Breedbase software to help speed crop improvement

New open-source software can help plant breeders make crops more resistant to pests, pathogens, drought, floods and more. These crop improvements will be essential to help feed the world in the current era of population growth and climate change

BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE

 BTI’s Lukas Mueller and Nicolas Morales in the Institute’s server room.
Credit: Image credit: Boyce Thompson Institute.

ITHACA, NY - To help plant breeders speed crop improvement around the world, Lukas Mueller of the Boyce Thompson Institute worked with an international team of 57 people to create Breedbase, a database software that was described in the July issue of G3.

“In the current era of population growth and climate change, plant breeding needs to be faster to ensure crops survive new pests and pathogens that are expanding their ranges, as well as unpredictable weather patterns,” said Mueller.

Plant breeding is the process by which people improve plant traits, such as increasing yield or making them resistant to disease. Breeders and farmers traditionally have done this by crossing plants that have desirable traits, like larger and tastier fruit. But traditional plant breeding is a long and slow process, taking generations to achieve results.

In today’s genomics era, plant breeding has undergone drastic changes. In an approach termed “Genomic Selection,” breeders determine the genomic properties of plant lines and correlate them with traits, which allows them to predict traits based on genomic information. Plant breeders make decisions based on these predictions much faster than they would with the traditional approach of growing and observing the plants. 

However, genomic approaches generate massive amounts of data that can be challenging to manage, especially for smaller breeding programs in developing countries. To be of use to breeders and researchers, the data need to be stored in specialized databases with precise organization, data management, quality control and analytics.

Up until now, plant breeders and researchers have typically collected data in non-standardized ways using spreadsheets, making it difficult to organize, share and analyze data with each other.

“Breedbase solves these problems by creating a common data language, and a free data tracking system that will change the way plant breeders communicate and archive all important breeding data,” says Nicolas Morales, a graduate student in Mueller’s group.

“Clear, organized data management and analysis is crucial to successful and efficient plant breeding. In order to grow plants that feed people in a nutritious and healthy way, plant breeding data management needs to be simplified, standardized and accessible to everyone who needs it,” says Mueller, who is also an adjunct professor at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science.

In addition to storing data, Breedbase includes algorithms that a breeder could run, such as predicting whether a plant variety has a particular trait, such as disease resistance or high yield.

“Breedbase makes complicated things easy. It’s like a giant tool box with all the tools you need in one central place,” says Morales, who is co-first author of the paper with former Mueller graduate student Alex Ogbonna.

A key component of Breedbase is the Breeding Application Programming Interface (BrAPI), which standardizes how data are collected. This standardization allows plant breeders to more easily exchange data among disparate databases and computer-based breeding tools. For example, if a person wants to collect data in the field and has no internet connection, they can collect data on a tablet using an app, and then download the data to a database when they return to their computer, using a BrAPI interface behind the scenes.

Importantly, everything is standardized, so that a farmer growing corn in Iowa and another farmer growing corn in Africa will be able to easily share their data with each other, speeding up discoveries to improve crop traits.

“Empowering plant breeders in developing countries allows even smaller breeding programs to leverage genomic information to make breeding selections and help feed the world,” says Mueller.

Breedbase is based on Cassavabase, which the Mueller Lab developed with NextGen Cassava, a project that brought cassava breeding to the next level at institutions in Africa and uses cutting-edge tools to efficiently deliver improved varieties of cassava.

In addition to cassava, at least 50 crop databases already use Breedbase, including yam, bananas, sweet potato, rice, tomatoes and carrots.

About Boyce Thompson Institute:

Opened in 1924, Boyce Thompson Institute is a premier life sciences research institution located in Ithaca, New York. BTI scientists conduct investigations into fundamental plant and life sciences research with the goals of increasing food security, improving environmental sustainability in agriculture, and making basic discoveries that will enhance human health. Throughout this work, BTI is committed to inspiring and educating students and to providing advanced training for the next generation of scientists. BTI is an independent nonprofit research institute that is also affiliated with Cornell University. For more information, please visit BTIscience.org.

Sexual and gender minorities assigned male at birth have higher odds of partner violence

Young bisexual, transgender and low-income individuals are most at risk of psychological and physical victimization, according to a Rutgers study

Peer-Reviewed Publication

RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

Intimate partner violence is chronic among young sexual and gender minorities assigned male at birth (YSGM-AMAB), with bisexual, transgender and lower-income people in this group having the highest likelihood of victimization, a Rutgers study has found.

“Our findings demonstrate just how common and chronic intimate partner violence is for young gender and sexual minorities,” said Marybec Griffin, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy at Rutgers School of Public Health and coauthor of the study, which was published online ahead of print in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence September issue.

“The common perception is that violence happens only once,” Griffin said. “But victims stay a long time in relationships where there is violence occurring for a number of reasons, and those most vulnerable to this cycle are economic, social and sexual minority groups.”

To determine how chronic and prevalent intimate partner violence is among this group of individuals and to determine whether sociodemographic characteristics have an effect, researchers surveyed 665 young people in New York City.

Data was drawn from Project 18, an ongoing cohort study funded by the National Institutes of Health that began in 2014. Participants recruited in two waves were between ages 18 and 24, self-reported being assigned male at birth, had sex with a male partner in the previous six months and were HIV-negative.

Participants were asked about their gender identity, race and ethnicity, sexual identity and income and education levels.

Nearly half of the participants (47.1 percent) reported being the victim of intimate partner violence in the past year. Psychological violence was the most common form of victimization reported, at 37.6 percent, followed by sexual violence (22.1 percent) and physical violence (19.5 percent). Psychological violence was the most common form of perpetration.

Bisexual, transgender and lower income participants were more likely to report victimization, while participants who were Asian and Pacific Islanders, bisexual, transgender and lower income were more likely to report perpetration of intimate partner violence.

Transgender participants were more likely to report severe psychological or minor and severe injury victimization than cisgender participants. Bisexual participants were more likely to report severe injury and severe sexual victimization than gay participants.

Participants who made less than $5,000 annually (34.6 percent of the sample) were more likely to report severe injury and minor and severe sexual victimization than participants who earned more than $5,000.

The findings suggest that intimate partner violence “is a prevalent and chronic health problem” for many young sexual and gender minorities assigned male at birth and reveal “sociodemographic disparities in [intimate partner violence] experiences in this historically-marginalized group …reflecting larger systems of oppression and privilege in our society,” the researchers noted in the study.

Griffin said the data should be used to develop intimate partner violence prevention and intervention programs and to develop and strengthen education and health policies.

“The takeaway from our work is that the range of people experiencing intimate partner violence is shockingly high, and that for sexual and gender minorities, the violence is often repeated,” Griffin said.

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JOURNAL

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

DOI

10.1177/08862605211021985 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Sociodemographic Differences in Intimate Partner Violence Prevalence, Chronicity, and Severity Among Young Sexual and Gender Minorities Assigned Male at Birth: The P18 Cohort Study

UTA project monitors Texas Gulf Coast climate hazards

Hummel leads effort to help coastal region develop plan for environmental hazards

Grant and Award Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON

 

IMAGE: MICHELLE HUMMEL view more 

CREDIT: UT ARLINGTON

A University of Texas at Arlington civil engineer is leading an interdisciplinary team to help Texas coastal communities and nonprofit organizations better monitor climate and industrial changes in their neighborhoods.

Michelle Hummel, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, is leading a $2.4 million National Science Foundation-funded project titled “SCC-IRG Track 1: Enabling Smart Cities in Coastal Regions of Environmental and Industrial Change: Building Adaptive Capacity Through Sociotechnical Networks on the Texas Gulf Coast.”

Co-principal investigators include Yonghe Liu, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; Karabi Bezboruah, associate professor of public affairs in the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA); Oswald Jenewein, assistant professor of architecture in CAPPA; and Kathryn Masten, president and CEO of Maritimatix, a consulting firm that specializes in maritime informatics.

“This integrative research grant will apply a mixed-methods approach to assess how sociotechnical networks can be leveraged to build adaptive capacity in the Coastal Bend region of Texas, where communities are facing pressing environmental and industrial threats,” Hummel said. “Given the prevalence of environmental hazards like flooding and erosion and the proximity to energy, chemical and refining industries, it is imperative that the region has a plan.”

The project aims to strengthen multidisciplinary links among technical and social science professionals from academia, government agencies and community groups. The team will develop and deploy real-time environmental sensors to monitor air and water quality and to collect data on potential hazards and impacts.

“We want to provide our partner communities with usable data to strengthen sustainable planning and policies that benefit residents and the environment,” Hummel said.

The project will use the networking power of community-based organizations to assess how to best serve residents of the Coastal Bend. Community workshops and symposia will provide opportunities to evaluate and refine the solutions the research team develops.

“We aim to develop a framework for the collection, analysis and application of data that can be transferred to other communities and regions facing similar environmental and industrial challenges,” Hummel said.

Melanie Sattler, interim chair and professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, said this multidisciplinary project illustrates the far-reaching impact that university research can have on the world.

“This project will engage so many sectors to help coastal regions everywhere,” Sattler said. “Co-developing the research approach with the communities themselves is integral to the success of the project, as these are the people most impacted when something goes wrong. Bringing them into the data-gathering process to find solutions is great.”

Hummel said this project builds on a 2021 one-year planning grant that focused on one community in the Coastal Bend.

“As a result of our work and team-building efforts during our planning grant, we applied for and received this larger four-year, integrative research grant,” she said. “We will be working in the same area but expanding our reach to engage a diverse set of communities and nonprofits throughout the region.”

Study shows how urban environment influences physical activity in COPD patients

The findings show that patients living close to longer pedestrian streets walk more, while those living in more densely populated areas walk less

Peer-Reviewed Publication

BARCELONA INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH (ISGLOBAL)

The physical activity and exercise capacity of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) appear to be related to population density, pedestrian street length, slope of terrain and exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the vicinity of their homes, according to a new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the ”la Caixa” Foundation.

The study, recently published in Environmental Research, found that higher population density was associated with fewer steps taken by patients, more sedentary time and worse exercise capacity (with a stronger association being found in people with symptoms of depression). Longer pedestrian street lengths were associated with more steps and less sedentary time. Steeper slope was associated with greater exercise capacity. Finally, higher long-term exposure to NO2 (an indicator of traffic-related air pollution) was associated with more sedentary time and more difficulty with physical activity.

The researchers concluded that these neighbourhood environmental factors should be considered in clinical contacts with patients and when developing urban and transport planning policies aimed at promoting physical activity in patients with a chronic disease. Research on the urban environment has often ignored this population, which currently accounts for approximately 35% of urban dwellers in Europe.

COPD is characterised by progressive airflow limitation leading to shortness of breath and often limits the ability to perform daily activities. Patients are typically less active than healthy controls from the early stages of the disease onwards and this inactivity has a negative effect on COPD prognosis. Physical activity is therefore recommended for COPD patients and it is essential to know and understand which factors other than the disease itself may influence patients’ physical activity habits.

A Novel Research Question

The study aimed to estimate, in patients with mild to very severe COPD, the association between the urban environment and three variables: objective physical activity (daily step count and sedentary time), physical activity experience (perceived difficulty during activity) and functional exercise capacity (distance covered during six minutes of walking).

The study used data on 404 COPD patients from a multicentre study carried out in five seaside municipalities in Catalonia (Badalona, Barcelona, Mataró, Viladecans and Gavà). Eighty-five percent of the patients were men and the mean age was 69 years. On average, the patients walked 7,524 steps per day.

In order to estimate the urban environmental factors that each patient was exposed to, the researchers used geocoded residential addresses to determine census tract population density, length of pedestrian streets in the neighbourhood, slope of terrain, and long-term (i.e. annual) exposure to road traffic noise, NO2 and particulate matter (PM2.5).

Study Findings: Four Associations

“A first striking result is that greater population density was associated with worse physical activity and capacity outcomes in COPD patients,” commented Maria Koreny, postdoc external staff and lead author of the study. “It was thought that density could have a stimulating effect because it is associated with more shops and services, as well as better public transport, but when density is very high—as in Barcelona, where 46% of patients were recruited—it could have negative effects because of the increased dangers of traffic, fumes and noise.” Furthermore, the negative effect of high population density was found to be much stronger in patients with symptoms of depression, perhaps because of the embarrassment caused by symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty walking in public.

Secondly, regarding pedestrian street length, which was found to be linked to more steps and less sedentary time, Koreny commented: “There is debate as to whether pedestrian street length directly encourages more walking or whether this association could be explained by the fact that more pedestrian walkways reflect lower levels of air pollution, although our analysis does not support this latter hypothesis.”

Thirdly, the study found that steeper slope was associated with greater exercise capacity. According to Koreny, “COPD patients who live in a hilly neighbourhood may benefit from a continuous training effect.”

Finally, the study showed that higher NO2 levels were associated with more sedentary time and the experience of greater difficulty with physical activity. It is thought that higher levels of air pollution could increase shortness of breath in COPD patients, who might reduce exertion in order to avoid the feeling of breathlessness, which in turn would lead to muscular and cardiorespiratory deconditioning.

PM2.5 and noise exposure were not associated with physical activity or exercise capacity.

Using the Findings to Develop Strategies

“Our findings have implications for research, clinical management and urban health policy,” commented last author Judith Garcia-Aymerich, head of the Non-Communicable Diseases and Environment Programme at ISGlobal.

“These findings will allow for the development of strategies to effectively promote physical activity in COPD patients,” noted Garcia-Aymerich. One example would be to advise these patients to walk in hilly neighbourhoods (to improve their functional exercise capacity) and in less polluted areas or at lower-pollution times of day (to increase their physical activity and mitigate the negative effects of traffic-related air pollution).

She added: “It will be interesting to explore further the likely ‘utilitarian’ role of pedestrian streets, as well as the features of the microscale environment—for example, the availability and condition of benches—and how these features can be integrated into interventions to promote physical activity.”

The researchers also underscored the importance of addressing patients’ feelings of vulnerability associated with the chronic disease—such as breathlessness or embarrassment at being seen with limited mobility in COPD—as these may counteract the positive effects of environmental factors (e.g. liveable streets) observed in the general population. “These potential barriers to physical activity need to be addressed, especially with regard to patients with mental health issues,” explained Garcia-Aymerich.

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JOURNAL

Environmental Research

DOI

10.1016/j.envres.2022.113956 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Urban environment and physical activity and capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Prevalence of Online Sexual Offenses Against Children in the US

David Finkelhor, PhD¹; Heather Turner, PhD¹; Deirdre Colburn, MA¹

Author Affiliations Article Information

JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(10):e2234471. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.34471

October 14, 2022

Key Points

Question  What are the lifetime prevalence and characteristics of online and technology-facilitated sexual abuse against children and youth?

Findings  In this national survey study of 2639 individuals, lifetime exposures were as follows: online child sexual abuse, 15.6%; image-based sexual abuse, 11.0%; self-produced child sexual abuse images, 7.2%; nonconsensual sexting, 7.2%; online grooming by adults, 5.4%; revenge pornography, 3.1%; sextortion, 3.5%; and online commercial sexual exploitation, 1.7%.

Meaning  Varied subtypes of online sexual abuse have different prevalence rates.

Abstract

Importance  Sexual abuse is increasingly facilitated by technology, but the prevalence and dynamics of such offenses have not been well delineated, making it difficult to design prevention strategies.

Objective  To examine the frequency and characteristics of online and technology-facilitated sexual abuse against children and youth.

Design, Setting, and Participants  In this nationally representative online survey study performed from November 19 to December 29, 2021, young adults aged 18 to 28 years were asked retrospectively about their childhood (<18 years) experiences of online and technology-facilitated abuse. The 2639 participants were sampled from an online panel.

Main Outcomes and Measures  Participants were asked questions about 11 different kinds of online and technology-facilitated sexual abuse with follow-up questions about their dynamics and offenders. Prevalence rates were calculated for several cross-cutting concepts (online child sexual abuse, image-based sexual abuse, self-produced child sexual abuse images, nonconsensual sexting, online grooming by adults, revenge pornography, sextortion, and online commercial sexual exploitation). Survey weights were applied to obtain population prevalence estimates.

Results  A total of 2639 individuals (48.5% male, 49.8% female, and 1.8% other gender; 23.7% Hispanic, 12.6% non-Hispanic Black, 53.9% non-Hispanic White, 4.8% other race, and 5.0% ≥2 races) were surveyed. Childhood (before 18 years of age) prevalence rates were as follows: online child sexual abuse, 15.6% (SE, 1.0%); image-based sexual abuse, 11.0% (SE, 0.9%); self-produced child sexual abuse images, 7.2% (SE, 0.7%); nonconsensual sexting, 7.2% (SE, 0.7%); online grooming by adults, 5.4% (SE, 0.5%); revenge pornography, 3.1% (SE, 0.5%); sextortion, 3.5% (SE, 0.6%); and online commercial sexual exploitation, 1.7% (SE, 0.3%). The prime age of vulnerability across all categories was 13 to 17 years. Perpetrators in most categories were predominantly dating partners, friends, and acquaintances, not online strangers.

Conclusions and Relevance  

The results of this national survey study suggest that a considerable portion of youth have experienced online child sexual abuse. Professionals planning prevention and intervention strategies for online sexual abuse should understand that dynamics include diverse episodes that are often extensions of dating abuse, sexual bullying, and sexual harassment, not only events perpetrated by adult internet predators.

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Prevalence of Online Sexual Offenses Against Children in the US | Adolescent Medicine | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

Association of Health Insurance, Geography, and Race and Ethnicity With Disparities in Receipt of Recommended Postpartum Care in the US

Julia D. Interrante, MPH^1,2; Lindsay K. Admon, MD, MSc^3,4; Caitlin Carroll, PhD²; et alCarrie Henning-Smith, PhD, MPH, MSW^1,2; Phoebe Chastain, BA^1,2; Katy B. Kozhimannil, PhD, MPA^1,2

Author Affiliations Article Information

JAMA Health Forum. 2022;3(10):e223292. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.3292

 Original Investigation

October 14, 2022

Key Points

Question  Does receipt and content of recommended postpartum care differ across health insurance type, rural or urban residence, and race and ethnicity?

Findings  In this cross-sectional survey of 138 073 patients who attended a postpartum visit, statistically significant self-reported differences in the content of postpartum care were found across health insurance type, rural or urban residency, and race and ethnicity. Intersectional differences (eg, insurance by geography) were consistently larger than differences across individual categories (eg, insurance alone).

Meaning  The findings of this population-based survey study suggest that inequities in the content of postpartum care received are extensive across patients’ insurance type, rural or urban residence, and racial and ethnic identities, and these disparities are compounded for patients with multiple intersecting disadvantaged identities.

Abstract

Importance  Little is known about the quality of postpartum care or disparities in the content of postpartum care associated with health insurance, rural or urban residency, and race and ethnicity.

Objectives  To examine receipt of recommended postpartum care content and to describe variations across health insurance type, rural or urban residence, and race and ethnicity.

Design, Settings, and Participants  This cross-sectional survey of patients with births from 2016 to 2019 used data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (43 states and 2 jurisdictions). A population-based sample of patients conducted by state and local health departments in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were surveyed about maternal experiences 2 to 6 months after childbirth (mean weighted response rate, 59.9%). Patients who attended a postpartum visit were assessed for content at that visit. Analyses were performed November 2021 to July 2022.

Exposures  Medicaid or private health insurance, rural or urban residence, and race and ethnicity (non-Hispanic White or racially minoritized groups).

Main Outcomes and Measures  Receipt of 2 postpartum care components recommended by national quality standards (depression screening and contraceptive counseling), and/or other recommended components (smoking screening, abuse screening, birth spacing counseling, eating and exercise discussions) with estimated risk-adjusted predicted probabilities and percentage-point (pp) differences.

Results  Among the 138 073 patient-respondents, most (59.5%) were in the age group from 25 to 34 years old; 59 726 (weighted percentage, 40%) were insured by Medicaid; 27 721 (15%) were rural residents; 9718 (6%) were Asian, 24 735 (15%) were Black, 22 210 (15%) were Hispanic, 66 323 (60%) were White, and fewer than 1% were Indigenous (Native American/Alaska Native) individuals. Receipt of both depression screening and contraceptive counseling both significantly lower for Medicaid-insured patients (1.2 pp lower than private; 95% CI, –2.1 to –0.3), rural residents (1.3 pp lower than urban; 95% CI, –2.2 to –0.4), and people of racially minoritized groups (0.8 pp lower than White individuals; 95% CI, –1.6 to –0.1). The highest receipt of these components was among privately insured White urban residents (80%; 95% CI, 79% to 81%); the lowest was among privately insured racially minoritized rural residents (75%; 95% CI, 72% to 78%). Receipt of all other components was significantly higher for Medicaid-insured patients (6.1 pp; 95% CI, 5.2 to 7.0), rural residents (1.1 pp; 95% CI, 0.1 to 2.0), and people of racially minoritized groups (8.5 pp; 95% CI, 7.7 to 9.4). The highest receipt of these components was among Medicaid-insured racially minoritized urban residents (34%; 95% CI, 33% to 35%), the lowest was among privately insured White urban residents (19%; 95% CI, 18% to 19%).

Conclusions and Relevance  The findings of this cross-sectional survey of postpartum individuals in the US suggest that inequities in postpartum care content were extensive and compounded for patients with multiple disadvantaged identities. Examining only 1 dimension of identity may understate the extent of disparities. Future studies should consider the content of postpartum care visits.

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JAMA Health Forum – Health Policy, Health Care Reform, Health Affairs | JAMA Health Forum | JAMA Network

Association of Neighborhood Conditions and Resources for Children With Life Expectancy at Birth in the US

Kristen H. Shanahan, MD, MPH^1,2,3; S. V. Subramanian, PhD⁴; Kendall J. Burdick, BA⁵; et alMichael C. Monuteaux, ScD^2,3; Lois K. Lee, MD, MPH^2,3; Eric W. Fleegler, MD, MPH^2,3

Author Affiliations Article Information

JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(10):e2235912. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.35912

Original Investigation
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
October 14, 2022

Key Points

Question  Are neighborhood conditions and resources for children associated with life expectancy at birth in the US?

Findings  In this cross-sectional study of residents from 65 662 US Census tracts, neighborhood conditions and resources for children explained substantial variability in life expectancy at birth. Neighborhood conditions and resources for children had a stepwise association with life expectancy at birth, with the lowest life expectancy in the communities with the lowest neighborhood conditions and resources for children.

Meaning  The study’s findings suggest that neighborhood conditions and resources for children are potentially important targets for health policy aimed at improving life expectancy for socially vulnerable populations in the US.

Abstract

Importance  To address inequities in life expectancy, we must understand the associations of modifiable socioeconomic and structural factors with life expectancy. However, the association of limited neighborhood resources and deleterious physical conditions with life expectancy is not well understood.

Objective  To evaluate the association of community social and economic conditions and resources for children with life expectancy at birth.

Design, Setting, and Participants  This cross-sectional study examined neighborhood child opportunity and life expectancy using data from residents of 65 662 US Census tracts in 2015. The analysis was conducted from July 6 to October 1, 2021.

Exposures  Neighborhood conditions and resources for children in 2015.

Main Outcomes and Measures  The primary outcome was life expectancy at birth at the Census tract level based on data from the US Small-Area Life Expectancy Estimates Project (January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015). Neighborhood conditions and resources for children were quantified by Census tract Child Opportunity Index (COI) 2.0 scores for 2015. This index captures community conditions associated with children’s health and long-term outcomes categorized into 5 levels, from very low to very high opportunity. It includes 29 indicators in 3 domains: education, health and environment, and social and economic factors. Mixed-effects and simple linear regression models were used to estimate the associations between standardized COI scores (composite and domain-specific) and life expectancy.

Results  The study included residents from 65 662 of 73 057 US Census tracts (89.9%). Life expectancy at birth across Census tracts ranged from 56.3 years to 93.6 years (mean [SD], 78.2 [4.0] years). Life expectancy in Census tracts with very low COI scores was lower than life expectancy in Census tracts with very high COI scores (−7.06 years [95% CI, −7.13 to −6.99 years]). Stepwise associations were observed between COI scores and life expectancy. For each domain, life expectancy was shortest in Census tracts with very low compared with very high COI scores (education: β = −2.02 years [95% CI, −2.12 to −1.92 years]); health and environment: β = −2.30 years [95% CI, −2.41 to −2.20 years]; social and economic: β = −4.16 years [95% CI, −4.26 to −4.06 years]). The models accounted for 41% to 54% of variability in life expectancy at birth (R² = 0.41-0.54).

Conclusions and Relevance  In this study, neighborhood conditions and resources for children were significantly associated with life expectancy at birth, accounting for substantial variability in life expectancy at the Census tract level. These findings suggest that community resources and conditions are important targets for antipoverty interventions and policies to improve life expectancy and address health inequities.

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Association of Neighborhood Conditions and Resources for Children With Life Expectancy at Birth in the US | Health Disparities | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network

Air pollution tips the scale for obesity in women

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Obesity has been a major global health issue in recent decades as more people eat unhealthy diets and fail to exercise regularly.

A new University of Michigan study suggests there is another factor that tips the scale in women's weight, body mass index, waist circumference and body fat—air pollution. 

Women in their late 40s and early 50s exposed long-term to air pollution—specifically, higher levels of fine particles, nitrogen dioxide and ozone—saw increases in their body size and composition measures, said Xin Wang, epidemiology research investigator at the U-M School of Public Health and the study's first author. 

Data came from 1,654 white, Black, Chinese,and Japanese women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. These women, whose baseline median age was nearly 50 years, were tracked from 2000 to 2008. 

Annual air pollution exposures were assigned by linking residential addresses with hybrid estimates of air pollutant concentrations. The researchers examined the associations between the pollution and the participants' body size and composition measures. One question they sought to answer was whether these associations differed by physical activity.

Exposure to air pollution was linked with higher body fat, higher proportion fat and lower lean mass among midlife women. For instance, body fat increased by 4.5%, or about 2.6 pounds.

Researchers explored the interaction between air pollution and physical activity on body composition. High levels of physical activity—which had been based on the frequency, duration and perceived physical exertion of more than 60 exercises—was an effective way to mitigate and offset exposure to air pollution, the research showed.  

Since the study focused on midlife women, the findings can't be generalized to men or women in other age ranges, Wang said. 

The findings appear in Diabetes Care. 

The study's co-authors are Carrie Karvonen-Gutierrez (U-M), Ellen Gold (UC Davis), Carol Derby (Albert Einstein College of Medicine), Gail Greendale (UCLA), Xiangmei Wu (California Environmental Protection Agency), Joel Schwartz (Harvard) and Sung Kyun Park (U-M).

Study: Longitudinal Associations of Air Pollution With Body Size and Composition in Midlife Women: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation

JOURNAL

Diabetes Care

MORE THAN SMOKING

Cancer deaths in Italy: environmental pollution plays an important role

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITÀ DI BOLOGNA

 NEWS RELEASE 14-OCT-2022

Today, cancer represents the second leading cause of death in the world after cardiovascular diseases. In the last decades of cancer research, lifestyle - especially physical inactivity, poor diet, obesity, alcoholism, and smoking - and random or genetic factors have been identified as major causes in the development of tumors. Nevertheless, there is a growing understanding of how environmental pollution is among the main factors inducing cancer proliferation.

To further investigate this issue, a group of scholars from the University of Bologna, the University of Bari, and the CNR (National Research Council) used advanced artificial intelligence methods to analyze the relationship between cancer mortality, socio-economic factors, and environmental pollution sources in Italy on a regional and provincial level. The results and the analysis of the investigation have been published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, while the entire ten-year dataset with cancer mortality rates for all Italian municipalities has been published in the journal Nature Scientific Data, an open-access and user-friendly journal.

"Contrary to what has been believed so far, our analysis showed that the distribution of cancer mortality among Italian citizens is neither random nor spatially well-defined," explains Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, professor at the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Bologna as well as first author of the study. "Instead, cancer mortality exceeds the national average especially where environmental pollution is higher, even if in these areas living habits are generally healthier."

Researchers took into consideration 35 environmental sources of pollution such as industries, pesticides, incinerators, and motor vehicle traffic. Among these, they found that air quality is the most important factor in terms of its association with the average cancer mortality rate. This is followed by the presence of sites to be reclaimed, urban areas, motor vehicle density and pesticides. Moreover, other specific sources of environmental pollution are relevant for specific types of tumour. For instance, cultivated areas are associated with tumours of the gastrointestinal system, roads and steelworks proximity with bladder tumours, industrial activities in urban areas with prostate tumour and lymphomas.

The Italian province with the highest cancer mortality rate in the decade 2009-2018 was Lodi. It was followed by those of Naples, Bergamo, Pavia, Sondrio, and Cremona. The highest-ranked province in central Italy is Viterbo (11th position), followed by Rome (18th). In southern Italy, in addition to the province of Naples in second place, only that of Caserta (8th) is in the top 10 for cancer mortality. Anyone can check the ten-year mortality rate in its municipality by visiting the open-access dataset published by the authors of the study.

"Of course, these results do not question the fact that a healthier lifestyle helps to reduce the risk of cancer, just as they don’t question the efforts to get to the genetic basis that may favour the onset of cancer," adds Cazzolla Gatti. "Our results, however, give us good reason to believe that living in a highly polluted area can cancel out the benefits that come with a healthy lifestyle and induce the development of cancers with a higher frequency."

Every year in Italy, there are 400,000 new cases of malignant tumours, with an annual average of about three deaths per thousand people according to the Italian cancer registries. On both national and regional level, the analysis carried out by the scholars showed the relevance of the environment on the onset of tumours even if compared to other socio-economic factors and lifestyle. Moreover, it was possible to determine on a provincial level what potential sources of pollution could cause an excess of cancer mortality compared to the national average, thus also providing a focus on environmental factors that are mostly associated with specific types of cancer.

"From a global health perspective, following the approach known as One Health, it is now evident that the quality of life of our species is closely dependent on that of the environment in which we live and of the entire planet," explains Cazzolla Gatti. "It is, therefore, necessary to give the highest priority not only to research for cancer cures but also to the reduction and prevention of environmental contamination. These are essential actions in the difficult fight against cancer onset. We need to know how to cure our planet to be able to avoid getting sick.”

According to the study, Italian regions with a relatively high cancer mortality rate have a relatively high degree of pollution, despite registering a relatively low frequency of the usual cancer risk factors such as being overweight, smoking, having a low income, high meat consumption, and low fruit and vegetable consumption. Furthermore, on a provincial level, for both malignant and benign tumors in general and for 16 out of 23 specific types of cancer, significant spatial associations were found with certain sources of pollution and explained more than half of the association between environment and cancer. This confirmed that, in most cases, being exposed to a contaminated environment has a significant impact on cancer mortality in Italy.

"Data show good, albeit preliminary, evidence that a better lifestyle and greater attention to socio-economic and health issues can only partially reduce the risk of dying from cancer if the quality of the environment is overlooked," explains Cazzolla Gatti. “This could explain why we have observed that people living in northern Italian regions - particularly in those located in the Po Valley, between the Lombardy and Veneto regions, which are highly industrialized areas - and exposed to very high levels of environmental pollution show a significant excess of cancer mortality compared to those who live in the central-southern regions (except for some other highly polluted areas, such as the so-called Terra dei Fuochi (Land of Fires) in the Campania region), even though they enjoy better health, have higher incomes, consume more food of plant origin than animal one, and have easier access to health care.”

The entire ten-year database (2009-2018) on cancer mortality rates developed by researchers from ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics) registers has been published with open access. In the database, 23 cancer macro-categories in Italy on a municipal, provincial, and regional level are considered. "We want to make a complete, up-to-date and ready-to-use data source on cancer mortality in Italy easily accessible to be consulted by interested bodies and local and national authorities, and to provide researchers useful data to carry out further studies," Cazzolla Gatti concludes.

The study was published in open access in the journal Science of the Total Environment under the title “The spatial association between environmental pollution and long-term cancer mortality in Italy”, while the entire dataset can be found in Nature Scientific Data. The authors of the study are Roberto Cazzolla Gatti (University of Bologna), Arianna Di Paola (CNR - National Research Council, Institute for BioEconomy), Alfonso Monaco (University of Bari 'Aldo Moro'), Alena Velichevskaya (Tomsk State University, Russia), Nicola Amoroso (INFN - National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Bari Section), Roberto Bellotti (University of Bari 'Aldo Moro').

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JOURNAL

Science of The Total Environment

DOI

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158439 

ARTICLE TITLE

The spatial association between environmental pollution and long-term cancer mortality in Italy