Standardized ecotoxicological tests still constitute the fundamental tools when doing risk-assessment of aquatic contaminants. These protocols are managed towards minimal mortality in the controls, ...which is not representative for natural systems where mortality is often high. This methodological bias, generated from assays where mortality in the control group is systematically disregarded, makes it difficult to measure therapeutic effects of pharmaceutical contaminants leading to lower mortality. This is of concern considering that such effects on exposed organisms still may have substantial ecological consequences. In this paper, we illustrate this conceptual problem by presenting empirical data for how the therapeutic effect of Oxazepam-a common contaminant of surface waters-lower mortality rates among exposed Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) from wild populations, at two different life stages. We found that fry hatched from roe that had been exposed to dilute concentrations (1.1 ± 0.3 g l−1) of Oxazepam for 24 h 3-6 days prior to hatching showed lower mortality rates and increased activity 30 days after hatching. Similar effects, i.e. increased activity and lower mortality rates were also observed for 2-year old perch exposed to dilute Oxazepam concentrations (1.2 ± 0.4 g l−1). We conclude that therapeutic effects from pharmaceutical contaminants need to be considered in risk assessment assays to avoid that important ecological effects from aquatic contaminants are systematically missed.
Objective
To examine post‐traumatic stress reactions among obstetricians and midwives, experiences of support and professional consequences after severe events in the labour ward.
Design
...Cross‐sectional online survey from January 7 to March 10, 2014.
Population
Members of the Swedish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Swedish Association of Midwives.
Methods
Potentially traumatic events were defined as: the child died or was severely injured during delivery; maternal near‐miss; maternal mortality; and other events such as violence or threat. The validated Screen Questionnaire Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (SQ‐PTSD), based on DSM‐IV (1994) 4th edition, was used to assess partial post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and probable PTSD.
Main outcome measures
Partial or probable PTSD.
Results
The response rate was 47% for obstetricians (n = 706) and 40% (n = 1459) for midwives. Eighty‐four percent of the obstetricians and 71% of the midwives reported experiencing at least one severe event on the delivery ward. Fifteen percent of both professions reported symptoms indicative of partial PTSD, whereas 7% of the obstetricians and 5% of the midwives indicated symptoms fulfilling PTSD criteria. Having experienced emotions of guilt or perceived insufficient support from friends predicted a higher risk of suffering from partial or probable PTSD. Obstetricians and midwives with partial PTSD symptoms chose to change their work to outpatient care significantly more often than colleagues without these symptoms.
Conclusions
A substantial proportion of obstetricians and midwives reported symptoms of partial or probable PTSD after severe traumatic events experienced on the labour ward. Support and resilience training could avoid suffering and consequences for professional carers.
Tweetable
In a survey 15% of Swedish obstetricians and midwives reported PTSD symptoms after their worst obstetric event
Tweetable
In a survey 15% of Swedish obstetricians and midwives reported PTSD symptoms after their worst obstetric event
Time is the crucial factor in the “chain of survival” treatment concept for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We aimed to measure different response time intervals by comparing emergency medical ...system (EMS), fire fighters and smartphone aided volunteer responders.
In two large Swedish regions, volunteer responders were timed from the alert until they arrived at the scene of the suspected OHCA. The first arriving volunteer responders who tried to fetch an automated external defibrillator (AED-responder) and who ran to perform bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR-responder) were compared to both the first arriving EMS and fire fighters. Three-time intervals were measured, from call to dispatch, the unit response time (from dispatch to arrival) and the total response time.
During 22 months, 2631 suspected OHCAs were included. The median time from call to dispatch was in minutes 1.8 (95% CI = 1.7–1.8) for EMS, 2.9 (95% CI = 2.8–3.0) for fire-fighters and 3.0 (95% CI = 2.9–3.1) for volunteer responders. The median unit response time was 8.3 (95% CI = 8.1–8.5) for EMS, 6.8 (95% CI = 6.7–6.9) for fire fighters and 6.0 (95% CI = 5.7–6.2) for AED-responders and 4.6 (95% CI = 4.5–4.8) for CPR-responders. The total response time was 10.4 (95% CI = 10.1–10.6) for EMS, 10.2 (95% CI = 9.9–10.4) for fire fighters, 9.6 (95% CI = 9.1–9.8) for AED-responders and 8.2 (95% CI = 8.0–8.3) for CPR-responders.
First arriving volunteer responders had the shortest unit response time when compared to both fire fighters and EMS, however this advantage was reduced by delays introduced at the dispatch center. Earlier automatic dispatch should be considered in further studies.
Behavioral traits measured in laboratory settings are commonly used when predicting ecological effects and evolutionary outcomes in natural systems. However, uncertainties regarding the relevance of ...simplified lab-based behavioral tests for complex natural environments have created doubts about the use of these tests within aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology. In this study, we scrutinize the assumption that fish performance in six commonly applied behavioral assays has relevance for in situ behavior, by comparing individual behavior tracked in both artificial laboratory settings as well as in two natural lakes. We show that: i) commonly measured behavioral traits of individual fish (Perca fluviatilis) have low predictive power for within-lake behaviors if interpreted alone, but that; ii) composite variables synthesized from several (six) behavioral assays explain important in situ measures such as swimming activity, dispersion, home-range size, and habitat preference. While our findings support recent criticisms against the use of single behavioral tests for predicting environmental effects, we provide empirical evidences suggesting that fish performances in multiple laboratory assays are highly relevant for fish behavior in nature.
Display omitted
•Animal behavior is a common tool to estimate effects of environmental change on aquatic ecosystems.•Individual laboratory behavioral assays of fish (Perca fluviatilis) have low predictive power for within-lake behaviors.•Composite variables derived from several behavioral assays explain important in situ measures.•Acoustic telemetry is used to determine in situ swimming activity, dispersion, home-range size, and habitat use of fish.
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a heterogeneous entity with multiple aetiologies, all linked to underlying vascular disease. Among these, VCI related to subcortical small vessel disease (SSVD) ...is emerging as a major homogeneous subtype. Its progressive course raises the need for biomarker identification and/or development for adequate therapeutic interventions to be tested. In order to shed light in the current status on biochemical markers for VCI-SSVD, experts in field reviewed the recent evidence and literature data.
The group conducted a comprehensive search on Medline, PubMed and Embase databases for studies published until 15.01.2017. The proposal on current status of biochemical markers in VCI-SSVD was reviewed by all co-authors and the draft was repeatedly circulated and discussed before it was finalized.
This review identifies a large number of biochemical markers derived from CSF and blood. There is a considerable overlap of VCI-SSVD clinical symptoms with those of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although most of the published studies are small and their findings remain to be replicated in larger cohorts, several biomarkers have shown promise in separating VCI-SSVD from AD. These promising biomarkers are closely linked to underlying SSVD pathophysiology, namely disruption of blood-CSF and blood-brain barriers (BCB-BBB) and breakdown of white matter myelinated fibres and extracellular matrix, as well as blood and brain inflammation. The leading biomarker candidates are: elevated CSF/blood albumin ratio, which reflects BCB/BBB disruption; altered CSF matrix metalloproteinases, reflecting extracellular matrix breakdown; CSF neurofilment as a marker of axonal damage, and possibly blood inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules. The suggested SSVD biomarker deviations contrasts the characteristic CSF profile in AD, i.e. depletion of amyloid beta peptide and increased phosphorylated and total tau.
Combining SSVD and AD biomarkers may provide a powerful tool to identify with greater precision appropriate patients for clinical trials of more homogeneous dementia populations. Thereby, biomarkers might promote therapeutic progress not only in VCI-SSVD, but also in AD.
Background
Little is known about accuracy of common risk prediction scores in elderly patients suffering from hip fractures. The objective of this study was to investigate accuracy of the ...Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) score, Portsmouth‐POSSUM (P‐POSSUM) score and the Nottingham Hip Fracture Score (NHFS) for prediction of mortality and morbidity in this patient group.
Methods
This was a prospective single centre observational study on 997 patients suffering out‐of‐hospital cervical, trochanteric or subtrochanteric fracture of the neck of the femur. Calibration and discrimination was assessed by calculating the ratio of observed to expected events (O:E) and areas under receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC).
Results
The 30‐day mortality was 6.2% and complications, as defined by POSSUM, occurred in 41% of the patients. Overall O:E ratios for POSSUM, P‐POSSUM and NHFS scores for 30‐day mortality were 0.90, 0.98, and 0.79 respectively. The models underestimated mortality in the lower risk bands and overestimated mortality in the higher risk bands. In contrast, POSSUM predicted morbidity well with O:E ratios close to unity in most risk bands. The areas under the ROC curves for the scoring systems was 0.60‐0.67.
Conclusion
The POSSUM score and NHFS show moderate calibration and poor discrimination in this cohort. The results suggest that mortality and morbidity in hip fracture patients are largely dependent on factors that are not included in these scores.
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation has been investigated as a function of temperature and humidity for the ozone-initiated reaction of the two monoterpenes α-pinene (243–313 K) and limonene ...(253–313 K) using the 84.5 m3 aerosol chamber AIDA. This paper gives an overview of the measurements done and presents parameters specifically useful for aerosol yield calculations. The ozonolysis reaction, selected oxidation products and subsequent aerosol formation were followed using several analytical techniques for both gas and condensed phase characterisation. The effective densities of the SOA were determined by comparing mass and volume size distributions to (1.25±0.10) g cm−3 for α-pinene and (1.3±0.2) g cm−3 for limonene. The detailed aerosol dynamics code COSIMA-SOA proved to be essential for a comprehensive evaluation of the experimental results and for providing parameterisations directly applicable within atmospheric models. The COSIMA-assisted analysis succeeded to reproduce the observed time evolutions of SOA total mass, number and size distributions by adjusting the following properties of two oxidation product proxies: individual yield parameters (αi), partitioning coefficients (Ki), vapour pressures (pi) and effective accommodation coefficients (γi). For these properties temperature dependences were derived and parameterised. Vapour pressures and partitioning coefficients followed classical Clausius – Clapeyron temperature dependences. From this relationship enthalpies of vaporisation were derived for the two more and less volatile product proxies of α-pinene: (59±8) kJ mol−1 and (24±9) kJ mol−1, and limonene: (55±14) kJ mol−1 and (25±12) kJ mol−1. The more volatile proxy components had a notably low enthalpy of vaporisation while the less volatile proxy components gave enthalpies of vaporisation comparable with those of typical products from α-pinene oxidation, e.g. pinonaldehyde and pinonic acid.
The triazine class of herbicides includes the compounds ametryn, atrazine, and simazine, which are used to control weeds in plantations of crops such as maize, sorghum, and sugar cane. Despite their ...acceptance in agriculture, these herbicides can be dangerous to the environment, depending on their toxicity, the degree of contamination, and the duration of exposure. Controlled release systems are increasingly used to mitigate problems of toxicity and minimize environmental impacts, and can also increase herbicide efficiency. The objective of this work was to prepare poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanocapsules containing ametryn and atrazine, and evaluate their toxicity to aquatic organisms as well as in cytogenetic tests employing human lymphocyte cultures. The PCL nanocapsules were prepared according to the interfacial deposition of pre-formed polymer method. Ecotoxicological assays were performed with the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and the microcrustacean Daphnia similis. The cytogenetic tests consisted of observing mitotic index alterations after exposing lymphocyte cell cultures to different formulations. Encapsulation of the herbicides in the nanocapsules resulted in lower toxicity to the alga and higher toxicity to the microcrustacean, compared to the herbicides alone. The cytogenetic tests showed that formulations of nanocapsules containing the herbicides were less toxic than the herbicides alone. The findings indicate the potential of the nanocapsule formulations in agricultural applications, where they could help to reduce the quantities of herbicides used as well as impacts on the environment and human health.
Interactions between aqueous amino acids and mineral surfaces influence many geochemical processes from biomineralization to the origin of life. However, the specific reactions involved and the ...attachment mechanisms are mostly unknown. We have studied the adsorption of
l-aspartate on the surface of rutile (α-TiO
2, pH
PPZC
=
5.4) in NaCl(aq) over a wide range of pH, ligand-to-solid ratio and ionic strength, using potentiometric titrations and batch adsorption experiments. The adsorption is favored below pH 6 with a maximum of 1.2
μmol of adsorbed aspartate per m
2 of rutile at pH 4 in our experiments. The adsorption decreases at higher pH because the negatively charged aspartate molecule is repelled by the negatively charged rutile surface above pH
PPZC. At pH values of 3–5, aspartate adsorption increases with decreasing ionic strength. The adsorption of aspartate on rutile is very similar to that previously published for glutamate (
Jonsson et al., 2009). An extended triple-layer model was used to provide a quantitative thermodynamic characterization of the aspartate adsorption data. Two reaction stoichiometries identical in reaction stoichiometry to those for glutamate were needed. At low surface coverages, aspartate, like glutamate, may form a bridging-bidentate surface species binding through both carboxyl groups, i.e. “lying down” on the rutile surface. At high surface coverages, the reaction stoichiometry for aspartate was interpreted differently compared to glutamate: it likely involves an outer-sphere or hydrogen bonded aspartate surface species, as opposed to a partly inner-sphere complex for glutamate. Both the proposed aspartate species are qualitatively consistent with previously published ATR–FTIR spectroscopic results for aspartate on amorphous titanium dioxide. The surface complexation model for aspartate was tested against experimental data for the potentiometric titration of aspartate in the presence of rutile. In addition, the model correctly predicted a decrease of the isoelectric point with increased aspartate concentration consistent with previously published studies of the aspartate–anatase system. Prediction of the surface speciation of aspartate on rutile indicates that the relative proportions of the two complexes are a strong function of environmental conditions, which should be taken into account in considerations of geochemical systems involving the interactions of biomolecules and minerals in electrolyte solutions.
Interactions between aqueous amino acids and mineral surfaces influence the bioavailability of amino acids in the environment, the viability of Ti implants in humans, and the role of mineral surfaces ...in the origin of life on Earth. We studied the adsorption of l-glutamate on the surface of rutile (α-TiO2, pHPPZC = 5.4) in NaCl solutions using potentiometric titrations and batch adsorption experiments over a wide range of pH values, ligand-to-solid ratios, and ionic strengths. Between pH 3 and 5, glutamate adsorbs strongly, up to 1.4 μmol m−2, and the adsorption decreases with increasing ionic strength. Potentiometric titration measurements of proton consumption for the combined glutamate−rutile−aqueous solution system show a strong dependence on glutamate concentration. An extended triple-layer surface complexation model of all the experimental results required at least two reaction stoichiometries for glutamate adsorption, indicating the possible existence of at least two surface glutamate complexes. A possible mode of glutamate attachment involves a bridging-bidentate species binding through both carboxyl groups, which can be thought of as “lying down” on the surface (as found previously for amorphous titanium dioxide and hydrous ferric oxide). Another involves a chelating species which binds only through the γ-carboxyl group, that is, “standing up” at the surface. The calculated proportions of these two surface glutamate species vary strongly, particularly with pH and glutamate concentration. Overall, our results serve as a basis for a better quantitative understanding of how and under what conditions acidic amino acids bind to oxide mineral surfaces.
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