Impact of Nanoparticulates from Traffic Emissions on Viral Lung Infection

Nanoparticle exposure reactivates latent herpesvirus and restores a signature of acute infection (19 page pdf, Christine Sattler, Franco Moritz, Shanze Chen, Beatrix Steer, David Kutschke, Martin Irmler, Johannes Beckers, Oliver Eickelberg, Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Heiko Adler and Tobias Stoeger, Particle and Fibre Toxicology, Jan. 10, 2017)

Also discussed here: Nanoparticle exposure can awaken dormant viruses in the lungs (ScienceDaily, Jan. 17, 2017)

Today we review a lab experiment on cells in mice that examined the impact of exposure to nanoparticles (NP). Results indicate that these nanoparticles can “reawaken” latent herpes viruses in the lung by weakening the immune system and allowing viruses to invade the host cell. The researchers would like to examine if these results can be transferred to humans and if so, if exposure to emissions from combustion  and  traffic-
related emissions suggest another serious impact.
 
  Key Quotes:

"From previous model studies we already knew that the inhalation of nanoparticles has an inflammatory effect and alters the immune system,.. an exposure to nanoparticles can reactivate latent herpes viruses in the lung."

“There are several publications providing evidence that the presence of carbon-based NP has an influence on virus infection in mice or in cells.”

 “If the immune system becomes weakened or if certain conditions change, the viruses become active again, begin to proliferate and destroy the host cell.” “further experiments with human cells demonstrated that Epstein-Barr viruses are also 'awakened' when they come into contact with the nanoparticles.”

“They detected a significant increase in viral proteins, which are only produced with active virus proliferation …Metabolic and gene expression analyses also revealed patterns resembling acute infection,"

 “we show that exposure of latently infected cells or tissues to NP leads to reactivation of latent virus accompanied by an increase in viral proteins and metabolome- and transcriptome-signatures that can also be found in acute virus infection.”

“Many people carry herpes viruses, and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are particularly affected…If the results are confirmed in humans, it would be important to investigate the molecular process of the reactivation of latent herpes viruses induced by particle inhalation. Then we could try to influence this pathway therapeutically."

Related articles

• Enzyme found to limit collateral damage from immune system
• How Does Outdoor Air Pollution Affect the Health of your Brain?
• How Does Traffic Related Air Pollution Affect Children's Health?
• How Does Air Pollution Impact the Health of Children?
• Kidney Disease and Air Pollution

How Does the Environment Affect Perceived Wait Times at Transit Stops?

Transit Stop Environments and Waiting Time Perception Impacts of Trees, Traffic Exposure, and Polluted Air (Abstract, Marina Lagune-ReutlerRelated information, Andrew GuthrieRelated information, Yingling FanRelated information, and David Levinson, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Jan. 9, 2017)

Also discussed here: Transit Riders’ Perception of Waiting Time and Stops, Surrounding Environments (17 page MS Word, Marina Lagune-Reutler, Andrew Guthrie, Yingling Fan, David Levinson, Draft submitted to Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, July 2015)

Today we review research based on over 800 responses from users of public transit in Minneapolis, MN. The key factor studied was the wait times –both real and perceived- and how this varied with the type of environment found at bus and transit stops. Results indicate that polluted air and the presence of heavy traffic near the stops tended to increase the length of perceived wait time when this was over 5 minutes while the presence of trees and light traffic shortened the perceived wait time. Conclusions and recommendations to encourage more transit use include locating transit lines away from traffic and heavily polluted areas and planting trees and foliage near the stops. Canadians and those in cold climates would be heartened by the finding that more or less snow has little effect on transit users who, if anything were more likely to happy they
  were not driving a private car.




 Key Quotes:

“research on pedestrian design finds that high-quality and natural environments reduce stress and encourage walking and bicycling. It seems reasonable that similar effects would apply for transit users on the basis of the environments around transit stops”

“For waits longer than 5 min, perceptible pollution and exposure to traffic led to significant overestimates of waiting time. Riders waiting at stops with dense, mature tree cover, however, significantly underestimated their waiting times”

 “regular riders have relatively lower burdens for waiting than occasional transit users. Passengers’ negative emotions such as anxiety, boredom or stress tend to increase time perception of time while distractions appear to reduce their wait time estimates”

“women perceive longer waiting time at stops or stations located in an unsafe environment:at a simple curbside bus stop, a 10 minute wait seems to take nearly half an hour.”

 “The effect of dense, mature tree cover is strong enough to compensate for the effects of both air pollution and traffic awareness”

“The results strongly support the research hypothesis that the surrounding environment of transit stops and stations affects transit user’s wait time perception. They show in particular that air pollution, traffic awareness, and presence of mature trees are significantly correlated with wait time perception.”

 “The effect of the snow cover is unexpectedly positive and shows that the weather does not affect negatively transit users’ time perception. Transit users may be happy about the fact they aren’t driving, and alternatively, transit users on such days may have a high tolerance for cold weather, due to self selection.”

 “the results suggest that the more trees are present, the shorter the wait time is perceived by riders while the more polluted and exposed to the traffic the more transit users tend to overestimate wait time. These findings advocate for high quality urban environment surrounding stops and stations.”

 “Creating exclusive transit lanes or streets reserved for transit, bicycles and pedestrians (where feasible) are likely to reduce waiting time perceptions the most, due to low traffic volumes in terms of vehicle frequency compared with automotive traffic.”

 “the alignment of transit routes and the location of stops avoiding highly polluted areas where possible without affecting travel demand can also contribute to shorter wait time especially when headways are greater than five minutes”

 “Planting trees around stops offers local authorities an opportunity to significantly improve users' wait time perception,”

Related articles

• Why is Vancouver the Greenest City in the world and How is it Planning to Be Better?

Living Close to Traffic and the Risk of Dementia

Living close to major roads linked to small increase in dementia risk (Abstract, the Lancet, Jan.4, 2017)

Also discussed here: Living near major roads is associated with increased dementia risk, study finds (Susan Mayor, The British Medical Journal, Jan. 5, 2017)

And here: Living near major traffic linked to higher risk of dementia (Public Health Ontario, Jan. 4, 2017)

And here: Does Living by a Busy Road Boost Dementia Risk? Exposure to heavy traffic tied to cognitive decline (Alexandria Bachert , MedPage Today, Jan. 4, 2017)

Today we review a study with over 6.5 million people living in Ontario that examined the impact of living near high traffic roadways and the incidence of dementia, the first time such a study has been conducted in Canada. Results indicate a 7 percent higher risk for those who live within 50m (half a city block)compared to those who live more than 200 m from these roadways who have no higher risk. The specific pollutants found responsible include PM2.5 and NO2. Interesting that other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis were found to not have a higher risk.

   

Key Quotes:

 “Dementia is more common in people who live within 50 metres of a major road than those who live further away.. up to one in 10 (7-11%) cases of dementia among those who live within 50 metres of a major road [1] could be attributed to traffic exposure”

“While there was no association between living near a road and Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis, dementia was more common the closer people lived to busy roads.”

 “The risk of developing dementia reduced as people lived further away from a main road - with a 7% higher risk in developing dementia among those living within 50 metres, a 4% higher risk at 50-100 metres, a 2% higher risk at 101-200 metres and no increase in risk in those living more than 200 metres away.”

"Our study suggests that busy roads could be a source of environmental stressors that could give rise to the onset of dementia. Increasing population growth and urbanisation has placed many people close to heavy traffic, and with widespread exposure to traffic and growing rates of dementia, even a modest effect from near-road exposure could pose a large public health burden. More research to understand this link is needed, particularly into the effects of different aspects of traffic, such as air pollutants and noise."

 "The significant association of newly diagnosed cases of dementia in the study period between 2001 and 2012 with the proximity to traffic road less than 50 m-300 m versus more than 300 m, and the robust observation of dementia involving predominantly urban versus rural residents, opens up a crucial global health concern for millions of people..”

“exposures to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) on the basis of postal code addresses were related to dementia, and adjusting for these two pollutants attenuated its association with roadway proximity. This showed that the effect of living near a busy road may, at least in part, operate through this mechanism”

Related articles

• Which cities have the worst air pollution levels in the world?
• How Does Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Cause Anxiety in Older Women?
• What is the Risk of a Stroke after a One Day Exposure to Air Pollution?
• How is Air Pollution Linked to Diabetes and Insulin Sensitivity?

What is the biggest influence for commuters to walk, bike or drive a car?

On time and ready to go: An analysis of commuters’ punctuality and energy levels at work or school (Abstract, Charis Loong , Dea van Lierop , Ahmed El-Geneidy, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Dec. 23, 2016)

Also discussed here: Cyclists Are Winning Commuting (Andrew Small, The Atlantic City Lab, Dec. 23, 2016)

Today we review research into commuting choices made by staff and students at McGill University in Canada’s second largest city, Montreal. Although Montreal is hilly and quite cold and snowy in the winter, its cyclists and pedestrians are relatively well served by its city’s administration and policies as reflected in the infrastructure provided for pedestrians and cycling. Montreal has by far the best organized and extensive car free days each year. Montreal was the first city in Canada to have segregated bike lanes in its downtown.

The study of McGill’s commuters reveals that, unlike what most people assume, commuting time per se is not the most important factor- punctuality and feeling energized on arrival are, while noting that the longest time for commutes were those taken by public transit or by private vehicle. If applicable elsewhere (and this may not be valid in cities where infrastructure is poor, where the commuters are older or where winter snow is too much of a barrier), this means that city transportation planners might have to give priority to punctuality and the benefits of arriving refreshed when deciding on improvements for commuters in their cities.

   

Key Quotes:

  “analyzed the commuting patterns of the students, staff, and faculty at the school located in downtown Montreal, surveying 5,599 people at the campus in 2013.”

“For the commuters at McGill University, pedestrians had the shortest average commute (about 18.5 minutes), followed by cyclists (23.5 minutes), drivers (32.5 minutes), and transit riders (43.5 minutes).”

“Walkers skewed significantly to younger students, while drivers tended to be older staff and faculty, and cyclists and public-transit riders fell somewhere in the middle.”

 “weather conditions and mode of transportation have significant impacts on an individual’s energy at work and punctuality.”

“drivers have the lowest odds of feeling energized and the highest odds of arriving late for work.” “Cyclists, meanwhile, have the highest odds of feeling energized and being punctual.”

 “satisfaction with travel mode is associated with higher odds of feeling energized and being punctual. With these findings in mind, policy makers should consider developing strategies that aim to increase the mode satisfaction of commuters.”

Related articles

• Canada's worst traffic bottlenecks now as bad as L.A.
• What are the Costs of Chauffering?
• How Cities Can Get to the Three Zeros (Congestion, Pollution and Accidents)
• How Are Two Waterlocked Cities (Hong Kong and Ottawa) Coping with Traffic Congestion?
• Why is Vancouver the Greenest City in the world and How is it Planning to Be Better?

How Are Weather Extremes Linked to Climate Change?

Extreme event attribution: the climate versus weather blame game (Rebecca Lindsey, NOAA Climate, Dec. 15, 2016)

 Today we review a paper that describes the statistical process of attributing short term weather extreme events to the longer term changes underway as a result of climate change, whether that is due to natural or man-made burning of carbon fuels. It is important to understand the meaning of return periods. While the probability of a 100 year flood in a given year is 1%, the probability of the same flood over a period of 50 years is 40%. The blaming of an event on climate change depends on how good the observations of past events are, how well climate models can simulate the specific event and how well the physical processes are known and their association with climate change. Extended heat or cold events are more attributable than short term convective storms where the cross links are not as well understood.

   

Key Quotes:

“What is extreme event attribution?

• tells us how much of the credit or risk for an event (or type of events) should go to global warming and how much should go to natural weather patterns or random climate variability.”

“What can extreme event attribution tell us?

• whether global warming made (or will make) an event more likely than it would have been without the rise in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels.
• It can tell us if the average number of years between similar events is shorter or longer than it used to be.
• It can tell us what the risk is for a given extreme weather event and if and how much global warming has increased that risk”

“Sigmas are used to describe the range of natural variability in a given climate or weather characteristic. For most types of climate data, there are many more observations close to the average (within 1 or 2 sigmas) than there are far away. So, if a climate expert describes a heavy rain event as a “5-sigma” event, she is talking about rainfall so extreme that it was 5 standard deviations away from the average high tide water level—way out at the tail end of the range of all values that have been observed.”

“So what does a hundred-year event mean?

• The risk that a 100-year event will happen this year, or next year, or any single year is low: 1% chance that it will happen, 99% chance that it won’t. But the chance that it will happen within a given 20-year period is 18%. Within any 50-year period, 40%. Within any 100-year period, 63%. By the time 500 years have passed, there’s less than a 1% chance that such an event won’t have happened.”

“Why are some events more difficult than others to connect to global warming?

Attribution analysis depends on ‘three pillars’ of scientific knowledge:

• The quality of the observational record,
• The ability of models to simulate a given type of extreme event, and
• How well we understand the physical processes that create an event and how global warming may influence those processes.

For event types where all three of these pillars are strong, our confidence in the results is higher. If any of the three pillars is weak, it becomes harder to conduct an attribution study, and our confidence in the results is lower. In general, scientists have the highest confidence for heat events because all three of the pillars are strong”

Related articles

• Statements on Climate Change from Major Scientific Academies, Societies, and Associations (January 2017 update) [Significant Figures by Peter Gleick]
• Thanks to Climate Change, the Alps Are Losing Snow
• For The Third Straight Time, Earth Has Its Hottest Year On Record
• Can Extreme Weather Events be Attributed to Climate Change?
• How has Climate Change Affected the Frequency of Extreme Weather Events?
• Impacts of Climate Change on Lakes World-Wide
• How Does the Wording of a Poll Affect Response to Risks from Climate Change?

Do Trees in Cities Help or Harm Our Health?

Air pollution: outdoor air quality and health (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Dec.1, 2016)

Also discussed here: Trees could make urban pollution even worse (quartz, Dec.6, 2016)

And here: Neighborhood greenspace and health in a large urban center (Nature, Scientific Reports, Jul. 9, 2015)

Today we review a guide about urban air pollution that looks into the role that street trees play with respect to reducing air pollution. The overall conclusion was that trees are unlikely to reduce air pollution and could add to it, especially if the trees reduce ventilation of air currents. This is true also of the more recent use of green walls. It is also acknowledged [in a Toronto study]that urban trees can improve health – as much as a $10,000 raise or feeling 7 years younger. Pine trees are singled out as a particular contributer to urban pollution through their emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) which combine with the NO2 in car emissions to produce low level ozone, one of a handful of pollutants harmful to health.

   

Key Quotes:

“Street trees were unlikely to reduce air pollution in most street designs and could worsen it in some cases,” “Leaves and branches slow air currents, causing pollutants to settle out.”

“Urban trees and plants can improve mental and physical health - an average of 10 extra trees per block made people living there feel like they would be much healthier—as much as a $10,000 raise or being seven years younger would”

“not all trees are equal. The pungency of a cedar, eucalyptus, or pine woodland, to name a few examples, comes from a blend of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in these species. When these VOCs interact with the nitrogen oxide that is in car emissions, in the presence of sunlight, they produce ozone—at ground level, the pollutant can be harmful enough to cause heart disease.”

“having 10 more trees in a city block, on average, improves health perception in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $10,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $10,000 higher median income or being 7 years younger. … having 11 more trees in a city block, on average, decreases cardio-metabolic conditions in ways comparable to an increase in annual personal income of $20,000 and moving to a neighborhood with $20,000 higher median income or being 1.4 years younger.”

“In 2010 the total mortality burden of human-produced PM2.5 in London was 9 52,630 life-years lost and of long-term exposure to NO2 was up to 88,113 life-years 10 lost …The health impact of PM2.5 pollution from human activities in the UK is estimated to 15 cost between £8.5 billion and £18.6 billion a year “

“Where solid barriers are planned alongside major roads (sometimes 10 used to protect local people from noise) consider whether action is 11 needed to mitigate any adverse effects on air quality…Take into account the effect that trees can have on street ventilation, based on where they are planted and how they are maintained, to avoid creating areas of poorer air quality.”

 “Evidence showed that street trees and green walls or roofs have a mixed effect on 20 street air quality – in some cases they restrict street ventilation causing poorer air 21 quality, in others they improve it “

“Leaves and branches slow air currents, causing pollutants to settle out. They may also act as 'sinks' for particulates and chemicals that may have direct or indirect effects on air quality (in particular, volatile organic compounds [VOCs]). The extent to which this is the case depends on factors such as species, time of year and growing conditions.”

 “air quality might deteriorate at street level near vehicle sources if ventilation were restricted, while improving near first floor windows above the canopy. Although it is important to avoid the possible negative”

The Impact of Traffic-Related Air Pollution on Cloud Formation

Effect of vehicular traffic, remote sources and new particle formation on the activation properties of cloud condensation nuclei in the megacity of São Paulo, Brazil (22 page pdf, Carlos Eduardo Souto-Oliveira, Maria de Fátima Andrade, Prashant Kumar, Fábio Juliano da Silva Lopes, Marly Babinski, and Eduardo Landulfo^, Atmos. Chem. Phys., Nov. 24, 2016)

 Today we review research on the impact vehicle emissions have on cloud formation in the largest city in South America with a 20M population and 7 M vehicles. Such a concentration of emissions may have global impacts on precipitation. Cloud condensation nuclei in this city originate from three sources: vehicle emissions, biomass burning in the vast tropical forests and from sea-salt. Careful direct and indirect (lidart) measurements over a four month period revealed that vehicles were predominant in producing these nuclei with two diurnal maxima during rush hours.

   

Key Quotes:

“Atmospheric aerosol is the primary source of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The microphysics and chemical composition of aerosols can affect cloud development and the precipitation process.”

 “The high concentrations of CCN in the air favor the formation of clouds with small droplets, which can lead to suppression of precipitation in shallow and short-lived clouds”

 “Primary aerosols are emitted into the atmosphere directly by anthropogenic and natural sources. In contrast, secondary aerosols are formed in the atmosphere through the nucleation of no- or low-volatile gases containing inorganic and organic compounds, followed by growth to larger particles”

 “With over 20 million inhabitants, the MASP [Metropolitan Area of São Paulo] is the biggest megacity in South America. Therefore, the MASP represents an important city for global-scale atmospheric studies. The MASP fleet comprises more than 7 million vehicles, which constitute one of the main sources of particles, together with a variety of industries and construction activities “

 “The PNCs [particle number concentration]were highest between 07:00 and 19:00 LT, whereas they were lowest between 19:00 and 07:00 LT (Fig. 2b), hereafter referred to as the daytime and nighttime periods, respectively. During the daytime period, PNCs were elevated, especially during the rush hours, which are primarily associated with vehicular emissions. However, CCN peaks showed the opposite behavior, CCN concentrations being higher during the afternoon and the nighttime period. “

 “in the MASP, the morning rush occurs between 07:00 and 10:00 LT, whereas the afternoon rush occurs between 17:00 to 20:00 LT. The decrease began, and the lower values of AR [Mean activation ratio] occurred, during the morning rush and formation of a secondary aerosol. Vehicular traffic and secondary aerosol formation constitute the main sources of particles in megacities such as the MASP”

 “The regional atmosphere is highly affected by vehicular traffic emissions, and lower by remote sources such as biomass burning and sea-salt transport.”

“Our results show the influence that vehicular traffic, long-range transport of sea salt, biomass-burning plumes and NPF events have on CCN properties”

Related articles

• What Impact Do Local Emission Controls have on Air Pollution?
• Global Estimates of Fine Particulate Matter from Space