Most existing studies have only investigated the direct effects of the built environment on respiratory diseases. However, there is mounting evidence that the built environment of cities has an indirect influence on public health via influencing air pollution. Exploring the \"urban built environment-air pollution-respiratory diseases\" cascade mechanism is important for creating a healthy respiratory environment, which is the aim of this study.
The study gathered clinical data from 2015 to 2017 on patients with respiratory diseases from Tongji Hospital in Wuhan. Additionally, daily air pollution levels (sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), and ozone (O3)), meteorological data (average temperature and relative humidity), and data on urban built environment were gathered. We used Spearman correlation to investigate the connection between air pollution and meteorological variables; distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to investigate the short-term relationships between respiratory diseases, air pollutants, and meteorological factors; the impacts of spatial heterogeneity in the built environment on air pollution were examined using the multiscale geographically weighted regression model (MGWR).
During the study period, the mean level of respiratory diseases (average age 54) was 15.97 persons per day, of which 9.519 for males (average age 57) and 6.451 for females (average age 48); the 24 h mean levels of PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2 and O3 were 78.056 μg/m3, 71.962 μg/m3, 54.468 μg/m3, 12.898 μg/m3, and 46.904 μg/m3, respectively; highest association was investigated between PM10 and SO2 (r = 0.762, p < 0.01), followed by NO2 and PM2.5 (r = 0.73, p < 0.01), and PM10 and PM2.5 (r = 0.704, p < 0.01). We observed a significant lag effect of NO2 on respiratory diseases, for lag 0 day and lag 1 day, a 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2 concentration corresponded to 1.009% (95% CI: 1.001, 1.017%) and 1.005% (95% CI: 1.001, 1.011%) increase of respiratory diseases. The spatial distribution of NO2 was significantly influenced by high-density urban development (population density, building density, number of shopping service facilities, and construction land, the bandwidth of these four factors are 43), while green space and parks can effectively reduce air pollution (R2 = 0.649).
Previous studies have focused on the effects of air pollution on respiratory diseases and the effects of built environment on air pollution, while this study combines these three aspects and explores the relationship between them. Furthermore, the theory of the \"built environment-air pollution-respiratory diseases\" cascading mechanism is practically investigated and broken down into specific experimental steps, which has not been found in previous studies. Additionally, we observed a lag effect of NO2 on respiratory diseases and spatial heterogeneity of built environment in the distribution of NO2.

Early life conditions are associated with lung function and the development of respiratory and non-respiratory illnesses. The relationship with birthweight (BW), however, is conflicting. We examined associations of self-reported BW with lung function and the development of respiratory and also non-respiratory diseases within the GEIRD (Gene-Environment Interaction in Respiratory Diseases) project, an Italian multi-centre, multi-case control study involving cases of COPD, asthma, allergic rhinitis and controls. Multinomial logistic regression was performed with case/control status as response variable; BW as main determinant; and adjusting for sex, age and smoking status. Of the 2287 participants reporting BW, 6.4% (n = 147) had low BW (<2500 g), and this proportion was greater in women than men (7.8% vs. 5.1%; p = 0.006). Both men and women with low BW were shorter than those with normal BW (mean ± SD: 160.2 ± 5.5 vs. 162.6 ± 6.5 cm in women, p = 0.009; 172.4 ± 6.1 vs. 174.8 ± 7.2 cm in men, p < 0.001). Although FEV1 and FVC were reduced in individuals with low BW, this was explained by associations with sex and height. In multivariable analysis, BW was not associated with respiratory diseases in adulthood. However, those with low BW had a higher risk of self-reported hospitalisation for lung disease before the age of two (10.3% vs. 4.1%; p < 0.001), severe respiratory infection before the age of five (16.9% vs. 8.8%; p = 0.001) and hypertension in adulthood (29.9% vs. 23.7%; p = 0.001); however, they had a lower risk of arrhythmia (2.7% vs. 5.8%; p = 0.027).

Background: Qingfei Paidu decoction (QFPDD) has been widely used in treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. However, studies on the treatment effect of COVID-19 patients and other respiratory diseases have not been well demonstrated. Our study aims to determine the treatment effect of QFPDD in combination with conventional treatment on COVID-19 patients and other respiratory diseases. Methods: This retrospective study recruited COVID-19 patients who were treated with QFPDD for at least two courses (6 days) from seven hospitals in five provinces from January 21 to March 18 2020. Demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, computed tomography characteristics, treatment, and outcome data were collected and analyzed. The improvements in clinical symptoms before and after QFPDD treatment were compared. Results: Eight COVID-19 patients were included in this study. Of them, six were males (75.0%). The median age of the patients was 66 (60-82) years. Four patients were classified as mild and moderate cases (50.0%); there were two severe cases (25.0%) and critical cases (25.0%). The most common symptom was cough (7 [87.5%]), followed by fever (6 [75.0%]), fatigue (4 [50.0%]), asthma (4 [50.0%]), and anorexia (3 [37.5%]). Abnormal findings included decrease in neutrophils (3 [37.5%]), lymphocytes (2 [25.0%]), alkaline phosphatase (3 [37.5%]), lactic dehydrogenase (4 [50.0%]), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (2 [25.0%]), and C-reactive protein (5 [83.3%]) at admission. After one course (3 days) of QFPDD, nasal obstruction and sore throat completely disappeared, and fever (5 [83.3%]), fatigue (2 [50.0%]), and cough (2 [28.6%]) were improved. After two courses (6 days), the fever disappeared completely in all patients, and the other symptoms showed a tendency to improve. In non-severe patients, 87.5% baseline symptoms completely disappeared. In severe patients, 61.1% of the baseline symptoms completely disappeared after patients were administered QFPDD for two courses. Of the abnormal indicators, 55.6% returned to normal levels. The median duration to complete fever recovery was 1.0 day. The median durations of viral shedding and hospitalization were 10.5 and 21.5 days, respectively. None of the patients worsened and died, and no serious adverse events occurred related to QFPDD during hospitalization. Conclusion: QFPDD combined with conventional treatment improved clinical symptoms in COVID-19 patients with other respiratory diseases, and no serious adverse reactions associated with QFPDD were observed. Larger sample studies confirm our findings in the future.

Climate change caused by environmental pollution is the most important one of many environmental health hazards currently faced by human beings. In particular, the extreme temperature is an important risk factor for death from respiratory and circulatory diseases. This study aims to explore the meteorological-health effect and find out the vulnerable individuals of extreme temperature events in a less developed city in western China.
We collected the meteorological data and data of death caused by respiratory and circulatory diseases in Mianyang City from 2013 to 2019. The nonlinear distributed lag model and the generalized additive models were combined to study the influence of daily average temperature (DAT) on mortality from respiratory and circulatory diseases in different genders, ages.
The exposure-response curves between DAT and mortality from respiratory and circulatory diseases presented a nonlinear characteristic of the \"V\" type. Cumulative Relative Risk of 30 days (CRR30) of deaths from respiratory diseases with 4.48 (2.98, 6.73) was higher than that from circulatory diseases with 2.77 (1.96, 3.92) at extremely low temperature, while there was no obvious difference at extremely high temperature. The health effects of low temperatures on the respiratory system of people of all ages and genders were persistent, while that of high temperatures were acute and short-term. The circulatory systems of people aged < 65 years were more susceptible to acute effects of cold temperatures, while the effects were delayed in females and people aged ≥65 years.
Both low and high temperatures increased the risk of mortality from respiratory and circulatory diseases. Cold effects seemed to last longer than heat did.

Air pollution is a major public health problem throughout the world. Although there have been several studies in this field, most of them have focused on particulate matter and only covered a few key cities. This study aimed to assess a potential association between exposure to gaseous air pollutants and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases in Baotou, China. Daily outpatient visits for respiratory diseases and daily averages of air pollutants and meteorological parameters from 2015 to 2020 were obtained. Time-stratified case-crossover design and restricted cubic splines were used to perform the analyses. Stratified analyses were performed in different hospital departments and districts. Significant association between the concentrations of air pollutants and outpatient visits for respiratory diseases was observed. The odds ratios of outpatient visits for respiratory diseases associated with per 10 μg/m3 increases in concentrations of NO2 and SO2, and per 10 mg/m3 increases in concentrations of CO were 1.033 (95% CI: 1.018 to 1.049), 0.965 (95% CI: 0.954 to 0.976), and 1.038 (95% CI: 1.006 to 1.071), respectively. Short-term exposure to NO2, SO2, and CO was positively associated with outpatient visits for respiratory diseases, with stronger effects among children. The relationship between O3 and respiratory diseases varied at different concentrations.

The Kaliningrad region is known for its specific climate, which can negatively affect the adaptive potential of the body. This manifests in an increased incidence of respiratory diseases and skin conditions. To prevent high morbidity, a plant protein product was included in the diet of first-year university students. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of this food intervention in preventing the most common diseases among Kaliningrad students. Two groups of university students took part in the food trial. In the control group, catabolic processes prevailed in nutrient metabolism. Disadaptation manifested itself in the metabolism of proteins, vitamins, minerals, hematopoiesis and humoral immunity. Inflammation was indicated by α1- and α2-globulins, a weak immune response, and IgM and IgG. High oxidative stress and low antioxidative ability of blood serum were observed. The plant-based protein product (FP) helped preserve testosterone level and prevent an increase in catabolic reactions. Moreover, it had a positive effect on both red blood cell hematopoiesis (a smaller increase in the average volume of erythrocytes, the same average concentration and content of hemoglobin, an increased relative red cell distribution width (RDW) and white blood cell hematopoiesis (a beneficial effect for the immune system: lymphocytes, the relative content of neutrophils, monocytes, basophils and eosinophils). The stimulation of humoral immunity was evidenced by beta- and gamma-globulins, an active immune response, the level of IgM and IgG, antioxidant protection, reduction of peroxides and an increase in antioxidant activity of blood serum. The 34-week observation showed a 1.7-fold decrease in the incidence of respiratory illnesses and a 5.7-fold decrease in skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases. Acute respiratory infections were reduced 1.8-fold. There were no cases of community-acquired pneumonia in the treatment group, compared with 55.1‰ in the control group. The incidence of respiratory diseases was 3.3-10.6 times lower in the treatment group than in the control group in weeks 6-19. The findings testify to the prophylactic effect of functional food during social adaptation and acclimatization of students.

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the more general global increase in viral diseases, has led researchers to look to the plant kingdom as a potential source for antiviral compounds. Since ancient times, herbal medicines have been extensively applied in the treatment and prevention of various infectious diseases in different traditional systems. The purpose of this review is to highlight the potential antiviral activity of plant compounds as effective and reliable agents against viral infections, especially by viruses from the coronavirus group. Various antiviral mechanisms shown by crude plant extracts and plant-derived bioactive compounds are discussed. The understanding of the action mechanisms of complex plant extract and isolated plant-derived compounds will help pave the way towards the combat of this life-threatening disease. Further, molecular docking studies, in silico analyses of extracted compounds, and future prospects are included. The in vitro production of antiviral chemical compounds from plants using molecular pharming is also considered. Notably, hairy root cultures represent a promising and sustainable way to obtain a range of biologically active compounds that may be applied in the development of novel antiviral agents.

Very few publications have compared different study designs investigating the short-term effects of air pollutants on healthcare visits and hospitalizations for respiratory tract diseases. This study describes, using two different study designs (a case-crossover design and a time-series analysis), the association of air pollutants and respiratory disease hospitalizations. The study has been conducted on 5 cities in Poland on a timeline of almost 4 years. DLNM and regression models were both used for the assessment of the short-term effects of air pollution peaks on respiratory hospitalizations. Both case-crossover and time-series studies equally revealed a positive association between air pollution peaks and hospitalization occurrences. Results were provided in the form of percentage increase of a respiratory visit/hospitalization, for each 10-μg/m3 increment in single pollutant level for both study designs. The most significant estimated % increases of hospitalizations linked to increase of 10 μg/m3 of pollutant have been recorded in general with particulate matter, with highest values for 24 h PM2.5 in Warsaw (6.4%, case-crossover; 4.5%, time series, respectively) and in Białystok (5.6%, case-crossover; 4.5%, time series, respectively). The case-crossover analysis results have shown a larger CI in comparison to the results of the time-series analysis, while the lag days were easier to identify with the case-crossover design. The trends and the overlap of the results occurring from both methods are good and show applicability of both study designs to air pollution effects on short-term hospitalizations.

We estimated the case-fatality risk for coronavirus disease cases in China (3.5%); China, excluding Hubei Province (0.8%); 82 countries, territories, and areas (4.2%); and on a cruise ship (0.6%). Lower estimates might be closest to the true value, but a broad range of 0.25%-3.0% probably should be considered.

Respiratory diseases are ranked in the top ten group of the most frequent illness in the globe. Emergency admissions are proof of this issue, especially in the winter season. For this study, the city of Santiago de Chile was chosen because of the high variability of the time series for admissions, the quality of data collected in the governmental repository DEIS (selected period: 2014-2018), and the poor ventilation conditions of the city, which in winter contributes to increase the pollution level, and therefore, respiratory emergency admissions. Different forecasting models were reviewed using the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC) with other error estimators, such as the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), for selecting the best approach. At the end, Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model, with parameters (p,d,q)(P,D,Q)s=(2,1,3)(3,0,2)7, was selected. The Mean Average Percentage Error (MAPE) for this model was 7.81%. After selection, an investigation of its performance was made using a cross-validation through a rolling window analysis, forecasting up to 30 days ahead (testing period of one year). The results showed that error do not exceed a MAPE of 20%. This allows taking better resource managing decisions in real scenarios: reactive staff hiring is avoided given the reduction of uncertainty for the medium term forecast, which translates into lower costs. Finally, a methodology for the selection of forecasting models is proposed, which includes other constraints from resource management, as well as the different impacts for social well-being.