Airborne particulate matter (PM2.5) triggers autophagy in human corneal epithelial cell line

Air pollution has broad effects on human health involving many organ systems. The ocular surface is an excellent model with which to study the effects of air pollution on human health as it is in constant contact with the environment, and it is directly accessible, facilitating disease monitoring. Effects of air pollutants on the ocular surface typically manifest as dry eye (DE) symptoms and signs. In this review, we break down air pollution into particulate matter (organic and inorganic) and gaseous compounds and summarize the literature regarding effects of various exposures on DE. Additionally, we examine the effects of weather (relative humidity, temperature) on DE symptoms and signs. To do so, we conducted a PubMed search using key terms to summarize the existing literature on the effects of air pollution and weather on DE. While we tried to focus on the effect of specific exposures on specific aspects of DE, environmental conditions are often studied concomitantly, and thus, there are unavoidable interactions between our variables of interest. Overall, we found that air pollution and weather conditions have differential adverse effects on DE symptoms and signs. We discuss these findings and potential mitigation strategies, such as air purifiers, air humidifiers, and plants, that may be instituted as treatments at an individual level to address environmental contributors to DE.

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/11/3740/pdf

Impact of Air Pollution and Weather on Dry Eye.

The ocular surface is constantly exposed to environmental irritants, allergens and pathogens, against which it can mount a prompt immune response to preserve its integrity. But to avoid unnecessary inflammation, the ocular surface's mucosal immune system must also discriminate between harmless and potentially dangerous antigens, a seemingly complicated task. Despite its unique features, the ocular surface is a mucosal lining, and as such, it shares some homeostatic and pathophysiological mechanisms with other mucosal surfaces. The purpose of this review is to explore the mucosal homeostatic immune function of the ocular surface in both the healthy and diseased states, with a special focus on mucosal immunology concepts. The information discussed in this review has been retrieved by PubMed searches for literature published from January 1981 to October 2016.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/imm.12716

Mucosal immune tolerance at the ocular surface in health and disease.

Eye irritation, for example dry or irritated eyes, is generally among top three reported symptoms in office-like environments, in particular among workplaces with cognitive demanding visual display unit (VDU) work. The symptoms are especially among middle and advanced ages and particularly among women more than men. The symptoms are also among the most commonly reported complaints in the eye clinic. To be in a position to interpret the high prevalence of eye symptoms, a multidisciplinary and integrated approach is necessary that involves the external eye physiology (separate from internal eye effects), eye diseases (evaporative dry eye (DE), aqueous-deficient DE, and gland dysfunctions), and risk factors that aggravate the stability of precorneal tear film (PTF) resulting in hyperosmolarity and initiation of inflammatory reactions. Indoor environmental, occupational and personal risk factors may aggravate the PTF stability; factors such as age, contact lenses, cosmetics, diet, draft, gender, low humidity and high temperature, medication, outdoor and combustion pollutants, and VDU work. Psychological stressors may further influence the reporting behavior of eye symptoms. The impact of the risk factors may occur in a combined and exacerbating manner.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ina.12322

External eye symptoms in indoor environments.

Aim
While fire is recognized as an integral part of the Earth system, the ability of humans to shape fire regimes both spatially and temporally remains poorly understood. Our goals were to identify the extent of fire regimes exhibiting two annual fire seasons and to investigate the environmental correlates of such regimes at the global scale.

Location
All areas of the globe exhibiting relevant fire activity, at 0.5o spatial resolution.

Time period
2002-2012.

Major taxa studied
(not applicable).

Methods
The modality of fire seasonality at the global scale was classified using a 10-year record of satellite-derived fire activity and model fitting of circular statistical distributions. The main environmental correlates controlling global fire regimes were then analysed over bimodal and unimodal areas using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test.

Results
About 25% of the global land surface with relevant fire activity has two significantly distinct fire seasons per year, with at least one of these seasons occurring under sub-optimal fire weather conditions. In these bimodal areas, population density and the fraction of fires occurring in actively managed land, especially in croplands and pastures, are significantly higher than in neighbouring unimodal areas. Results reveal that through these land-use and management practices humans have a strong influence on global patterns of fire seasonality.

Main conclusions
We identified a bimodal seasonality pattern, previously unreported at the global scale, and show that it reveals an anthropogenic fingerprint on fire regimes. Insights into where and when fire is actively employed as a land management tool enhance our understanding of the role of fire in the Earth system, and highlight the need to better understand how fire practices may change in the future.

Bimodal fire regimes unveil a global-scale anthropogenic fingerprint

Purpose: To evaluate the acute impact of the wildfire smoke episode in 2008 on the ocular surface of subjects living in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (MABA). Methods: A total of 86 subjects were evaluated: Group 1 comprised patients from a public ophthalmology hospital (N=35) and Group 2 comprised healthy volunteers (N=51). All subjects answered a questionnaire on ocular symptoms and underwent ophthalmologic examination [bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, corneal fluorescein staining, rose bengal vital staining, tear break-up time (TBUT), Schirmer I test, tear lysozyme, and impression cytology] during and after the acute episode. Concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM) were measured before, during, and after the acute episode. Results: Both groups showed a statically significant increase in ocular symptoms and bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and a statically significant decrease in tear break-up time during the acute episode. Group 1 showed more severe symptoms and a statistically significant increase in fluorescein and rose bengal staining intensities during the acute episode. We found a significant negative correlation between ocular symptoms and tear break-up time. During the episode, the levels of CO, NO2, and particulate matter in MABA were four times higher than the usual average levels for the same period in 2007 and 2009. Conclusions: Increased air pollution from the burning of biomass is associated with a decrease in the stability of the tear film (TBUT), generating areas of ocular surface exposure that may be the cause of the increased feeling of irritation. Group 1 was more affected by not having a healthy ocular surface, and thus consulted an ophthalmologist. Cytological changes in the conjunctiva were not observed, which could be due to the short duration of the episode.

/pdf/impact-of-wildfire-smoke-in-buenos-aires-argentina-on-ocular-4rp4j1bv8r.pdf

Impact of wildfire smoke in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on ocular surface

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Impact of wildfire smoke in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on ocular surface