The perception of air pollution and its health risk: a scoping review of measures and methods.

BACKGROUND: Although there is increasing awareness of the health risks of air pollution as a global issue, few studies have focused on the methods for assessing individuals' perceptions of these risks. This scoping review aimed to identify previous research evaluating individuals' perceptions of air pollution and its health effects, and to explore the measurement of perceptions, as a key resource for health behaviour. METHODS: The review followed the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. PubMed and Web of Science were searched. After initial and full-text screening, we further selected studies with standardised scales that had previously been tested for reliability and validity in assessing awareness and perceptions. RESULTS: After full-text screening, 95 studies were identified. 'Perception/awareness of air quality' was often measured, as well as 'Perception of health risk.' Only nine studies (9.5%) used validated scaled questionnaires. There was considerable variation in the scales used to measure the multiple dimensions of risk perception for air pollution. CONCLUSION: Few studies used structured scales to quantify individuals' perceptions, limiting comparisons among studies. Standardised methods for measuring health risk perception are needed.

Main findings: Among 95 studies assessing health risk perception of air pollution, only nine studies used standardised scales.Added knowledge: There was considerable variation in the scales measuring the multiple dimensions of risk perception for air pollution, which makes comparison among the studies difficult.Global health impact for policy and action: This review highlights the need for the development of globally standardised scale to measure the health risk perception of air pollution.

A quantitative method for evaluating local perfusion using indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to introduce a new method, indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI), as an adjunct to distal pressure measurements in patients with peripheral arterial disease and symptomatic lower limb ischemia. METHODS: A total of 34 patients with peripheral arterial disease, including 11 with claudication (Fontaine II), 7 with rest pain (FIII), and 16 with an ulcer or gangrene (FIV), were enrolled. After an intravenous injection of ICG (0.1 mg/kg), foot perfusion was recorded by an infrared light camera. Fluorescence intensity was plotted on a time-intensity curve using recorded images, allowing the calculation of new parameters. Severity of ischemia was assessed as the duration between the rising point and half value of maximum brightness (T½). The difference in the fluorescence intensity between 10 seconds after the rising point and baseline (PDE10) was compared with the transcutaneous oxygen pressure (tcPO2) at the same site (n=51). RESULTS: Median T½ was 23 seconds in FII, 41 seconds in FIII (P<0.05), and 17 seconds in FIV patients. PDE10 correlated moderately with tcpO2 (r2=0.5). A cut-off value (PDE10=28) predicted a critically ischemic limb (FIII and FIV), defined as tcpO2<30 mm Hg with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Local tissue perfusion can be quantitatively evaluated by using ICG fluorescence imaging. It is a safe, fast, noncontact method of imaging, which may be useful even at the ulcer itself and in the circumferential area.

The effect of short saphenous vein stripping in patients with deep venous reflux.

OBJECT: We assessed whether or not deep venous reflux (DVR) improved after short saphenous vein (SSV) stripping was performed in patients with SSV reflux and DVR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with SSV reflux who underwent SSV striping every Monday between 2008 and 2011 at Ryougoku Ashino Clinic were enrolled in this study. Forty-six of the 68 patients were selected for the analysis because they underwent duplex ultrasound examinations before and after the operation. The DVR was classified into four categories: type 0, no reflux; type I, reflux in popliteal vein; type II, reflux from popliteal vein to the middle of the superficial femoral vein (SFV) and type III, reflux from the popliteal vein to the SFV. RESULTS: There were 23, 13, 2 and 8 patients with type 0, I, II, III before operation, respectively. There were 33, 8, 1, 4 patients with type 0, I, II, III after operation, respectively. There were no changes in 29 patients, improvement in 15 and new DVR in three (type 0 to I). CONCLUSION: SSV stripping is feasible in patients with DVR and the DVR might not be deteriorated even though that is performed.

The periodontal anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis induced platelet activation and increased aggregation in whole blood by rat model.

INTRODUCTION: More and more evidence show that periodontal anaerobes contribute to pathogenesis of peripheral artery diseases. As a typical oral anaerobe that results in periodontitis, P.gingivalis aggregates platelets in PRP in vitro and participated in artery thrombosis. However, in vivo effect on platelet activation and aggregation remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify its role on platelets activation on more physiological environment, that is, on whole blood and systemic circulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To fully estimate platelet activation, CD62P(P-selectin) expression on platelet surface and fibrinogen binding of platelet via conjugated glycoprotein GPIIb/IIIa in whole blood were assayed by flow cytometry, and platelet aggregation was measured on an impedance aggregometor. As primary study, platelet reactivity was assessed after in vitro rat whole blood incubation with P.gingivalis strain 381 in tubes, followed or not followed by ADP and arachidonic acid stimulation. In addition, PBS solution of P.gingivalis was infused into rat to produce transient bacteremia model for 5 minutes and blood samples were subjected to analysis for platelet activation in vivo. RESULTS: P.gingivalis could not induce rat platelet aggregation in whole blood in vitro, but increased aggregation when irritated by collagen stimulation. Flow cytometric study showed that incubation with P.gingivalis increased CD62P expression and fibrinogen binding of platelet. Moreover, further stress by 10 µmol/L ADP and 260 mmlol/L arachidonic acid yielded additional expression. As in vivo study, after P.gingivalis solution challenged, rat platelet aggregability was enhanced, and CD62P positive percentage of platelets and further reactivity to ADP stimulation improved. CONCLUSION: In whole blood and in systemic circulation, P.gingivalis could induce rat platelet activation and increase aggregability transiently. The results helped to understand the mechanism underlining which P.gingivalis promoted arteriosclerosis and thrombo-embolic disorders. Further study about chronic infection with P.gingivalis on platelet activity is expected.