Modifiable factors associated with depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis

Objectives: Modifiable lifestyle factors are implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms but their role in mood is unclear. This study aimed to investigate associations between lifestyle and depression and anxiety in Australian participants with MS.Materials and Methods: Self-reported data from the Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and lifestyle measurements from 1500 participants. SNAP score (range 0-5) was the sum of non-smoking, sufficient fruit/vegetable intake, non-hazardous alcohol consumption, sufficient physical activity and healthy BMI. Analyses by log-binomial and linear regression were adjusted for confounding.Results: Symptoms of depression and anxiety were prevalent in 27% and 40%, respectively; 20% had both. Mean SNAP score was 2.7/5; only 3% met all healthy lifestyle recommendations. Only 10% reported adequate fruit/vegetable intake, and 22% reported a combination of unhealthy BMI, inadequate physical activity and inadequate nutrition. A healthier SNAP score was associated with lower depression prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.83 [95% CI 0.75, 0.92] per unit increase) and depression severity (adjusted β-0.44 [95% CI -0.64, -0.24]), but not with anxiety.Conclusions: Modifiable lifestyle factors are associated with lower frequency and severity of depression, but not anxiety, in Australian people with multiple sclerosis. The associations between a healthier SNAP score and lower depression are likely bi-directional. SNAP risk factor prevalence and co-occurrence, especially inadequate nutrition and low physical activity, were high among Australians with MS

In situ bacterial colonization of compacted bentonite under deep geological high-level radioactive waste repository conditions

Subsurface microorganisms are expected to invade, colonize, and influence the safety performance of deep geological spent nuclear fuel (SNF) repositories. An understanding of the interactions of subsurface dwelling microbial communities with the storage is thus essential. For this to be achieved, experiments must be conducted under in situ conditions. We investigated the presence of groundwater microorganisms in repository bentonite saturated with groundwater recovered from tests conducted at the Äspö underground Hard Rock Laboratory in Sweden. A 16S ribosomal RNA and dissimilatory bisulfite reductase gene distribution between the bentonite and groundwater samples suggested that the sulfate-reducing bacteria widespread in the aquifers were not common in the clay. Aerophilic bacteria could be cultured from samples run at =55°C but not at =67°C. Generally, the largely gram-negative groundwater microorganisms were poorly represented in the bentonite while the gram-positive bacteria commonly found in the clay predominated. Thus, bentonite compacted to a density of approximately 2 g cm-3 together with elevated temperatures might discourage the mass introduction of the predominantly mesophilic granitic aquifer bacteria into future SNF repositories in the long run