An innovative IoT system for wildfire detection

ObjectiveEvaluate a novel continuous temperature monitor in a low-resource neonatal ward.DesignWe developed a low-cost continuous neonatal temperature monitor (NTM) for use in low-resource settings. Accuracy of NTM was initially assessed...

Air pollution has posed a serious public health issue in China. In the study, we aimed to examine the burden of air pollution and its association with climate factors and total mortality. City-level daily air quality index (AQI) data in 161 cities of China in 2014, and meteorological factors, socioeconomic status and total morality were obtained from China environmental, meteor-ology and healthcare agencies. Linear regression, spatial autocorrelation analysis and panel fixed models were applied in data analysis. Among 161 cities, monthly average AQI was significantly different by seasons and regions. The highest average AQI was in winter, and the lowest in summer. A significant clustering distribution of AQI by cities was observed, with the highest AQI in north China (22 cities, mean = 117.36). Among the 161 cities, 5 cities (3%) had AQI > 150 (e.g., moderate polluted reference value), and 50 cities (31.1%) had AQI between 100 and 150 (slightly polluted value). Heat index, precipitation and sunshine hours were negatively and significantly, but air pressure was positively correlated with AQI. Cities with higher AQI concentrations had higher total mortality than those with lower AQI. This AQI-mortality association remained significant after adjustment for socioeconomic status. In conclusion, the study highlights the burden and seasonal, regional and areas variations in air pollution across the nation. Air pollution is estimated to account for more than 4% of the urban health inequality in total mortality in China.

e13625 Background: Recent studies have determined continuous temperature monitoring (CTM) identifies fever up to 12 hours earlier than intermittent temperature monitoring in patients with neutropenic fever. In 2010, Van Vliet showed CTM enabled the early administration of antibiotics. Verma and colleagues (2021) reported that self-monitored temperature taking was frequently inaccurate. Nessle et al. (2022) observed 2 instances of fever, associated with bloodstream infections, detected by CTM 5 hours and 12 hours earlier than oral temperature. CTM records 8,640 data points in 24 hours versus the current standard of care (SOC), which typically measures up to 6 data points in 24 hours. The increased frequency of data collection presents a comprehensive picture of the patient’s status which enables earlier detection in trends or patterns of fever. As a result, earlier medical evaluation and prompt administration of antibiotics has led to improved patient care and outcomes. Methods: A literature review was executed to determine the validity of evidence available related to CTM utilization in both oncology and other high-risk therapeutic areas. Levels of evidence were assigned based on the design, methodology, validity, and applicability of the studies. Journal impact scores were added to support findings and implementation into real-world practices. A table was created to organize the data, including level of evidence, journal impact score, and study results. Results: This review of the literature included 17 documents related to CTM. Levels of evidence for CTM include 4 documents with Level 1 and 5 documents with Level 2 evidence. The journal impact scores found 6 of the 17 documents to be above 5. Overall, the study results showed a positive correlation between the use of CTM and earlier fever detection. Conclusions: CTM use has grown in recent years; however, there is still a need for randomized controlled trials to observe health economic, and clinical outcomes. CTM allows for earlier detection of fever, improving patient outcomes over SOC in high-risk patients. CTM should be considered a clinical decision tool to enhance current vital sign monitoring, thereby improving neutropenic patient care.

Interactions between climate factors and air quality index for improved childhood asthma self-management

The COVID-19 lockdown has not only helped in combating the community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 but also improved air quality in a very emphatic manner in most of the countries. In India, the first phase of COVID-19 lockdown came into force on March 25, 2020, which was later continued in the next phases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the result of lockdown on air quality of major metropolitan cities—Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Lucknow—from March 25 to May 3, 2020. For this study, the concentration of six criteria air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2, SO2, and O3) and air quality index during the COVID-19 lockdown period was compared with the same period of the previous year 2019. The results indicate a substantial improvement in air quality with a drastic decrease in the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, CO, and NO2, while there is a moderate reduction in SO2 and O3 concentration. During the lockdown period, the maximum reduction in the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2, SO2, and O3 was observed to be − 49% (Lucknow), − 57% (Delhi), − 75% (Mumbai), − 68% (Kolkata), − 48% (Mumbai), and − 29% (Hyderabad), respectively. The value of the air quality index (AQI) also dwindled significantly during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The maximum decline in AQI was observed – 52% in Bengaluru and Lucknow. The order of AQI was satisfactory > moderate > good > poor and the frequency order of prominent pollutants was O3 > PM10 > PM2.5 > CO > NO2 > SO2 during the lockdown period in all the aforementioned metropolitan cities.Graphic abstract

The paper aims at investigating the effectiveness of estimating vertical profiles of air temperature and PM10 concentrations in Alpine valleys through ground stations positioned at different altitudes on one valley sidewall (i.e., pseudovertical profiles). Two case studies in the Italian Alps are investigated: Chiese Valley in Trentino Province and Camonica Valley in the Lombardy region. Vertical profiles of temperature and PM10 concentrations were derived from airborne measurements at the center of the two valleys by means of low-cost sensors installed on a drone during summer 2019 and a tethered balloon during winter 2020. At the same time, five stations, equipped with the same kind of low-cost sensors, simultaneously monitored the same variables on one mountain slope. Comparisons between pseudoprofiles and airborne soundings revealed that ground stations well approximated temperature and PM10 soundings during the night and early morning, while temperatures along the slopes were higher than in the center of the valley during daytime, due to solar radiative heating, with larger differences in summer than in winter. On the contrary, some episodes with PM10 concentrations slightly higher in the valley center than on the slope were recorded, due to transport events and upslope winds. Nonetheless, the pseudoprofiles based on slope ground measurements faithfully reproduced the vertical gradients of both air temperature and PM10 if compared to those assessed from the soundings performed at the center of the two valleys. Results show that pseudovertical profiles can be a reliable and inexpensive method for continuous monitoring of vertical air temperature and PM10 distribution in mountain valleys. Significance Statement The purpose of this study is to understand whether ground-based measurements of air temperature and particulate matter on mountain slopes can be used as suitable surrogates of vertical atmospheric soundings with tethered balloons or drones in mountain environment. This is important because balloon and drone soundings are expensive and regulative constrained. The knowledge of the vertical distribution of air temperature is crucial to predict the distribution of air pollutants in valleys, namely, the particulate matter emitted by wood burning. Our results showed that ground-based measurements on mountain slopes made with low-cost sensors can satisfactorily reproduce vertical gradients of air temperature and distribution of particulate matter in a reliable and inexpensive way.

本文基于2015年~2024年贵阳机场辐射雾观测数据、AWOS自动观测系统资料及贵阳市空气质量监测数据，采用统计分析、相关性检验及典型案例剖析等方法，探究贵阳机场辐射雾天气与城市空气质量的关联性。研究发现：近10年贵阳机场辐射雾发生频次呈波动上升趋势，有雾时段空气质量指数(AQI)、PM2.5和PM10浓度年均值显著高于全年平均水平；最低能见度与PM2.5/PM10浓度呈显著负相关，辐射雾持续时间与污染物浓度呈显著正相关；典型案例分析表明，辐射雾形成前存在“污染物先期累积–雾滴凝结”过程，春节燃放烟花爆竹所致的空气污染为辐射雾提供凝结核并加剧其发展。研究结果为贵阳机场辐射雾天气预报及航班运行决策提供了量化依据。This study investigates the correlation between radiation fog events at Guiyang Airport and urban air quality based on observational data of radiation fog at Guiyang Airport from 2015 to 2024, AWOS automated observation system data, and air quality monitoring data from Guiyang City. Statistical analysis, correlation tests, and case study methods were employed. The findings reveal that over the past decade, the frequency of radiation fog at Guiyang Airport has shown a fluctuating upward trend. During foggy periods, the annual average values of the Air Quality Index (AQI), PM2.5, and PM10 concentrations were significantly higher than the annual averages. A significant negative correlation was observed between minimum visibility and PM2.5/PM10 concentrations, while a significant positive correlation existed between the duration of radiation fog and pollutant concentrations. Case analyses demonstrated that prior to radiation fog formation, a process of “pollutant accumulation followed by fog droplet condensation” occurs. Air pollution caused by fireworks during the Spring Festival provided condensation nuclei for radiation fog and exacerbated its development. The research results provide quantitative evidence for radiation fog forecasting at Guiyang Airport and decision-making for flight operations.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Every day a lot of children breathe air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution because they breathe more rapidly than adults and so absorb more pollutants. A vigilance index was therefore developed to alert authorities about the outdoor air quality around schools and nurseries in Wallonia, Belgium. METHODS: A long-term air quality index (AQI) was built to reflect long-term health impact of traffic-related pollutants. Annual concentrations of NO2, PM10 and PM2,5 were estimated on each location of schools and nurseries (7130 address points) in Wallonia using ATMO-street model. This model represents the varying concentrations of air pollutants across a region, taking into account the regional and urban background but also capturing so called street canyon effects into one single air quality map. The AQI and its sub-indices are subdivided into 10 index classes. The concentration scales of NO2, PM10 and PM2,5 sub-indices were determined based on the relative risk of mortality associated with long-term exposure to these air pollutants. The highest sub-index value is attributed to the final long-term AQI. RESULTS:The results showed that 868 structures (12%) are impacted by poor to execrable air quality (AQI ≥ 6), i.e. 14% of schools and 10% of nurseries. PM10 was generally the highest sub-index at the locations and therefore the most critical pollutant for determining the long-term AQI. Results are presented into a secured web app, with an interactive interface via ArcGiS Dashboard. A pop-up window provides details for each structure: type, municipality, AQI value, sub-index values and annual concentrations of pollutants. CONCLUSIONS:This study provides a vigilance index to accurately assess the impact that the air quality has on children’s health. Using this information, policymakers can take action to check and reduce levels in pollution hotspots. KEYWORDS: Air pollution, Children's environmental health, Traffic-related, Long-term exposure, Spatial statistics

PurposePediatric patients with cancer often develop chemotherapy-induced fever in neutropenia (FN), requiring emergency broad-spectrum antibiotics. Continuous temperature monitoring can lead to earlier FN detection and therapy with improved outcomes. We aimed to compare the feasibility of continuous core temperature monitoring with timely data availability between two wearable devices (WDs) in pediatric oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy.MethodsIn this prospective observational two-center study, 20 patients (median age: 8 years) undergoing chemotherapy simultaneously wore two WDs (CORE®, Everion®) for 14 days. The predefined goal was core temperature recorded in sufficient quality and available within ≤ 30 min during ≥ 18/24 h for ≥ 7/14 days in more than 15 patients.ResultsMore patients reached the goal with CORE® (n = 13) versus Everion® (n = 3) (difference, 50% p < 0.001). After correcting for the transmission bottleneck caused by two WDs transmitting via one gateway, these numbers increased (n = 15 versus n = 14; difference, 5%; p = 0.69). CORE® measurements corresponded better to ear temperatures (n = 528; mean bias, − 0.07 °C; mean absolute difference, 0.35 °C) than Everion® measurements (n = 532; − 1.06 °C; 1.10 °C). Acceptance rates for the WDs were 95% for CORE® and 89% for Everion®.ConclusionThe CORE® fulfilled the predefined feasibility criterion (15 of 20 patients) after correction for transmission bottleneck, and the Everion® nearly fulfilled it. Continuous core temperature recording of good quality and with timely data availability was feasible from preschool to adolescent patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. These results encourage the design of randomized controlled trials on continuously monitored core temperature in pediatric patients.Trial registration.ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04914702) on June 7, 2021.

Objective To investigate the incidence of respiratory diseases in residents of high PM2.5 area. Methods A total of 3 564 residents in Langfang and Hohehot cities were enrolled in the epidemiological questionnaire of respiratory system.The incidences of respiratory diseases and symptoms were compared in Langfang and Hohhot area.200 cases were randomly selected from the respondents in Langfang area to fill out the annual respiratory epidemiological questionnaire in 2012-2016, and the average annual PM2.5 concentration were calculated to investigate the correlation between respiratory disease and PM2.5 concentration. Results The concentration of PM2.5 and air quality index in Langfang area were higher than that in Hohhot area (all P<0.05). Morbidity of rhinitis, nasal sensitivity, chronic pharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, pulmonary neoplasms and interstitial lung disease were higher in Langfang than Hohhot (all P<0.05). Morbidity of cough, sputum, shortness of breath, throat discomfort, nasal congestion, sore throat, wheezing and dyspnea in Langfang were higher than that in Hohhot (all P<0.05). The concentration of PM2.5 had positive correlation with rhinitis, chronic pharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, asthma (all P≤0.05). Conclusions Morbidity of rhinitis, nasal sensitivity, chronic pharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, bronchitis, asthma, COPD, pneumonia, pulmonary neoplasms and interstitial lung disease is higher in high PM2.5 area.Residents in high PM2.5 area are more prone to cough, sputum, shortness of breath, throat discomfort, nasal congestion, sore throat, wheezing and dyspnea. Key words: PM2.5; Respiratory diseases; Morbidity; Epidemiology

The existing evidence on the environmental effects of vehicular emissions regulation almost comes from developed countries, but the effectiveness of this policy tool in developing countries, especially in China, remains unclear. This study, for the first time, examined the mitigating effects of China’s vehicular emissions regulation on air pollution at the prefecture level cities, by using the latest implementation of China’s National Vehicular Emissions Standard VI (CHINA-VI) as a quasi-natural experimental process of policy shocks. To this end, monthly data from 2018 to 2020 was applied to construct a difference-in-differences (DID) model. The results showed that pilot cities’ air quality index (AQI) significantly decreased by 4.74 compared to non-pilot cities after the implementation of CHINA-VI. Also, the concentration of PM2.5, PM10, and O3 has decreased by 3.6 μg∕m3, 6.4 μg∕m3, and 3.0 μg∕m3, respectively, which means the new China’s vehicular emissions regulation has comprehensively improved air quality. The findings are still valid after a series of robustness tests using different estimation methods such as PSM-DID and IV-2SLS. In addition, we also found heterogeneity in the environmental performance of CHINA-VI across cities. Specifically, cities with lower levels of green finance development and public environmental concern showed a greater emissions reduction effect, but smart cities showed a greater emissions reduction effect than non-smart cities.

Air pollution and its associated health risks before and after COVID-19 in Shaanxi Province, China

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic adversely affected human beings. The novel coronavirus has claimed millions of lives all over the globe. Most countries around the world, including Pakistan, restricted people’s social activities and ordered strict lockdowns throughout the country, to control the fatality of the novel coronavirus. The persuaded lockdown impact on the local environment was estimated. In the present study, we assessed air quality changes in four cities of Pakistan, namely Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar, based on particulate matter (PM2.5), using “Temtop Airing 1000,” which is capable of detecting and quantifying PM2.5. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was evaluated in three specific time spans: the COVID-19 pandemic pre- and post-lockdown period (January 1, 2020 to March 20, 2020, and May 16, 2020 to June 30, 2020 respectively), and the COVID-19 pandemic period (March 21 2020 to May 15, 2020). We compared land-monitored AQI levels for the above three periods of time. For validation, air quality was navigated by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) satellite during the first semester (January 1 to June 30) of 2019 and 2020. It is seen that the concentration of PM2.5 was considerably reduced in 2020 (more than 50%), ranging from ~ 0.05 to 0.3 kg⋅m3, compared to the same period in 2019. The results revealed that the AQI was considerably reduced during the lockdown period. This finding is a very promising as the inhabitants of the planet Earth can be guaranteed the possibility of a green environment in the future.

ABSTRACTParticulate matter (PM) is a widely used indicator of air quality. Satellite-derived aerosol products such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) have been a useful source of data for ground-level PM monitoring. However, satellite-based approaches for PM monitoring have limitations such as impacts of cloud cover. Recently, many studies have documented advances in modeling for monitoring PM over the globe. This review examines recent papers on ground-level PM monitoring for the past 10 years focusing on modeling techniques, sensor types, and areas. Satellite-based retrievals of AOD and commonly used approaches for estimating PM concentrations are also briefly reviewed. Research trends and challenges are discussed based on the review of 130 papers. The limitations and challenges include spatiotemporal scale issues, missing values in satellite-based variables, sparse distribution of ground stations for calibration and validation, unbalanced distribution of PM concentrations, and difficulty in the operational use of satellite-based PM estimation models. The literature review suggests there is room for further investigating: 1) the spatial extension of PM monitoring to global scale; 2) the synergistic use of satellite-derived products and numerical model output to improve PM estimation accuracy, gap-filling, and operational monitoring; 3) the use of more advanced modeling techniques including data assimilations; 4) the improvement of emission data quality; and 5) short-term (hours to days) PM forecasts through combining satellite data and numerical forecast model results.

Spatial and temporal changes of air quality in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2022 and model prediction