Personal exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and respiratory inflammation o common residents in Hong Kong

Background: Given the lack of research on the personal exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) in Hong Kong, we examined the association between short-term personal exposure to PM2.5 and their constituents and inflammation in exhaled breath in a sample of healthy adult residents

Association of neighborhood greenness with self-perceived stress, depression and anxiety symptoms in older U.S adults

Abstract Background Neighborhood environment, such as green vegetation, has been shown to play a role in coping with stress and mental ill health. Yet, epidemiological evidence of the association between greenness and mental health is inconsistent. Methods We examined whether living in green space is associated with self-perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of community-dwelling older adults (N = 4118; aged 57–85 years) in the United States. We evaluated perceived stress, depression and anxiety symptoms using the Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies – Depression, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale − anxiety subscale, respectively. Greenness was assessed for each participant using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index at 250-m resolution, as well as a buffer of 1000-m. We conducted longitudinal analyses to assess the associations between greenness and mental health upon adjusting for confounders (e.g., education), and to examine potential mediation and effect modification. Results An interquartile range (0.25 point) increase in contemporaneous greenness was significantly associated with 0.238 unit (95% CI: − 0.346, − 0.130) and 0.162 unit (95% CI: − 0.271, − 0.054) decrease in the perceived stress in base and multivariable models, respectively. The magnitude of the association was similar or even stronger when examining summer (− 0.161; 95% CI: − 0.295, − 0.027) and annual average of greenness (− 0.188; 95% CI: − 0.337, − 0.038), as well as greenness buffer of 1000-m. The greenness-stress association was partially mediated by physical activity (15.1% mediated), where increased greenness led to increased physical activity and less stress, and by history of respiratory diseases (− 3.8% mediated), where increased greenness led to increased respiratory disease and more stress. The association was also significantly modified by race, social support, physical function, socioeconomic status, and region. While greenness was not significantly associated with anxiety and depressive scores across all participants, significant inverse associations were found for Whites participants, and for individuals with higher socioeconomic status, who were physically active, as compared to their counterparts. Conclusion We found a direct association of greenness with perceived stress among older adults, and an indirect association mediated through physical activity and respiratory disease history. Our study findings warrant further examination of the mediation and modification of the greenness-mental health association

Understanding walking behavior among university students using theory of planned behavior

© 2015 by the authors, licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Walking has been shown to improve physical and mental well-being, yet insufficient walking among university students has been increasingly reported. This study aimed to understand walking behavior of university students using theory of planned behavior (TPB). We recruited 169 undergraduate students by university mass email of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and first administered a salient belief elicitation survey, which was used to design the TPB questionnaire, to a subset of the study sample. Secondly, all participants completed the TPB questionnaire and walking-oriented diary in a two-day period in December 2012. We mapped the walking behavior data obtained from the diary using geographic information system, and examined the extent to which TPB constructs explained walking intentions and walking behavior using Structural equation model (SEM). We found perceived behavioral control to be the key determinant of walking intention. Shaped by participantsâ perceived behavioral control, attitude toward walking and subjective norms, and behavioral intention, in turn had a moderate explanatory effect on their walking behavior. In summary, our findings suggest that walking behavior among university students can be understood within the TPB framework, and could inform walking promotion interventions on the university campuses.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Does derivatives trading destabilize the underlying assets? Evidence from the Spanish stock market

This paper analyses the effect of the introduction of derivatives (futures and options) in the Spanish market on the volatility and on the trading volume of the underlying index. The period analysed covers from October 1990 to December 1994. To study this effect, a GJR model is used. It is found, that although the asymmetry coefficient has increased, the conditional volatility of the underlying index declines after derivative markets are introduced. The trading volume of Ibex-35 increases significantly. Consequently, the introduction of the derivative contracts in Spain confirms a decrease in uncertainty in the underlying market and an increase in liquidity, which possibly enhances their efficiency.

Prospective Study of Ambient Particulate Matter Exposure and Risk of Pulmonary Embolism in the Nurses’ Health Study Cohort

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the most serious manifestation of venous thromboembolism and a leading cause of sudden death. Several studies have suggested associations of venous thromboembolism with short-term particulate matter (PM) exposure; evidence on long-term PM and traffic exposure is mixed. Objectives: We examined the association of long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM2.5–10, and PM10 (PM with diameter of ≤ 2.5, 2.5–10, and ≤ 10 μm) and distance to roadways with overall incident PE and with PE subtypes in a cohort of U.S. women. Methods: The study included 115,745 women from the Nurses’ Health Study, followed from 1992 through 2008. Incident PE cases were self-reported biennially. Nonidiopathic PE were cases for which the medical record revealed an underlying health condition related to PE (i.e., surgery, trauma, or malignancy); idiopathic PE were cases with no such history. We used spatiotemporal models combining spatial smoothing and geographic covariates to quantify exposure at residential addresses, and Cox proportional hazards models to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: PM2.5 averaged over 1 month (HR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.44) or 12 months (HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.48) was associated with incident PE, after adjusting for known risk factors and PM2.5–10. Equivalent analyses restricted to PE subtypes showed a positive association for PM2.5 with nonidiopathic PE, but not with idiopathic PE. We did not find evidence of an association between distance to roadways and PE risk. Conclusions: We provide evidence that PM in the prior 1 and 12 months is associated with PE risk. Our results also suggest that women with underlying health conditions may be more susceptible to PE after PM exposure. Citation Pun VC, Hart JE, Kabrhel C, Camargo CA Jr, Baccarelli AA, Laden F. 2015. Prospective study of ambient particulate matter exposure and risk of pulmonary embolism in the Nurses’ Health Study cohort. Environ Health Perspect 123:1265–1270; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.140892

Erectile dysfunction and exposure to ambient Air pollution in a nationally representative cohort of older Men

Background: Little is known about the association between air pollution and erectile dysfunction (ED), a disorder occurring in 64% of men over the age of 70, and to date, no studies have been published. To address this significant knowledge gap, we explored the relationship between ED and air pollution in a group of older men who were part of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative cohort study of older Americans. Methods: We obtained incident ED status and participant data for 412 men (age 57–85). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures were estimated using spatio-temporal models based on participants’ geocoded addresses, while nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations were estimated using nearest measurements from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. The association between air pollution and incident ED (newly developed in Wave 2) was examined and logistic regression models were run with adjusted models controlling for race, education, season, smoking, obesity, diabetes, depression, and median household income of census tract. Results: We found positive, although statistically insignificant, associations between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposures and odds of incident ED for each of our examined exposure windows, including 1 to 7 year moving averages. Odds ratios (OR) for 1 and 7 year moving averages equaled 1.16 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.55) and 1.16 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.46), respectively, for an IQR increase in PM2.5 exposures. Observed associations were robust to model specifications and were not significantly modified by any of the examined risk factors for ED. Conclusions: We found associations between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposures and odds of developing ED that did not reach nominal statistical significance, although exposures to each pollutant were consistently associated with higher odds of developing ED. While more research is needed, our findings suggest a relationship between air pollutant exposure and incident cases of ED, a common condition in older men. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-017-0216-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Nitrogen dioxide pollution exposure is associated with olfactory dysfunction in older U.S. adults

Background: Olfactory dysfunction has profound effects on quality of life, physical and social function, and mortality itself. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is a pervasive air pollutant that is associated with respiratory diseases. Given the olfactory nerve\u27s anatomic exposure to airborne pollutants, we investigated the relationship between NO2 exposure and olfactory dysfunction. Methods: The ability to identify odors was evaluated using a validated test in respondents from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a representative probability sample of home-dwelling, older U.S. adults age 57 to 85 years. Exposure to NO2 pollution was assessed using measurements obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS) ambient monitoring site closest to each respondent\u27s home. We tested the association between NO2 exposure and olfactory dysfunction using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Among older adults in the United States, 22.6% had impaired olfactory function, defined as ≤3 correct (out of 5) on the odor identification test. Median NO2 exposure during the 365 days prior to the interview date was 14.7 ppb (interquartile range [IQR], 10.8 to 19.7 ppb). An IQR increase in NO2 exposure was associated with increased odds of olfactory dysfunction (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.72), adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, cognition, comorbidity, smoking, and season of the home interview (n = 1823). Conclusion: We show for the first time that NO2 exposure is associated with olfactory dysfunction in older U.S. adults. These results suggest an important role for NO2 exposure on olfactory dysfunction, and, potentially, nasal disease more broadly