Bone markers and bone mineral density associates with periodontitis in females with poly-cystic ovarian syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Studies suggest an association between poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and chronic periodontitis (CP), both being inflammatory conditions. However, insufficient evidence assesses the impact of this inflammation on bone metabolism and bone turnover markers (BTMs). The present study aimed to determine the association between BTMs, bone mineral density (BMD), and clinical periodontal parameters in PCOS women with CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups, each with 40 newly diagnosed (1) PCOS+CP, (2) PCOS alone, (3) CP alone, and fourth group (n = 20) systemically and periodontally healthy females aged 18-30 years were included in the study. Full mouth clinical periodontal parameters, C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (CTX), bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP), BMD and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (VD) were recorded for all. RESULTS: Low BMD (0.89 ± 0.11 g/cm2), increased CTX levels (2.76 ± 4.64 ng/ml), decreased bone ALP levels (11.09 ± 6.86 ng/ml), higher VD levels (289.02 ± 168.28 nmol/l) and poor clinical periodontal status were observed in PCOS + CP females. BMD-spine showed weak positive correlation with CTX, bone ALP, VD (r = 0.02, r = 0.07, r = 0.15, respectively) in PCOS + CP group. ANCOVA depicted covariates had no confounding effect. Multiple regression model explained 21.0% for BMD-spine and 12.7% for BMD-femur of total variability signifying association with all measured parameters among all groups. CONCLUSION: Enhanced inflammatory thrust by periodontitis increases CTX levels and decreases bone ALP and BMD levels in women with PCOS. Screening PCOS women for periodontal disease and vice versa may have a direct bearing on overall bone health.

Comparison of End Tidal Carbon Monoxide Levels between Conventional Cigarette, Electronic Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product among Asiatic Smokers.

BACKGROUND: Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) are noncombustible tobacco products which have been found to generate aerosols containing lower levels of Harmful and Potentially Harmful Constituents (HPHCs) in comparison to conventional cigarettes. Objective: This quasi experimental study measured and compared the end tidal carbon monoxide (eCO) levels of participants after use of ENDS, HTPs and conventional cigarettes. Methods: In total 45 smokers, each smoking at least 10 conventional cigarettes per day for 5 years participated in the study. Based on their preference, participants used only one of the tobacco products (ENDS, HTPs, or conventional cigarette) and were briefed about the product use based on manufacturer's instructions. The eCO levels were obtained at baseline, followed by 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 min respectively after the product use. Results: There was significant increase in eCO levels for conventional cigarettes as compared to other modes. Peak eCO levels of 20.2 ± 0.86 ppm, 8.8 ± 1.56 ppm and 6.0 ± 1.36 ppm was achieved at 30 min, 15 min and 10 min for conventional cigarettes, ENDS and HTPs respectively. However, the levels were significantly lower in ENDS and HTPs. Conclusion: Even though ENDS and HTPs may have produced significantly lower eCO than conventional cigarettes, the significantly increasing levels over time from baseline which was not shown before is a cause of concern. As of now, their use as an alternate to cigarettes needs to be considered under regulatory framework.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children with third ventricular pressure gradient and open ventricular outlets on MRI.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with non-communicating hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis are often successfully treated with endoscopic third ventriculocisternostomy (ETV). In hydrocephalus, due to other locations of obstruction of the major CSF pathways, endoscopic treatment may also be a good option. We investigated our cohort of patients treated by ETV with patent ventricular outflow but pressure gradient signs at the third ventricle in a single-center retrospective study. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records and imaging studies of 137 patients who underwent an ETV in our department in the time period of June 2010 to March 2018. We included patients who showed the following findings in MRI: 1st: open Sylvian aqueduct, 2nd: open outlets of the 4th ventricle, 3rd: open spinal canal, 4th: intra-/extraventricular pressure gradient seen at the 3rd ventricle and excluded patients with history of CSF infection or hemorrhage. Perioperative clinical state and possible complications or reoperations were recorded. Shunt dependency and changes in ventricular dilatation were measured as frontal and occipital horn ratio (FOHR) before surgery and during follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 21 patients met the defined criteria. During the mean follow-up time of 40.7 ± 30 months (range; 5-102 months), two children had to undergo a re-ETV, and six children (all < 1 year of age) received a VP shunt. ETV shunt-free survival was 100% for children > 1 year of age. The ventricular width measured as FOHR was significantly reduced after ETV 0.5 ± 0.08 (range 0.42-0.69; p < 0.05). FOHR was significantly reduced at last follow-up shunt independent patients (0.47 ± 0.05; range 0.41-0.55; p < 0.001) CONCLUSION: We conclude that ETV seems to be a successful treatment option for patients with MRI signs of intra-/extraventricular pressure gradient at the 3rd ventricle and patent aqueduct and fourth ventricular outlets in children older than 1 year of age. This condition is observed only rarely and warrants further research on a multicenter basis in order to get more solid data of its pathophysiology.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of stent type in endoscopic treatment of gastric leak after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Gastric leak is the most feared surgical postoperative complication after sleeve gastrectomy. An endoscopic procedure is usually required to treat the leak. No data are available on the cost-effectiveness of different stent types in this procedure. METHODS: Between April 2005 and July 2016, patients with a confirmed gastric leak undergoing endoscopic treatment using a covered stent (CS) or double-pigtail stent (DPS) were included. The primary objective of the study was to assess overall costs of the stent types after primary sleeve gastrectomy. Secondary objectives were the cost-effectiveness of each stent type expressed as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER); the incremental net benefit; the probability of efficiency, defined as the probability of being cost-effective at a threshold of €30 000, and identification of the key drivers of ICER derived from a multivariable analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve patients were enrolled. The overall mean costs of gastric leak were €22 470; the mean(s.d.) cost was €24 916(12 212) in the CS arm and €20 024(3352) in the DPS arm (P = 0·018). DPS was more cost-effective than CS (ICER €4743 per endoscopic procedure avoided), with an incremental net benefit of €25 257 and a 27 per cent probability of efficiency. Key drivers of the ICER were the inpatient ward after diagnosis of gastric leak (surgery versus internal medicine), type of institution (private versus public) and duration of hospital stay per endoscopic procedure. CONCLUSION: DPS for the treatment of gastric leak is more cost-effective than CS and should be proposed as the standard regimen whenever possible.

Laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection in Malaysia: preparedness and response, April 2014.

On 14 April 2014, the first laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was reported in Malaysia in a man in his mid-fifties, who developed pneumonia with respiratory distress, after returning from a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. The case succumbed to his illness three days after admission at a local hospital. The follow-up of 199 close contacts identified through contact tracing and vigilant surveillance did not result in detecting any other confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of health-care personnel towards waste disposal management at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo.

This study assessed knowledge, attitudes and practices of health-care providers towards waste management at Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. In this cross-sectional study 110 physicians, 151 nurses and 89 housekeepers were interviewed using a pre-designed questionnaire. Housekeepers were significantly more knowledgeable than physicians or nurses about hospital policies and systems for waste disposal, but less so about specific details of disposal. Housekeepers also had the highest overall scores for attitudes to waste disposal among the 3 groups. Significantly more nurses had satisfactory practice scores (84.0%) than did physicians (67.3%) (housekeepers were not assessed). Training and duration of work experience were not significantly associated with knowledge, attitude and practice scores, except for nurses with longer work experience, who were more likely to have satisfactory knowledge about waste disposal than less experienced nurses.

The effect of induction of endogenous CO by heme-oxygenase inducer, hemin versus heme-oxygenase blocker, zinc mesoporphyrin on gastric secretion and ulceration under different conditions in adult male albino rats.

Although its role and importance is less well studied, carbon monoxide (CO) has been identified as the second gasotransmitter in the GI tract. This study was performed to investigate the effect of modifying the endogenous CO production by altering heme oxygenase (HO) activity either by induction through hemin administration or inhibition by zinc mesoporphyrin administration on gastric secretion and ulceration induced by either cold restraint stress (CRS) or indomethacin (IND) treatment in adult male albino rats. Our results revealed that hemin significantly increased HO-1 levels with an increase in carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level while zinc mesoporphyrin significantly decreased HO-1 levels with a decrease in COHb level in all groups. Hemin pretreatment significantly attenuated the gastric mucosal lesions induced by CRS and IND administration, which was accompanied by significant reduction in free and total acidity of gastric secretion, decreased proteolytic activity and marked attenuation of lipid peroxidation inspite of decreased NO and PGE2 levels. On the other hand, Inhibition of HO-1 activity by zinc mesoporphyrin prevented most of the effects caused by hemin administration except for its similar reduction in gastric mucosal NO and PGE2 levels. On conclusion, Hemin exerts a protective effect against CRS and IND-induced gastric ulcers possibly via inducing HO-1 and increasing endogenous production of CO (Tab. 2, Fig. 4, Ref. 75).

[Hypersalivation - inauguration of the S2k Guideline (AWMF) in short form]. / Hypersalivation - Ersterstellung der S2k-Leitlinie (AWMF) in gekürzter Darstellung.

Hypersalivation describes a relatively excessive salivary flow, which wets the patient himself and his surroundings. It may result because of insufficient oro-motor function, dysphagia, decreased central control and coordination. This reduces social interaction chances and burdens daily care. Multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment evaluation is recommended already at early stage and focus on dysphagia, and saliva aspiration. Therefore, a multidisciplinary S2k guideline was developed. Diagnostic tools such as fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and videofluoroscopic swallowing studies generate important data on therapy selection and control. Especially traumatic and oncologic cases profit from swallowing therapy programmes in order to activate compensation mechanisms. In children with hypotonic oral muscles, oralstimulation plates can induce a relevant symptom release because of the improved lip closure. In acute hypersalivation, the pharmacologic treatment with glycopyrrolate and scopolamine in various applications is useful but its value in long-term usage critical. The injection of botulinum toxin into the salivary glands has shown safe and effective results with long lasting saliva reduction. Surgical treatment should be reserved for isolated cases. External radiation is judged as ultima ratio. Therapy effects and symptom severity has to be followed, especially in neurodegenerative cases. The resulting xerostomia should be critically evaluated by the responsible physician regarding oral and dental hygiene.

Cisplatin superior to carboplatin in adjuvant radiochemotherapy for locally advanced cancers of the oropharynx and oral cavity.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal radiochemotherapy regimen for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is controversial. In most cases, platin-based chemotherapy regimens are used. However, uncertainty exists whether cisplatin or carboplatin is the better choice. This retrospective study compared radiochemotherapy with either cisplatin or carboplatin in patients with locally advanced SCC of the oropharynx and oral cavity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Concurrent chemotherapy consisted of two courses of cisplatin (20 mg/m(2) on days 1-5 and days 29 - 33; n = 65) or two courses of carboplatin (AUC 1.5 on days 1-5 and days 29 - 33; n = 41). Both regimens were retrospectively compared for locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Thirteen additional potential prognostic factors were evaluated including age, gender, ECOG performance status, tumor site, histologic grade, T/N category, AJCC stage, year of treatment, extent of resection, interval between surgery and RT, completion of chemotherapy, and radiotherapy breaks. RESULTS: The 3-year LRC rates were 85% in the cisplatin group and 62% in the carboplatin group, respectively (p = 0.004). The 3-year OS rates were 78% and 51%, respectively (p = 0.001). Acute toxicity (mucositis, skin toxicity, nausea/vomiting, renal toxicity, hematologic toxicity) and late toxicity (xerostomia, neck fibrosis, skin toxicity, lymph edema) rates were not significantly different between the two groups. On multivariate analysis, better LRC was significantly associated with cisplatin (p < 0.001), an ECOG performance status of 0-1 (p = 0.001), and an interval between surgery and RT of ≤ 6 weeks (p = 0.001). Improved OS was significantly associated with cisplatin (p < 0.001) and completion of chemotherapy (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: For adjuvant radiochemotherapy of patients with locally advanced cancer of the oropharynx and oral cavity, cisplatin appears preferable to carboplatin as it resulted in better outcomes without increased toxicity.

Impact of zoledronic acid on control of metastatic spinal cord compression.

BACKGROUND: Zoledronic acid was demonstrated to reduce the rate of skeletal-related events, a hypernym including various outcomes, in patients with bone metastases. In contrast to other studies, this matched-pair analysis focused solely on the impact of zoledronic acid on metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 98 patients with MSCC receiving radiotherapy plus zoledronic acid were matched 1:2 to 196 patients receiving radiotherapy alone for ten potential prognostic factors. Both groups were compared for local control of MSCC within the irradiated region, overall control of MSCC (local and distant MSCC control), and survival. RESULTS: The 1-year local control rates were 90% after radiotherapy plus zoledronic acid and 81%, after radiotherapy alone (p = 0.042). The 1-year overall control rates were 87% and 75%, respectively (p = 0.016), and the 1-year survival rates were 60% and 52%, respectively (p = 0.17). Results were significant in the Cox proportional hazards model regarding local control (p = 0.024) and overall control (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, zoledronic acid was associated with improved control of MSCC in irradiated patients.

Clostridium perfringens and sulphite reducing clostridia densities in selected tropical Malaysian rivers.

Clostridium perfringens (CP) and sulphite reducing clostridia (SRC) densities in the Selangor River, Bernam River and Tengi River Canal were examined between April 2007 and January 2008. Water samples were taken from two or three locations along each river, using either depth-integration or grab sampling methods. The downstream sampling site of the Selangor River, Rantau Panjang, reported the highest arithmetic mean of CP and SRC densities (583.45 and 8,120.08 cfu/100 ml, respectively). Both CP and SRC densities in the Selangor River increased further downstream, but the reverse was true in the Bernam River. The SRC densities in these rivers were significantly different from each other (p < 0.05) when comparing upstream and downstream results, but CP densities were not significantly different (p > 0.05). SRC densities were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) in different locations along the Selangor River and the Bernam River. The CP densities did not show such pattern (p > 0.05). River discharge had no significant correlation with SRC or CP densities by study site (p > 0.05). Since the Selangor River has a denser human population along its banks, this study confirms CP as a suitable indicator of human fecal contamination. However, tracing CP distribution along the river is more difficult than SRC. To our knowledge, this is the first study of CP and SRC densities from Malaysian rivers. CP densities found in this study were within the range of general water bodies reported from other countries.

A possible case of complex regional pain syndrome of the nose?

OBJECTIVE: We present a case report of a patient with a putative diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome of the nose. We would like to bring this disorder to the attention of rhinologists. CASE REPORT: A 53-year-old man presented with a history of extreme, constant, debilitating pain in his nose that started after he underwent several extensive nasal surgeries. Examination revealed atrophic nasal mucous membranes at the nasal septum. No other abnormalities were found. The pain did not diminish despite administration of analgesics and neuropathic pain medications. We propose a diagnosis of complex regional pain syndrome of the nose. CONCLUSION: The large number of nasal surgeries performed worldwide and the far reaching consequences of this debilitating syndrome indicate that it merits further investigation to determine whether it is a distinct disorder that should be recognized as such.

Retrospective analysis of time-related three-dimensional iliac bone graft resorption following sinus lift and vertical augmentation in the maxilla.

The atrophic maxilla frequently requires bone grafting using an onlay graft (OG) or sinus lifting (SL) before implant rehabilitation. The resorption of bone grafts is influenced by the time until implantation, quality of donor bone, and grafting technique. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of both grafting techniques on the time-related resorption of autologous iliac bone graft. Forty-three patients underwent either onlay grafting or a sinus lift at 73 sites in the maxilla. Graft height was measured by cone beam computed tomography after augmentation and during follow-up for up to 12 months prior to implant insertion. The effect of time and technique on graft resorption was evaluated retrospectively. The reduction in bone graft height was greater for OG than SL over the investigated time intervals (OG = 51%, SL = 28%; P = 0.002). Each technique followed a specific course of resorption, which was independent of the initial graft height and could be calculated by a non-linear regression model. Iliac bone graft undergoes rapid resorption when used as an OG prior to implant insertion. For SL, this resorption is reasonably lower. This is especially crucial to determine the optimal time for implant insertion after graft healing to improve implant survival.

Automatic computation of bone defective volume from tomographic images.

One of the most difficult aims of modern biomaterial science is predicting the shape and volume of a bone defect and adjusting the implementation of a bone substitute. Prior to implantation, practitioners must carefully identify the architecture and volume of the defective bone to be filled. This information is often accessed via imaging techniques. The defective bone is frequently confused with its surroundings and the image background. The use of conventional segmentation for the selection and isolation of the cavity to be filled proves to be difficult. In this work, a defect in a dead bone is created and then imaged with the microtomography technique (343 cuts generated). The goal is to separate the defect's shape and volume from both the bone and the background image. An adaptive morphological operation technique was employed to complete these tasks. The proposed method allows for exact segmentation and calculation of the volume of the cavity to be filled. Using several calculated phantoms, the approach is subjectively and quantitatively evaluated: Compared to the high error value of the conventional method, the error value of the proposed one has no bearing on the overall data. The method's accuracy was also confirmed by comparing the calculated volume of the bone defect (0.91 cm3) and the volume of prepared calcium phosphate cement paste necessary for its filling (0.87 cm3). To challenge the method even further, another direct application on a mandibular bone is realized with an advanced number of cuts (1236 cuts). The result of this application proved that the proposed algorithm overcomes the performance of the classical approaches of segmentation with a gain of 2 min on average. A comparison study between the proposed method and other classical segmentation approaches is also presented. The effectiveness of the method is proved by the various reports and metrics generated. The automated procedure can be beneficial in implantology for realizing and guiding surgical acts, as well as in computer-aided scaffolding techniques.

Assessment of particulate matter (PM) in ambient air of different settings and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan.

Particulate matter (PM) is a major air pollutant causing serious health problems. The aim of the present study was to find out concentration of PM in ambient air and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan. Twenty-three samples were taken at various educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries in Haripur city. Concentration of PM2.5 (µg/m3) and PM10 (µg/m3) was measured with Youngteng YT-HPC 3000A portable PM counter. The results revealed that values of both PM2.5 and PM10 were above the permissible limits (35 µg/m3 for PM2.5 and 150 µg/m3 for PM10) set by Environmental Protection Agency Pakistan (Pak-EPA) in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries investigated. Furthermore, significant (p<0.05) variation was found in the concentration of both PM2.5 and PM10 in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas, and industries studied. The concentration of PM2.5 was positively correlated with the concentration of PM10 in all the sampling sites. Therefore, from 1-14 scale standard of health index, the values of PM2.5 and PM10 exhibited that the ambient air quality of Haripur city Pakistan is under high risk. If the regulatory authorities such as Environmental Protection Agency, Health Department and Local Government monitor PM pollution in different settings of Haripur city, then a decrease can be possible in the pollution level. The remedies that can be taken to overcome the problem of ambient air pollution such as PM are plantation of trees at the sites where there are higher levels of air pollutants and use of masks on personal protection basis along with implementation of pollution control system in industries of Hattar Industrial Estate Haripur city, Pakistan.

Comparison of manual and automated digital image analysis systems for quantification of cellular protein expression.

OBJECTIVE: Quantifying protein expression in immunohistochemically stained histological slides is an important tool for oncologic research. The use of computer-aided evaluation of IHC-stained slides significantly contributes to objectify measurements. Manual digital image analysis (mDIA) requires a user-dependent annotation of the region of interest (ROI). Others have built-in machine learning algorithms with automated digital image analysis (aDIA) and can detect the ROIs automatically. We aimed to investigate the agreement between the results obtained by aDIA and those derived from mDIA systems. METHODS: We quantified chromogenic intensity (CI) and calculated the positive index (PI) in cohorts of tissue microarrays (TMA) using mDIA and aDIA. To consider the different distributions of staining within cellular sub-compartments and different tumor architecture our study encompassed nuclear and cytoplasmatic stainings in adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. RESULTS: Within all cohorts, we were able to show a high correlation between mDIA and aDIA for the CI (p<0.001) along with high agreement for the PI. Moreover, we were able to show that the cell detections of the programs were comparable as well and both proved to be reliable when compared to manual counting. CONCLUSION: mDIA and aDIA show a high correlation in acquired IHC data. Both proved to be suitable to stratify patients for evaluation with clinical data. As both produce the same level of information, aDIA might be preferable as it is time-saving, can easily be reproduced, and enables regular and efficient output in large studies in a reasonable time period.

Activation of the EGFR/ERK pathway in high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the salivary glands.

BACKGROUND: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) shows differences in biological behaviour depending mainly on its histological grade. High-grade tumours usually have an aggressive biological course and they require additional oncological treatment after surgery. METHODS: In a series of 43 MECs of the salivary glands, we studied the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene by using dual-colour chromogenic in situ hybridisation (CISH). Moreover, we assessed the protein expressions of the EGFR and the activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (pERK1/2) by using immunohistochemistry. These results were correlated with the histological grade of the tumours and the outcome of the patients. RESULTS: The CISH study demonstrated a high-EGFR gene copy number, with balanced chromosome 7 polysomy, in 8 out of 11 high-grade MECs (72.7%), whereas 27 low-grade and 15 intermediate-grade tumours had a normal EGFR gene copy number (P<0.001). The EGFR gene gains correlated with disease-free interval (P=0.003) and overall survival of the patients (P=0.019). The EGFR protein expression had a significant correlation with the histological grade of the tumours but not with the outcome of the patients. The pERK1/2 expression correlated with histological grade of tumours (P<0.001), disease-free interval (P=0.004) and overall survival (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The EGFR/ERK pathway is activated in high-grade MECs with aggressive behaviour. Patients with these tumours who require oncological treatment in addition to surgery could benefit from EGFR and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway inhibitors.

Assessment of particulate matter (PM) in ambient air of different settings and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan / Avaliação de material particulado (MP) no ar ambiente de diferentes configurações e sua associação com o risco à saúde na cidade de Haripur, Paquistão

Particulate matter (PM) is a major air pollutant causing serious health problems. The aim of the present study was to find out concentration of PM in ambient air and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan. Twenty-three samples were taken at various educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries in Haripur city. Concentration of PM2.5 (µg/m3) and PM10 (µg/m3) was measured with Youngteng YT-HPC 3000A portable PM counter. The results revealed that values of both PM2.5 and PM10 were above the permissible limits (35 µg/m3 for PM2.5 and 150 µg/m3 for PM10) set by Environmental Protection Agency Pakistan (Pak-EPA) in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries investigated. Furthermore, significant (p<0.05) variation was found in the concentration of both PM2.5 and PM10 in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas, and industries studied. The concentration of PM2.5 was positively correlated with the concentration of PM10 in all the sampling sites. Therefore, from 1-14 scale standard of health index, the values of PM2.5 and PM10 exhibited that the ambient air quality of Haripur city Pakistan is under high risk. If the regulatory authorities such as Environmental Protection Agency, Health Department and Local Government monitor PM pollution in different settings of Haripur city, then a decrease can be possible in the pollution level. The remedies that can be taken to overcome the problem of ambient air pollution such as PM are plantation of trees at the sites where there are higher levels of air pollutants and use of masks on personal protection basis along with implementation of pollution control system in industries of Hattar Industrial Estate Haripur city, Pakistan.

O material particulado (MP) é um importante poluente do ar que causa sérios problemas de saúde. O objetivo do presente estudo foi descobrir a concentração de MP no ar ambiente e sua associação com o risco à saúde na cidade de Haripur, Paquistão. Vinte e três amostras foram coletadas em várias instituições de ensino, hospitais, áreas recreativas e indústrias na cidade de Haripur. A concentração de MP2,5 (µg/m3) e MP10 (µg/m3) foi medida por meio do contador de MP portátil Youngteng YT-HPC 3000A. Os resultados revelaram que os valores de MP2,5 e MP10 estavam acima dos limites permitidos (35 µg/m3 para MP2,5 e 150 µg/m3 para MP10) estabelecidos pela Agência de Proteção Ambiental do Paquistão (Pak-EPA) em todas as instituições de ensino, hospitais, áreas recreativas e indústrias investigadas. Além disso, foi encontrada variação significativa (p < 0,05) na concentração de MP2,5 e MP10 em todos os locais estudados. A concentração de MP2,5 correlacionou-se positivamente com a concentração de MP10 em todos os locais de amostragem. Portanto, a partir da escala padrão 1-14 do índice de saúde, os valores de MP2,5 e MP10 mostraram que a qualidade do ar ambiente na cidade de Haripur, Paquistão, está sob alto risco. Se as autoridades reguladoras, como a Pak-EPA, o Departamento de Saúde e o governo local, monitorarem a poluição por MP em diferentes configurações da cidade de Haripur, pode ser que haja uma diminuição no nível de poluição. As medidas que podem ser tomadas para superar o problema da poluição do ar ambiente, como o MP, são o plantio de árvores nos locais onde há maiores níveis de poluentes atmosféricos, o uso de máscaras e a implantação de sistema de controle de poluição nas propriedades industriais de Hattar, na cidade Haripur, Paquistão.

Assessment of particulate matter (PM) in ambient air of different settings and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan

Abstract Particulate matter (PM) is a major air pollutant causing serious health problems. The aim of the present study was to find out concentration of PM in ambient air and its associated health risk in Haripur city, Pakistan. Twenty-three samples were taken at various educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries in Haripur city. Concentration of PM2.5 (µg/m3) and PM10 (µg/m3) was measured with Youngteng YT-HPC 3000A portable PM counter. The results revealed that values of both PM2.5 and PM10 were above the permissible limits (35 µg/m3 for PM2.5 and 150 µg/m3 for PM10) set by Environmental Protection Agency Pakistan (Pak-EPA) in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas and industries investigated. Furthermore, significant (p 0.05) variation was found in the concentration of both PM2.5 and PM10 in all the educational institutes, hospitals, recreational areas, and industries studied. The concentration of PM2.5 was positively correlated with the concentration of PM10 in all the sampling sites. Therefore, from 1-14 scale standard of health index, the values of PM2.5 and PM10 exhibited that the ambient air quality of Haripur city Pakistan is under high risk. If the regulatory authorities such as Environmental Protection Agency, Health Department and Local Government monitor PM pollution in different settings of Haripur city, then a decrease can be possible in the pollution level. The remedies that can be taken to overcome the problem of ambient air pollution such as PM are plantation of trees at the sites where there are higher levels of air pollutants and use of masks on personal protection basis along with implementation of pollution control system in industries of Hattar Industrial Estate Haripur city, Pakistan.

Resumo O material particulado (MP) é um importante poluente do ar que causa sérios problemas de saúde. O objetivo do presente estudo foi descobrir a concentração de MP no ar ambiente e sua associação com o risco à saúde na cidade de Haripur, Paquistão. Vinte e três amostras foram coletadas em várias instituições de ensino, hospitais, áreas recreativas e indústrias na cidade de Haripur. A concentração de MP2,5 (µg/m3) e MP10 (µg/m3) foi medida por meio do contador de MP portátil Youngteng YT-HPC 3000A. Os resultados revelaram que os valores de MP2,5 e MP10 estavam acima dos limites permitidos (35 µg/m3 para MP2,5 e 150 µg/m3 para MP10) estabelecidos pela Agência de Proteção Ambiental do Paquistão (Pak-EPA) em todas as instituições de ensino, hospitais, áreas recreativas e indústrias investigadas. Além disso, foi encontrada variação significativa (p 0,05) na concentração de MP2,5 e MP10 em todos os locais estudados. A concentração de MP2,5 correlacionou-se positivamente com a concentração de MP10 em todos os locais de amostragem. Portanto, a partir da escala padrão 1-14 do índice de saúde, os valores de MP2,5 e MP10 mostraram que a qualidade do ar ambiente na cidade de Haripur, Paquistão, está sob alto risco. Se as autoridades reguladoras, como a Pak-EPA, o Departamento de Saúde e o governo local, monitorarem a poluição por MP em diferentes configurações da cidade de Haripur, pode ser que haja uma diminuição no nível de poluição. As medidas que podem ser tomadas para superar o problema da poluição do ar ambiente, como o MP, são o plantio de árvores nos locais onde há maiores níveis de poluentes atmosféricos, o uso de máscaras e a implantação de sistema de controle de poluição nas propriedades industriais de Hattar, na cidade Haripur, Paquistão.