Cumulative meta-analysis of interleukins 6 and 1 beta, tumour necrosis factor alpha and C-reactive protein in patients with major depressive disorder

Cumulative meta-analyses are used to evaluate the extent to which further studies are needed to confirm or refute a hypothesis. We used this approach to assess observational evidence on systemic inflammation in individuals with major depressive disorder. We identified 58 studies of four common inflammatory markers in a literature search of PubMed, Embase and Psychlnfo databases in May 2014. Pooled data from the earliest eight studies already showed an association between interleukin-6 concentrations and major depression; 23 more recent studies confirmed this finding (d = 0.54, p <0.0001). A significant association between C-reactive protein levels and major depression was noted after 14 studies and this did not change after addition of six more studies (d = 0.47, p <0.0001). For these two inflammatory markers, there was moderate heterogeneity in study-specific estimates, subgroup differences were small, and publication bias appeared to be an unlikely explanation for the findings. Sensitivity analyses including only high-quality studies and subjects free of antidepressant medication further verified the associations. While there was a link between tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels and major depression (d = 0.40, p = 0.002), the cumulative effect remained uncertain due to the extensive heterogeneity in study-specific estimates and inconsistencies between subgroups. No evidence was found for the association between interleukin-1 beta levels and major depression (d = -0.05, p = 0.86). In conclusion, this cumulative meta-analysis confirmed higher mean levels of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in patients with major depression compared to non-depressed controls. No consistent association between tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta and major depression was observed. Future studies should clarify the specific immune mechanisms involved as well as continue testing anti-inflammatory therapies in patients suffering from major depression. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.Peer reviewe

Surveillance of Ruminant Diseases in the Nordic Countries

<p/> <p>All the Nordic countries have a basis for their surveillance and disease control in ruminants in national legislation and regulations listing notifiable diseases of concern to the countries. The Nordic countries are a disease-free zone comparing to other parts of the world and the aim of the surveillance is to keep that status and be able to document it. Following is a short summary from each country.</p

Potential for an underwater glider component as part of the Global Ocean Observing System

The contributions of autonomous underwater gliders as an observing platform in the in-situ global ocean observing system (GOOS) are investigated. The assessment is done in two ways: First, the existing in-situ observing platforms contributing to GOOS (floats, surface drifters, moorings, research/commercial ships) are characterized in terms of their current capabilities in sampling key physical and bio-geochemical oceanic processes. Next the gliders’ capabilities are evaluated in the context of key applications. This includes an evaluation of 140 references presented in the peer-reviewed literature. It is found that GOOS has adequate coverage of sampling in the open ocean for several physical processes. There is a lack of data in the present GOOS in the transition regions between the open ocean and shelf seas. However, most of the documented scientific glider applications operate in this region, suggesting that a sustained glider component in the GOOS could fill that gap. Glider data are included for routine product generation (e.g. alerts, maps). Other noteworthy process-oriented applications where gliders are important survey tools include local sampling of the (sub)mesoscale, sampling in shallow coastal areas, measurements in hazardous environments, and operational monitoring. In most cases, the glider studies address investigations and monitoring of processes across multiple disciplines, making use of the ease to implement a wide range of sensors to gliders. The maturity of glider operations, the wide range of applications that map onto growing GOOS regional needs, and the maturity of glider data flow all justify the formal implementation of gliders into the GOOS. Remaining challenges include the execution of coordinated multinational missions in a sustained mode as well as considering capacity-building aspects in glider operations as well as glider data use

100 years of atmospheric and marine observations at the Finnish Utö Island in the Baltic Sea

The Utö Atmospheric and Marine Research Station introduced in this paper is located on Utö Island (59°46.84′ N, 21°22.13′ E) at the outer edge of the Archipelago Sea, by the Baltic Sea towards the Baltic Proper. Meteorological observations at the island started in 1881 and vertical profiling of seawater temperature and salinity in 1900. Since 1980, the number of observations at Utö has rapidly increased, with a large number of new meteorological, air quality, aerosol, optical and greenhouse gas parameters, and recently, a variety of marine observations. In this study, we analyze long-term changes of atmospheric temperature, cloudiness, sea salinity, temperature and ice cover. Our main dataset consists of 248 367 atmospheric temperature observations, 1632 quality-assured vertical seawater temperature and salinity profiles and 8565 ice maps, partly digitized for this project. We also use North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), major Baltic inflow (MBI) and Baltic Sea river runoff data from the literature as reference variables to our data. Our analysis is based on a statistical method utilizing a dynamic linear model. The results show an increase in the atmospheric temperature at Utö, but the increase is significantly smaller than on land areas and has taken place only since the early 1980s, with a rate of 0.4 °C decade−1 during the last 35 years. We also see an increase in seawater temperatures, especially on the surface, with an increase of 0.3 °C decade−1 for the last 100 years. In deeper water layers, the increase is smaller and influenced by vertical mixing, which is modulated by inflow of saline water from the North Sea and freshwater inflow from rivers and by wind-driven processes influenced by the local bathymetry. The date when air temperature in the spring exceeds +5 °C became 5 days earlier from the period 1951–1980 to the period 1981–2010 and the date when sea surface water temperature exceeds +4 °C changed to 9 days earlier. Sea ice cover duration at Utö shows a decrease of approximately 50 % during the last 35 years. Based on the combined results, it is possible that the climate at Utö has changed into a new phase, in which the sea ice no longer reduces the local temperature increase caused by the global warming.</p

Species and habitats in danger : estimating the relative risk posed by oil spills in the northern Baltic Sea

Large-scale oil spills can have adverse effects on biodiversity in coastal areas where maritime oil transportation is intense. In this article we conducted a spatial risk assessment to study the risk that potential tanker accidents pose to threatened habitat types and species living in the northern Baltic Sea, which has witnessed a rapid increase in maritime oil transportation within the past two decades. We applied a probabilistic method, which combines three components: a Bayesian network describing tanker accidents and uncertainties related to them, probabilistic maps showing the movement of oil, and a database of threatened species and habitats in the area. The results suggest that spatial risk posed by oil spills varies across the area, and does not correspond, for example, to the frequency of accidents in a given area. The relative risk is highest for seashore meadows, which is important to take into account when managing these habitats. Our analysis underlines the importance of a thorough risk assessment, which is not only based solely on one or two specific factors such as accident probabilities or the trajectories of spilled oil but also contains as broad a view of the consequences as possible. We believe that the probabilistic methodology applied in the study will be of high interest to people who have to cope with uncertainties typical for environmental risk assessment and management.Peer reviewe

The Late Medieval Church and Graveyard at Ii Hamina, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland – Pollen and macro remains from graves

The historical Ostrobothnian (Finland) burial tradition is poorly known, particularly when discussed from the environmental archaeological viewpoint. This article examines Late Medieval burial methods in Ii Hamina village using both micro- and macrofossil analyses incorporated into archaeological work. This research provides information on the continuity of burial methods that were sustained through the medieval period and into modern times. Burial tradition patterns in the Northern Ostrobothnia region exhibit widely recognised characteristics, but also contain some local features

Level of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5) Is Increased in Sputum of Allergic Asthmatics and Links to Airway Remodeling and Inflammation

FABP5 may contribute to the airway remodeling and inflammation in asthma by fine-tuning the levels of CysLTs, which induce VEGF production.</p

Review of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU concerning MSFD criteria for assessing Good Environmental Status, Descriptor 7

This report represents the result of the scientific and technical review of Commission Decision 2010/477/EU in relation to Descriptor 7. The review has been carried out by the EC JRC together with experts nominated by EU Member States, and has considered contributions from the GES Working Group in accordance with the roadmap set out in the MSFD implementation strategy (agreed on at the 11th CIS MSCG meeting). The report is one of a series of reports (review manuals) including Descriptor 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 that conclude phase 1 of the review process and, as agreed within the MSFD Common Implementation Strategy, are the basis for review phase 2, towards an eventual revision of the Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. The report presents the state of the technical discussions as of 30 April 2015 (document version 7.0: ComDecRev_D7_V7.0_FINAL.docx), as some discussions are ongoing, it does not contain agreed conclusions on all issues. The document does not represent an official, formal position of any of the Member States and the views expressed in the document are not to be taken as representing the views of the European Commission.JRC.H.1-Water Resource