Environmental/Occupational News

HONOLULU — World Trade Center firefighters with lung disease showed increases in Bacteroides ovatus after 6 months on a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, according to a presentation at the CHEST Annual Meeting.

HONOLULU — Follow-up high-resolution CT scans for veterans with incidental pulmonary nodules, initially assessed for unexplained dyspnea, revealed that nodule stability is common, according to research presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting.

Among patients with cystic fibrosis, increases in sulfate and specific metals in water raised the odds for nontuberculosis mycobacterial infections, according to results published in Environmental Epidemiology.

Respiratory infections occurred more frequently among babies and toddlers living in urban vs. rural areas, according to a presentation at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Children attending daycare centers with a dust microbiota profile of Streptococcus and Lactococcus faced an increased likelihood for wheezing, according to a presentation at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Traffic-related pollutant exposure during pregnancy may negatively impact autophagy in healthy newborns, according to a presentation at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Pregnant women who lived near forests and parks had reduced odds for low birth weight, which may also decrease the risk for poor infant lung health, according to a presentation at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

Dust fungi in homes shortly after a child’s birth did not heighten the risk for childhood asthma development, according to results published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

On Aug. 21, the EPA publicized that it will be conducting a new review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone, meaning the current outdated national limit on this pollution may be in place until as late as December 2025.

Individuals exposed to some ambient air pollutants faced heightened risks for both diagnosis and death of pulmonary hypertension, according to results published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.