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Study suggests natural UV radiation protects against coronavirus

A new study by scientists at the University of Edinburgh and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in July 2020 suggests an interesting link between ultraviolet A radiation and deaths due to COVID-19. While this is an observational study, which means that direct inferences cannot be drawn from this finding, it does, however, suggest better strategies for reducing the death rate due to COVID-19.

8 Jul 2020

Air pollution may lead to interstitial lung diseases

More research must be done to investigate the role of air pollution on the epigenome in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), in order to develop strategies that minimize the effects of these pollutants, according to a new article published online in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

1 Jul 2020

Weather determines NO2 concentrations, shows study

In connection with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, satellite measurements made headlines showing how much the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) had decreased in China and northern Italy.

27 Jun 2020

Study provides more evidence of causal link between air pollution and premature death

Strengthening U.S. air quality standards for fine particulate pollution to be in compliance with current World Health Association (WHO) guidelines could save more than 140,000 lives over the course of a decade, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

26 Jun 2020

COVID-19 mortality higher in Spring in the USA

Now, a new study by researchers at the University of Louisville and Babson College and published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 describes the increased risk of COVID-19 deaths in spring, in the USA.

23 Jun 2020

Using a face mask reduces the spread of COVID-19 infections

A study by a team of researchers led by a Texas A&M University professor has found that not wearing a face mask dramatically increases a person's chances of being infected by the COVID-19 virus.

14 Jun 2020

China's COVID-19 interventions caused abrupt decline in tropospheric nitrogen dioxide

Pandemics and the Environment: China's COVID-19 Interventions Reduced Nitrogen Dioxide Levels A new Special Collection of Science Advances papers will delve into how pandemics such as COVID-19 affect - and are affected by - global environmental conditions, underscoring the interconnectedness of global processes.

12 Jun 2020

Ozone disinfection of respirator masks for front-line workers coping with COVID-19

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine and collaborators have successfully used ozone to disinfect the respirator masks used by healthcare workers to protect against respiratory diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

2 Jun 2020

Researchers to explore the idea of using ultraviolet light to kill novel coronavirus

The idea of UV sterilization is not a new one, but little or no scientific data about its potency against COVID-19 have been collected, until now.

27 May 2020

Researchers are developing advanced measures to fight against COVID-types contagions

A research team from the University of Valencia, led by the professor of the Department of Computer Science Pedro Morillo, is developing a project to improve protection against infections in areas of high availability of health centres.

18 May 2020

Global air quality has significantly improved due to COVID-19 lockdowns

Levels of two major air pollutants have been drastically reduced since lockdowns began in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but a secondary pollutant - ground-level ozone - has increased in China, according to new research.

11 May 2020

Air pollution associated with greater virulence of COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in April 2020 provides convincing evidence that air pollution contributes to greater severity of COVID-19. The researchers say, “This suggests the detrimental impact climate change will have on the trajectory of future respiratory epidemics.”

6 May 2020

Report finds nearly half of the U.S. population breathing polluted air

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, which is responsible for dramatic improvements in air quality.

21 Apr 2020

Unexpected benefit of COVID-19 lockdowns on the environment and health

The pandemic spreading over the world has affected over 185 countries and territories so far, with over 2 million cases and 134,354 deaths. In response, many countries and regions have enforced lockdowns, in addition to the almost universal recommendations for social distancing. One of the most significant impacts has been the effect on economic activity the world over.

15 Apr 2020

Study: Direct and repetitive irradiation with 222nm UVC does not cause skin cancer

Joint research between Kobe University and Ushio Inc. has provided proof for the first time in the world that direct and repetitive illumination from 222nm ultraviolet radiation C (UVC), which is a powerful sterilizer, does not cause skin cancer.

7 Apr 2020

Air pollution exposure takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of chronic illnesses

Breathing dirty air takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and other chronic illnesses, new University of Colorado Boulder research suggests.

11 Mar 2020

Smaller carbon footprint improves global health and economy

A viewpoint published in the journal JAMA February 28, 2020, discusses how a low-carbon future could improve global health and provide economic benefit.

2 Mar 2020

New clue behind chronic diseases and food spoilage discovered

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have made a surprising discovery that could help explain our risk for developing chronic diseases or cancers as we get older, and how our food decomposes over time.

26 Feb 2020

Half the air pollution deaths in the U.S. linked to out-of-state emissions

Over half the deaths due to poor air quality occurring in the U.S. are because of emissions from outside the state in which the deaths occur, according to a new study published in February 2020 in the journal Nature.

12 Feb 2020

Antioxidants may mitigate the damaging effects of pollution on human health

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) refers to air pollution caused by traffic activity. A diet high in antioxidants such as the Mediterranean diet may help to alleviate some of the health issues called by TRAP.

27 Jan 2020