The burden of childhood atopic dermatitis in the primary care setting: a report from the Meta-LARC Consortium

Background: Little is known about the burden of AD encountered in U.S. primary care practices and the frequency and type of skin care practices routinely used in children. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of AD and allergic comorbidities in children 0-5 years attending primary care practices in the U.S. and to describe routine skin care practices used in this population. Design: A cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of children under the age of 5 attending primary care practices for any reason. Setting: Ten primary care practices in five U.S. states.Results: Amongst 652 children attending primary care practices, the estimated prevalence of ever having AD was 24 % (95% CI= 21-28) ranging from 15% among those under the age of one to 38% among those aged 4- 5 years. The prevalence of comorbid asthma was higher among AD participants compared to those with no AD, 12% and 4%, respectively (p less than 0.001). Moisturizers with high water:oil ratios were most commonly used (i.e., lotions) in the non-AD population, whereas moisturizers with low water:oil content (i.e. ointments) most common when AD was present. Conclusions: Our study found a large burden of AD in the primary care practice setting in the U.S. The majority of households reported skin care practices in children without AD that may be detrimental to the skin barrier such as frequent bathing and the routine use of moisturizers with high water: oil ratios. Clinical trials are needed to identify which skin care practices are optimal for reducing the significant risk of AD in the community

Genome-wide association study in 79,366 European-ancestry individuals informs the genetic architecture of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone precursor that is associated with a range of human traits and diseases. Previous GWAS of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations have identified four genome-wide significant loci (GC, NADSYN1/DHCR7, CYP2R1, CYP24A1). In this study, we expand the previous SUNLIGHT Consortium GWAS discovery sample size from 16,125 to 79,366 (all European descent). This larger GWAS yields two additional loci harboring genome-wide significant variants (P = 4.7x10(-9) at rs8018720 in SEC23A, and P = 1.9x10(-14) at rs10745742 in AMDHD1). The overall estimate of heritability of 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum concentrations attributable to GWAS common SNPs is 7.5%, with statistically significant loci explaining 38% of this total. Further investigation identifies signal enrichment in immune and hematopoietic tissues, and clustering with autoimmune diseases in cell-type-specific analysis. Larger studies are required to identify additional common SNPs, and to explore the role of rare or structural variants and gene-gene interactions in the heritability of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.Peer reviewe

Brain energy rescue:an emerging therapeutic concept for neurodegenerative disorders of ageing

The brain requires a continuous supply of energy in the form of ATP, most of which is produced from glucose by oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, complemented by aerobic glycolysis in the cytoplasm. When glucose levels are limited, ketone bodies generated in the liver and lactate derived from exercising skeletal muscle can also become important energy substrates for the brain. In neurodegenerative disorders of ageing, brain glucose metabolism deteriorates in a progressive, region-specific and disease-specific manner — a problem that is best characterized in Alzheimer disease, where it begins presymptomatically. This Review discusses the status and prospects of therapeutic strategies for countering neurodegenerative disorders of ageing by improving, preserving or rescuing brain energetics. The approaches described include restoring oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, increasing insulin sensitivity, correcting mitochondrial dysfunction, ketone-based interventions, acting via hormones that modulate cerebral energetics, RNA therapeutics and complementary multimodal lifestyle changes

Planning for a New Data Preservation System for the Nation

This presentation was given at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, in Philadelphia, Pa., October 22-25, 2006.The National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program Act of 2005 was signed into law as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The new law arrived at a propitious time. Many federal and state geological repositories are at capacity. A poll of state geological surveys revealed that two-thirds of them have less than 10% space remaining. Many state repositories are gaining additional, but temporary and substandard space, using ocean-going containers or offsite warehouses, where access is limited and conditions are poor. Nearly half the repositories refuse to accept samples, while others are selective with the samples that they do accept. The Act authorizes a federally-supported, distributed repository system to contain “geologic, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, well logs, and samples” accessed through a national, web-based catalog. Administration of the system will be through the U.S. Geological Survey, advised by a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC), and in association with the state geological surveys. The Act authorizes $30 million for each of five years. In January 2006, the FAC established a data preservation working group to draft an implementation plan that was submitted to Congress in August of 2006. Included in the plan is creation of a National Digital Catalog, which will serve as a one-stop portal for geoscience materials and related data (cores, sample collections, geophysical logs, etc.) and a competitive, federal-assistance program for states and federal agencies to preserve their collections. Included will be support for data rescues (materials in imminent danger of loss), infrastructure (buildings, shelving, equipment), staffing, and for digital scanning, conversion, and archiving. The program includes support for outreach, public awareness and workshops. Finally, accountability measures will ensure performance is demonstrated before a state or federal agency can compete for additional funds. Implementation of the plan awaits federal appropriations.Geological Society of Americ

EPA\u27s Map of Radon Zones, Nebraska

Sections 307 and 309 of the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA) direct EPA to identify areas of the United States that have the potential to produce elevated levels of radon. EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Association of, American State Geologists (AASG) have worked closely over the past several years to produce a series of maps and documents which address these directives. The EPA Map of Radon Zones is a compilation of that work and fulfills the requirements of sections 307 and 309 of IRAA. The Map of Radon Zones identifies, on a county-by-county basis, areas of the United States that have the highest potential for elevated indoor radon levels (greater than 4 pCi/L). The Map of Radon Zones is designed to assist national, state, and local governments and organizations to target their radon program activities and resources. It is also intended to help building code officials determine areas that are, the. highest priority for adopting radon-resistant building practices. The Map of Radon Zones should not be used to determine if individual homes in any given area need to be tested for radon. EPA recommends that all homes be tested for radon, regardless of geographic location or the zone designation of the county in which they are located. This document provides background information concerning the development of the Map of Radon Zones. It explains the purposes of the map, the approach for developing the pap (including the respective roles of EPA and USGS), the data sources used, the conclusions and confidence levels developed for the prediction of radon potential, and the review process that was conducted to finalize this effort. Includes an overview with maps and charts, a glossary of terms, lists of EPA regional offices, state radon contacts, and state geological surveys, and: The USGS/EPA radon potential assessments: an introduction by Linda C. S. Gundersen and R. Randall Schumann (USGS) and Sharon W. White (EPA) EPA Region 7 geologic radon potential summary by R. Randall Schumann, James K. Otton, and Sandra L. Szarzi (USGS) Preliminary geologic radon potential assessment of Nebraska by R. Randall Schumann (USGS) EPA\u27s map of radon zones including Nebraska map of radon zone

Glutamate exocytosis from astrocytes controls synaptic strength.

The release of transmitters from glia influences synaptic functions. The modalities and physiological functions of glial release are poorly understood. Here we show that glutamate exocytosis from astrocytes of the rat hippocampal dentate molecular layer enhances synaptic strength at excitatory synapses between perforant path afferents and granule cells. The effect is mediated by ifenprodil-sensitive NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors and involves an increase of transmitter release at the synapse. Correspondingly, we identify NMDA receptor 2B subunits on the extrasynaptic portion of excitatory nerve terminals. The receptor distribution is spatially related to glutamate-containing synaptic-like microvesicles in the apposed astrocytic processes. This glial regulatory pathway is endogenously activated by neuronal activity-dependent stimulation of purinergic P2Y1 receptors on the astrocytes. Thus, we provide the first combined functional and ultrastructural evidence for a physiological control of synaptic activity via exocytosis of glutamate from astrocytes