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ObjectivesTo investigate changes in blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar and haematological markers of inflammation associated with changes in long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants.MethodsWe conducted secondary analyses of data on blood pressure and blood biochemistry markers from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study in Taiwan and air pollution data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration in 2000. Associations of 1-year averaged criteria air pollutants (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <10 μm (PM10) and <2.5 μm (PM2.5), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide) with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and neutrophils were explored by applying generalised additive models.ResultsAfter controlling for potential confounders, we observed that increased 1-year averaged particulate air pollutants (PM10 and PM2.5) and NO2 were associated with elevated blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, HbA1c, IL-6 and neutrophils. Associations of increased 1-year averaged O3 with elevated blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting glucose, HbA1c and neutrophils were also observed. In particular, our two-pollutant models showed that PM2.5 was more significantly associated with end-point variables than two gaseous pollutants, O3 and NO2.ConclusionsChanges in blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar and haematological markers of inflammation are associated with long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants. This might provide a link between air pollution and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract Rationale The biological mechanisms linking air pollution to cardiovascular events still remain largerly unclear. Objectives To investigate whether biological mechanisms linking air pollution to cardiovascular events occurred concurrently in human subjects exposed to urban air pollutants. Methods We recruited a panel of 76 young, healthy students from a university in Taipei. Between April and June of 2004 or 2005, three measurements were made in each participant of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), plasminogen activator fibrinogen inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) in plasma, and heart rate variability (HRV). Gaseous air pollutants were measured at one air-monitoring station inside their campus, and particulate air pollutants were measured at one particulate matter supersite monitoring station 1 km from their campus. We used linear mixed-effects models to associate biological endpoints with individual air pollutants averaged over 1- to 3-day periods before measurements were performed. Measurements and Main Results We found that increases in hs-CRP, 8-OHdG, fibrinogen, and PAI-1, and decreases in HRV indices were associated with increases in levels of particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 10 μm and 2.5 μm, sulfate, nitrate, and ozone (O3) in single-pollutant models. The increase in 8-OHdG, fibrinogen, and PAI-1, and the reduction in HRV remained significantly associated with 3-day averaged sulfate and O3 levels in two-pollutant models. There were moderate correlations (r = -0.3) between blood markers of hs-CRP, fibrinogen, PAI-1, and HRV indices. Conclusions Urban air pollution is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, blood coagulation and autonomic dysfunction simultaneously in healthy young humans, with sulfate and O3 as two major traffic-related pollutants contributing to such effects.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are a class of chemicals that occur naturally. They generally demonstrate a high degree of critical toxicity towards humans. Acenaphthene and naphthalene contain compounds that are commonly found in the environment as compared to other PAHs. Consequently, a reliable method of detecting PAHs is crucial for the monitoring of water quality. A colorimetric method based on sodium nitrite-functionalized gold nanoparticles was developed in this study for acenaphthene and naphthalene detection. Different functionalized parameters are determined for the optimization of assay conditions. A linear relationship was found in the analyte concentration range of 0.1–10 ppm with the limit of detection for acenaphthene and naphthalene being 0.046 ppm and 0.0015 ppm, respectively, under the optimized assay conditions. The method’s recovery rate for actual samples falls within the range of 98.4–103.0%. In selective and anti-interference tests, the presence of cations and anions has minimal impact on the detection of the analyte. The colorimetric detection method proposed in this study effectively determines the presence of the analyte in real water samples and has a high recovery rate.

Background Particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter (PM 2.5 ) is a significant air pollutant known to adversely affect respiratory health and increase the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, climate change exacerbates these impacts, as extreme temperatures and relative humidity (RH) levels can intensify the effects of PM 2.5 . This study aims to examine the joint effects of PM 2.5 , temperature, and RH on the risk of COPD. Methods A case–control study was conducted among 1,828 participants from 2017 to 2022 (995 COPD patients and 833 controls). The radial basis function interpolation was utilized to estimate participants' individual mean and differences in PM 2.5 , temperature, and RH in 1-day, 7-day, and 1-month periods. Logistic regression models examined the associations of environmental exposures with the risk of COPD adjusting for confounders. Joint effects of PM 2.5 by quartiles of temperature and RH were also examined. Results We observed that a 1 µg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 7-day and 1-month mean was associated with a 1.05-fold and 1.06-fold increase in OR of COPD ( p  <  0.05 ). For temperature and RH, we observed U-shaped effects on OR for COPD with optimal temperatures identified as 21.2 °C, 23.8 °C, and 23.8 °C for 1-day, 7-day, and 1-month mean temperature, respectively, and optimal RH levels identified as 73.8%, 76.7%, and 75.4% for 1-day, 7-day, and 1-month mean RH, respectively ( p  <  0.05 ). The joint effect models show that high temperatures (> 23.5 °C) and both extremely low (69.3%) and high (80.9%) RH levels generally exacerbate the effects of PM 2.5 on OR for COPD, especially over longer exposure durations. Conclusion The joint effects of PM 2.5 , temperature, and RH on the risk of COPD underscore the importance of air pollution control and comprehensive research to mitigate COPD risk in the context of climate change.

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) is a prominent source of carotenoids, renowned for its exceptional concentration of these compounds. This study focuses on optimizing the extraction of active components from the aril of gac fruit by evaluating the effects of extraction temperature, solid–liquid ratio, and extraction time. The primary objective is to maximize the yield of gac oil while assessing its antioxidant capacity. To analyze the kinetics of the solid–liquid extraction process, both first-order and second-order kinetic models were employed, with the second-order model providing the best fit for the experimental data. In addition, the potential of gac fruit peel as a precursor for biochar production was investigated through carbonization. The resultant biochars were evaluated for their efficacy in adsorbing crystal violet (CV) dye from aqueous solutions. The adsorption efficiency of the biochars was found to be dependent on the carbonization temperature, with the highest efficiency observed for BCMC550 (91.72%), followed by BCM450 (81.35%), BCMC350 (78.35%), and BCMC250 (54.43%). The adsorption isotherm data conformed well to the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating monolayer adsorption behavior. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics were best described by the pseudo-second-order model. These findings underscore the potential of gac fruit and its byproducts for diverse industrial and environmental applications, highlighting the dual benefits of optimizing gac oil extraction and utilizing the peel for effective dye removal.

South Korea was the first to administer the Indoor Air Quality Control Act in 1996, followed by Taiwan’s implementation in 2012. This study investigated indoor air quality (IAQ) in public facilities before and after the enactment of Taiwan’s Indoor Air Quality Management (IAQM) Act in 2012 to assess the effectiveness of the Act. The study also calculates health risks for employers, and consumers/visitors separately. The mean concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) after the IAQM Act’s enactment was higher than before, except for government offices. The lowest attainment rates for CO2, below 80%, were 73% in hospitals and 78% in libraries. As for formaldehyde, average concentrations were higher after the IAQM Act’s implementation, except for the exhibition room and library. Notably, improvements in particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) levels were evident in hospitals and libraries compared to other environments (attainment rates increased from 85% to 100% and 89% to 94%, respectively). However, in schools, preschools, and public transport spaces, unattainment rates worsened. Regarding cancer risk from formaldehyde exposure in the public, the 95% of upper risk limits ranged from 3.44×10−5 in the public transport system to 8.80×10−4 in preschools. Our findings highlight the necessity of integrating more measurement data after IAQM Act implementation and formulating management strategies based on risk assessments for future investigations.

Background Delay in type II alveolar epithelial cell (AECII) regeneration has been linked to higher mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, the interaction between Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) and the Hippo signaling pathway in ARDS-associated AECII differentiation remains unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to understand the role of the DCLK1/Hippo pathway in mediating AECII differentiation in ARDS. Materials and methods AECII MLE-12 cells were exposed to 0, 0.1, or 1 μg/mL of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 6 and 12 h. In the mouse model, C57BL/6JNarl mice were intratracheally (i.t.) injected with 0 (control) or 5 mg/kg LPS and were euthanized for lung collection on days 3 and 7. Results We found that LPS induced AECII markers of differentiation by reducing surfactant protein C (SPC) and p53 while increasing T1α (podoplanin) and E-cadherin at 12 h. Concurrently, nuclear YAP dynamic regulation and increased TAZ levels were observed in LPS-exposed AECII within 12 h. Inhibition of YAP consistently decreased cell levels of SPC, claudin 4 (CLDN-4), galectin 3 (LGALS-3), and p53 while increasing transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) at 6 h. Furthermore, DCLK1 expression was reduced in isolated human AECII of ARDS, consistent with the results in LPS-exposed AECII at 6 h and mouse SPC-positive (SPC + ) cells after 3-day LPS exposure. We observed that downregulated DCLK1 increased p-YAP/YAP, while DCLK1 overexpression slightly reduced p-YAP/YAP, indicating an association between DCLK1 and Hippo-YAP pathway. Conclusions We conclude that DCLK1-mediated Hippo signaling components of YAP/TAZ regulated markers of AECII-to-AECI differentiation in an LPS-induced ARDS model. Graphical Abstract Highlights LPS activated AECII-to-AECI markers of differentiation via the Hippo signaling pathway. DCLK1/YAP was dynamically regulated in AECII of LPS-induced ARDS. DCLK1 had an association with YAP to increase cell stemness in AECII. DCLK1/Hippo pathway could be a potential therapeutic target in patients with ARDS.

There is a lack of valid instruments for measuring productivity loss due to illness. This study aimed to compare the validities of traditional Chinese versions of the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment: General Health (C-WPAI:GH) and the World Health Organization’s Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (C-WHO-HPQ), and to define the factors associated with productivity loss. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 165 Taiwanese employees in technology companies. Spearman’s correlation coefficients and ANOVAs were used to test the validities of the C-WPAI:GH and C-WHO-HPQ. Bayesian model averaging was used for multiple linear regression to define the factors related to productivity loss. The C-WPAI:GH had acceptable validities for assessing the productivity loss of Taiwanese employees. The C-WHO-HPQ had acceptable content validity and concurrent criterion validity. However, the construct validity of the C-WHO-HPQ was insufficient (less than 75% of results were consistent with our hypotheses). Absenteeism in the C-WPAI:GH was associated with education, physical functioning and job satisfaction. There were significant associations of bodily pain, social functioning and general health with presenteeism, overall work impairment and activity impairment in the C-WPAI:GH. A linear correlation was found between education and activity impairment in the C-WPAI:GH. The C-WPAI:GH can be used to evaluate productivity loss due to illness.

Residents and workers exposure to high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in buildings may cause headache, dyspnea, fatigue, or drowsiness. However, the effect of plants on in-building CO2 reduction and adverse effect relief is largely unknown. We recruited 36 healthy participants from an office room with plants and 32 healthy participants from another office room without plant in the same office building in Taipei. The participants in the office room with plants during 2020 would move to the office room without plant in 2021. The twelve repeated measurements per year of CO2, fine particles (PM2.5), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), blood pressure (BP), serum CO2 (TCO2), and four rating questions of headache, dyspnea, fatigue, and drowsiness were obtained for each participant. The statistical results showed that levels of drowsiness and systolic BP were significantly lower among participants in the office room with plants compared to those in the office room without plants by t-test and paired t-test. The associations between increased indoor CO2 and increased serum CO2 were observed in the office room with plants (1.32%) and without plant (4.52%) by mixed-effects models. Also, the associations between indoor CO2 and drowsiness were observed in office rooms (with plants: 14.57%; without plant: 3.82%). The conclusion of the present study is that plants in office environment can reduce CO2 levels and may lower CO2-related health effects.

Given the high toxicity and carcinogenic properties of pesticides, reducing pesticide residues is crucial for mitigating water pollution and promoting sustainable development. In the present study, a novel colorimetric method using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was designed for the detection of target analytes. The Turkevich-Frens method was used to synthesize AuNPs, which were then modified with sodium nitrite and L-cysteine for the detection of 1-naphthol and glyphosate, respectively. Different assay conditions strongly influenced the detection performance of the modified AuNPs, so the assay conditions were optimized for further investigation. In the presence of the target analytes (1-naphthol and glyphosate) under the optimum assay conditions, the absorption peak at 520 nm shifted and a corresponding color change was observed. The limits of detection of 1-naphthol and glyphosate were determined to be 0.15 and 0.27 ppm, respectively. In addition, the modified AuNPs had high selectivity for the target analytes and did not exhibit interference in the presence of other substances. This novel colorimetric method was then applied to detect the target analytes in mineral water and tap water with acceptable results.