Publications by authors named "Emily Vasiliadou"
Article Synopsis
- - Mediterranean countries experience desert dust storms that have harmful effects on the environment and public health, as examined through a study in Cyprus comparing air quality during dust and non-dust days from 2008 to 2020.
- - The study found that gross alpha (α) and beta (β) radioactivity levels, as well as cesium (Cs) and potassium (K) levels, were significantly higher on days with desert dust, particularly when the dust originated from Middle Eastern deserts.
- - Results indicated that while desert dust increases TSP radioactivity levels, future research is necessary to understand the role of human and natural sources in these emissions to improve public health strategies.
Article Synopsis
- Elevated levels of particulate matter, often from human activities and desert dust, negatively impact asthma symptoms in children.
- A study in Cyprus and Greece involved 182 children with asthma who were divided into three groups: no intervention, outdoor intervention, and a combined intervention with indoor air filtration.
- After three months, the combined intervention significantly improved asthma control and lung function compared to the control group, especially in children with atopic conditions.
Responses of schoolchildren with asthma to recommendations to reduce desert dust exposure: Results from the LIFE-MEDEA intervention project using wearable technology.
Sci Total Environ
February 2023
Article Synopsis
- * A study in Cyprus and Crete involved asthma-affected schoolchildren, where one group received DDS alerts and exposure reduction advice while the control group followed regular routines.
- * The results showed that children in the intervention group significantly reduced their time spent outdoors by about 62.4 minutes and took approximately 1039.5 fewer steps on DDS days compared to the control group, indicating that the alerts and recommendations were effective in changing behavior.
Desert dust storms (DDS) are natural events that impact not only populations close to the emission sources but also populations many kilometers away. Countries located across the main dust sources, including countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, are highly affected by DDS. In addition, climate change is expanding arid areas exacerbating DDS events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe characteristics of desert dust storms (DDS) have been shown to change in response to climate change and land use. There is limited information on the frequency and intensity of DDS over the last decade at a regional scale in the Eastern Mediterranean. An algorithm based on daily ground measurements (PM, particulate matter ≤10 μm), satellite products (dust aerosol optical depth) and meteorological parameters, was used to identify dust intrusions for three Eastern Mediterranean locations (Crete-Greece, Cyprus, and Israel) between 2006 and 2017.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 1-year-old, female, domestic shorthair cat with a history of cyanotic mucous membranes for several months was referred for ovariohysterectomy. Blood samples exhibited a noticeably brownish discoloration, while laboratory screening revealed mild-to-moderate erythrocytosis and near normal partial arterial oxygen pressure. Blood methemoglobin content was 41% of total hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocytic methemoglobin reductase activity was < 1% compared with control samples.
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