Women in their 70s and 80s who were exposed to higher levels of air pollution experienced greater declines in memory and more Alzheimer’s-like brain atrophy than their counterparts who breathed cleaner air, according to USC researchers. The findings of the nationwide study, published in the journal Brain, touch on the renewed interest in preventing Alzheimer’s disease by reducing risk as well as hint at a potential disease mechanism.

A controversial rule with worker safety implications gets sidelined, construction company personnel charged with felonies after an occupational fatality and making sure holiday decorating is safe were among the stories featured this week on ISHN.com.

The CDC says it has not yet determined the source of an outbreak of E. coli that has so far sickened people in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Washington and Wisconsin. The CDC is coordinating with public health and regulatory officials in those states, along with the FDA, in its investigation into the outbreak.

Fifteen years ago, the federal government said “no” to piracetam. This was a proposed new ingredient that a company had hoped to market as a dietary supplement. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected the company’s application, citing “concerns about the evidence” that supposedly showed piracetam was safe.

Whether they’re traditional or modern, heirlooms or newly purchased, holiday decorations add a festive spirit to many homes and workplaces. They also account for a whopping 25 percent of home fires during the holiday season, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). The organization’s president, Brett Brenner, said that taking simple precautions will help minimize the risk of things you don’t want at any time of year: property loss or, worse, loss of life or injuries.

More than 399,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription and illicit opioids from 1999-2017.[i] There are many efforts to educate physicians and dentists about their roles and responsibilities in addressing this national crisis. But what about veterinarians? Animals, like humans, may receive opioids for pain.

The holidays are a great opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends, to celebrate life, to be grateful, and to reflect on what’s important. They are also a time to appreciate – and safeguard – the gift of health. “The holiday season is a time to reflect on family and friends, but don’t forget to take time to care for yourself,” said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D.

You sit at a desk during the workday, for most of the day. With your busy schedule, you don’t get up and move around much except for a few trips to the bathroom and to get your lunch. While this may sound like a low key day without any risk for physical injury, you may be surprised to find out that you can do a lot of damage to your body by having an office job.

Depending on where you live, you may encounter severe weather if you must be on U.S. roadways this week, whether you're driving for work or traveling to and from the homes of loved ones. Forecasters are predicting multiple storms from coast to coast, with conditions worsening as we get closer to Thanksgiving. Some 55 million travelers are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their homes for the holiday, according to AAA. That’ll make it the second-highest Thanksgiving travel volume since AAA began tracking in 2000.

Wearable safety tech for construction workers, Uber automated vehicles are unsafe at any speed and the toll of antibiotic resistant infections in the U.S. were among the top occupational safety and health stories featured on ISHN.com this week.