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Pollutant from forest and crop fires induces genetic damage in human lung cells

When exposed in a laboratory to pollution levels comparable to those found in the atmosphere of the Amazon region during the forest and crop burning season, human lung cells suffer severe DNA damage and stop dividing. After 72 hours of exposure, over 30% of the cultured cells are dead.

24 Oct 2017

Asthma prevalence and urgent care vary widely among different neighborhoods, research reveals

In a new study presented at CHEST 2017, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York aimed to determine if the associations between combustion-related air pollutant levels and urgent asthma care differed by neighborhood in New York City.

23 Oct 2017

People with depressive symptoms before disaster may experience increase in inflammation

People who exhibit even a few depressive symptoms before a major life stressor, such as a disaster, may experience an increase in inflammation -- a major risk factor for heart disease and other negative health conditions -- after the event, according to new research from Rice University.

23 Oct 2017

New report highlights global burden of pollution-related disease and death

Pollution is linked to an estimated nine million deaths each year worldwide – equivalent to one in six (16%) of all deaths, according to a major new report in The Lancet.

20 Oct 2017

World leaders commit to protect people from harms of NCDs

Heads of State and Government and ministers from around the world today committed to new and bold action to reduce suffering and death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), primarily heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes, the world’s leading killers.

20 Oct 2017

Study finds mitochondrial DNA damage in Veterans with Gulf War illness

Researchers say they have found the "first direct biological evidence" of damage in veterans with Gulf War illness to DNA within cellular structures that produce energy in the body.

19 Oct 2017

Migraine attacks may actively protect and repair the brain from oxidative stress

A new perspective article highlights a compelling theory about migraine attacks: that they are an integrated mechanism by which the brain protects and repairs itself. Recent insightful findings and potential ways to use them to help migraine sufferers are published in Headache.

19 Oct 2017

Exposure to environmental chemicals linked to development of breast cancer

Exposure to environmental chemicals, especially early in life, is an important contributing factor in the development of breast cancer, according to the most comprehensive review of human studies to date.

10 Oct 2017

Research will explore biological mechanisms triggered by air pollution exposure during pregnancy

New research will seek to understand the biological mechanisms that are triggered by exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and lead to lower birth weight in newborns, placing them at greater risk for chronic conditions such as coronary heart disease and hypertension later in life.

10 Oct 2017

Exposure to air pollution on route to school can decrease working memory growth, study reveals

A study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has revealed that air pollution exposure on home-to-school routes can have harmful effects on cognitive development in children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of air pollution exposure during the home-to-school walking commute.

9 Oct 2017

Air pollution exposure on the way to school can have harmful effects on children's cognitive development

A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, an institute supported by the "la Caixa" Banking Foundation, has demonstrated that exposure to air pollution on the way to school can have damaging effects on children's cognitive development.

5 Oct 2017

Inexpensive soy filters could lead to better air purification

Air pollution is a major public health issue worldwide. Filters can help improve the quality of the air we breathe, but they also contribute to landfill when they are finished with and thrown away, as they are often made of plastic.

4 Oct 2017

Digital revolution could radically change Europe’s healthcare system, says EESC

The digital revolution will radically change the way healthcare is provided in the next few years from a system based on cure to one focused on participatory, preventive, personalized and even predictive medicine, the so-called "4P medicine".

30 Sep 2017

University of Portsmouth helping tackle air pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa

The University of Portsmouth is helping to tackle air pollution and its harmful effects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

22 Sep 2017

Outdoor air pollution may increase risk of chronic kidney disease

Outdoor air pollution has long been linked to major health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

21 Sep 2017

Study estimates number of premature deaths from diesel car emissions in European countries

Since the late 1990s the share of diesel cars in the EU has risen to around 50% in the fleet, with important variations between countries. There are now more than 100 million diesel cars running in Europe, twice as many as in the rest of the world together.

18 Sep 2017

Low-level radiation exposure poses less threat to health than modern lifestyle risks

Human populations have always been exposed to ionizing radiation, and more so in modern life due to its use in medicine, industry and the armed forces.

13 Sep 2017

ARL researchers identify hydrogen-producing power of urine

Scientists at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory observed an unexpected result when combining urine with a newly engineered nano-powder based on aluminum. It instantly releases hydrogen from the urine at much higher rate than with ordinary water.

12 Sep 2017

Study reveals that air pollution may cause Northern China to suffer a lifespan reduction of 3 years

A study conducted in China has revealed the effect that high-level air pollution has on a person’s life expectancy.