Metals and oxidative potential in urban particulate matter influence systemic inflammatory and neural biomarkers: A controlled exposure study.

Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation are considered to be important pathways leading to particulate matter (PM)-associated disease. In this exploratory study, we examined the effects of metals and oxidative potential (OP) in urban PM on biomarkers of systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and neural function.

Methods: Fifty-three healthy non-smoking volunteers (mean age 28 years, twenty-eight females) were exposed to coarse (2.

Influence of exposure to coarse, fine and ultrafine urban particulate matter and their biological constituents on neural biomarkers in a randomized controlled crossover study.

Background: Epidemiological studies have reported associations between air pollution and neuro-psychological conditions. Biological mechanisms behind these findings are still not clear.

Objectives: We examined changes in blood and urinary neural biomarkers following exposure to concentrated ambient coarse, fine and ultrafine particles.

Effects of ambient coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles and their biological constituents on systemic biomarkers: a controlled human exposure study.

Background: Ambient coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles have been associated with mortality and morbidity. Few studies have compared how various particle size fractions affect systemic biomarkers.

Objectives: We examined changes of blood and urinary biomarkers following exposures to three particle sizes.

Comparative cardiopulmonary effects of size-fractionated airborne particulate matter.

Context: Strong epidemiological evidence exists linking particulate matter (PM) exposures with hospital admissions of individuals for cardiopulmonary symptoms. The PM size is important in influencing the extent of infiltration into the respiratory tract and systemic circulation and directs the differential physiological impacts.

Objective: To investigate the differential effects of the quasi-ultrafine (PM(0.

Exposure assessment in cohort studies of childhood asthma.

Background: The environment is suspected to play an important role in the development of childhood asthma. Cohort studies are a powerful observational design for studying exposure-response relationships, but their power depends in part upon the accuracy of the exposure assessment.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to summarize and discuss issues that make accurate exposure assessment a challenge and to suggest strategies for improving exposure assessment in longitudinal cohort studies of childhood asthma and allergies.