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Background: Exposure to traffic has been associated with asthma outcomes in children, but its effect on asthma in adults has not been well studied. Objective: To test the hypothesis that lung function and health status are associated with traffic exposures. Methods: We measured FEV1 % predicted, general health status using the Physical Component Scale of the 12-item Short Form (SF-12 PCS), and quality of life (QoL) using the Marks Asthma Quality of Life questionnaire in a cohort of adults with asthma or rhinitis (n = 176; 145 with asthma). We assessed exposures to traffic by geocoding subjects'' residential addresses and assigning distance to roadways. Associations between distance to nearest roadway and distance to nearest major roadway and FEV1 % predicted or SF-12 PCS were studied by using linear regression. Results: FEV1 % predicted was positively associated with distance from both nearest roadway (P = .01) and nearest major roadway (P = .02). SF-12 PCS and QoL were not significantly associated with either traffic variable. Adjustment for income, smoking, and obesity did not substantively change the associations of the traffic variables with FEV1 % predicted (P = .04 for nearest roadway and P = .02 for nearest major roadway) and did not cause associations with either SF-12 PCS or QoL to become significant. Conclusions: Traffic exposure was associated with decreased lung function in adults with asthma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Contexte : Une étude descriptive de l’automédication a été réalisée chez les plongeurs en scaphandre autonome français. Matériels et méthodes : Sur 220 plongeurs interrogés par autoquestionnaire anonyme, nous avons obtenu 106 réponses. Résultats : Quinze pour cent des répondeurs prennent un traitement au long cours, et 60,33 % ponctuellement en cours de plongée, avec un taux de prescription médicale de 37 %. Les antalgiques représentent 43,5 % des médicaments consommés occasionnellement, suivis par la cortisone (14,5 %) et les antinaupathiques. L’étude détaillée de la prise d’aspirine ou de cortisone montre leur détournement à but dopant et la prise de risque liée au profil de plongée pratiquée. La possible influence du médicament sur la plongée est reconnue par 72,6 % mais seulement 59,4 % estiment prendre un risque. Mots clés : automédication, plongée sous-marine, dopage Abstract Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate drug use amongst French scuba divers. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 220 people, out of which 106 responded. Results: Fifteen percent of respondents were receiving long-term medication whereas 60.33% of respondents reported taking medication only occasionally when diving. Thirty-seven percent of respondents were taking prescribed medicines. Drugs consumed occasionally included analgesics (43.5%), corticosteroids (14.5%) and antiemetics. A detailed study of aspirin and steroid consumption revealed their misuse for performance-enhancing purposes, the level of risk varying with the type of diving activity. The influence of drug use on personal performance was recognised by 72.6% of divers, but only 59.4% considered that they were putting themselves at risk by self-medicating. Keywords: self-medication, scuba diving, doping Texte reçu le 29 avril 2004 ; accepté le 8 novembre 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies evaluating the health impacts of climate change, predict that the frequency and intensity of wildfires will increase as climate change creates longer, warmer, and drier seasons. Although respiratory morbidity in the immediate aftermath of wildfires is well documented for pediatric populations, other acute and chronic health effects from wildfires for pediatric populations are less well known. This manuscript addresses questions that arise for families, healthcare providers and school districts in areas affected by wildfires and reviews key messages that healthcare providers may provide to pediatric patients and families to minimize adverse health effects from exposure to the smoke and ash from wildfires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Urbanization will occur in several hazard-prone areas, driving up the potential for climate change induced damages. • Digitalization impacts communities' socio-economic dynamics by using innovative high-tech tools to transform conventional work approaches. • Key Digitalization concepts offer opportunities to aid sustainable adaptation planning in existing and future urban centers. • Digitalization can help minimize the impacts of climate change related shocks and stresses in urban centers. • Technical limitations, funding, infrastructure deficit and social barriers are major challenges to effective digitalization. Digitalization is a key enabler of sustainable development of cities' socio-economic dynamics with the potential to foster climate-friendly urban environments and societies. The advent of the 4th industrial revolution has seen the increased application of digitalization in several fields and at different levels. High-tech digital devices, platforms and environments are increasingly being deployed to enhance productivity, efficiency and sustainability, and improve overall well-being of urban dwellers. Digitalization is projected to further impact cities in future, transform jobs and trigger life-style changes with far-reaching impacts that will ultimately affect cities' resilience and adaptation capacities. While a growing body of research has highlighted the significance of digitalization to climate change mitigation such as reducing GHG and CO 2 emissions, comprehensive evaluations of the potentials of digitalization as an enabler of climate change adaptation remain scarce. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the current trend in digital revolution in relation to climate change adaptation and examines the likely challenges of digitalization. A desk research method was adopted, focusing on core digitalization concepts driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0). Nine case studies in cities across various continents were selected to assess the potentials of digitalization in addressing climatic hazards and to highlight benefits from implementing digitalization, while considering the social-ecological-technological challenges and tensions around IR 4.0. Our findings reveal the capabilities of digitalization in supporting more effective early warning and emergency response systems, enhancing food and water security, improving power infrastructure performance, enabling citizen engagement and participatory adaptation measures and minimizing the impacts of climatic hazards. Finally, we recommend feasible pathways to overcome present risks and challenges in order to optimize the numerous opportunities offered by digitalization in support of climate change adaptation initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample cell making it possible to perform synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction experiments in a magnetic field of 0.35 T has been constructed. The device is an add-on to an existing sample cell and contains a strong permanent magnet of NdFeB-type. Experiments have shown that the setup is working satisfactory making it possible to perform in-field measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma is the most frequent chronic disease in children, and children are at high risk for adverse health consequences associated with ambient air pollution (AAP) exposure. Regulatory T (Treg) cells are suppressors of immune responses involved in asthma pathogenesis. Treg-cell impairment is associated with increased DNA methylation of Forkhead box transcription factor 3 (Foxp3), a key transcription factor in Treg-cell activity. Because AAP exposure can induce epigenetic changes, we hypothesized that Treg-cell function would be impaired by AAP, allowing amplification of an inflammatory response. Objectives: To assess whether exposure to AAP led to hypermethylation of the Foxp3 gene, causing impaired Treg-cell suppression and worsened asthma symptom scores. Methods: Children with and without asthma from Fresno, Calif (high pollution, Fresno Asthma Group [FA], n = 71, and Fresno Non Asthmatic Group, n = 30, respectively), and from Stanford, Calif (low pollution, Stanford Asthma Group, n = 40, and Stanford Non Asthmatic Group, n = 40), were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Peripheral blood Treg cells were used in functional and epigenetic studies. Asthma outcomes were assessed by Global Initiative in Asthma score. Results: Fresno Asthma Group Treg-cell suppression was impaired and FA Treg-cell chemotaxis were reduced compared with other groups (P ≤ .05). Treg-cell dysfunction was associated with more pronounced decreases in asthma Global Initiative in Asthma score in FA versus the Stanford Asthma Group. Foxp3 was decreased in FA compared with the Fresno Non Asthmatic Group (P ≤ .05). FA also contained significantly higher levels of methylation at the Foxp3 locus (P ≤ .05). Conclusion: Increased exposure to AAP is associated with hypermethylation of the Foxp3 locus, impairing Treg-cell function and increasing asthma morbidity. AAP could play a role in mediating epigenetic changes in Treg cells, which may worsen asthma by an immune mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]