Aims: Ultrafine particles (UFPs) smaller than 100 nm are ubiquitous in polluted air. Although they carry little mass, UFPs have a large exposure surface area, can bypass respiratory defences, translocate into the brain and bloodstream, and impact the heart and other organs. Here, we assess the role of UFPs in air quality and the health burden… Continue reading Air quality and health implications of exposure to ultrafine particle pollution

International guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension fail to consider environmental pollutants as risk factors for the development of the disease and its cardiovascular complications. The reasoning behind this may stem from the failure to acknowledge compelling evidence from research on the cardiovascular effects of environmental pollution. In this narrative review, we summarize the… Continue reading Underestimated Environmental Risks for People with Arterial Hypertension – A Narrative Review of Issues that National Guidelines Should Consider

Glioblastomas are the most prevalent and aggressive malignant brain tumors, characterized by hypertranscription and dependence on neurodevelopmental transcription factors. The transcriptional cycle is regulated by phosphorylation of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) by transcriptional cyclin-dependent kinases (tCDKs), including CDK7, CDK9, CDK12, and CDK13. Here we find that glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs)… Continue reading CDK12/CDK13 inhibition disrupts transcriptional elongation and replication fork progression in glioblastoma.

Noise pollution, particularly by aircraft, is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Aircraft noise activates stress response pathways in the brain, via the amygdala, the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. Male C57BL/6J mice were treated with citalopram (a selective serotonin (5-HT)-reuptake inhibitor) or diazepam (a benzodiazepine) 1 day before aircraft noise exposure for… Continue reading Pharmacological treatment with a GABA(A) receptor modulator and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor as a mitigation strategy against aircraft noise-induced cardiovascular and neuronal damage

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, with seasonal variations potentially influencing both outcomes. While previous studies have suggested a pronounced association of the cold months with increased stroke morbidity and mortality, the evidence remains limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to assess seasonal variations in ischemic stroke hospital admissions and… Continue reading Seasonal variations in hospital admissions and case-fatality of ischemic stroke: a nationwide analysis of >4.2 million cases in Germany

Environmental risk factors, air pollution, noise, heat, chemical contamination, and light pollution, are increasingly recognized as key contributors to cardiovascular disease but remain underrepresented in clinical guidelines and public health strategies. This comprehensive review, developed under the auspices of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), synthesizes current evidence on the cardiovascular consequences of environmental exposures.… Continue reading Environmental risk factors and cardiovascular health: A clinical consensus statement of the European Society of Cardiology

This research has been made possible through a collaboration with the Department of General Paediatrics & Neonatology: The Children’s Hospital at Saarland University Hospital. Read the full text here.