SOFIA COSTANZINI - personale UniMoRe

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SOFIA COSTANZINI

Personale tecnico amministrativo
Green Office

Pubblicazioni

2023 - Outdoor artificial light at night and risk of early-onset dementia: A case-control study in the Modena population, Northern Italy [Articolo su rivista]
Mazzoleni, E.; Vinceti, M.; Costanzini, S.; Garuti, C.; Adani, G.; Vinceti, G.; Zamboni, G.; Tondelli, M.; Galli, C.; Salemme, S.; Teggi, S.; Chiari, A.; Filippini, T.
abstract

Background Dementia is a neurological syndrome characterized by severe cognitive impairment with functional impact on everyday life. It can be classified as young onset dementia (EOD) in case of symptom onset before 65, and late onset dementia (LOD). The purpose of this study is to assess the risk of dementia due to light pollution, and specifically outdoor artificial light at night (LAN). Methods Using a case-control design, we enrolled dementia patients newly-diagnosed in the province of Modena in the period 2017–2019 and a referent population from their caregivers. We geo-referenced the address of residence on the date of recruitment, provided it was stable for the previous five years. We assessed LAN exposure through 2015 nighttime luminance satellite images from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). Using a logistic regression model adjusted for age, sex, and education, we calculated the risk of dementia associated with increasing LAN exposure, namely using <10 nW/cm2/sr as reference and considering ≥10-<40 nW/cm2/sr intermediate and ≥40 nW/cm2/sr high exposure, respectively We also implemented non-linear assessment using a spline regression model. Results We recruited 58 EOD cases, 34 LOD cases and 54 controls. Average LAN exposure levels overlapped for EOD cases and controls, while LOD cases showed higher levels. Compared with the lowest exposure, the risk of EOD associated with LAN was higher in the intermediate exposure (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 0.54–3.39), but not in the high exposure category (OR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.32–3.34). In contrast, the risk of LOD was positively associated with LAN exposure, with ORs of 2.58 (95% CI 0.26–25.97) and 3.50 (95% CI 0.32–38.87) in the intermediate and high exposure categories, respectively. The spline regression analysis showed substantial lack of association between LAN and EOD, while almost linear although highly imprecise association emerged for LOD. Conclusions Although the precision of the estimates was affected by the limited sample size and the study design did not allow us to exclude the presence of residual confounding, these results suggest a possible role of LAN in the etiology of dementia, particularly of its late-onset form.

2023 - Particulate matter exposure from motorized traffic and risk of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to dementia: An Italian prospective cohort study [Articolo su rivista]
Urbano, Teresa; Chiari, Annalisa; Malagoli, Carlotta; Cherubini, Andrea; Bedin, Roberta; Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Maffeis, Giuseppe; Vinceti, Marco; Filippini, Tommaso
abstract

Background: Based on epidemiologic and laboratory studies, exposure to air pollutants has been linked to many adverse health effects including a higher risk of dementia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution on risk of conversion to dementia in a cohort of subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: We recruited 53 Italian subjects newly-diagnosed with MCI. Within a geographical information system, we assessed recent outdoor air pollutant exposure, by modeling air levels of particulate matter with equivalent aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm (PM10) from motorized traffic at participants' residence. We investigated the relation of PM10 concentrations to subsequent conversion from MCI to any type of dementia. Using a Cox-proportional hazards model combined with a restricted cubic spline model, we computed the hazard ratio (HR) of dementia with its 95% confidence interval (CI) according to increasing PM10 exposure, adjusting for sex, age, and educational attainment. Results: During a median follow up of 47.3 months, 34 participants developed dementia, in 26 cases diagnosed as Alzheimer's dementia. In non-linear restricted spline regression analysis, mean and maximum annual PM10 levels positively correlated with cerebrospinal fluid total and phosphorylated tau proteins concentrations, while they were inversely associated with β-amyloid. Concerning the risk of dementia, we found a positive association starting from above 10 μg/m3 for mean PM10 levels and above 35 μg/m3 for maximum PM10 levels. Specific estimates for Alzheimer's dementia were substantially similar. Adding other potential confounders to the multivariable model or removing early cases of dementia onset during the follow-up had little effect on the estimates. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that exposure to outdoor air pollutants, PM10 in particular, may non-linearly increase conversion from MCI to dementia above a certain ambient air concentration.

2023 - Residential proximity to petrol stations and risk of childhood leukemia [Articolo su rivista]
Malavolti, Marcella; Malagoli, Carlotta; Filippini, Tommaso; Wise, Lauren A; Bellelli, Alessio; Palazzi, Giovanni; Cellini, Monica; Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Petrol stations emit benzene and other contaminants that have been associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia. We carried out a population-based case-control study in two provinces in Northern Italy. We enrolled 182 cases of childhood leukemia diagnosed during 1998-2019 and 726 age- and sex-matched population controls. We geocoded the addresses of child residences and 790 petrol stations located in the study area. We estimated leukemia risk according to distance from petrol stations within a 1000 m buffer and amount of supplied fuel within a buffer of 250 m from the child's residence. We used conditional logistic regression models to approximate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations of interest, adjusted for potential confounders. We also modeled non-linear associations using restricted cubic splines. In secondary analyses, we restricted to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cases and stratifed by age (<5 and >= 5 years). Compared with children who lived >= 1000 m from a petrol station, the RR was 2.2 (95% CI 0.5-9.4) for children living<50 m from nearest petrol station. Associations were stronger for the ALL subtype (RR=2.9, 95% CI 0.6-13.4) and among older children (age >= 5 years: RR=4.4, 95% CI 0.6-34.1; age<5 years: RR=1.6, 95% CI 0.1-19.4). Risk of leukemia was also greater (RR=1.6, 95% CI 0.7-3.3) among the most exposed participants when assigning exposure categories based on petrol stations located within 250 m of the child's residence and total amount of gasoline delivered by the stations. Overall, residence within close proximity to a petrol station, especially one with more intense refueling activity, was associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia, though associations were imprecise.

2023 - The influence of meteorological factors on COVID-19 spread in Italy during the first and second wave [Articolo su rivista]
Balboni, Erica; Filippini, Tommaso; Rothman, Kenneth J; Costanzini, Sofia; Bellino, Stefania; Pezzotti, Patrizio; Brusaferro, Silvio; Ferrari, Fabrizio; Orsini, Nicola; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

: The relation between meteorological factors and COVID-19 spread remains uncertain, particularly with regard to the role of temperature, relative humidity and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To assess this relation, we investigated disease spread within Italy during 2020. The pandemic had a large and early impact in Italy, and during 2020 the effects of vaccination and viral variants had not yet complicated the dynamics. We used non-linear, spline-based Poisson regression of modeled temperature, UV and relative humidity, adjusting for mobility patterns and additional confounders, to estimate daily rates of COVID-19 new cases, hospital and intensive care unit admissions, and deaths during the two waves of the pandemic in Italy during 2020. We found little association between relative humidity and COVID-19 endpoints in both waves, whereas UV radiation above 40 kJ/m2 showed a weak inverse association with hospital and ICU admissions in the first wave, and a stronger relation with all COVID-19 endpoints in the second wave. Temperature above 283 K (10 °C/50 °F) showed a strong non-linear negative relation with COVID-19 endpoints, with inconsistent relations below this cutpoint in the two waves. Given the biological plausibility of a relation between temperature and COVID-19, these data add support to the proposition that temperature above 283 K, and possibly high levels of solar UV radiation, reduced COVID-19 spread.

2022 - Identification of SUHI in Urban Areas by Remote Sensing Data and Mitigation Hypothesis through Solar Reflective Materials [Articolo su rivista]
Costanzini, S.; Despini, F.; Beltrami, L.; Fabbi, S.; Muscio, A.; Teggi, S.
abstract

The urban heat island (UHI) is an increasingly widespread phenomenon of concern to the wellbeing and the health of populations living in urban environments. The SUHI (Surface UHI) is directly related to UHI and influences its extension and intensity. Satellite images in the thermal infrared spectral region can be used to identify and study the SUHI. In this work, Landsat 8 TIR images were acquired to study the SUHI of a medium-sized municipality of the Po valley in the northern part of Italy. An additional Worldview 3 satellite image was used to classify the study area and retrieve the surface albedo of building roofs. Using the Local Climate Zone approach, existing roof materials were virtually replaced by solar reflective materials, and the mitigation potential of the SUHI and the UHI was quantified. This virtual scenario shows a decrease in the overheating of building roofs with respect to the ambient temperature of up to 33% compared to the current situation in the industrial areas. Focusing on UHI intensity, the air temperature decrease could be up to 0.5◦C.

2022 - Residence in proximity of petrol stations and childhood leukemia risk [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Malavolti, Marcella; Malagoli, Carlotta; Costanzini, Sofia; Palazzi, Giovanni; Cellini, Monica; Filippini, Tommaso; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Background Air pollutant concentrations close to petrol stations tend to increase, especially for benzene and other carcinogenic contaminants, depending on meteorological factors, features of nearby buildings and station activity. For this reason, it is suggested that petrol stations increase the risk of cancer, in particular, childhood leukemia. Methods/Approach We carried-out a population-based case-control study in two Northern Italy provinces, Modena and Reggio Emilia. We included 182 cases of childhood leukemia diagnosed in the period 1998-2019, and 726 age and sex-matched controls. We geocoded child residence and the 790 petrol stations located in the study area, of which we retrieved the annual refueling activity. Exposure was assessed based on both residential distance from the nearest petrol station and on the activity of all plants located up to 1000 m from the home. Risk ratio of leukemia was estimated by computing disease odds ratio (OR) through conditional logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Results We found an increased risk for childhood leukemia associated to residence in close proximity to petrol stations. Compared to those who live ≥ 1000m, OR was 2.30 (95% CI 0.53-9.97) for children living <50 m from nearest petrol station in bivariate analysis and 2.16 (95% CI 0.49-9.42) in multivariable analysis. The excess risk was higher when considering acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) subtype (OR=2.83, 95% CI 0.61-13.21), and in children diagnosed after 5 years of age (OR=4.68, 95% CI 0.61-35.95) compared with < 5 years (OR=1.63, 95% CI 0.14-18.84). Conclusions Our study found an increased childhood leukemia risk for residence in close proximity (<50 meters) to a petrol station. Such excess risk was higher for the ALL subtype and for children diagnosed after 5 years.

2021 - Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Exposure to Particulate Matter from Vehicular Traffic: A Case-Control Study [Articolo su rivista]
Filippini, Tommaso; Mandrioli, Jessica; Malagoli, Carlotta; Costanzini, Sofia; Cherubini, Andrea; Maffeis, Giuseppe; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

(1) Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with still unknown etiology. Some occupational and environmental risk factors have been suggested, including long-term air pollutant exposure. We carried out a pilot case-control study in order to evaluate ALS risk due to particulate matter with a diameter of ≤10 µm (PM10) as a proxy of vehicular traffic exposure. (2) Methods: We recruited ALS patients and controls referred to the Modena Neurology ALS Care Center between 1994 and 2015. Using a geographical information system, we modeled PM10 concentrations due to traffic emissions at the geocoded residence address at the date of case diagnosis. We computed the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of ALS according to increasing PM10 exposure, using an unconditional logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex. (3) Results: For the 132 study participants (52 cases and 80 controls), the average of annual median and maximum PM10 concentrations were 5.2 and 38.6 µg/m3, respectively. Using fixed cutpoints at 5, 10, and 20 of the annual median PM10 levels, and compared with exposure <5 µg/m3, we found no excess ALS risk at 5-10 µg/m3 (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.39-1.96), 10-20 µg/m3 (0.94, 95% CI 0.24-3.70), and ≥20 µg/m3 (0.87, 95% CI 0.05-15.01). Based on maximum PM10 concentrations, we found a statistically unstable excess ALS risk for subjects exposed at 10-20 µg/m3 (OR 4.27, 95% CI 0.69-26.51) compared with those exposed <10 µg/m3. However, risk decreased at 20-50 µg/m3 (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.39-5.75) and ≥50 µg/m3 (1.16, 95% CI 0.28-4.82). ALS risk in increasing tertiles of exposure showed a similar null association, while comparison between the highest and the three lowest quartiles lumped together showed little evidence for an excess risk at PM10 concentrations (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.50-2.55). After restricting the analysis to subjects with stable residence, we found substantially similar results. (4) Conclusions: In this pilot study, we found limited evidence of an increased ALS risk due to long-term exposure at high PM10 concentration, though the high statistical imprecision of the risk estimates, due to the small sample size, particularly in some exposure categories, limited our capacity to detect small increases in risk, and further larger studies are needed to assess this relation.

2021 - Standard test methods for rating of solar reflectance of built-up surfaces and potential use of satellite remote sensors [Articolo su rivista]
Costanzini, S.; Ferrari, C.; Despini, F.; Muscio, A.
abstract

More and more attention is being paid to the solar reflectance of built-up surfaces due to its influence on the summer heating of buildings and urban areas and the consequent effects on energy needs for air conditioning, as well as on the peak load of the electric grid. Several standard test methods are available for measuring solar reflectance in the laboratory or in the field, based on different devices and approaches. A convergence of some methods has been achieved by rating programs in the U.S. and, more recently, in Europe and other areas. However, laboratory or field measurements are impractical for characterizing a large number of urban surfaces—whether it is for identifying critical issues, developing policies, or verifying compliance with building requirements. In this regard, satellite remote sensors have recently become available, through which it is possible to estimate the reflectance of roof and pavement surfaces thanks to a spatial resolution that is suitable for identifying and characterizing individual built-up surfaces. In the present paper, the most-used standard test methods for rating of solar reflectance are reviewed. Subsequently, some publicly accessible satellite sensors are examined, through which comparable measurements could be obtained.

2020 - Living near waterbodies as a proxy of cyanobacteria exposure and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population based case-control study [Articolo su rivista]
Fiore, Maria; Parisio, Roberto; Filippini, Tommaso; Mantione, Valerio; Platania, Armando; Odone, Anna; Signorelli, Carlo; Pietrini, Vladimiro; Mandrioli, Jessica; Teggi, Sergio; Costanzini, Sofia; Cristaldi, Antonio; Zuccarello, Pietro; Oliveri Conti, Gea; Nicoletti, Alessandra; Zappia, Mario; Vinceti, Marco; Ferrante, Margherita
abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies highlighted the possibility that exposure to cyanotoxins leads to the development of the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: We devised a population-based case-control study in two Italian populations. We used residential proximity of the residence to water bodies as a measure of possible exposure to cyanotoxins. Results: Based on 703 newly-diagnosed ALS cases and 2737 controls, we calculated an ALS odds ratio (OR) of 1.41 (95% CI: 0.72–2.74) for current residence in the vicinity of water bodies, and a slightly lower estimate for historical residence (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.57–2.99). Subjects <65 years and people living in the Northern Italy province of Modena had higher ORs, especially when historical residence was considered. Conclusions: Overall, despite some risk of bias due to exposure misclassification and unmeasured confounding, our results appear to support the hypothesis that cyanotoxin exposure may increase ALS risk.

2020 - Urban tree species identification and carbon stock mapping for urban green planning and management [Articolo su rivista]
Choudhury, M. A. M.; Marcheggiani, E.; Despini, F.; Costanzini, S.; Rossi, P.; Galli, A.; Teggi, S.
abstract

Recently, the severe intensification of atmospheric carbon has highlighted the importance of urban tree contributions in atmospheric carbon mitigations in city areas considering sustainable urban green planning and management systems. Explicit and timely information on urban trees and their roles in the atmospheric Carbon Stock (CS) are essential for policymakers to take immediate actions to ameliorate the effects of deforestation and their worsening outcomes. In this study, a detailed methodology for urban tree CS calibration and mapping was developed for the small urban area of Sassuolo in Italy. For dominant tree species classification, a remote sensing approach was applied, utilizing a high-resolution WV3 image. Five dominant species were identified and classified by applying the Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) approach with an overall accuracy of 78%. The CS calibration was done by utilizing an allometric model based on the field data of tree dendrometry—i.e., Height (H) and Diameter at Breast Height (DBH). For geometric measurements, a terrestrial photogrammetric approach known as Structure-from-Motion (SfM) was utilized. Out of 22 randomly selected sample plots of 100 square meters (10 m × 10 m) each, seven plots were utilized to validate the results of the CS calibration and mapping. In this study, CS mapping was done in an efficient and convenient way, highlighting higher CS and lower CS zones while recognizing the dominant tree species contributions. This study will help city planners initiate CS mapping and predict the possible CS for larger urban regions to ensure a sustainable urban green management system.

2019 - Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing for the identification and characterization of trees in urban areas [Articolo su rivista]
Mueed Choudhury, M. A.; Costanzini, S.; Despini, F.; Rossi, P.; Galli, A.; Marcheggiani, E.; Teggi, S.
abstract

For the last few decades, there have been a lot of studies recognising the significant roles of the urban trees as a high-quality carbon sink. This work is a preliminary study about how remote sensing and photogrammetry could be useful tools to identify urban trees for the purpose of Carbon Storage (CS) computation in urban areas. Our first study area is a typical urban park located in Sassuolo, a municipality in the northern part of Italy in the so-called "Pianura Padana". We measured the tree Height (H) and the Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), required for the calibration of the CS, based on the tree allometry during the field data collection along with the constructing a 3D model through the photogrammetric approach. A high-resolution WorldView (WV) 3 satellite image of the same area, was classified using an object-oriented approach to count the number of trees varied with different species. This preliminary study will enhance the possibilities of the application of these approaches in case of the larger urban areas to ascertain the accuracy of the tree CS calibration.

2018 - A GIS-based atmospheric dispersion model for pollutants emitted by complex source areas [Articolo su rivista]
Teggi, Sergio; Costanzini, Sofia; Ghermandi, Grazia; Malagoli, Carlotta; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Gaussian dispersion models are widely used to simulate the concentrations and deposition fluxes of pollutants emitted by source areas. Very often, the calculation time limits the number of sources and receptors and the geometry of the sources must be simple and without holes. This paper presents CAREA, a new GIS-based Gaussian model for complex source areas. CAREA was coded in the Python language, and is largely based on a simplified formulation of the very popular and recognized AERMOD model. The model allows users to define in a GIS environment thousands of gridded or scattered receptors and thousands of complex sources with hundreds of vertices and holes. CAREA computes ground level, or near ground level, concentrations and dry deposition fluxes of pollutants. The input/output and the runs of the model can be completely managed in GIS environment (e.g. inside a GIS project). The paper presents the CAREA formulation and its applications to very complex test cases. The tests shows that the processing time are satisfactory and that the definition of sources and receptors and the output retrieval are quite easy in a GIS environment. CAREA and AERMOD are compared using simple and reproducible test cases. The comparison shows that CAREA satisfactorily reproduces AERMOD simulations and is considerably faster than AERMOD.

2018 - Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling and Spatial Analysis to Evaluate Population Exposure to Pesticides from Farming Processes [Articolo su rivista]
Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Bigi, Alessandro; Ghermandi, Grazia; Filippini, Tommaso; Malagoli, Carlotta; Nannini, Roberta; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

This work originates from an epidemiological study aimed to assess the correlation between population exposure to pesticides used in agriculture and adverse health effects. In support of the population exposure evaluation two models implemented by the authors were applied: a GIS-based proximity model and the CAREA atmospheric dispersion model. In this work, the results of the two models are presented and compared. Despite the proximity analysis is widely used for these kinds of studies, it was investigated how meteorology could affect the exposure assessment. Both models were applied to pesticides emitted by 1519 agricultural fields and considering 2584 receptors distributed over an area of 8430 km2. CAREA output shows a considerable enhancement in the percentage of exposed receptors, from the 4% of the proximity model to the 54% of the CAREA model. Moreover, the spatial analysis of the results on a specific test site showed that the effects of meteorology considered by CAREA led to an anisotropic exposure distribution that differs considerably from the symmetric distribution resulting by the proximity model. In addition, the results of a field campaign for the definition and planning of ground measurement of concentration for the validation of CAREA are presented. The preliminary results showed how, during treatments, pesticide concentrations distant from the fields are significantly higher than background values.

2018 - Investigating the environmental risk factors for childhood leukaemia: the research activity at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Vinceti, M; Malagoli, C; Filippini, T; Violi, F; Cilloni, S; Malavolti, M; Borsari, L; Storani, S; Arcolin, E; Palazzi, G; Teggi, S; Fabbi, S; Costanzini, Sofia; Ghermandi, G; Bagni, Enrico
abstract

2018 - Risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and passive residential exposure to pesticides: comparison of questionnaire-based with gis-based exposure assessment methods [Abstract in Rivista]
Filippini, Tommaso; Malagoli, Carlotta; Costanzini, Sofia; Violi, Federica; Cilloni, Silvia; Teggi, Sergio; Fiore, Maria; Ferrante, Margherita; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

2017 - Air dispersion modelling for the evaluation of population exposure to pollutants emitted by complex areal sources. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Bigi, Alessandro; Ghermandi, Grazia; Filippini, Tommaso; Malagoli, Carlotta; Vinceti, Marco; Nannini, R.
abstract

2017 - Comparison of questionnaire exposure data to land cover map from geographical information system to assess passive exposure to pesticides: a methodological study [Abstract in Rivista]
Filippini, T; Malagoli, C; Fiore, M; Violi, F; Costanzini, S; Ledda, C; Mauceri, C; Dimartino, A; Mandrioli, J; Fini, N; Patti, F; Teggi, S; Ferrante, M; Vinceti, M
abstract

Background: Exposure assessment based on questionnaires is frequently implemented in case-control studies, but possible information and recall bias could lead to misclassification of exposure. Methods: We evaluated passive exposure to pesticides as possible environmental risk factors for amyotrophic lateral scle-rosis (ALS) using a questionnaire mailed to participants in a case-control study in Emilia Romagna and Sicily. Results from questionnaire assessment were com-pared with a remote sensing methodology based on geographical information system, i.e. the land use within a circular 100-meter area around subjects' residence. Since land cover maps were made available only about once every ten years, we used the 2003 and 2009 maps for Emilia-Romagna and Sicily, respectively. Thus, we estimated the percent-age of 'recent' total crop density close to each participant's home, setting positive exposure above 10% of land use. Finally, we calculated the agreement between the two different methodologies using Cohen‟s kappa coefficients for all subjects, cases and controls. Results and Conclusions: Cohen's kappa was 0.364 (95% CI 0.158-0.569) in total population, 0.378 (0.056-0.700) in cases and 0.354 (0.090-0.618) in controls using the most recent land use map available close to year of case diagnosis. Although a moderate-to-low agreement could be seen between two exposure methods, similar results were found in both cases and controls, suggesting that no recall bias occurred in the most recent period. In the future, we plan to compare such agreement using historical residence over the 20-30 years prior to diagnosis, in order to validate the long-term exposure to pesticides in subjects.

2017 - Pesticide exposure assessed through agricultural crop proximity and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [Articolo su rivista]
Vinceti, Marco; Filippini, Tommaso; Violi, Federica; Rothman, Kenneth J.; Costanzini, Sofia; Malagoli, Carlotta; Wise, Lauren A.; Odone, Anna; Signorelli, Carlo; Iacuzio, Laura; Arcolin, Elisa; Mandrioli, Jessica; Fini, Nicola; Patti, Francesco; Fermo, Salvatore Lo; Pietrini, Vladimiro; Teggi, Sergio; Ghermandi, Grazia; Scillieri, Renato; Ledda, Caterina; Mauceri, Cristina; Sciacca, Salvatore; Fiore, Maria; Ferrante, Margherita
abstract

Background: Epidemiologic studies have raised the possibility that some pesticide compounds induce the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), though the available evidence is not entirely consistent. Methods: We conducted a population-based case-control study in two Italian populations to assess the extent to which residence in the vicinity of agricultural crops associated with the application of neurotoxic pesticides is a risk factor for ALS, using crop acreage in proximity to the residence as an index of exposure. Results: Based on 703 cases and 2737 controls, we computed an ALS odds ratio of 0.92 (95% confidence interval 0.78-1.09) for those in proximity to agricultural land. Results were not substantially different when using alternative exposure categories or when analyzing specific crop types, with the exception of a higher risk related to exposure to citrus orchards and olive groves in Southern Italy, though based on few exposed subjects (N = 89 and 8, respectively). There was little evidence of any dose-response relation between crop proximity and ALS risk, and using long-term residence instead of current residence did not substantially change our estimates. Conclusions: Though our index of exposure is indirect and subject to considerable misclassification, our results offer little support for the hypothesis that neurotoxic pesticide exposure increases ALS risk.

2016 - Esposizione passiva a pesticidi e rischio di leucemia infantile. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Malagoli, Carlotta; Malavolti, Marcella; Costanzini, Sofia; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Arcolin, Elisa; De Girolamo, G; Oleari, P; Palazzi, G; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Esposizione passiva a pesticidi e rischio di leucemia infantile.

2016 - Passive exposure to agricultural pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia in an Italian community [Articolo su rivista]
Malagoli, Carlotta; Costanzini, Sofia; Heck, Julia E.; Malavolti, Marcella; De Girolamo, Gianfranco; Oleari, Paola; Palazzi, Giovanni; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Background Exposure to pesticides has been suggested as a risk factor for childhood leukemia, but definitive evidence on this relation and the specific pesticides involved is still not clear. Objective We carried out a population-based case-control study in a Northern Italy community to assess the possible relation between passive exposure to agricultural pesticides and risk of acute childhood leukemia. Methods We assessed passive pesticide exposure of 111 childhood leukemia cases and 444 matched controls by determining density and type of agricultural land use within a 100-m radius buffer around children's homes. We focused on four common crop types, arable, orchard, vineyard and vegetable, characterized by the use of specific pesticides that are potentially involved in childhood induced leukemia. The use of these pesticides was validated within the present study. We computed the odds ratios (OR) of the disease and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) according to type and density of crops around the children's homes, also taking into account traffic pollution and high-voltage power line magnetic field exposure. Results Childhood leukemia risk did not increase in relation with any of the crop types with the exception of arable crops, characterized by the use of 2.4-D, MCPA, glyphosate, dicamba, triazine and cypermethrin. The very few children (n = 11) residing close to arable crops had an OR for childhood leukemia of 2.04 (95% CI 0.50–8.35), and such excess risk was further enhanced among children aged <5 years. Conclusions Despite the null association with most crop types and the statistical imprecision of the estimates, the increased leukemia risk among children residing close to arable crops indicates the need to further investigate the involvement in disease etiology of passive exposure to herbicides and pyrethroids, though such exposure is unlikely to play a role in the vast majority of cases.

2015 - Increased incidence of childhood leukemia in urban areas: a population-based case-control study [Articolo su rivista]
Malagoli, Carlotta; Malavolti, Marcella; Costanzini, Sofia; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Palazzi, Giovanni; Arcolin, Elisa; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Objective. We carried out a population-based case-control study to assess the possibility of an excess risk of childhood leukemia in urban areas, independently from road traffic pollution. Methods. Study subjects were the 111 cases of childhood leukemia diagnosed from 1998 to 2011 among residents of two provinces of the northern Italian Emilia-Romagna region, and 444 controls matched by age and sex. Through mapping of the region carried out by remote sensing, we examined the percentage of urban or rural area in the 100-meter circular buffer around each child's house. We also modeled annual average exposure to benzene and PM10 from vehicular traffic at each residence. Results. In a multivariate model adjusting for benzene and PM10, the odds ratio of leukemia associated with residence in a highly urbanized area and residential area (≥95% land use of this type near the child's home) was 1.4 (95% confidence intervals 0.8-2.4) and 1.3 (0.8-2.2), respectively. An increased risk was also found in association with the proximity to "dumps, scrap yards, and building sites". No association emerged with residence in rural areas or near industrial plants. Conclusions. These results indicate that children living in urban areas experience an excess leukemia risk, independently from exposure to pollutants from vehicles.

2015 - Passive exposure to agricultural pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia in an Italian community. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Malagoli, Carlotta; Malavolti, Marcella; Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Giovanni, Palazzi; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Passive exposure to agricultural pesticides and risk of childhood leukemia in an Italian community

2015 - Risk of ALS and passive long-term residential exposure to pesticides: a population based study. [Abstract in Rivista]
Violi, Federica; Filippini, Tommaso; Malagoli, Carlotta; Mandrioli, Jessica; Carlo, Signorelli; Aanna, Odone; Margherita, Ferrante; Maria, Fiore; Ledda, C; Cristina, Mauceri; Patti, F; Costanzini, Sofia; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

Risk of ALS and passive long-term residential exposure to pesticides: a population based study.

2015 - Risk of ALS and passive residential exposure to pesticides: a population based study. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Violi, Federica; Filippini, Tommaso; Malagoli, Carlotta; Mandrioli, Jessica; Signorelli, C; Odone, A; Ferrante, M; Fiore, M; Ledda, C; Mauceri, C; Patti, F; Costanzini, Sofia; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

. Risk of ALS and passive residential exposure to pesticides: a population based study.

2015 - The GIS methodology and its application in exposure assessment – Experience of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia [Abstract in Rivista]
Filippini, Tommaso; Iacuzio, Laura; Arcolin, Elisa; Violi, Federica; Storani, Simone; Costanzini, Sofia; Fabbi, Sara; Malagoli, Carlotta; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

2015 - Valutazione dell’esposizione passiva a pesticidi a lungo termine mediante flussi informativi di popolazione: aspetti metodologici. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Vinceti, Marco; Fiore, M; Odone, A; Malagoli, Carlotta; Filippini, Tommaso; Violi, Federica; Arcolin, Elisa; Iacuzio, Laura; Ledda, C; Mauceri, C; Dimartino, A; D’Agati, Mg; Floridia, A; Rossi, R; Mazzini, F; Nannini, R; Marchi, N; Staffilani, F; Guermandi, M; Fornaciari, M; Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Sciacca, S; Signorelli, C; Ferrante, M.
abstract

2014 - Modeling of population exposure to airborne pesticides [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Fabbi, Sara; Vinceti, Marco; Malagoli, Carlotta
abstract

Air pollution due to pesticides emitted by farming practices is an environmental topical issue nowadays and little it’s known about its effects on human health. Pesticides can contaminate the atmosphere through various pathways, especially by volatilization and by adsorption on particulate matter. Although the use of certain substances (i.e. dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, DDT) has been banned over the years, there are still few groups of substances (i.e. phosphorganic insecticides, triazole and phenylenediamine fungicides applied on fruit orchards and vineyards) whose characteristics of toxicity, carcinogenicity, and persistence can lead to severe effects on human health. This paper shows a methodology for the modeling of the population exposure to airborne pesticides based on the AERMOD Gaussian air dispersion model and on geoprocessing and spatial analysis techniques implemented in a GIS (Geographic Information System) environment using the Python programming language. This analysis relies on several spatial data (i.e. hazard sources localization), appropriate processing and on management techniques achievable in a GIS environment. The methodology has been applied to a test site, located in Centre Po Valley near the city of Modena, Italy. In this territory several epidemiological studies have been carried out so far. These activities are framed in the context of a partnership between the DIEF and the CREAGEN of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The main steps followed for the methodology can be summarized in: definition of the computational domain, realization of a GIS input geodatabase (hazard source localization, wind field, demography), realization of a Python procedure to allow the interaction between the GIS input dataset and AERMOD, data processing and visualization in a GIS environment. Fruit orchards and vineyards extracted from the Corine Land Cover have been modeled in AERMOD as areal hazard sources. The designed methodology allows to assess the spatial distribution in the test site of a relative concentration value associated to the use of phosphorganic insecticides, triazole and phenylenediamine fungicides in farming practices. In the future the parameterization of the hazard sources emission (currently only related to the area of the source) will be improved, in order to employ the methodology in epidemiological studies related to the occurrence of potential pathologies.

2014 - Pesticidi e rischio di sclerosi laterale amiotrofica: il contributo della metodologia gis in uno studio in Emilia-Romagna e in Sicilia. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Filippini, Tommaso; Fiore, M; Mandrioli, Jessica; Odone, A; Malagoli, Carlotta; Iacuzio, Laura; Arcolin, Elisa; Violi, Federica; Mazzini, F; Rossi, R; Nannini, R; Guermandi, M; Staffilani, F; Marchi, N; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Costanzini, Sofia; Ghermandi, Grazia; Pietrini, V; Fini, N; Ledda, C; Mauceri, C; Di Martino, A; Patti, F; Sentina, E; Signorelli, C; Ferrante, M; Vinceti, Marco
abstract

2014 - Remote sensing and GIS for the modeling of persistent organic pollutant in the marine environment [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Costanzini, Sofia; Teggi, Sergio; Bigi, Alessandro; Ghermandi, Grazia
abstract

The characterization of the marine environment plays an important role in the understanding of the dynamics affecting the transport, fate and persistence (TFP) of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). This work is part of a project funded by the Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca. The aim of the project is the assessment of the TFP of POPs in the Mediterranean sea. The analysis will be carried out at regionalmesoscale (central Mediterranean), and at local spatial scale considering different Italian test sites (the Delta of the Po River, the Venice Lagoon and the estuary of the Rio Nocella). The first step of this work involves the implementation of GIS geodatabases for the definition of the input dataset. The geodatabases were populated with MERIS and MODIS level 2 and level 3 products of Chlorophyll-a (CHL-a), Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM), Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT), Diffuse Attenuation Coefficient (DAC), Particulate Inorganic Carbon (PIC), Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Sea Surface Temperature (SST). The spatial scale (central Mediterranean sea) and the reference system (Plate Carrée projection) have been imposed as a constraint for the geodatabases. Four geodatabases have been implemented, two for MODIS and two for MERIS products with a monthly, seasonal and climatological temporal scale (2002 -2013). Here, we present a first application of a methodology aimed to identify vulnerable areas to POPs accumulation and persistence. The methodology allowed to assess the spatial distribution of the CHL-a in the central Mediterranean sea. The chlorophyll concentration is related to the amount of nutrients in the water and therefore provides an indicator of the potential presence of POPs. A pilot area of 300 x 200 km located in the North Adriatic sea has been initially considered. The seasonal and climatological MODIS and MERIS CHL-a variability were retrieved and compared with in-situ forcing parameters, i.e. Po River discharge rates and wind data. Study outlooks include a better accuracy of the distribution of the vulnerable areas achieved through the use of additional parameters (CDOM, SST, POC), and an assessment of the contribution of the contaminants by atmospheric dry deposition to the marine environment. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

2013 - Epidemiologia e fattori ambientali di rischio della sclerosi laterale amiotrofica sporadica: metodologia di uno studio realizzato in ambiente gis. [Abstract in Atti di Convegno]
Vinceti, Marco; Fiore, M; Odone, A; Signorelli, C; Mandrioli, Jessica; Fini, N; Fabbi, Sara; Teggi, Sergio; Costanzini, Sofia; Ghermandi, Grazia; Iacuzio, Laura; Malagoli, Carlotta; Arcolin, Elisa; Ferrante, M.
abstract

2012 - Soil salinization assessment on Iraq using satellite remote sensing imagery [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Teggi, Sergio; S., Costanzini; Despini, Francesca; Ghermandi, Grazia; F., Immordino
abstract

Soil salinization is a form of topsoil degradation due to the formation of soluble salts at deleterious levels. This phenomenon can seriously compromise vegetation health and agricultural productivity, and represents a worldwide environmental problem. Remote sensing is a very useful tool for soil salinization monitoring and assessment. In this work we show some results of a study aimed to define the most suitable remote sensing methodologies for soil salinity assessment in Iraq. This activity is part of the Strategies for Water and Land Resources in Iraq project. The satellite images used were acquired by the ETM+ and by the SPOT5 satellite sensors, in the Visible-Near Infrared electromagnetic region, and with spatial resolution of 30 m (ETM+) and of 10 m (SPOT5). The methods used for the investigation of bare soils and vegetation can be summarized in: pre-elaborations (atmospheric corrections, georeferentiation, reflectance computation); individuation of bare soils and of vegetated soils; analysis of the correlations between several surface quantities computed from the satellite images and soil salinity indicators; analysis of the suitability of these quantities for soil salinity classification of the images using for example class separability analysis, principal component analysis and vegetation indexes. The first results obtained indicate that some areas with soil salinization, in particular those with outcrop of salt at the surface, and different type of vegetation can be individuated. The work carried out until now shows that remote sensing images could be fruitfully used for the soil salinization characterization of the studied area, but the definition of the methodology would require a dataset of ground information that describes in detail the actual soil salinization.

2012 - SPOT5 imagery for soil salinity assessment in Iraq [Relazione in Atti di Convegno]
Teggi, Sergio; Costanzini, Sofia; Despini, Francesca; P., Chiodi; F., Immordino
abstract

Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

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