Europe-wide air pollution modeling from 2000 to 2019 using geographically weighted regression

Previous European land-use regression (LUR) models assumed fixed linear relationships between air pollution concentrations and predictors such as traffic and land use. We evaluated whether including spatially-varying relationships could improve European LUR models by using geographically weighted regression (GWR) and random forest (RF). We built separate LUR models for each year from 2000 to 2019 for NO2, O3, PM2.5 and PM10 using annual average monitoring observations across Europe. Potential predictors included satellite retrievals, chemical transport model estimates and land-use variables. Supervised linear regression (SLR) was used to select predictors, and then GWR estimated the potentially spatially-varying coefficients. We developed multi-year models using geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR). Five-fold cross-validation per year showed that GWR and GTWR explained similar spatial variations in annual average concentrations (average R(2) = NO2: 0.66; O3: 0.58; PM10: 0.62; PM2.5: 0.77), which are better than SLR (average R(2) = NO2: 0.61; O3: 0.46; PM10: 0.51; PM2.5: 0.75) and RF (average R(2) = NO2: 0.64; O3: 0.53; PM10: 0.56; PM2.5: 0.67). The GTWR predictions and a previously-used method of back-extrapolating 2010 model predictions using CTM were overall highly correlated (R(2) > 0.8) for all pollutants. Including spatially-varying relationships using GWR modestly improved European air pollution annual LUR models, allowing time-varying exposure-health risk models

Nutritionist’s Variation in Counseling Style and the Effect on Weight Change of Patients Attending a Community Based Lifestyle Modification Program

Information concerning the nature of nutritionist-patient relationships is very limited. This qualitative and quantitative study examined nutritionist’s skills, attributes, and beliefs towards nutrition counseling during a lifestyle modification intervention program, and whether this affected the patient’s weight outcome. 24 nutrition consultations were observed during the program and the nutritionists were interviewed for their perception on practice (n = 4). A statistically significant difference was observed between the nutritionists in regard to patient’s weight change after adjustment for age and baseline weight (p < 0.001). Key nutritionist skills identified that influenced weight outcome were meticulous investigation of the underlying obesity cause, identification of the subject’s stage of change, and psychological support

Magnetic resonance imaging in patients with meningitis induced hearing loss

The aim of this multicentre study was to compare T1 with T2 weighted MRI scans of the labyrinth after meningitis and to investigate whether waiting with scanning improved the reliability of diagnosing an ongoing process such as cochlear osteogenesis. Forty-five patients were included who suffered from meningitis induced hearing loss (radiological imaging <1 year after meningitis). Twenty-one gadolinium enhanced T1 and 45 T2 weighted MRI scans were scored by two radiologists regarding the condition of the labyrinth. These radiological observations were compared with the condition of the cochlea as described during cochlear implantation. A higher percentage of agreement with surgery was found for T2 (both radiologists 73%) than for T1 weighted MRI scans (radiologist 1: 62%, radiologist 2: 67%), but this difference is not significant. There was no significant difference between early (0–3 months) and late (>3 months) scanning, showing that radiological imaging soon after meningitis allows early diagnosis without suffering from a lower agreement with surgical findings

Consumer Response to Drug Risk Information:The Role of Positive Affect

Risk disclosure is an essential element of the marketing of prescription drugs and other medical products. This study examines how consumers respond to verbal information about the frequency and severity of medical-product risks and how media-induced affect can moderate such responses. The study finds that consumers tend to overestimate the actual likelihood of adverse events described with words such as “common” or “rare” (compared with the probabilities such terms are typically intended to convey) and that consumers tend to give little weight to such probability language when forming product use intentions. However, consumers in positive media-induced moods seem to engage in more nuanced evaluation of product risk information, weighing both frequency and severity information and using such information to make inferences about other product attributes (e.g., product efficacy). These findings suggest that medical marketers and regulators need to devise more effective means of communicating risk probability to consumers and that positive mood induction (e.g., by placing advertisements in upbeat media environments) can enhance consumers' ability to process product risk information

Corrigendum to "Europe-wide air pollution modeling from 2000 to 2019 using geographically weighted regression" [Environ. Int. 168 (2022) 107485]

The authors regret an error in the colour palette in legends and maps in Fig 2 and Fig 3 in the original published article. Revised figures (Fig 2 & Fig 3) are shown below. The correct statement in Line 6 in the 3rd paragraph of Section 3.2 should be written as follows: In the early 2000s, the PM 10 concentrations were above 15 µg/m 3 in all regions except in the Alps, Ireland, and northern Europe. In the recent 5 years, only the northern part of Italy, eastern Europe, and the Balkans had higher PM 10 concentrations (>20 µg/m 3) than the rest of Europe. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused

Monthly average air pollution models using geographically weighted regression in Europe from 2000 to 2019

Detailed spatial models of monthly air pollution levels at a very fine spatial resolution (25 m) can help facilitate studies to explore critical time-windows of exposure at intermediate term. Seasonal changes in air pollution may affect both levels and spatial patterns of air pollution across Europe. We built Europe-wide land-use regression (LUR) models to estimate monthly concentrations of regulated air pollutants (NO2, O3, PM10 and PM2.5) between 2000 and 2019. Monthly average concentrations were collected from routine monitoring stations. Including both monthly-fixed and -varying spatial variables, we used supervised linear regression (SLR) to select predictors and geographically weighted regression (GWR) to estimate spatially-varying regression coefficients for each month. Model performance was assessed with 5-fold cross-validation (CV). We also compared the performance of the monthly LUR models with monthly adjusted concentrations. Results revealed significant monthly variations in both estimates and model structure, particularly for O3, PM10, and PM2.5. The 5-fold CV showed generally good performance of the monthly GWR models across months and years (5-fold CV R2: 0.31–0.66 for NO2, 0.4–0.79 for O3, 0.4–0.78 for PM10, 0.46–0.87 for PM2.5). Monthly GWR models slightly outperformed monthly-adjusted models. Correlations between monthly GWR model were generally moderate to high (Pearson correlation >0.6). In conclusion, we are the first to develop robust monthly LUR models for air pollution in Europe. These monthly LUR models, at a 25 m spatial resolution, enhance epidemiologists to better characterize Europe-wide intermediate-term health effects related to air pollution, facilitating investigations into critical exposure time windows in birth cohort studies

Effective risk relievers for dimensional perceived risks on mail-order purchase: a case study on speciality foods in the UK

This article examines the effective risk relievers for different dimensions of perceived risk on mail-order purchase of food products. The sample comprised 1,600 active and inactive mail-order specialty food shoppers in the UK. The analysis focused on the correlation coefficients between consumers' levels of perceived risk and their weight on the importance of the risk relievers. Amongst 15 risk relievers, the results implied that there are certain risk relievers attached to higher levels of importance by consumers, who perceive higher levels of risks in certain aspects of mail-order purchase. Therefore, mail-order companies should promote the effective risk relievers to reduce specific dimensions of perceived risks