The role of ZC3H12D-regulated TLR4-NF-κB pathway in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory microglial activation.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an important neurotoxin that can cause inflammatory activation of microglia. ZC3H12D is a novel immunomodulator, which plays a remarkable role in neurological pathologies. It has not been characterized whether ZC3H12D is involved in the regulation of microglial activation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ZC3H12D in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory microglial activation and its potential mechanism. To elucidate this, we established animal models of inflammatory injury by intraperitoneal injection of LPS (10 mg/kg). The results of the open-field test showed that LPS caused impaired motor function in mice. Meanwhile, LPS caused pro-inflammatory activation of microglia in the mice cerebral cortex and inhibited the expression of ZC3H12D. We also constructed in vitro inflammatory injury models by treating BV-2 microglia with LPS (0.5 µg/mL). The results showed that down-regulated ZC3H12D expression was associated with LPS-induced pro-inflammatory microglial activation, and further intervention of ZC3H12D expression could inhibited LPS-induced pro-inflammatory activation of microglia. In addition, LPS activated the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway, and this process can also be reversed by promoting ZC3H12D expression. At the same time, the addition of resveratrol, a nutrient previously proven to inhibit pro-inflammatory microglial activation, can also reverse this process by increasing the expression of ZC3H12D. Summarized, our data elucidated that ZC3H12D in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory activation of brain microglia via restraining the TLR4-NF-κB pathway. This study may provide a valuable clue for potential therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation-related injuries.

High ambient temperature may increase the risk of anemia in pregnancy: Identifying susceptible exposure windows.

Anemia in pregnancy (AIP) is associated with multiple severe maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes. However, there is a lack of evidence on the association between environmental factors and AIP. Aim to explore the association between ambient temperature and the risk of AIP, and identify susceptible exposure windows, we conducted a matched case-control study from 2013 to 2016 in Xi'an, China, which included 710 women with AIP and 1420 women without AIP. The conditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between ambient temperature and AIP at different gestational weeks and gestational months. The association between extreme temperature and AIP was evaluated using the distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM). We conducted stratified analyses of age, parity, and season of conception, and estimated the interaction between ambient temperature and air pollutants on AIP. Ambient temperature was significantly positively associated with the risk of AIP, and the susceptible exposure windows were 2-25 gestational weeks and 1-6 gestational months, respectively. The strongest effect was observed in the week 8 and month 2, for each 1 °C increase in weekly and monthly mean temperature, the odds ratio (OR) for AIP was 1.038 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.022, 1.055) and 1.040 (95 % CI: 1.020, 1.060), respectively. Extreme heat may increase the risk of AIP. Stratified analyses showed that there was no significant difference among different age, parity, and season of conception groups. No significant interaction effect of ambient temperature with air pollution on AIP was found. In summary, high ambient temperature may increase the risk of AIP, and the first and second trimesters may be susceptible exposure windows. Understanding the effect of temperature on pregnant women will be beneficial to reduce the occurrence of AIP.

Construction of an EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma and functional verification of its hub gene LINC01615.

BACKGROUND: The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a vital role in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the EMT process as an important regulatory factor and have the potential to serve as prognostic biomarkers. We aimed to construct a novel lncRNA prognostic signature for LUAD based on EMT-related lncRNAs, identify EMT-related hub lncRNA, and investigate its biological functions. METHODS: RNA-seq data, clinical and survival information were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature (EMTscore) was constructed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator Cox regression analysis. The efficiency of EMTscore in predicting the prognosis of LUAD was evaluated through the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The hub lncRNA of the prognostic signature was selected using a co-expression network map, and its effects on cell proliferation and metastasis were explored by in vitro experiments. RESULTS: We constructed a prognostic signature (EMTscore) containing 8 tumor-high expressed lncRNAs. The EMTscore performed well in predicting overall survival rates with AUC values of 0.708 at 5 years in the training set. EMTscore could independently predict the survival of LUAD, with HR = 4.011 (95% CI 2.430-6.622) in the multivariate Cox regression. Importantly, we identified LINC01615 as the hub lncRNA in the EMTscore and revealed that LINC01615 enhanced the proliferation, migration, and EMT of lung cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: A new EMT-related lncRNA prognostic signature named EMTscore was developed, and LINC01615 was identified as the hub lncRNA of EMTscore. The hub lncRNA LINC01615 had an oncogenic biological function in LUAD.

The association between intermediate-term sulfur dioxide exposure and outpatient visits for Parkinson's disease: a time-series study in southwestern China.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common human neurodegenerative disorder, and the pathogenesis of it remains poorly understood. Limited studies have shown that both long- and short-term exposure to air pollutants may be associated with increased risk of PD while lacking evidence on the effects of intermediate-term exposure. In this study, over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to explore the association between intermediate-term sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure and outpatient visits for PD in Chongqing, China, and further stratified analyses were performed by age and gender. A total of 39,984 PD cases from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019 (2191 days) were included. The association of intermediate-term SO2 exposure with outpatient visits for PD was statistically significant: per 1 µg/m3 increase of SO2 corresponded to 2.34% (95% CI: 0.88%, 3.80%) elevation in monthly PD outpatient visits at lag 0 (the concurrent month). Stratified analyses showed that the associations between SO2 and PD outpatient visits were stronger in younger (≤ 60 years) and female patients. In conclusion, intermediate-term SO2 exposure can be associated with an increased risk of PD outpatient visits. Our results highlight the importance of recognizing the role of intermediate-term SO2 exposure in the development of PD. In addition to focusing on the effects of long-term or short-term air pollutants, it is necessary to pay more attention to the health effects of intermediate-term exposure time windows of air pollutants, which will facilitate policy formulation and public health interventions for health risks.

Unexpected association between ambient ozone and adult insomnia outpatient visits: A large-scale hospital-based study.

Growing evidence indicates that short-term ozone (O3) exposure has substantial health consequences, but the relationship between short-term ambient O3 and insomnia, a common sleep disorder, is not clear. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of ambient O3 exposure on outpatient visits for adult insomnia and to explore the potential modifiers. A large-scale multihospital-based study was carried out in Chongqing, the largest city in Southwest China. Daily data on outpatient visits for adult insomnia, average concentrations of ambient air pollutants and meteorological factors were collected. We conducted quasi-Poisson regression with generalized additive model to assess the association between ambient O3 and outpatient visits for adult insomnia in varied windows of exposure. Subgroup analyses were applied to identify its modifiers. Totally, 140,159 adult insomnia outpatient visits were identified. The daily maximum 8-h average concentration of O3 was 69 µg/m3 during the study period, which greatly below the updated Chinese and WHO recommended limits (daily maximum 8-h average, O3: 100 µg/m3). Short-term O3 exposure was significantly negatively associated with outpatient visits for adult insomnia in different lag periods and the greatest decrease of outpatient visits for adult insomnia was found at lag 02 [0.93% (95% CI: 0.48%, 1.38%)]. Additionally, stronger links between O3 and adult insomnia outpatient visits were presented in cool seasons, and we did not observe any significant modified effects of gender and age. Moreover, the negative O3-insomnia association remained robust after controlling for other common air pollutants and comorbidities. In summary, short-term exposure to lower level of ambient O3, was associated with reduced daily outpatient visits for adult insomnia and such association showed to be more obvious in cool seasons.

The role of extreme high humidex in depression in chongqing, China: A time series-analysis.

As global climate change intensifies, people are paying increasing attention to the impact of temperature changes on adverse mental health outcomes, especially depression. While increasing attention has been paid to the effect of temperature, there is little research on the effect of humidity. We aimed to investigate the association between humidex, an index combining temperature and humidity to reflect perceived temperature, and outpatient visits for depression from 2014 to 2019 in Chongqing, the largest and one of the most hot and humid cities of China. We also aimed to further identify susceptible subgroups. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to explore the concentration-response relationship between humidex and depression outpatient visits. Hierarchical analysis was carried out by age and gender. A total of 155,436 visits for depression were collected from 2014 to 2019 (2191 days). We found that depression outpatient visits were significantly associated with extremely high humidex (≥40). The significant positive single-lag day effect existed at lag 0 (RR = 1.029, 95%CI: 1.000-1.059) to lag 2 (RR = 1.01, 95%CI: 1.004-1.028), and lag 12 (RR = 1.013, 95%CI: 1.002-1.024). The significant cumulative adverse effects lasted from lag 01 to lag 014. Hierarchical analyses showed that females and the elderly (≥60 years) appeared to be more susceptible to extremely high humidex. The attributable numbers (AN) and fraction (AF) of extremely high humidex on depression outpatients were 1709 and 1.10%, respectively. Extremely high humidex can potentially increase the risk of depression, especially in females and the elderly. More protective measures should be taken in vulnerable populations.

The role of MAPK/NF-κB-associated microglial activation in T-2 toxin-induced mouse learning and memory impairment.

T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin with multiple toxic effects and has emerged as an important food pollutant. Microglia play a significant role in the toxicity of various neurotoxins. However, whether they participate in the neurotoxicity of T-2 toxin has not been reported. To clarify this point, an in vivo mouse model of T-2 toxin (4 mg/kg) poisoning was established. The results of Morris water maze and open-field showed that T-2 toxin induced learning and memory impairment and locomotor inhibition. Meanwhile, T-2 toxin induced microglial activation, while inhibiting microglia activation by minocycline (50 mg/kg) suppressed the toxic effect of the T-2 toxin. To further unveil the potential mechanisms involved in T-2 toxin-induced microglial activation, an in vitro model of T-2 toxin (0, 2.5, 5, 10 ng/mL) poisoning was established using BV-2 cells. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed lots of differentially expressed genes related to MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Western blotting results further confirmed that T-2 toxin (5 ng/mL) induced the activation of MAPKs and their downstream NF-κB. Moreover, the addition of inhibitors of NF-κB and MAPKs reversed the microglial activation induced by T-2 toxin. Overall, microglial activation may contribute a considerable role in T-2 toxin-induced behavioral abnormalities, which could be MAPK/NF-κB pathway dependent.

Lipopolysaccharide induces inflammatory microglial activation through CD147-mediated matrix metalloproteinase expression.

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation plays a vital role in the pathophysiological processes of multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an environmental poison that can induce inflammatory microglial activation. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are vital factors regulating microglial activation, and CD147 is a key MMP inducer, which can induce inflammation by inducing MMPs. However, whether it is involved in the regulation of microglial activation has not been reported. In this study, the role of CD147 in LPS-induced microglial inflammatory activation was investigated by establishing in vivo and in vitro models. The results suggested that LPS-induced microglial activation was accompanied by the induction of CD147 expression while the inhibition of CD147 expression could inhibit LPS-induced microglial inflammatory activation. In addition, the results also indicated that the role of CD147 in LPS-induced pro-inflammatory activation of microglia was related to its downstream MMP-3, MMP-8, and autophagy. Furthermore, the inhibition of MMP-3, MMP-8, and autophagy attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory activation of microglia. At the same time, there was a certain interaction between MMPs and autophagy, which is shown that inhibiting the expression of MMPs could inhibit autophagy, whereas inhibiting autophagy could inhibit the expression of MMPs. Taken together, we provided the first evidence that CD147/MMPs can be involved in LPS-induced inflammatory activation of microglia through an autophagy-dependent manner.

Association between maternal short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the risk of fetal distress: A matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution has been linked to gestational complications. However, the evidence on the relationship between air pollution and fetal distress is limited. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between maternal short-term air pollution exposure and fetal distress, and to identify a potential susceptible population. METHODS: This matched case-control study, involving 313 pregnancy women with fetal distress was conducted in Xi'an, the largest city in Northwest China from 2013 to 2016. Each woman with fetal distress was randomly matched with four women without fetal distress of the same age, same gestational week, and registration in the same period (n = 1252). Inverse distance-weighted (IDW) interpolation was applied to estimate maternal air pollution exposure based on the residential addresses. We employed conditional logistic regression model to evaluate the relationship between air pollutants and fetal distress. Distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was performed to examine the exposure-response relationship between air pollutants and fetal distress. RESULTS: Maternal short-term exposure to PM10, PM2.5-10 (PMc), SO2, NO2, and CO was associated with increased risk of fetal distress. Each 10 µg/m3 increment in PM10, PMc, SO2 at lag 014, and NO2 at lag 010, the odds ratio (ORs) of fetal distress were 1.027 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.004, 1.050), 1.058 (95 % CI: 1.014, 1.105), 1.140 (95 % CI: 1.029, 1.264), and 1.158 (95 % CI: 1.046, 1.283), respectively. Similarly, with a 0.1 mg/m3 increment in CO at lag 014, the OR of fetal distress was 1.029 (95 % CI: 1.002, 1.058). Stratified analyses showed that the estimate associations of PM10, PM2.5 and CO appeared to be stronger, although not statistically significantly, among women with gestational complications. CONCLUSION: Maternal short-term exposure to ambient air pollution may increase the risk of fetal distress. Understanding the detrimental role of air pollution in fetal distress can help us better develop preventative methods in reducing its' impact on maternal and fetal health.

Association between ambient carbon monoxide levels and hospitalization costs of patients with myocardial infarction: Potential effect modification by ABO blood group.

Previous researches have reported the association between air pollution and various diseases. However, few researches have investigated whether air pollutants are associated with the economic loss resulting from patients' hospitalization, especially the economic loss of hospitalization due to acute cardiovascular events. The purpose of our research was to explore the association between the levels of carbon monoxide (CO), taken as an index of pollution, and the hospitalization costs of myocardial infarction (MI), and the potential effect modification by the ABO blood group. A total of 3237 MI inpatients were included in this study. A multiple linear regression model was used to evaluate the association between ambient CO levels and hospitalization costs of MI patients. Moreover, we performed stratified analyses by age, gender, body mass index (BMI), season, hypertension, and ABO blood types. There was a positive association between the levels of CO in the air and the costs of hospitalization caused by MI. Furthermore, such association was stronger in males, BMI ≥25, <65 years, with hypertension, and non-O blood group. Interestingly, we found the association was particularly significant in patients with blood group B. Overall, our study first found that ambient CO levels could have an impact on the hospitalization costs for MI patients, and those with blood group B can be more sensitive.

The association between short-term ambient sulfur dioxide exposure and hospitalization costs of ischemic stroke: a hospital-based study in Chongqing, China.

Evidence of the short-term effects of ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure on the economic burden of ischemic stroke is limited. This study aimed to explore the association between short-term ambient SO2 exposure and hospitalization costs for ischemic stroke in Chongqing, the most populous city in China. The hospital-based study included 7271 ischemic stroke inpatients. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the association between SO2 concentration and hospitalization costs. Propensity score matching was used to compare the patients' characteristics when exposed to SO2 concentrations above and below 20 µg/m3. It is found that short-term SO2 exposure was positively correlated with the hospitalization costs of ischemic stroke. The association was more evident in males, people younger than 65, and people hospitalized in the cool seasons. Besides, among the components of hospitalization costs, medicine costs were most significantly associated with SO2. More interesting, the lower concentration of SO2, the higher costs associated with 1 µg/m3 SO2 change. Above all, SO2 was positively associated with hospitalization costs of ischemic stroke, even at its low levels. The measures to reduce the level of SO2 can help reduce the burden of ischemic stroke.

Association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide and type 2 diabetes outpatient visits: A large hospital-based study.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) as a non-communicable disease imposes heavy disease burdens on society. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the effects of short-term air pollution exposure on T2DM, especially in Asian regions. Our research aimed to determine the association between short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and outpatient visits for T2DM in Chongqing, the largest city in western China, based on the data collected from November 28, 2013 to December 31, 2019. A generalized additive model (GAM) was applied, and stratified analyses were performed to investigate the potential modifying effects by age, gender, and season. Meanwhile, the disease burden was revealed from attributable risk. Positive associations between short-term NO2 and daily T2DM outpatient visits were observed. The strongest association was observed at lag 04, with per 10 µg/m3 increase of NO2 corresponded to increased T2DM outpatient visits at 1.57% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48%, 2.65%]. Stronger associations were presented in middle-aged group (35-64 years old), male group, and cool seasons (October to March). Moreover, there were 1.553% (8664.535 cases) of T2DM outpatient visits attributable to NO2. Middle-aged adults, males, and patients who visited in cool seasons suffered heavier burdens. Conclusively, short-term exposure to NO2 was associated with increased outpatient visits for T2DM. Attention should be paid to the impact of NO2 on the burden of T2DM, especially for those vulnerable groups.

Role of p53 methylation in manganese-induced cyclooxygenase-2 expression in BV2 microglial cells.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential cofactor for many enzymes and plays an important role in normal growth and development. However, excess exposure to manganese (Mn) may be an important environmental factor leading to neurodegeneration. The overexpression of microglial cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays a key role in neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. The existing data suggest that Mn can induce neuroinflammation by up-regulating COX-2 expression. However, the mechanisms involved in Mn-induced microglial COX-2 up-regulation remain to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of p53 in Mn-induced COX-2 expression in microglial cells. The results showed that Mn exposure induced the up-regulation of COX-2 and inhibited the expression of p53 in BV2 microglial cells. The addition of p53 activator and the over-expression of p53 blocked the expression of COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a COX-2 downstream effector, induced by Mn. Further, Mn increased the methylation of p53 DNA in microglia, while the addition of demethylation reagent 5-Aza-dC enhanced the expression of p53 but decreased the expression of COX-2. These results suggested that Mn may inhibit p53 expression through induction of DNA methylation, which can further induce the expression of COX-2 in microglial cells.

Elder people can be more susceptible to the association between short-term ambient air pollution and sleep disorder outpatient visits: a time-series study.

Sleep disorders attract increasing concerns. However, the evidence of the association between ambient air pollution and sleep disorders is limited. Therefore, our aim was to determine the association between short-term air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for sleep disorders in Xi'an, the largest city in Northwest China. Baseline outpatient data of daily sleep disorders between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Quasi-Poisson distribution was applied by adjusting the day of the week and weather conditions. A total of 49,282 sleep disorder outpatient visits were recorded. The most significant association between air pollutants and outpatient visits was observed on concurrent day: per 10 µg/m3 increase of NO2, SO2, and PM10 at lag 0 corresponded to increased outpatient sleep disorder visits at 0.22% (95% CI: 0.03%, 0.42%), 1.53% (95% CI: 0.53, 2.53%), and 2.57% (95% CI: 1.33%, 3.82%), respectively. As for gender-specific analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between males and females. The result of season-specific analysis showed no statistically significant difference between warm seasons and cool seasons, either. As for age-specific analysis, obvious associations were observed in 20-40 age group (NO2) and > 40 age group (PM10 and SO2), while no evident association was found for the young age group (< 20 years old). Conclusively, short-term exposure to air pollutants, especially gaseous air pollutants, might increase the risk of sleep disorders, and such association appears to be more obvious in elder people. We provide novel data that there may be age differences in the relationship between short-term air pollution exposure and sleep disorders.

The relationship between short-term PM2.5 exposure and outpatient visits for acne vulgaris in Chongqing, China: a time-series study.

Many researches have reported the air pollution impacts, either long term or short term, on inflammatory skin diseases, but there are few studies on the relation between PM2.5 and acne vulgaris. To determine the correlation between short-term PM2.5 exposure and acne outpatient visits, data for 120,842 acne vulgaris outpatient visits between December 2013 and December 2019 were obtained from three large hospitals in Chongqing, China. Both single-pollutant models and two-pollutant models were established to explore the relationship between PM2.5 exposure and acne outpatient visits. The stratified analyses were conducted through two-sample z-tests to investigate the possible gender (male or female) and age (< 25 years or ≥ 25 years) differences in PM2.5 effects. The results demonstrated positive correlations between PM2.5 concentrations and acne outpatient visits. A 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration was associated with a 1.71% (95% CI: 1.06-2.36%) increase in acne outpatient visits at lag 0-7 day. Stratified analyses showed that PM2.5 effects were greater in individuals aged ≥ 25 years than those aged < 25 years, but no gender difference was found. In conclusion, short-term PM2.5 exposure was positively associated with the risk of acne outpatient visits, especially for people ≥ 25 years old.

More obvious association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide and atrial fibrillation outpatient visits in cool seasons: A hospital-based study in northwestern China.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder associated with high mortality and morbidity. Limited studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and AF attacks. This study aimed to explore the association between short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure and outpatient visits for AF in Xi'an, China. Data on daily AF outpatient visits and air pollutants from 2013 to 2019 (2555 days) were obtained. A time-series approach using over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive model (GAM) was employed, and stratified analyses were performed to investigate the potential modifying effects by season, age, and gender. A total of 8307 outpatient visits for AF were recorded. Increased levels of NO2 were associated with increased AF outpatient visits, and the most significant effect estimates were observed at lag 03: A 10 µg/m3 increase of NO2 at lag 03 was related to an elevation of 5.59% (95% CI: 2.67%, 8.51%) in daily outpatient visits for AF. Stratified analyses showed that there were no gender and age difference in the effect of NO2, while more obvious association was observed in cool seasons (October to March) than in warm seasons (April to September). In summary, short-term ambient NO2 exposure can be positively associated with daily outpatient visits for AF, especially in cool seasons. This work provided novel data that the association between air pollutants and AF can vary by seasons, further supporting that the prevention of cardiovascular health effects should be strengthened in winter.

Short-term ambient air pollution exposure and adult primary insomnia outpatient visits in Chongqing, China: A time-series analysis.

Growing evidence suggest that air pollutants can be associated with sleep disorders. However, no study has explored the association of short-term air pollution exposure with primary insomnia, a specific type of sleep disorders. To evaluate the correlation of short-term air pollution exposure with adult primary insomnia outpatient visits in Chongqing, China, we collected data of adult primary insomnia outpatient visits and air pollutants' concentrations between 2013 and 2019 and the associations were estimated with single-day lags as well as moving average lags using a generalized additive model. Totally, 23,919 outpatient visits for adult primary insomnia were identified. The daily data of adult insomnia outpatient visits, air pollutants (NO2, CO, SO2, O3, PM10 and PM2.5) and meteorological conditions (daily mean temperature and relative humidity) were gathered. Short-term exposure to multiple air pollutants, especially NO2 and SO2, was associated with adult primary insomnia visits. A 10 µg/m3 increase in NO2 and SO2 at lag 05 corresponded to increased primary insomnia outpatient visits 3.87% (95% CI: 1.50%-6.24%) and 7.22% (95% CI: 2.10%-12.35%), respectively. Moreover, stronger links were presented in females and cool seasons for NO2 while in the elderly for SO2. Collectively, this time-series study suggested that short-term exposure to air pollutants, especially to NO2 and SO2, was associated with higher risk of adult primary insomnia outpatient visits, and such association could to be sex-, age-, and season-modified.

The association between short-term exposure to ambient carbon monoxide and hospitalization costs for bronchitis patients: A hospital-based study.

Ambient carbon monoxide (CO) is associated with bronchitis morbidity, but there is no evidence concerning its correlation with hospitalization costs for bronchitis patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between short-term ambient CO exposure and hospitalization costs for bronchitis patients in Chongqing, China. Baseline data for 3162 hospitalized bronchitis patients from November 2013 to December 2019 were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the association, delayed and cumulative, between short-term CO exposure and hospitalization costs. Additionally, subgroup analyses were performed by gender, age, season, and comorbidity. Positive association between CO and hospitalization costs for bronchitis patients was observed. The strongest association was observed at lag 015 days, with per 1 mg/m3 increase of CO concentrations corresponded to 5834.40 Chinese Yuan (CNY) (95% CI: 2318.71, 9350.08; P < 0.001) (845.97 US dollars) increment in hospitalization costs. Stratified analysis results showed that the association was more obvious among those males, elderly, with comorbidities, and in warm seasons. More importantly, there was strongest correlation between CO and bronchitis patients with coronary heart disease. In summary, short-term exposure to ambient CO, even lower than Chinese and WHO standards, can be associated with increased hospitalization costs for bronchitis. Controlling CO exposure can be helpful to reduce medical burden associated with bronchitis patients. The results also suggest that when setting air quality standards and formulating preventive measures, susceptible subpopulations ought to be considered.

The association between short-term ambient air pollution and acne vulgaris outpatient visits: a hospital-based time-series analysis in Xi'an.

Recent studies have suggested that exposure to ambient airborne pollutants is associated with inflammatory skin diseases, but the epidemiological evidence regarding the association between air pollution and acne vulgaris is limited. To address that, a hospital-based time-series analysis was conducted in Xi'an, a metropolitan in northwest China. A total of 71,625 outpatient visits for acne from 2010 to 2013 were identified. The mean daily concentrations of PM10, SO2, and NO2 were 142.6 µg/m3, 44.7 µg/m3, and 48.5 µg/m3, and all were higher than WHO air quality guidelines. A generalized additive model was used to analyze the relationship between short-term ambient air pollution exposure and outpatient visits for acne. The gender- and age-specific analyses were conducted as well. The results showed that the increase of SO2 and NO2 concentrations corresponded to a significant rise in the number of outpatient visits for acne at lag 0 in both single-lag and cumulative exposure models. Both SO2 and NO2 were positively associated with acne outpatient visits for both males and females. In age-specific analyses, the effect estimate of PM10 was only significant for adults over 30 years old; SO2 was significantly associated with acne visits in children and adolescents (<21 years) and young adults (21-30 years); and NO2 was significantly associated with acne visits in all age subgroups. In conclusion, short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants (PM10, SO2, or NO2) with the average levels above WHO limits was associated with increased risk of outpatient visits for both teenage acne and adult acne. Moreover, the effects of air pollutants may vary with age.

Short-term ambient nitrogen dioxide exposure is associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion: A hospital-based study.

There are increasing concerns with regard to spontaneous abortion (SAB), the loss of pregnancy without external intervention before 20 weeks of gestation, among reproductive-aged women. To date, limited evidence is available concerning the association between SAB and air pollutants, especially in developing countries. Daily baseline outpatient data for SAB from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018 (1826 days) were obtained in Chongqing, a metropolis of southwest China. The over-dispersed Poisson generalized additive model with control of meteorological conditions and day of week was used to estimate the short-term effects of ambient air pollution on the daily number of SAB outpatients. A total of 42,334 SAB outpatient visits for SAB were recorded. No statistically significant association was observed between SAB and CO, PM2.5, PM10, O3, and SO2. The positive association only appeared for NO2: positive associations between SAB and NO2 were observed in both single-day models (lag 0, lag 1, lag 3, and lag 4) and cumulative exposure models (lag 01, lag 03, and lag 05) and the most significant effects were observed at lag 05 (3.289%; 95% CI: 1.568%, 5.011%). Moreover, the women with higher ages (30-39 and > 39) were more sensitive than those with lower ages (18-29), and the effect estimates were more evident in cool seasons. Collectively, our results suggested that short-term NO2 exposure was associated with higher risk of SAB, especially in elder women and cool seasons, which may contribute to further understand the role of air pollution on SAB and other adverse obstetric outcomes.