The Economics of Energy and the Environment: Introduction

energy, environment, and economic

The Economics of Energy and the Environment: Introduction

energy, environment, and economic

Precursors and Risk Factors Associated with the Development of Traumatic Stress After Childbirth

A prospective study of pregnant women was undertaken to provide an estimate of rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder after childbirth that takes into account pre-existing trauma; to explore risk factors associated with the development of traumatic stress after birth; and to better understand incidence and risk factors associated with fear of childbirth, which is thought to contribute to postpartum Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Ninety participants in their last trimester of pregnancy completed questionnaires that included depression, trait anxiety, PTSD, anxiety sensitivity, childbearing fear, and self-efficacy for labor. Four weeks after delivery 73 of these women completed questionnaires concerning delivery, posttraumatic stress related to childbirth, and depression. Levels of childbearing fear were similar to studies of non U.S. women but did not predict traumatic reactions to childbirth. First-time mothers and those with prior miscarriage, traumatic birth, and childhood sexual assault were not more fearful of childbirth although women reporting repeat sexual victimization that started in childhood were. Women with comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and depression during pregnancy were significantly more fearful of childbirth. Higher trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity, and lower labor self-efficacy predicted greater fear of childbirth. Women who underwent operative deliveries became more fearful of childbirth after delivery whereas women who underwent unassisted vaginal deliveries showed a reduction in fear. Five percent of women developed new cases of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder attributable to childbirth. An additional five percent who had received a trauma diagnosis during pregnancy met criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder resulting from childbirth. Higher trait anxiety predicted postpartum trauma symptoms and greater self-efficacy for childbirth moderated this relationship. Women assigned a diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or co-morbid PTSD and depression during pregnancy, and women who underwent operative or instrument deliveries (i.e. caesarian section, forceps deliveries, or vacuum extraction), were significantly more likely to receive a diagnosis of PTSD or trauma-related Adjustment Disorder as a consequence of their experience of childbirth. Results suggest that increasing self-efficacy for labor and treating psychopathology present during pregnancy may be fruitful targets for efforts to prevent the development of traumatic reactions to childbirth

MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF FAULTING: A KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE LAGARFLJÓT REGION, NORTHEAST ICELAND

The North American/Eurasian plate boundary in Iceland is structurally diverse with oblique rifts, volcanic fissure swarms, and transform zones, and a hotspot. Lagarfljót is a lake located in the Tertiary flood basalts of East Iceland, that range in age from ~7 to 3 Ma. The lake is approximately 50 km east of the actively spreading, NS-trending, Northern Rift Zone (NVZ), and occupies a northeast-trending depression in an area of strong NS lineaments. A flexure zone, or zone of steeply dipping lavas, runs N-S across the southern part of the lake, and predates an angular unconformity in the regional lava pile. A detailed investigation of fault zones in exposures in cliffs along the lakeshore and streams reveal a series of dikes and faults. These dikes and faults can be correlated with the lineaments, and indicate a complicated tectonic history. Fault zones are characterized by fault breccia, cataclasite and gouge with well-developed slickenlines and clear shear-sense indicators. Fault gouge in individual shear zones range in thickness from centimeters to meters. Cross cutting relationships define the relative ages of two families of structures, both post-dating the flexure. The older generation of faults are NS-striking, dextral, strike-slip faults. These are cut by NE-striking, normal faults. The normal faults typically cut existing large dikes or swarms of dikes ranging from 1 – 5 m wide. Displacements along individual normal faults range from centimeters up to 8 m. Some faults cut the lavas above the unconformity and locally rotated structures suggest that limited tilting of the lava pile occurred during faulting. These findings are evaluated with respect to larger scale processes of propagation and relocation of the NVZ

The Vogar Fissure Swarm, Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland: Aseismic Kinematics of an Oblique Rift Zone

Exposure of the Mid-Atlantic ridge in Iceland offers a unique place to study hotspot-ridge interactions along an oblique rift zone. The Reykjanes Peninsula is a left lateral shear zone characterized by a series of NE striking en echelon fissure swarms oblique to the rift axis, and N-S trending dextral strike slip faults. This study focuses on the Vogar fissure swarm in southwest Iceland, in order to better constrain the mode of deformation within it. Movement of the faults and fissures that make up the fissure swarm is thought to either be related to seismic events along the ridge, or occur aseismically due to dike injections during eruptive episodes. GPS measurements and field based mapping were employed to examine a 7x3 km cross section of the fissure swarm in order to constrain its kinematics. The faults tend to terminate at the contact of a historical fissure lava and an ~12,000 year old shield lava. Cooling properties of the historical lava flow and overflown pre-existing faults were concluded to contribute to its present day structure. The faults’ termination at the historical lava supports the theory that movement along the faults occurs primarily aseismically during eruptive episodes. With this assumption a hypothetical cross section was created of the Vogar fissure swarm extending to the base of the crust, relating the normal faults at the surface to dikes at depth. The continued activity along the Reykjanes Peninsula suggests that it is still a very active spreading center, making it important to constrain the types of deformation that characterize it

Exploring the Cardiovascular Response to Anger Imagery and Speech in Vietnam Veterans With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Few studies directly compare the physiological consequences of anger under a variety of induction methods. The current study explored the patterns of cardiovascular responding associated with varying anger induction methods, specifically personal anger memory recall through verbalization versus imagery in a sample of Vietnam combat veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Spoken anger produced greater elevations in blood pressure than anger that was recalled through imagery but not spoken. This was true even after controlling for the metabolic activity associated with speech. However, for veterans with PTSD, anger imagery was also sufficient to produce an elevated response in cardiovascular activity

Alcohol Use and Trauma Exposure Among Male and Female Veterans Before, During, and After Military Service

Background: The present study examined lifespan and combat-related trauma exposure as predictors of alcohol use among male and female veterans. Posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms were examined as mediators of the effects of trauma exposure on alcohol use. Methods: Data were examined from 1825 (1450 male, 375 female) veterans and active duty service members who took part in a multi-site research study conducted through the Department of Veterans Affairs Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (VISN 6 MIRECC). Results: For both men and women, depressive symptoms significantly mediated the effects of non-combat trauma exposure experienced before, during and after the military, as well as combat-exposure, on alcohol use. With posttraumatic stress symptoms, the models for men and women differed. For men, the effects of non-combat trauma exposure during and after military service, and combat exposure, on alcohol use were mediated by PTSD symptoms; however, for women, PTSD symptoms did not mediate these relationships. Conclusion: Findings are discussed in the context of potential gender differences in response to trauma such as use of alcohol to cope with traumatic events

Enhancing Mental and Physical Health of Women through Engagement and Retention (EMPOWER): a protocol for a program of research

Abstract Background The Enhancing Mental and Physical health of Women through Engagement and Retention or EMPOWER program represents a partnership with the US Department of Veterans Health Administration (VA) Health Service Research and Development investigators and the VA Office of Women’s Health, National Center for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Primary Care-Mental Health Integration Program Office, Women’s Mental Health Services, and the Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation. EMPOWER includes three projects designed to improve women Veterans’ engagement and retention in evidence-based care for high-priority health conditions, i.e., prediabetes, cardiovascular, and mental health. Methods/Design The three proposed projects will be conducted in VA primary care clinics that serve women Veterans including general primary care and women’s health clinics. The first project is a 1-year quality improvement project targeting diabetes prevention. Two multi-site research implementation studies will focus on cardiovascular risk prevention and collaborative care to address women Veterans’ mental health treatment needs respectively. All projects will use the evidence-based Replicating Effective Programs (REP) implementation strategy, enhanced with multi-stakeholder engagement and complexity theory. Mixed methods implementation evaluations will focus on investigating primary implementation outcomes of adoption, acceptability, feasibility, and reach. Program-wide organizational-, provider-, and patient-level measures and tools will be utilized to enhance synergy, productivity, and impact. Both implementation research studies will use a non-randomized stepped wedge design. Discussion EMPOWER represents a coherent program of women’s health implementation research and quality improvement that utilizes cross-project implementation strategies and evaluation methodology. The EMPOWER Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) will constitute a major milestone for realizing women Veterans’ engagement and empowerment in the VA system. EMPOWER QUERI will be conducted in close partnership with key VA operations partners, such as the VA Office of Women’s Health, to disseminate and spread the programs nationally. Trial registration The two implementation research studies described in this protocol have been registered as required: Facilitating Cardiovascular Risk Screening and Risk Reduction in Women Veterans: Trial registration NCT02991534 , registered 9 December 2016. Implementation of Tailored Collaborative Care for Women Veterans: Trial registration NCT02950961 , registered 21 October 2016