The international journal of Aerosol and Air Quality Research (AAQR) covers all aspects of aerosol science and technology, atmospheric science and air quality related issues.

Background: Extreme ambient temperatures and air quality have been directly associated with various human diseases from several studies around the world. However, few analyses involving the association of these environmental circumstances with mental and behavioral disorders (MBD) have been carried out, especially in developing countries such as Brazil.Methods: A time series study was carried out to explore the associations between daily air pollutants (SO₂, NO₂, O₃, and PM₁₀) concentrations and meteorological variables (temperature and relative humidity) on hospital admissions for mental and behavioral disorders for Curitiba, Brazil. Daily hospital admissions from 2010 to 2016 were analyzed by a semi-parametric generalized additive model (GAM) combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM).Results: Significant associations between environmental conditions (10 μg/m³increase in air pollutants and temperature °C) and hospitalizations by MBD were found. Air temperature was the environmental variable with the highest relative risk (RR) at 0-day lag for all ages and sexes analyzed, with RR values of 1.0182 (95% CI: 1.0009–1.0357) for men, and 1.0407 (95% CI: 1.0230–1.0587) for women. Ozone exposure was a risk for all women groups, being higher for the young group, with a RR of 1.0319 (95% CI: 1.0165–1.0483). Elderly from both sexes were more susceptible to temperature variability, with a RR of 1.0651 (95% CI: 1.0213–1.1117) for women, and 1.0215 (95% CI: 1.0195–1.0716) for men.Conclusions: This study suggests that temperatures above and below the thermal comfort threshold, in addition to high concentrations of air pollutants, present significant risks on hospitalizations by MBD; besides, there are physiological and age differences resulting from the effect of this exposure.Graphical

The gradual increase in temperatures and changes in relative humidity, added to the aging and socioeconomic conditions of the population, may represent problems for public health, given that future projections predict even more noticeable changes in the climate and the age pyramid, which require analyses at an appropriate spatial scale. To our knowledge, an analysis of the synergic effects of several climatic and socioeconomic conditions on hospital admissions and deaths by cardiorespiratory and mental disorders has not yet been performed in Brazil. Statistical analyses were performed using public time series (1996–2015) of daily health and meteorological data from 16 metropolitan regions (in a subtropical climate zone in South America). Health data were stratified into six groups according to gender and age ranges (40–59; 60–79; and ≥80 years old) for each region. For the regression analysis, two distributions (Poisson and binomial negative) were tested with and without zero adjustments for the complete series and percentiles. Finally, the relative risks were calculated, and the effects based on exposure–response curves were evaluated and compared among regions. The negative binomial distribution fit the data best. High temperatures and low relative humidity were the most relevant risk factors for hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases (lag = 0), while minimum temperatures were important for respiratory diseases (lag = 2 or 3 days). Temperature extremes, both high and low, were the most important risk factors for mental illnesses at lag 0. Groups with people over 60 years old presented higher risks for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, while this was observed for the adult group (40-59 years old) in relation to mental disorders. In general, no major differences were found in the results between men and women. However, regions with higher urbanization levels presented risks, mainly for respiratory diseases, while the same was observed for cardiovascular diseases for regions with lower levels of urbanization. The Municipal Human Development Index is an important factor for the occurrence of diseases and deaths for all regions, depending on the evaluated group, representing high risks for health outcomes (the value for hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases was 1.6713 for the female adult group in the metropolitan region Palmas, and the value for hospitalization for respiratory diseases was 1.7274 for the female adult group in the metropolitan region Campo Mourão). In general, less developed regions have less access to adequate health care and better living conditions.

Condições de tempo e clima são essenciais para a agricultura e o desenvolvimento da sociedade, entretanto, sua dinâmica pouco compreendida pode comprometer algumas atividades humanas. A precipitação de granizo, um evento extremo caracterizado por precipitação de água em estado sólido, tem alta capacidade destrutiva no meio rural e urbano, gerando transtornos e prejuízos frequentes. A Mesorregião Centro-Sul Paranaense (MRCSP) possui uma grande área de produção agrícola e aproximadamente 500 mil habitantes, que podem estar vulneráveis a eventos meteorológicos extremos, sendo necessário estudos que auxiliem o planejamento para auxiliar tomadas de decisão na região. Desta forma, este trabalho teve por objetivo identificar a gênese, frequência, ocorrência, impactos e a variabilidade de precipitações de granizo na MRCSP, fornecendo suporte para o planejamento e adoção de preventivas de combate ao impacto desse fenômeno na região. Foram utilizadas quatro fontes distintas de dados: estações agrometeorológicas, jornais regionais, imagens de satélite e relatórios de ocorrências, danos e situações de emergência da Defesa Civil. Foram identificados 37 decretos de situação de emergência vinculados a granizo e 395.057 pessoas afetadas na região, em 18 anos de análise. O principal dano observado foi o destelhamento. Em Laranjeiras do Sul observou-se, em média, 5,4 eventos por ano. Os sistemas convectivos e as frentes frias foram identificados como os principais sistemas meteorológicos atuantes na formação de granizo nesta região. Os resultados demonstraram alta frequência de precipitações de granizo em toda região. Com ausência de planejamento para redução da vulnerabilidade, a exposição aos eventos extremos meteorológicos permanece frequente.Palavras–chave: vulnerabilidade, risco climático, eventos extremos, clima urbano.Abstract Weather and climate conditions are essential for agriculture and the development of society; however, their little-understood dynamics can compromise some human activities. Hail precipitation, an extreme event characterised by solid state water precipitation, has high destructive capacity in rural and urban environments, generating frequent disturbances and losses. The Central-South Paraná state Meso-region (MRCSP) in southern Brazil has a large agricultural production area and approximately 500 thousand inhabitants, which may be vulnerable to extreme weather events, and studies are needed to assist in decision making in this region. This work aimed to identify the genesis, frequency, occurrence, impacts and variability of hail precipitation in the MRCSP, providing support for the planning and adoption of preventive measures to combat the impact of this phenomenon. Four different sources of data were used: agrometeorological stations, regional newspapers, satellite images and reports of occurrences, damages and emergencies issued by the Civil Defense. Thirty-seven emergency decrees related to hail and 395,057 people affected in the region were identified in 18 years of analysis. The primary damage observed was roof destruction. In Laranjeiras do Sul, an average of 5.4 events were observed per year. The convective systems and the cold fronts were identified as the central meteorological systems working in the genesis of hail in this region. In the absence of planning for vulnerability reduction, exposure to extreme weather events remains frequent.Keywords: vulnerability, climate risk, extreme events, urban climate.

Studies that relate air pollution and health in medium-sized urban areas are scarce, especially in healthy adults. In addition, there is no consensus in the literature regarding a safe level of airborne particulate matter. Therefore, research at these sites may contribute to a better understanding of health and air pollution associations. From the point of view of the respiratory system, healthy adults were evaluated using the validated British Medical Research Council (BMRC) questionnaire. Measurements of particulate matter (PM), black carbon equivalent, and particle number concentrations (PNC) were performed during summer and winter in indoor and outdoor environments at two University Institutions (P1 and P2) located in the urban area. Although with different characteristics in the surroundings, the sites presented similar concentrations of particles, and between the seasons were dissimilar and higher during the winter. The average prevalence of respiratory symptoms increased by 13% in the winter compared to summer. We found a significant positive association (p < 0.05) between the explanatory variables and respiratory symptoms. The period, PM10, PM2.5, and PNC2.5 variables were risk factors for the univariate model. The relative risk (RR) for PM10 was 1.031 (CI: 1.016-1.110) with an increase in concentrations of 11 µg m-3. For the multivariate model, PM2.5 (RR 1.054; CI 1.045- 5.383) and PNC2.5 (RR 1.018; CI 1.002-1.071) for cough and phlegm for the group of adults considered healthy. Air pollution increases showed adverse effects, even in healthy adults and below guidelines, expanding the groups susceptible to its effects.Keywords: air pollution, respiratory symptoms, questionnaire, particulate matter, longitudinal study. Concentrações de partículas Aerotransportadas internas e externas e suas relações com sintomas respiratórios em voluntários do setor de educaçãoR E S U M OEstudos que relacionam poluição do ar e saúde em áreas urbanas de médio porte são escassos, principalmente em adultos saudáveis. Além disso, não há consenso na literatura quanto a um nível seguro de material particulado no ar. Portanto, pesquisas nesses locais podem contribuir para uma melhor compreensão das associações entre saúde e poluição do ar. Do ponto de vista do sistema respiratório, adultos saudáveis foram avaliados por meio do questionário validado do British Medical Research Council (BMRC). Medições de material particulado (MP), carbono negro equivalente e concentração do número de partículas (PNC) foram realizadas durante o verão e inverno em ambientes internos e externos em duas Instituições Universitárias (P1 e P2) localizadas na área urbana. Embora com características diferentes no entorno, os locais apresentaram concentrações de partículas semelhantes, e entre as estações foram dissimilares e maiores durante o inverno. A prevalência média de sintomas respiratórios aumentou 13% no inverno em relação ao verão. Encontramos associação positiva significativa (p < 0,05) entre as variáveis explicativas e os sintomas respiratórios. As variáveis período, PM10, PM2,5 e PNC2,5 foram fatores de risco para o modelo univariado. O risco relativo (RR) para PM10 foi de 1,031 (IC: 1,016-1,110) com aumento nas concentrações de 11 µg m-3. Para o modelo multivariado, PM2,5 (RR 1,054; IC 1,045- 5,383) e PNC2,5 (RR 1,018; IC 1,002-1,071) para tosse e catarro para o grupo de adultos considerados saudáveis. O aumento da poluição do ar mostrou efeitos adversos, mesmo em adultos saudáveis e abaixo das diretrizes, ampliando os grupos suscetíveis aos seus efeitos.Palavras-chave: poluição do ar, sintomas respiratórios, questionário, material particulado, estudo longitudinal.