Serum vitamin D concentrations are related to depression in young adult US population: the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vitamin D receptors have been mapped throughout the brain suggesting a role for vitamin D in psychosomatic disorders. Results from previous epidemiological studies on relation between vitamin D status and depression are equivocal. Also, limited information is available relating vitamin D status with depression in young adult US population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to assess association between serum vitamin D and depression in 7970 non-institutionalized US residents, aged 15-39 y. Assessment of depression was done using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule developed by the National Institute of Mental Health. After accounting for several confounding variables in multivariate logistic regression analysis, we estimated odds ratios (OR) for having depression in vitamin D deficient persons in comparison to vitamin D sufficient persons.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Women, non-Hispanic blacks, persons living below poverty, persons who did not consume supplements, persons living in South and West regions and in urban areas, persons with higher BMI, and persons with current depression had higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency compared to their counterparts. OR for having current depressive episodes in persons with serum vitamin D ≤ 50 nmol/L is significantly higher relative to those with serum vitamin D ≥ 75 nmol/L (OR = 1.85; <it>P </it>= 0.021).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this large population based study, likelihood of having depression in persons with vitamin D deficiency is significantly higher compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency. Early diagnosis and intervention are paramount because coexistence of vitamin D deficiency and depression has serious negative consequences on health.</p

REVIEW: SOLUTIONS FOR GRAND CHALLENGES IN GOAT AND SHEEP PRODUCTION INDUSTRY

Goats and sheep are valuable as they are a source of meat, milk, fleece, and other products. These livestock are also important both for agriculture and biomedical research. However, the efficient, sustainable, and profitable production of these small ruminants faces major obstacles. Hence, this review analyzes these major challenges specifically, their negative impacts on the industry, and suggests some science-based solutions to overcome them. Those challenged areas are education and training, research, translational research/biotechnology, goat and sheep health, and maintenance of an economically sustainable agribusiness. The suggested solutions include the effective teaching of goat and sheep science to the next generation and public empowerment, support for innovative and translational research, disease prevention and treatment, support for technology transfer, and development of sound agribusiness practices. This review is helpful particularly for scientists, students, and the goat and sheep producers. In general, these information on the current state of goat and sheep agriculture will also help the public to better understand and appreciate the challenges met and opportunities provided in small ruminant production enterprises

Isotope ratios of H, C, and O in CO2 and H2O of the Martian atmosphere

Stable isotope ratios of H, C, and O are powerful indicators of a wide variety of planetary geophysical processes, and for Mars they reveal the record of loss of its atmosphere and subsequent interactions with its surface such as carbonate formation. We report in situ measurements of the isotopic ratios of D/H and O-18/O-16 in water and C-13/C-12, O-18/O-16, O-17/O-16, and (CO)-C-13-O-18/(CO)-C-12-O-16 in carbon dioxide, made in the martian atmosphere at Gale Crater from the Curiosity rover using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM)'s tunable laser spectrometer (TLS). Comparison between our measurements in the modern atmosphere and those of martian meteorites such as ALH 84001 implies that the martian reservoirs of CO2 and H2O were largely established similar to 4 billion years ago, but that atmospheric loss or surface interaction may be still ongoing