HARVARD PARTICLE CENTER
Impact/Purpose:
The fundamental objective of the proposed Center is to understand how specific PM characteristics and sources impact inflammation, autonomic responses, and vascular dysfunction.
Description:
The Center encompassed four highly interdisciplinary and integrated projects designed to address the four scientific questions presented above. Project 1 investigated the health effects of PM in the Normative Aging Study cohort, in Eastern Massachusetts; Project 2 examined the health effects of fine and coarse CAPs in healthy adults, in Toronto; Project 3 investigated the health effects of locally emitted and transported PM in Sprague Dawley rats and spontaneously hypersensitive rats, which were exposed to fine criteria air pollutants (CAPs) in Boston; and Project 4 investigated the health effects of primary and secondary vehicular emissions from a tunnel in the northeastern United States using healthy and spontaneous hypertensive rats (SH). Finally, the above four proposed projects were supported by three Cores: the Administrative, Particle Technology and Monitoring, and Statistical Cores.
Record Details:
Record Type:PROJECT(
ABSTRACT
)
Start Date:10/01/2005
Completion Date:09/30/2010
Record ID:
144548
Keywords:
AMBIENT AIR PARTICLES, CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, PULMONARY HEALTH, AIR POLLUTION, TRAFFIC EMISSIONS,
Related Organizations:
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Organization Name
:HPC
Mailing Address
:145 Bay State Rd
Citation
:Boston
State
:MA
Zip Code
:2215
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Organization Name
:HPC
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Organization Name
:HPC
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Organization Name
:HPC
Mailing Address
:1350 Massachusetts Ave Rm 458
Citation
:Cambridge
State
:MA
Zip Code
:2138
Role
:OWNER
Organization Name
:BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
Organization Name
:HPC
Project Information:
Approach
:The Center will investigate the pathophysiological effects produced by exposures to PM and its gaseous co-pollutants and will examine how these effects relate to PM composition, size and sources. Project 1 will examine the association between PM exposures and intermediate markers of autonomic dysfunction, systemic inflammation, endothelial activation and oxidative stress in the Normative Aging Study cohort in Eastern Massachusetts. Project 2 will use a cross-over exposure design to examine the effects of traffic-related PM and gases in a panel of 36 older adults who will be exposed to pollutants during 5-hr long field trips via buses in Boston, MA. This Project will examine whether exposures are associated with autonomic dysfunction, pulmonary and systemic inflammation and endothelial activation. Project 3 will examine the cardiovascular effects of fine, coarse and ultrafine concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) in 50 healthy adults in Toronto. Vascular function and inflammatory examinations will include brachial artery diameter, flow-mediated dilatation and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation, heart rate variability, blood pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume and systemic vascular resistance. Project 4 will investigate the relationship between PM composition and vascular response. Normal and spontaneously hypersensitive rats will be exposed to fine CAPs in Boston during either early morning (mostly locally emitted PM rich in elemental and organic carbon) or mid-day periods (mostly transported PM rich in sulfates). Biological outcomes will include pulmonary and systemic inflammation, blood pressure, endothelin-1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, atrial naturetic peptide, oxidant response in the heart and lung by in vivo chemiluminescence, and vascular morphometry of lung and cardiac vessels. Project 5 will investigate the effects of primary and secondary vehicular emi
Cost
:$3,215,324.00
Research Component
:Health Effects
Project IDs:
ID Code
:R832416
Project type
:Center