The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on symptom severity in school children with house dust mite-sensitized allergic rhinitis.

Study objective: The lockdown imposed on children due to the COVID-19 pandemic and their inability to attend school increased their exposure to indoor allergens by causing them to spend more time indoors. In this study, the aim was to reveal the effect of the pandemic and increased exposure to indoor aeroallergens on the symptom severity of school-age children with house dust mite-sensitized allergic rhinitis (AR). Patients and methods: Patients between the ages of 6-18-years old, who were followed-up with the diagnosis of perennial AR sensitized to only mites were questioned about their sinonasal symptoms. The Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) questionnaire was performed. The clinical findings, drug usage, frequency of infections and attacks were evaluated and compared during COVID-19 lockdown and the same time frame in 2019. Results: Sixty-five patients had AR, and 33 patients (50.8%) had AR with asthma. TNSS of the patients improved during the pandemic (P < 0.001) and their medication scores decreased significantly (P < 0.001). The frequency of respiratory tract infections and asthma attacks decreased significantly (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, risk factors were evaluated for the 'group with worsening TNSS' and coal/wood burning was detected to be an independent risk factor (P = 0.006; OR = 10.09 (95% CI: 1.97-51.87)). Conclusion: Although the increased stay at home, it is surprising that nasal symptoms improved in our patients. This result suggests that whereas allergen sensitivity is responsible for the pathogenesis of AR, exposure to pollution and viral infections which are reduced by masking and social distance may also play an important role in the pathogenesis.

Introduction: Le confinement imposé aux enfants en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19, l'impossibilité pour les enfants d'aller à l'école; ont augmenté leur exposition aux allergènes intérieurs en les obligeant à passer plus de temps à l'intérieur. Dans cette étude, il visait à révéler l'effet de la période pandémique et de l'exposition accrue aux aéroallergènes intérieurs sur la sévérité des symptômes des enfants d'âge scolaire atteints de rhinite allergique (RA) sensibilisée aux acariens. Méthode: Patients âgés de 6 à 18 ans, qui ont été suivis avec le diagnostic de RA perannuelle avec seulement des acariens sensibilisés; ont été interrogés sur leurs symptômes naso-sinusiens. Le questionnaire Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) a été réalisé. Leurs résultats cliniques, l'utilisation de médicaments, la fréquence des infections et des attaques ont été évalués et comparés pendant le verrouillage de COVID-19 et la même période de 2019. Résultats: Soixante-cinq patients avaient une RA et 33 patients (50,8 %) avaient une RA avec asthme. Le TNSS des patients pendant la période pandémique s'est amélioré (p < 0,001) et leurs scores de médication ont diminué de manière significative (p < 0,001). La fréquence des infections des voies respiratoires et des crises d'asthme a diminué significativement (p < 0,001). En analyse multivariée, les facteurs de risque ont été évalués pour le « groupe d'aggravation du TNSS ¼, la combustion de charbon/bois a été détectée comme étant un facteur de risque indépendant (p = 0,006 ; OR = 10,09 (IC95 % : 1,97­51,87)). Conclusion: Malgré l'augmentation du séjour à domicile, il est surprenant que les symptômes nasaux de nos patients se soient améliorés. Ce résultat suggère que si la sensibilité aux allergènes est responsable de la pathogenèse de la RA, l'exposition à la pollution et aux infections virales qui sont réduites par le masque et la distance sociale peuvent également jouer un rôle important dans la pathogenèse.

Role of Nano-Sensors towards CO2Concentrations in an Indoor Classroom Environment to improve Occupational Health

Indoor ventilation is trivial in the current scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic in the workplace and public places. To support humans by preventing various airborne infectious diseases in the indoor environment, this work elaborates on measuring the CO2 concentrations in indoor classroom use through the sensors. It can differentiate between various changes in the environment. Due to advancements in nanotechnology and microcontroller systems, the traditional usage of sensors has moved way beyond its reach in a diverse set of fields. Electrochemical gas sensors like MQ series sensors consist of nano-materials fabricated to define characteristics like sensitivity, selectivity, etc. Using these nano-science and nano-electronics technologies, a low-cost prototype with Arduino UNO, and a few other micro-sensors (DHT11, MQ2, MQ135) to measure environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and smoke and thus ensure a healthy workspace by continuously monitoring the readings in real-time. Classroom Environments may face various challenges in the pandemic situation where there is a massive density of occupancy as well as poor ventilation rates. The outdoor ventilation of the classroom is far more challenging than the indoor environment. The results reveal that this system can provide effective indoor monitoring and assessment for prohibiting harmful exposures and risk factors. Data analysis shows the correlation between humidity and quality of air based on CO2 concentrations. Poor ventilation can be lessened by reducing Air Conditioning systems and figuring out the pollutants present in the classroom environment benefiting the users with respiratory illness. © 2022 IEEE.

Indoor Air Purification and Residents' Self-Rated Health: Evidence from the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

Indoor air pollution is injurious to human health, even worse than outdoor air pollution. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence using large samples in developing countries regarding whether indoor air purification can improve human health by reducing indoor air pollutants. Using the data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey in 2015, this study analyzes the relationship between indoor air purification and residents' self-rated health. We apply the generalized ordered logit model and find that indoor air purification has a significantly positive effect on residents' self-rated health. This positive effect is limited to improving the probability of residents' health level being rated "good", and there is no significant movement between the two levels of "bad" and "fair". The results also show that, as an important source of indoor air pollutants, solid fuels used in cooking significantly reduced residents' self-rated health level. Additional results show the heterogeneity of the relationship between indoor air purification and resident health among groups with different characteristics. This study provides empirical evidence for further optimizing the indoor air environment.

Environmental Fe, Ti, Al, Cu, Hg, Bi, and Si Nanoparticles in the Atrioventricular Conduction Axis and the Associated Ultrastructural Damage in Young Urbanites: Cardiac Arrhythmias Caused by Anthropogenic, Industrial, E-Waste, and Indoor Nanoparticles.

Air pollution exposure is a risk factor for arrhythmia. The atrioventricular (AV) conduction axis is key for the passage of electrical signals to ventricles. We investigated whether environmental nanoparticles (NPs) reach the AV axis and whether they are associated with ultrastructural cell damage. Here, we demonstrate the detection of the shape, size, and composition of NPs by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) in 10 subjects from Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC) with a mean age of 25.3 ± 5.9 and a 71-year-old subject without cardiac pathology. We found that in every case, Fe, Ti, Al, Hg, Cu, Bi, and/or Si spherical or acicular NPs with a mean size of 36 ± 17 nm were present in the AV axis in situ, freely and as conglomerates, within the mitochondria, sarcomeres, lysosomes, lipofuscin, and/or intercalated disks and gap junctions of Purkinje and transitional cells, telocytes, macrophages, endothelium, and adjacent atrial and ventricular fibers. Erythrocytes were found to transfer NPs to the endothelium. Purkinje fibers with increased lysosomal activity and totally disordered myofilaments and fragmented Z-disks exhibited NP conglomerates in association with gap junctions and intercalated disks. AV conduction axis pathology caused by environmental NPs is a plausible and modifiable risk factor for understanding common arrhythmias and reentrant tachycardia. Anthropogenic, industrial, e-waste, and indoor NPs reach pacemaker regions, thereby increasing potential mechanisms that disrupt the electrical impulse pathways of the heart. The cardiotoxic, oxidative, and abnormal electric performance effects of NPs in pacemaker locations warrant extensive research. Cardiac arrhythmias associated with nanoparticle effects could be preventable.

Could combustion-generated nanoparticles induce cytotoxicity also at the extremely low doses typical of indoor environments?

SUMMARY: The presence of nanoparticles in the environment is mainly attributed to outdoor sources but sub-10 nm particles may also form indoor as effect of domestic activities such as cooking, heating, air freshening. Today, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are staying home for longer periods of times, thus being exposed to a poor indoor air quality. Due to elevated numerical concentration and large surface area, the health effect of sub-10 nm particles can go beyond what expected from their low mass concentration in the atmosphere. The objective of this study is to find, based on analysis of recent in vitro studies, a dose-effect correlation based on particle size/surface more than on particle mass. Such a correlation cold be useful to assess the health effects of people exposed to very low mass doses of nanoparticles either indoor or outdoor.