Long-term concentrations of fine particulate matter and impact on human health in Verona, Italy

Verona is an Italian city which experiences low levels of air quality due to its location near the centre of the Po Valley, one of the most polluted areas in Italy and in Europe. High pollutant concentrations, in particular of fine aerosol particles, are associated with detrimental effects on human health. The present study analyses the ground-based measurements of particulate matter with a diameter (PM2.5) and (PM10) registered in Verona and its province since 2002 to 2015. The annual means and the number of days when the European standards were exceeded show that air quality has slightly improved in the analysed period, with statistically significant negative trends present in both PM10 and PM2.5 levels. The annual mortality due to different diseases attributable to PM2.5 has been estimated for the period 2009–2014 by employing concentration-response functions based on epidemiological cohort studies. Results show that, on average, about 299 deaths per year (3 are infants) are caused by PM2.5 related diseases in Verona province. Among these, about 88 deaths per year (1 is infant) occur in Verona municipality. This means that of the total deaths due to diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems is attributable to long-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution

[Digital radiography of the thorax with selenium detector. Clinical results and optimization potential of the technique]

INTRODUCTION: We compared the image quality of the chest radiograph obtained with a digital selenium detector and with a conventional system and investigated the possible improvements in the digital technique resulting from kilovoltage (kV) lowering, antiscattering grid addition and image format reduction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 150 subjects in the first series were submitted to posteroanterior chest radiography with both the selenium and the conventional systems. Image quality was compared by giving a score to the depiction of anatominal and pathologic findings. Thirty-two and 31 subjects from two other series were submitted to two digital chest radiographs each: the former at high (150) and low (90) kV, and the latter at 150 kV with the antiscattering grid and at 90 kV without the grid. Comparisons were made by choosing the better of the two images of each subjects. A score was given to the depiction quality of several difficult-to-detect findings in full-size and small-size format digital images obtained in another series of 27 subjects. RESULTS: As for anatomical detailing, digital selenium images were of much better quality than conventional images: the mean scores given by 3 observers to digital images (5.32; 5.55; 6.68) are higher than those given to the corresponding conventional images (4.49; 5.02; 5.81) and the difference is statistically significant (p < 0.001 in all cases). The advantage of digital over conventional images is also significant with reference to diagnostic confidence in the identification of pathologic findings (p < 0.001; p < 0.005; p < 0.01), but to a lessere extent (mean scores: 3.98; 4.22; 3.60 for the digital system, versus 3.43; 3.69; 3.38 for the conventional system). The digital images acquired at lower kV (90 kV) were much more frequently chosen by the two observes (87.5% and 96.8% of cases) than the images acquired at 150 kV; the entry dose at lower energies (91 muGy using an anthropomorphic phantom) is not significantly higher than the dose given at 150 kV (85 muGy). No significant difference was found in the two observers' choice between the digital images taken at 90 kV without antiscattering grid and those taken at 150 kV with the grid, the former being preferred in 38.7% and 58% of cases. The level of diagnostic confidence in the detailing of difficult-to-detect findings was slightly higher in full-size digital images (mean scores: 5.33 and 6.77) than in small-size ones (4.88 and 5.96). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Digital selenium images always exibit better quality than conventional images: the difference is very marked relative to anatomical detailing and not so striking, though still significant, in showing pathologic findings. Digital selenium image quality can be improved relative to the manufacturer's guidelines (150 kV exposure with no grid), by lowering the kV and adding the antiscattering grid, without increasing patient exposure too much. Digital image format reduction allows cost containment without affecting diagnostic reliability

Association between PM10 concentrations and school absences in proximity of a cement plant in northern Italy.

Dusts are one of the main air pollutants emitted during cement manufacturing. A substantial part of these are breathable particles that are less than 10\u3bcm in diameter (PM10), which represent a potential threat for the health of the exposed population. This study aimed at evaluating the short-term effects of PM10 concentrations on the health of children, aged 6-14 years, who attended the schools in Fumane (Italy), in proximity (1.2km) to a large cement plant. School absenteeism was used as a proxy indicator of child morbidity. Time series of daily school absences and PM10 concentrations were collected for 3 school-years from 2007 to 2010 (541 school-days, 462 children on average). The associations between PM10 concentrations and school absence rates in the same day (lag0) and in the following 4 days (lag1 to lag4) were evaluated using generalised additive models, smoothed for medium/long term trends and adjusted for day of the week, influenza outbreaks, daily temperature and rain precipitations. The average concentration of PM10 in the period was 34 (range: 4-183) \u3bcg/m(3). An average 10\u3bcg/m(3) increase of PM10 concentration in the previous days (lag0-4) was associated with a statistically significant 2.5\% (95\%CI: 1.1-4.0\%) increase in the rate of school absences. The highest increase in the absence rates (2.4\%; 95\%CI: 1.2-3.5\%) was found 2 days after exposure (lag2). These findings provide epidemiological evidence of the acute health effects of PM10 in areas with annual concentrations that are lower than the legal European Union limit of 40\u3bcg/m(3), and support the need to establish more restrictive legislative standards