82 research outputs found
Bipolar-Hyper-Shell Galactic Center Statrburst Model: Further Evidence from ROSAT Data and New Radio and X-ray Simulations
Using the all-sky ROSAT soft X-ray and 408-MHz radio continuum data, we show
that the North Polar Spur and its western and southern counter-spurs draw a
giant dumbbell-shape necked at the galactic plane. We interpret these features
as due to a shock front originating from a starburst 15 million years ago with
a total energy of the order of ergs or type II
supernovae. We simulate all-sky distributions of radio continuum and soft X-ray
intensities based on the bipolar-hyper-shell galactic center starburst model.
The simulations can well reproduce the radio NPS and related spurs, as well as
radio spurs in the tangential directions of spiral arms. Simulated X-ray maps
in 0.25, 0.75 and 1.5 keV bands reproduce the ROSAT X-ray NPS, its western and
southern counter-spurs, and the absorption layer along the galactic plane. We
propose to use the ROSAT all-sky maps to probe the physics of gas in the
halo-intergalactic interface, and to directly date and measure the energy of a
recent Galactic Center starburst.Comment: To appear in ApJ, Latex MS in ApJ macro, 8 figures in jpg (original
quality ps figs available on request
Support for smoke-free policies in the Cyprus hospitality industry
Objectives
The present study used attitudinal and behavioural indicators to measure support for smoke-free policies among employers and employees in the hospitality industry in Cyprus.
Methods
A representative sample of 600 participants (95 % response rate) completed anonymous structured questionnaires on demographic variables, smoking status, exposure to second-hand smoke at work and related health beliefs, social norms, and smoke-free policy support.
Results
Participants were predominantly males (68.3 %), with a mean age of 40 years (SD = 12.69), and 39.7 % were employers/owners of the hospitality venue. Analysis of variance showed that employers and smokers were less supportive of smoke-free policies, as compared to employees and non-smokers. Linear regression models showed that attitudes towards smoke-free policy were predicted by smoking status, SHS exposure and related health beliefs, and social norm variables. Logistic regression analysis showed that willingness to confront a policy violator was predicted by SHS exposure, perceived prevalence of smoker clients, and smoke-free policy attitudes.
Conclusions
SHS exposure and related health beliefs, and normative factors should be targeted by interventions aiming to promote policy support in the hospitality industry in Cyprus
Short-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and daily mortality in London, UK.
Epidemiological studies have linked daily concentrations of urban air pollution to mortality, but few have investigated specific traffic sources that can inform abatement policies. We assembled a database of >100 daily, measured and modelled pollutant concentrations characterizing air pollution in London between 2011 and 2012. Based on the analyses of temporal patterns and correlations between the metrics, knowledge of local emission sources and reference to the existing literature, we selected, a priori, markers of traffic pollution: oxides of nitrogen (general traffic); elemental and black carbon (EC/BC) (diesel exhaust); carbon monoxide (petrol exhaust); copper (tyre), zinc (brake) and aluminium (mineral dust). Poisson regression accounting for seasonality and meteorology was used to estimate the percentage change in risk of death associated with an interquartile increment of each pollutant. Associations were generally small with confidence intervals that spanned 0% and tended to be negative for cardiovascular mortality and positive for respiratory mortality. The strongest positive associations were for EC and BC adjusted for particle mass and respiratory mortality, 2.66% (95% confidence interval: 0.11, 5.28) and 2.72% (0.09, 5.42) per 0.8 and 1.0 μg/m(3), respectively. These associations were robust to adjustment for other traffic metrics and regional pollutants, suggesting a degree of specificity with respiratory mortality and diesel exhaust containing EC/BC
Izloženost alergenima plijesni u unutarnjem okolišu
Humid indoor environments may be colonised by allergenic fi lamentous microfungi (moulds), Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., and Alternaria spp. in particular. Mould-induced respiratory diseases are a worldwide problem. In the last two decades, mould allergens and glucans have been used as markers of indoor exposure to moulds. Recently, mould allergens Alt a 1 (Alternaria alternata) and Asp f 1 (Aspergillus fumigatus) have been analysed in various environments (residential and occupational) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, which use monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Household Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels were usually under the limit of the method detection. By contrast, higher levels of mould allergens were found in environments with high levels of bioaerosols such as poultry farms and sawmills. Data on allergen Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels in agricultural settings may provide information on possible colonisation of respective moulds and point out to mould-related diseases in occupants.Vlažni, unutarnji prostori mogu biti kolonizirani alergogenim, filamentoznim mikrogljivicama (plijesni) uglavnom rodova Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium i Alternaria. Respiratorne bolesti uzrokovane plijesnima zdravstveni su problem diljem svijeta. U posljednja dva desetljeća, neki sastavni dijelovi plijesni kao alergeni i glukan rabe se kao pokazatelji izloženosti plijesni u unutarnjem okolišu. Nedavno su alergeni plijesni Alt a 1 (Alternaria alternata) i Asp f 1 (Aspergillus fumigatus) određivani u različitom okolišu (kućnom i profesionalnom) enzim-imunokemijskom metodom koja rabi monoklonska ili poliklonska antitijela. Razina Alt a 1 i Asp f 1 u kućnoj prašini ispod je granice detekcije. Nasuprot tomu, alergeni plijesni su određeni u okolišu s visokom razinom bioaerosola kao peradarnici i pilane. Razine alergena Alt a 1 i Asp f 1 u nekim poljoprivrednim objektima pružaju informaciju o mogućoj kolonizaciji plijesnima, što upućuje na moguće zdravstvene učinke kod zaposlenika
EAACI position paper on occupational rhinitis
The present document is the result of a consensus reached by a panel of experts from European and non-European countries on Occupational Rhinitis (OR), a disease of emerging relevance which has received little attention in comparison to occupational asthma. The document covers the main items of OR including epidemiology, diagnosis, management, socio-economic impact, preventive strategies and medicolegal issues. An operational definition and classification of OR tailored on that of occupational asthma, as well as a diagnostic algorithm based on steps allowing for different levels of diagnostic evidence are proposed. The needs for future research are pointed out. Key messages are issued for each item
Spatial identification of potential health hazards: a systematic areal search approach
Estimación de la concentración media diaria de material particulado fino en la región del Complejo Industrial y Portuario de Pecém, Ceará, Brasil
A exposição ao material particulado fino (MP2,5) está associada a inúmeros
desfechos à saúde. Desta forma, monitoramento da concentração ambiental
do MP2,5 é importante, especialmente em áreas amplamente industrializadas,
pois abrigam potenciais emissores do MP2,5 e de substâncias com potencial de
aumentar a toxicidade de partículas já suspensas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é estimar a concentração diária do MP2,5 em três áreas de influência do
Complexo Industrial e Portuário do Pecém (CIPP), Ceará, Brasil. Foi aplicado
um modelo de regressão não linear para a estimativa do MP2,5, por meio de
dados de profundidade óptica monitorados por satélite. As estimativas foram
realizadas em três áreas de influência (Ai) do CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante – Ai I, Paracuru e Paraipaba – Ai II e Caucaia – Ai III, no período de
2006 a 2017. As médias anuais das concentrações estimadas foram inferiores
ao estabelecido pela legislação nacional em todas as Ai (8µg m-3). Em todas as
Ai, os meses referentes ao período de seca (setembro a fevereiro) apresentaram
as maiores concentrações e uma predominância de ventos leste para oeste. Os
meses que compreendem o período de chuva (março a agosto) apresentaram as
menores concentrações e ventos menos definidos. As condições meteorológicas
podem exercer um papel importante nos processos de remoção, dispersão ou
manutenção das concentrações do material particulado na região. Mesmo com
baixas concentrações estimadas, é importante avaliar a constituição das partículas finas dessa região, bem como sua possível associação a efeitos adversos à
saúde da população local.Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with numerous negative health outcomes.
Thus, monitoring the environmental concentration of PM2.5 is important, especially in heavily
industrialized areas, since they harbor potential
emitters of PM2.5 and substances with the potential
to increase the toxicity of already suspended particles. This study aims to estimate daily concentrations of PM2.5 in three areas under the influence of
the Industrial and Port Complex of Pecém (CIPP),
Ceará State, Brazil. A nonlinear regression model
was applied to estimate PM2.5, using satellitemonitored optical depth data. Estimates were
performed in three areas of influence (Ai) of the
CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante – AiI, Paracuru
and Paraipaba – AiII, and Caucaia – AiIII), from
2006 to 2017. Estimated mean annual concentrations were lower than established by Brazil’s national legislation in all three Ai (8µg m-³). In all
the Ai, the months of the dry season (September to
February) showed the highest concentrations and
a predominance of east winds, while the months
of the rainy season (March to August) showed
the lowest concentrations and less defined winds
Weather conditions can play an important role in
the removal, dispersal, or maintenance of concentrations of particulate matter in the region. Even
at low estimated concentrations, it is important
to assess the composition of fine participles in this
region and their possible association with adverse
health outcomes in the local population.La exposición al material particulado fino (MP2,5)
está asociada a innumerables problemas de salud.
Por ello, la supervisión de la concentración ambiental del MP2,5 es importante, especialmente en
áreas ampliamente industrializadas, puesto que
albergan potenciales emisores de MP2,5 y de sustancias con potencial de aumentar la toxicidad
de partículas ya suspendidas. El objetivo de esta
investigación es estimar la concentración diaria
del MP2,5 en tres áreas de influencia del Complejo Industrial y Portuario de Pecém (CIPP), Ceará,
Brasil. Se aplicó un modelo de regresión no lineal
para la estimación del MP2,5, mediante datos de
profundidad óptica supervisados por satélite. Las
estimaciones fueron realizadas en tres áreas de influencia (Ai) del CIPP (São Gonçalo do Amarante
– Ai I, Paracuru y Paraipaba – Ai II y Caucaia
– Ai III en el período de 2006 a 2017. Las medias
anuales de las concentraciones estimadas fueron
inferiores a lo establecido por la legislación nacional en todas las Ai (8µg m-³). En todas las Ai, los
meses referentes al período de sequía (de setiembre
a febrero) presentaron las mayores concentraciones y una predominancia de vientos este a oeste,
los meses que comprenden el período de lluvia
(marzo a agosto) presentaron las menores concentraciones y vientos menos definidos. Las condiciones meteorológicas pueden ejercer un papel importante en los procesos de eliminación, dispersión o
mantenimiento de las concentraciones del material
particulado en la región. Incluso con bajas concentraciones estimadas es importante que se evalúe la
constitución de las partículas finas de esta región,
así como su posible asociación con efectos adversos
para la salud de la población local
Negatively and positively charged bacterial aerosol concentration and diversity in natural environments
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