Long-term exposure models for traffic related NO(2) across geographically diverse areas over separate years

Although recent air pollution epidemiologic studies have embraced land-use regression models for estimating outdoor traffic exposure, few have examined the spatio-temporal variability of traffic related pollution over a long term period and the optimal methods to take these factors into account for exposure estimates. We used home outdoor NO(2) measurements taken from eight geographically diverse areas to examine spatio-temporal variations, construct, and evaluate models that could best predict the within-city contrasts in observations. Passive NO(2) measurements were taken outside of up to 100 residences per area over three seasons in 1993 and 2003 as part of the Swiss cohort study on air pollution and lung and heart disease in adults (SAPALDIA). The spatio-temporal variation of NO(2) differed by area and year. Regression models constructed using the annual NO(2) means from central monitoring stations and geographic parameters predicted home outdoor NO(2) levels better than a dispersion model. However, both the regression and dispersion models underestimated the within-city contrasts of NO(2) levels. Our results indicated that the best models should be constructed for individual areas and years, and would use the dispersion estimates as the urban background, geographic information system (GIS) parameters to enhance local characteristics, and temporal and meteorological variables to capture changing local dynamics. Such models would be powerful tools for assessing health effects from long-term exposure to air pollution in a large cohort. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

New toxodontid (Notoungulata) from the Early Miocene of Mendoza, Argentina

We describe a new toxodontid species, Nesodon taweretus sp. nov., from the Aisol Formation in Mendoza Province, central-west Argentina. Nesodon is a frequently found Toxodontidae, member of the Notoungulata, an extinct endemic group of Cenozoic South American mammals that are ecologically similar to current hoofed ungulates. The holotype of N. taweretus sp. nov. is a skull, and we tentatively assign some mandibular fragments and postcranial bones. N. taweretus sp. nov. differs from the other Nesodon species in several cranial and dental features, and close comparisons were made with the Patagonian Nesodon imbricatus, common in the Santa Cruz Formation (Santacrucian Age, Early Miocene). The material is of a similar size to N. imbricatus, with a body mass estimation of about 550 kg. The phylogenetic analysis groups N. taweretus sp. nov. with other species of Nesodon. The absolute age of the Aisol Formation has been established at ca 19.480 ± 0.025 Ma (Burdigalian; Early Miocene) by means of U–Pb zircon dating. The vertebrate association is encompassed by the Santacrucian Age. Latitudinal separation between Mendoza and Patagonia in the south would have favored taxonomic differences, as reflected in the species of Nesodon. = Wir beschreiben eine neue Art der Toxodontiden, Nesodon taweretus sp. nov., aus der Aisol-Formation in der Provinz Mendoza, im Zentralwesten von Argentinien. Nesodon ist ein häufig vorkommendes Taxon der Toxodontidae, die zu den Notoungulaten, einer ausgestorbenen Gruppe von endemischen Säugetieren des Känozoikums in Südamerika, gehören und den rezenten gehuften Ungulata ökologisch ähnlich waren. Der Holotyp von N. taweretus sp. nov. ist ein Schädel, dem wir vorläufig einige Unterkieferfragmente und postkraniale Knochen zuweisen. N. taweretus sp. nov. unterscheidet sich von den anderen Nesodon-Arten in mehreren Merkmalen des Schädels und der Bezahnung. Enge Vergleiche wurden mit dem aus Patagonien stammenden und in der Santa-Cruz-Formation (Santacruzium, frühes Miozän) verbreiteten Nesodon imbricatus gemacht. Das Material ist von ähnlicher Grösse wie N. imbricatus, Schätzungen der Körpermasse ist etwa 550 kg. Die phylogenetische Analyse gruppiert N. taweretus sp. nov. mit anderen Arten von Nesodon. Das absolute Alter der Aisol-Formation wurde mittels der U–Pb Zirkondatierung auf etwa 19.480 ± 0.025 Ma (Burdigalium, Unteres Miozäns) gesetzt. Die Wirbeltiervergesellschaftung in das Santacruzium eingeschlossen worden. Latitudinale Trennung zwischen Mendoza und Patagonien im Süden hätte taxonomischen Unterschiede begünstigt, wie das anhand der Arten von Nesodon widergegeben ist

Joint effect of obesity and TNFA variability on asthma: two international cohort studies

Obesity is a risk factor for asthma. Adipose tissue expresses pro-inflammatory molecules including tumour necrosis factor (TNF), and levels of TNF are also related to polymorphisms in the TNF-a (TNFA) gene. The current authors examined the joint effect of obesity and TNFA variability on asthma in adults by combining two population-based studies. The European Community Respiratory Health Survey and the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Disease in Adults used comparable protocols, questionnaires and measures of lung function and atopy. DNA samples from 9,167 participants were genotyped for TNFA -308 and lymphotoxin-a (LTA) +252 gene variants. Obesity and TNFA were associated with asthma when mutually adjusting for their independent effects (odds ratio (OR) for obesity 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7–3.2; OR for TNFA -308 polymorphism 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.6). The association of obesity with asthma was stronger for subjects carrying the G/A and A/A TNFA -308 genotypes compared with the more common G/G genotype, particularly among nonatopics (OR for G/A and A/A genotypes 6.1, 95% CI 2.5–14.4; OR for G/G genotype 1.7, 95% CI 0.8–3.3). The present findings provide, for the first time, evidence for a complex pattern of interaction between obesity, a pro-inflammatory genetic factor and asthma