Exploring loneliness in committed relationships: what role does quality of relationship play?

Loneliness is an aspect of the human experience that has garnered increasing attention as links between loneliness and negative health outcomes have been discovered across medical and mental health fields. Research on loneliness has highlighted relationship status as a prominent influencing factor on individual’s experiences of loneliness, underscoring findings that those in more committed relationships may experience less loneliness. This has clinical implications for therapists, particularly those working with couples who might assume that individuals in committed relationships are unlikely to experience loneliness because of their committed relationship status. This study focuses on the experience of loneliness in committed relationships and aims to examine quality of relationship as an influential factor on the link between relationship status and loneliness

Terrestrial Inputs Shape Coastal Bacterial and Archaeal Communities in a High Arctic Fjord (Isfjorden, Svalbard)

The Arctic is experiencing dramatic changes including increases in precipitation, glacial melt, and permafrost thaw, resulting in increasing freshwater runoff to coastal waters. During the melt season, terrestrial runoff delivers carbon- and nutrient-rich freshwater to Arctic coastal waters, with unknown consequences for the microbial communities that play a key role in determining the cycling and fate of terrestrial matter at the land-ocean interface. To determine the impacts of runoff on coastal microbial (bacteria and archaea) communities, we investigated changes in pelagic microbial community structure between the early (June) and late (August) melt season in 2018 in the Isfjorden system (Svalbard). Amplicon sequences of the 16S rRNA gene were generated from water column, river and sediment samples collected in Isfjorden along fjord transects from shallow river estuaries and glacier fronts to the outer fjord. Community shifts were investigated in relation to environmental gradients, and compared to river and marine sediment microbial communities. We identified strong temporal and spatial reorganizations in the structure and composition of microbial communities during the summer months in relation to environmental conditions. Microbial diversity patterns highlighted a reorganization from rich communities in June toward more even and less rich communities in August. In June, waters enriched in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) provided a niche for copiotrophic taxa including Sulfitobacter and Octadecabacter. In August, lower DOC concentrations and Atlantic water inflow coincided with a shift toward more cosmopolitan taxa usually associated with summer stratified periods (e.g., SAR11 Clade Ia), and prevalent oligotrophic marine clades (OM60, SAR92). Higher riverine inputs of dissolved inorganic nutrients and suspended particulate matter also contributed to spatial reorganizations of communities in August. Sentinel taxa of this late summer fjord environment included taxa from the class Verrucomicrobiae (Roseibacillus, Luteolibacter), potentially indicative of a higher fraction of particle-attached bacteria. This study highlights the ecological relevance of terrestrial runoff for Arctic coastal microbial communities and how its impacts on biogeochemical conditions may make these communities susceptible to climate change

Seasonal riverine inputs may affect diet and mercury bioaccumulation in Arctic coastal zooplankton

Climate change driven increases in permafrost thaw and terrestrial runoff are expected to facilitate the mobilization and transport of mercury (Hg) from catchment soils to coastal areas in the Arctic, potentially increasing Hg exposure of marine food webs. The main aim of this study was to determine the impacts of seasonal riverine inputs on land-ocean Hg transport, zooplankton diet and Hg bioaccumulation in an Arctic estuary (Adventfjorden, Svalbard). The Adventelva River was a source of dissolved and particulate Hg to Adventfjorden, especially in June and July during the river's main discharge period. Stable isotope and fatty acid analyses suggest that zooplankton diet varied seasonally with diatoms dominating during the spring phytoplankton bloom in May and with increasing contributions of dinoflagellates in the summer months. In addition, there was evidence of increased terrestrial carbon utilization by zooplankton in June and July, when terrestrial particles contributed substantially to the particulate organic matter pool. Total (TotHg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations in zooplankton increased from April to August related to increased exposure to riverine inputs, and to shifts in zooplankton diet and community structure. Longer and warmer summer seasons will probably increase riverine runoff and thus Hg exposure to Arctic zooplankton.Seasonal riverine inputs may affect diet and mercury bioaccumulation in Arctic coastal zooplanktonpublishedVersio

An introductory review of post-resection chemotherapeutics for primary brain tumors

The treatment of central nervous system (CNS) tumors is complicated by high rates of recurrence and treatment resistance that contribute to high morbidity and mortality (Nat Rev Neurol. 2022;18:221–36. doi: 10.1038/s41582-022-00621-0). One of the challenges of treating these tumors is the limited permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Early pharmacologic treatments worked to overcome the BBB by targeting vulnerabilities in the tumor cell replication process directly through alkylating agents like temozolomide. However, as advancements have been made options have expanded to include immunologic targets through the use of monoclonal antibodies. In the future, treatment will likely continue to focus on the use of immunotherapies, as well as emerging technology like the use of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU). Ultimately, this paper serves as an introductory overview of current therapeutic options for post-resection primary brain tumors, as well as a look towards future work and emerging treatment options

Land: Its Organisation and Management at Norse Hofstaðir

Land, its organisation and management as well as its intrinsic quality are little understood aspects of the settlement process in Iceland. Yet an understanding of the concept and significance of land is vital if we are to recognise the way in which environmental resources were used to create and maintain social structures, the role of management decisions in setting new directions of environmental change, and the adoption and adaptation of land management strategies to sustain food production. Organisation of land was needed to ensure the requirements of grazing domestic livestock (dominantly sheep, cattle and cows) and access to fuel resources were met in order to provide foundations for subsistence and local economies

Identifying Causal Genes at the Multiple Sclerosis Associated Region 6q23 Using Capture Hi-C.

BACKGROUND: The chromosomal region 6q23 has been found to be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) predisposition through genome wide association studies (GWAS). There are four independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with MS in this region, which spans around 2.5 Mb. Most GWAS variants associated with complex traits, including these four MS associated SNPs, are non-coding and their function is currently unknown. However, GWAS variants have been found to be enriched in enhancers and there is evidence that they may be involved in transcriptional regulation of their distant target genes through long range chromatin looping. AIM: The aim of this work is to identify causal disease genes in the 6q23 locus by studying long range chromatin interactions, using the recently developed Capture Hi-C method in human T and B-cell lines. Interactions involving four independent associations unique to MS, tagged by rs11154801, rs17066096, rs7769192 and rs67297943 were analysed using Capture Hi-C Analysis of Genomic Organisation (CHiCAGO). RESULTS: We found that the pattern of chromatin looping interactions in the MS 6q23 associated region is complex. Interactions cluster in two regions, the first involving the rs11154801 region and a second containing the rs17066096, rs7769192 and rs67297943 SNPs. Firstly, SNPs located within the AHI1 gene, tagged by rs11154801, are correlated with expression of AHI1 and interact with its promoter. These SNPs also interact with other potential candidate genes such as SGK1 and BCLAF1. Secondly, the rs17066096, rs7769192 and rs67297943 SNPs interact with each other and with immune-related genes such as IL20RA, IL22RA2, IFNGR1 and TNFAIP3. Finally, the above-mentioned regions interact with each other and therefore, may co-regulate these target genes. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the four 6q23 variants, independently associated with MS, are involved in the regulation of several genes, including immune genes. These findings could help understand mechanisms of disease and suggest potential novel therapeutic targets

Using in situ sensor-based monitoring to study impacts of climate change on river water quality and element fluxes

Prosjektleder: Øyvind KasteThe report contains an analysis of high-frequency sensor data from two rivers included in the Norwegian River Monitoring Programme; Storelva in southern Norway and Målselva in northern Norway. The main aim of the report is to combine in situ sensor-based monitoring data with climate, hydrology and water chemistry data to study impacts of climate change on river water quality and element fluxes. The report also highlights challenges, opportunities and the strong potential for sensor-based monitoring to yield new knowledge related to climate change impacts on river water quality.Norwegian Environment AgencypublishedVersio

Unemployment, underweight, and obesity: Findings from Understanding Society (UKHLS)

Elevated morbidity and mortality among jobseekers may be partly explained by adiposity, but previous studies of unemployment and body mass index (BMI), which have usually modelled associations as linear, have produced inconsistent results. However, both underweight and obesity are associated with mortality, and both weight loss and weight gain associated with a stressful environment. If unemployment is associated with both underweight and obesity for different subgroups, these associations may previously have masked each other, whilst affecting health through divergent pathways. We investigated whether there is a previously overlooked U-shaped association of unemployment and BMI, which could help explain jobseekers’ elevated morbidity and mortality, and identify groups vulnerable to underweight and obesity during unemployment. We used multinomial models to simultaneously investigate associations of unemployment with BMI-defined underweight, overweight, and obesity in 10,737 working-age UK adults from Understanding Society (UKHLS) in 2010–12. Moderating impacts of unemployment duration, demographic factors and smoking were explored. Current jobseekers were more likely to be underweight (Odds ratio (OR): 4.05, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.12–7.73) and less likely to be overweight (OR: 0.71, CI: 0.55, 0.92) adjusted for gender, age, education, health, smoking and physical activity, while unemployed non-smokers had increased odds of obesity (OR: 1.52, CI: 1.06–2.18). Underweight and overweight associations were more apparent for longer-term jobseekers, men, and jobseekers from lower-income households. We conclude that unemployment is associated with underweight and, in nonsmokers, obesity. Results show the unemployment-adiposity relationship cannot be properly studied assuming unidirectionality of effects, and suggest unemployment may affect health of different groups via divergent adiposity-mediated pathways

Analysis of chromatin organization and gene expression in T cells identifies functional genes for rheumatoid arthritis

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2019-10-22, accepted 2020-08-06, registration 2020-08-11, pub-electronic 2020-09-02, online 2020-09-02, collection 2020-12Publication status: PublishedFunder: RCUK | MRC | Medical Research Foundation; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100009187; Grant(s): MR/N00017X/1Funder: Arthritis Research UK; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000341; Grant(s): 21754Abstract: Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variation contributing to complex disease risk. However, assigning causal genes and mechanisms has been more challenging because disease-associated variants are often found in distal regulatory regions with cell-type specific behaviours. Here, we collect ATAC-seq, Hi-C, Capture Hi-C and nuclear RNA-seq data in stimulated CD4+ T cells over 24 h, to identify functional enhancers regulating gene expression. We characterise changes in DNA interaction and activity dynamics that correlate with changes in gene expression, and find that the strongest correlations are observed within 200 kb of promoters. Using rheumatoid arthritis as an example of T cell mediated disease, we demonstrate interactions of expression quantitative trait loci with target genes, and confirm assigned genes or show complex interactions for 20% of disease associated loci, including FOXO1, which we confirm using CRISPR/Cas9