Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Abstract

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) under the Clean Air Act, in which ozone (O 3 ) is one of the six pollutants under consideration. As reported in the ?Risk in Perspective-Mortality Risks From O 3 Exposure? published by Harvard Center for Risk Analysis- ? Understanding the relationship between O 3 exposure and disease and mortality can significantly affect decisions related to the stringency of air pollution controls and has important implications for the impacts of these controls on human health ?. A major concern is that the present EPA analysis of air pollution standards does not include mortality risks associated with O 3 exposure, although current evidence suggests a role for gaseous co-pollutants in the etiology of pollution-related morbidity and mortality. Recent studies also suggest that health responses to air pollution may differ between women and men, as well as between girls and boys. However, it remains to be determined whether sex-linked biological differences (e.g., hormonal complement, body size) or gender differences in activity patterns, co-exposures, or exposure measurement accuracy can account for the gender differences. Although a combination of these two factors (exposure patterns and biological response) are likely responsible for differential air pollution effects on health, it has been difficult to experimentally disentangle these two components. In this talk the past, present, and future of gender associated O 3 toxicity will be discussed, thus paving way for systematically exploring other pollutants that shape cardiovascular health responses to air pollution.

Biography

Rajat Sethi is currently the Chair of Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, and Director of Research at the California Health Sciences University, Clovis, California. He received his Ph.D.from the Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Canada. He has more than 100 publications in the field of cardiac pathology and toxicity, holds 22 US and international patents, has authored/edited more than 9 books, written more than 22 chapters, editor for many journals, and serves in the editorial board for many journals. Dr. Sethi is the recipient of numerous federal and state grants and has also received funds from various foundations. He is the invited speaker in many national and international conferences. He has received many recognitions for his contribution to research and for promoting student scholarship.