The development of a dense urban air pollution monitoring network

The importance of air pollution monitoring networks in urban areas is well known because of their miscellaneous applications. At the beginning of the 1990s, Berlin had more than 40 particulate matter monitoring stations, whereas, by 2013, there were only 12 stations. In this study, a new and free–of–charge methodology for the densifying of the PM10 monitoring network of Berlin is presented. It endeavors to find the non–linear relationship between the hourly PM10 concentration of the still–operating PM10 monitoring stations and the shut–down stations by using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and, consequently, the results of the shut–down stations were simulated and re–constructed. However, input–variables selection is a pre–requisite for any ANN simulation, and hence a new fuzzy–heuristic input selection has been developed and joined to the ANN for the simulation. The hourly PM10 concentrations of the 20 shut–down stations were simulated and re–constructed. The mean error, bias and absolute error of the simulations were 27.7%, –0.03 (μg/m3), and 7.4 (μg/m3), respectively. Then, the simulated hourly PM10 concentration data were converted to a daily scale and the performance of ANN models which were developed for the simulation of the daily PM10 data were evaluated (correlation coefficient >0.94). These appropriate results imply the ability of the developed input selection technique to make the appropriate selection of the input variables, and it can be introduced as a new input variable selection for the ANN. In addition, a dense PM10 monitoring network was developed by the combination of both the re–constructed (20 stations) and the current (12 stations) stations. This dense monitoring network was applied in order to determine a reliable mean annual PM10 concentration in the different areas in Berlin in 2012

An overview of psoriatic arthritis – epidemiology, clinical features, pathophysiology and novel treatment targets

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory joint disease occurring in a subgroup of patients suffering from psoriasis. This article gives an overview of the complexity of psoriatic arthritis, looking at several aspects of this heterogeneous disease, such as epidemiology, important clinical features and comorbidities as well as current concepts of the pathophysiology and subsequent insights in novel treatment targets.(VLID)348921

EURODELTA - Evaluation of a Sectoral Approach to Integrated Assessment Modeling - Second Report

The EURODELTA project is a continuing collaboration between the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) at Ispra (Italy) and five air quality modeling teams at Ineris (France), the Free University of Berlin (Germany), Met.no (Norway), TNO (Netherlands) and SMHI (Sweden). This phase of Eurodelta investigates how different air quality models would represent the effect on pollutant impacts of applying, on a European scale, emission reductions to individual emission sectors. The reason for doing this is to test whether there are important sensitivities not captured by the sound science approach to air quality policy making on a European scale which is based on an integrated assessment (IA) approach and embodied in the IIASA RAINS/GAINS model. This study shows that there are important differences between sectors in the amount of concentration (deposition) reduction obtained by changing a pollutant emission. This difference is not accounted for in the present process used to evaluate future national emissions ceiling reductions for both beneficial effect and cost-effectiveness. This raises the possibility that, when national bodies consider how to implement an emission ceiling taking account of the information used in deriving that ceiling, choices might be made that are less effective than expected.JRC.DDG.H.4-Transport and air qualit

The greatest air quality experiment ever: Policy suggestions from the COVID-19 lockdown in twelve European cities

COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) hit Europe in January 2020. By March, Europe was the active centre of the pandemic. As a result, widespread "lockdown" measures were enforced across the various European countries, even if to a different extent. Such actions caused a dramatic reduction, especially in road traffic. This event can be considered the most significant experiment ever conducted in Europe to assess the impact of a massive switch-off of atmospheric pollutant sources. In this study, we focus on in situ concentration data of the main atmospheric pollutants measured in twelve European cities, characterized by different climatology, emission sources, and strengths. We propose a methodology for the fair comparison of the impact of lockdown measures considering the non-stationarity of meteorological conditions and emissions, which are progressively declining due to the adoption of stricter air quality measures. The analysis of these unmatched circumstances allowed us to estimate the impact of a nearly zero-emission urban transport scenario on air quality in 12 European cities. The clearest result, common to all the cities, is that a dramatic traffic reduction effectively reduces NO2 concentrations. In contrast, each city’s PM and ozone concentrations can respond differently to the same type of emission reduction measure. From the policy point of view, these findings suggest that measures targeting urban traffic alone may not be the only effective option for improving air quality in cities.Peer ReviewedArticle signat per 19 autors/es: Marialuisa Volta 1, Umberto Giostra 2, Giorgio Guariso 3, Jose Baldasano 4, Martin Lutz 5, Andreas Kerschbaumer 5, Annette Rauterberg-Wulff 5, Francisco Ferreira 6, Luısa Mendes 6, Joana Monjardino 6, Nicolas Moussiopοulos 7, Christos Vlachokostas 7, Peter Viaene 8, Janssen Stijn 8, Enrico Turrini 1, Elena De Angelis 1, Claudio Carnevale 1, Martin L. Williams 9, Michela Maione 2,10 // 1 Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Civile, Università di Brescia, Brescia, Italy; 2 Dipartimento di Scienze Pure e Applicate, Università di Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy; 3 Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy; 4 Centro Nacional de Supercomputación, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain; 5 Senatsverwaltung für Umwelt, Mobilität, Verbraucher-und Klimaschutz, Berlin, Germany; 6 Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente, Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal; 7 Aristoteleio Panepistemio Thessalonikes, Thessalonike, Greece; 8 VITO, Vision on Technology, Mol, Belgium; 9 Environmental Research Group, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom; 10 Istituto di Scienze dell’Atmosfera e del Clima, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bologna, ItalyPostprint (published version

BAERLIN2014 - stationary measurements and source apportionment at an urban background station in Berlin, Germany

The Berlin Air quality and Ecosystem Research: Local and long-range Impact of anthropogenic and Natural hydrocarbons (BAERLIN2014) campaign was conducted during the 3 summer months (June–August) of 2014. During this measurement campaign, both stationary and mobile measurements were undertaken to address complementary aims. This paper provides an overview of the stationary measurements and results that were focused on characterization of gaseous and particulate pollution, including source attribution, in the Berlin–Potsdam area, and quantification of the role of natural sources in determining levels of ozone and related gaseous pollutants. Results show that biogenic contributions to ozone and particulate matter are substantial. One indicator for ozone formation, the OH reactivity, showed a 31% (0.82±0.44s−1) and 75% (3.7±0.90s−1) contribution from biogenic non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) for urban background (2.6±0.68s−1) and urban park (4.9±1.0s−1) location, respectively, emphasizing the importance of such locations as sources of biogenic NMVOCs in urban areas. A comparison to NMVOC measurements made in Berlin approximately 20 years earlier generally show lower levels today for anthropogenic NMVOCs. A substantial contribution of secondary organic and inorganic aerosol to PM10 concentrations was quantified. In addition to secondary aerosols, source apportionment analysis of the organic carbon fraction identified the contribution of biogenic (plant-based) particulate matter, as well as primary contributions from vehicles, with a larger contribution from diesel compared to gasoline vehicles, as well as a relatively small contribution from wood burning, linked to measured levoglucosan

Efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatment of psoriatic arthritis: a systematic literature research informing the 2023 update of the EULAR recommendations for the management of psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives To obtain an overview of recent evidence on efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatments in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods This systematic literature research (SLR) investigated the efficacy and safety of conventional synthetic (cs), biological (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with PsA. A systematic database search using Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL was conducted to identify relevant articles published since the previous update in 2019 until 28 December 2022. Efficacy was assessed in trials while for safety observational data were also considered. Adverse events of special interest were infections (including herpes zoster, influenza and tuberculosis), malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events, venous thromboembolisms, liver disease, laboratory changes and psychiatric adverse events. No meta-analyses were performed. Results For efficacy, of 3946 articles screened, 38 articles (30 trials) were analysed. The compounds investigated included csDMARDs (leflunomide, methotrexate), bDMARDs inhibiting IL17 (bimekizumab, brodalumab, ixekizumab, izokibep, secukinumab,), IL-23 (guselkumab, risankizumab, tildrakizumab), IL-12/23 (ustekinumab) as well as TNF (adalimumab, certolizumab-pegol, etanercept, infliximab, golimumab) and Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi) (brepocitinib, deucravacitinib, tofacitinib, upadacitinib). The compounds investigated were efficacious in improving signs and symptoms of PsA, improving physical functioning and quality of life. For safety, 2055 abstracts were screened, and 24 articles analysed: 15 observational studies and 9 long-term follow-ups of trials, assessing glucocorticoids, TNFi, IL-17i, JAKi, IL-12/23i and PDE4i (apremilast). Safety indicators were generally coherent with the previous SLR in 2019. Conclusion The results of this SLR informed the task force responsible for the 2023 update of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology recommendations for pharmacological management of PsA

A systematic literature review informing the consensus statement on efficacy and safety of pharmacological treatment with interleukin-6 pathway inhibition with biological DMARDs in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases

Objectives: Informing an international task force updating the consensus statement on efficacy and safety of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) selectively targeting interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway in the context of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Methods: A systematic literature research of all publications on IL-6 axis inhibition with bDMARDs published between January 2012 and December 2020 was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane CENTRAL databases. Efficacy and safety outcomes were assessed in clinical trials including their long-term extensions and observational studies. Meeting abstracts from ACR, EULAR conferences and results on clinicaltrials.gov were taken into consideration. Results: 187 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Evidence for positive effect of IL-6 inhibition was available in various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, adult-onset Still’s disease, cytokine release syndrome due to chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy and systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease. Newcomers like satralizumab and anti-IL-6 ligand antibody siltuximab have expanded therapeutic approaches for Castleman’s disease and neuromyelitis optica, respectively. IL-6 inhibition did not provide therapeutic benefits in psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and certain connective tissue diseases. In COVID-19, tocilizumab (TCZ) has proven to be therapeutic in advanced disease. Safety outcomes did not differ from other bDMARDs, except higher risks of diverticulitis and lower gastrointestinal perforations. Inconsistent results were observed in several studies investigating the risk for infections when comparing TCZ to TNF-inhibitors. Conclusion: IL-6 inhibition is effective for treatment of several inflammatory diseases with a safety profile that is widely comparable to other bDMARDs

EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis with synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs: 2019 update

Objectives: To provide an update of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management recommendations to account for the most recent developments in the field. Methods: An international task force considered new evidence supporting or contradicting previous recommendations and novel therapies and strategic insights based on two systematic literature searches on efficacy and safety of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) since the last update (2016) until 2019. A predefined voting process was applied, current levels of evidence and strengths of recommendation were assigned and participants ultimately voted independently on their level of agreement with each of the items. Results: The task force agreed on 5 overarching principles and 12 recommendations concerning use of conventional synthetic (cs) DMARDs (methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide, sulfasalazine); glucocorticoids (GCs); biological (b) DMARDs (tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab), abatacept, rituximab, tocilizumab, sarilumab and biosimilar (bs) DMARDs) and targeted synthetic (ts) DMARDs (the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors tofacitinib, baricitinib, filgotinib, upadacitinib). Guidance on monotherapy, combination therapy, treatment strategies (treat-to-target) and tapering on sustained clinical remission is provided. Cost and sequencing of b/tsDMARDs are addressed. Initially, MTX plus GCs and upon insufficient response to this therapy within 3 to 6 months, stratification according to risk factors is recommended. With poor prognostic factors (presence of autoantibodies, high disease activity, early erosions or failure of two csDMARDs), any bDMARD or JAK inhibitor should be added to the csDMARD. If this fails, any other bDMARD (from another or the same class) or tsDMARD is recommended. On sustained remission, DMARDs may be tapered, but not be stopped. Levels of evidence and levels of agreement were mostly high. Conclusions: These updated EULAR recommendations provide consensus on the management of RA with respect to benefit, safety, preferences and cost

2022 update

Funding Information: This study was funded by European League Against Rheumatism. Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Objectives: To provide an update of the EULAR rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management recommendations addressing the most recent developments in the field. Methods: An international task force was formed and solicited three systematic literature research activities on safety and efficacy of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and glucocorticoids (GCs). The new evidence was discussed in light of the last update from 2019. A predefined voting process was applied to each overarching principle and recommendation. Levels of evidence and strengths of recommendation were assigned to and participants finally voted on the level of agreement with each item. Results: The task force agreed on 5 overarching principles and 11 recommendations concerning use of conventional synthetic (cs) DMARDs (methotrexate (MTX), leflunomide, sulfasalazine); GCs; biological (b) DMARDs (tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab including biosimilars), abatacept, rituximab, tocilizumab, sarilumab and targeted synthetic (ts) DMARDs, namely the Janus kinase inhibitors tofacitinib, baricitinib, filgotinib, upadacitinib. Guidance on monotherapy, combination therapy, treatment strategies (treat-to-target) and tapering in sustained clinical remission is provided. Safety aspects, including risk of major cardiovascular events (MACEs) and malignancies, costs and sequencing of b/tsDMARDs were all considered. Initially, MTX plus GCs is recommended and on insufficient response to this therapy within 3-6 months, treatment should be based on stratification according to risk factors; With poor prognostic factors (presence of autoantibodies, high disease activity, early erosions or failure of two csDMARDs), any bDMARD should be added to the csDMARD; after careful consideration of risks of MACEs, malignancies and/or thromboembolic events tsDMARDs may also be considered in this phase. If the first bDMARD (or tsDMARD) fails, any other bDMARD (from another or the same class) or tsDMARD (considering risks) is recommended. With sustained remission, DMARDs may be tapered but should not be stopped. Levels of evidence and levels of agreement were high for most recommendations. Conclusions: These updated EULAR recommendations provide consensus on RA management including safety, effectiveness and cost.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin