Metabolic syndrome increased susceptibility to the cardiovascular effects of exposure to PM2.5 in rodents, in a recent toxicological study. Metabolic syndrome was induced in a group or rats through a high-fructose diet, while control animals were maintained on a normal diet. Both groups were exposed to primary traffic PM2.5 and to photochemically-aged secondary organic aerosol, Read More
Tag: PM2.5
Climate penalty on PM
Changing meteorology is anticipated to affect average levels of PM2.5 in the US, according to a modeling analysis by researchers at the Harvard ACE Center. Changes in local and synoptic-scale air circulation between 2000 and 2050, in addition to the resulting changes in natural emissions, are expected to result in annual average PM2.5 decreases of Read More
Air pollution, oxidative stress, and CVD
Oxidative stress was found to be associated with short-term exposure to air pollution in a community study reported in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Although the association has been reported in limited controlled exposure studies, researchers at the Harvard Clean Air Research Center (83479801) observed that exposure to PM2.5, Black carbon (BC), and Read More
Clean energy and health effects of air pollution
Clean energy and fuel sales influenced the association between exposure to PM2.5 and diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure in Canada. In a study of 117 Canadian health regions (excluding the far north) between 2007 and 2014, researchers examined the cross-sectional association between exposure to PM2.5 derived from satellite remote sensing observations, and health endpoints Read More
Vitamin B supplementation and effects of PM2.5
Individual-level prevention of some of the effects of exposure to PM2.5 through nutrient supplementation (vitamin B complex) was demonstrated in a recent study by the Harvard Clean Air Research Center in the Proceedings of the national Academies of Sciences. In a blind, sham- and placebo-controlled crossover intervention trial, ten healthy volunteers received B6, B9, and Read More
Decline in PM emissions
Emissions of PM2.5 in the Northeastern US have declined by 18% between 2002 and 2013, based on an analysis of satellite data, primarily from urban areas. A paper from researchers at the Harvard Clean Air Research center and ACE center that applied the Particle Emission Inventories using Remote sensing (PEIRS) methodology shows spatial (at 1×1 Read More
Noise, air pollution, and cardiometabolic disease
A 2-part review on the association between noise and air pollution and cardio-metabolic disease (part 1, part 2) has been published in the European Heart Journal. The first part of the review focuses on the epidemiological evidence linking noise and air pollution with cardiovascular and metabolic disease. In particular, the evidence for interaction between these Read More
No association between air pollution and Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
A study on the possible role of PM2.5 in the systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) in young children did not find a significant association between the two. In a case-crossover study covering five metropolitan areas and PM2.5 exposures of up to 14 days, no statistically significant association with new symptoms was observed. An extended Read More
Children with higher exposure to Black Carbon and traffic had greater problems with behavioral regulation
Children with higher exposure to Black Carbon (BC) and greater near-residence traffic density in mid-childhood had greater problems with behavioral regulation as assessed by classroom teachers. Investigators from the Harvard Clean Air Research Center examined the association between BC and PM2.5 and scores of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) and the Strengths Read More
Long-term exposure to air pollution was linked to faster progression of atherosclerosis
Long-term exposure to air pollution was linked to faster progression of atherosclerosis in a new major epidemiological study. In an article appearing on The Lancet on May 24 2016, researchers led by Joel Kaufmann at the University of Washington report the result of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution, involving more than 6,000 Read More