Increased fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with a modest although not statistically significant reduction in the development of major chronic disease. The benefits appeared to be primarily for cardiovascular disease and not for cancer.

Submicron aerosol particles (PM₁) were measured in-situ using a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer during the summer 2009 Field Intensive Study at Queens College in New York, NY. Organic aerosol (OA) and sulfate are the two dominant species, accounting for 54% and 24%, respectively, of the total PM₁ mass. The average mass-based size distribution of OA presents a small mode peaking at ~150 nm (<i>D</i>_va) and an accumulation mode (~550 nm) that is internally mixed with sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium. The diurnal cycles of both sulfate and OA peak between 01:00–02:00 p.m. EST due to photochemical production. The average (±σ) oxygen-to-carbon (O/C), hydrogen-to-carbon (H/C), and nitrogen-to-carbon (N/C) ratios of OA in NYC are 0.36 (±0.09), 1.49 (±0.08), and 0.012 (±0.005), respectively, corresponding to an average organic mass-to-carbon (OM/OC) ratio of 1.62 (±0.11). Positive matrix factorization (PMF) of the high resolution mass spectra identified two primary OA (POA) sources, traffic and cooking, and three secondary OA (SOA) components including a highly oxidized, regional low-volatility oxygenated OA (LV-OOA; O/C = 0.63), a less oxidized, semi-volatile SV-OOA (O/C = 0.38) and a unique nitrogen-enriched OA (NOA; N/C = 0.053) characterized with prominent C_xH_{2x + 2}N⁺ peaks likely from amino compounds. Our results indicate that cooking and traffic are two distinct and mass-equivalent POA sources in NYC, together contributing ~30% of the total OA mass during this study. The OA composition is dominated by secondary species, especially during high PM events. SV-OOA and LV-OOA on average account for 34% and 30%, respectively, of the total OA mass. The chemical evolution of SOA in NYC appears to progress with a continuous oxidation from SV-OOA to LV-OOA, which is further supported by a gradual increase of O/C ratio and a simultaneous decrease of H/C ratio in total OOA. Detailed analysis of NOA (5.8% of OA) presents evidence that organic nitrogen species such as amines might have played an important role in the atmospheric processing of OA in NYC, likely involving both acid-base chemistry and photochemistry. In addition, analysis of air mass trajectories and satellite imagery of aerosol optical depth (AOD) indicates that the high potential source regions of secondary sulfate and aged OA are mainly located in regions to the west and southwest of the city

Background and Purpose-Periodontal and other infections have been suggested as potential risk factors for stroke. This study evaluates periodontal disease and tooth loss as risk factors for ischemic stroke. Methods-The study population consisted of 41 380 men who were free of cardiovascular disease and diabetes at baseline.Periodontal disease history was assessed by mailed validated questionnaires. During 12 years of follow-up, stroke incidence was assessed and subclassified by use of medical history, medical records, and imaging reports. Hazard ratios (HRs) were adjusted for age, amount smoked, obesity, alcohol, exercise, family history of cardiovascular disease, multivitamin use, vitamin E use, profession, baseline reported hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Sex and socioeconomic status were inherently controlled for by restriction. Confounding variables were updated in the analyses for each 2-year follow-up interval. Results-We documented 349 ischemic stroke cases during the follow-up period. Men who had Յ24 teeth at baseline were at a higher risk of stroke compared to men with Ն25 teeth (HRϭ1.57; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.98

Heterogeneous reactions of oleic acid aerosol particles with ozone are studied below 1% relative humidity. The particles have inert polystyrene latex cores (101-nm diameter) coated by oleic acid layers of 2 to 30 nm. The chemical content of the organic layer is monitored with increasing ozone exposure by using an aerosol mass spectrometer. The carbon-normalized percent yields of particle-phase reaction products are 20-35% 9-oxononanoic acid, 1-3% azelaic acid, 1-3% nonanoic acid, and 35-50% other organic molecules (designated as CHO T ). There is approximately 25% evaporation, presumably as 1-nonanal. To explain the formation of CHO T molecules and the low yields of azelaic and nonanoic acids, we suggest a chemical mechanism in which the Criegee biradical precursors to azelaic acid and nonanoic acid are scavenged by oleic acid to form CHO T molecules. These chemical reactions increase the carbon-normalized oxygen content (z/x) of the C x H y O z layer from 0.1 for unreacted oleic acid to 0.25 after high ozone exposure. Under the assumption that oxygen content is a predictor of hygroscopicity, our results suggest an increased cloud condensation nuclei activity of atmospherically aged organic particles that initially have alkene functionalities.

The heterogeneous reactions of deposited, millimeter-sized oleic acid droplets with ozone and nitrate radicals are studied. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) are used for product identification and quantification. The condensed-phase products of the ozonolysis of oleic acid droplets are 1-nonanal (30 +/- 3% carbon yield), 9-oxononanoic acid (14 +/- 2%), nonanoic acid (7 +/- 1%), octanoic acid (1 +/- 0.2%), azelaic acid (6 +/- 3%), and unidentified products. The infrared spectra show that a major fraction of the unidentified products contain an ester group. Additionally, the mass spectra show that at least some of the unidentified products have molecular weights greater than 1000 amu, which implicates a polymerization reaction. The observed steps of 172 amu (9-oxononanoic acid) and 188 amu (azelaic acid Criegee intermediate) in the mass spectra suggest that these species are the monomers in the condensed-phase polymerization reactions. 9-Oxononanoic acid is proposed to lengthen the molecular chain via secondary ozonide formation; the azelaic acid Criegee intermediate links molecules units via ester formation (specifically, alpha-acyloxyalkyl hydroperoxides). For the reaction of oleic acid with nitrate radicals, functional groups including -ONO(2), -O(2)NO(2), and -NO(2) are observed in the infrared spectra, and high molecular weight molecules are formed. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) is employed to examine the hygroscopic properties of the oleic acid droplets before and after exposure to ozone or nitrate radical. After reaction, the droplets take up water at lower relative humidities compared to the unreacted droplets. The increased hygroscopic response may indicate that the oxidative aging of atmospheric organic aerosol particles has significant impact on radiative forcing.

The sonochemical degradation of aqueous solutions of azobenzene and related azo dyes (methyl orange, o-methyl red, and p-methyl red) was performed at 500 kHz and 50 W, under air, O2, or Ar saturation at 288 K. Reaction products and intermediates were identified by HPLC-ES-MS. Total organic carbon (TOC) was also determined as a function of reaction time. We propose a reaction mechanism based on the observed species and the extent and rate of TOC depletion. The addition of OH radicals to the azo double bond is considered to be the first step of the sequence of oxidative bond cleavages leading to the production of carboxylic acids, quinones, carbon dioxide, and nitrate ions as the main degradation products. The effects of the dye structures and of the background gas on the sonochemical bleaching rates were also investigated. The reaction rates for o-methyl red were approximately 30−40% faster than those for the other compounds. This appears to be a strong influence by a carboxylic group ortho to the azo group. Saturating with Ar instead of air or O2 increased the pseudo first-order rate constants for the degradation by 10%. The acceleration of the sonochemical bleaching and the mineralization process upon addition of Fe(II) was also investigated in Ar-saturated methyl orange solutions. A 3-fold increase in the reaction rate was observed at optimal Fe(II) concentrations. This kinetic effect is quantitatively accounted for by a simple kinetic model based on the reaction of Fe(II) with sonochemically produced H2O2 (Fenton's reaction). This latter effect illustrates a simple way of achieving a substantial improvement in the efficiency of sonochemical degradation reactions.

ABSTRACT:Recent associations between oral health and systemic disease have led to renewed interest in the mouth and its contribution to health outcomes. Many pathways for this relationship have been postulated, among them the potential mediating role of nutrition. The link between various nutrients and systemic disease has been established, but relatively little work has been done in relating oral conditions with nutrition. We searched MEDLINE, from 1966 to July, 2001, to identify articles relating specific oral measures to nutrition outcomes. We included original articles written in English with a sample size greater than 30 that used objective oral health measures. We reviewed a total of 56 articles. Only a small proportion of these studies were methodologically sound. Although many studies were small and cross-sectional, the literature suggests that tooth loss affects dietary quality and nutrient intake in a manner that may increase the risk for several systemic diseases. The impact of tooth loss on diet may be only partially compensated for by prostheses. To date, there is little information relating periodontal disease and oral pain and nutrition. A few studies suggest poorer nutrition among individuals with xerostomia and altered taste. Further, impaired dentition may contribute to weight change, depending on age and other population characteristics. There is a paucity of well-designed studies addressing oral health and nutrition. Before we can acquire a better understanding of how nutrition and oral health interrelate, however, more studies will be required to confirm these associations-preferably longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes and better control of important confounders.Key words. Oral health, periodontal disease, tooth loss, prostheses, nutrition, systemic disease.tions regarding how specific oral health characteristics relate to these nutrition outcomes. We will summarize the methodology, findings, and limitations of selected articles. Finally, we will provide suggestions for future research design that might provide better data and lead to better-understood conclusions. (II) MethodsOral health and nutrition are both defined in multiple ways and described by complex, interrelated measurements. Oral health encompasses gingival status, the well-being of the teeth and jaw, salivary quantity and quality, and sensory dimensions of taste and pain. Likewise, nutritional health includes both the quality and quantity of dietary intake and nutritional status. Dietary intake is comprised of the types of food groups ingested (such as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products) and the nutrient composition of the food eaten (micronutrients-vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients-proportion of calories consumed as protein, carbohydrates, and fats). Nutritional status includes body composition and tissue and blood levels of micronutrients. To highlight these various components of oral health and nutrition, we developed a conceptual model that describes how oral health and nutrition characteristics might rela...

Abstract. Secondary organic material (SOM) produced by the oxidation of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds can be light-absorbing (i.e., brown carbon). Spectral data of the optical properties, however, are scarce. The present study obtained the continuous spectra of the real and imaginary refractive indices (m = n-i k) in the ultraviolet (UV)-to-visible region using spectroscopic ellipsometry for n and UV–visible spectrometry for k. Several different types of SOM were produced in an oxidation flow reactor by photooxidation of toluene and m-xylene for variable concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The results show that the k values of the anthropogenically derived material were at least 10 times greater than those of the biogenically derived material. The presence of NOx was associated with the production of organonitrogen compounds, such as nitro-aromatics and organonitrates, which enhanced light absorption. Compared with the SOM derived from m-xylene, the toluene-derived SOM had larger k values, as well as a greater NOx-induced enhancement, suggesting different brown-carbon-forming potentials of different aromatic precursor compounds. The results imply that anthropogenic SOM produced around urban environments can have an important influence on ultraviolet irradiance, which might consequently influence photochemical cycles of urban pollution.