Residential greenspace and lung function decline over 20 years in a prospective cohort: the ECRHS study

Background The few studies that have examined associations between greenspace and lung function in adulthood have yielded conflicting results and none have examined whether the rate of lung function decline is affected. Objective We explored the association between residential greenspace and change in lung function over 20 years in 5559 adults from 22 centers in 11 countries participating in the population-based, international European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Methods Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured by spirometry when participants were approximately 35 (1990–1994), 44 (1999–2003), and 55 (2010–2014) years old. Greenness was assessed as the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in 500 m, 300 m, and 100 m circular buffers around the residential addresses at the time of lung function measurement. Green spaces were defined as the presence of agricultural, natural, or urban green spaces in a circular 300 m buffer. Associations of these greenspace parameters with the rate of lung function change were assessed using adjusted linear mixed effects regression models with random intercepts for subjects nested within centers. Sensitivity analyses considered air pollution exposures. Results A 0.2-increase (average interquartile range) in NDVI in the 500 m buffer was consistently associated with a faster decline in FVC (−1.25 mL/year [95% confidence interval: −2.18 to −0.33]). These associations were especially pronounced in females and those living in areas with low PM10 levels. We found no consistent associations with FEV1 and the FEV1/FVC ratio. Residing near forests or urban green spaces was associated with a faster decline in FEV1, while agricultural land and forests were related to a greater decline in FVC. Conclusions More residential greenspace was not associated with better lung function in middle-aged European adults. Instead, we observed slight but consistent declines in lung function parameters. The potentially detrimental association requires verification in future studies

Chemical Analysis, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Enzyme Inhibitory Effects of Daucus Virgatus (Poir.) Maire Essential oil from Algeria

Essential oils (EO) represent an important source of bioactive molecules and are widely used for their great efficacy relating to their different therapeutic properties. The present study aims to contribute to the valorization of Daucus virgatus (Poir.) Maire, an aromatic and native plant spontaneously growing in the North-Eastern regions of Algeria, by analyzing the chemical composition of its essential oil and evaluating the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, together with the assay of the enzyme inhibitory effects against alpha-glucosidase and cholinesterase. Daucus virgatus EO was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectroscometry analysis (GC-MS). Twenty-one constituents accounting for 98% of the whole components were identified. beta-Pinene (77.9%) and alpha-pinene (7.6%) were the most abundant components. The antimicrobial activity against the pathogen microorganisms Listeria innocua, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans was investigated. The best antimicrobial effect was observed against S. typhimurium and C. albicans, which showed high sensitivity, with inhibition zones ranging between 27.3 and 25 mm; the minimum inhibitory concentrations were 15.63 and 31.25 mu g ml(-1), respectively. In the DPPH test, the essential oil showed a moderate antioxidant effect, with an IC50 value of 39.61 mg ml(-1). D. virgatus EO exhibited an interesting inhibitory effect against alpha-glucosidase enzyme (IC50 = 0.35 mg ml(-1)) compared with the positive control Acarbose (IC50 = 0.24 mg ml(-1)), and a moderate inhibitory effect against cholinesterases enzymes, with IC50 values of 0.33 and 0.20 mg ml(-1) for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, respectively. D. virgatus EO might be used as a promising source of natural products with potential antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic and anti-Alzheimer effects

Discovery of iminobenzimidazole derivatives as novel cytotoxic agents

In our quest to identify inhibitors of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4F (eIF4F), we serendipitously discovered a novel cytotoxic agent. Even though this compound did not inhibit translation, we explored the structural requirements for its cytotoxicity due to its structural originality. A series of 1,3-disubstituted iminobenzimidazoles was synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity. The structure-activity relationship studies demonstrate that hydrophobic substituent is essential for activity. The most active compounds displayed a cytotoxicity in KB, HL60 and HCT116 human cancer cells with an IC50 of about 1μM. These first-in-class series of low molecular weight synthetic molecules may provide the basis for the development of new anticancer drugs

Aza-capped cyclodextrins for intra-cavity metal complexation

International audienceAza-capped, methylated cyclodextrins (CDs) were obtained in high yields by reacting the soft nitrogen nucleophile 2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide with either A, B-dimesylated CDs in basic media or their diol analogues under Mitsunobu reaction conditions followed by deprotection with thiophenol. A methyl pyridine substituent was grafted on the N atom of these secondary amines. When built on an alpha-CD scaffold, the resulting tertiary amine no longer undergoes nitrogen inversion at room temperature and behaves as a confining ligand, opening the way to intra-cavity metal complexation and promoting the formation of supramolecular helices

Occupational exposures and incidence of chronic bronchitis and related symptoms over two decades: the European Community Respiratory Health Survey

OBJECTIVES: Chronic bronchitis (CB) is an important chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related phenotype, with distinct clinical features and prognostic implications. Occupational exposures have been previously associated with increased risk of CB but few studies have examined this association prospectively using objective exposure assessment. We examined the effect of occupational exposures on CB incidence in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. METHODS: Population samples aged 20-44 were randomly selected in 1991-1993, and followed up twice over 20 years. Participants without chronic cough or phlegm at baseline were analysed. Coded job histories during follow-up were linked to the ALOHA Job Exposure Matrix, generating occupational exposure estimates to 12 categories of chemical agents. Their association with CB incidence over both follow-ups was examined with Poisson models using generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: 8794 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria, contributing 13 185 observations. Only participants exposed to metals had a higher incidence of CB (relative risk (RR) 1.70, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.50) compared with non-exposed to metals. Mineral dust exposure increased the incidence of chronic phlegm (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.06). Incidence of chronic phlegm was increased in men exposed to gases/fumes and to solvents and in women exposed to pesticides. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposures are associated with chronic phlegm and CB, and the evidence is strongest for metals and mineral dust exposure. The observed differences between men and women warrant further investigation