Rationale
Allergic diseases are an increasing public health concern, and early life environment is critical to immune development. Maternal diet during pregnancy has been linked to offspring allergy ...risk. In turn, maternal diet is a potentially modifiable factor, which could be targeted as an allergy prevention strategy. In this systematic review, we focused on non‐allergen‐specific modifying factors of the maternal diet in pregnancy on allergy outcomes in their offspring.
Methods
We undertook a systematic review of studies investigating the association between maternal diet during pregnancy and allergic outcomes (asthma/wheeze, hay fever/allergic rhinitis/seasonal allergies, eczema/atopic dermatitis (AD), food allergies, and allergic sensitization) in offspring. Studies evaluating the effect of food allergen intake were excluded. We searched three bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science) through February 26, 2019. Evidence was critically appraised using modified versions of the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool for intervention trials and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence methodological checklist for cohort and case‐control studies and meta‐analysis performed from RCTs.
Results
We identified 95 papers: 17 RCTs and 78 observational (case‐control, cross‐sectional, and cohort) studies. Observational studies varied in design and dietary intakes and often had contradictory findings. Based on our meta‐analysis, RCTs showed that vitamin D supplementation (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.56‐0.92) is associated with a reduced risk of wheeze/asthma. A positive trend for omega‐3 fatty acids was observed for asthma/wheeze, but this did not reach statistical significance (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.45‐1.08). Omega‐3 supplementation was also associated with a non‐significant decreased risk of allergic rhinitis (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.56‐1.04). Neither vitamin D nor omega‐3 fatty acids were associated with an altered risk of AD or food allergy.
Conclusions
Prenatal supplementation with vitamin D may have beneficial effects for prevention of asthma. Additional nutritional factors seem to be required for modulating the risk of skin and gastrointestinal outcomes. We found no consistent evidence regarding other dietary factors, perhaps due to differences in study design and host features that were not considered. While confirmatory studies are required, there is also a need for performing RCTs beyond single nutrients/foods.
Our systematic review focused on the maternal diet in pregnancy and allergy outcomes in the offspring. Results from the observational studies provided no conclusive evidence on whether the mother’s diet when pregnant affects the development of offspring allergic disease. Data from the randomized controlled trials indicated that vitamin D supplementation in doses higher than recommended by most countries, lead to a 30% reduction in offspring asthma. As a result, no recommendations about what pregnant women should eat or which supplements to take, to prevent their offspring from developing allergic disease can be made at this stage. Further studies should be performed, using standardised methods focusing on the total diet rather than one nutrient, using validated instruments to measure dietary intake and clearly defining the phenotype ad genetic characteristics of each woman.
Pulmonary damage caused by chronic colonization of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung by microbial communities is the proximal cause of respiratory failure. While there has been an effort to document the ...microbiome of the CF lung in pediatric and adult patients, little is known regarding the developing microflora in infants. We examined the respiratory and intestinal microbiota development in infants with CF from birth to 21 months. Distinct genera dominated in the gut compared to those in the respiratory tract, yet some bacteria overlapped, demonstrating a core microbiota dominated by Veillonella and Streptococcus. Bacterial diversity increased significantly over time, with evidence of more rapidly acquired diversity in the respiratory tract. There was a high degree of concordance between the bacteria that were increasing or decreasing over time in both compartments; in particular, a significant proportion (14/16 genera) increasing in the gut were also increasing in the respiratory tract. For 7 genera, gut colonization presages their appearance in the respiratory tract. Clustering analysis of respiratory samples indicated profiles of bacteria associated with breast-feeding, and for gut samples, introduction of solid foods even after adjustment for the time at which the sample was collected. Furthermore, changes in diet also result in altered respiratory microflora, suggesting a link between nutrition and development of microbial communities in the respiratory tract. Our findings suggest that nutritional factors and gut colonization patterns are determinants of the microbial development of respiratory tract microbiota in infants with CF and present opportunities for early intervention in CF with altered dietary or probiotic strategies.
While efforts have been focused on assessing the microbiome of pediatric and adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients to understand how chronic colonization by these microbes contributes to pulmonary damage, little is known regarding the earliest development of respiratory and gut microflora in infants with CF. Our findings suggest that colonization of the respiratory tract by microbes is presaged by colonization of the gut and demonstrated a role of nutrition in development of the respiratory microflora. Thus, targeted dietary or probiotic strategies may be an effective means to change the course of the colonization of the CF lung and thereby improve patient outcomes.
“LICIACube – the Light Italian Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids” is managed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and will be part of the NASA DART mission, with the aim of i) documenting the DART ...impact’s effects on the secondary member of the (65803) Didymos binary asteroid system, ii) characterizing the shape of the target, and iii) performing dedicated scientific investigations on it. DART probe will be launched at the end of 2021 and LICIACube will be hosted as piggyback during the interplanetary cruise, then released 10 days before the impact, and autonomously guided along its fly-by trajectory. The LICIACube payload is composed by LEIA, a narrow FoV camera, and LUKE, a wide FoV imager with an RGB Bayer pattern filter, that will collect and transmit to Earth several unique images of the effects of the DART impact on the asteroid, such as the formation and the development of the plume potentially determined by the impact.
LICIACube will be the first deep space mission developed and autonomously managed by an Italian team: the design, integration and test of the CubeSat have been assigned by ASI to the aerospace company Argotec, while the LICIACube Ground Segment has a complex architecture based on the Argotec Mission Control Center, antennas of the NASA Deep Space Network and data archiving and processing, managed at the ASI Space Science Data Center. The LICIACube team includes a wide Italian scientific community, involved in the definition of all the aspects of the mission: trajectory design; mission definition (and real-time orbit determination during operations); impact, plume and imaging simulation and modelling, in preparation of a suitable framework for the analysis and interpretation of in-situ data. The major technological mission challenge, i.e. the autonomous targeting and imaging of such a small body during a fast fly-by, to be accomplished with the limited resources of a CubeSat, is affordable thanks to a strong synergy of all the mentioned teams in support of the engineering tasks.
-LICIACube is the first purely Italian spacecraft operating in deep space.-LICIACube is managed by the Italian Space Agency and will be part of the NASA DART mission.-It will analyze the output of the first kinetic impact test at a realistic scale.-The payload is composed by LEIA, a narrow FoV camera, and LUKE, a wide FoV imager with an RGB Bayer pattern filter.-Aims: documenting the DART impact on Dimorphos; characterizing the target shape; performing scientific investigations.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a comprehensive neuromuscular training program on measures of performance and lower-extremity movement biomechanics in female athletes. The ...hypothesis was that significant improvements in measures of performance would be demonstrated concomitant with improved biomechanical measures related to anterior cruciate ligament injury risk. Forty-one female basketball, soccer, and volleyball players (age, 15.3 +/- 0.9 years; weight, 64.8 +/- 9.96 kg; height, 171.2 +/- 7.21 cm) underwent 6 weeks of training that included 4 main components (plyometric and movement, core strengthening and balance, resistance training, and speed training). Twelve age-, height-, and weight-matched controls underwent the same testing protocol twice 6 weeks apart. Trained athletes demonstrated increased predicted 1 repetition maximum squat (92%) and bench press (20%). Right and left single-leg hop distance increased 10.39 cm and 8.53 cm, respectively, and vertical jump also increased from 39.9 +/- 0.9 cm to 43.2 +/- 1.1 cm with training. Speed in a 9.1-m sprint improved from 1.80 +/- 0.02 seconds to 1.73 +/- 0.01 seconds. Pre- and posttest 3-dimensional motion analysis demonstrated increased knee flexion-extension range of motion during the landing phase of a vertical jump (right, 71.9 +/- 1.4 degrees to 76.9 +/- 1.4 degrees ; left, 71.3 +/- 1.5 degrees to 77.3 +/- 1.4 degrees ). Training decreased knee valgus (28%) and varus (38%) torques. Control subjects did not demonstrate significant alterations during the 6-week interval. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the combination of multiple-injury prevention-training components into a comprehensive program improves measures of performance and movement biomechanics.
The Kuiper quadrangle (H06) is located at the equatorial zone of Mercury and encompasses the area between 288°E - 360°E and 22.5°N - 22.5°S. Using the NASA MESSENGER data, we compiled a geological ...map of the quadrangle at a 1:3,000,000 scale. The mapping was mainly based on photo-interpretation of an MDIS (Mercury Dual Imaging System) monochrome 166 m/pixel basemap. Additional datasets were also considered: stereo-DTM of the region, mosaics with high-incidence illumination, and the MDIS global color mosaic. The map shows that the quadrangle is characterized by the prevalence of crater materials which are distinguished into three classes based on their degradation degree. Different plain units were also identified and classified on the basis of their density of cratering. Several structures, mainly represented by contractional faults, were mapped in all quadrangle areas. The map represents the first complete geologic survey of H06 at this scale and provides a highly detailed analysis of the Kuiper quadrangle's surface geology.
The global tectonics of Mercury is dominated by contractional features mainly represented by lobate scarps, high relief ridges, and wrinkle ridges. These structures are the expression of thrust ...faults and are linear or arcuate features widely distributed on Mercury. Locally, these structures are arranged in long systems characterized by a preferential orientation and non-random spatial distribution. In this work we identified five thrust systems, generally longer than 1000 km. They were named after the main structure or crater encompassed by the system as: Thakur, Victoria, Villa Lobos, Al-Hamadhani, and Enterprise. In order to gain clues about their formation, we dated them using the buffered crater counting technique, which can be applied to derive the ages of linear landforms such as faults, ridges and channels. To estimate the absolute age for the end of the thrust system’s activity, we applied both Le Feuvre and Wieczorek Production Function and Neukum Production Functions. Moreover, to further confirm the results obtained with the buffered crater counting method, the classic stratigraphic approach has been adopted, in which a faulted and an unfaulted craters were dated for each system. The results gave consistent ages and suggested that the most movements along major structures all over Mercury most likely ended at about 3.6–3.8 Ga. This gives new clues to better understand the tectonics of the planet and, therefore, its thermal evolution. Indeed, the early occurrence of tectonic activity in the planet’s history, well before than predicted by the thermophysical models, coupled with the orientation and spatial distribution of the thrust systems, suggests that other processes beside global contraction, like mantle downwelling or tidal despinning, could have contributed to the first stage of the planet’s history.
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•Activity along thrust systems all over Mercury has most likely ended at about 3.6–3.7 Ga.•Dating thrust systems gave new clues to better understanding the thermal evolution of the planet.•Tidal despinning and/or mantle convection may have contributed to Mercury evolution.
Context. During the period between 15 September 2014 and 4 February 2015, the Rosetta spacecraft accomplished the circular orbit phase around the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P). The ...Grain Impact Analyzer and Dust Accumulator (GIADA) onboard Rosetta monitored the 67P coma dust environment for the entire period. Aims. We aim to describe the dust spatial distribution in the coma of comet 67P by means of in situ measurements. We determine dynamical and physical properties of cometary dust particles to support the study of the production process and dust environment modification. Methods. We analyzed GIADA data with respect to the observation geometry and heliocentric distance to describe the coma dust spatial distribution of 67P, to monitor its activity, and to retrieve information on active areas present on its nucleus. We combined GIADA detection information with calibration activity to distinguish different types of particles that populate the coma of 67P: compact particles and fluffy porous aggregates. By means of particle dynamical parameters measured by GIADA, we studied the dust acceleration region. Results. GIADA was able to distinguish different types of particles populating the coma of 67P: compact particles and fluffy porous aggregates. Most of the compact particle detections occurred at latitudes and longitudes where the spacecraft was in view of the comet’s neck region of the nucleus, the so-called Hapi region. This resulted in an oscillation of the compact particle abundance with respect to the spacecraft position and a global increase as the comet moved from 3.36 to 2.43 AU heliocentric distance. The speed of these particles, having masses from 10-10 to 10-7 kg, ranged from 0.3 to 12.2 m s-1. The variation of particle mass and speed distribution with respect to the distance from the nucleus gave indications of the dust acceleration region. The influence of solar radiation pressure on micron and submicron particles was studied. The integrated dust mass flux collected from the Sun direction, that is, particles reflected by solar radiation pressure, was three times higher than the flux coming directly from the comet nucleus. The awakening 67P comet shows a strong dust flux anisotropy, confirming what was suggested by on-ground dust coma observations performed in 2008.
Context. From August 2014 to September 2016, Rosetta escorted comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P) during its journey around the Sun. One of the aims of Rosetta was to characterize cometary activity ...and the consequent formation of dust flux structures in cometary comae. Aims. We characterize and quantify the submicrometer- to micrometer-sized dust flux that may be shaped in privileged directions within the coma of 67P inbound to and outbound from perihelion. Methods. The in situ dust-measuring instrument GIADA, part of the Rosetta/ESA payload, consisted of three subsystems, one of which was the Micro Balance Subsystem (MBS), composed of five quartz crystal microbalances. From May 2014 to September 2016, MBS measured the submicrometer- to micrometer-sized deposited dust mass every 5 min. Results. We characterized the submicrometer- to micrometer-sized dust mass flux in the coma of 67P. The anti-sunward and the radial direction are preferred, and the flux is higher in the anti-sunward direction. The measured cumulative dust mass in the anti-sunward direction is 2.38 ± 0.04 × 10−7 kg, and in the radial direction, it is 1.18 ± 0.02 × 10−7 kg. We explain the anti-sunward dust flux as the effect of nonuniform gas emission between the night- and dayside of the nucleus, which acts in combination with the solar radiation pressure. We compared the cumulated dust mass of particles ≤5 μm with particles ≥100 μm. The retrieved ratio of ≈2% implies a differential size distribution index of ≈−3.0, which confirms that particles of size ≥0.1 mm dominate the dust coma cross-section of 67P during the entire orbit. Conclusions. Submicrometer- to micrometer-sized dust mass flux measurements were made for the first time from the arising of cometary activity until its extinction. They indicate that these particles do not provide a substantial optical scattering in the coma of 67P with respect to the scattering caused by millimeter-sized particles. In addition, MBS data reveal that the measured dust flux is highly anisotropic: anti-sunward plus radial.
ABSTRACT
We characterized the 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko’s dust activity, by analysing individual dust particle velocity and momentum measurements of Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator ...(GIADA), the dust detector onboard the ESA/Rosetta spacecraft, collecting dust from tens to hundreds of kilometres from the nucleus. Specifically, we developed a procedure to trace back the motion of dust particles down to the nucleus, identifying the surface’s region ejecting each dust particle. This procedure has been developed and validated for the first part of the mission by Longobardo et al. and was extended to the entire GIADA data set in this work. The results based on this technique allowed us to investigate the link between the dust porosity (fluffy/compact) and the morphology of the ejecting surface (rough/smooth). We found that fluffy and compact particles, despite the lack of correlation in their coma spatial distribution (at large nucleocentric distances) induced by their different velocities, have common ejection regions. In particular, the correlation between the distributions of fluffy and compact particles is maintained up to an altitude of about 10 km. Fluffy particles are more abundant in rough terrains. This could be the result of past cometary activity that resurfaced the smooth terrains and/or of the comet formation process that stored the fluffy particles inside the voids between the pebbles. The variation of fluffy particle concentration between rough and smooth terrains agrees with predictions of comet formation models. Finally, no correlation between dust distribution on the nucleus and surface thermal properties was found.
Aims. We present observations of 523676 (2013 UL10), a centaur orbiting between Jupiter and Uranus that is dynamically similar to the few tens of active centaurs that are currently known. Methods. We ...analysed visible BVR images of the centaur obtained at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain) to investigate the weak comet-like activity and to derive information on the nucleus surface colours and size. Results. Centaur 523676 (2013 UL10) is the only centaur known so far that has both comet-like activity and red surface colours: its nucleus has a colour index B – R = 1.88 ± 0.11. The nucleus R magnitude (R = 20.93 ± 0.09) allowed us to derive an upper limit for its nucleus size of D ≤ 10 km. We estimated its dust production rate to be Qd ~ 10 kg s−1 at 6.2 au (just after its perihelion passage), resulting in a timescale for the surface blanketing process τB of approximately tens of years, which is very short with respect to typical dynamical lifetime inside the group. Future monitoring of 523676 (2013 UL10) is needed to further constrain the blanketing model for active centaurs and its timescale.
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