More is less : net gain in species richness, but biotic homogenization over 140 years

The research was funded by the ‘15. June Foundation’. MD was funded by a Leverhulme Fellowship.While biodiversity loss continues globally, assessments of regional and local change over time have been equivocal. Here, we assess changes in plant species richness and beta diversity over 140 years at the level of regions within a country. Using 19th-century flora censuses for 14 Danish regions as a baseline, we overcome previous criticisms concerning short time series and neglect of completely altered habitats. We find that species composition has changed dramatically and directionally across all regions. Substantial species losses were more than offset by large gains, resulting in a net increase in species richness in all regions. The occupancy of initially widespread species increased, while initially rare species lost terrain. These changes were accompanied by strong biotic homogenization; i.e. regions are more similar now than they were 140 years ago. Species declining in Denmark were found to be in similar decline all over Northern Europe.PostprintPeer reviewe

Increased glomerular filtration rate after withdrawal of long-term antihypertensive treatment in diabetic nephropathy

Increased glomerular filtration rate after withdrawal of long-term antihypertensive treatment in diabetic nephropathy. Initiation of antihypertensive treatment (AHT) in hypertensive insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) induces a faster initial (0 to 6 months) and a slower subsequent (6 months to end of observation) decline in GFR [ΔGFR (ml/min/month) approximately 1.5 vs. 0.35]. Whether this initial phenomenon is reversible (hemodynamic) or irreversible (structural damage) after prolonged AHT is not known. To elucidate these mechanisms we investigated 42 hypertensive IDDM patients (16F/26M, age 40 ± 7 years, mean ± SD) with DN receiving AHT (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition, N = 30) for 6 (2 to 15) years [median (range)]. GFR (ml/min/1.73 m2), arterial blood pressure (BP, mm Hg) and albuminuria (mg/24 hr) were measured the last day on AHT and one month after withdrawal of AHT. The measured variables were all significantly elevated after withdrawal of AHT: GFR [mean(SEM)] from 76(4) to 81(4) (P < 0.0001), BP [mean(SEM)] from 140/82 (2/1) to 151/89 (2/1) (P < 0.0005) and albuminuria [geometric mean(antilog SEM)] from 704 (1.2) to 1122 (1.2) (P < 0.0001). A correlation between relative rise in systolic blood pressure (ΔSys%) and relative change in GFR (ΔGFR%) was found (r = 0.44, P < 0.005). Our results render some support of the hypothesis that the faster initial decline in GFR is due to a functional (hemodynamic) effect of AHT, which does not attenuate over time, while the subsequent slower decline reflects the beneficial effect on progression of diabetic nephropathy

Indledning til RvT 75: Religion og klasse

Indledning til RvT 75: Religion og klasse: Om temaet, om de tre artikler der relaterer sig til temaet, samt om to yderligere artikle

Klassifikation og oplevelse af kronisk sygdom. Patientens møde med medicinsk teknologi - vejen mod kronisk sygdom

Kronisk sygdom er fokus for sundhedsvæsenets samlede indsats. En af udfordringerne er, at medicinsk teknologi skaber nye muligheder for påvisning af abnorme tilstande i kroppen. Artiklen beskriver og diskuterer brug af medicinsk teknologi og kategorisering af sygdom samt forholdet mellem medicinsk teknologi, kronisk sygdom og kvinders kropslige erfaringer. Artiklen er baseret på en kvalitativ empirisk undersøgelse, der undersøgte 60-70-årige kvinders opfattelser og erfaringer med osteoporose. Forholdet mellem teknologien og kroppen kan ses som en transformation, hvor kroppen såvel som kategorien kronisk sygdom bliver konstrueret på forskellige sociale arenaer. Teknologiens klassifikation af kronisk sygdom bliver en ny kontekst, som mange mennesker må forstå og erfare deres krop i. Artiklen viser eksempler på, hvordan lægfolks opfattelse af deres krop ændrer sig som følge af nye biomedicinske klassifikationer og diagnoser. Opfattelsen og oplevelsen af kropslige symptomer bliver et produkt af denne sociale teknologi udtrykt i nye sygdomserfaringer. Artiklen opfordrer til, at man i sundhedsvæsenet påtager sig et ansvar for at overveje brugen af medicinsk teknologi og formidlingen af denne viden, så den ikke skaber kronisk sygdom og skrøbelighed; men tværtimod handlemuligheder og bedre sundhed. Det er vigtigt, at læger går ind i en dialog med patienten om fortolkningen af den viden, der genereres af teknologien

Angstens neuropsykologi og personlighedens dimensioner

The present article has two aims, (1) to offer an introduction to the English psychologist Jeffrey A. Gray's experimental work on the neuropsychology of anxiety, and (2) to review the implications of the latest research within this area in relation to the reconceptualization of personality and behavioral dimensions. Eysenck's model of personality, and his theory of the anxiety-prone personality as an "introverted-neurotic" serves as a starting point. The model was modified by Gray who formulated an "anxiety-dimension" on the basis of experiments on the behavioral and neurophysiological effects of anti-anxiety drugs. These drugs have divergent as well as similar effects upon behavior. The latter gave rise to Gray's hypothesis ofthe "behavioral inhibition system",as one of three basic affective-motivational systems.Cloningers three-dimensional model of personality is to a great extent in agreement with Gray's theory. The implications of these models for the theoretical understanding of clinical anxiety are briefly reviewed.Artiklen har to hovedformål, 1) at give en introduktion til den engelske psykolog, Jeffrey A. Grays eksperimentelle arbejder over angstens neuropsykologi, og 2) at beskrive de implikationer, de senere års forskning indenfor dette område har haft for reformuleringen af personligheds- og adfærdsdimensioner.Der tages udgangspunkt i Eysencks personmodei og hans formulering af den angstdisponerede personlighed som "introverted neurotic''. Denne model er modificeret af Gray, der på baggrund af eksperimenter over de adfærdsmæssige og neurofysiologiske effekter af angst-dæmpende midler, formulerer en egentlig "angst-dimension". Angst-dæmpende midler har enrække forskellige, men også ensartede virkemekanismer af en sådan karakter, at de danner baggrund for Grays hypotese om det adfærds-inhibitoriske system". Dette antages at udgøre et af tre basale affektive-motivationelle systemer. Cloningers tre-dimensionelle personmodel er i stor udstrækning overensstemmende med Grays antagelser. Denne model ,samt dens implikationerfor forståelsen af kognitiv og somatisk angst gennemgås kort, ligesom der drages implikationer fra Grays model til de senere års forskning i klinisk angs