Publications
Association between environmental and headphone noise and heart rate variability: observations from Apple Hearing Study cohort
Richard L Neitzel
BACKGROUND: Environmental noise is linked to adverse cardiovascular effects. However, few studies have examined people’s heart rate variability (HRV) changes related to noise sources, despite the elevated cardiovascular risk associated with reduced HRV.
Effectiveness of enhanced filtration interventions for improving indoor air quality in child-serving facilities
Stuart A Batterman
Indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools and other child-serving facilities is crucial for the health and development of children, a large and vulnerable population. Interventions to improve IAQ, e.g., enhancing HVAC system filtration and deploying portable air cleaners (PACs), are especially needed at facilities located in polluted areas. Evidence of the actual effectiveness of these interventions, however, is limited and the reported performance is inconsistent. The objectives of this study, a…
Extreme Weather Events and Pandemic Threats: Analyzing the Health Impacts of Multiple Disaster Events in Puerto Rico
Marie S O'Neill
CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore the need for disaster-responsive mental health care, resilient infrastructure, and policies addressing financial inequities that heighten vulnerability. Strengthening community networks and ensuring equitable preparedness and relief efforts are essential to reducing the health impacts of future disasters.
Extreme Weather Events and Pandemic Threats: Analyzing the Health Impacts of Multiple Disaster Events in Puerto Rico
Alexis J Handal
CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore the need for disaster-responsive mental health care, resilient infrastructure, and policies addressing financial inequities that heighten vulnerability. Strengthening community networks and ensuring equitable preparedness and relief efforts are essential to reducing the health impacts of future disasters.
Association of PFAS exposure with maternal blood pressure and hypertension during pregnancy in the PROTECT cohort
John D Meeker
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been associated with hypertension during pregnancy, although human studies are inconsistent. We examined this relationship in the Puerto Rico PROTECT cohort (N = 548). PFAS concentrations were measured in maternal serum at 16-20 weeks’ gestation. Blood pressure (BP) was measured at two time points (16-20 and 24-28 weeks). We used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations between PFAS and continuous systolic and diastolic BP, pulse…
The International Alliance on Brain Health (IABH): Bridging global efforts toward integrated brain and mental health plans and the promotion of local implementations
Marie S O'Neill
The convergence of neurological, psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and public health approaches to brain health is reshaping global strategies for prevention, care, and policy. However, major gaps remain in the integration and implementation of brain and mental health frameworks across healthcare systems and regions. This paper describes the foundation and early development of the International Alliance on Brain Health (IABH), established in Switzerland in 2025 to promote interdisciplinary…
Assessment of effect modification in associations between biomarkers of prenatal glyphosate exposure and child neurodevelopment in Puerto Rico
John D Meeker
CONCLUSIONS: These exploratory findings highlight the need for further research into prenatal GLY exposure, its impact on neurodevelopment, and potential exposure through breastmilk.
Evaluating quality of colorectal cancer surgery across elective and emergency health systems: secondary analysis of prospective cohort studies in 95 countries
Marie S O'Neill
CONCLUSION: Emergency surgery was associated with a two- to threefold increase in the risk of margin-positive resections globally, independent of resource availability, highlighting a neglected area of global surgical practice. These findings challenge the assumption that poorer outcomes after emergency surgery are due to advanced disease stage. For patients presenting as an emergency with potentially curative resection, enhanced decision-making around resectability, ensuring specialist surgeon…
Workplace Exposures May Mask Wildfire Smoke-Related Exposure Inequities and Mortality
Richard L Neitzel
Millions of outdoor workers cannot avoid wildfire smoke, likely leading to inequalities in exposure and health risk, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of how many outdoor workers are exposed to wildfire smoke in the United States (US). We first characterized work-related exposure to wildfire PM(2.5) for 3,108 contiguous US counties during 2006-2019 by integrating data on wildfire smoke-specific PM(2.5), workplace activities, and employment counts. We then compared the racial and ethnic…
Lead (Pb) and the NMDA Receptor Hypofunction Hypothesis: A Comparative Review of Non-Essential Metal Exposures in Schizophrenia
Alexis J Handal
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and anhedonia [1, 2]. Strong biological plausibility supports a disease-specific relationship between metal and metalloid exposures and SCZ, particularly through disruption of metal ion coordination within with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAr), a key regulator of neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity [3-5]. This review synthesizes existing…
Citing our Center Grant:
All publications, press releases, and other documents relevant to research funded by the center must include a specific acknowledgement of support, this statement may read:
“This publication was supported by the Grant Number, T42 OH008455, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.”