Parental smoking patterns and their association with wheezing in children

OBJECTIVE: To investigate parental smoking patterns and their association with wheezing in children. METHODS: We performed a case-control study that included 105 children between 6 and 23 months of age who were divided into two groups: cases (children with 3 previous episodes of wheezing) and controls (healthy children without wheezing). The children's exposure to cigarette smoking was estimated using a questionnaire completed by the mothers and by the children's urinary cotinine levels. RESULTS: Based on both the questionnaire results and cotinine levels, exposure to cigarette smoking was higher in the households of cases in which the incidence of maternal smoking was significantly higher than that of paternal smoking. Children in this group were more affected by maternal smoking and by the total number of cigarettes smoked inside the house. Additionally, the questionnaire results indicated that the risk of wheezing was dose dependent. The presence of allergic components, such as atopic dermatitis and siblings with allergic rhinitis and asthma, greatly increased the odds ratio when wheezing was associated with cotinine levels. CONCLUSION: Children exposed to tobacco smoke have an increased risk of developing wheezing syndrome. This risk increases in association with the number of cigarettes smoked inside the house and the presence of other allergic components in the family

Reduction of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) and incidence of pulmonary lesions in mice kept in plenum chamber microenvironmental ventilation system

In the plenum chamber microenvironmental ventilation system (MEV) for laboratory animal housing, air exchanges are made directly inside animal cages. In this study we measured the daily levels of ammonia (NH3) in cages without beddingchanges and made comparative histopathologieal analyscs of mice born and kept in two different systems. Mice were kept under the MEV (n = 40, in five cages) and general diluting ventilation (GDV) (n= 32, in four cages) systems for nine days. In the MEV system. NH3 was not detected in the first three days, the highest concentration occurred on the seventh day (5.00 +/- 2.90ppm). On the ninth day, a level of 2.50 +/- 1.70 ppm was measured. In GDV. NH3 was detected from the first day, and the highest levels were observed on the third and fifth day (31.20 +/- 12.50 ppm), respectively. Front the fourth to the ninth day, the GDV system presented higher concentrations of NH3 than the MIEV system (p< 0.05). Histopathologieal analyses of lungs of six female mice from each group were performed after keeping mice in the two systems for 56 days. In the score evaluation, the incidence ofehrunie focal pneumonia, catarrhal bronchitis, and interstitial pneumonia was significantly higher (p< 0.05) in the GDV group. Using morphometry, it was observed that animals from the GDV system showed a significant increase (p<005) in the volume fractions of the epithelium, when compared to thc MEV system (2450 +/- 5.60 um3/um2 and 19.70 +/- 4.90 um3/um2, respectively). An estimator of the numerical density of nuclei over 100 um of basement membrane was significantly higher (p<0.05) in animals from the GDV system. when compared to animals from theMEV system (14.60 +/- 3.00 and 10.84 +/- 3.00, respectively). It was shown that animals kept in the MEV system presented better health condition than animals kept in the GDV system

Follow-up of the air pollution and the human male-to-female ratio analysis in São Paulo, Brazil: a times series study

Objectives in order to assess if ambient air pollution in urban areas could be related to alterations in male/female ratio this study objectives to evaluate changes in ambient particulate matter (PM10) concentrations after implementation of pollution control programmes in São Paulo city and the secondary sex ratio (SRR).Design and methods A time series study was conducted. São Paulo's districts were stratified according to the PM10 concentrations levels and were used as a marker of overall air pollution. the male ratio was chosen to represent the secondary sex ratio (SSR=total male birth/total births). the SSR data from each area was analysed according to the time variation and PM10 concentration areas using descriptive statistics. the strength association between annual average of PM10 concentration and SSR was performed through exponential regression, and it was adopted as a statistical significance level of p<0.05.Results the exponential regression showed a negative and significant association between PM10 and SSR. SSR varied from 51.4% to 50.7% in São Paulo in the analysed period (2000-2007). Considering the PM10 average concentration in São Paulo city of 44.72g/m(3) in the study period, the SSR decline reached almost 4.37%, equivalent to 30934 less male births.Conclusions Ambient levels of PM10 are negatively associated with changes in the SSR. Therefore, we can speculate that higher levels of particulate pollution could be related to increased rates of female births.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, ICAQF, Dept Ciencias Exatas & Terra, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Pathol, Lab Expt Air Pollut LIM05, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, ICAQF, Dept Ciencias Exatas & Terra, São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 573813/2008-5: FAPESP - 2008/57717-6Web of Scienc

Risk assessment of PM2.5 to child residents in Brazilian Amazon region with biofuel production

Background: Exposure to fine fractions of particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with increased hospital admissions and mortality for respiratory and cardiovascular disease in children and the elderly. This study aims to estimate the toxicological risk of PM2.5 from biomass burning in children and adolescents between the age of 6 and 14 in Tangara da Serra, a municipality of Subequatorial Brazilian Amazon. Methods: Risk assessment methodology was applied to estimate the risk quotient in two scenarios of exposure according to local seasonality. The potential dose of PM2.5 was estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation, stratifying the population by age, gender, asthma and Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Male asthmatic children under the age of 8 at normal body rate had the highest risk quotient among the subgroups. The general potential average dose of PM2.5 was 1.95 mu g/kg.day (95% CI: 1.62 - 2.27) during the dry scenario and 0.32 mu g/kg. day (95% CI: 0.29 - 0.34) in the rainy scenario. During the dry season, children and adolescents showed a toxicological risk to PM2.5 of 2.07 mu g/kg. day (95% CI: 1.85 - 2.30). Conclusions: Children and adolescents living in the Subequatorial Brazilian Amazon region were exposed to high levels of PM2.5 resulting in toxicological risk for this multi-pollutant. The toxicological risk quotients of children in this region were comparable or higher to children living in metropolitan regions with PM2.5 air pollution above the recommended limits to human health.CNPq/INCT/MCT [573797/2008-343 CNPq/CT-18]State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT)University of São Paul

The impact of urban air pollution exposure on the development of alterations on oxidative stress and behavioral parameters in adult mice

FAPESP, CEPID and AFIP

Effects of land cover and air pollution on the risk of preterm births

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between gestational age and green areas, urban built areas, and the concentration of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) in the city of São Paulo, analyzing the irregular distribution of these areas and pollution levels above the recommended level. METHODS: The study population consisted of a cohort of live births from 2012, and data from the Live Birth Information System (Sinasc) of the city of São Paulo were used. Using satellite images and supervised classification, the distribution and quantity of green areas and built areas in the city of São Paulo was obtained, as well as the concentrations of PM2.5. Logistic regressions were used to obtain possible associations. RESULTS: The results of the study show that a lower percentage of green areas is significantly associated with a higher chance of preterm births. A higher building density was positively associated with the odds ratio for preterm birth. We did not find any significant associations between air pollution (PM2.5) and preterm births. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that greener areas are less associated with preterm births when compared with less green areas.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a associação entre a idade gestacional e as áreas verdes, áreas construídas urbanas e a concentração de material particulado 2,5 (MP2,5) em São Paulo, analisando a distribuição irregular dessas áreas e os níveis de poluição acima do recomendado. MÉTODOS: A população utilizada no estudo foi a dos nascidos vivos no ano de 2012, com os dados do Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivo (Sinasc) na cidade de São Paulo. Por meio de imagens de satélites e realizando a classificação supervisionada, obtivemos a distribuição e quantidade de áreas verdes e de áreas construídas, na cidade de São Paulo, assim como as concentrações de MP2,5. Regressões logísticas foram utilizadas para obter possíveis associações. RESULTADOS: Os resultados do estudo mostram que menor percentual de áreas verdes está associado significativamente com maior chance de prematuridade. Maior densidade de construção foi associada positivamente com a razão de chance de nascimento prematuro. Não encontramos resultados significativos entre a poluição do ar (MP2,5) e prematuridade. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados deste estudo demostraram que áreas mais verdes em relação às áreas menos verdes são menos associadas a nascimentos prematuros

The impact of urban air pollution exposure on the development of alterations on oxidative stress and behavioral parameters in adult mice

FAPESP, CEPID and AFIP

Effects of land cover and air pollution on the risk of preterm births

No artigo “Efeitos da cobertura de solo e poluição do ar no risco de nascimentos prematuros”, DOI https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2024058005504, publicado na Revista de Saúde Pública.2024;58:08,a RSP corrige: Após as referências (página 14): Financiamento: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp – processos 16/15989-6; 09/02186-9; 09/53931-6 e 16/26082-1). Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - processo 304277/2019-3). Contribuição dos Autores: Concepção e planejamento do estudo: TCLM, SRDMS, PHS, TM. Coleta, análise e interpretação dos dados: TCLM, JLP, WR, SRDMS, TM. Elaboração ou revisão do manuscrito: TCLM, JLP, WR, PHS, DFSF, SRDMS, TM. Aprovação da versão final: TCLM, JLP, WR, PHS, DFSF, SRDMS, TM. Responsabilidade pública pelo conteúdo do artigo: TCLM, SRDMS, TM. Conflito de Interesses: Os autores declaram não haver conflito de interesses.In the article “Effects of land cover and air pollution on the risk of preterm births”, DOI https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2024058005504, published on the Revista de Saúde Pública.2024;58:08, RSP corrects: After references (page 14): Funding: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (Fapesp – Processes 16/15989-6; 09/02186-9; 09/53931-6 e 16/26082-1). Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Process 304277/2019-3). Authors’ Contribution: Study design and planning: TCLM, SRDMS, PHS, TM. Data collection, analysis, and interpreation: TCLM, JLP, WR, SRDMS, TM. Preparation or revision of the manuscript: TCLM, JLP, WR, PHS, DFSF, SRDMS, TM. Final version approval: TCLM, JLP, WR, PHS, DFSF, SRDMS, TM. Public responsibility for article content: TCLM, SRDMS, TM. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest

Differences between postmortem computed tomography and conventional autopsy in a stabbing murder case

Objective: The aim of the present work is to analyze the differences and similarities between the elements of a conventional autopsy and images obtained from postmortem computed tomography in a case of a homicide stab wound. Method: Comparison between the findings of different methods: autopsy and postmortem computed tomography. Results: In some aspects, autopsy is still superior to imaging, especially in relation to external examination and the description of lesion vitality. However, the findings of gas embolism, pneumothorax and pulmonary emphysema and the relationship between the internal path of the instrument of aggression and the entry wound are better demonstrated by postmortem computed tomography. Conclusions: Although multislice computed tomography has greater accuracy than autopsy, we believe that the conventional autopsy method is fundamental for providing evidence in criminal investigations