Browsing by Subject "Air Pollution"

Now showing 1 - 10 of 10
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    Atypical microglial response to biodiesel exhaust in healthy and hypertensive rats
    (Elsevier, 2017-03) Mumaw, Christen L.; Surace, Michael; Levesque, Shannon; Kodavanti, Urmila P.; Kodavanti, Prasada Rao S.; Royland, Joyce E.; Block, Michelle L.; Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine
    Accumulating evidence suggests a deleterious role for urban air pollution in central nervous system (CNS) diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Microglia, the resident innate immune cells and sentinels in the brain, are a common source of neuroinflammation and are implicated in how air pollution may exert CNS effects. While renewable energy, such as soy-based biofuel, is of increasing public interest, there is little information on how soy biofuel may affect the brain. To address this, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to 100% Soy Biodiesel Exhaust (100SBDE; 0, 50, 150 and 500 μg/m3) by inhalation for 4 h/day for 4 weeks (5 days/week). IBA-1 staining of microglia in the substantia nigra revealed significant changes in morphology with 100SBDE exposure in rats from both genotypes, where the SHR were less sensitive. Further analysis failed to show consistent changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression, nitrated protein, and arginase1 expression in brain tissue from either rat strain exposed to 100SBDE. CX3CR1 and fractalkine mRNA expression were lower in the striatum of all 100SBDE exposed rats, but greater SBDE exposure was required for loss of fractalkine expression in the SHR. Together, these data support that month-long 100SBDE exposure impacts the basal ganglia with changes in microglia morphology, an impaired fractalkine axis, and an atypical activation response without traditional markers of M1 or M2 activation, where the SHR may be less sensitive to these effects.
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    During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Lung Specialists of the World Implore You: Inhale Only Clean Air
    (American Thoracic Society, 2020-08-14) Santhosh, Lekshmi; Oh, Anita; Alismail, Abdullah; Breiburg, Anna; Kaminski, Naftali; Carlos, Graham; Jamil, Shazia; Department of Medicine, IU School of Medicine
    Recent social media and lay news report that nicotine may help protect from COVID-19. However, lung specialists of the American Thoracic Society and California Thoracic Society recommend that you inhale only clean air. Research shows that exposure to smoke, vapors, and air pollution all contribute to worse outcomes in COVID-19 infection. This fact sheet summarizes some of the common public questions addressed to lung healthcare professionals.
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    One mile square map in downtown Indianapolis, demonstrating soot deposits
    (Indiana State Board of Health, 1912-03) McAbee, W.D.
    [Map of estimated daily soot deposits from burning coal in downtown Indianapolis]
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    Substantial Decreases in NO2 Pollution Measured by Ground-Based Monitors in US Cities During COVID-19 Shutdowns from Reduced Transportation Volumes
    (2020-11-27) Heintzelman, Asrah; Lulla, Vijay; Filippelli, Gabriel; Earth Sciences, School of Science
    The air pollutant NO2 is derived largely from transportation sources and is known to cause respiratory disease. A substantial reduction in transport and industrial processes around the globe from the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and subsequent pandemic resulted in sharp declines in emissions, including for NO2. Additionally, the COVID-19 disease that results from the coronavirus may present in its most severe form in those who have been exposed to high levels of air pollution. To explore these links, we compared ground-based NO2 sensor data from 11 US cities from a two-month window (March-April) over the previous five years versus the same window during 2020 shutdowns. NO2 declined roughly 12-41% in the 11 cities. This decreased coincided with a sharp drop in vehicular traffic from shutdown-related travel restrictions. To explore this link more closely, we gathered more detailed traffic count data in one city, Indianapolis, Indiana, and found a strong correlation between traffic counts/classification and vehicle miles travelled, and a moderate correlation between NO2 and traffic related data. This finding indicates that we can use such analysis in targeting reduction in pollutants like NO2 by examining and manipulating traffic patterns, thus potentially leading to more population-level health resilience in the future.