Gene-Environment Interaction in the Onset of Eczema in Infancy: Filaggrin Loss-of-Function Mutations Enhanced by Neonatal Cat Exposure

Background Loss-of-function variants in the gene encoding filaggrin (FLG) are major determinants of eczema. We hypothesized that weakening of the physical barrier in FLG-deficient individuals may potentiate the effect of environmental exposures. Therefore, we investigated whether there is an interaction between FLG loss-of-function mutations with environmental exposures (pets and dust mites) in relation to the development of eczema. Methods and Findings We used data obtained in early life in a high-risk birth cohort in Denmark and replicated the findings in an unselected birth cohort in the United Kingdom. Primary outcome was age of onset of eczema; environmental exposures included pet ownership and mite and pet allergen levels. In Copenhagen(n = 379), FLG mutation increased the risk of eczema during the first year of life (hazard ratio [HR] 2.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27–4.00, p = 0.005), with a further increase in risk related to cat exposure at birth amongst children with FLG mutation (HR 11.11, 95% CI 3.79–32.60, p < 0.0001); dog exposure was moderately protective (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.24–1.01, p = 0.05), but not related to FLG genotype. In Manchester (n = 503) an independent and significant association of the development of eczema by age 12 mo with FLG genotype was confirmed (HR 1.95, 95% CI 1.13–3.36, p = 0.02). In addition, the risk increased because of the interaction of cat ownership at birth and FLG genotype (HR 3.82, 95% CI 1.35–10.81, p = 0.01), with no significant effect of the interaction with dog ownership (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.16–2.20, p = 0.43). Mite-allergen had no effects in either cohort. The observed effects were independent of sensitisation. Conclusions We have demonstrated a significant interaction between FLG loss-of-function main mutations (501x and 2282del4) and cat ownership at birth on the development of early-life eczema in two independent birth cohorts. Our data suggest that cat but not dog ownership substantially increases the risk of eczema within the first year of life in children with FLG loss-of-function variants, but not amongst those without. FLG-deficient individuals may need to avoid cats but not dogs in early life

Debunking Myths: Reading Development in Children with Down Syndrome

There is a considerable and growing body of research investigating reading development in children with Down syndrome. However, there appears to be a common gap between the research evidence and instructional practices. It has been argued that teachers have insufficient information to enable them to implement effective literacy instruction with children with Down syndrome. This has important implications for teacher education. The current paper draws on past and current research evidence to consider five common misunderstandings or ‘myths’ that exist in regards to reading development in children with Down syndrome regarding (1) receptive and expressive language, (2) phonological awareness and phonic decoding, (3) ‘reading readiness’ or (non)linear development, (4) optimal learning age and, (5) reading comprehension. A case example is presented and implications for teaching practice are explore

Design Education: Collaboration and Cross-Disciplinarity: Proceedings of 2016 18th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education, Aalborg, Denmark, 8-9 September 2016

The 18th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE) was held at the University of Aalborg on the 8th and 9th September 2016. The conference was hosted by the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology at the University of Aalborg, Denmark, in close collaboration with the Design Education Special Interest Group (DESIG) of the Design Society, and the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED). The E&PDE conference was initiated in 1999 in the United Kingdom and was consolidated as an international conference in 2004; alternately taking place in the UK and abroad. Its objective is to facilitate the bringing together of people from within education and industry who are interested in sharing expertise on the implementation and analysis of contemporary and developing methodologies in engineering and design education. It provides educators and researchers from product development, engineering and industrial design, together with industry and government representatives, with a platform for discussion on topical educational issues in design education and its future direction

Korean Fusion: Consuming a Globalized Korea Through Food and Music

In Koreatown, Los Angeles, one of the largest centers of Korean immigrants in the Western hemisphere, restaurant owners are constantly creating new forms of Korean cuisine that both challenge and preserve traditional methods of Korean culinary methods. Based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews conducted in Koreatown, Los Angeles in December 2020, I examine how Korean restaurant owners are navigating the current food scene while also maintaining their ethnic identity in a globalized landscape such as Los Angeles. I conceptualize the idea of a “twist” which can be understood as components of fusion food that allow Korean restaurant owners to cultivate and preserve their culture while simultaneously creating a new type of Korean cuisine. This study demonstrates how Korean fusion exists within a larger web of complex relationships between Korean food and Korean music within migrant communities like Koreatown. I also explore how these global food practices are intertwined with music in a dialectical manner. Restaurant owners effectively utilize popular Korean media, specifically Korean Pop (K-Pop) music, to maintain their ethnic and cultural background. More importantly, K-Pop has become a crucial vessel through which restaurant owners commodify Korean culture in a holistic Korean dining experience. This research contributes to the anthropological study of foodways by reevaluating the act of consuming global culture in a local context through reimagined forms of fusion food

Long-term effects of allergen sensitization and exposure in adult asthma: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: : We investigated the effects of sensitization and exposure to common domestic allergens on longitudinal changes in lung function and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. METHODS: : Subjects attended 2 visits that were 4 years apart. Skin prick testing was performed and household dust samples were collected for quantification of mite, dog, and cat allergens at baseline. Measurements of lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness were completed at both visits. RESULTS: : Dust samples were collected in 165 of the 200 subjects completing both visits. Mean length of follow-up was 47 months. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness, measured at both visits in 86 subjects, deteriorated in those exposed to high mite allergen levels compared with those not exposed [mean (95% CI) doubling dose change PD20 = -0.44 (-1.07 to 0.19) vs 0.82 (0.27 to 1.36)], but improved in those exposed to high dog allergen levels compared with those not exposed [1.10 (0.33 to 1.86) vs 0.10 (-0.39 to 0.58)]. The associations were significant in the multivariate models. Cat allergen exposure was not associated with any changes in lung function, exhaled nitric oxide, or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. CONCLUSIONS: : In a 4-year prospective cohort of persons with asthma, exposure to high levels of dust mite allergens at baseline was associated with a subsequent increase in bronchial hyperresponsiveness

Summer Library Reading Programs and Literacy: An Assessment of Children’s Reading Progress After Having Participated in a Summer Library Reading Program

This study examined the effects of a summer library reading program on children’s reading progress. Sixty-nine children in second to fifth grade, ages 7–11, completed reading ability measures at two points: before and after participating in the summer library reading program, for the duration of July and August. For this quasi-experimental design, the treatment group consisted of 16 children who participated in the program, while the control group included 53 classmates who did not participate. Results showed that those who participated in the summer library reading program scored higher than the control group only in reading comprehension and not other components of reading, and that high reading frequency over the summer was associated with growth in reading skills. This demonstrates that frequent summer reading, and potentially participating in summer library reading programs may be associated with improvements in children’s reading performance, suggesting that further implementation of and resources for these programs could be beneficial

08-02-2016 SWOSU Students Complete Degrees Following Summer Semester

A total of 199 students at Southwestern Oklahoma State University complete requirements for either associate, bachelor’s or master’s degrees this summer on the Weatherford campus