Potential Factors Influencing Repeated SARS Outbreaks in China.

Within last 17 years two widespread epidemics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in China, which were caused by related coronaviruses (CoVs): SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Although the origin(s) of these viruses are still unknown and their occurrences in nature are mysterious, some general patterns of their pathogenesis and epidemics are noticeable. Both viruses utilize the same receptor-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-for invading human bodies. Both epidemics occurred in cold dry winter seasons celebrated with major holidays, and started in regions where dietary consumption of wildlife is a fashion. Thus, if bats were the natural hosts of SARS-CoVs, cold temperature and low humidity in these times might provide conducive environmental conditions for prolonged viral survival in these regions concentrated with bats. The widespread existence of these bat-carried or -released viruses might have an easier time in breaking through human defenses when harsh winter makes human bodies more vulnerable. Once succeeding in making some initial human infections, spreading of the disease was made convenient with increased social gathering and holiday travel. These natural and social factors influenced the general progression and trajectory of the SARS epidemiology. However, some unique factors might also contribute to the origination of SARS in Wuhan. These factors are discussed in different scenarios in order to promote more research for achieving final validation.

Enhancing life cycle chemical exposure assessment through ontology modeling.

In its 2014 report, A Framework Guide for the Selection of Chemical Alternatives, the National Academy of Sciences placed increased emphasis on comparative exposure assessment throughout the life cycle (i.e., from manufacturing to end-of-life) of a chemical. The inclusion of the full life cycle greatly increases the data demands for exposure assessments, including both the quantity and type of data. High throughput tools for exposure estimation add to this challenge by requiring rapid accessibility to data. In this work, ontology modeling was used to bridge the domains of exposure modeling and life cycle inventory modeling to facilitate data sharing and integration. The exposure ontology, ExO, is extended to describe human exposure to consumer products, while an inventory modeling ontology, LciO, is formulated to support automated data mining. The core ontology pieces are connected using a bridging ontology and discussed through a theoretical example to demonstrate how data from LCA can be leveraged to support rapid exposure modeling within a life cycle context.

Recent advances in hidradenitis suppurativa in pediatrics.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that can cause significant physical, mental, and socioeconomic burden. There remains a paucity of literature on HS in the pediatric population. This systematic review highlights recent advances in pediatric HS in epidemiology, presentation, comorbidities, and management. PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases were used to identify trials and articles published on HS in pediatric patients between January 2015 and October 2019. A total of 39 articles were included. Current evidence suggests that pediatric onset HS may be associated with genetic factors along with endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. Delayed diagnosis in children with HS contributes to poor outcomes. Overall, children and adults with HS share similar lesion types and involved areas. Pediatric HS is associated with a number of comorbid conditions including acne, obesity, inflammatory joint disease, Down syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes. There are currently no pediatric treatment guidelines. Adalimumab is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe HS in children 12 and older. Other targeted immunomodulators and hormonal modulators are under investigation. Although the number of studies concerning HS are increasing, further investigation is warranted to better characterize HS, facilitate early diagnosis, and determine the best management for children.

The impact of airborne pollution on atopic dermatitis: a literature review.

The increasing prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) parallels a global rise in industrialization and urban living over recent decades. This shift in lifestyle is accompanied by greater cutaneous exposure to environmental pollutants during the course of daily activities. The objectives of this review are to highlight the effects of airborne pollution on epidermal barrier function, examine evidence on the relationship between pollutants and AD, synthesize a proposed mechanism for pollution-induced exacerbation of AD, and identify potential methods for the reduction and prevention of pollutant-induced skin damage. The literature review was done by searching the PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar databases. Inclusion criteria were in vitro and animal studies, clinical trials and case series. Non-English-language publications, review articles and case reports were excluded. Pollutants induce cutaneous oxidative stress and have been shown to damage skin barrier integrity by altering transepidermal water loss, inflammatory signalling, stratum corneum pH and the skin microbiome. AD represents a state of inherent barrier dysfunction, and both long- and short-term pollutant exposure have been linked to exacerbation of AD symptoms and increased AD rates in population studies. Airborne pollutants have a detrimental effect on skin barrier integrity and AD symptoms, and appear to pose a multifaceted threat in AD through several parallel mechanisms, including oxidative damage, barrier dysfunction, immune stimulation and propagation of the itch-scratch cycle. Future research is needed to elucidate specific mechanisms of pollution-induced epidermal barrier dysfunction and to identify efficacious methods of skin barrier repair and protection against pollutant-driven damage.

A meta-analysis of selected near-road air pollutants based on concentration decay rates.

Traffic-related air pollution has been associated with various health risks for human populations living near roadways. Understanding the relationship between traffic density and dispersion of vehicle-released air pollutants is important for assessing human exposure to near-road air pollutants. We performed a literature survey targeting publications containing measurement data of traffic-related air pollutants near roads with distance information on their concentration distribution. Concentration decay rates over down-wind distance away from major roads were calculated for black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO2 or NOx) and meta-data analysis on these rates was performed. These analyses showed metadata-based exponential decay rates of 0.0026, 0.0019, 0.0004, and 0.0027 m-1 for BC, CO, NO2 and NOx, respectively. Using these measurement data-based decay rates, concentrations for BC, CO, NO2 and NOx over various near-road distances were predicted. These results are useful for enhancing exposure modeling and thus more reliably assessing the health risk of exposure to near road air pollution.

In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy: Emerging Role in Noninvasive Diagnosis and Monitoring of Eczematous Dermatoses. / Microscopia confocal de reflectancia in vivo: papel emergente en el diagnóstico no invasivo, así como en el seguimiento de las dermatosis eccematosas.

Dermatologic diagnosis and monitoring have been dependent largely on visual grading. A skin biopsy is performed in case of diagnostic uncertainty, but can be traumatic, and results are delayed due to time for specimen transport and processing. Biopsies also destroy specimens, prohibiting lesion evolution monitoring. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) offers a diagnostic alternative to skin biopsy. RCM captures real-time, high-resolution images, and has been piloted for the evaluation of various dermatologic conditions. Identification of unique RCM features may distinguish dermatoses with similar clinical morphologies. Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) are diagnosed by patch testing that currently uses a subjective scoring system. RCM has increasingly been studied for early detection and severity grading of CD. Common RCM features shared by ACD and ICD are stratum corneum disruption, vesicle formation, exocytosis, spongiosis, and parakeratosis. Features unique to ACD are vasodilation, increased epidermal thickness, intercellular edema, and acanthosis. Features unique to ICD are detached corneocytes and targetoid keratinocytes. This review summarizes the use of RCM in evaluating contact eccematous conditions and aims to spark future research and interest in this promising tool.

The impact of stress on epidermal barrier function: an evidence-based review.

BACKGROUND: The epidermal barrier functions to limit skin infection and inflammation by inhibiting irritant and immunogen invasion. Abundant evidence suggests that psychological stress stemming from crowding, isolation, nicotine smoking, insomnia, mental arithmetic tasks, physical pain, real-life stressors (examinations and marital strain) and lack of positive personality traits may impart both acute and chronic epidermal dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: To review the relationship between stress and epidermal barrier dysfunction. METHODS: A review of the PubMed and Embase databases was conducted to identify all English-language case-control, cross-sectional and randomized control trials that have reported the effect of stress on epidermal barrier function. The authors' conclusions are based on the available evidence from 21 studies that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Psychological stressors upregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to stimulate local and systemic stress hormone production. This ultimately leads to aberrant barrier dysfunction, characterized by decreased epidermal lipid and structural protein production, decreased stratum corneum hydration and increased transepidermal water loss. CONCLUSIONS: This evidence-based review explores the adverse effects of psychological stressors on epidermal barrier function. Future investigations using more real-life stressors are needed to elucidate further their impact on skin physiology and identify practical stress-relieving therapies that minimize and restore epidermal barrier dysfunction, particularly in at-risk populations. What's already known about this topic? The literature reports the negative effect of stress on prolonged wound healing. Less is known about the relationship between stress and epidermal barrier dysfunction, a chronic, superficial wound involving the upper epidermal layers. What does this study add? Psychological stressors impact epidermal barrier function by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to stimulate local and systemic stress hormone production. Stress hormones negatively affect the epidermal barrier by decreasing epidermal lipids and structural proteins, decreasing stratum corneum hydration and increasing transepidermal water loss. Identification of such stressors can promote stress-avoidance and stress-reduction behaviours that protect epidermal barrier function and prevent certain dermatological conditions.

Topical micronutrients in atopic dermatitis-An evidence-based review.

The role of dietary factors is an important and controversial topic in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). Despite the preponderance of consumer products utilizing oral micronutrients supplementation for relief AD symptoms, less attention has been paid on the utility of topical micronutrients, specifically for individuals with AD. We review evidence on topical formulations of vitamins (A, B, C, D, and E) and trace minerals (magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iodine) for treatment of AD. While topical B, C, and E formulations appear to provide some benefit to AD individuals, topical vitamin A has no utility, and topical vitamin D may exacerbate symptoms. Magnesium, zinc, and iodine all appear to improve AD through anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects, though future studies must evaluate their use as monotherapy. The exposition of the effects that topical micronutrients have on AD offers an adjuvant treatment modality for this common inflammatory dermatosis.

Epithelial barrier dysfunctions in atopic dermatitis: a skin-gut-lung model linking microbiome alteration and immune dysregulation.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a systemic disorder characterized by abnormal barrier function across multiple organ sites. Causes of epidermal barrier breakdown are complex and driven by a combination of structural, genetic, environmental and immunological factors. In addition, alteration in microflora diversity can influence disease severity, duration, and response to treatment. Clinically, atopic dermatitis can progress from skin disease to food allergy, allergic rhinitis, and later asthma, a phenomenon commonly known as the atopic march. The mechanism by which atopic dermatitis progresses towards gastrointestinal or airway disease remains to be elucidated. OBJECTIVES: This review addresses how epithelial dysfunction linking microbiome alteration and immune dysregulation can predispose to the development of the atopic march. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using the PubMed database for relevant articles with the keywords 'atopic dermatitis', 'epithelial barrier', 'skin', 'gut', 'lung', 'microbiome' and 'immune dysregulation'. RESULTS: Initial disruption in the skin epidermal barrier permits allergen sensitization and colonization by pathogens. This induces a T helper 2 inflammatory response and a thymic stromal lymphopoietin-mediated pathway that further promotes barrier breakdown at distant sites, including the intestinal and respiratory tract. CONCLUSIONS: As there are no immediate cures for food allergy or asthma, early intervention aimed at protecting the skin barrier and effective control of local and systemic inflammation may improve long-term outcomes and reduce allergen sensitization in the airway and gut.

Evaluation of Traffic Density Parameters as an Indicator of Vehicle Emission-Related Near-Road Air Pollution: A Case Study with NEXUS Measurement Data on Black Carbon.

An important factor in evaluating health risk of near-road air pollution is to accurately estimate the traffic-related vehicle emission of air pollutants. Inclusion of traffic parameters such as road length/area, distance to roads, and traffic volume/intensity into models such as land use regression (LUR) models has improved exposure estimation. To better understand the relationship between vehicle emissions and near-road air pollution, we evaluated three traffic density-based indices: Major-Road Density (MRD), All-Traffic Density (ATD) and Heavy-Traffic Density (HTD) which represent the proportions of major roads, major road with annual average daily traffic (AADT), and major road with commercial annual average daily traffic (CAADT) in a buffered area, respectively. We evaluated the potential of these indices as vehicle emission-specific near-road air pollutant indicators by analyzing their correlation with black carbon (BC), a marker for mobile source air pollutants, using measurement data obtained from the Near-road Exposures and Effects of Urban Air Pollutants Study (NEXUS). The average BC concentrations during a day showed variations consistent with changes in traffic volume which were classified into high, medium, and low for the morning rush hours, the evening rush hours, and the rest of the day, respectively. The average correlation coefficients between BC concentrations and MRD, ATD, and HTD, were 0.26, 0.18, and 0.48, respectively, as compared with -0.31 and 0.25 for two commonly used traffic indicators: nearest distance to a major road and total length of the major road. HTD, which includes only heavy-duty diesel vehicles in its traffic count, gives statistically significant correlation coefficients for all near-road distances (50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 m) that were analyzed. Generalized linear model (GLM) analyses show that season, traffic volume, HTD, and distance from major roads are highly related to BC measurements. Our analyses indicate that traffic density parameters may be more specific indicators of near-road BC concentrations for health risk studies. HTD is the best index for reflecting near-road BC concentrations which are influenced mainly by the emissions of heavy-duty diesel engines.

Biodiversity management of organic farming enhances agricultural sustainability.

Organic farming (OF) has been believed to be capable of curtailing some hazardous effects associated with chemical farming (CF). However, debates also exist on whether OF can feed a world with increasing human population. We hypothesized that some improvements on OF may produce adequate crops and reduce environmental pollutions from CF. This paper makes comparative analysis of crop yield, soil organic matter and economic benefits within the practice on Biodiversity Management of Organic Farming (BMOF) at Hongyi Organic Farm (HOF) over eight years and between BMOF and CF. Linking crop production with livestock to maximal uses of by-products from each production and avoid xenobiotic chemicals, we have achieved beneficial improvement in soil properties, effective pest and weed control, and increased crop yields. After eight years experiment, we have obtained a gradual but stable increase in crop yields with a 9.6-fold increase of net income. The net income of HOF was 258,827 dollars and 24,423 dollars in 2014 and 2007 respectively. Thus, BMOF can not only feed more population, but also increase adaptive capacity of agriculture ecosystems and gain much higher economic benefits.