Feature Channels: Environmental Health

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Newswise: “Radon”: a Lung Cancer Threat Next Door – Chula’s Engineering Professor Suggests Ways to Protect Ourselves
Released: 24-Apr-2023 8:55 AM EDT
“Radon”: a Lung Cancer Threat Next Door – Chula’s Engineering Professor Suggests Ways to Protect Ourselves
Chulalongkorn University

Radon is a radioactive element naturally found in rocks, soil, sand, and water, which humans generally use in construction. This dangerous gas is second only to smoking in contributing to lung cancer. A Chula engineering professor suggests ways to defend ourselves from this threat.

Released: 21-Apr-2023 6:40 PM EDT
Tiny plastic particles also find their way into the brain
Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Wien)

Led by Lukas Kenner (Department of Pathology at MedUni Vienna and Department of Laboratory Animal Pathology at Vetmeduni) and Oldamur Hollóczki (Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Hungary) the research team was able to determine that tiny polystyrene particles could be detected in the brain just two hours after ingestion. The mechanism that enabled them to breach the blood-brain barrier was previously unknown to medical science.

Newswise: How Argonne makes the power grid more reliable and resilient
Released: 21-Apr-2023 4:00 PM EDT
How Argonne makes the power grid more reliable and resilient
Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne National Laboratory helps secure the nation’s energy future through innovative methods of deeply understanding the complexities of the electric power system.

Newswise:Video Embedded live-event-for-april-21-sleeping-pill-reduces-levels-of-alzheimer-s-proteins
VIDEO
Released: 21-Apr-2023 3:10 PM EDT
TRANSCRIPT AND VIDEO AVAILABLE Live Event for April 21: Sleeping pill reduces levels of Alzheimer’s proteins
Newswise

Researcher will discuss the study which involved a sleeping aid known as suvorexant that is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for insomnia, hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

       
Released: 21-Apr-2023 2:55 PM EDT
Green living environment in early childhood does not protect against eczema
University of Turku (Turun yliopisto)

According to a new Finnish study, greenness around the home in early childhood does not seem to protect children from atopic eczema. Instead, the proximity of coniferous, mixed forests and agricultural areas was associated with elevated risk of eczema. The effect was seen especially in children who were born in the spring.

Newswise: Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics
Released: 21-Apr-2023 1:55 PM EDT
Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research

The alga Melosira arctica, which grows under Arctic sea ice, contains ten times as many microplastic particles as the surrounding seawater. This concentration at the base of the food web poses a threat to creatures that feed on the algae at the sea surface.

Newswise: Decade of Student-Led Efforts Helping to Create a Sustainable Culture on Campus
Released: 21-Apr-2023 1:15 PM EDT
Decade of Student-Led Efforts Helping to Create a Sustainable Culture on Campus
University of Northern Colorado

Hundreds of UNC students have shared the same passion as Caltrider over the years, prompting the development of a Sustainability minor in 1970, a bachelor’s degree in 2011 and the creation of LEAF in 2012, which was originally proposed by students as part of a senior seminar class.

   
Released: 20-Apr-2023 3:05 PM EDT
Water arsenic including in public water is linked to higher urinary arsenic totals among the U.S. population
Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health

A new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health shows that water arsenic levels are linked to higher urinary arsenic among the U.S. population for users of both private wells and public water systems.

   
Released: 20-Apr-2023 1:10 PM EDT
New Study Finds Shifting Climate Regions Leading to Hotter, Drier Conditions Across Kenya
Saint Louis University

Research published in Regional Environmental Change has shown that as climate zones shift toward hotter and drier conditions, ecological diversity will decline, posing a major threat to terrestrial ecosystems with far-reaching social and ecological impacts.

Newswise:Video Embedded fau-virtual-planet-and-city-of-west-palm-beach-unveil-groundbreaking-virtual-reality-experience2
VIDEO
Released: 20-Apr-2023 8:30 AM EDT
FAU, Virtual Planet and City of West Palm Beach Unveil Groundbreaking Virtual Reality Experience
Florida Atlantic University

The multidisciplinary team created a virtual simulation of the devastation that a Category 5 hurricane and sea level rise could have on West Palm Beach. The simulation, produced with 3D technology, reveals the destruction that could occur in Osprey Park and the surrounding communities, highlighting the threat to the coastline and potential solutions for coastal areas.

Newswise: Low temperatures increase the risk of sickness absence, especially for women, young people and third sector professionals
Released: 19-Apr-2023 9:40 PM EDT
Low temperatures increase the risk of sickness absence, especially for women, young people and third sector professionals
Universitat Pompeu Fabra- Barcelona

Aretrospective study of temperatures in the province of Barcelona reveals that low temperatures increase the risk of going on a period of sick leave, due in particular to infectious and respiratory diseases.

   
Newswise: Worries about Environmental Issues are Consistently Leading to Lost Sleep for Many Americans
Released: 19-Apr-2023 4:00 PM EDT
Worries about Environmental Issues are Consistently Leading to Lost Sleep for Many Americans
American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)

A new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reveals that one-third of adults (32%) "always or often" lose sleep at night due to worries about environmental issues, and younger generations are more likely to lose sleep due to these worries.

   
Newswise: Q&A: Two ways UW researchers are studying marine microplastics
Released: 19-Apr-2023 2:45 PM EDT
Q&A: Two ways UW researchers are studying marine microplastics
University of Washington

Two University of Washington researchers are using very different methods to investigate the issue of marine microplastics. For Earth Day, UW News asked them to discuss their research.

Newswise:Video Embedded climate-change-may-keep-india-from-achieving-its-sustainable-development-goals
VIDEO
13-Apr-2023 12:45 PM EDT
Climate change may keep India from achieving its sustainable development goals
PLOS

Heatwaves in India are increasing in frequency, intensity and lethality, burdening public health, agriculture, and other socio-economic and cultural systems. A study published in PLOS Climate by Ramit Debnath at University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom and colleagues suggests that heatwaves made more likely by climate change may impede India’s progress toward its sustainable development goals.

Released: 19-Apr-2023 1:00 PM EDT
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute Hosting World Malaria Day Symposium on Tuesday, April 25
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health will host its annual World Malaria Day Symposium Tuesday, April 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. EDT. The theme is the blood stage of malaria, which is the most devastating phase of the disease. The event will take place in person in Baltimore with thirteen panelists. A remote option is available to journalists.

Newswise:Video Embedded staying-safe-when-it-s-hot-study-identifies-temperature-humidity-combinations-that-stress-the-heart
VIDEO
12-Apr-2023 4:25 PM EDT
Staying Safe When It’s Hot: Study Identifies Temperature-humidity Combinations that Stress the Heart
American Physiological Society (APS)

A new study shows that cardiovascular strain begins at lower temperature and humidity levels than those that cause increases in the body’s core temperature, and could inform revisions to safety guidelines and policies that help protect people during heat waves.

   
Released: 18-Apr-2023 8:35 PM EDT
Biological invasions as costly as natural disasters
CNRS (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique / National Center of Scientific Research)

By invading new environments, some alien species have caused disastrous consequences for local species and ecosystems, as well as for human activities – damage to infrastructure, crops, forest plantations, fishing yields, health and tourism. The areas affected are multiple and the damage is costly.

Released: 18-Apr-2023 5:10 PM EDT
WCS Media Briefing: Is Avian Influenza the Next “Big One?”
Wildlife Conservation Society

A panel of experts will hold a WCS media briefing on High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that is currently wreaking havoc around the world and is the largest known outbreak since scientists have begun tracking the disease.

   
Released: 18-Apr-2023 1:00 PM EDT
Penn Medicine Study Links Air Pollution, Heat, Carbon Dioxide, and Noise to Reduced Sleep
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Air pollution, a warm bedroom, and high levels of carbon dioxide and ambient noise may all adversely affect our ability to get a good night’s sleep, suggests a study from researchers with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Louisville.

Newswise: University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Achieves Environmental Goals
Released: 17-Apr-2023 3:30 PM EDT
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Achieves Environmental Goals
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

University Hospitals (UH) Cleveland Medical Center is interested in sustainability with two primary goals: to raise sustainability and climate change awareness among employees through educational events, and to set manageable sustainability and net zero emissions goals that lead to a broader impact on health and the environment.

   
Newswise: Different cell types in the brain are affected by tick infection
Released: 17-Apr-2023 2:25 PM EDT
Different cell types in the brain are affected by tick infection
Umea University

The dreaded tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infects different types of brain cells in different parts of the brain, depending on whether the affected person's immune system is activated or not. This is shown in a new study at Umeå University, Sweden.

Newswise: Filtering pollution: A microfluidic device for collecting microplastics via acoustic focusing
Released: 17-Apr-2023 12:55 PM EDT
Filtering pollution: A microfluidic device for collecting microplastics via acoustic focusing
Shinshu University

Plastic debris particles smaller than 5 mm in size, known as microplastics (MPs), are a serious environmental concern.

Newswise: Environmental toxin PCB found in deep sea trench
Released: 17-Apr-2023 11:05 AM EDT
Environmental toxin PCB found in deep sea trench
University of Southern Denmark

PCB has been banned in most countries since the 1970s, but that doesn't mean it no longer exists. Now, deep-sea researchers report that they have found PCB at the bottom of the Atacama Trench in the Pacific Ocean.

Newswise: Earth Day 2023: Virginia Tech experts available to discuss environmental issues, research
Released: 17-Apr-2023 2:05 AM EDT
Earth Day 2023: Virginia Tech experts available to discuss environmental issues, research
Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech media relations office has the following experts available for interviews surrounding the environment, energy, and sustainability. To schedule an interview, please contact [email protected]. Rising seas threatens U.S. coastlines and cities A recently released report from the U.N. on climate change found that rising sea levels are "unavoidable for centuries to millennia due to continuing deep ocean warming and ice sheet melt, and sea levels will remain elevated for thousands of years.

Newswise: Wildlife experts investigate spread of ‘zombie deer disease’
Released: 17-Apr-2023 2:00 AM EDT
Wildlife experts investigate spread of ‘zombie deer disease’
Virginia Tech

A white-tailed deer afflicted with chronic wasting disease — also frequently referred to as “zombie deer disease” — will appear abnormally thin, move sluggishly, and salivate excessively. There is no cure: chronic wasting disease (CWD) is contagious and always fatal, and it has been detected with increasing frequency in Virginia and other states, raising concerns about effects on the deer population.

Released: 14-Apr-2023 2:50 PM EDT
Climate change causes strong declines in ecosystem services provided by tropical forests
Albert Ludwigs Universität Freiburg

Tropical forests provide a variety of ecosystem services that are also of great global relevance, such as climate regulation and the provision of habitat for animals and plants. However, climate change can impair these services, which also has serious economic consequences.

Released: 14-Apr-2023 12:05 PM EDT
Methamphetamine detected in first test in Oceania for airborne drug pollution
University of Auckland

Methamphetamine, nicotine, caffeine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were detected in downtown Auckland air in the first study of its type in New Zealand and Australia.

   
Released: 13-Apr-2023 4:05 PM EDT
Four major Illinois research institutions form a collaboration to improve urban forest drought resilience
Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne, The Morton Arboretum, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign received a grant from NOAA to assess drought resilience in the urban tree canopy.

Released: 13-Apr-2023 2:45 PM EDT
Contaminated drinking water alerts cause up to 10% school absence rates in Jackson, Mississippi
Brown University

When a team led by researchers from Brown University’s School of Public Health tried to gather data about the health effects of the longstanding water contamination crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, little was available, even on the toxicity of the water supply.

Newswise: The hidden culprit behind nitrogen dioxide emissions
Released: 13-Apr-2023 12:25 PM EDT
The hidden culprit behind nitrogen dioxide emissions
Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)

Nitrogen dioxide is one of the criteria air pollutants that plays an important role as a precursor gas of fine particulate matter and ozone. NO2 emissions are known to be primarily generated by industrial facilities or vehicle exhausts.

Released: 13-Apr-2023 12:00 PM EDT
$9.9M Bezos grant for virtual fencing combats climate change
Cornell University

The Bezos Earth Fund has awarded $9.9 million to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University to support a project developing low-cost virtual livestock fencing that would benefit farmers and animals, improve public health in developing countries and combat climate change.

Newswise: Come Health or High Water
Released: 13-Apr-2023 10:05 AM EDT
Come Health or High Water
University of Pittsburgh

Historically oppressed communities are faced with compounded health, economic and social injustices – with climate change making them worse.

   
Released: 11-Apr-2023 4:45 PM EDT
Mutant strains of Salmonella make infection more aggressive in commercial poultry, study shows
Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

In Brazil, a group of researchers supported by FAPESP created mutant forms of Salmonella to understand the mechanisms that favor colonization of the intestinal tract of chickens by these pathogenic bacteria and find better ways to combat the infection they cause.

   
Newswise: Genomic surveillance identifies global strain of emerging wheat disease fungus
4-Apr-2023 1:55 PM EDT
Genomic surveillance identifies global strain of emerging wheat disease fungus
PLOS

Pests and diseases may reduce global wheat yields by over 20%. A study published April 11th in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Sergio Latorre at University College London, UK and colleagues suggest that genomic surveillance may be an effective disease management tool with the ability to trace lineages of emerging crop diseases, and to identify genetic traits for breeding disease-resistant lines.

Newswise: UK researcher launching health tracking survey in East Palestine
Released: 11-Apr-2023 11:05 AM EDT
UK researcher launching health tracking survey in East Palestine
University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky College of Public Health environmental scientist Erin Haynes, Dr.P.H., is taking steps to learn more about the health symptoms and exposures faced by the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, by launching an online health tracking survey. On Feb. 3, a train carrying hazardous materials derailed near East Palestine, raising concerns about both short- and long-term impacts on the health of the area’s residents.

Newswise: For Allergy and Asthma Sufferers, Climate Change Means Worse Symptoms and Harsher Season
Released: 11-Apr-2023 8:00 AM EDT
For Allergy and Asthma Sufferers, Climate Change Means Worse Symptoms and Harsher Season
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI)

May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. Experts from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology caution that pollen season is starting earlier and lasting longer than in past decades.

Newswise:Video Embedded kimm-conducts-demonstration-study-of-the-world-s-first-filter-free-indoor-ultrafine-particle-reduction-technology-using-electrostatic-method
VIDEO
Released: 11-Apr-2023 12:00 AM EDT
KIMM conducts demonstration study of the world's first Filter-free, indoor ultrafine particle reduction technology using electrostatic method
National Research Council of Science and Technology

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Park Sang Jin, hereinafter referred to as KIMM) has succeeded in the development of a filter-free air purifying technology to collect ultrafine particles using soft discharge and electrostatic precipitation, and clean collection plates by air spry and vacuum suction.

Released: 10-Apr-2023 2:45 PM EDT
Study: Shutting down nuclear power could increase air pollution
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Nearly 20 percent of today’s electricity in the United States comes from nuclear power. The U.S. has the largest nuclear fleet in the world, with 92 reactors scattered around the country. Many of these power plants have run for more than half a century and are approaching the end of their expected lifetimes.

Released: 10-Apr-2023 2:30 PM EDT
Light pollution may extend mosquitoes’ biting season
Ohio State University

A new study’s finding that urban light pollution may disrupt the winter dormancy period for mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus could be considered both good news and bad news: The disease-carrying pests may not survive the winter, or their dormancy period may simply be delayed.

   
Newswise: New technology for dramatic reduction of daily odors
Released: 10-Apr-2023 12:00 AM EDT
New technology for dramatic reduction of daily odors
National Research Council of Science and Technology

A research team led by Dr. Jiwon Lee and Youngtak Oh of the Sustainable Environment Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Seok-Yeol Yoon) announced that they developed an activated carbon manufacturing technology that dramatically improves the removal of four representative nitrogen-containing odorous compounds (NOCs) from air: ammonia, ethylamine, dimethylamine, and trimethylamine.

Newswise: Spike in major league home runs tied to climate change
Released: 7-Apr-2023 6:30 PM EDT
Spike in major league home runs tied to climate change
Dartmouth College

In the history of Major League Baseball, first came the low-scoring dead-ball era, followed by the modern live-ball era characterized by power hitters such as Babe Ruth and Henry "Hank" Aaron. Then, regrettably, was the steroid era of the 1990s and early 2000s.

Released: 6-Apr-2023 4:25 PM EDT
Washington state’s 2021 heat wave contributed to 159 excess injury deaths over three weeks
University of Washington

A record-breaking heat wave that baked Washington state in 2021 contributed to 159 excess injury deaths, according to research led by a UW professor.

   
Newswise: Candida Auris: New Study Shows How Wastewater Tracking May Stem Spread of Deadly Fungus
Released: 6-Apr-2023 1:45 PM EDT
Candida Auris: New Study Shows How Wastewater Tracking May Stem Spread of Deadly Fungus
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)

A rapid spike in cases of a potentially deadly, drug-resistant fungus has concerned public health officials across the nation. But a team of Southern Nevada researchers hope their new study applying wastewater surveillance can help health officials get a step ahead of this emerging global public health threat.



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