Postpartum psychiatric disorders

Pregnancy is a complex and vulnerable period that presents a number of challenges to women, including the development of postpartum psychiatric disorders (PPDs). These disorders can include postpartum depression and anxiety, which are relatively common, and the rare but more severe postpartum psychosis. In addition, other PPDs can include obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. The aetiology of PPDs is a complex interaction of psychological, social and biological factors, in addition to genetic and environmental factors. The goals of treating postpartum mental illness are reducing maternal symptoms and supporting maternal–child and family functioning. Women and their families should receive psychoeducation about the illness, including evidence-based discussions about the risks and benefits of each treatment option. Developing effective strategies in global settings that allow the delivery of targeted therapies to women with different clinical phenotypes and severities of PPDs is essential

Socio-economic impact of microplastics in the 2 Seas, Channel and France Manche Region. An initial risk assessment

This report has been produced under the Interreg IVa project MICRO. We would like to thank the Joint Technical Secretariat of Interreg, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment for co-financing the work conducted in this project. Also, the Institute for Environmental Studies of the VU University in Amsterdam and Stichting de Zeeschelp in Kamperland, many thanks for your analyses and experimental support and advice. Many thanks to all of the researchers who worked on this project, especially Christophe Lambert, David Mazurais, Rosanna Sussarellu, Ika Paul-Pont, Laura Frere, Anne-Laure Cassone, Dana Stuparu, Frank Kleissen, Ghada El Serafy, Sara Maes, Mattias Bossaer, Bavo De Witte, Johanna Gauquie, Caroline De Tender, Kevin Vanhalst

Cardiovascular determinants of life span

The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases rises with aging and is one of the main causes of mortality in western countries. In view of the progressively aging population, there is an urge for a better understanding of age-associated cardiovascular diseases and its underlying molecular mechanisms. The risk factors for cardiovascular diseases include unhealthy diet, diabetes, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and aging. Increased production of oxygen-derived free radicals plays an important role in mediating cardiovascular diseases. Oxidative stress affects the availability and/or balance of key-regulators of vascular homeostasis and favors the development of cardiovascular diseases. Reactive oxygen species are generated by different intracellular molecular pathways principally located in the cytoplasm and in the mitochondria. The mitochondrial protein p66Shc and the deacetylase enzyme SIRT1 were shown to be involved in different aspects of cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on the latest scientific advances in understanding cardiovascular diseases associated to aging, as well as delineating the possible therapeutic implications of p66Shc and SIRT 1 in this process