Air Analysis – News and Features

Researchers found that respiratory viruses like RSV can persist in lung immune cells long after initial infection, creating inflammation that leads to chronic lung disease.

A systematic review by UC Davis analyzed 40 studies and found outdoor air pollution, even below regulatory standards, is linked to differences in children's brain structures. This exposure can affect cognitive function.

Research highlights the link between air pollution exposure during pregnancy and increased postpartum depression risk. Women exposed to higher levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10) were more likely to experience depression.

A study by ISGlobal and collaborators found that air samples taken at 1,000-3,000 meters above Japan contained diverse, viable bacteria and fungi, some pathogenic. These microbes, likely transported from fertilizer-rich areas in China.

Air samples taken at altitudes up to 3,000 meters over Japan unveil the presence of a wide array of microbes, some of which are potentially pathogenic to humans, transported thousands of kilometers by aerosols originating in northeast China.

A new preclinical blood test, developed with NIH support, analyzes 32 proteins to predict adults' risk for severe respiratory conditions, including COPD. The test showed a high accuracy in identifying individuals at risk for hospitalization.

Cadmium – a toxic heavy metal found in cigarettes and polluted air and food – may cause memory loss in some populations.

A Danish study published in The BMJ finds that long-term exposure to PM2.5 air pollution is linked to higher infertility risks in men, while road traffic noise is associated with increased infertility in women over 35.

New research is the first to trace a pollutant from farming practices, nitrogen, along the U.S. beef supply chain.

As far as the causes of global biodiversity loss are concerned, there are perception gaps among students of environment-related subjects worldwide.