New U of A study expands pesticide risk window to before pregnancy

University of Arizona

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Women exposed to agricultural pesticides, even before becoming pregnant, may be putting their newborn's health at risk. A new University of Arizona study links those exposures to poorer health in newborns, raising questions about how farming chemicals affect the next generation. 

The study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, found that exposure during preconception to certain commonly applied pesticides – particularly those belonging to the classes of organophosphates, pyrethroids and carbamates – was associated with lower Apgar scores. This score a measure given to newborns within five minutes of birth and is strongly correlated with long-term health outcomes of the baby.

The multi-institutional study led by U of A included researchers from Harvard Chan School of Public Health and UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. 

"Pesticides are designed to be toxic – very often, the biological mechanisms that they act on are present not just in insects and weeds, but also in humans. They have demonstrable biological effects on human health," said Melissa Furlong, an assistant professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and the senior author of the study.

The research group analyzed pesticide use registries that consist of comprehensive records of every pesticide application made across the state. Arizona is one of the two states in the U.S. that maintain pesticide use registries. The registries include information such as crop type, pests, brand name and active ingredient of the pesticides used.

The team collected all birth certificate records in the state of Arizona and linked them to the Arizona pesticide registry. They found that exposure to certain classes of pesticides during preconception and pregnancy were associated with low Apgar scores, a unique metric that is predictive of certain neurological outcomes of newborns and is correlated with a baby's health through childhood.

"What's new in this study is that we identified the preconception period as a possible sensitive window of exposure to some of the commonly used pesticides," said Audrey Yang, a graduate student at the College of Medicine – Tucson and the study's first author.

Though the study found a strong correlation, it does not definitively state that pesticide exposure during preconception and pregnancy deteriorates the health of newborns. However, in the future, Furlong's group is planning to look at Medicaid records in the state of Arizona and see if this association pans out for actual neurodevelopmental disorders through childhood.

It is important to have more data on the health effects of specific ingredients in pesticides so that their application can be regulated in a way that will improve both maternal and child health, Furlong said. It's not like these ingredients are irreplaceable, she said, as almost every active ingredient has an alternative, and not all pesticides are equally toxic.

"I'm not suggesting a blanket ban on all pesticides. I'm just suggesting we do some more comprehensive legislative or policy initiatives for individual ingredients that exert the most harm," Furlong said.

On the clinical side, the study highlights the importance of sharing environmental history with doctors, Yang said.

"If you think you have increased pesticide exposure, I think it's a notable piece of information to share with your physician," Yang said.

With assistance from the Southwest Environmental Health Science Center, Furlong's group is doing outreach to clinicians by creating awareness about the health effects of pesticides, educating their patients living in agricultural areas with more exposure to pesticides, and encouraging pregnant women to avoid pesticide use during pregnancy.

Furlong shared a few recommendations to reduce pesticide load in households that are close to agricultural areas. Simple measures like vacuuming and dusting homes, using doormats and avoiding walking with shoes inside the house can lower the pesticide load. For those who use well water, it may be beneficial to use water filters. For those in agricultural areas, it is important to change air filters at least once a month during pesticide spray seasons.

Some agricultural pesticides are also designed for residential use to kill weeds and mosquitoes. Furlong recommended that people ensure that their products don't contain the ingredients beta-cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and fenpropathrin, as they were associated with lower Apgar scores in the study. 

"Most importantly, try not to use indoor insecticides during pregnancy," Furlong said.

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Journal

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology

DOI

10.1038/s41370-026-00849-8 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Residential proximity to agricultural pesticide exposures during preconception and pregnancy and associations with Apgar scores in the Az-PEAR study (2006–2020)

Article Publication Date

13-Mar-2026

 

Agricultural and industrial waste transformed into advanced porous carbon for soil and water conservation

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

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image: 

Introducing priority morph-genetic porous carbon for potential applications in soil and water conservation through game theory

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Credit: Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi, Somayeh Zare, Sudabeh Gharehmahmudli, Habibollah Younesi, Fengbao Zhang, Mahboubeh Mirzahosseini, Padideh Sadat Sadeghi, Mehdi Homaee, Yahya Parvizi, Shen Nan & Yao Li

A new study reports a promising approach to transform agricultural and industrial waste into high-performance porous carbon materials that could help improve soil and water conservation while addressing global waste management challenges.

The research, published in the journal Biochar, introduces a novel framework for producing and selecting morph genetic porous carbon, a type of activated biochar with enhanced structural properties. By combining advanced materials analysis with decision making methods from game theory, the researchers identified optimal porous carbon materials with strong potential for environmental applications.

Global waste production is increasing rapidly as industrialization and urbanization expand. At the same time, land degradation and soil erosion threaten food security and water resources in many parts of the world. Converting waste into valuable materials such as biochar has emerged as an attractive solution for both challenges.

In this study, scientists used eight different waste sources to produce biochar, including rice straw, vineyard pruning residues, palm pruning residues, sawdust, vinasse from sugarcane processing, poultry slaughterhouse waste, paper mill waste, and tissue paper manufacturing waste. The raw materials were first converted into biochar through pyrolysis under low oxygen conditions and then further activated at higher temperatures to create highly porous carbon materials.

The resulting material, known as morph genetic porous carbon, has a highly developed pore structure and large surface area. These characteristics allow the material to absorb water, nutrients, and pollutants more effectively than conventional biochar, making it particularly valuable for environmental management and soil improvement.

To determine which materials performed best, the research team produced 64 porous carbon samples and evaluated them using Brunauer Emmett Teller surface analysis, a widely used method for measuring the surface area and pore structure of porous materials. The results showed significant differences in performance depending on the original waste source and activation process.

The researchers then applied a decision making framework based on game theory known as the Condorcet algorithm. This method compares different options through pairwise evaluation and identifies the materials that outperform others across multiple criteria. The analysis considered twelve key physical parameters, including surface area, pore volume, and pore structure characteristics.

“Our goal was to move beyond traditional trial and error approaches and introduce a systematic way to identify the most effective porous carbon materials,” the authors explained. “By combining materials science with decision analysis, we can prioritize the best candidates for soil and water conservation.”

The study identified five top performing materials derived from agricultural wastes such as rice straw, sawdust, palm pruning residues, vineyard pruning residues, and tissue paper factory waste. These samples exhibited particularly high surface areas and favorable pore structures that enhance adsorption capacity and water retention.

According to the researchers, materials with higher surface area and pore volume provide more space for water and nutrient storage in soils. This can help improve soil structure, increase moisture retention, and reduce erosion, especially in regions facing water scarcity or degraded farmland.

The findings also highlight the environmental benefits of recycling agricultural and industrial residues. Instead of being discarded or burned, these materials can be converted into advanced porous carbon products that contribute to sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

The researchers suggest that the proposed framework could guide future development of biochar based materials for environmental management. By integrating advanced material characterization with decision making tools, scientists and engineers may be able to design more efficient materials for applications ranging from soil restoration to pollution control.

The study demonstrates that innovative waste valorization strategies can simultaneously address waste management challenges and support sustainable resource conservation.

 

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Journal Reference: Sadeghi, S.H., Zare, S., Gharehmahmudli, S. et al. Introducing priority morph-genetic porous carbon for potential applications in soil and water conservation through game theory. Biochar 8, 35 (2026).   

https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-025-00505-8  

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About Biochar

Biochar (e-ISSN: 2524-7867) is the first journal dedicated exclusively to biochar research, spanning agronomy, environmental science, and materials science. It publishes original studies on biochar production, processing, and applications—such as bioenergy, environmental remediation, soil enhancement, climate mitigation, water treatment, and sustainability analysis. The journal serves as an innovative and professional platform for global researchers to share advances in this rapidly expanding field. 

Follow us on Facebook, X, and Bluesky.  

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Journal

Biochar

DOI

10.1007/s42773-025-00505-8 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Article Title

Introducing priority morph-genetic porous carbon for potential applications in soil and water conservation through game theory

 

Indiana signs landmark education law to advance data science in schools

Indiana is advancing public education with House Bill 1266, following December’s Indiana Call to Action Summit: Strengthening the Data Science Thread

University of Chicago

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INDIANAPOLIS, DATE  — Indiana is reimagining education for the data-driven age. Following December’s Indiana Call to Action Summit: Strengthening the Data Science Thread—hosted by the Indiana Department of Education and Data Science 4 Everyone—leaders have passed House Bill 1266 to make data science a fundamental part of every Hoosier’s education.

At the summit, educators, policymakers, and industry experts agreed: empowering students to reason with data is essential for future-ready graduates. Teachers explored new strategies to connect math, science, and social studies with real-world data, and heard from leaders in K–12 and higher education about the promise and urgency of this work.

 “At the end of the day, it was clear we have a lot of work to do to ensure employers in Indiana have the data-literate employees they need,” said Rick Hudson, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Southern Indiana. “As educators, we need to prepare students for the data-rich world they’ll encounter.”

House Bill 1266, authored by Rep. Robert Behning and sponsored by Sen. Jeff Raatz and others, will guide curriculum, teacher training, and support for schools statewide while creating a math pathway focused on data science and integrating data science across K–12 subjects and grade bands.

"Knowing how to analyze and interpret data has become as foundational as reading and math," Behning said. "Students need a basic understanding of data science in order to work in industries across the board. This type of curriculum will also lead to developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that help in all facets of success."

Indiana’s focus on foundational skills has helped elementary students jump in national rankings in reading to No. 6 nationwide. Now, HB 1266 aims to bring the same success to math by guiding educators on math proficiency standards and setting instructional expectations from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The bill also leverages existing career and technical education pathways, requiring the Indiana Department of Education to create a data science track for high schoolers—teaching in-demand skills like AI engineering and computer science.

 

About Data Science 4 Everyone

Data Science for Everyone is a coalition advancing data science education so that every K-12 student is equipped with the data literacy skills needed to succeed in our modern world. Equitable access to data science education is an opportunity to open doors to higher education, high-paying careers, and an engaged community. Created by the University of Chicago Center for RISC and organized in partnership with The Learning Agency and the Concord Consortium, we support a growing community that knows that the data revolution has transformed modern life, and we need to prepare our students. 

 

The dehumanization effect: New PSU research examines how abusive supervision impacts employee agency and burnout

Portland State University

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New research co-led by Liu-Qin Yang, a professor of psychology at Portland State University (PSU), suggests that the true damage of a toxic boss goes far deeper than a bad mood — it fundamentally alters how employees perceive their own humanity. Published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, the study identifies “organizational dehumanization” as the primary mechanism that strips employees of their agency, leading to severe burnout and a collapse in workplace collaboration.

By conducting a dyad study in China and a longitudinal study in North America, the research team tracked how specific supervisor behaviors, such as ridicule or invading privacy, cause employees to feel more like "tools" or "cogs in a machine" than human beings.

“Abusive supervision compromises an employee’s sense of agency,” Yang said. “Our findings show that this sense of dehumanization creates two distinct pathways of destruction within a company’s culture.”

The researchers found that when an employee’s sense of humanity is compromised, it triggers a ripple effect through two specific channels. First, the internal toll manifests as a sense of inauthenticity, where employees feel they cannot be their true selves at work. This constant self-suppression leads directly to emotional exhaustion and severe burnout. Second, the study identified a social toll characterized by powerlessness. Believing they have no influence over their environment, these dehumanized employees become significantly less likely to engage in "interpersonal helping," the voluntary teamwork essential for organizational success.

The study also highlights a critical "safety net" known as chronic self-efficacy. Employees with a persistent belief in their own ability to overcome challenges were found to be less susceptible to the dehumanizing effects of a toxic manager. This internal resource allowed them to maintain their performance and sense of self despite an abusive environment.

The findings suggest that standard "fairness" initiatives are insufficient to protect a workforce from the dehumanization effect. Instead, the study advocates for a human-centric approach to management that restores employee agency.

“To mitigate these risks, organizations should adopt practices aimed at preventing leader abuse through development programs that emphasize respectful communication,” Yang noted. “By fostering employee self-efficacy and implementing human-centric management, companies can protect their most valuable asset — the humanity of their workforce.”

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Journal

Journal of Occupational Health Psychology

DOI

10.1037/ocp0000419 

Article Title

Dehumanized yet agentic? When and how organizational dehumanization mediates the effects of abusive supervision on burnout and interpersonal helping behavior.