scholarly journals A First Review to Explore the Association of Air Pollution (PM and NO2) on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Copat ◽  
Antonio Cristaldi ◽  
Maria Fiore ◽  
Alfina Grasso ◽  
Pietro Zuccarello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Incidence Data ◽  
Long Time

A new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have determined a pneumonia outbreak in China (Wuhan and Hubei) on December 2019. While pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies are strengthened worldwide, the scientific community has been studying the risk factors associated with SARS-Cov-2, to enrich epidemiological information. For a long time, before the industrialized era, air pollution has been a real and big health concern and it is today a very serious environmental risk for many diseases and anticipated deaths in the world. It has long been known that air pollutants increasing the invasiveness of pathogens for humans by acting as a carrier and making people more sensitive to pathogens through a negative influence on the immune system. Based on scientific evidences, the hypothesis that air pollution, resulting from a combination of factors such as meteorological data, level of industrialization as well as regional topography, can acts both as an infection carrier as a harmful factor of the health outcomes of COVID-19 disease has been raised recently. This hypothesis is turning in scientific evidence, thanks to the numerous studies that have been launched all over the world.With this review, we want to provide a first unique view of all the first epidemiological studies relating the association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2. The Authors, who first investigated this association, although with great effort and rapidity of analysis dictated by a global emergency, often used different research methods or not all include confounding factors whenever possible. In addition, to date incidence data are underestimated in all countries, and to a lesser extent also mortality data. For this reason, the cases included in the considered studies cannot be considered real. Although it determines important limitations for direct comparison of results, and more studies are needed to strengthen scientific evidences and support firm conclusions, major findings are consistent, highlighting the important contribution of PM2.5 and NO2 on the COVID-19 spread and with a less extent also PM10.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic inequalities and exposure to traffic-related air pollution in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateus Habermann ◽  
Míriam Souza ◽  
Rogério Prado ◽  
Nelson Gouveia
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Traffic Density ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

Air pollution is a leading public health concern. In addition, poor populations have been reported as showing increased exposure to such pollution. The current study thus aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic status of the population exposed to vehicle-related air pollution in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The study used data from the 2010 Census on head-of-household’s mean monthly income and the percentage of households connected to the sewage system. Exposure to air pollutants was estimated according to traffic density in the census tract plus a 200m surrounding buffer. The relationship between exposure and socioeconomic variables was analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Exposure increased with increasing socioeconomic status (p < 0.001). The population with the highest socioeconomic status lives in the most polluted areas of the city. However, place of residence alone is not capable of measuring exposure. The study suggests that future epidemiological studies include other indicators of vulnerability.

scholarly journals APPLICATION OF OPEN AIR MODEL (R PACKAGE) TO ANALYZE AIR POLLUTION DATA

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Intan Agustine ◽  
Hernani Yulinawati ◽  
Endro Suswantoro ◽  
Dodo Gunawan
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Big Data ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Fluctuation Analysis ◽  
Ambient Air Quality ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Air Quality Data

Air pollution problem is faced by many countries in the world. Ambient air quality studies and monitoring need a long time period of data to cover various atmospheric conditions, which create big data. A tool is needed to make easier and more effective to analyze big data. <strong>Aims: </strong>This study aims to analyze various application of <em>openair</em> model, which is available in open-source, for analyzing urban air quality data. <strong>Methodology and results: </strong>Each pollutant and meteorological data were collected through their sampling-analysis methods (active, passive or real-time) from a certain period of time. The data processed and imported in the <em>openair</em> model were presented in <em>comma separated value</em> (csv) format. The input data must consist of date-time, pollutant, and meteorological data. The analysis is done by selecting six functions: <em>theilSen</em> for trend analysis, <em>timeVariation</em> for temporal variations, <em>scatterPlot</em> for linear correlation analysis,<em> timePlot</em> for fluctuation analysis, <em>windRose</em> for wind rose creation, and <em>polarPlot</em> for creating pollution rose. Results from these functions are discussed. <strong>Conclusion, significance and impact study: </strong><em>Openair</em> model is capable of analyzing a long time air quality data. Application of <em>openair</em> model is possible to cities in Indonesia that already monitor ambient air quality but have not analyzed the data yet

scholarly journals CONTROL LEVEL AND ASSESSMENT OF THE CLINICAL COURSE IN PATIENTS WITH THE ASSOCIATED PATHOLOGY OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AND COPD

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Yurii Feshchenko ◽  
Ksenia Nazarenko
Keyword(s):  
Bronchial Asthma ◽  
Control Level ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Bronchial Obstruction ◽  
Bode Index ◽  
Combination Methods ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Disease Effect

The notion “asthma-COPD cross” (ACC) for patients with clinical signs of bronchial asthma and COPD was introduced. From 15 to 45 % of population with bronchial obstructive diseases suffer from ACC and its prevalence increases with age. According to the data of epidemiological studies, in average a half of patients with BA in the world cannot reach a control of BA or keep it for a long time. The aim of our research was the determination of the control level and also assessment of symptoms of the disease of patients with BA and COPD. Patients. The study included patients with ACC, older than 30 years. The control included patients with the bronchial asthma and COPD without any signs of these pathologies combination. Methods. All patients underwent the spirography with the analysis of the curve “flow-volume” of a force exhalation and also bodypletizmography (“MasterScreenPneumo”, "CardinalHealth" (Germany)). Al patients were interrogated by the questionnaires: questionnaire for BA symptoms control (ACQ-7), test for BA control (ACT), test for COPD assessment CAT). Results. At comparing parameters of BA control was revealed the reliably worse control in the group of patients with the associated pathology by data of the questionnaire ACQ-7 comparing with patients with BA. The influence of COPD symptoms was also more essential in patients with ACC comparing with one with COPD. At the more expressed degree of the bronchial obstruction, BA control was reliably weaker, whereas the influence of COPD symptoms was more essential. In patients with ACC with the unsatisfactory control of BA (АСQ-7 ≥1,5 points) the mortality prognosis, expressed by BODE index, grows almost in 3 times; inpatients with the severe and very severe influence of the disease effect (САТ > 20 points), the mortality prognosis grows more than in 2 times. The reliable positive correlation was revealed between the results of CAT and ratio of the internal thoracic volume of gases to the total capacity of lungs (ITGV/TLС), that reflects the degree of lungs hyperinflation - (r=0,35; p<0,05). Conclusions. At BA and COPD combination the indices of the disease control are worse than at the bronchial asthma and a bit similar to ones at COPD. Indices of BA control and influence of COPD symptoms on the condition of patients with the associated pathology were mainly negatively changed at the increase of the bronchial obstruction degree. The essential negative influence of the insufficient BA control and the high influence of COPD symptoms on the disease prognosis in patients with associated pathology (BA+COPD) were revealed.

200kv superconducting cryo electron microscope

1987 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 642-643
Author(s):  
M. Iwatsuki ◽  
Y. Kokubo ◽  
Y. Harada ◽  
J. Lehman
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Structure Analysis ◽  
Organic Materials ◽  
Strong Interactions ◽  
Specimen Preparation ◽  
Great Effort ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Crystal Fields ◽  
Special Skill ◽  
Long Time

In recent years, the electron microscope has been significantly improved in resolution and we can obtain routinely atomic-level high resolution images without any special skill. With this improvement, the structure analysis of organic materials has become one of the interesting targets in the biological and polymer crystal fields.Up to now, X-ray structure analysis has been mainly used for such materials. With this method, however, great effort and a long time are required for specimen preparation because of the need for larger crystals. This method can analyze average crystal structure but is insufficient for interpreting it on the atomic or molecular level. The electron microscopic method for organic materials has not only the advantage of specimen preparation but also the capability of providing various information from extremely small specimen regions, using strong interactions between electrons and the substance. On the other hand, however, this strong interaction has a big disadvantage in high radiation damage.

AWARENESS ABOUT INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN GENERAL POPULATION OF RAWALPINDI AND ISLAMABAD

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-83
Author(s):  
Nadia Tariq ◽  
Tamkeen Jaffry ◽  
Rahma Fiaz ◽  
Abdul Majid Rajput ◽  
Sadaf Khalid
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
General Population ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Indoor Air Pollution ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference

Background: Indoor air pollutants are increasingly being associated with respiratory illnesses leading to high degree of morbidity and mortality. There are not sufficient epidemiological studies from Pakistan which assess level of awareness of indoor air pollution resulting in respiratory diseases in population. Methods: This cross sectional survey was carried out on general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Sample size was 223 study subjects selected by non-probability convenient sampling. Knowledge of the study subjects was determined with regard to indoor air pollution, its effects on health and different sources of indoor air pollution with the help of a questionnaire. The influence of age, gender, educational status and socio economic status on the level of awareness was also analyzed. Results: Out of total 223 participants, 115 were males and108 females. Participants aware of indoor air pollution were 91.5% and adequate awareness about its sources was 80.7%. Those who knew indoor air pollution is detrimental to health were 95.1%. Awareness about building construction dust as source of indoor air pollution was maximum (84.8%). There was significant difference in awareness among participants with different monthly incomes and educational status and also between males and females. Conclusion: This study concludes that general population of Rawalpindi/Islamabad has fairly good awareness about sources of indoor air pollution. Use of harmful material causing indoor air pollution should be limited or substituted with better ones where possible.

scholarly journals The modification effect of temperature on the relationship between air pollutants and daily incidence of influenza in Ningbo, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Yujie Meng ◽  
Hejia Song ◽  
Ran Niu ◽  
Yu Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Air Pollutants ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
Modification Effect ◽  
Incidence Risk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background Although exposure to air pollution has been linked to many health issues, few studies have quantified the modification effect of temperature on the relationship between air pollutants and daily incidence of influenza in Ningbo, China. Methods The data of daily incidence of influenza and the relevant meteorological data and air pollution data in Ningbo from 2014 to 2017 were retrieved. Low, medium and high temperature layers were stratified by the daily mean temperature with 25th and 75th percentiles. The potential modification effect of temperature on the relationship between air pollutants and daily incidence of influenza in Ningbo was investigated through analyzing the effects of air pollutants stratified by temperature stratum using distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). Stratified analysis by sex and age were also conducted. Results Overall, a 10 μg/m3 increment of O3, PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 could increase the incidence risk of influenza with the cumulative relative risk of 1.028 (95% CI 1.007, 1.050), 1.061 (95% CI 1.004, 1.122), 1.043 (95% CI 1.003, 1.085), and 1.118 (95% CI 1.028, 1.216), respectively. Male and aged 7–17 years were more sensitive to air pollutants. Through the temperature stratification analysis, we found that temperature could modify the impacts of air pollution on daily incidence of influenza with high temperature exacerbating the impact of air pollutants. At high temperature layer, male and the groups aged 0–6 years and 18–64 years were more sensitive to air pollution. Conclusion Temperature modified the relationship between air pollution and daily incidence of influenza and high temperature would exacerbate the effects of air pollutants in Ningbo.

scholarly journals Recycling and Reuse of Sediments in Agriculture: Where Is the Problem?

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1648
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Renella
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Silty Clay ◽  
Fine Sediments ◽  
Sediment Fraction ◽  
Biodegradation Process ◽  
Component Material ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Clay Sediment ◽  
International Conventions

Though suggested by international conventions for a long time, there are still several technical and legislative limitations to a complete reuse and recycling of dredged sediments. In particular, reuse of unpolluted sediments can be practiced, whereas sediment recycling is still affected by several downsides, and a significant proportion of the recycled fine sediments has no practical use and must be landfilled. However, the silty clayey fraction of the recycled sediments is rich in organic matter and macro- and micronutrients useful for plant growth. Nevertheless, sediment recycling in agriculture is not possible, even in non-food agricultural sectors, due to the lack of a permissive legislation and of consolidated supply chains. In addition to plant nutrients, the silty-clay sediment fraction may also accumulate organic and inorganic pollutants, and while the organic pollutants can be effectively biodegraded, metals and metalloids may concentrate at concentrations higher than the limits set by the environmental and agricultural legislations. In this paper, I briefly summarize the scientific evidence on the potential reuse and recycling of sediments in agriculture, and I discuss the main reasons for hindrance of sediment recycling in agriculture. I also present evidence from a real industrial biodegradation process that produces bioremediated fine sediment fractions with suitable properties as a mineral ingredient for plant-growing media. I propose that nutrient-rich recycled sediments could be reconsidered as a component material category in the new EU regulation on fertilizers.

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