Early posttraumatic autonomic and endocrine markers to predict posttraumatic stress symptoms after a preventive intervention with oxytocin

Background: Efficient prevention of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) needs to target individuals with an increased risk for adverse outcome after trauma. Prognostic or prescriptive biological markers assessed early posttrauma may inform personalized treatment recommendations. Objective: To test prognostic and prescriptive effects of early (posttraumatic) autonomic and endocrine markers on PTSD symptom development. Method: Autonomic and endocrine markers were assessed within 12 days posttrauma and before treatment initiation within a randomized placebo-controlled trial investigating repeated oxytocin administration as preventive intervention for PTSD. Linear mixed effects models were used to test the effects of heart rate (variability), resting cortisol, morning cortisol and cortisol awakening response (CAR), cortisol suppression by dexamethasone and resting oxytocin on PTSD symptoms 1.5, 3 and 6 months posttrauma in men (n = 54), women using hormonal contraception (n = 27) and cycling women (n = 19). Results: We found significant prognostic effects of resting oxytocin and cortisol suppression. In women using hormonal contraception, higher oxytocin was associated with higher PTSD symptoms across follow-up. Stronger cortisol suppression by dexamethasone, reflecting increased glucocorticoid receptor feedback sensitivity, was associated with lower PTSD symptoms across follow-up in men, but with higher symptoms at 1.5 months in women using hormonal contraception. These effects were independent of treatment condition. No further significant prognostic or prescriptive effects were detected. Conclusion: Our exploratory study indicates that resting oxytocin and glucocorticoid receptor feedback sensitivity early posttrauma are associated with subsequent PTSD symptom severity. Notably, prognostic effects depended on sex and hormonal contraception use, emphasizing the necessity to consider these factors in biomedical PTSD research

Habitat features and their influence on the restoration potential of marine habitats in Europe

To understand the restoration potential of degraded habitats, it is important to know the key processes and habitat features that allow for recovery after disturbance. As part of the EU (Horizon 2020) funded MERCES project, a group of European experts compiled and assessed current knowledge, from both past and ongoing restoration efforts, within the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the North-East Atlantic Ocean. The aim was to provide an expert judgment of how different habitat features could impact restoration success and enhance the recovery of marine habitats. A set of biological and ecological features (i.e., life-history traits, population connectivity, spatial distribution, structural complexity, and the potential for regime shifts) were identified and scored according to their contribution to the successful accomplishment of habitat restoration for five habitats: seagrass meadows, kelp forests, Cystoseira macroalgal beds, coralligenous assemblages and cold-water coral habitats. The expert group concluded that most of the kelp forests features facilitate successful restoration, while the features for the coralligenous assemblages and the cold-water coral habitat did not promote successful restoration. For the other habitats the conclusions were much more variable. The lack of knowledge on the relationship between acting pressures and resulting changes in the ecological state of habitats is a major challenge for implementing restoration actions. This paper provides an overview of essential features that can affect restoration success in marine habitats of key importance for valuable ecosystem services

LITHOTHAMNION SPECIES (HAPALIDIALES, RHODOPHYTA) IN THE ARCTIC AND SUBARCTIC: PROVIDING A SYSTEMATICS FOUNDATION IN A TIME OF RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE

International audienceCoralline red algae in the genera Clathromorphum, Phymatolithon and Lithothamnion are important benthic ecosystem engineers in the photic zone of the Arctic and Subarctic. In these regions, the systematics and biogeography of Clathromorphum and Phymatolithon species have mostly been resolved whereas Lithothamnion species have not. Seventy-three specific and infraspecific names have been given to Arctic and Subarctic Lithothamnion specimens, the vast majority by Mikael H. Foslie in the late 19th and early 20th century. From the type specimens of 38 of these names, partial rbcL sequences were obtained that enabled us to correctly apply the earliest available names and to correctly place the remainder in synonymy. Three of the four Arctic and Subarctic Lithothamnion species, L. lemoineae, L. soriferum and L. tophiforme were distinct based on all three sequenced genes, two plastid encoded, rbcL and psbA, and the mitochondrial encoded COI-5P; rbcL and COI-5P also segregated L. glaciale from L. tophiforme but psbA did not. Based on DNA sequences, morpho-anatomy and biogeography, we recognize all four species. It is difficult to identify these species based on morpho-anatomy and they can all occur as encrusting corallines, as rhodoliths or as maerl. We demonstrate the importance of sequencing these historical type specimens by showing that the recently proposed northeast Atlantic L. erinaceum is a synonym of one of the earliest published Arctic species of Lithothamnion, L. soriferum, itself incorrectly placed in synonymy under L. tophiforme based on morpho-anatomy. Based on sequenced specimens, we update the distributions and ecology of these species.

Lithothamnion (Hapalidiales, Rhodophyta) in the changing Arctic and Subarctic: DNA sequencing of type and recent specimens provides a systematics foundation*

Coralline red algae in the non-geniculate genera Clathromorphum, Phymatolithon and Lithothamnion are important benthic ecosystem engineers in the photic zone of the Arctic and Subarctic. In these regions, the systematics and biogeography of Clathromorphum and Phymatolithon have mostly been resolved whereas Lithothamnion has not, until now. Seventy-three specific and infraspecific names were given to Arctic and Subarctic Lithothamnion specimens in the late 19th and early 20th century by Frans R. Kjellman and Mikael H. Foslie. DNA sequences from 36 type specimens, five historical specimens, and an extensive sampling of recent collections resulted in the recognition of four Arctic and Subarctic Lithothamnion species, L. glaciale, L. lemoineae, L. soriferum and L. tophiforme. Three genes were sequenced, two plastid-encoded, rbcL and psbA, and the mitochondrial encoded COI-5P; rbcL and COI-5P segregated L. glaciale from L. tophiforme but psbA did not. Partial rbcL sequences obtained from type collections enabled us to correctly apply the earliest available names and to correctly place the remainder in synonymy. We were unable to sequence another 22 type specimens, but all of these are more recent names than those that are now applied. It is difficult to identify these species solely on morpho-anatomy as they can all occur as encrusting corallines or as maerl (rhodoliths). We demonstrate the importance of sequencing historical type specimens by showing that the recently proposed North-east Atlantic L. erinaceum is a synonym of one of the earliest published Arctic species of Lithothamnion, L. soriferum, itself incorrectly placed in synonymy under L. tophiforme based on morpho-anatomy. Based on sequenced specimens, we update the distributions and ecology of these species

Transforming medical professionalism to fit changing health needs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The professional organization of medical work no longer reflects the changing health needs caused by the growing number of complex and chronically ill patients. Key stakeholders enforce coordination and remove power from the medical professions in order allow for these changes. However, it may also be necessary to initiate basic changes to way in which the medical professionals work in order to adapt to the changing health needs.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Medical leaders, supported by health policy makers, can consciously activate the self-regulatory capacity of medical professionalism in order to transform the medical profession and the related professional processes of care so that it can adapt to the changing health needs. In doing so, they would open up additional routes to the improvement of the health services system and to health improvement. This involves three consecutive steps: (1) defining and categorizing the health needs of the population; (2) reorganizing the specialty domains around the needs of population groups; (3) reorganizing the specialty domains by eliminating work that could be done by less educated personnel or by the patients themselves. We suggest seven strategies that are required in order to achieve this transformation.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Changing medical professionalism to fit the changing health needs will not be easy. It will need strong leadership. But, if the medical world does not embark on this endeavour, good doctoring will become merely a bureaucratic and/or marketing exercise that obscures the ultimate goal of medicine which is to optimize the health of both individuals and the entire population.</p

En GIS-metod för kartering av naturvärden i grunda skärgårdsvikar

Förvaltningen av marina miljöer och naturvärden har fått mycket uppmärksanhet de senaste åren, bland annat genom det internationella samarbetet kring Natura 2000 och Vattenramdirektivet. Grunda vikar i skärgården representerar en potentiellt skyddsvärd miljö som både kan ha höga naturvärden och hotas av exploatering. Naturen under ytan är betydligt svårare att överblicka och kartera jämfört med naturen på land, och därför har den här studien tagit fram ett GIS-verktyg för att stödja förvaltningen genom att underlätta klassningen av grunda skärgårdsvikar med avseende på naturvärden. Metoden bygger på växt- och fiskarters observerade utbredningsmönster utifrån omvärldsfaktorer (vikarnas form och fosforhalt i vattnet) i 24 vikar i Värmdö kommun, och kan användas med hjälp av allmänt tillgängliga dataunderlag. Bedömningarna av vikars naturvärden baserar sig på litteraturkällor och diskussioner i en expertgrupp, framför allt har Naturvårdsverkets Bedömningsgrunder för vegetationen i grunda vikar (Kautsky, Andersson 2004) använts. I rapporten finns en utförlig handledning i metoden, samt data och bedömningar av ett stort antal skärgårdsvikar i Stockholms skärgård. Metoden har validerats med gott resultat i 27 vikar (90 % korrekt), men valideringsunderlaget var inte så representativt som vore önskvärt

Plassering av Kilen sjøflyhavn i forhold til registrert verdifullt marint biologisk mangfold

Rapporten er trukket tilbake og erstattes av rapport nr 6721 - http://hdl.handle.net/11250/223143Kilen sjøflyklub

Konsekvensutredning for Ytre Hvaler, Østfold. Deltema naturmiljø i sjøen

Årsliste 2006De topografiske og oseanografiske forholdene i sjøen utenfor Hvalerøyene skaper grunnlaget for det store mangfoldet av marine naturtyper en har innenfor planområdet for den foreslåtte nasjonalparken. Den foreliggende utredning har vurdert status og verdier av marint naturmiljø, samt vurdert virkninger og konsekvens av en innføring av en nasjonalpark. Det marine naturmiljøet er av meget stor verdi, særlig fremheves korallrevene ved Tisler og Søster-øyene. Det vil være av stor positiv konsekvens for det marine naturmiljø med en innføring av den foreslåtte nasjonalparken. Hvis ikke nasjonalparken (eller Marin Verneplan) innføres i området vil dette ha stor negativ konsekvens for naturmiljøet i sjøen. Det er foreslått prioriterte avbøtende tiltak i form av utvidelser av et område med spesielt fredet sjøbunn (sone A) ved Søster-øyene i planområdet.Fylkesmannen i Østfold