Extreme temperature increases the risk of COPD morbimortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: This systematic review examines how extreme temperatures impact chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) morbidity and mortality, focusing on identifying vulnerable subpopulations.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search from January 1, 2000, to November 6, 2024, across databases like PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus, focusing on observational studies that quantitatively defined extreme temperatures and their impacts on COPD morbidity and mortality. Out of 3140 records, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria.

New mechanisms of PM induced atherosclerosis: Source dependent toxicity and pathogenesis.

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is recognized to induce atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study used ambient PM samples collected in one of the highly polluted regions of Guanzhong Plain in China (2017-2020) and an ApoE mouse model to investigate the association between exposure to PM and atherosclerosis. Despite a substantial decrease in the ambient concentration of PM from 266.

Integrating Doppler LiDAR and machine learning into land-use regression model for assessing contribution of vertical atmospheric processes to urban PM pollution.

Air pollution has been recognized as a global issue, through adverse effects on environment and health. While vertical atmospheric processes substantially affect urban air pollution, traditional epidemiological research using Land-use regression (LUR) modeling usually focused on ground-level attributes without considering upper-level atmospheric conditions. This study aimed to integrate Doppler LiDAR and machine learning techniques into LUR models (LURF-LiDAR) to comprehensively evaluate urban air pollution in Hong Kong, and to assess complex interactions between vertical atmospheric processes and urban air pollution from long-term (i.

Effects of long-term indoor air purification intervention on cardiovascular health in elderly: a parallel, double-blinded randomized controlled trial in Hong Kong.

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM) is a leading environmental risk factor globally, and over half of the associated disease burden are caused by cardiovascular disease. Numerous randomized controlled trials (RCT) have investigated the short-term cardiovascular benefits of indoor air purifiers (IAPs), but major knowledge gaps remain on their longer-term benefits. In this 1-year, randomized, double-blinded, parallel controlled trial of 47 elderly (n = 24; n = 23) aged ≥70 years, true-purification reduced household PM levels by 28% and maintained lower exposure throughout the year compared to the sham-purification group.

High spatial resolution estimates of major PM components and their associated health risks in Hong Kong using a coupled land use regression and health risk assessment approach.

Few studies have focused on the spatial distribution of the typical components and source tracers of PM and their associated health risks, despite the fact that the chemical components of PM pose potentially significant and independent risks to human health. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial distribution of major PM components and their associated health risks in Hong Kong using a coupled land use regression and health risk assessment modeling approach. The established land use regression models of the major PM components and source tracers achieved a relatively high statistical performance, with training and leave-one-out cross-validation R values of 0.

Characterising personal, household, and community PM exposure in one urban and two rural communities in China.

Background: Cooking and heating in households contribute importantly to air pollution exposure worldwide. However, there is insufficient investigation of measured fine particulate matter (PM) exposure levels, variability, seasonality, and inter-spatial dynamics associated with these behaviours.

Methods: We undertook parallel measurements of personal, household (kitchen and living room), and community PM in summer (May-September 2017) and winter (November 2017-Janauary 2018) in 477 participants from one urban and two rural communities in China.

Evaluation of intervention measures in reducing the driver's exposure to respiratory particles in a taxi with infected passengers.

In the fifth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Hong Kong in early 2022, the large number of infected persons caused a shortage of ambulances and transportation vehicles operated by the government. To solve the problem, taxi drivers were recruited to transport infected persons to hospitals in their taxis. However, many of the drivers were infected after they began to participate in the plan.

Association between ambient BTEX mixture and neurological hospitalizations: A multicity time-series study in Taiwan.

Background: Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, collectively known as BTEX, are hazardous chemical mixtures, and their neurological health effects have not been thoroughly evaluated. We examined the association between BTEX exposure and neurological hospital admissions.

Methods: This was a multicity time-series study conducted in five major Taiwanese cities.

Data on lung and intestinal microbiome after air pollution exposure in ageing rats.

Air pollution has been linked to respiratory diseases, and urban air pollution can be attributed to a number of emission sources. The emitted particles and gases are the primary components of air pollution that enter the lungs during respiration. Particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.

Effects of indoor air purification intervention on blood pressure, blood‑oxygen saturation, and heart rate variability: A double-blinded cross-over randomized controlled trial of healthy young adults.

The use of indoor air purifier (IAP) has received growing attention as a mitigation strategy for reducing indoor air pollution, but the evidence on their cardiovascular benefits is unclear. This study aims to evaluate whether the use of IAP can reduce the adverse effects of indoor particulate matter (PM) on cardiovascular health among young healthy population. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, IAP intervention of 38 college students was conducted.

Tenascin C in Lung Diseases.

Tenascin C (TNC) is a multifunctional large extracellular matrix protein involved in numerous cellular processes in embryonic development and can be increased in disease, or under conditions of trauma or cell stress in adults. However, the role of TNC in lung diseases remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression of TNC during development, in offspring following maternal particulate matter (PM) exposure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

Health benefits from substituting raw biomass fuels for charcoal and briquette fuels: In vitro toxicity analysis.

PM (particulate matters with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) from biomass fuel combustion has been identified as a major cause of cardiopulmonary diseases. Briquette and charcoal are two representative processed fuels that exhibit different emission characteristics.

Solid fuel derived PM induced oxidative stress and according cytotoxicity in A549 cells: The evidence and potential neutralization by green tea.

PM (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) is a well-known cytotoxic pollutant that capable to induce severe intracellular oxidative stress while the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Herein, 4 types of PM derived from solid fuel burning were selected as stimuli in A549 cells exposure model to evaluate their effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

Oxygen vacancy mediated α-MoO bactericidal nanocatalyst in the dark: Surface structure dependent superoxide generation and antibacterial mechanisms.

Understanding bacteria inactivation mechanisms of nanomaterials on the surface molecular level is of prime importance for the development of antibacterial materials and their application in restraining the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. This study prepared an oxygen vacancy-mediated bactericidal nanocatalyst α-MoO which exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the dark. By manipulating the surface structure of α-MoO, the facile tuning of superoxide radical (•O) generation can be achieved, which was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance.

Effects of antibiotics and metals on lung and intestinal microbiome dysbiosis after sub-chronic lower-level exposure of air pollution in ageing rats.

We investigated the effects of antibiotics, drugs, and metals on lung and intestinal microbiomes after sub-chronic exposure of low-level air pollution in ageing rats. Male 1.5-year-old Fischer 344 ageing rats were exposed to low-level traffic-related air pollution via whole-body exposure system for 3 months with/without high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration (gaseous vs.

Toxicological effects of fresh and aged gasoline exhaust particles in Hong Kong.

Exhaust emissions from gasoline vehicles are one of the major contributors to aerosol particles observed in urban areas. It is well-known that these tiny particles are associated with air pollution, climate forcing, and adverse health effects. However, their toxicity and bioreactivity after atmospheric ageing are less constrained.

Effect of NO on nocturnal chemistry of isoprene: Gaseous oxygenated products and secondary organic aerosol formation.

As one of the most abundant non-methane hydrocarbon in the atmosphere, isoprene has attracted lots of attention on its oxidation processes and environmental effects. However, less is known about the nocturnal chemistry of isoprene with multiple oxidants coexisting in the atmosphere. Besides, though highly oxygenated molecules (HOMs) have recently been recognized to contribute to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, the specific contribution of measured HOMs on SOA formation in isoprene oxidation has not been well established.