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Li L, Xia H, Chen Z, Duan M, Pei J. Spatiotemporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of household energy transition in rural China: Micro-evidence from 2005 to 2017. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 909:168554. [PMID: 37979871 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Facilitating the household energy transition in rural China conducive to mitigate climate change, improve population health, and achieve 'carbon peaking and carbon neutrality' goals. However, there was no consensus in existing research on the regularity of rural household energy transition from a micro perspective. Based on data from 339 villages spanning 2005-2017, with the help of kernel density estimation(KDE), exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA), and logistic regression, we evaluated the effectiveness of household energy transition and comprehensively analyzed the temporal and spatial characteristics of the energy transition process from geographic perspective, revealed the driving mechanisms behind household energy transition, with important findings. (i) In 2005-2015, 19.22 % and 13.08 % of rural households achieved fuel and heating transition, but there were evident regional differences and correlation effects in energy transition. (ii) The proportion of energy transitions increases, yet always a polarised lattice phenomenon, and the spatial adjacent spillover effect makes the energy transition present the spatial pattern of 'villages divided into clusters'. (iii) The drivers of different types household energy transition vary, income and topography continued to limit the energy transition of rural households. Therefore, designing differentiated policies and pathways by region is critical in the clean energy transition. In addition, local governments can increase incentives for clean energy utilization by setting reasonable subsidies for continuous clean energy transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Li
- School of Management, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Research Base for Co-construction and Sharing of Shaanxi Human Settlement Environment and Better Life in the New Era, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Haoming Xia
- School of Management, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Research Base for Co-construction and Sharing of Shaanxi Human Settlement Environment and Better Life in the New Era, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
| | - Zhiyu Chen
- School of Management, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Research Base for Co-construction and Sharing of Shaanxi Human Settlement Environment and Better Life in the New Era, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Mimi Duan
- School of Management, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Research Base for Co-construction and Sharing of Shaanxi Human Settlement Environment and Better Life in the New Era, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Jiajia Pei
- School of Management, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Research Base for Co-construction and Sharing of Shaanxi Human Settlement Environment and Better Life in the New Era, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
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Snega Priya P, Pratiksha Nandhini P, Arockiaraj J. A comprehensive review on environmental pollutants and osteoporosis: Insights into molecular pathways. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 237:117103. [PMID: 37689340 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023]
Abstract
A significant problem that has an impact on community wellbeing is environmental pollution. Environmental pollution due to air, water, or soil pollutants might pose a severe risk to global health, necessitating intense scientific effort. Osteoporosis is a common chronic condition with substantial clinical implications on mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. It is closely linked to bone fractures. Worldwide, osteoporosis affects around 200 million people, and every year, there are almost 9 million fractures. There is evidence that certain environmental factors may increase the risk of osteoporosis in addition to traditional risk factors. It is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms at play because there is a connection between osteoporosis and exposure to environmental pollutants such as heavy metals, air pollutants, endocrine disruptors, metal ions and trace elements. Hence, in this scoping review, we explore potential explanations for the link between pollutants and bone deterioration through deep insights into molecular pathways. Understanding and recognizing these pollutants as modifiable risk factors for osteoporosis would possibly help to enhance environmental policy thereby aiding in the improvement of bone health and improving patient quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Snega Priya
- Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Kattankulatur, 603203, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - P Pratiksha Nandhini
- Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Kattankulatur, 603203, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Toxicology and Pharmacology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Kattankulatur, 603203, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Zewdie A, Degefa GH, Donacho DO. Health risk assessment of indoor air quality, sociodemographic and kitchen characteristics on respiratory health among women responsible for cooking in urban settings of Oromia region, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e067678. [PMID: 37328179 PMCID: PMC10277042 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In Ethiopia, where biomass fuel is used by the majority of the population, women who are primarily responsible for cooking are at a higher risk of having respiratory symptoms. However, there is limited information on the respiratory symptoms of exposed women. This study assessed the magnitude of respiratory disease symptoms and associated factors among women responsible for cooking in Mattu and Bedele towns, south-west Ethiopia. METHODS A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 420 randomly selected women in urban settings in south-west Ethiopia. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a modified version of the American Thoracic Society Respiratory Questionnaire. The data were cleaned, coded and entered into EpiData V.3.1 and exported into SPSS V.22 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with respiratory symptoms at a value of p<0.05. RESULTS It is found that 34.9% of the study participants have respiratory symptoms (95% CI 30.6% to 39.4%). Unimproved floor (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.4 at 95% CI 1.42 to 4.15), presence of thick black soot in the ceiling (AOR=2.1 at 95% CI 1.2 to 3.6), using fuel wood (AOR=2.3 at 95% CI 1.1 to 4.7), using a traditional stove (AOR=3.37 at 95% CI 1.85 to 6.16), long duration of cooking (AOR=2.52 at 95% CI 1.4 to 4.5) and cooking room without a window (AOR=2.4 at 95% CI 1.5 to 3.9) were significantly associated with women's respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION More than two in six women who cook had respiratory symptoms. Floor, fuel and stove type, soot deposits in the ceiling, duration of cooking and cooking in a room without a window were the identified factors. Appropriate ventilation, improved floor and stove design and the switch to high-efficiency, low-emission fuels could help to lessen the effects of wood smoke on women's respiratory health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asrat Zewdie
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Science, Mattu University, Mattu, Oromia region, Ethiopia
| | - Gutama Haile Degefa
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Dereje Oljira Donacho
- Department of Health Informatics, College of Health Science, Mattu University, Mattu, Oromia region, Ethiopia
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Xue B, Wang B, Lei R, Li Y, Luo B, Yang A, Zhang K. Indoor solid fuel use and renal function among middle-aged and older adults: A national study in rural China. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 206:112588. [PMID: 34951991 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Solid fuel use is the main source of indoor air pollution, especially in rural areas of developing countries. Nevertheless, the evidence linking indoor solid fuel use and renal function is very limited. Therefore, we investigated the association between indoor solid fuel use and renal function among middle-aged and older adults in rural China. Cystatin C (CysC) concentration of each participant was used to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). We used the baseline data to investigate the associations between solid fuel use for cooking and heating and eGFR through a linear-mixed effects model. Then, we applied the generalized linear-mixed effects model with binary distribution to examine the relationship between renal function decline and cooking fuel switching from 2011 to 2015. A total of 4959 participants were included at baseline, and 3536 participants were included in the follow-up analysis. Compared to participants who used clean fuel for both cooking and heating, the eGFR was significantly lower among participants who cooked with solid fuel and heated with clean fuel (β: -2.81; 95% CI: -5.53, -0.09). In the follow-up analysis, the risks of renal function decline for participants using solid fuel for cooking were significantly higher in males (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.68, 4.49), smokers (OR: 5.70; 95% CI: 2.82, 11.55), and drinkers (OR: 7.11; 95% CI: 3.15, 16.02) compared to females, non-smokers, and non-drinkers. Moreover, 45-65 years aged participants (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.89) and non-drinkers (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.92) who switched from solid to clean cooking fuel had a lower risk of renal function decline. In conclusion, our findings show that household solid fuel use is likely to be an important risk factor for renal function decline in rural China. And switching to cleaner fuel may provide significant public health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baode Xue
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Wang
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruoyi Lei
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanlin Li
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Luo
- Institute of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aimin Yang
- Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA.
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Ke S, Liu Q, Zhang X, Yao Y, Yang X, Sui G. Cytotoxicity analysis of biomass combustion particles in human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells on an air-liquid interface/dynamic culture platform. Part Fibre Toxicol 2021; 18:31. [PMID: 34419099 PMCID: PMC8379799 DOI: 10.1186/s12989-021-00426-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to indoor air pollution from solid fuel combustion is associated with lung diseases and cancer. This study investigated the cytotoxicity and molecular mechanisms of biomass combustion-derived particles in human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells (HPAEpiC) using a platform that combines air-liquid interface (ALI) and dynamic culture (DC) systems. METHODS HPAEpiC were cultured on the surface of polycarbonate (PC) membranes on the ALI-DC platform. The cells were sprayed with an aerosolized solution of biomass combustion soluble constituents (BCSCs) and simultaneously nourished with culture medium flowing beneath the permeable PC membranes. The ALI-DC method was compared with the traditional submerged culture approach. BCSC particle morphology and dosages deposited on the chip were determined for particle characterization. Flow cytometry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the apoptosis rate of HPAEpiC and changes in the cell ultrastructure induced by BCSCs. Additionally, the underlying apoptotic pathway was examined by determining the protein expression levels by western blotting. RESULTS Scanning electron microscope images demonstrated that the sample processing and delivering approach of the ALI-DC platform were suitable for pollutant exposure. Compared with the submerged culture method, a significant decline in cell viability and increase in apoptosis rate was observed after BCSC exposure on the ALI-DC platform, indicating that the ALI-DC platform is a more sensitive system for investigating cytotoxicity of indoor air pollutants in lung cells. The morphology and ultrastructure of the cells were damaged after exposure to BCSCs, and the p53 pathway was activated. The Bcl-2/Bax ratio was reduced, upregulating caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression and subsequently inducing apoptosis of HPAEpiC. The addition of N-acetyl cysteine antioxidant significantly alleviated the cytotoxicity induced by BCSCs. CONCLUSION A novel ALI-DC platform was developed to study the cytotoxicity of air pollutants on lung cells. Using the platform, we demonstrated that BCSCs could damage the mitochondria, produce reactive oxygen species, and activate p53 in HPAEpiC, ultimately inducing apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaorui Ke
- Co-construction Collaborative Innovation Center for Chinese Medicine and Respiratory Diseases by Henan & Education Ministry of P.R. China, Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, 450046 People’s Republic of China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China
| | - Qi Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinlian Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuhan Yao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xudong Yang
- Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 People’s Republic of China
| | - Guodong Sui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 People’s Republic of China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044 People’s Republic of China
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Ke S, Liu Q, Deng M, Zhang X, Yao Y, Shan M, Yang X, Sui G. Cytotoxicity analysis of indoor air pollution from biomass combustion in human keratinocytes on a multilayered dynamic cell culture platform. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 208:1008-1017. [PMID: 30068025 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.06.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Skin tissue is the first barrier against ambient harmful matter and has direct contact with indoor air pollutants. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of cytotoxicity of indoor air pollution on skin cells is insufficiently clear. Herein, for the first time a multilayered dynamic cell culture platform was established to study the cytotoxicity of indoor air pollutant from biomass combustion in human skin keratinocytes. The platform consisted of seven repetitive polydimethylsiloxane modules carrying six pieces of polycarbonate membrane between them as substrate for cell growth to realize the simultaneous dynamic culture of 12 layers of keratinocytes. After exposure to biomass combustion soluble constituents (BCSCs), cell viability under microfluidic platform conditions declined more significantly, and apoptosis rates increased more obviously compared with well plate conditions. Transmission electron microscope showed that keratinocyte microstructures displayed obvious signs of cellular damage. Our study confirmed that the nuclear factor of kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway was activated, which significantly increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 expression, indicating that NF-κB signaling pathway was the major factor in BCSCs-induced cytotoxicity. These findings offer an insight into the mechanism of BCSCs-induced cytotoxicity in keratinocytes and provide a theoretical basis for future studies on skin cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaorui Ke
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
| | - Qi Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
| | - Mengsi Deng
- Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xinlian Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
| | - Yuhan Yao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China
| | - Ming Shan
- Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Xudong Yang
- Department of Building Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
| | - Guodong Sui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution Prevention (LAP3), Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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Sengal AT, Haj Mukhtar NS, Vetter M, Elhaj AM, Bedri S, Hauptmann S, Thomssen C, Mohamedani AA, Wickenhauser C, Kantelhardt EJ. Comparison of Receptor-Defined Breast Cancer Subtypes Between German and Sudanese Women: A Facility-Based Cohort Study. J Glob Oncol 2018; 4:1-12. [PMID: 30241184 PMCID: PMC6180747 DOI: 10.1200/jgo.2017.010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective of this study was to compare tumor characteristics, biomarkers, and surrogate subtypes of breast cancer between Sudanese and German women. METHODS Tumor characteristics and immunohistochemistry markers (estrogen receptor [ER], progesterone receptor [PR], and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]) were collected from the routine assessment of consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2015 (Gezira University Pathology Laboratory, Gezira, Sudan) and from 1999 to 2013 (Breast Centre, Martin-Luther-University, Halle, Germany). RESULTS A total of 2,492 patients (German [n = 1,932] and Sudanese [n = 560]) were included. Age at diagnosis ranged from 20 to 94 years. Sudanese women were, on average, 10 years younger than German women, with a mean (± standard deviation) age of 48.8 (13.5) and 58.6 (12.4) years, respectively. The Sudanese women had a higher grade, larger tumor, and more lymph node positivity compared with German women. ER-, PR-, and HER2-negative proportions were 55%, 61.8%, and 71.3%, respectively, for Sudanese women versus 22.7%, 32.3%, and 82.5%, respectively, for German women. The triple-negative subtype was more prevalent in Sudanese women (34.5%) than in German women (14.2%). The strongest factor associated with ER-negative disease was grade III (odds ratio, 19.6; 95% CI 11.6 to 33.4; P < .001). Sudanese patients were at higher risk for ER-negative breast cancer, with an odds ratio of 2.01 ( P = .001; adjusted for age, size, nodal status, histologic type, and grade). Stratified by grade, the influence of origin was observed in grade I and grade II tumors, but not in grade III tumors. CONCLUSION Sudanese women had more aggressive tumor characteristics and unfavorable prognostic biomarkers. After adjustment, Sudanese origin was still associated with hormone receptor-negative disease, especially in grade I and II tumors. These findings suggest differences in tumor biology among these ethnic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Nada Suliman Haj Mukhtar
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Martina Vetter
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Shahinaz Bedri
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Steffen Hauptmann
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Christoph Thomssen
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Ahmed Abdalla Mohamedani
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Claudia Wickenhauser
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
| | - Eva Johanna Kantelhardt
- Asmerom Tesfamariam Sengal, Nada Suliman Haj
Mukhtar, Ahmed Mohammed Elhaj, and Ahmed Abdalla
Mohamedani, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan; Asmerom
Tesfamariam Sengal, Orotta School of Medicine and Dentistry, Asmara,
Eritrea; Martina Vetter, Christoph Thomssen,
Claudia Wickenhauser, and Eva Johanna Kantelhardt,
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany; Shahinaz
Bedri, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar; and Steffen
Hauptmann, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the
Netherlands
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Variation of Indoor Particulate Matter Concentrations and Association with Indoor/Outdoor Temperature: A Case Study in Rural Limpopo, South Africa. ATMOSPHERE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos9040124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Liu W, Shen G, Chen Y, Shen H, Huang Y, Li T, Wang Y, Fu X, Tao S, Liu W, Huang-Fu Y, Zhang W, Xue C, Liu G, Wu F, Wong M. Air pollution and inhalation exposure to particulate matter of different sizes in rural households using improved stoves in central China. J Environ Sci (China) 2018; 63:87-95. [PMID: 29406120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2017.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 05/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Household air pollution is considered to be among the top environmental risks in China. To examine the performance of improved stoves for reduction of indoor particulate matter (PM) emission and exposure in rural households, individual inhalation exposure to size-resolved PM was investigated using personal portable samplers carried by residents using wood gasifier stoves or improved coal stoves in a rural county in Central China. Concentrations of PM with different sizes in stationary indoor and outdoor air were also monitored at paired sites. The stationary concentrations of size-resolved PM in indoor air were greater than those in outdoor air, especially finer particles PM0.25. The daily averaged exposure concentrations of PM0.25, PM1.0, PM2.5 and total suspended particle for all the surveyed residents were 74.4±41.1, 159.3±74.3, 176.7±78.1 and 217.9±78.1μg/m3, respectively. Even using the improved stoves, the individual exposure to indoor PM far exceeded the air quality guideline by WHO at 25μg/m3. Submicron particles PM1.0 were the dominant PM fraction for personal exposure and indoor and outdoor air. Personal exposure exhibited a closer correlation with indoor PM concentrations than that for outdoor concentrations. Both inhalation exposure and indoor air PM concentrations in the rural households with gasifier firewood stoves were evidently lower than the reported results using traditional firewood stoves. However, local governments in the studied rural areas should exercise caution when widely and hastily promoting gasifier firewood stoves in place of improved coal stoves, due to the higher PM levels in indoor and outdoor air and personal inhaled exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijian Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Guofeng Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuanchen Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huizhong Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Ye Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tongchao Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yilong Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaofang Fu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shu Tao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenxin Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Yibo Huang-Fu
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Weihao Zhang
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Chunyu Xue
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Guangqing Liu
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Fuyong Wu
- Croucher Institute of Environmental Sciences and Biology Department, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Minghung Wong
- Croucher Institute of Environmental Sciences and Biology Department, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), Department of Science and Environmental Studies, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China
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Lee F, Lawrence DA. From Infections to Anthropogenic Inflicted Pathologies: Involvement of Immune Balance. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2017; 21:24-46. [PMID: 29252129 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2017.1412212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
A temporal trend can be seen in recent human history where the dominant causes of death have shifted from infectious to chronic diseases in industrialized societies. Human influences in the current "Anthropocene" epoch are exponentially impacting the environment and consequentially health. Changing ecological niches are suggested to have created health transitions expressed as modifications of immune balance from infections inflicting pathologies in the Holocene epoch (12,000 years ago) to human behaviors inflicting pathologies beginning in the Anthropocene epoch (300 years ago). A review of human immune health and adaptations responding to environmental (biological, chemical, physical, and psychological) stresses, which are influenced by social conditions, emphasize the involvement of fluctuations in immune cell subsets affecting influential gene-environment interactions. The literature from a variety of fields (anthropological, immunological, and environmental) is incorporated to present an expanded perspective on shifts in diseases within the context of immune balance and function and environmental immunology. The influences between historical and contemporary human ecology are examined in relation to human immunity. Several examples of shifts in human physiology and immunity support the premise that increased incidences of chronic diseases are a consequence of human modification of environment and lifestyle. Although the development of better health care and a broader understanding of human health have helped with better life quality and expectancy, the transition of morbidity and mortality rates from infections to chronic diseases is a cause for concern. Combinations of environmental stressors/pollutants and human behaviors and conditions are modulating the immune-neuroendocrine network, which compromises health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Lee
- a Department of Anthropology , University at Albany , Albany , NY , USA
| | - David A Lawrence
- b Wadsworth Center/New York State Department of Health , Albany , NY , USA
- c Biomedical Sciences and Environmental Health Sciences , University at Albany, School of Public Health , Albany , NY , USA
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11
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Khayath N, Qi S, de Blay F. Bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive (BPCO) et environnement intérieur. Rev Mal Respir 2016; 33:666-674. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmr.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Armah FA, Odoi JO, Luginaah I. Indoor Air Pollution and Health in Ghana: Self-Reported Exposure to Unprocessed Solid Fuel Smoke. ECOHEALTH 2015; 12:227-243. [PMID: 24136388 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-013-0883-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Revised: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana still depend extensively on unprocessed solid cooking fuels with many people exposed on a daily basis to harmful emissions and other health risks. In this study, using complementary log-log multivariate models, we estimated the health effects of exposure to smoke from unprocessed wood in four regions of Ghana while controlling for socio-environmental and socio-demographic factors. The results show that the distribution of self-reported exposure to smoke was highest among participants in the Northern region, rural dwellers, the 25-49 age groups, individuals with no education, and married women. As expected, exposure to smoke was higher in crowded households and in communities without basic social amenities. Region, residential locality, housing quality (type of roofing, floor and exterior materials), self-reported housing condition, and access to toilet facilities were associated with self-reported exposure to solid fuel smoke. Participants living in urban areas were less likely (OR = 0.82, ρ ≤ 0.01) to be exposed to solid fuel smoke compared to their rural counterparts. An inverse relationship between self-reported housing condition and exposure to solid fuel smoke was observed and persisted even after adjustments were made for confounding variables in the demographic model. In Ghana, the cost and intermittent shortages of liquefied petroleum gas and other alternative fuel sources hold implications for the willingness of the poor to shift to their use. Thus, the poorest rural populations with nearly no cash income and electricity, but with access to wood and/or agricultural waste, are unlikely to move to clean fuels or use significantly improved stoves without large subsidies, which are usually not sustainable. However, there appears to be large populations between these extremes that can be targeted by efforts to introduce improved stoves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A Armah
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast , Ghana.
| | - Justice O Odoi
- Environmental Specialist, P.O. Box OS 1455, Osu, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Isaac Luginaah
- Department of Geography, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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Abstract
As described in a recently released report of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies, four of the leading causes of death in the world are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute respiratory tract infections, lung cancer, and tuberculosis. A fifth, asthma, causes enormous global morbidity. Not enough progress has been made in introducing new therapies and reducing disease burden for these illnesses in the last few decades, despite generous investments and some notable progress in biomedical research. Four external and modifiable drivers are responsible for a substantial percentage of the disease burden represented by the major lung diseases: tobacco, outdoor air pollution, household air pollution, and occupational exposures to lung toxins. Especially in low- and middle-income countries, but in highly developed economies as well, pressures for economic development and lax regulation are contributing to the continued proliferation of these drivers. Public health approaches to the most common lung diseases could have enormous effects on reducing morbidity and mortality. There must be increased advocacy from and mobilization of civil society to bring attention to the drivers of lung diseases in the world. The World Health Organization should negotiate accords similar to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to address air pollution and occupational exposures. Large increases in funding by government agencies and nongovernmental organizations around the world are needed to identify technologies that will reduce health risks while allowing populations to enjoy the benefits of economic development. This paradigm, focused more on public health than on individual medical treatment, has the best chance of substantial reduction in the burden of lung disease around the world in the next several years.
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Rennert W, Porras Blanco R, Muniz G. The effects of smokeless cookstoves on peak expiratory flow rates in rural Honduras. J Public Health (Oxf) 2014; 37:455-60. [DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdu087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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15
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Haines A, Bruce N, Cairncross S, Davies M, Greenland K, Hiscox A, Lindsay S, Lindsay T, Satterthwaite D, Wilkinson P. Promoting health and advancing development through improved housing in low-income settings. J Urban Health 2013; 90:810-31. [PMID: 23271143 PMCID: PMC3795192 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-012-9773-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is major untapped potential to improve health in low-income communities through improved housing design, fittings, materials and construction. Adverse effects on health from inadequate housing can occur through a range of mechanisms, both direct and indirect, including as a result of extreme weather, household air pollution, injuries or burns, the ingress of disease vectors and lack of clean water and sanitation. Collaborative action between public health professionals and those involved in developing formal and informal housing could advance both health and development by addressing risk factors for a range of adverse health outcomes. Potential trade-offs between design features which may reduce the risk of some adverse outcomes whilst increasing the risk of others must be explicitly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Haines
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK,
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16
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SHEN G, TAO S, WEI S, CHEN Y, ZHANG Y, SHEN H, HUANG Y, ZHU D, YUAN C, WANG H, Wang Y, PEI L, LIAO Y, DUAN Y, WANG B, WANG R, Lv Y, LI W, WANG X, ZHENG X. Field measurement of emission factors of PM, EC, OC, parent, nitro-, and oxy- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons for residential briquette, coal cake, and wood in rural Shanxi, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:2998-3005. [PMID: 23419187 PMCID: PMC4293117 DOI: 10.1021/es304599g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Air pollutants from residential solid fuel combustion are attracting growing public concern. Field measured emission factors (EFs) of various air pollutants for solid fuels are close to the reality and urgently needed for better emission estimations. In this study, emission factors of particulate matter (PM), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from residential combustions of coal briquette, coal cake, and wood were measured in rural Heshun County, China. The measured EFs of PM, OC, and EC were 8.1-8.5, 2.2-3.6, 0.91-1.6 g/kg for the wood burnt in a simple metal stove, 0.54-0.64, 0.13-0.14, 0.040-0.0041 g/kg for the briquette burned in an improved stove with a chimney, and 3.2-8.5, 0.38-0.58, 0.022-0.052 g/kg for the homemade coal cake combusted in a brick stove with a flue, respectively. EFs of 28 parent PAHs, 4 oxygenated PAHs, and 9 nitro-PAHs were 182-297, 7.8-10, 0.14-0.55 mg/kg for the wood, 14-16, 1.7-2.6, 0.64-0.83 mg/kg for the briquette, and 168-223, 4.7-9.5, 0.16-2.4 mg/kg for the coal cake, respectively. Emissions from the wood and coal cake combustions were much higher than those for the coal briquette, especially true for high molecular weight PAHs. Most EFs measured in the field were higher than those measured in stove combustions under laboratory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofeng SHEN
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, Jiangsu Academy of Environmental Sciences, Nanjing, 210036, China
| | - Shu TAO
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- Corresponding author phone and fax: 0086-10-62751938,
| | - Siye WEI
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yuanchen CHEN
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yanyan ZHANG
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huizhong SHEN
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Ye HUANG
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Dan ZHU
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Chenyi YUAN
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Haochen WANG
- Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yafei Wang
- Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lijun PEI
- Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - YiLan LIAO
- Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yonghong DUAN
- College of Resources and Environment, Shanxi Agricultural University, Shanxi, 030800, China
| | - Bin WANG
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Rong WANG
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yan Lv
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wei LI
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xilong WANG
- Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xiaoying ZHENG
- Institute of Population Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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17
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Bauer RN, Diaz-Sanchez D, Jaspers I. Effects of air pollutants on innate immunity: the role of Toll-like receptors and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2012; 129:14-24; quiz 25-6. [PMID: 22196521 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2011] [Revised: 11/03/2011] [Accepted: 11/03/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Interactions between exposure to ambient air pollutants and respiratory pathogens have been shown to modify respiratory immune responses. Emerging data suggest key roles for Toll-like receptor (TLR) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR) signaling in pathogen-induced immune responses. Similarly, immune responses elicited by exposure to air pollutants are mediated by specific TLR- and NLR-dependent mechanisms. This review article will summarize current knowledge about how air pollutants modify TLR- and NLR-dependent signaling and host defense responses in the lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Bauer
- Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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18
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Pickett AR, Bell ML. Assessment of indoor air pollution in homes with infants. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2011; 8:4502-20. [PMID: 22408586 PMCID: PMC3290986 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph8124502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Infants spend most of their indoor time at home; however, residential air quality is poorly understood. We investigated the air quality of infants’ homes in the New England area of the U.S. Participants (N = 53) were parents of infants (0–6 months) who completed telephone surveys to identify potential pollutant sources in their residence. Carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤0.5 µm (PM0.5), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were measured in 10 homes over 4–7 days, and levels were compared with health-based guidelines. Pollutant levels varied substantially across homes and within homes with overall levels for some homes up to 20 times higher than for other homes. Average levels were 0.85 ppm, 663.2 ppm, 18.7 µg/m3, and 1626 µg/m3 for CO, CO2, PM0.5, and TVOCs, respectively. CO2, TVOCs, and PM0.5 levels exceeded health-based indoor air quality guidelines. Survey results suggest that nursery renovations and related potential pollutant sources may be associated with differences in urbanicity, income, and presence of older children with respiratory ailments, which could potentially confound health studies. While there are no standards for indoor residential air quality, our findings suggest that additional research is needed to assess indoor pollution exposure for infants, which may be a vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ruth Pickett
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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