Announcements

Examining heart and lung effects from low ozone exposures in healthy older adults

June 29, 2017

HEI Research Report 192 describes a multicenter study by John Balmes at the University of California–San Francisco, Philip Bromberg at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, and Mark Frampton at the University of Rochester, New York. The study was designed to test whether ozone has short-term cardiovascular effects at present-day ambient levels. It evaluated respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes in 87 healthy participants (60 years old on average) who were exposed to 0, 70, or 120 ppb ozone for 3 hours while exercising moderately.

Spring 2017 Update now available

June 8, 2017

In the Spring 2017 Update, read about HEI’s forthcoming publication of a major report, Multicenter Ozone Study in Older Subjects; the briefing of key legislators and stakeholders on HEI’s Accountability Research Program; and a forthcoming study examining potential links between air pollution and dementia in older women. This issue also highlights worldwide media coverage of HEI’s State of Global Air Report 2017.

HEI issues open call for preliminary applications

April 25, 2017

HEI has issued Request for Applications (RFA) 17-2, Health Effects of Air Pollution, which solicits small research projects on air pollution and health. The RFA provides an application mechanism for investigators whose area of interest falls outside the topics targeted in the current major research requests. RFA 17-2 requests preliminary applications for small, innovative studies on air pollution and health in general that are relevant to HEI’s current priorities. Please refer to Funding Opportunities on how to apply.

Lancet reports Global Burden of Disease 2015 PM2.5 results

April 13, 2017

The April 10 issue of the Lancet reports that exposure to ambient particulate matter was the fifth-ranking mortality risk factor in 2015, causing 4.2 million deaths and loss of 103.1 million disability-adjusted life-years worldwide.

Ozone study tests hypothesis on protective role of eosinophils

March 22, 2017

Research Report 191 describes a study by Allison Fryer and colleagues that addressed how exposure to ozone affects the immune and physiological responses in guinea pigs. In her study, Dr. Fryer focused on eosinophils, white blood cells that play an important role in inflammation, allergies, and allergic asthma, and can modify the airway response to ozone inhalation. This study tested a novel hypothesis: that allergic guinea pigs react differently to ozone than normal animals because of newly formed eosinophils that migrate from bone marrow to the lungs.

Winter 2017 Update now available

February 15, 2017

In the Winter 2017 Update, read about HEI’s new “State of Global Air” annual report and website and our upcoming Annual Conference in Alexandria, Virginia. The newsletter also covers the recipient of the 2016 Walter A. Rosenblith New Investigator Award; the appointment of a new member to HEI’s Board of Directors; and HEI “Communicating the Science” at meetings in the U.S. and abroad.