Identification of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from three European orchid species with different pollination strategies : two deceptive orchids (Himantoglossum robertianum and Ophrys apifera) and a rewarding (Gymnadenia conopsea)

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission was evaluated in the inflorescences of three species of the family Orchidaceae: Himantoglossum robertianum, Ophrys apifera and Gymnadenia conopsea, that comprise three different pollination strategies: non-rewarding food deceptive, non-rewarding sexually deceptive and nectar rewarding, respectively. VOC were dynamically sampled in custom packed glass multi-sorbent cartridge tubes (Carbotrap, Carbopack X and Carboxen 569). A modified Tedlar® gas sampling bag was placed in vivo covering the inflorescence of the studied orchid, a design that prevents the dilution of the VOC mixture emitted by the flower. Multi-sorbent bed tubes were analysed through automatic thermal desorption coupled with a capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry detector. A total of 106 different VOC were found in the scents emitted by the three different studied orchids. A 54% of these compounds had already been identified in floral scents. Generally, only 3 compounds were highly abundant in each species: α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene in Himantoglossum robertianum; 1-butanol, butyl ether and caryophyllene in Ophrys apifera; and phenethyl acetate, eugenol and benzaldehyde in Gymnadenia conopsea. The employment of the presented methodologyPostprint (published version

Pregnancy related anxiety and general anxious or depressed mood and the choice for birth setting:A secondary data-analysis of the DELIVER study

BACKGROUND: In several developed countries women with a low risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth can make choices regarding place of birth. In the Netherlands, these women receive midwife-led care and can choose between a home or hospital birth. The declining rate of midwife-led home births alongside the recent debate on safety of home births in the Netherlands, however, suggest an association of choice of birth place with psychological factors related to safety and risk perception. In this study associations of pregnancy related anxiety and general anxious or depressed mood with (changes in) planned place of birth were explored in low risk women in midwife-led care until the start of labour. METHODS: Data (n = 2854 low risk women in midwife-led care at the onset of labour) were selected from the prospective multicenter DELIVER study. Women completed the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Questionnaire-Revised (PRAQ-R) to assess pregnancy related anxiety and the EuroQol-6D (EQ-6D) for an anxious and/or depressed mood. RESULTS: A high PRAQ-R score was associated with planned hospital birth in nulliparous (aOR 1.92; 95% CI 1.32–2.81) and parous women (aOR 2.08; 95% CI 1.55–2.80). An anxious or depressed mood was associated with planned hospital birth (aOR 1.58; 95% CI 1.20–2.08) and with being undecided (aOR 1.99; 95% CI 1.23–2.99) in parous women only. The majority of women did not change their planned place of birth. Changing from an initially planned home birth to a hospital birth later in pregnancy was, however, associated with becoming anxious or depressed after 35 weeks gestation in nulliparous women (aOR 4.17; 95% CI 1.35–12.89) and with pregnancy related anxiety at 20 weeks gestation in parous women (aOR 3.91; 95% CI 1.32–11.61). CONCLUSION: Low risk women who planned hospital birth (or who were undecided) more often reported pregnancy related anxiety or an anxious or depressed mood. Women who changed from home to hospital birth during pregnancy more often reported pregnancy related anxiety or an anxious or depressed mood in late pregnancy. Anxiety should be adequately addressed in the process of informed decision-making regarding planned place of birth in low risk women

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for psychological distress in pregnancy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Clinically significant psychological distress in pregnancy is common, with epidemiological research suggesting that between 15 and 25 % of pregnant women experience elevated symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. Untreated psychological distress in pregnancy is associated with poor obstetrical outcomes, changes in maternal physiology, elevated incidence of child physical and psychological disorders, and is predictive of maternal postpartum mood disorders. Despite the wide-ranging impact of antenatal psychological distress on mothers and their children, there is a gap in our knowledge about the most effective treatments that are available for psychological distress experienced in pregnancy. Additionally, no trials have focused on potential physiological changes that may occur as a result of receiving mindfulness training in pregnancy. The proposed trial will determine the effectiveness of an 8-week modified Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) intervention delivered during pregnancy. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with repeated measures will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of MBCT to treat psychological distress in pregnancy. A sample of 60 consenting pregnant women aged 18 years and above will be enrolled and randomized to the experimental (MBCT) or control (treatment as usual) condition. Primary (e.g., symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety), secondary (cortisol, blood pressure (BP), heart rate variability (HRV), and sleep) and other outcome data (e.g., psychological diagnoses) will be collected via a combination of laboratory visits and at-home assessments from both groups at baseline (T(1)), immediately following the intervention (T(2)), and at 3 months postpartum (T(3)). Descriptive statistics will be used to describe sample characteristics. Data will be analyzed using an intention-to-treat approach. Hierarchical linear models will be used to test intervention effects on primary and secondary outcomes. DISCUSSION: The trial is expected to improve knowledge about evidence-based treatments for psychological distress experienced in pregnancy and to evaluate the potential impact of mindfulness-based interventions on maternal physiology. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02214732, registered on 7 August 2014. Protocol Version 2.0., 5 September 2016. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1601-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Aircraft carriers Their current and prospective role in power projection

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:1856.758(35) / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Identification of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from three European orchid species with different pollination strategies : two deceptive orchids (Himantoglossum robertianum and Ophrys apifera) and a rewarding (Gymnadenia conopsea)

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission was evaluated in the inflorescences of three species of the family Orchidaceae: Himantoglossum robertianum, Ophrys apifera and Gymnadenia conopsea, that comprise three different pollination strategies: non-rewarding food deceptive, non-rewarding sexually deceptive and nectar rewarding, respectively. VOC were dynamically sampled in custom packed glass multi-sorbent cartridge tubes (Carbotrap, Carbopack X and Carboxen 569). A modified Tedlar® gas sampling bag was placed in vivo covering the inflorescence of the studied orchid, a design that prevents the dilution of the VOC mixture emitted by the flower. Multi-sorbent bed tubes were analysed through automatic thermal desorption coupled with a capillary gas chromatography/mass spectrometry detector. A total of 106 different VOC were found in the scents emitted by the three different studied orchids. A 54% of these compounds had already been identified in floral scents. Generally, only 3 compounds were highly abundant in each species: α-pinene, β-pinene and limonene in Himantoglossum robertianum; 1-butanol, butyl ether and caryophyllene in Ophrys apifera; and phenethyl acetate, eugenol and benzaldehyde in Gymnadenia conopsea. The employment of the presented methodolog

Surface emission of volatile organic compounds(VOC) from a closed industrial waste landfill

Closed landfills can be a source of VOC and odorous nuisances to their atmospheric surroundings. A self-designed cylindrical air flux chamber was used to measure VOC surface emissions in a closed industrial landfill located in Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. The two main objectives of the study were the evaluation of the performance of the chamber setup in typical measurement conditions and the determination of the emission rates of 60 different VOC from that industrial landfill, generating a valuable database that can be useful in future studies related to industrial landfill management. Triplicate samples were taken in five selected sampling points. VOC were sampled dynamically using multi-sorbent bed tubes (Carbotrap, Carbopack X, Carboxen 569) connected to SKC AirCheck 2000 pumps. The analysis was performed by automatic thermal desorption coupled with a capillary gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry detector. The emission rates of sixty VOC were calculated for each sampling point in an effort to characterize surface emissions. To calculate average, minimum and maximum emission values for each VOC, the results were analyzed by three different methods: Global, Kriging and Tributary area. Global and Tributary area methodologies presented similar values, with total VOC emissions of 237 ± 48 and 222 ± 46 g day− 1, respectively; however, Kriging values were lower, 77 ± 17 g day− 1. The main contributors to the total emission rate were aldehydes (nonanal and decanal), acetic acid, ketones (acetone), aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols. Most aromatic hydrocarbon (except benzene, naphthalene and methylnaphthalenes) and aldehyde emission rates exhibited strong correlations with the rest of VOC of their family, indicating a possible common source of these compounds. B:T ratio obtained from the emission rates of the studied landfill suggested that the factors that regulate aromatic hydrocarbon distributions in the landfill emissions are different from the ones from urban areas. Environmental conditions (atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity) did not alter the pollutant emission fluxesPeer Reviewe