BACKGROUND: Telomere length is a biomarker of cellular aging, influenced by various environmental and lifestyle factors. Air pollution is a known environmental stressor that may impact telomere dynamics. This study aimed to investigate the effect of age, lifetime exposure to air pollution, inflammatory parameters and selected lifestyle factors on telomere length. METHODS: The study included 356 participants aged 35-65 living in two regions with varying pollution. Telomere length was measured using qPCR. Individual lifetime exposures to PM10, PM2.5, NO2, benzo(a)pyrene and benzene were calculated based on historical air quality data. Statistical analysis of age, pollution exposure, inflammatory parameters, and lifestyle factors on telomere length was performed using logistic regression and generalized linear models, with odds ratios calculated. RESULTS: Unexpectedly, higher air pollutants lifetime exposures were associated with longer telomeres, particularly for PM10 51-55 μg/m3 (OR = 5.67, p < 0.001), PM2.5 42-45 μg/m3 (OR = 6.56, p < 0.001), B(a)P 6.9-8.3 ng/m3 (OR = 5.25, p = 0.002), NO2 26-27 μg/m3 (OR = 5.22, p = 0.001) and benzene 2.45-2.75 μg/m3 (OR = 6.13, p < 0.001). Age significantly affected telomere length, with older individuals having shorter telomeres. Socioeconomic factors such as college education were positively associated with longer telomeres, while lifestyle factors did not show significant associations. IL-8 was identified as a significant inflammatory marker negatively associated with very long telomeres. CONCLUSION: These baseline findings bring new perspective to the relationship between air pollution and telomere length. Contrary to traditional views, the results suggest potential adaptive responses, highlighting the need for further longitudinal research to explore telomere dynamics over time in conjunction with other factors.

• MeSH
• benzen analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• benzopyren analýza   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• homeostáza telomer * MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oxid dusičitý analýza   MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• telomery * účinky léků   MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí * analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• životní styl MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the impact of complex neighborhood environment, including air pollution, greenness, and neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (nSED) on cognitive health in older adults remains scarce. Both cognition and neighborhood environment are associated with physical activity, but little is known about the potential mediating role of physical activity in this association. METHODS: Cross-sectional data of the Czech arm of the HAPIEE cohort study examined 4,178 participants (55.6% women) aged 45-69 years. Global cognitive score was constructed from memory, verbal fluency, and concentration domains. The exposures, assigned to participant's addresses, include 4-year (2000-2003) average concentrations of PM2.5, greenness index calculated from tree crown canopy cover estimation (2000), and census-based nSED characteristics. Physical activity and other covariates were assessed by a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate standardized β coefficients for the relationships between neighborhood environment, physical activity and cognitive performance. RESULTS: After controlling for a range of covariates, global cognitive function was inversely associated with PM2.5 (β = -0.087; 95%CI: 0.122 to -0.052) and nSED (β = -0.147; 95%CI: 0.182 to -0.115), and positively associated with greenness (β = 0.036; 95%CI: 0.001 to 0.069). We identified a weak but statistically significant mediating role of physical activity in the associations of PM2.5 exposures and nSED on global cognitive score. Total mediation proportions ranged from 3.9% to 6.5% for nSED and PM2.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The neighborhood environment was associated with cognitive health in older individuals; the associations were partially mediated by physical activity.

• MeSH
• charakteristiky bydlení * MeSH
• charakteristiky okolí bydliště MeSH
• cvičení * MeSH
• kognice * MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• průřezové studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Carbonaceous aerosols (CA), composed of black carbon (BC) and organic matter (OM), significantly impact the climate. Light absorption properties of CA, particularly of BC and brown carbon (BrC), are crucial due to their contribution to global and regional warming. We present the absorption properties of BC (bAbs,BC) and BrC (bAbs,BrC) inferred using Aethalometer data from 44 European sites covering different environments (traffic (TR), urban (UB), suburban (SUB), regional background (RB) and mountain (M)). Absorption coefficients showed a clear relationship with station setting decreasing as follows: TR > UB > SUB > RB > M, with exceptions. The contribution of bAbs,BrC to total absorption (bAbs), i.e. %AbsBrC, was lower at traffic sites (11-20 %), exceeding 30 % at some SUB and RB sites. Low AAE values were observed at TR sites, due to the dominance of internal combustion emissions, and at some remote RB/M sites, likely due to the lack of proximity to BrC sources, insufficient secondary processes generating BrC or the effect of photobleaching during transport. Higher bAbs and AAE were observed in Central/Eastern Europe compared to Western/Northern Europe, due to higher coal and biomass burning emissions in the east. Seasonal analysis showed increased bAbs, bAbs,BC, bAbs,BrC in winter, with stronger %AbsBrC, leading to higher AAE. Diel cycles of bAbs,BC peaked during morning and evening rush hours, whereas bAbs,BrC, %AbsBrC, AAE, and AAEBrC peaked at night when emissions from household activities accumulated. Decade-long trends analyses demonstrated a decrease in bAbs, due to reduction of BC emissions, while bAbs,BrC and AAE increased, suggesting a shift in CA composition, with a relative increase in BrC over BC. This study provides a unique dataset to assess the BrC effects on climate and confirms that BrC can contribute significantly to UV-VIS radiation presenting highly variable absorption properties in Europe.

• MeSH
• aerosoly * analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• světlo MeSH
• uhlík * analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between source-specific ambient particulate air pollution concentrations and the incidence of dementia. The study encompassed 70,057 participants from the Västerbotten intervention program cohort in Northern Sweden with a median age of 40 years at baseline. High-resolution dispersion models were employed to estimate source-specific particulate matter (PM) concentrations, such as PM10 and PM2.5 from traffic, exhaust, and biomass (mainly wood) burning, at the residential addresses of each participant. Cox regression models, adjusted for potential confounding factors, were used for the assessment. Over 884,847 person-years of follow-up, 409 incident dementia cases, identified through national registers, were observed. The study population's average exposure to annual mean total PM10 and PM2.5 lag 1-5 years was 9.50 μg/m3 and 5.61 μg/m3, respectively. Increased risks were identified for PM10-Traffic (35% [95% CI 0-82%]) and PM2.5-Exhaust (33% [95% CI - 2 to 79%]) in the second exposure tertile for lag 1-5 years, although no such risks were observed in the third tertile. Interestingly, a negative association was observed between PM2.5-Wood burning and the risk of dementia. In summary, this register-based study did not conclusively establish a strong association between air pollution exposure and the incidence of dementia. While some evidence indicated elevated risks for PM10-Traffic and PM2.5-Exhaust, and conversely, a negative association for PM2.5-Wood burning, no clear exposure-response relationships were evident.

• MeSH
• demence * epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• incidence MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pevné částice * analýza   škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Švédsko MeSH

The article assesses differences in lifetime losses caused by premature deaths from cardiopulmonary disease in populations living in areas with different environmental burdens. The results provide different perspectives on data on total years lost and lifetime losses attributable to air pollution. Such lifetime losses in the industrial area related to cardiovascular causes of death are 7.6 or 5.1 years per male or female deceased, representing an average lifetime loss of 0.01907 years (i.e. 7 days) per 1 male or 0.01273 years (i.e. 4.6 days) per 1 female in the entire population. Losses related to cerebrovascular or respiratory causes of death are about 5.4 or 5.9 years per 1 deceased male or 3.9 or 5 years per 1 deceased female, respectively, which represents a loss of 0.00481 (1.8 days), or 0.00148 years (0.5 days) per 1 male or 0.00466 (1.7 days), or 0.00058 years (0.2 days) per 1 female.

• MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci * chemicky indukované   epidemiologie   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nemoci dýchací soustavy * chemicky indukované   epidemiologie   MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• předčasná smrt MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Model-estimated air pollution exposure products have been widely used in epidemiological studies to assess the health risks of particulate matter with diameters of ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5). However, few studies have assessed the disparities in health effects between model-estimated and station-observed PM2.5 exposures. METHODS: We collected daily all-cause, respiratory and cardiovascular mortality data in 347 cities across 15 countries and regions worldwide based on the Multi-City Multi-Country collaborative research network. The station-observed PM2.5 data were obtained from official monitoring stations. The model-estimated global PM2.5 product was developed using a machine-learning approach. The associations between daily exposure to PM2.5 and mortality were evaluated using a two-stage analytical approach. RESULTS: We included 15.8 million all-cause, 1.5 million respiratory and 4.5 million cardiovascular deaths from 2000 to 2018. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with a relative risk increase (RRI) of mortality from both station-observed and model-estimated exposures. Every 10-μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average PM2.5 was associated with overall RRIs of 0.67% (95% CI: 0.49 to 0.85), 0.68% (95% CI: -0.03 to 1.39) and 0.45% (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.82) for all-cause, respiratory, and cardiovascular mortality based on station-observed PM2.5 and RRIs of 0.87% (95% CI: 0.68 to 1.06), 0.81% (95% CI: 0.08 to 1.55) and 0.71% (95% CI: 0.32 to 1.09) based on model-estimated exposure, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality risks associated with daily PM2.5 exposure were consistent for both station-observed and model-estimated exposures, suggesting the reliability and potential applicability of the global PM2.5 product in epidemiological studies.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci * mortalita   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• mortalita trendy   MeSH
• nemoci dýchací soustavy mortalita   MeSH
• pevné částice * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• strojové učení MeSH
• velkoměsta * epidemiologie   MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• velkoměsta * epidemiologie   MeSH

Environmental exposure is associated with increased incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and reduced fertility. Exposure to air pollution can influence gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. In this study, we analysed gene-specific CpG methylation in spermatozoa of city policemen occupationally exposed to air pollution in two Czech cities differing by sources and composition of the air pollution. In Prague, the pollution is mainly formed by NO2 from heavy traffic. Ostrava is a hotspot of industrial air pollution with high concentrations of particular matter (PM) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). We performed genome-wide methylation sequencing using the SureSelectXT Human Methyl-Seq system (Agilent Technologies) and next-generation sequencing to reveal differentially methylated CpG sites and regions. We identified differential methylation in the region chr5:662169 - 663376 annotated to genes CEP72 and TPPP. The region was then analysed in sperm DNA from 117 policemen using targeted methylation sequencing, which proved its hypermethylation in sperm of Ostrava policemen.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• metylace DNA * účinky léků   MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• policie MeSH
• pracovní expozice MeSH
• spermie * účinky léků   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

• MeSH
• diabetes mellitus * epidemiologie   MeSH
• hypertenze * epidemiologie   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• oxid dusičitý analýza   MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí analýza   MeSH
• životní styl MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the potential interactive effects of heat and ambient air pollution on cause-specific mortality is inconclusive and limited to selected locations. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effects of heat on cardiovascular and respiratory mortality and its modification by air pollution during summer months (six consecutive hottest months) in 482 locations across 24 countries. METHODS: Location-specific daily death counts and exposure data (e.g., particulate matter with diameters ≤ 2.5 μm [PM2.5]) were obtained from 2000 to 2018. We used location-specific confounder-adjusted Quasi-Poisson regression with a tensor product between air temperature and the air pollutant. We extracted heat effects at low, medium, and high levels of pollutants, defined as the 5th, 50th, and 95th percentile of the location-specific pollutant concentrations. Country-specific and overall estimates were derived using a random-effects multilevel meta-analytical model. RESULTS: Heat was associated with increased cardiorespiratory mortality. Moreover, the heat effects were modified by elevated levels of all air pollutants in most locations, with stronger effects for respiratory than cardiovascular mortality. For example, the percent increase in respiratory mortality per increase in the 2-day average summer temperature from the 75th to the 99th percentile was 7.7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 7.6-7.7), 11.3% (95%CI 11.2-11.3), and 14.3% (95% CI 14.1-14.5) at low, medium, and high levels of PM2.5, respectively. Similarly, cardiovascular mortality increased by 1.6 (95%CI 1.5-1.6), 5.1 (95%CI 5.1-5.2), and 8.7 (95%CI 8.7-8.8) at low, medium, and high levels of O3, respectively. DISCUSSION: We observed considerable modification of the heat effects on cardiovascular and respiratory mortality by elevated levels of air pollutants. Therefore, mitigation measures following the new WHO Air Quality Guidelines are crucial to enhance better health and promote sustainable development.

• MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci * MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mortalita MeSH
• nemoci dýchací soustavy * MeSH
• pevné částice škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• velkoměsta MeSH
• vysoká teplota MeSH
• vystavení vlivu životního prostředí škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• velkoměsta MeSH

Assessment of the impact that air contaminants have on health is difficult as this is a complex mixture of substances that varies depending on the time and place. There are many studies on the association between air pollution and increased morbidity and mortality. Before the effect of polluted air is manifested at the level of the organs, an impact can be observed at the molecular level. These include some new biomarkers, like a shortening of the mean telomere length in DNA, dysregulation of gene expression caused by microRNA levels or a variation in the copy number of mitochondrial DNA. These changes may predispose individuals to premature development of age-related diseases and consequently to shortening of life. The common attribute, shared by changes at the molecular level and the development of diseases, is the presence of oxidative stress.

• MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikro RNA * MeSH
• pevné částice analýza   MeSH
• stárnutí MeSH
• znečištění ovzduší * škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH