BackgroundPhysical inactivity, ambient air pollution and obesity are modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases, with the first accounting for 10% of premature deaths worldwide. Although community level interventions may target each simultaneously, research on the relationship between these risk factors is lacking.ObjectivesAfter comparing spatial interpolation methods to determine the best predictor for particulate matter (PM2.5; PM10) and ozone (O3) exposures throughout the U.S., we evaluated the cross-sectional association of ambient air pollution with leisure-time physical inactivity among adults.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we assessed leisure-time physical inactivity using individual self-reported survey data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. These data were combined with county-level U.S. Environmental Protection Agency air pollution exposure estimates using two interpolation methods (Inverse Distance Weighting and Empirical Bayesian Kriging). Finally, we evaluated whether those exposed to higher levels of air pollution were less active by performing logistic regression, adjusting for demographic and behavioral risk factors, and after stratifying by body weight category.ResultsWith Empirical Bayesian Kriging air pollution values, we estimated a statistically significant 16–35% relative increase in the odds of leisure-time physical inactivity per exposure class increase of PM2.5 in the fully adjusted model across the normal weight respondents (p-value<0.0001). Evidence suggested a relationship between the increasing dose of PM2.5 exposure and the increasing odds of physical inactivity.ConclusionsIn a nationally representative, cross-sectional sample, increased community level air pollution is associated with reduced leisure-time physical activity particularly among the normal weight. Although our design precludes a causal inference, these results provide additional evidence that air pollution should be investigated as an environmental determinant of inactivity.

An objective of the Built Environment and Active Play (BEAP) Study was to examine whether home built environment, bedroom electronic presence, parental rules and demographics predicted children's sedentary behavior (SB). In 2014, BEAP Study questionnaires were mailed to 2000 parents of children (7–12 years) within the Washington DC area. SB-Duration (hours/day) and SB-Frequency (days/week) were assessed by two questions with multiple subparts relating to SB activity type (e.g. car riding) and SB companionship (e.g. friends). Built environment, bedroom electronic presence, parental rules and demographic data were obtained through questionnaire items and ordered logistic regression models were used to examine whether these variables were associated with SB. Study sample included 144 children (female (50%); average age (9.7 years); White (56.3%); Black/African-American (23.7%); Asian-Americans (10.4%)). Nearly 40% of the sample reported daily solitary SB with car riding being the most frequently reported type of SB. Children living on streets without a dead-end/cul-de-sac exhibited a higher odds in SB-Duration using electric media [2.61 (CI: 1.31, 5.18)] and having no television in a child's bedroom was associated with a lower odds in SB-Frequency [0.048 (CI: 0.006, 0.393)] and SB-Duration [0.085 (CI: 0.018, 0.395)]. Non-Hispanic/Latino children were also found to have higher odds in solitary SB-Frequency when parental rules of electronic use were modeled [8.56 (CI: 1.11, 66.01)]. Based on results from this cross-sectional study, home neighborhood built environment, bedroom electronic presence and absence of parental rules can significantly predict children's SB.

ObjectivePrevious research identified associations between perceived built environment and adult physical activity; however, fewer studies have explored associations in children. The Built Environment and Active Play (BEAP) Study examined relationships between children's active play and parental perceptions of home neighborhood built environments within the Washington, DC metropolitan area (DMV).MethodsWith this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was administered in 2014 to parents of children (7–12 years old) residing in the DMV. Data were collected on children's active play, home built environment parental perceptions, and demographics. Active play response data were dichotomized by whether the child did or did not meet the 60-min/day Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAGAs) recommendation. Perceived home neighborhood built environment data were also dichotomized. Chi-square tests determined differences in parental perceived built environment measures between active and non-active child groups. Logistic regression assessed the association of parental perceived built environment variables with active play while adjusting for demographic variables.ResultsThe BEAP Study population (n = 144) included a uniquely diverse population of children with 23.7% African Americans and 10.4% Asian Americans. A statistically significant greater proportion of active children's parents agreed with the importance of neighborhood esthetics, active play areas, walkability and safety as compared to the parents of non-active children. Fully adjusted logistic regression models demonstrated that some parental perceived built environment measures (e.g. access to play equipment) were predictors of their children meeting the 60-min/day PAGA recommendation.ConclusionOur findings support the important role of home neighborhood built environment perceptions on childhood active play.

Both the immediate insult and delayed apoptosis contribute to functional deficits after brain injury. Secondary, delayed apoptotic death is more rapid in immature than in adult CNS neurons, suggesting the presence of age-dependent protective factors. To understand the molecular pathobiology of secondary injury in the context of brain development, we identified changes in expression of oxidative stress response genes during postnatal development and target deprivation-induced neurodegeneration. The antioxidants metallothionein I and II (MT I/II) were increased markedly in the thalamus of adult C57BL/6 mice compared to mice <15 days old. Target deprivation generates reactive oxygen species that mediate neuronal apoptosis in the central nervous system; thus the more rapid apoptosis observed in the immature brain might be due to lower levels of MT I/II. We tested this hypothesis by documenting neuronal loss after target-deprivation injury. MT I/II-deficient adult mice experienced greater thalamic neuron loss at 96 hr after cortical injury compared to that in controls (80 +/- 2% vs. 57 +/- 4%, P < 0.01), but not greater overall neuronal loss (84 +/- 4% vs. 79 +/- 3%, MT I/II-deficient vs. controls). Ten-day-old MT I/II-deficient mice, however, experienced both faster onset of secondary neuronal death (30 vs. 48 hr) and greater overall neuronal loss (88 +/- 2% vs. 69 +/- 4%, P = 0.02). MT I/II are thus inhibitors of age-dependent secondary brain injury, and the low levels of MT I/II in immature brains explains, in part, the enhanced susceptibility of the young brain to neuronal loss after injury. These findings have implications for the development of age-specific therapeutic strategies to enhance recovery after brain injury.

BackgroundResearch has demonstrated that children who participate in active play are more likely to be physically active, thereby improving long-term health outcomes. Many adult studies have also shown that neighborhood built environments can encourage or discourage routine physical activity. Limited evidence has demonstrated that children who reside in neighborhoods with a built environment that is more inviting to active play exhibit lower overweight and obesity rates as well as an overall better state of well-being. This Built Environment and Active Play (BEAP) Study aims to develop a neighborhood playability rating system in the Washington, DC (DMV) area. Similar to walkability scores, these playability scores will estimate how affable a neighborhood is to active play. The BEAP Study will attempt to provide a broad view of factors influencing the level and type of active play among children.Methods/DesignUsing a cross-sectional design, the BEAP Study will collect data using a mail questionnaire administered to the parents and/or guardians of 2000 children aged 7-12 years residing in select DMV areas in October of 2014. Questionnaire data, including information on active play, home and neighborhood characteristics, parental perceptions, and sociodemographic characteristics will be merged through a geographic information system (GIS) with objective built environment measures in the participants’ neighborhoods. An ordered logit model will be used to regress an ordinal active play outcome on built environment exposure variables while adjusting for potential confounders. Upon the construction of the final model, predictor coefficients will be used as parameters in the scoring system to develop neighborhood playability scores.DiscussionThe BEAP Study intends to generate a neighborhood playability index by characterizing and quantifying children’s active play using parent-reported physical activity data in children, GIS data and built environment measures in participant neighborhoods. The BEAP Study will improve our understanding of the built environment and childhood playability relationship while also contributing to the body of evidence-based built environment and physical activity research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13690-015-0070-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The clinical manifestations of inflicted traumatic brain injury in infancy most commonly result from intracranial hemorrhage, axonal stretch and disruption, and cerebral edema. Often hypoxia ischemia is superimposed, leading to early forebrain and later thalamic neurodegeneration. Such acute and delayed cellular injury activates microglia in the CNS. Although activated microglia provide important benefits in response to injury, microglial release of reactive oxygen species can be harmful to axotomized neurons. We have previously shown that the antioxidants metallothionein I and II (MT I & II) promote geniculocortical neuronal survival after visual cortex lesioning. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of MT I & II on the density and rate of thalamic microglial activation and accumulation following in vivo axotomy. We ablated the visual cortex of 10-day-old and adult MT I & II knock out (MT(-/-)) and wild-type mice and then determined the density of microglia in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) over time. Compared to the wild-type strain, microglial activation occurred earlier in both young and adult MT(-/-) mice. Similarly, microglial density was significantly greater in young MT(-/-) mice 30, 36, and 48 hours after injury, and 3, 4, and 5 days after injury in MT(-/-) adults. In both younger and older mice, time and MT I & II deficiency each contributed significantly to greater microglial density. Only in younger mice did MT I & II expression significantly slow the rate (density x time) of microglial accumulation. These results suggest that augmentation of MT I & II expression may provide therapeutic benefits to infants with inflicted brain injury.

<p> Here, we describe a simple, efficient formulation of a novel library of β-cyclodextrin-poly (β-amino ester) networks (CDN) to achieve this goal. We observed that network architecture was a critical determinant of CDN encapsulation of candidate molecules, with a more hydrophobic core enabling effective self-assembly and a PEGylated surface enabling high loading (up to ~30% w/w), effective self assembly of the nanoparticle, and slow release of drug into aqueous media (24 days) for the model <i>HDACi</i> panobinostat. Optimized CDN nanoparticles were taken up by GL261 cells in culture, and released panobinostat was confirmed to be bioactive. Pharmacokinetic analyses demonstrated that panobinostat was delivered to the brainstem, cerebellum, and upper spinal cord following intrathecal administration via cisterna magna injection in healthy mice. We next constructed a library of CDNs to encapsulate various small, hydrophobic, ionizable molecules (panobinostat, quisinostat, dacinostat, givinostat, and bortezomib, camptothecin, nile red, and cytarabine), which yielded important insights into the structural requirements for effective drug loading and CDN self-assembly. Taken in sum, these studies present a novel nanocarrier platform for encapsulation of <i>HDACi</i> via both ionic and hydrophobic interactions, which is an important step toward better treatment of disease via <i>HDACi</i> therapy.</p>

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