Seismic monitoring of underground longwall mines can provide valuable information for managing coal burst risks and understanding the ground response to extraction. However, the underground longwall mine environment poses major challenges for traditional in-mine microseismic sensors including the restricted use of electronics due to potentially explosive atmospheres, the need to frequently and quickly relocate sensors as rapid mining progresses, and source parameter errors associated with complex time-dependent velocity structure. Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), a technology that uses rapid laser pulses to measure strain along fiber-optic cables, shows potential to alleviate these shortcomings and improve seismic monitoring in coal mines when used in conjunction with traditional monitoring systems. Moreover, because DAS can acquire measurements that are not possible to record with traditional seismic sensors, it also enables entirely new monitoring approaches. This work demonstrates several DAS deployment strategies such as deploying fiber on the mine floor, in boreholes drilled from the surface and from mine level, on the longwall mining equipment, and wrapped around secondary support cans. Although there are several data processing and deployment improvements needed before DAS-based monitoring can become routine in underground longwall mines, the findings presented here can aid decision makers in assessing the potential of DAS to meet their needs and help guide future deployment designs. © 2025

Exposure assessment of hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) requires accurate quantification of internal dose when establishing limits or identifying significant differences within and among populations. Even though accurate internal dose can be directly measured in blood, it is not always practical or possible to collect a suitable blood specimen. This work studies the relationship between blood and urine levels for certain smoke biomarkers (e.g., tobacco, marijuana) measured in self-reported cigarette smokers. Urine and blood specimens were collected as matched pairs from individuals at the same time. We used our latest specimen collection and VOC analysis protocols to minimize sample collection, handling, and analysis biases. From these analyses, unmetabolized urine benzene, furan, 2,5-dimethylfuran, isobutyronitrile, and benzonitrile levels were found to trend with blood levels. In addition, we measured urine creatinine levels, which were found to be significantly associated with all blood analyte concentrations (p-value ranging from <0.0063 to <0.0001) except for isobutyronitrile (p = 0.3347). For the analytes that were associated with urine creatinine levels, the ratios of urine-to-blood concentrations were substantially higher than those predicted from the urine/blood partition coefficients (K(urine/blood)), which should occur if VOCs can freely equilibrate (i.e., passive diffusion) between the blood and urine. The urine isobutyronitrile concentration, which was the only analyte that was not associated with the urine creatinine level, had a urine-to-blood ratio similar to K(urine/blood). These results suggest either that urine VOC levels for certain VOCs do not equilibrate with blood levels in the urinary tract or that there is a conversion of conjugated to free forms, increasing urine VOC levels. Nevertheless, these deviations from partition theory (e.g., Henry's Law) are analyte-specific and require characterization to establish a relationship between blood and urine levels.

During use of sodium hypochlorite bleach, gas-phase hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and chlorine (Cl2) are released, which can react with organic compounds present in indoor air. Reactivity between HOCl/Cl2 and limonene, a common constituent of indoor air, has been observed. The purpose of this study was to characterize the chemical species generated from gas-phase reactions between HOCl/Cl2 and limonene. Gas-phase reactions were prepared in Teflon chambers housing HOCl, Cl2, and limonene. The resulting chemical products were analyzed using gas-phase preconcentration, followed by gas chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Several chlorinated products were detected, including limonene species containing one, two, and three chlorines and limonene chlorohydrin. Product concentrations and yields were estimated for the most abundant products, and greater than 80% of transformed limonene was represented in the detected products. Temporal sampling of the reactions allowed time courses to be plotted for limonene decay and chlorinated limonene product generation under different conditions, including the treatments of HOCl/Cl2, Cl2 only, high vs low relative humidity, and +/- ozone. These experiments add product speciation, yield estimates, and an understanding of environmental factors affecting product formation to previous studies, further highlighting the chemical transformations initiated by sodium hypochlorite bleach in indoor air.

Partner notification services (PNS) offers opportunities to discuss HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and provide referrals. We evaluated the PrEP care cascade among men who have sex with men (MSM) engaging in PNS within a sexually transmitted infections clinic. Among 121 MSM eligible for PrEP during PNS, 21% subsequently initiated PrEP.

Cross-species virus transmission events can lead to dire public health emergencies in the form of epidemics and pandemics. One example in animals is the emergence of the H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV), first isolated in 1963 in Miami, FL, USA, after emerging among horses in South America. In the early 21st century, the American lineage of EIV diverged into two 'Florida' clades that persist today, while an EIV transferred to dogs around 1999 and gave rise to the H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV), first reported in 2004. Here, we compare CIV in dogs and EIV in horses to reveal their host-specific evolution, to determine the sources and connections between significant outbreaks, and to gain insight into the factors controlling their different evolutionary fates. H3N8 CIV only circulated in North America, was geographically restricted after the first few years, and went extinct in 2016. Of the two EIV Florida clades, clade 1 circulates widely and shows frequent transfers between the USA and South America, Europe and elsewhere, while clade 2 was globally distributed early after it emerged, but since about 2018 has only been detected in Central Asia. Any potential zoonotic threat of these viruses to humans can only be determined with an understanding of its natural history and evolution. Our comparative analysis of these three viral lineages reveals distinct patterns and rates of sequence variation yet with similar overall evolution between clades, suggesting epidemiological intervention strategies for possible eradication of H3N8 EIV.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of wild Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) from southern Benin to the new insecticides (chlorfenapyr (CFP), pyriproxyfen (PPF), and clothianidin (CTD)) and assess the efficacy of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) that contain these new products. METHODS: Wild An. gambiae from the Benin communes of Allada, Ifangni, Akpro-Missérété, and Porto-Novo were tested for their susceptibility to CFP and PPF using the WHO bottle tests, and pyrethroids (alpha-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin) and CTD using WHO tube tests. WHO cone tests were used to evaluate the efficacy of Interceptor(®) (which contains alpha-cypermethrin (ACM) only), Interceptor(®) G2, (CFP + ACM), and Royal Guard(®) nets (PPF + ACM). The ovaries of blood-fed An. gambiae from Ifangni exposed to a new PPF net were dissected, and egg development status was examined using Christopher's stages to determine the fertility status of the mosquitoes. Using a standardized protocol, the oviposition rate and oviposition inhibition rate were calculated from live blood-fed An. gambiae placed in oviposition chambers after exposure to PPF. RESULTS: In all four mosquito populations, pyrethroid mortality ranged from 5 to 80%, while chlorfenapyr and clothianidin mortality ranged from 98 to 100%. At Ifangni, all mosquitoes exposed to Royal Guard® nets were infertile (100%) while the majority (74.9%) of mosquitoes exposed to Interceptor® nets had fully developed their eggs to Christopher's stage V. The oviposition inhibition rate after exposure of the mosquitoes to the PPF was 99% for the wild population of An. gambiae s.l. and the susceptible laboratory strain, An. gambiae sensu stricto (Kisumu). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that pyrethroid-resistant An. gambiae from the selected communes in southern Benin are susceptible to chlorfenapyr, clothianidin, and pyriproxyfen. In addition, based on bioassay results, new and unused Interceptor® G2 and Royal Guard® nets were effective on Ifangni's mosquito populations. Despite the availability of new effective insecticides, continued vigilance is needed in Benin. Therefore, monitoring of resistance to these insecticides will continue to periodically update the Benin national insecticide resistance database and management plan.

In the past decade, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has enabled many new monitoring applications in diverse fields including hydrocarbon exploration and extraction; induced, local, regional, and global seismology; infrastructure and urban monitoring; and several others. However, to date, the open-source software ecosystem for handling DAS data is relatively immature. Here we introduce DASCore, a Python library for analyzing, visualizing, and managing DAS data. DASCore implements an object-oriented interface for performing common data processing and transformations, reading and writing various DAS file types, creating simple visualizations, and managing file system-based DAS archives. DASCore also integrates with other Python-based tools which enable the processing of massive data sets in cloud environments. DASCore is the foundational package for the broader DAS data analysis ecosystem (DASDAE), and as such its main goal is to facilitate the development of other DAS libraries and applications.

Violent, dynamic failures of rockmasses in underground mines pose significant hazards to workers and operations. Over the past several decades, hardrock mines have widely adopted seismic monitoring to help address such risks. However, coal mines, particularly those employing the longwall mining method, have struggled to implement similar monitoring strategies. This is because typical longwall mines are much larger and mine more rapidly than hardrock mines. Moreover, regulations place significant restrictions on the subsurface use of electronics in coal mines due to potentially explosive atmospheres. We present a new monitoring concept that uses distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) to turn an entire longwall face into a seismoacoustic array. After exploring the acoustic response of our sensors in the laboratory, we deployed the array at an active underground longwall mine for several days. We examine 33 events recorded by both the in-mine DAS array and a surface seismic network. We observed that the array records both seismic vibrations trav-eling through rock and mining equipment as well as sound waves propagating in the workings. We show that waveform moveouts are clearly visible, and that the standard deviation of the audio recordings is a straightforward yet promising metric that could help quantify burst damage. Although improvements are needed before mines can routinely use this monitoring strategy, DAS-based seismoacoustic arrays may assist in understanding coal-burst mechanisms and managing associated risks in underground longwall mines as well as enable better understanding of damage associated with dynamic failures in other underground environments. © Seismological Society of America.

Background and Objectives: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome of children (MISC) carries a high attributable morbidity. We describe children aged <16 years hospitalised with COVID-19 and/or MISC, April 2020 to June 2021. Method(s): All were tested for SARS-CoV-2, infectious disease consultations performed, modified CDC criteria for MISC applied, charts reviewed and data analyzed. Result(s): Among 79 consecutive children with SARS-CoV-2, 41(52%) were hospitalised; with median age 10.5 years; Afro-Caribbean ethnicity 40(98%); males 21(51%); SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity 26 (63%), IgG/IgM positivity 7(17%), community exposures 8 (20%). MISC-cases 18 (44%) vs. non-MISC 23(56%) had fever (94% vs. 30%; p<0.01), fatigue/lethargy (41% vs. 4%; p=0.004), rhinorrhoea (28% vs. 4%; p=0.035), elevated neutrophils (100% vs. 87%; p=0.024) and >=4 abnormal inflammatory biomarkers 13 (72%). MISC-cases had >2 organ/systems (100% vs. 35%; p<0.01), including gastrointestinal (72% vs. 17%; p<0.01), haematological/coagulopathic (67% vs. 4%; p<0.01); dermatologic (56% vs. 0%; p<0.01), cardiac (17% vs. 0%; p=0.042) with Kawasaki Syndrome (44% vs. 0%; p<0.01) and pleural effusions (17% vs. 0%; p=0.042). MISC-cases were treated with intravenous immune gammaglobulin (14, 78%), aspirin (12, 68%), steroids (9, 50%) and intensive care with non-invasive ventilation (2, 11%). One (6%) with pre-morbid illness died, the remainder recovered. Conclusion(s): MISC was treated successfully with intravenous gammaglobulin, steroids and/or aspirin in 94% before cardiopulmonary decompensation, or need for inotropes, vasopressors, or invasive ventilation. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license.

Cross-species virus transmission events can lead to dire public health emergencies in the form of epidemics and pandemics. One example in animals is the emergence of the H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV), first isolated in 1963 in Miami, Florida after emerging among horses in South America. In the early 21st century the American lineage of EIV diverged into two 'Florida' clades that persist today, while an EIV transferred to dogs around 1999 and gave rise to the H3N8 canine influenza virus (CIV), first reported in 2004. Here, we compare CIV in dogs and EIV in horses to clarify their host-specific evolution, to determine the sources and connections between significant outbreaks, and to gain insight into the factors controlling their different evolutionary fates. H3N8 CIV only circulated in North America, was geographically restricted after the first few years, and went extinct in 2016. Of the two EIV Florida clades, clade 1 circulates widely and shows frequent transfers between the USA and South America, Europe and elsewhere, while clade 2 was globally distributed early after it emerged, but since about 2018 has only been detected in Central Asia. Any potential zoonotic threat of these viruses to humans can only be determined with an understanding of its natural history and evolution. Our comparative analysis of these three viral lineages reveals both distinct patterns and rates of sequence variation yet with similar overall evolution between clades, suggesting epidemiological intervention strategies for possible eradication of H3N8 EIV. (242 words) Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.

The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) was established in 2002 to conduct applied research and undertake related activities to translate evidence into practice, with a special focus on the unmet needs of populations at higher risk of getting cancer and dying from it. A network of academic, public health and community partners, CPCRN is a thematic research network of the Prevention Research Centers Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) has been a consistent collaborator. The CPCRN has fostered research on geographically dispersed populations through cross-institution partnerships across the network. Since its inception, the CPCRN has applied rigorous scientific methods to fill knowledge gaps in the application and implementation of evidence-based interventions, and it has developed a generation of leading investigators in the dissemination and implementation of effective public health practices. This article reflects on how CPCRN addressed national priorities, contributed to CDC's programs, emphasized health equity and impacted science over the past twenty years and potential future directions.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 in children was initially mild until the emergence of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C). We describe pediatric COVID-19 in a developing country within the Caribbean. METHODS: Jamaican children who were hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection, in one Caribbean regional academic referral center from April 2020 through June 2021 were included. Prospective surveillance and pediatric infectious disease consultations were performed using the CDC's MIS-C case definition. Data were extracted from patients' hospital charts using WHO's reporting form, entered into the RedCap database, and SPSS 28 was used for analysis. MIS-C and non-MIS-C patients were compared using independent sample t-tests for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, p values < 0.05 were statistically significant. RESULTS: Seventy-nine children with COVID-19 with/without MIS-C presented to UHWI. Thirty-eight (48%) were mild ambulatory cases. Hospitalizations occurred in 41 (52%) children, with median age of 10 ½ years. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positivity was present in 26 (63%), Immunoglobulin M, or Immunoglobulin G (IgM/IgG) positivity in 8 (20%), with community exposures in 7 (17%). Eighteen (44%) MIS-C positive patients were significantly more likely than 23 MIS-C negative patients (56%) to present with fever (94% vs. 30%; p < 0.001), fatigue/lethargy (41% vs. 4%; p = 0.006), lymphadenopathy (33% vs. 0%; p = 0.003), elevated neutrophils (100% vs. 87%; p = 0.024), and ESR (78% vs. 9%; p = 0.002). Involvement of > two organ systems occurred more frequently in MIS-C positive cases (100% vs. 34%; p < 0.001), including gastrointestinal (72% vs. 17%; p < 0.001); vomiting/nausea (39% vs. 9%; p < 0.028); hematological/coagulopathic (67% vs. 4%; p < 0.001); dermatologic involvement (56% vs. 0%; p < 0.001); and mucositis (28% vs. 0%; p = 0.001). MIS-C patients had Kawasaki syndrome (44%), cardiac involvement (17%), and pleural effusions (17%). MIS-C patients had >4 abnormal inflammatory biomarkers including D-dimers, C-reactive protein, ESR, ferritin, troponins, lactate dehydrogenase, neutrophils, platelets, lymphocytes, and albumen (72%). MIS-C patients were treated with intravenous immune gamma globulin (78%), aspirin (68%), steroids (50%), and non-invasive ventilation (11%). None required inotropes/vasopressors. MIS-C negative patients received standard care. All recovered except one child who was receiving renal replacement therapy and developed myocardial complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this first report of COVID-19 from the Caribbean, children and adolescents with and without MIS-C were not very severe. Critical care interventions were minimal and outcomes were excellent.

The fourth author’s name is incorrect. The correct name is Lawrence C. Brody. The correct citation is: Khoury MJ, Feero WG, Chambers DA, Brody LC, Aziz N, Green RC, et al. (2018) A collaborative translational research framework for evaluating and implementing the appropriate use of human genome sequencing to improve health. PLoS Med 15(8): e1002631. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002631.

Peracetic acid is a disinfection agent used in medical and food processing facilities, and occupational exposures have been documented. To facilitate characterization of daily occupational exposures, the current work describes the development of a personal sampling technique to quantify the peracetic acid concentration in air samples. Peracetic acid atmospheres were generated in 100 L Teflon chambers, and samples were collected on 350 mg XAD-7 solid sorbent tubes for 4 h at a flow rate of 250 mL/min using a personal sampling pump. Indirect measurement of peracetic acid was achieved by desorption from the sorbent and subsequent treatment with cyclohexene to initiate an epoxidation reaction, formally known as the Prilezhaev reaction. The epoxidation product, cyclohexene oxide, was quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The reaction enabled quantification of peracetic acid with high specificity over the common co-contaminants hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, which were introduced in 10-fold and 100-fold excess to challenge the reaction. The technique also demonstrated an overall estimate of bias and precision of 11 and 8%, respectively, and a limit of detection of 60 ppbv was estimated. Preliminary storage experiments indicate that unreacted peracetic acid is stable on the sorbent tubes for 72 h when stored at -20 °C following collection. Overall, the specificity of the reaction and capability to sample for longer time periods than current methods, in addition to the use of safer personal sampling materials, demonstrate the utility of this technique for peracetic acid measurement in air. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.. All rights reserved.

The ability to monitor seismicity and structural integrity of a mine using seismic noise can have great implication for detecting and managing ground-control hazards. The noise wavefield, however, is complicated by induced seismicity and heavy machinery associated with mining operations. In this study, we investigate the nature of time-dependent noise cross-correlations functions (CCFs) across an active underground longwall coal mine. We analyze one month of continuous data recorded by a surface 17 geophone array with an average station spacing of approximately 200 m. To extract coherent seismic signals, we calculate CCFs between all stations for each 5-min window. Close inspection of all 5-min CCFs reveals waveforms that can be categorically separated into two groups, one with strong and coherent 1-5 Hz signals and one without. Using a reference station pair, we statistically isolate time windows within each group based on the correlation coefficient between each 5-min CCF and the monthly stacked CCF. The daily stacked CCFs associated with a high correlation coefficient show a clear temporal variation that is consistent with the progression of mining activity. In contrast, the daily stacked CCFs associated with a low correlation coefficient remain stationary throughout the recording period in line with the expected persistent background noise. To further understand the nature of the high correlation coefficient CCFs, we perform 2D and 3D back projection to determine and track the dominant noise source location. Excellent agreement is observed on both short (5-min) and long (daily) time scales between the CCF determined source locations, the overall migration of the active mining operation, and cataloged seismic event locations. The workflow presented in this study demonstrates an effective way to identify and track mining induced signals, in which CCFs associated with background noise can be isolated and used for further temporal structural integrity investigation.

Vat photopolymerization (VP), a type of additive manufacturing process that cures resin to build objects, can emit potentially hazardous particles and gases. We evaluated two VP technologies, stereolithography (SLA) and digital light processing (DLP), in three separate environmental chambers to understand task-based impacts on indoor air quality. Airborne particles, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), and/or specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored during each task to evaluate their exposure potential. Regardless of duration, all tasks released particles and organic gases, though concentrations varied between SLA and DLP processes and among tasks. Maximum particle concentrations reached 1200 #/cm3 and some aerosols contained potentially hazardous elements such as barium, chromium, and manganese. TVOC concentrations were highest for the isopropyl alcohol (IPA) rinsing, soaking, and drying post-processing tasks (up to 36.8 mg/m3), lowest for the resin pouring pre-printing, printing, and resin recovery post-printing tasks (up to 0.1 mg/m3), and intermediate for the curing post-processing task (up to 3 mg/m3). Individual VOCs included, among others, the potential occupational carcinogen acetaldehyde and the immune sensitizer 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (pouring, printing, recovery, and curing tasks). Careful consideration of all tasks is important for the development of strategies to minimize indoor air pollution and exposure potential from VP processes. © 2022 by the authors.

BACKGROUND: Invasive mold diseases (IMDs) cause severe illness, but public health surveillance data are lacking. We describe data collected from a laboratory-based, pilot IMD surveillance system. METHODS: During 2017-2019, the Emerging Infections Program conducted active IMD surveillance at 3 Atlanta-area hospitals. We ascertained potential cases by reviewing histopathology, culture, and Aspergillus galactomannan results and classified patients as having an IMD case (based on European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group [MSG] criteria) or a non-MSG IMD case (based on the treating clinician's diagnosis and use of mold-active antifungal therapy). We described patient features and compared patients with MSG vs non-MSG IMD cases. RESULTS: Among 304 patients with potential IMD, 104 (34.2%) met an IMD case definition (41 MSG, 63 non-MSG). The most common IMD types were invasive aspergillosis (n=66 [63.5%]), mucormycosis (n=8 [7.7%]), and fusariosis (n=4 [3.8%]); the most frequently affected body sites were pulmonary (n=66 [63.5%]), otorhinolaryngologic (n=17 [16.3%]), and cutaneous/deep tissue (n=9 [8.7%]). Forty-five (43.3%) IMD patients received intensive care unit-level care, and 90-day all-cause mortality was 32.7%; these outcomes did not differ significantly between MSG and non-MSG IMD patients. CONCLUSIONS: IMD patients had high mortality rates and a variety of clinical presentations. Comprehensive IMD surveillance is needed to assess emerging trends, and strict application of MSG criteria for surveillance might exclude over one-half of clinically significant IMD cases.

Additive manufacturing (AM) refers to several types of processes that join materials to build objects, often layer-by-layer, from a computer-aided design file. Many AM processes release potentially hazardous particles and gases during printing and associated tasks. There is limited understanding of the efficacy of controls including elimination, substitution, administrative, and personal protective technologies to reduce or remove emissions, which is an impediment to implementation of risk mitigation strategies. The Medline, Embase, Environmental Science Collection, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases and other resources were used to identify 42 articles that met the inclusion criteria for this review. Key findings were as follows: 1) engineering controls for material extrusion-type fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3-D printers and material jetting printers that included local exhaust ventilation generally exhibited higher efficacy to decrease particle and gas levels compared with isolation alone, and 2) engineering controls for particle emissions from FFF 3-D printers displayed higher efficacy for ultrafine particles compared with fine particles and in test chambers compared with real-world settings. Critical knowledge gaps identified included a need for data: 1) on efficacy of controls for all AM process types, 2) better understanding approaches to control particles over a range of sizes and gas-phase emissions, 3) obtained using a standardized collection approach to facilitate inter-comparison of study results, 4) approaches that go beyond the inhalation exposure pathway to include controls to minimize dermal exposures, and 5) to evaluate not just the engineering tier, but also the prevention-through-design and other tiers of the hierarchy of controls.

Silicosis, an irreversible occupational lung disease caused by crystalline silica inhalation, is a serious health risk for silica-exposed workers. NIOSH reports that Appalachian coal miners have higher rates of obesity and metabolic dysfunction (MetDys) compared to the general U.S. adult population. MetDys is a risk factor for lung function impairment, pulmonary hypertension, and asthma. Consumption of a high-fat Western diet (HFWD) is associated with obesity and MetDys. In this study, we investigated the effects of, and determine interactions between, HFWD-consumption and silica-exposure on airway epithelial ion transport and smooth muscle reactivity in the F344 rat. Six-week-old male F344 rats were fed either a HFWD [40.6% fat (19.5% lard), 40.6% total carbohydrate (20% sucrose), 14.8 % protein] or standard rat chow (STD) [6.2 % fat, 44.2 % carbohydrate (grain sources), 18.6 % protein] for the duration of the study. Following 16 weeks of diet-consumption, inhalation exposure to respirable crystalline silica (Min-U-Sil 5® , 15 mg/m3 , 6 h/d, 5 d/wk, for 39 d) or filtered air began, with endpoint experiments conducted at 0, 4, and 8 wk post-exposure. Airway epithelial ion transport maintains airway surface liquid osmolarity and depth required for effective cilia motility and clearance of xenogens. Changes in ion transport were determined ex vivo by measurement of transepithelial potential difference (Vt ), short-circuit current (ISC ) and transepithelial resistance (Rt ) in rat tracheal segments mounted in Ussing chambers, and administered the ion transport inhibitors amiloride (Na+ channel blocker; apical), 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB; Cl- channel blocker; apical), and ouabain (Na+ , K+ -pump blocker; basolateral). Airway hyperresponsiveness is associated with obesity and pulmonary diseases such as asthma and COPD; thus, the isolated perfused trachea apparatus was employed to ascertain whether silica or HFWD altered airway smooth muscle reactivity to serosal or mucosal applied methacholine (MCh). HFWD-consumption had no effect on basal Vt . Silica exposure increased Na+ transport at 0 wk, decreased basal ISC at 4 wk, and reduced Cl- channel and Na+ , K+ -pump activity at both 4 wk and 8 wk compared to STD+AIR controls. HFWD-consumption caused a reduction in Cl- transport and Na+ , K+ -pump activity at 4 wk, while increasing Rt in response to ouabain at 0 wk and NPPB at 8 wk compared to STD+AIR. HFWD+SIL increased basal ISC at 0 and 4 wk, caused reduction in Cl- transport and Na+ , K+ -pump activity at 4 wk, while reducing Rt in response to ouabain at 4 wk compared to STD+SIL. No significant changes in tracheal reactivity to MCh were observed. In conclusion, HFWD and silica altered epithelial ion transport, but the combined effects of HFWD+SIL were not synergistic. © FASEB.

Over the past decade, ObsPy, a python framework for seismology (Krischer et al., 2015), has become an integral part of many seismology research workflows. ObsPy provides parsers for most seismological data formats, clients for accessing data-centers, common signal processing routines, and event, station, and waveform data models. ObsPlus significantly expands ObsPy's functionality by providing simple data management abstractions and conversions between ObsPy classes and the ubiquitous pandas DataFrame (McKinney, 2010).

Asthma is one of the most common underlying diseases in women of reproductive age that can lead to potentially serious medical problems during pregnancy and lactation. A group of key stakeholders across multiple relevant disciplines was invited to take part in an effort to prioritize, strategize, and mobilize action steps to fill important gaps in knowledge regarding asthma medication safety in pregnancy and lactation. The stakeholders identified substantial gaps in the literature on the safety of asthma medications used during pregnancy and lactation and prioritized strategies to fill those gaps. Short-term action steps included linking data from existing complementary study designs (US and international claims data, single drug pregnancy registries, case-control studies, and coordinated systematic data systems). Long-term action steps included creating an asthma disease registry, incorporating the disease registry into electronic health record systems, and coordinating care across disciplines. The stakeholders also prioritized establishing new infrastructures/collaborations to perform research in pregnant and lactating women and to include patient perspectives throughout the process. To address the evidence gaps, and aid in populating product labels with data that inform clinical decision making, the consortium developed a plan to systematically obtain necessary data in the most efficient and timely manner.

A method to achieve accurate measurement of unmetabolized volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine was developed and characterized. The method incorporates a novel preanalytical approach of adding isotopically labeled internal standard (ISTD) analogues directly to the collection container at the point of collection to compensate for analyte loss to the headspace and the collection container surfaces. Using this approach, 45 toxic VOCs ranging in water solubility and boiling point were evaluated and analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results show that urine VOCs could be equally lost to the container headspace as to the container surface suggesting similarity of these two regions as partition phases. Surface adsorption loss was found to trend with compound water solubility. In particular, with no headspace, more nonpolar VOCs experienced substantial losses (e.g., 48% for hexane) in a standard 120 mL urine cup at concentrations in the low- and sub-ppb range. The most polar VOCs evaluated (e.g., tetrahydrofuran) showed no significant loss. Other commonly practiced methods for urine sample collection and analysis such as aliquoting, specimen freezing, and use of surrogate ISTD were found to significantly bias results. With this method, we achieved errors ranging from -8.0 to 4.8% of spiked urine specimens. Paired urine and blood specimens from cigarette smokers were compared to assess this method.

Methylcarbamoyl mercapturic acid (MCAMA, N-acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)-L-cysteine) is a urinary metabolite of N,N-dimethylformamide and methyl isocyanate, which are volatile organic compounds that are harmful to humans. N,N-dimethylformamide exposure causes liver damage, and methyl isocyanate inhalation damages the lining of the respiratory tract, which can increase risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. This study characterizes urinary MCAMA levels in the US population and explores associations of MCAMA concentrations with select demographic and environmental factors. We used liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to measure MCAMA in urine collected from study participants ≥ 12 years old (N = 8272) as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006 and 2011-2016. We produced multiple regression models with MCAMA concentrations as the dependent variable and sex, age, fasting time, race/ethnicity, diet, and cigarette smoking as independent variables. Cigarette smokers and nonsmokers had median urinary MCAMA concentrations of 517 μg/g creatinine and 127 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Sample-weighted multiple regression analysis showed that MCAMA was positively associated with serum cotinine (p < 0.0001). Compared to non-exposed participants (serum cotinine ≤ 0.015 ng/mL), presumptive exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (serum cotinine > 0.015-≤ 10 ng/mL and 0 cigarettes smoked per day) was associated with 20% higher MCAMA (p < 0.0001). Additionally, smoking 1-10 cigarettes per day was associated with 261% higher MCAMA (p < 0.0001), smoking 11-20 cigarettes per day was associated with 357% higher MCAMA (p < 0.0001), and smoking > 20 cigarettes per day was associated with 416% higher MCAMA (p < 0.0001). These findings underscore the strong association of tobacco smoke exposure with urinary MCAMA biomarker levels.

Monitoring mining-induced seismicity (MIS) can help engineers understand the rock mass response to resource extraction. With a thorough understanding of ongoing geomechanical processes, engineers can operate mines, especially those mines with the propensity for rockbursting, more safely and efficiently. Unfortunately, processing MIS data usually requires significant effort from human analysts, which can result in substantial costs and time commitments. The problem is exacerbated for operations that produce copious amounts of MIS, such as mines with high-stress and/or extraction ratios. Recently, deep learning methods have shown the ability to significantly improve the quality of automated arrival-time picking on earthquake data recorded by regional seismic networks. However, relatively little has been published on applying these techniques to MIS. In this study, we compare the performance of a convolutional neural network (CNN) originally trained to pick arrival times on the Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN) to that of human analysts on coal-mine-related MIS. We perform comparisons on several coal-related MIS data sets recorded at various network scales, sampling rates and mines. We find that the Southern-California-trained CNN does not perform well on any of our data sets without retraining. However, applying the concept of transfer learning, we retrain the SCSN model with relatively little MIS data after which the CNN performs nearly as well as a human analyst. When retrained with data from a single analyst, the analyst-CNN pick time residual variance is lower than the variance observed between human analysts. We also compare the retrained CNN to a simpler, optimized picking algorithm, which falls short of the CNN's performance. We conclude that CNNs can achieve a significant improvement in automated phase picking although some data set-specific training will usually be required. Moreover, initializing training with weights found from other, even very different, data sets can greatly reduce the amount of training data required to achieve a given performance threshold.

BACKGROUND: During the Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak, an urgent need existed for strong partnerships to disseminate Zika-related information to pregnant women and women of child-bearing age. METHODS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with MotherToBaby, a national organization experienced in providing information about exposures during pregnancy to healthcare providers and the public, to disseminate accurate information about ZIKV infection during pregnancy. Partnership activities included regular information sharing, cross-linking information for the public, and promoting common messaging. Following the ZIKV outbreak, we reviewed common inquiries received as well as key strategies and lessons learned from the partnership. RESULTS: Between June 2016 and June 2019, MotherToBaby received 5,387 Zika-related inquiries from the public and health care providers. The majority (90%) of inquires came from preconception, pregnant, and breastfeeding women. Concerns about travel, pregnancy, sexual transmission, and preconception guidelines comprised the top information requests. Live chat was the preferred method of communication for Zika-related inquiries. Key strategies and lessons learned from this partnership included: capitalizing on existing nationwide infrastructure and expertise, prominently referring to partners as a resource, promoting shared messaging using online resources and social media, holding regular calls to share information, and collecting data to identify common questions and revise messaging. CONCLUSIONS: This examination of strategies, lessons learned, and metrics from MotherToBaby and CDC's partnership during the ZIKV outbreak can be applied to future partnerships to address emerging public health threats.

RATIONALE: Over 2,700 e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during August 2019-February 2020. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples from 51 EVALI and 99 non-EVALI cases were analyzed for toxicants including petroleum distillates. We describe a novel method to measure petroleum distillates in BAL fluid using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). METHODS: n-Hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, methylcyclopentane, and cyclohexane were measured in BAL fluid specimens by headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We created and characterized BAL fluid pools from non-EVALI individuals to determine assay accuracy, precision, linearity, limits of detection, and analytical specificity. All measurements were conducted in accordance with the CDC's Division of Laboratory Sciences rigorous method validation procedures. RESULTS: Matrix validation experiments showed that calibration curves in BAL fluid and saline had similar slopes, with differences less than 5%. Assay precision ranged from 1.98% to 18%. In addition, the limits of detection for the five analytes ranged from 0.05 to 0.10 mug/L, and their linearity was confirmed with R(2) values >0.99. The analysis of selected petroleum distillates in BAL fluid analysis was shown to be comparable with their analysis in blood in which the 95(th) percentiles are below detection. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and validated a method to quantify petroleum distillates in BAL fluid specimens using GC/MS. The assay provided precise and accurate analyses of EVALI and non-EVALI BAL fluid specimens in support of CDC's EVALI response. This method is applicable to the determination of a broad range of VOCs in BAL fluid specimens.

BACKGROUND: Japanese encephalitis (JE) occurs in fewer than 1% of JE virus (JEV) infections, often with catastrophic sequelae including death and neuropsychiatric disability. JEV transmission in Pakistan was documented in 1980s and 1990s, but recent evidence is lacking. Our objective was to investigate JEV as a cause of acute encephalitis in Pakistan. METHODS: Persons aged >/=1 month with possible JE admitted to two acute care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan from April 2015 to January 2018 were enrolled. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or serum samples were tested for JEV immunoglobulin M (IgM) using the InBios JE DetectTM assay. Positive or equivocal samples had confirmatory testing using plaque reduction neutralization tests. RESULTS: Among 227 patients, testing was performed on CSF in 174 (77%) and on serum in 53 (23%) patients. Six of eight patient samples positive or equivocal for JEV IgM had sufficient volume for confirmatory testing. One patient had evidence of recent West Nile virus (WNV) neurologic infection based on CSF testing. One patient each had recent dengue virus (DENV) infection and WNV infection based on serum results. Recent flavivirus infections were identified in two persons, one each based on CSF and serum results. Specific flaviviruses could not be identified due to serologic cross-reactivity. For the sixth person, JEV neutralizing antibodies were confirmed in CSF but there was insufficient volume for further testing. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital-based JE surveillance in Karachi, Pakistan could not confirm or exclude local JEV transmission. Nonetheless, Pakistan remains at risk for JE due to presence of the mosquito vector, amplifying hosts, and rice irrigation. Laboratory surveillance for JE should continue among persons with acute encephalitis. However, in view of serological cross-reactivity, confirmatory testing of JE IgM positive samples at a reference laboratory is essential.

A kidney transplant patient without known tick exposure developed encephalitis three weeks after transplantation. During the transplant hospitalization, the patient had received a blood transfusion from an asymptomatic donor later discovered to have been infected with Powassan virus. This report describes a probable instance of transfusion-transmitted Powassan virus infection.

Background Comprehensive assessments of the frequency and associated doses from radiologic and nuclear medicine procedures are rarely conducted. The use of these procedures and the population-based radiation dose increased remarkably from 1980 to 2006. Purpose To determine the change in per capita radiation exposure in the United States from 2006 to 2016. Materials and Methods The U.S. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements conducted a retrospective assessment for 2016 and compared the results to previously published data for the year 2006. Effective dose values for procedures were obtained from the literature, and frequency data were obtained from commercial, governmental, and professional society data. Results In the United States in 2006, an estimated 377 million diagnostic and interventional radiologic examinations were performed. This value remained essentially the same for 2016 even though the U.S. population had increased by about 24 million people. The number of CT scans performed increased from 67 million to 84 million, but the number of other procedures (eg, diagnostic fluoroscopy) and nuclear medicine procedures decreased from 17 million to 13.5 million. The number of dental radiographic and dental CT examinations performed was estimated to be about 320 million in 2016. Using the tissue-weighting factors from Publication 60 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, the U.S. annual individual (per capita) effective dose from diagnostic and interventional medical procedures was estimated to have been 2.9 mSv in 2006 and 2.3 mSv in 2016, with the collective doses being 885 000 and 755 000 person-sievert, respectively. Conclusion The trend from 1980 to 2006 of increasing dose from medical radiation has reversed. Estimated 2016 total collective effective dose and radiation dose per capita dose are lower than in 2006. (c) RSNA, 2020 See also the editorial by Einstein in this issue.

Recent studies have reported emission rates of up to 1012 ultrafine particles/min from fused filament fabrication three-dimensional printers when operated in unventilated or minimally ventilated test chambers. However, in these studies, there are no data to relate this rate to airborne concentrations in a manufacturing environment. An assessment of particle exposures of workers was conducted at a three-dimensional printing shop using multiple fused filament printers with unfilled and carbon nanotube and/or carbon nanofiber-infused polyetheletherketone filaments. The study simultaneously evaluated emissions in two environments: (1) in a field portable test chamber with one three-dimensional printer and (2) in the manufacturing area with multiple printers in use. Emission rates were calculated for a variety of filaments and ranged from 1.21 to 33.5 x 1011 particles/min, with geometric mean diameters ranging from 11.4 to 33.3 nm. The emission rates estimated by a scanning mobility particle sizer were much lower than from the fast mobility particle sizer due to differences in the lower size resolution. Samples collected in the chamber and manufacturing area by thermophoretic sampling included free (no polymer) carbon nanotubes and nanofibers and their bundles. The company reportedly never handled free carbon nanotubes or nanofibers, and prior research has indicated that the release of free nanomaterials through three-dimensional printing or mechanical action is highly unlikely. This presents the possibility that these materials are being released from the matrix during use or that these materials were brought into the facility through the supply chain, or by other means.