sFDvent: A global trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna

Motivation: Traits are increasingly being used to quantify global biodiversity patterns, with trait databases growing in size and number, across diverse taxa. Despite grow‐ ing interest in a trait‐based approach to the biodiversity of the deep sea, where the impacts of human activities (including seabed mining) accelerate, there is no single re‐ pository for species traits for deep‐sea chemosynthesis‐based ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents. Using an international, collaborative approach, we have compiled the first global‐scale trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna – sFD‐ vent (sDiv‐funded trait database for the Functional Diversity of vents). We formed a funded working group to select traits appropriate to: (a) capture the performance of vent species and their influence on ecosystem processes, and (b) compare trait‐based diversity in different ecosystems. Forty contributors, representing expertise across most known hydrothermal‐vent systems and taxa, scored species traits using online collaborative tools and shared workspaces. Here, we characterise the sFDvent da‐ tabase, describe our approach, and evaluate its scope. Finally, we compare the sFD‐ vent database to similar databases from shallow‐marine and terrestrial ecosystems to highlight how the sFDvent database can inform cross‐ecosystem comparisons. We also make the sFDvent database publicly available online by assigning a persistent, unique DOI. Main types of variable contained: Six hundred and forty‐six vent species names, associated location information (33 regions), and scores for 13 traits (in categories: community structure, generalist/specialist, geographic distribution, habitat use, life history, mobility, species associations, symbiont, and trophic structure). Contributor IDs, certainty scores, and references are also provided. Spatial location and grain: Global coverage (grain size: ocean basin), spanning eight ocean basins, including vents on 12 mid‐ocean ridges and 6 back‐arc spreading centres. Time period and grain: sFDvent includes information on deep‐sea vent species, and associated taxonomic updates, since they were first discovered in 1977. Time is not recorded. The database will be updated every 5 years. Major taxa and level of measurement: Deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna with spe‐ cies‐level identification present or in progress. Software format: .csv and MS Excel (.xlsx).This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

High-resolution behavioral economic analysis of cigarette demand to inform tax policy

Aims: Novel methods in behavioral economics permit the systematic assessment of the relationship between cigarette consumption and price. Towards informing tax policy, the goals of this study were to conduct a high-resolution analysis of cigarette demand in a large sample of adult smokers and to use the data to estimate the effects of tax increases in 10 US States. Design: In-person descriptive survey assessment. Setting: Academic departments at three universities. Participants: Adult daily smokers (i.e. more than five cigarettes/day; 18+ years old; ≥8th grade education); n=1056. Measurements: Estimated cigarette demand, demographics, expired carbon monoxide. Findings: The cigarette demand curve exhibited highly variable levels of price sensitivity, especially in the form of \u27left-digit effects\u27 (i.e. very high price sensitivity as pack prices transitioned from one whole number to the next; e.g. $5.80-6/pack). A$1 tax increase in the 10 states was projected to reduce the economic burden of smoking by an average of $530.6million (range:$93.6-976.5 million) and increase gross tax revenue by an average of 162% (range: 114-247%). Conclusions: Tobacco price sensitivity is non-linear across the demand curve and in particular for pack-level left-digit price transitions. Tax increases in US states with similar price and tax rates to the sample are projected to result in substantial decreases in smoking-related costs and substantial increases in tax revenues. © 2012 The Authors, Addiction © 2012 Society for the Study of Addiction

Cortisol and ACTH Responses to the Dex/CRH Test: Influence of Temperament

Temperament and personality traits such as neuroticism and behavioral inhibition are prospective predictors of the onset of depression and anxiety disorders. Exposure to stress is also linked to the development of these disorders, and neuroticism and inhibition may confer or reflect sensitivity to stressors. Several lines of research have documented hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal (HPA) axis in some patients with major depression, as well as in children and non-human primates with inhibited temperaments. The present investigation tested the hypothesis that stressreactive temperaments would be predictive of plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol concentrations in the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Sixty adults completed diagnostic interviews and questionnaires assessing the temperament domains of novelty seeking and harm avoidance and symptoms of anxiety and depression. All subjects were free of any current or past Axis I psychiatric disorder. The Dex/CRH test was performed on a separate visit. A repeated measures general linear model (GLM) showed a main effect of harm avoidance in predicting cortisol concentrations in the test (F(1, 58) = 4.86, p < .05). The GLM for novelty seeking and cortisol response also showed a main effect (F(1, 58) = 5.28, p <.05). Higher cortisol concentrations were associated with higher levels of harm avoidance and lower levels of novelty seeking. A significant interaction of time with harm avoidance and novelty seeking (F(4, 53) = 3.37, p < .05) revealed that participants with both high levels of harm avoidance and low levels of novelty seeking had the highest cortisol responses to the Dex/CRH test. Plasma ACTH concentrations did not differ as a function of temperament. The results indicate that temperament traits linked to sensitivity to negative stimuli are associated with greater cortisol reactivity during the Dex/CRH test. Increased adrenocortical reactivity, which previously has been linked to major depression and anxiety disorders, may contribute to the association between temperament/personality traits and these disorders.

Childhood Parental Loss and Adult Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal Function

Background—Several decades of research link childhood parental loss with risk for major depression and other forms of psychopathology. A large body of preclinical work on maternal separation and some recent studies of humans with childhood parental loss have demonstrated alterations of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function which could predispose to the development of psychiatric disorders. Methods—Eighty-eight healthy adults with no current Axis I psychiatric disorder participated in this study. Forty-four participants experienced parental loss during childhood, including 19 with a history of parental death and 25 with a history of prolonged parental separation. The loss group was compared to a matched group of individuals who reported no history of childhood parental separation or childhood maltreatment. Participants completed diagnostic interviews and questionnaires and the dexamethasone/corticotropin-releasing hormone (Dex/CRH) test. Repeated measures general linear models were used to test the effects of parental loss, a measure of parental care, sex, and age on the hormone responses to the Dex/CRH test.Results—Parental loss was associated with increased cortisol responses to the test, particularly in males. The effect of loss was moderated by levels of parental care; participants with parental desertion and very low levels of care had attenuated cortisol responses. ACTH responses to the Dex/CRH test did not differ significantly as a function of parental loss. Conclusions—These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that early parental loss induces enduring changes in neuroendocrine function

Decreased ACTH and Cortisol Responses to Stress in Healthy Adults Reporting Significant Childhood Maltreatment

Background—Preclinical research findings suggest that exposure to stress and concomitant hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation during early development can have permanent and potentially deleterious effects. A history of early-life abuse or neglect appears to increase risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Abnormal HPA response to stress challenge has been reported in adult patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Methods—Plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test were examined in healthy adults (N=50) without current psychopathology. Subjects with a selfreported history of moderate to severe childhood maltreatment (MAL; n=23) as measured by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were compared with subjects without such a history (CTL; n=27). Results—Compared with CTLs, MAL subjects exhibited significantly lower cortisol and ACTH baseline-to-peak deltas. A significant group effect was seen in the (repeated measures) cortisol response to the stress challenge, reflecting lower concentrations among MAL subjects. A significant group × time effect characterized the relatively blunted ACTH response of the MAL group. Emotional Neglect (=−.34, p=.02) and Sexual Abuse (=+.31, p=.03) strongly predicted maximal cortisol release. Conclusions—In adults without diagnosable psychopathology, childhood maltreatment is associated with diminished HPA axis response to a psychosocial stressor. Possible explanations for the finding are discussed