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The Neolithic (i.e., farming and stockbreeding) spread from the Near East across Europe since about 9000 years before the common era (BCE) until about 4000 yr BCE. It followed two main routes, namely a sea route along the northern Mediterranean coast and an inland one across the Balkans and central Europe. It is known that the dispersive behavior of farmers depended on geography, with longer movements along the Mediterranean coast than along the inland route. In sharp contrast, here we show that for both routes the percentage of farmers who interbred with hunter-gatherers and/or acculturated one of them was strikingly the same (about 3.6%). Therefore, whereas the dispersive behavior depended on the proximity to the Mediterranean sea, the interaction behavior (incorporation of hunter-gatherers) did not depend on geographical constraints but only on the transition in the subsistence economy (from hunting and gathering to farming) and its associated way of life. These conclusions are reached by analyzing the clines of haplogroup K, which was virtually absent in hunter-gatherers and the most frequent mitochondrial haplogroup in early farmers. Similarly, the most frequent Y-chromosome Neolithic haplogroup (G2a) displays an inland cline that agrees with the percentage of interbreeding reported above.

Brazil is one of the world\'s largest consumers of pesticides. This intense use impacts the environment and exposes a wide range of individuals to pesticides, including rural workers who are occupationally exposed and rural residents who are environmentally exposed. We aimed to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to pesticides on the health of rural workers and rural residents. We conducted an epidemiological study with 104 farmers and 23 rural residents of Casimiro de Abreu (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). A comparison group (urban residents) comprised 103 residents of the urban area of the same city. We determined the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) using a modified version of Ellman\'s method to evaluate exposure. In addition, we performed genotoxic and mutagenic analyses with the comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. There was a reduction in cholinesterase activity, mainly BChE, in rural workers and rural residents compared with urban residents (p = 0.002). There was an increase in genotoxic effects in rural workers compared with urban residents (comet assay, p < 0.001; CBMN assay, p < 0.001). In addition, there was a greater chance of genotoxic changes in rural workers exposed to pesticides based on the comet assay (odds ratio [OR] 7.6, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 6.6-15.9) and the CBMN assay (OR 22.7, 95 % CI 10.3-49.9). We found that individuals occupationally exposed to pesticides are more likely to have genotoxic effects. These findings are useful for the development of programs to monitor populations exposed to genotoxic substances and allow the development of strategies for the prevention, control, and surveillance of effects that result from occupational and environmental exposures to pesticides.

The study aimed to assess the extent of pesticide use among potato-growing farmers in Bangladesh and its relationship with their knowledge, attitude, and socio-demographic characteristics. Data were collected from 553 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire through multistage random sampling. Bivariate analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the frequency of pesticide use and various socio-demographic factors. Results showed that out of 321 different pesticide brands reported, 50.5% were registered, while 47.7% were unregistered and 1.9% were banned. Among the registered pesticides, 5.6% were highly hazardous, 24.8% were moderately hazardous, and 6.2% were slightly hazardous as per World Health Organization category. A high percentage (96%) of farmers reported using pesticides in their fields, with 16.6% applying pesticides more than five times in a cropping season. Data revealed that majority of the farmers were aware of the negative effect of pesticides on health and environment. Most farmers used hand towels (77.9%) and ordinary shirts (70.0%) to cover their bodies to avoid pesticide exposure. Inappropriate disposal of empty pesticide containers was also observed. Negative binomial regression analysis revealed significant positive associations between the frequency of pesticide application and potato productivity, rate of fertilizer application, area of land owned by farmers, and their knowledge about the negative effects of pesticides on human health. The study suggests adopting integrated pest management practices, developing pest-resistant potato varieties, ensuring safe handling practices and disposal as well as stringent enforcement of laws to mitigate pesticide externalities and hence ensure sustainability in agriculture.

UNASSIGNED: Federal food safety net programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may not reach vulnerable populations like rural residents, immigrants, and Latinx individuals. Because these groups are overrepresented among the farm workforce, exploring SNAP utilization among farm communities may clarify the role it plays in alleviating food insecurity.
UNASSIGNED: In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 farmworkers and farm owners. Patterns and predictors of SNAP utilization were organized using an adapted Andersen Behavioral Model of Health Service Utilization.
UNASSIGNED: Psychosocial factors played the central role in participants\' use of SNAP. Discussion: Opportunities to improve the design and delivery of SNAP include expanded eligibility cut-offs and targeted engagement mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents living in agricultural communities may be at risk for the adverse effects of pesticide exposure because they are involved in agriculture either as a career or to support their families.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of farm activities related to pesticide exposure on blood cholinesterase (ChE) levels among adolescents from farming families in the north of Thailand.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 336 adolescents aged 12-19 years from farming families in Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province. Data on pesticide exposure was collected using a questionnaire, and blood ChE activity was assessed using a ChE reactive paper test kit via fingerstick blood sampling.
RESULTS: Overall, 51.2% of participants had abnormal blood ChE levels. Univariable logistic regression analysis revealed that pesticide-related activities on farms associated with abnormal ChE levels were mixing/spraying (OR=10.54; 95%CI=4.63-23.99), assisting or working in areas with pesticide application (OR=5.54; 95%CI=3.45-8.89), and harvesting (OR=3.70; 95%CI=2.35-5.82). In a multivariable model (Nagelkerke R2=0.374), mixing/spraying (OR=4.90; 95%CI=2.03-11.83) and assisting or working in areas with pesticide application (OR=2.61; 95%CI=1.49-4.57) were significantly associated with abnormal ChE levels, but harvesting (OR=1.48; 95%CI=0.84-2.61) was not significant after adjusting for sex, age in years, and entering or walking through a farm.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that Thai adolescents living in farming families are at risk of pesticide exposure, particularly those involved in agricultural activities such as pesticide applicators. An intervention and measure to raise awareness and reduce the risk of pesticide exposure in adolescents is required.

UNASSIGNED: Prolificacy has become an important breeding goal in sheep farming to increase farm profitability. With the adoption of improved genetics and management practices leading to increased lambing percentages, the proportion of triplet-born lambs has also increased on farms. However, mortality rates of triplet lambs are higher than for single- and twin-born lambs, and additional management inputs may be needed to support survival. The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect management practices that are considered important for triplet lamb survival by commercial farmers from the United Kingdom (UK), the Ireland (IRE), and New Zealand (NZ).
UNASSIGNED: An online survey was developed and disseminated to farmers in each country, focusing on farmer demographics, flock characteristics, management practices and production outcomes. A total of 448 farmers completed the survey, from the UK (n = 168), IRE (n = 218), and NZ (n = 62).
UNASSIGNED: Respondents had larger flocks, higher scanning and lambing percentages than the country average for the UK and IRE. The mean percentage of triplet litters born within flocks was 9%, and lambs lost between scanning and lambing were 14% for UK, 15% for IRE, and 25% for NZ respondents (P = 0.063). Overall, 60% of all respondents reported to lamb indoors and 40% lambed outdoors, however NZ farmers almost exclusively lambed outdoors, whereas UK and IRE farmers lambed in both systems (P < 0.001). NZ farmers were more likely to rear all triplet lambs with the ewe, whereas UK and IRE farmers were more likely to remove a lamb to rear by another ewe or artificially (P < 0.001). Factors that influenced triplet lamb management practices of respondents in this study were respondent country of origin, flock size, age, and gender. In general, younger respondents (P < 0.001), and female respondents (P < 0.05), were more likely to engage in management activities that were considered to promote better triplet lamb survival, compared to older and male respondents respectively. These practices were associated with better lamb survival reported by respondents but were less likely to be carried out when flock size increased (P < 0.001).
UNASSIGNED: The results of this survey highlight future priorities or communication strategies needed to improve triplet lamb survival.

BACKGROUND: Farming is a stressful occupation, and a growing body of research shows that farm stressors are associated with poor mental health. To date, there are few methodologically sound surveys that assess farm stressors, and none have been validated for the Canadian context. Our study aimed to: (a) investigate the types of stressors experienced by farmers, (b) develop a farm stress assessment tool and test its factor structure and internal consistency, and (c) assess its criterion-related validity to self-reported levels of anxiety, depression, burnout, and resilience among farmers.
METHODS: We developed a 20-item survey based on a review of the literature, examining existing farm stress surveys, and consulting 10 farmers and agricultural industry experts. Then, a convenience sample of farmers living in Alberta, Canada (Sample 1, N = 354) completed a questionnaire containing the 20-item farm stress survey and four validated measures that assessed depression, anxiety, burnout, and resilience. Sample 1 was used to assess the factor structure using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), internal consistency, and criterion-validity of the survey. Next, a convenience sample of farmers living outside of Alberta (Sample 2, N = 138) was used to evaluate the factor structure of the survey using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
RESULTS: The results of the EFA revealed five underlying dimensions of farm stressors: Unexpected work disruptions, Agricultural hazards, Farm and financial planning, Isolation, and Regulations and public pressure. The subscales accounted for 61.6% of the variance, and the internal consistency (Cronbach\'s alpha) ranged from 0.66 to.75. Subscale correlations were below 0.44, indicating evidence of discriminant validity. Correlations between the five subscales and the four mental health outcome variables supported the criterion-related validity of the survey. The results of the CFA indicated that the data fit the model, and fit was further improved by correlating one pair of error terms.
CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary analysis of our Farmer Stress Assessment Tool (FSAT) suggests it is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring a range of stressors farmers face. Implications for policy and community-based mental health interventions that help farmers manage the enduring stressors of agriculture is discussed.

Government intervention has become an important measure to restrain groundwater overexploitation. This paper analyzes the effect of three types of government intervention measures, namely, guidance, incentive and constraint, on farmers\' groundwater utilization behavior, from the perspective of scale-heterogeneity, using general quantile regression model, by survey data of 1122 households in well irrigation area of north China. The results showed that: (1) the incentive and guiding measures have negative effects on farmers\' groundwater usage, while the effect of restrictive measures is not obvious. The guided policy is superior to the incentive measure as to governance effect. (2) With the increase of farmers\' land scale, the influence of incentive measures shows a trend of weakening, and the effect of guided measures on groundwater demand reduction of farmers is stronger. When it comes to the different point of water consumption, when at the point level of 0.25, the incentive measures have the most obvious inhibitory effect. With the increase of water consumption of farmers, the guided measures begin to play a core role. The effect of restrictive measures is not obvious with the increase of water consumption. (3) In addition, farmers\' irrigation water consumption also is affected by gender, cognition of water resources shortage, ecological cognitive level, acquisition ability of disaster information, village rain conditions, the degree of water rights market development, feelings of water fee increase, irrigated disputes in the village, collective economic level of village. The selection of policy tools is flexible according to the farmers\' land scale for groundwater over-extraction control.

The aim was to determine whether indirect exposure to pesticides, specifically a copper-based fungicide, induces alterations in oxidative stress and subclinical and early kidney biomarkers in male farmers tasked with olives harvesting. Furthermore, we tested whether sex influences the susceptibility to pesticide-induced renal damage by comparing the results of this study with those obtained previously. The study focused on olive farmers (n = 41) indirectly exposed to copper-based fungicides in Estepa (Sevilla, Spain), comparing them with a control group (n = 32). Blood samples were analyzed for metal concentrations (Cu, Mn, Se, and Zn), lipid peroxidation (MDA), protein oxidation (carbonyl groups), and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT) while urine samples were assessed for biomarkers of early kidney damage (NGAL, KIM-1, transferrin, IGFBP7, TIMP-2). Although no significant, a tendency to increase lipid and protein oxidation was observed, together with the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT, and a decrease in total antioxidants. Moreover, an increase in urinary NGAL and IGFBP7 among pesticide-exposed farmers suggests potential underdiagnosis of kidney damage. Farmers exhibit a subtle tendency to oxidative stress compared to control, while metal levels are significantly lower in farmers, suggesting potential compensatory responses. Furthermore, biomarkers for early kidney damage are elevated, emphasizing their vulnerability in both sexes. These findings highlight the need for investigations of renal health in pesticide-exposed farmers for preventative measures and regular health monitoring.