could aid in planning population conservation strategies such as informed curtailment.

Methods

We used PCR to determine the sex of bat carcasses collected from wind energy facilities during post-construction monitoring (PCM) studies in California and Texas. In California, we received samples from two locations within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in Alameda County: Golden Hills (GH) (n = 212) and Golden Hills North (GHN) (n = 312). In Texas, we received samples from three wind energy facilities: Los Mirasoles (LM) (Hidalgo County and Starr County) (n = 252), Los Vientos (LV) (Starr County) (n = 568), and Wind Farm A (WFA) (San Patricio County and Bee County) (n = 393).

Results

In California, the sex ratios of fatalities did not differ from 50:50, and the sex ratio remained stable over the survey years, but the seasonal timing of peak fatalities was inconsistent. In 2017 and 2018, fatalities peaked between September and October, whereas in 2019 and 2020 fatalities peaked between May and June. In Texas, sex ratios of fatalities varied between locations, with Los Vientos being female-skewed and Wind Farm A being male-skewed. The sex ratio of fatalities was also inconsistent over time. Lastly, for each location in Texas with multiple years studied, we observed a decrease in the proportion of female fatalities over time.

Discussion

We observed unexpected variation in the seasonal timing of peak fatalities in California and differences in the sex ratio of fatalities across time and facility location in Texas. In Texas, proximity to different roost types (bridge or cave) likely influenced the sex ratio of fatalities at wind energy facilities. Due to the inconsistencies in the timing of peak female fatalities, we were unable to determine an optimum curtailment period; however, there may be location-specific trends that warrant future investigation. More research should be done over the entirety of the bat active season to better understand these trends in Texas. In addition, standardization of PCM studies could assist future research efforts, enhance current monitoring efforts, and facilitate research on post-construction monitoring studies.

Methane Emissions from Dairy Operations in California's San Joaquin Valley Evaluated Using Airborne Flux Measurements

State inventories indicate that dairy operations account for nearly half of California's methane budget. Recent analyses suggest, however, that these emissions may be underestimated, complicating efforts to develop emission reduction strategies. Here, we report estimates of dairy methane emissions in the southern San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California in June 2021 using airborne flux measurements. We find average dairy methane fluxes of 512 ± 178 mg m-2 h-1 from a region of 300+ dairies near Visalia, CA using a combination of eddy covariance and mass balance-based techniques, corresponding to 118 ± 41 kg dairy-1 h-1. These values estimated during our June campaign are 39 ± 48% larger than annual average estimates from the recently developed VISTA-CA inventory. We observed notable increases in emissions with temperature. Our estimates align well with inventory predictions when parametrizations for the temperature dependence of emissions are applied. Our measurements further demonstrate that the VISTA-CA emission inventory is considerably more accurate than the EPA GHG-I inventory in this region. Source apportionment analyses confirm that dairy operations produce the majority of methane emissions in the southern SJV (∼65%). Fugitive oil and gas (O&G) sources account for the remaining ∼35%. Our results support the accuracy of the process-based models used to develop dairy emission inventories and highlight the need for additional investigation of the meteorological dependence of these emissions.

Information on medication abortion provided by family planning clinics in California

OBJECTIVES

To assess access to abortion pills offered by clinics providing state-funded family planning services in California.

METHODS

We attempted to make two scripted calls to a 20% random sample of family planning clinics in California, stratified by county, as "secret shoppers" in 2020 and 2021.

RESULTS

Clinic staff responded to 407 calls. Only 50 respondents (12%) reported their clinic offered abortion pills and 23 respondents (6%) accurately indicated to callers that abortion pills were available free to low-income individuals in California. Most (68%) clinics that did not offer abortion pills could not direct callers to a clinic that did offer abortion pills.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts are needed to increase the number of clinics providing medication abortion services in California. Clinic staff need training to provide accurate information about medication abortion.

Neighborhood Factors Associated with COVID-19 Cases in California

BACKGROUND

There is a need to assess neighborhood-level factors driving COVID-19 disparities across racial and ethnic groups.

OBJECTIVE

To use census tract-level data to investigate neighborhood-level factors contributing to racial and ethnic group-specific COVID-19 case rates in California.

DESIGN

Quasi-Poisson generalized linear models were used to identify neighborhood-level factors associated with COVID-19 cases. In separate sequential models for Hispanic, Black, and Asian, we characterized the associations between neighborhood factors on neighborhood COVID-19 cases. Subanalyses were conducted on neighborhoods with majority Hispanic, Black, and Asian residents to identify factors that might be unique to these neighborhoods. Geographically weighted regression using a quasi-Poisson model was conducted to identify regional differences.

MAIN MEASURES

All COVID-19 cases and tests reported through January 31, 2021, to the California Department of Public Health. Neighborhood-level data from census tracts were obtained from American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2015-2019), United States Census (2010), and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

KEY RESULTS

The neighborhood factors associated with COVID-19 case rate were racial and ethnic composition, age, limited English proficiency (LEP), income, household size, and population density. LEP had the largest influence on the positive association between proportion of Hispanic residents and COVID-19 cases (- 2.1% change). This was also true for proportion of Asian residents (- 1.8% change), but not for the proportion of Black residents (- 0.1% change). The influence of LEP was strongest in areas of the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

CONCLUSION

Neighborhood-level contextual drivers of COVID-19 burden differ across racial and ethnic groups.

Legislating the Cause of Death: "What's in a Name …"

In recent years legal rules to regulate causes of death have begun to appear. One example of this relates to the term "excited delirium" which has been subject to challenge by medical and legal professionals. Human rights activists have pushed against its usage by law enforcement and medical death investigators. The passing of the California Assembly Bill 360 restricting the use of the term is an example of this. Legislatively mandating, or banning causes of death poses an interesting challenge for death investigators. The lack of uniform guidance on how deaths should be classified across different jurisdictions and the variations in linguistic and causation-based language in cause of death statements may have influenced this development. Legislation that seeks to enforce ways of documenting the cause of a death, which is in effect an expert medical opinion, presents significant future challenges in expert testimony.

Birth-Centered Outcomes Research Engagement (B-CORE) in Medi-Cal: Community-Generated Recommendations to Decrease Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity

California leads the nation with its relatively low rate of maternal deaths during pregnancy and the postpartum period. However, individuals insured via Medi-Cal suffer a disproportionate share of maternal deaths and severe complications at birth; within this group of publicly insured individuals, certain racial and/or ethnic groups have even higher rates of poor outcomes. The state can attribute part of its success in lowering rates of maternal mortality (MM) to the implementation of a data-driven statewide portfolio of quality improvement activities focused on the leading causes of maternal death. This quality improvement infrastructure has not previously been leveraged to respond in a focused way to the relatively large shares of MM and morbidity still seen in the Medi-Cal-insured population. B-CORE aimed to expand on existing statewide quality improvement efforts to effectively mitigate these adverse outcomes in Medi-Cal births by engaging Medi-Cal stakeholders.

Disparities in treatment and survival in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma in California

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Curative intent therapy is the standard of care for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, these therapies are under-utilized, with several treatment and survival disparities. We sought to demonstrate whether the type of facility and distance from treatment center (with transplant capabilities) contributed to disparities in curative-intent treatment and survival for early-stage HCC in California.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of the California Cancer Registry for patients diagnosed with stage I or II primary HCC between 2005 and 2017. Primary and secondary outcomes were receipt of treatment and overall survival, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression and Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression were used to evaluate associations.

RESULTS

Of 19 059 patients with early-stage HCC, only 36% (6778) received curative-intent treatment. Compared to Non-Hispanic White patients, Hispanic patients were less likely, and Asian/Pacific Islander patients were more likely to receive curative-intent treatment. Our results showed that rural residence, public insurance, lower neighborhood SES, and care at non-National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center were associated with not receiving treatment and decreased survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Although multiple factors influence receipt of treatment for early-HCC, our findings suggest that early intervention programs should target travel barriers and access to specialist care to help improve oncologic outcomes.

Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination status: A cross-sectional study of California students in higher education

To examine the factors associated with coronavirus vaccine hesitancy among students in higher education, we conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods study between June and August 2021 among California students in higher education (n = 4444). We collected information on vaccination status, socio-demographics, and attitudes towards coronavirus vaccination. After adjusting for social demographics and social network characteristics, compared to those with household members who were vaccinated, those who had household members who were unvaccinated had 0.11 (95% CI 0.09 - 0.14) times the odds of being vaccinated. Political identification was related to vaccination status: compared to those who did not identify with any particular party, those who identified as progressive had 12.5 (95% CI 3.70 - 50.0) times the odds of being vaccinated. Asians had higher odds (OR = 1.54; 95% CI 1.08 - 2.04) of being vaccinated compared to whites and men were marginally less likely to be vaccinated (OR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.61 - 1.00). However, age, parental education, and educational status were unrelated to vaccination status. Social and demographic factors may be associated with the decision to remain vaccinated among young adults. Public health messages should utilize social networks to encourage vaccination uptake among young adults.

Systemic Erysipelas Outbreak among Free-Ranging Bottlenose Dolphins, San Diego, California, USA, 2022

We diagnosed fatal Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae sepsis in 3 stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) during summer 2022, in San Diego, California, USA. The previously undetected disease in this relatively small, regional population of dolphins most likely indicates an environmental or biological change in the coastal ocean or organisms.

Grapevine bacterial communities display compartment-specific dynamics over space and time within the Central Valley of California

BACKGROUND

Plant organs (compartments) host distinct microbiota which shift in response to variation in both development and climate. Grapevines are woody perennial crops that are clonally propagated and cultivated across vast geographic areas, and as such, their microbial communities may also reflect site-specific influences. These site-specific influences along with microbial differences across sites compose 'terroir', the environmental influence on wine produced in a given region. Commercial grapevines are typically composed of a genetically distinct root (rootstock) grafted to a shoot system (scion) which adds an additional layer of complexity via genome-to-genome interactions.

RESULTS

To understand spatial and temporal patterns of bacterial diversity in grafted grapevines, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to quantify soil and compartment microbiota (berries, leaves, and roots) for grafted grapevines in commercial vineyards across three counties in the Central Valley of California over two successive growing seasons. Community composition revealed compartment-specific dynamics. Roots assembled site-specific bacterial communities that reflected rootstock genotype and environment influences, whereas bacterial communities of leaves and berries displayed associations with time.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide further evidence of a microbial terroir within the grapevine root systems but also reveal that the microbiota of above-ground compartments are only weakly associated with the local soil microbiome in the Central Valley of California.

California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) Be Better social marketing campaign: mothers' fruit and vegetable consumption and facilitation of children's healthy behaviours

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of California Department of Public Health's three-year social marketing campaign (Be Better) to encourage healthy eating and water consumption among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) California mothers. Andreasen's social marketing framework was used to outline the development and evaluation of the campaign.

DESIGN

Quantitative, pre-post cross-sectional study with three cohorts nested within survey years. Generalised estimating equation modeling was used to obtain population estimates of campaign reach and changes in mothers' fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and facilitative actions towards their children's health behaviours.

SETTING

CalFresh Healthy Living (California's SNAP-Ed).

PARTICIPANTS

Three separate cohorts of SNAP mothers were surveyed (pre, post) between 2016 and 2018 inclusive. A total of 2229 mothers (ages 18-59) self-identified as White, Latina, African American or Asian/Pacific Islander participated.

RESULTS

Approximately 82 percent of surveyed mothers were aware of the campaign as assessed by measures of recall and recognition. Ad awareness was positively associated with mothers' FV consumption (R2 = 0·45), with the proportion of FV on plates and with behaviours that facilitate children's FV consumption and limit unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks (βs ranged from 0·1 to 0·7).

CONCLUSIONS

The campaign successfully reached 82 percent of surveyed mothers. Positive associations between California's Be Better campaign and targeted health behaviours were observed, although the associations varied by year and media channel (i.e. television, radio, billboards and digital). Most associations between ad awareness and outcomes were noted in years two and three of the campaign, suggesting that more than 1 year of campaign exposure was necessary for associations to emerge.

Identifying robust adaptive irrigation operating policies to balance deeply uncertain economic food production and groundwater sustainability trade-offs

Increasing irrigation demand has heavily relied on groundwater use, especially in places with highly variable water supplies that are vulnerable to drought. Groundwater management in agriculture is becoming increasingly challenging given the growing effects from overdraft and groundwater depletion worldwide. However, multiple challenges emerge when seeking to develop sustainable groundwater management in irrigated systems, such as trade-offs between the economic revenues from food production and groundwater resources, as well as the broad array of uncertainties in food-water systems. In this study we explore the applicability of Evolutionary Multi-Objective Direct Policy Search (EMODPS) to identify adaptive irrigation policies that water agencies and farmers can implement including operational decisions related to land use and groundwater use controls as well as groundwater pumping fees. The EMODPS framework yields state-aware, adaptive policies that respond dynamically as system state conditions change, for example with variable surface water (e.g., shifting management strategies across wet versus dry years). For this study, we focus on the Semitropic Water Storage district located in the San Joaquin Valley, California to provide broader insights relevant to ongoing efforts to improve groundwater sustainability in the state. Our findings demonstrate that adaptive irrigation policies can achieve sufficiently flexible groundwater management to acceptably balance revenue and sustainability goals across a wide range of uncertain future scenarios. Among the evaluated policy decisions, pumping restrictions and reductions in inflexible irrigation demands from tree crops are actions that can support dry-year pumping while maximizing groundwater storage recovery during wet years. Policies suggest that an adaptive pumping fee is the most flexible decision to control groundwater pumping and land use.

Domestically Acquired NDM-1-Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Southern California, USA, 2023

We describe a case of New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase 1-producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) in a transplant patient with multiple hospitalizations in California, USA. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the isolate was genetically distinctive, despite ≈95% similarity to other global strains. The patient's lack of international travel suggests this CRPA was acquired domestically.

California Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Workforce Study

BACKGROUND

Nurse anesthesia in California has been instrumental in shaping Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) practice nationally, but to date, no workforce data has been published on this group of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this workforce study was to explore the demographic information, education, and practice patterns of CRNAs working in California.

METHODS

Survey methodology was conducted to gather workforce data from a sample of licensed CRNAs working in California.

DISCUSSION

California CRNAs provide anesthesia services in very diverse settings among different anesthesia delivery models, including independent practice. CRNAs practice in a majority of California counties and are the sole anesthesia providers for four underserved counties.

CONCLUSION

The CRNA workforce in California is comparatively young, highly educated, and desires more education. CRNAs improve access to care for California patients; however, more ethnically diverse CRNAs and CRNAs with Non-Surgical Pain Management Certification are needed.

Opportunities to Increase Access to HIV Prevention: Evaluating the Implementation of Pharmacist-Initiated Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in California

Background

Pharmacies are a promising setting through which to expand access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention, including pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP, respectively). We aimed to evaluate and inform the implementation of California's Senate Bill 159 (2019), allowing pharmacists to independently prescribe PrEP and PEP.

Methods

From October through December 2022, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 919 California pharmacists and pharmacy students, primarily recruited via the email listservs of professional organizations. Participants completed an online survey assessing the implementation of pharmacist-initiated PrEP/PEP, including knowledge, attitudes, practices, perceived barriers, and implementation preferences elicited through a discrete choice experiment.

Results

Among 919 participants (84% practicing pharmacists, 43% in community pharmacies), 11% and 13% reported that pharmacists at their pharmacy initiate PrEP and PEP, respectively. Most believed that pharmacist-initiated PrEP/PEP is important (96%) and were willing to provide PrEP (81%); fewer (27%) had PrEP/PEP training. Common implementation barriers were lack of staff/time and payment for pharmacist services. Participants preferred PrEP implementation models with in-pharmacy rapid oral HIV testing and pharmacists specifically hired to provide PrEP services.

Conclusions

Despite pharmacists' supportive attitudes, Senate Bill 159 implementation in California pharmacies remains limited, in part due to policy-level and organizational-level barriers. Ensuring PrEP/PEP-related payment for services and sufficient workforce capacity is key to leveraging pharmacists' role in HIV prevention.

Trends of Enterovirus D68 Concentrations in Wastewater, California, USA, February 2021-April 2023

In this retrospective study, we measured enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) genomic RNA in wastewater solids longitudinally at 2 California, USA, wastewater treatment plants twice per week for 26 months. EV-D68 RNA was undetectable except when concentrations increased from mid-July to mid-December 2022, which coincided with a peak in confirmed EV-D68 cases.

Associations between Changes in Food Acquisition Behaviors, Dietary Intake, and Bodyweight during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Low-Income Parents in California

COVID-19 disrupted food access, potentially increasing nutritional risk and health inequities. This study aimed to describe and assess associations between changes in food/meal acquisition behaviors and relative changes in dietary intake and bodyweight from before to during the pandemic. Low-income parents (n = 1090) reported these changes by online survey in April-August 2021. Associations were assessed by multinomial logistic regression. Compared to those with no change, those who decreased supermarket shopping had greater odds of decreased fruit and vegetable (FV; OR[95%CI] = 2.4[1.4-4.1]) and increased salty snack intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.0-2.8]). Those who decreased farmer's market shopping had greater odds of decreased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.0-3.1]), increased bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1-2.6]), and increased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.1-3.2]) and sweets intakes (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1-2.9]). Those who increased online food ordering had greater odds of increased sweets (OR[95%CI] = 1.7[1.1-2.8]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 1.9[1.2-3.2]), and fast food (OR[95%CI] = 2.0[1.2-3.5]) intakes and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 1.8[1.1-2.9]). Those who increased healthy meal preparation had greater odds of increased FV intake (OR[95%CI] = 4.0[2.5-6.5]), decreased SSB (OR[95%CI] = 3.7[2.3-6.0]), sweets (OR[95%CI] = 2.7[1.6-4.4]), salty snacks (OR[95%CI] = 3.0[1.8-5]) and fast food intakes (OR[95%CI] = 2.8[1.7-4.6]) and bodyweight (OR[95%CI] = 2.2[1.2-4.0]). Interventions to address the potentially negative impacts of online food/meal shopping and support healthy home cooking may be needed to improve nutrition-related outcomes and reduce health disparities in the aftermath of the current pandemic and during future emergencies requiring similar restrictions.

Comparison between Spatially Resolved Airborne Flux Measurements and Emission Inventories of Volatile Organic Compounds in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a major hotspot for ozone and particulate matter air pollution in the United States. Ozone and PM2.5 in this region have not improved substantially for the past decade, despite a reduction in vehicular emissions of their precursors, NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This reduction in "traditional" sources has made the current emission mixture of air pollutant precursors more uncertain. To map and quantify emissions of a wide range of VOCs in this urban area, we performed airborne eddy covariance measurements with wavelet analysis. VOC fluxes measured include tracers for source categories, such as traffic, vegetation, and volatile chemical products (VCPs). Mass fluxes were dominated by oxygenated VOCs, with ethanol contributing ∼29% of the total. In terms of OH reactivity and aerosol formation potential, terpenoids contributed more than half. Observed fluxes were compared with two commonly used emission inventories: the California Air Resources Board inventory and the combination of the Biogenic Emission Inventory System with the Fuel-based Inventory of Vehicle Emissions combined with Volatile Chemical Products (FIVE-VCP). The comparison shows mismatches regarding the amount, spatial distribution, and weekend effects of observed VOC emissions with the inventories. The agreement was best for typical transportation related VOCs, while discrepancies were larger for biogenic and VCP-related VOCs.

Groundwater constituents and the incidence of kidney cancer

BACKGROUND

Kidney cancer incidence demonstrates significant geographic variation suggesting a role for environmental risk factors. This study sought to evaluate associations between groundwater exposures and kidney cancer incidence.

METHODS

The authors identified constituents from 18,506 public groundwater wells in all 58 California counties measured in 1996-2010, and obtained county-level kidney cancer incidence data from the California Cancer Registry for 2003-2017. The authors developed a water-wide association study (WWAS) platform using XWAS methodology. Three cohorts were created with 5 years of groundwater measurements and 5-year kidney cancer incidence data. The authors fit Poisson regression models in each cohort to estimate the association between county-level average constituent concentrations and kidney cancer, adjusting for known risk factors: sex, obesity, smoking prevalence, and socioeconomic status at the county level.

RESULTS

Thirteen groundwater constituents met stringent WWAS criteria (a false discovery rate <0.10 in the first cohort, followed by p values <.05 in subsequent cohorts) and were associated with kidney cancer incidence. The seven constituents directly related to kidney cancer incidence (and corresponding standardized incidence ratios) were chlordane (1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.10), dieldrin (1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07), 1,2-dichloropropane (1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.05), 2,4,5-TP (1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), glyphosate (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04), endothall (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03), and carbaryl (1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03). Among the six constituents inversely related to kidney cancer incidence, the standardized incidence ratio furthest from the null was for bromide (0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified several groundwater constituents associated with kidney cancer. Public health efforts to reduce the burden of kidney cancer should consider groundwater constituents as environmental exposures that may be associated with the incidence of kidney cancer.

Three new species of Trimmatothelopsis (Acarosporales, Acarosporaceae) from southwestern North America

The discovery and study of three new species of Trimmatothelopsis from Southwestern North America, T.californica, T.mexicana, and T.novomexicana, adds not only to the diversity of the genus and family but generated new insights into the occurrence of two ascus types in the genus and the variety of conidiogenous cells and conidia. Trimmatothelopsis now includes 15 species with a mainly Holarctic distribution (Asia, Europe, North America) and one species in Australia. A key is supplied to the genus. An overview of the genus Trimmatothelopsis is given, including differentiation from other genera of Acarosporaceae. The monotypic genus Thelocarpella is considered to be a synonym of Trimmatothelopsis. The new combination Trimmatothelopsiswirthii is proposed. The ascus type is shown to be variable in the genus with species with two types being intermixed with each other in our phylogeny.