Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The typical motor symptoms have been associated with basal ganglia pathology. However, psychiatric and cognitive symptoms often precede the motor component and may be due to changes in the limbic system. Recent work has indicated pathology in the hypothalamus in HD but other

Background: The mechanisms by which exposure to particulate matter might increase risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are not fully known. However, few existing studies have investigated the potential role of particle radioactivity. Naturally occurring radionuclides attach to particulate matter and continue to release ionizing radiation after inhalation and deposition in the lungs. We h

Numerous studies have reported a positive association between ambient fine particles and daily mortality, but little is known about the particle properties or environmental factors that may contribute to these effects. This study assessed potential modification of radon on PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter

Inhaling radon and its progeny is associated with adverse health outcomes. However, previous studies of the health effects of residential exposure to radon in the United States were commonly based on a county-level temporally invariant radon model that was developed using measurements collected in the mid- to late 1980s. We developed a machine learning model to predict monthly radon concentrations

Unconventional oil and natural gas development (UOGD) expanded extensively in the United States from the early 2000s. However, the influence of UOGD on the radioactivity of ambient particulate is not well understood. We collected the ambient particle radioactivity (PR) measurements of RadNet, a nationwide environmental radiation monitoring network. We obtained the information of over 1.5 million w

BACKGROUND: Exposure to ionizing radiation increases the risk of chronic metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Internal ionizing radiation from inhaled radioactive aerosol may contribute to the associations between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).METHODS: We used the Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records to study 1,061,937 pre

BACKGROUND: Individuals are exposed to air pollution and ionizing radiation from natural sources through inhalation of particles. This study investigates the association between cardiac arrhythmias and short-term exposures to fine particulate matter (particulate matter ≤2.5 µm aerodynamic diameter; PM2.5) and particle radioactivity.METHODS: Ventricular arrhythmic events were identified among 176 p

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have found that particulate matter (PM) attached radioactivity was associated with certain adverse health effects including increased blood pressure and lung dysfunction. However, there has been no investigation on the direct effect of PM radioactivity on mortality.METHODS: Exposures to ambient PM gamma activities were determined using U.S. EPA RadNet data. Data on daily

BACKGROUND: Radon is an inert gas formed from the decay of naturally-occurring materials in the earth's crust. It infiltrates into homes from soil, water, and construction materials. Its decay products are radionuclides, which attach to ambient particles. Residential radon is one of the leading risk factors for lung cancer. The scarce evidence for associations with other mortality causes originate

BACKGROUND: Whole-body and thoracic ionizing radiation exposure are both associated with the development of renal dysfunction. However, whether low-level environmental radiation from air pollution affects renal function remains unknown.OBJECTIVES: We investigated the association of particle radioactivity (PR) with renal function defined by the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and chroni

Previous studies have suggested increased risk of respiratory diseases and mortality following short-term exposures to ionizing radiation. However, the short-term respiratory effects of low-level environmental radiation associated with air pollution particles have not been considered. Although ambient particulate matter (PM) has been reproducibly linked to decreased lung function and to increased

BACKGROUND: Short-term geomagnetic disturbances (GMD) driven by the quasi-periodic 11-year cycle of solar activity have been linked to a broad range of adverse health effects, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and total deaths. We conducted a large epidemiological study in 263 U.S. cities to assess the effects of GMD on daily deaths of total, CVD, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke.METHO

INFORM is a prospective, multi-national registry gathering clinical and molecular data of relapsed, progressive or high-risk pediatric cancer patients. This report describes long-term follow-up of 519 patients in whom molecular alterations were evaluated according to a pre-defined 7-scale target prioritization algorithm. Mean turnaround time from sample receipt to report was 25.4 days. The highest

BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular effects of low-level environmental radiation exposures are poorly understood. Although particulate matter (PM) has been linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and elevated blood pressure (BP), the properties promoting its toxicity remain uncertain. Addressing a knowledge gap, we evaluated whether BP increased with higher exposures to radioactive components

While the effects of particulate matter (PM) on morbidity and mortality are well-established, the specific properties of PM responsible for these effects are still not completely understood. However, identifying the toxic properties of particles is critical for developing cost-effective air quality standards and ultimately protecting public health. This dissertation investigates the potential heal

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore whether and how external, political, financial and governance factors influence capital expenditure deviations in the Swedish municipal water and sewerage sector and to capture the consequences of municipal organisational fragmentation. Design/methodology/approach: Panel data analysis of 238 municipalities and 1,190 observations of capital expenditure d