Inhalation of Ultrafine Particles Alters Blood Leukocyte Expression of Adhesion Molecules in Humans

Ultrafine particles (UFPs; aerodynamic diameter < 100 nm) may contribute to the respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with particulate air pollution. We tested the hypothesis that inhalation of carbon UFPs has vascular effects in healthy and asthmatic subjects, detectable as alterations in blood leukocyte expression of adhesion molecules. Healthy subjects inhaled filtered air and freshly generated elemental carbon particles (count median diameter ~ 25 nm, geometric standard deviation ~ 1.6), for 2 hr, in three separate protocols: 10 μg/m(3) at rest, 10 and 25 μg/m(3) with exercise, and 50 μg/m(3) with exercise. In a fourth protocol, subjects with asthma inhaled air and 10 μg/m(3) UFPs with exercise. Peripheral venous blood was obtained before and at intervals after exposure, and leukocyte expression of surface markers was quantitated using multiparameter flow cytometry. In healthy subjects, particle exposure with exercise reduced expression of adhesion molecules CD54 and CD18 on monocytes and CD18 and CD49d on granulocytes. There were also concentration-related reductions in blood monocytes, basophils, and eosinophils and increased lymphocyte expression of the activation marker CD25. In subjects with asthma, exposure with exercise to 10 μg/m(3) UFPs reduced expression of CD11b on monocytes and eosinophils and CD54 on granulocytes. Particle exposure also reduced the percentage of CD4(+) T cells, basophils, and eosinophils. Inhalation of elemental carbon UFPs alters peripheral blood leukocyte distribution and expression of adhesion molecules, in a pattern consistent with increased retention of leukocytes in the pulmonary vascular bed

Water in massive star-forming regions: HIFI observations of W3 IRS5

We present Herschel observations of the water molecule in the massive star-forming region W3 IRS5. The o-H17O 110-101, p-H18O 111-000, p-H2O 22 202-111, p-H2O 111-000, o-H2O 221-212, and o-H2O 212-101 lines, covering a frequency range from 552 up to 1669 GHz, have been detected at high spectral resolution with HIFI. The water lines in W3 IRS5 show well-defined high-velocity wings that indicate a clear contribution by outflows. Moreover, the systematically blue-shifted absorption in the H2O lines suggests expansion, presumably driven by the outflow. No infall signatures are detected. The p-H2O 111-000 and o-H2O 212-101 lines show absorption from the cold material (T ~ 10 K) in which the high-mass protostellar envelope is embedded. One-dimensional radiative transfer models are used to estimate water abundances and to further study the kinematics of the region. We show that the emission in the rare isotopologues comes directly from the inner parts of the envelope (T > 100 K) where water ices in the dust mantles evaporate and the gas-phase abundance increases. The resulting jump in the water abundance (with a constant inner abundance of 10^{-4}) is needed to reproduce the o-H17O 110-101 and p-H18O 111-000 spectra in our models. We estimate water abundances of 10^{-8} to 10^{-9} in the outer parts of the envelope (T < 100 K). The possibility of two protostellar objects contributing to the emission is discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication in the A&A HIFI special issu

Water abundances in high-mass protostellar envelopes: Herschel observations with HIFI

We derive the dense core structure and the water abundance in four massive star-forming regions which may help understand the earliest stages of massive star formation. We present Herschel-HIFI observations of the para-H2O 1_11-0_00 and 2_02-1_11 and the para-H2-18O 1_11-0_00 transitions. The envelope contribution to the line profiles is separated from contributions by outflows and foreground clouds. The envelope contribution is modelled using Monte-Carlo radiative transfer codes for dust and molecular lines (MC3D and RATRAN), with the water abundance and the turbulent velocity width as free parameters. While the outflows are mostly seen in emission in high-J lines, envelopes are seen in absorption in ground-state lines, which are almost saturated. The derived water abundances range from 5E-10 to 4E-8 in the outer envelopes. We detect cold clouds surrounding the protostar envelope, thanks to the very high quality of the Herschel-HIFI data and the unique ability of water to probe them. Several foreground clouds are also detected along the line of sight. The low H2O abundances in massive dense cores are in accordance with the expectation that high densities and low temperatures lead to freeze-out of water on dust grains. The spread in abundance values is not clearly linked to physical properties of the sources.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication the 15/07/2010 by Astronomy&Astrophysics as a letter in the Herschel-HIFI special issu

Reproducibility of exhaled nitric oxide in smokers and non-smokers: relevance for longitudinal studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Currently, there is much interest in measuring fractional exhaled nitric oxide (<b>FE_NO</b>) in populations. We evaluated the reproducibility of <b>FE_NO</b>in healthy subjects and determined the number of subjects necessary to carry out a longitudinal survey of <b>FE_NO</b>in a population containing smokers and non-smokers, based on the assessed reproducibility.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The reproducibility of <b>FE_NO</b>was examined in 18 healthy smokers and 21 non-smokers. <b>FE_NO</b>was assessed once at 9 AM on five consecutive days; in the last day this measurement was repeated at 2 PM. Respiratory symptoms and medical history were assessed by questionnaire. The within- and between-session repeatability of <b>FE_NO</b>and log-transformed <b>FE_NO</b>was described. The power of a longitudinal study based on a relative increase in <b>FE_NO</b>was estimated using a bilateral t-test of the log-transformed <b>FE_NO</b>using the between-session variance of the assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><b>FE_NO</b>measurements were highly reproducible throughout the study. <b>FE_NO</b>was significantly higher in males than females regardless of smoking status. <b>FE_NO</b>was positively associated with height (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.034), smoking (p < 0.0001) and percent FEV₁/FVC (p < 0.001) but not with age (p = 0.987). The between-session standard deviation was roughly constant on the log scale. Assuming the between-session standard deviation is equal to its longitudinal equivalent, either 111 or 29 subjects would be necessary to achieve an 80% power in detecting a 3% or a 10% increase in <b>FE_NO</b>respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The good reproducibility of <b>FE_NO</b>is not influenced by gender or smoking habits. In a well controlled, longitudinal study it should allow detecting even small increases in <b>FE_NO</b>with a reasonable population size.</p

Introducing the INSIGNIA project: Environmental monitoring of pesticides use through honey bees

INSIGNIA aims to design and test an innovative, non-invasive, scientifically proven citizen science environmental monitoring protocol for the detection of pesticides via honey bees. It is a pilot project initiated and financed by the European Commission (PP-1-1-2018; EC SANTE). The study is being carried out by a consortium of specialists in honey bees, apiculture, chemistry, molecular biology, statistics, analytics, modelling, extension, social science and citizen science from twelve countries. Honey bee colonies are excellent bio-samplers of biological material such as nectar, pollen and plant pathogens, as well as non-biological material such as pesticides or airborne contamination. Honey bee colonies forage over a circle of about 1 km radius, increasing to several km if required depending on the availability and attractiveness of food. All material collected is concentrated in the hive, and the honey bee colony can provide four main matrices for environmental monitoring: bees, honey, pollen and wax. For pesticides, pollen and wax are the focal matrices. Pollen collected in pollen traps will be sampled every two weeks to record foraging conditions. During the season, most of pollen is consumed within days, so beebread can provide recent, random sampling results. On the other hand wax acts as a passive sampler, building up an archive of pesticides that have entered the hive. Alternative in-hive passive samplers will be tested to replicate wax as a “pesticide-sponge”. Samples will be analysed for the presence of pesticides and the botanical origin of the pollen using an ITS2 DNA metabarcoding approach. Data on pollen and pesticides will be then be combined to obtain information on foraging conditions and pesticide use, together with evaluation of the CORINE database for land use and pesticide legislation to model the exposure risks to honey bees and wild bees. All monitoring steps from sampling through to analysis will be studied and tested in four countries in year 1, and the best practices will then be ring-tested in nine countries in year 2. Information about the course of the project and its results and publications will be available in the INSIGNIA website www.insignia-bee.eu.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio