A November 14th article in Medical Express profiled a new study led by AirUCI faculty Jun Wu and AirUCI grad student Anqi Jiao. Their research found that exposure to fine particulate matter during pregnancy significantly increases the odds of spontaneous preterm birth, a major threat to maternal and fetal health. They collaborated with researchers at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California and other institutions to publish their findings in JAMA Network Open which adds evidence that low-income communities are most affected. Read the artcile.
News
Here's the latest news from AirUCI — our events, our people, our science.
2024
Thursday, November 14, 2024
A new study by AirUCI Co-Director Sergey Nizkorodov is profiled in The Brighter Side News and lends some positive news for Earth's atmosphere. He has identified a mechanism where the atmosphere can clean itself, finding that even in darkness, water droplets can spontaneously produce hydroxyl radicals (OH), a molecule vital for breaking down pollutants. "The measured OH production rates in the dark were comparable to or even exceeded those driven by sunlight," said Sergey. Read the article
Friday, November 8, 2024
A new study led by AirUCI faculty Jim Randerson and his team has found that the severity of California’s wildfires has rapidly increased over the last several decades as a result of human-driven climate change, resulting in accelerated tree losses during more intense wildfires. “When fire moves over a forest’s floor, often the tree canopy will survive and, in some situations, thrive from fire effects on nutrient cycling,” said Jim. “The new research suggests more fire is jumping into the tree crowns, causing more damage and tree mortality.” Read the article
Thursday, October 24, 2024
An October 24th article on Drugs.com discusses a new study by AirUCI faculty Mike Kleinman that links inhaled nicotine to impaired heart function. The study assessed whether the novel intrinsic frequency (IF) metrics derived from carotid pressure waveforms can detect effects of nicotine (from chronic exposure to electronic cigarette vapor or traditional cigarette smoke) on the cardiovascular system. "Our results support the growing call for public health policies aimed at reducing exposure to inhaled nicotine and to new synthetic nicotine products not yet on the market," said MIke. Read the article
Saturday, October 19, 2024
AirUCI co-Director Sergey Nizkorodov was one of two invited Keynote Speakers at the 7th International Workshop on Heterogeneous Kinetics Related to Atmospheric Aerosols, held from October 18-20 in Qingdao, China. His talk was entitled “Rates and mechanisms of photochemical reactions in organic aerosol particles”. The other Keynote Speaker was longtime AirUCI collaborator Markus Amman of the Paul Scherrer Institut.
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
AirUCI's Barbara Barletta, research specialist in the Blake group, let a tour of their lab for dignitaries from Mexico’s Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo who were visiting UCI. The purpose of their trip was to identify areas of common academic and research interest between the two institutions, and a highlight was a visit to the lab where Sherry Rowland and his Mexico-born grad student Mario Molina conducted their Nobel Prize winning research. Read the story.
Monday, October 7, 2024
In an October 7th article on WebMD, AirUCI faculty Andrea de Vizcaya Ruiz is quoted on tips for cleaner indoor air. According to Andrea, home items are the main culprits, including furniture, gas stoves, cleaning products, paints, and carpets. Using the range hood and kitchen exhaust fan, opening windows, and maintaining HVAC systems can help, as can air purifiers and dehumidifiers. More tips are available in the article.
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
In an October 2nd article on Everyday Health, AirUCI faculty Andrea de Vizcaya Ruiz is quoted on the safety of various cookware. “The safest cookware materials in terms of the possible impact on health would be those that do not react with food or ingredients, do not release harmful chemicals, and are durable and easy to clean,” says Andrea. The article evaluates different products and lists common toxins to avoid in cookware. Read the article
Thursday, September 26, 2024
In a September 26th article on Yahoo News, AirUCI faculty Andrea de Vizcaya Ruiz is quoted on the safety of bottled water. Anywhere from 10% to 78% of samples of bottled water have been found to contain contaminants that may be harmful to human health. They include microplastics, Phthalates, PFAS, BPA, and others. “The degree of that harm or toxicity is yet to be determined,” says Andrea. “Whether it’s toxic or not toxic, we should not have [these chemicals in our bodies] because when we have something foreign to our bodies, that will constitute a health issue for sure.” She also recommends safer options than bottled water. Read the article
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
A new study co-led by AirUCI faculty Michael Kleinman shows that vaping can interfere with normal blood pressure and flow as blood is pumped from the heart to the arteries. The findings add to evidence that vaping can contribute to heart disease, one of the leading causes of death worldwide. “Our results support the growing call for public health policies aimed at reducing exposure to inhaled nicotine and to new synthetic nicotine products not yet on the market,” said Mike. Read the article
