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1.
The Effects of Air Pollution on the Development of Atopic Disease.
Hassoun, Y, James, C, Bernstein, DI
Clinical reviews in allergy & immunology. 2019;(3):403-414
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Abstract
Air pollution is defined as the presence of noxious substances in the air at levels that impose a health hazard. Thus, there has been long-standing interest in the possible role of indoor and outdoor air pollutants on the development of respiratory disease. In this regard, asthma has been of particular interest but many studies have also been conducted to explore the relationship between air pollution, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Traffic-related air pollutants or TRAP refers to a broad group of pollutants including elemental carbon, black soot, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO2). In this review, we aim to examine the current literature regarding the impact of early childhood exposure to TRAP on the development of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Although there is growing evidence suggesting significant associations, definitive conclusions cannot be made with regard to the effect of TRAP on these diseases. This conundrum may be due to a variety of factors, including different definitions used to define TRAP, case definitions under consideration, a limited number of studies, variation in study designs, and disparities between studies in consideration of confounding factors. Regardless, this review highlights the need for future studies to be conducted, particularly with birth cohorts that explore this relationship further. Such studies may assist in understanding more clearly the pathogenesis of these diseases, as well as other methods by which these diseases could be treated.
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Effects of water deficit stress on agronomic and physiological responses of rice and greenhouse gas emission from rice soil under elevated atmospheric CO2.
Kumar, A, Nayak, AK, Das, BS, Panigrahi, N, Dasgupta, P, Mohanty, S, Kumar, U, Panneerselvam, P, Pathak, H
The Science of the total environment. 2019;(Pt 2):2032-2050
Abstract
Rice is the foremost staple food in the world, safeguarding the global food and nutritional security. Rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and water deficits are threatening global rice productivity and sustainability. Under real field conditions these climatic factors often interact with each other resulting in impacts that are remarkably different compared to individual factor exposure. Rice soils exposed to drought and elevated CO2 (eCO2) alters the biomass, diversity and activity of soil microorganisms affecting greenhouse gas (GHG) emission dynamics. In this review we have discussed the impacts of eCO2 and water deficit on agronomic, biochemical and physiological responses of rice and GHGs emissions from rice soils. Drought usually results in oxidative stress due to stomatal closure, dry weight reduction, formation of reactive oxygen species, decrease in relative water content and increase in electrolyte leakage at almost all growth and developmental phases of rice. Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration reduces the negative effects of drought by improving plant water relations, reducing stomatal opening, decreasing transpiration, increasing canopy photosynthesis, shortening crop growth period and increasing the antioxidant metabolite activities in rice. Increased scientific understanding of the effects of drought and eCO2 on rice agronomy, physiology and GHG emission dynamics of rice soil is essential for devising adaptation options. Integration of novel agronomic practices viz., crop establishment methods and alternate cropping systems with improved water and nutrient management are important steps to help rice farmers cope with drought and eCO2. The review summarizes future research needs for ensuring sustained global food security under future warmer, drier and high CO2 conditions.
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Impacts of atmospheric particulate matter pollution on environmental biogeochemistry of trace metals in soil-plant system: A review.
Luo, X, Bing, H, Luo, Z, Wang, Y, Jin, L
Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987). 2019;(Pt 1):113138
Abstract
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) pollution and soil trace metal (TM) contamination are binary environmental issues harming ecosystems and human health, especially in the developing China with rapid urbanization and industrialization. Since PMs contain TMs, the air-soil nexus should be investigated synthetically. Although the PMs and airborne TMs are mainly emitted from urban or industrial areas, they can reach the rural and remote mountain areas owing to the ability of long-range transport. After dry or wet deposition, they will participate in the terrestrial biogeochemical cycles of TMs in various soil-plant systems, including urban soil-greening trees, agricultural soil-food crops, and mountain soil-natural forest systems. Besides the well-known root uptake, the pathway of leaf deposition and foliar absorption contribute significantly to the plant TM accumulation. Moreover, the aerosols can also exert climatic effects by absorption and scattering of solar radiation and by the cloud condensation nuclei activity, thereby indirectly impact plant growth and probably crop TM accumulation through photosynthesis, and then threat health. In particular, this systematic review summarizes the interactions of PMs-TMs in soil-plant systems including the deposition, transfer, accumulation, toxicity, and mechanisms among them. Finally, current knowledge gaps and prospective are proposed for future research agendas. These analyses would be conducive to improving urban air quality and managing the agricultural and ecological risks of airborne metals.
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4.
[Breathing: Ambient Air Pollution and Health - Part II].
Schulz, H, Karrasch, S, Bölke, G, Cyrys, J, Hornberg, C, Pickford, R, Schneider, A, Witt, C, Hoffmann, B
Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany). 2019;(6):347-373
Abstract
The second part of the DGP-statement on adverse health effects of ambient air pollution provides an overview of the current ambient air quality in Germany and its development in the past 20 years. Further, effects of air pollution on the cardiovascular system und underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are introduced. Air pollutants form a highly complex and dynamic system of thousands of organic and inorganic components from natural and anthropogenic sources. The pollutants are produced locally or introduced by long-range transport over hundreds of kilometers and are additionally subjected to local meteorological conditions. According to air quality regulations ambient air quality is monitored under uniform standards including immission of particulate matter, up to 2.5 µm (PM2.5) or 10 µm (PM10) in aerodynamic diameter, and of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or ozone (O3). The clean air measures of recent years led to a continuous decline of air pollution in the past 20 years in Germany. Accordingly, the focus is nowadays directed at population-related health hazards caused by low concentrations of air pollution. Exceeded limits for sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene and lead are not detected anymore. Also the number of days with increased ozone concentration declined, although the annual mean concentration is unaltered. Decreasing concentrations of particulate matter and NO2 have been observed, however, about 40 % of the monitoring stations at urban traffic sites still measure values exceeding current limits for NO2. Moreover, the stricter, solely health-based WHO-standards for PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 are still not met so that an optimal protection from air pollution-related health hazards is currently not given for the German population. In recent years, the findings of numerous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies underscored adverse effects of air pollution on the cardiovascular system, especially for particulate matter, although the level of evidence still varies for the different health outcomes. Further, the studies show that cardiovascular health hazards on the population level are of higher relevance than those for the respiratory system. The existing evidence for cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization, ischemic heart diseases, myocardial infarction and stroke can be regarded as strong, while that for heart failure is rather moderate. While the evidence for air pollution-related short-term alteration of the cardiac autonomic balance can be considered as sufficient, long-term effects are still unclear. Likewise, the heterogeneous findings on air pollution-related arrhythmia do currently not allow a distinct conclusion in this regard. A large number of studies support the observation that both, short- and long-term air pollution exposure contribute to increased blood pressure, may impair vascular homeostasis, induce endothelial dysfunction and promote the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. These effects provide reasonable biological explanation for the fatal events associated with exposure to air pollution. Short-term exposure may not pose a significant risk on healthy individuals but may be considered as precursor for fatal events in susceptible populations, while repetitive or long-term exposure may contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases even in healthy subjects.
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5.
Pollution and respiratory disease: can diet or supplements help? A review.
Whyand, T, Hurst, JR, Beckles, M, Caplin, ME
Respiratory research. 2018;(1):79
Abstract
Pollution is known to cause and exacerbate a number of chronic respiratory diseases. The World Health Organisation has placed air pollution as the world's largest environmental health risk factor. There has been recent publicity about the role for diet and anti-oxidants in mitigating the effects of pollution, and this review assesses the evidence for alterations in diet, including vitamin supplementation in abrogating the effects of pollution on asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases. We found evidence to suggest that carotenoids, vitamin D and vitamin E help protect against pollution damage which can trigger asthma, COPD and lung cancer initiation. Vitamin C, curcumin, choline and omega-3 fatty acids may also play a role. The Mediterranean diet appears to be of benefit in patients with airways disease and there appears to be a beneficial effect in smokers however there is no direct evidence regarding protecting against air pollution. More studies investigating the effects of nutrition on rapidly rising air pollution are urgently required. However it is very difficult to design such studies due to the confounding factors of diet, obesity, co-morbid illness, medication and environmental exposure.
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Ageing at the level of telomeres in association to residential landscape and air pollution at home and work: a review of the current evidence.
Martens, DS, Nawrot, TS
Toxicology letters. 2018;:42-52
Abstract
Studies suggest that leukocyte telomere length is an index of systemic ageing. Here, we discuss telomere length as a marker of biological ageing in relation to residential landscape (greenness), residential air pollution and work-related exposures. Telomere lengths are memories of cumulative oxidative and inflammatory stress, and show to have inverse associations with the risk of non-communicable diseases. For this reason, telomeres are considered as markers of biological ageing. Studies at birth, in children, young adulthood, and elderly show that residential green space, lower traffic exposure and long-term lower exposure to particulate air pollution are associated with longer telomeres. Work-related exposures including exposure to toxic metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and particulate matter are associated with shorter telomeres for a given age. In contrast to chronic exposures, evidence is present of the observation that recent exposure is associated with longer telomeres. Our overview shows that the magnitude of residential and work-related environmental factors on telomere length are often as important as many classical lifestyle factors.
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The role of air pollution on ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a narrative mini review.
Shahrbaf, MA, Mahjoob, MP, Khaheshi, I, Akbarzadeh, MA, Barkhordari, E, Naderian, M, Tajrishi, FZ
Future cardiology. 2018;(4):301-306
Abstract
ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is one of the potential causes of death worldwide. In spite of substantial advances in its diagnosis and treatment, STEMI is still considered as a major public health dilemma in developed and particularly developing countries. One of the triggering factors of STEMI is supposed to be air pollutants like gaseous pollutants including, sulfur dioxide, nitric dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and particulate matters (PM) including, PM under 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and PM under 10 µm (PM10). Air pollution can trigger STEMI with various mechanisms such as increasing inflammatory factors and changing the heart rate or blood viscosity. In this article, we aimed to explore research in the field and discuss the relationship between air pollution and STEMI.
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8.
Asthma, Environment and Pollution: Where the Rubber Hits the Road.
Krishnan, S, Panacherry, S
Indian journal of pediatrics. 2018;(10):893-898
Abstract
The detrimental effects of environmental pollution on one's health are undeniable and have been demonstrated time and time again. Breathing in pollutants in ambient air often has consequences throughout the body, including cardiovascular disease, effects on the reproductive system, and oncologic implications. In the respiratory system, chronic exposure yields a number of outcomes, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma exacerbations, increased rates of hospitalizations, and increased severity of acute illnesses. On a macro-level, this morbidity and mortality then leads to vast and far-reaching public health consequences the world over, including the loss of billions of dollars' worth of labor. This is especially applicable in developing countries, which often undergo rapid growth, industrialization and urbanization with a resultant increase in vehicular traffic, coal combustion, and fuel emissions as a whole. For this reason, environmental pollutants have been studied extensively, and countries around the globe have established laws that regulate ambient air levels of so-called criteria pollutants. This article will explore several of these criteria pollutants, including particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone, and their individual relationships to asthma pathophysiology. However, it is also emphasized that though each one of these toxins yields its own effects, the group of them often works together to have cumulative consequences. For these reasons and many more, it is important to remain aware and educated about these omnipresent environmental pollutants.
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Impact of ambient air pollution on physical activity among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
An, R, Zhang, S, Ji, M, Guan, C
Perspectives in public health. 2018;(2):111-121
Abstract
AIMS: This study systematically reviewed literature regarding the impact of ambient air pollution on physical activity among children and adults. METHODS Keyword and reference search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science to systematically identify articles meeting all of the following criteria - study designs: interventions or experiments, retrospective or prospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and case-control studies; subjects: adults; exposures: specific air pollutants and overall air quality; outcomes: physical activity and sedentary behaviour; article types: peer-reviewed publications; and language: articles written in English. Meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled effect size of ambient PM2.5 air pollution on physical inactivity. RESULTS Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Among them, six were conducted in the United States, and one was conducted in the United Kingdom. Six adopted a cross-sectional study design, and one used a prospective cohort design. Six had a sample size larger than 10,000. Specific air pollutants assessed included PM2.5, PM10, O3, and NOx, whereas two studies focused on overall air quality. All studies found air pollution level to be negatively associated with physical activity and positively associated with leisure-time physical inactivity. Study participants, and particularly those with respiratory disease, self-reported a reduction in outdoor activities to mitigate the detrimental impact of air pollution. Meta-analysis revealed a one unit (μg/m3) increase in ambient PM2.5 concentration to be associated with an increase in the odds of physical inactivity by 1.1% (odds ratio = 1.011; 95% confidence interval = 1.001, 1.021; p-value < .001) among US adults. CONCLUSIONS Existing literature in general suggested that air pollution discouraged physical activity. Current literature predominantly adopted a cross-sectional design and focused on the United States. Future studies are warranted to implement a longitudinal study design and evaluate the impact of air pollution on physical activity in heavily polluted developing countries.
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10.
Impact of air pollution on depression and suicide.
Gładka, A, Rymaszewska, J, Zatoński, T
International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health. 2018;(6):711-721
Abstract
Air pollution is one of the greatest public health threats worldwide. All substances appearing in excessive quantities in the atmosphere, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides or sulphur oxides may be its ingredients. Depending on their size and nature, these compounds may cause greater risk of suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases for exposed people as well as exacerbation and increased mortality due to these illnesses. Smaller particles may penetrate the brain's blood barrier and thus affect the central nervous system. In many studies, they have been shown to have negative effects on brain structure, like diminishing white matter or neuronal degeneration, leading to the earlier onset of Alzheimer or Parkinson disease. Nevertheless, there are reports of association of air pollution with mood disorders, depression, and even suicide. There are many risk factors for these conditions, most important of which are the social situation or chronic diseases. However, it has also been confirmed that the environment may affect mental health. This article will present experimental, clinical and epidemiological studies on exposure to air pollution and its impact on depressive disorders and suicide. Our goal is to determine the relationship between air pollution and incidence of depression and suicides. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(6):711-721.