Noise monitor 2016 : Validation of motorway and railway noise

Geluidniveaus gemeten op 38 punten langs rijkswegen lagen in 2015 gemiddeld 2 decibel hoger dan de berekende waarden. Op 39 meetlocaties langs het spoor kwamen de gemeten en berekende geluidniveaus in 2015 gemiddeld met elkaar overeen. Dit beeld stemt overeen met de voorgaande jaren 2013 en 2014. Op de afzonderlijke punten, zowel bij rijkswegen als het spoor, variëren verschillen ten opzichte van het gemiddelde. Bij de weg liggen de metingen tussen 2 decibel lager en 6 decibel hoger dan de berekende waarden, afhankelijk van het type en de lokale staat van het wegdek. De vergelijking van metingen met berekeningen is een verplichting uit de Wet milieubeheer. De weg- en spoorbeheerder, Rijkswaterstaat en ProRail, tonen via berekening aan of het geluid van de weg of het spoor onder de vastgestelde geluidproductieplafonds blijft. De berekende geluidniveaus worden jaarlijks door het RIVM gevalideerd met een steekproef van metingen. Dit rapport geeft ook de meetresultaten uit 2016 op 45 locaties langs de weg en 40 locaties langs het spoor. De meetresultaten uit 2016 zullen in een vervolgrapportage worden vergeleken met de rekenresultaten. De weg- en spoorbeheerder publiceren deze in de tweede helft van 2017.Noise levels measured at 38 sites along motorways in 2015, on average were 2 decibel higher than calculated values. At 39 measurement sites along the track, the measured and calculated noise levels in 2015, on average were in agreement. These results are consistent with previous years, 2013 and 2014. At the individual measurement sites, both for motorways and the track, differences may vary from the average. At motorways the measurements are within 2 dB lower and 6 dB higher compared with calculated values, depending on the type and the local condition of the road surface. The comparison of measured and calculated noise levels is a requirement of the environmental management Act. The road- and railway infrastructure manager, Rijkswaterstaat and ProRail, show by calculation whether the noise production from the road or the track complies with established noise limits. The calculated noise levels are validated by RIVM with a sample of measurements. This report also gives the latest results of measurements from 2016 at 45 sites along motorways and 40 sites along the track. The measured noise levels from 2016 will be compared with calculated levels, which will be published by the road- and railway infrastructure manager in the second half of 2017.Ministerie van I&

The relationship between subtypes of depression and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review of biological models

A compelling association has been observed between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression, suggesting individuals with depression to be at significantly higher risk for CVD and CVD-related mortality. Systemic immune activation, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity, arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction have been frequently implicated in this relationship. Although a differential epidemiological association between CVD and depression subtypes is evident, it has not been determined if this indicates subtype specific biological mechanisms. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO databases yielding 147 articles for this review. A complex pattern of systemic immune activation, endothelial dysfunction and HPA axis hyperactivity is suggestive of the biological relationship between CVD and depression subtypes. The findings of this review suggest that diagnostic subtypes rather than a unifying model of depression should be considered when investigating the bidirectional biological relationship between CVD and depression. The suggested model of a subtype-specific biological relationship between depression and CVDs has implications for future research and possibly for diagnostic and therapeutic processes

Disturbances in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis and Immunological Activity Differentiating between Unipolar and Bipolar Depressive Episodes

Differentiating bipolar depression (BD) from unipolar depression (UD) is difficult in clinical practice and, consequently, accurate recognition of BD can take as long as nine years. Research has therefore focused on the discriminatory capacities of biomarkers, such as markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis or immunological activity. However, no previous study included assessments of both systems, which is problematic as they may influence each other. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether cortisol indicators and inflammatory markers were a) independently associated with and/or b) showed effect modification in relation to a lifetime (hypo)manic episode in a large sample of depressed patients.Data were derived from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety and comprised 764 patients with a DSM-IV depressive disorder at baseline, of which 124 (16.2%) had a lifetime (hypo)manic episode at the 2-year assessment, or a more recent episode at the 4-year or 6-year assessment. Baseline cortisol awakening response, evening cortisol and diurnal cortisol slope were considered as cortisol indicators, while baseline C-reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α) were included as inflammatory markers.In depressed men and women, none of the cortisol indicators and inflammatory markers were (independently) associated with a (hypo)manic episode. However, effect modification was found of diurnal cortisol slope and CRP in relation to a (hypo)manic episode. Further analyses showed that depressed men with high levels of diurnal cortisol slope and CRP had an increased odds (OR=10.99, p=.001) of having a (hypo)manic episode. No significant differences were found in women.Our findings suggest that the combination of high diurnal cortisol slope and high CRP may differentiate between UD and BD. This stresses the importance of considering HPA-axis and immunological activity simultaneously, but more research is needed to unravel their interrelatedness

LASER-INDUCED OPTOACOUSTIC SPECTROSCOPY (OAS) OF PHYTOCHROME IN-VITRO

On étudie le phytochrome photorécepteur des plantes à l'aide d'une méthode de spectroscopie optoacoustique induite par laser. Une solution de phytochrome de (Pr) est irradiée à l'aide de pulses de 15 ns issus d'un laser à colorant accordable de 590 à 720 nm. On effectue une étude comparative à l'aide d'une solution de CuCl2 qui présente la même absorption. Les résultats conduisent à l'interprétation de la desexcitation non radiative du système phytochromique.Laser-induced optoacoustic spectroscopy (OAS) has been applied to the plant photoreceptor phytochrome. A solution of purified oat phytochrome (Pr) was irradiated at room temperature with a 15 ns dye laser pulse tunable from 590 to 720 nm. The first acoustic wave was studied, which is generated by fast heat-emitting processes in less than 0.5 µs. The Pr solution emitted about 70-90 % of the heat produced by a CuCl2 reference of the same absorbance at all wavelenghths except for 700 nm, where significantly more heat was produced by Pr. The results are interpreted in terms of a photochromic system consisting of Pr and the first intermediate in the Pr → Pfr pathway

Vocational Implications of Post-polio Syndrome

Of more than 1,000,000 survivors of poliomyelitis living in the United States, about 80% experience symptoms associated with post-polio syndrome (PPS). New weakness, fatigue, and pain are the most common symptoms that may appear years after acute polio. PPS is reported to be the most prevalent progressive neuromuscular disease in North America. The physical symptoms of PPS can be severe enough to decrease an individual’s quality of life, significantly alter work function, and impose lifestyle changes. The psychological implications of battling once again with a disease that had stabilized decades ago can be devastating. Rehabilitation physicians and counselors knowledgeable of post-polio syndrome and its possible impact on employment can have a positive influence on persons with PPS

Vocational Implications of Post-polio Syndrome

Of more than 1,000,000 survivors of poliomyelitis living in the United States, about 80% experience symptoms associated with post-polio syndrome (PPS). New weakness, fatigue, and pain are the most common symptoms that may appear years after acute polio. PPS is reported to be the most prevalent progressive neuromuscular disease in North America. The physical symptoms of PPS can be severe enough to decrease an individual’s quality of life, significantly alter work function, and impose lifestyle changes. The psychological implications of battling once again with a disease that had stabilized decades ago can be devastating. Rehabilitation physicians and counselors knowledgeable of post-polio syndrome and its possible impact on employment can have a positive influence on persons with PPS