Sample records for acute ozone stress

  1. S-Nitroso-Proteome in Poplar Leaves in Response to Acute Ozone Stress

    PubMed Central

    Vanzo, Elisa; Ghirardo, Andrea; Merl-Pham, Juliane; Lindermayr, Christian; Heller, Werner; Hauck, Stefanie M.; Durner, Jörg; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter

    2014-01-01

    Protein S-nitrosylation, the covalent binding of nitric oxide (NO) to protein cysteine residues, is one of the main mechanisms of NO signaling in plant and animal cells. Using a combination of the biotin switch assay and label-free LC-MS/MS analysis, we revealed the S-nitroso-proteome of the woody model plant Populus x canescens. Under normal conditions, constitutively S-nitrosylated proteins in poplar leaves and calli comprise all aspects of primary and secondary metabolism. Acute ozone fumigation was applied to elicit ROS-mediated changes of the S-nitroso-proteome. This treatment changed the total nitrite and nitrosothiol contents of poplar leaves and affected the homeostasis of 32 S-nitrosylated proteins. Multivariate data analysis revealed that ozone exposure negatively affected the S-nitrosylation status of leaf proteins: 23 proteins were de-nitrosylated and 9 proteins had increased S-nitrosylation content compared to the control. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 2 (log2[ozone/control] = −3.6) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (−3.4), key enzymes catalyzing important steps in the phenylpropanoid and subsequent lignin biosynthetic pathways, respectively, were de-nitrosylated upon ozone stress. Measuring the in vivo and in vitro phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity indicated that the increase of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in response to acute ozone is partly regulated by de-nitrosylation, which might favor a higher metabolic flux through the phenylpropanoid pathway within minutes after ozone exposure. PMID:25192423

  2. Adrenal-derived stress hormones modulate ozone-induced ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Ozone-induced systemic effects are modulated through activation of the neuro-hormonal stress response pathway. Adrenal demedullation (DEMED)or bilateral total adrenalectomy (ADREX) inhibits systemic and pulmonary effect of acute ozone exposure. To understand the influence of adrenal-derived stress hormones in mediating ozone-induced lung injury/inflammation, we assessed global gene expression (mRNA sequencing) and selected proteins in lung tissues from male Wistar-Kyoto rats that underwent DEMED, ADREX, or sham surgery (SHAM)prior to their exposure to air or ozone (1 ppm),4 h/day for 1 or 2days. Ozone exposure significantly changed the expression of over 2300 genes in lungs of SHAM rats, and these changes were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats. SHAM surgery but not DEMED or ADREX resulted in activation of multiple ozone-responsive pathways, including glucocorticoid, acute phase response, NRF2, and Pl3K-AKT.Predicted targets from sequencing data showed a similarity between transcriptional changes induced by ozone and adrenergic and steroidal modulation of effects in SHAM but not ADREX rats. Ozone-induced Increases in lung 116 in SHAM rats coincided with neutrophilic Inflammation, but were diminished in DEMED and ADREX rats. Although ozone exposure in SHAM rats did not significantly alter mRNA expression of lfny and 11-4, the IL-4 protein and ratio of IL-4 to IFNy (IL-4/IFNy) proteins increased suggesting a tendency for a Th2 response. This did not occur

  3. Acute Ozone-Induced Pulmonary and Systemic Metabolic Effects are Diminished in Adrenalectomized Rats

    EPA Science Inventory

    Acute ozone exposure increases circulating stress hormones and induces peripheral metabolic alterations in animals and humans. We hypothesized that the increase of adrenal-derived stress hormones is necessary for ozone-induced systemic metabolic effects and lung injury. Male Wis...

  4. Acute Ozone-Induced Pulmonary and Systemic Metabolic Effects are Diminished in Adrenalectomized Rats#

    EPA Science Inventory

    Acute ozone exposure increases circulating stress hormones and induces metabolic alterations in animals and humans. We hypothesized that the increase of adrenal-derived stress hormones is necessary for both ozone-induced metabolic effects and lung injury. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats ...

  5. Acute Ozone-Induced Pulmonary and Systemic Metabolic ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Acute ozone exposure increases circulating stress hormones and induces metabolic alterations in animals and humans. We hypothesized that the increase of adrenal-derived stress hormones is necessary for both ozone-induced metabolic effects and lung injury. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats underwent adrenal demedullation (DEMED), total bilateral adrenalectomy (ADREX), or sham surgery (SHAM). After a 4 day recovery, rats were exposed to air or ozone (1ppm), 4h/day for 1 or 2 days. Circulating adrenaline levels dropped to nearly zero in DEMED and ADREX rats relative to air-exposed SHAM. Corticosterone levels tended to be low in DEMED rats and dropped to nearly zero in ADREX rats. Adrenalectomy in air-exposed rats caused modest changes in metabolites and lung toxicity parameters. Ozone-induced hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance were markedly attenuated in DEMED rats with nearly complete reversal in ADREX rats. Ozone increased circulating epinephrine and corticosterone in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Free fatty acids (p=0.15) and branched-chain amino acids increased after ozone exposure in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Lung minute volume was not affected by surgery or ozone but ozone-induced labored breathing was less pronounced in ADREX rats. Ozone-induced increases in lung protein leakage and neutrophilic inflammation were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats (ADREX>DMED). Ozone-mediated decreases in circulating white blood cells in SHAM were not obser

  6. Acute Ozone-Induced Pulmonary and Systemic Metabolic ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Acute ozone exposure increases circulating stress hormones and induces peripheral metabolic alterations in animals and humans. We hypothesized that the increase of adrenal-derived stress hormones is necessary for ozone-induced systemic metabolic effects and lung injury. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats (12 week-old) underwent total bilateral adrenalectomy (ADREX), adrenal demedullation (DEMED) or sham surgery (SHEM). After 4 day recovery, rats were exposed to air or ozone (1ppm), 4h/day for 1 or 2 days. Circulating adrenaline levels dropped to nearly zero in DEMED and ADREX rats relative to air-exposed SHAM. Corticosterone levels tended to be low in DEMED rats and dropped to nearly zero in ADREX rats. Adrenalectomy in air-exposed rats caused modest changes in metabolites and lung toxicity parameters. Ozone-induced hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance were markedly attenuated in DEMED with nearly complete reversal in ADREX rats. Ozone increased circulating epinephrine and corticosterone in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Free fatty acids and branched-chain amino acids tended to increase after ozone exposure in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Lung minute volume was not affected by surgery or ozone but ozone-induced labored breathing was less pronounced in ADREX rats. Ozone-induced increases in lung protein leakage and neutrophilic inflammation were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats (ADREX>DMED). Ozone-mediated decrease in circulating WBC in SHAM was not

  7. Adrenal-derived stress hormones modulate ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone-induced systemic effects are modulated through activation of the neuro-hormonal stress response pathway. Adrenal demedullation (DEMED)or bilateral total adrenalectomy (ADREX) inhibits systemic and pulmonary effect of acute ozone exposure. To understand the influence of adre...

  8. Ozone-Induced Pulmonary Injury and Inflammation are Modulated by Adrenal-Derived Stress Hormones

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone exposure promotes pulmonary injury and inflammation. Previously we have characterized systemic changes that occur immediately after acute ozone exposure and are mediated by neuro-hormonal stress response pathway. Both HPA axis and sympathetic tone alterations induce the rel...

  9. Ozone Exposure Increases Circulating Stress Hormones and Lipid Metabolites in Humans

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Desinia B.; Ghio, Andrew J.; Karoly, Edward D.; Bell, Lauren N.; Snow, Samantha J.; Madden, Michael C.; Soukup, Joleen; Cascio, Wayne E.; Gilmour, M. Ian

    2016-01-01

    Rationale: Air pollution has been associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes; however, the mechanisms remain unknown. We have shown that acute ozone exposure in rats induces release of stress hormones, hyperglycemia, leptinemia, and glucose intolerance that are associated with global changes in peripheral glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. Objectives: To examine ozone-induced metabolic derangement in humans using serum metabolomic assessment, establish human-to-rodent coherence, and identify novel nonprotein biomarkers. Methods: Serum samples were obtained from a crossover clinical study that included two clinic visits (n = 24 each) where each subject was blindly exposed in the morning to either filtered air or 0.3 parts per million ozone for 2 hours during 15-minute on-off exercise. Serum samples collected within 1 hour after exposure were assessed for changes in metabolites using a metabolomic approach. Measurements and Main Results: Metabolomic analysis revealed that ozone exposure markedly increased serum cortisol and corticosterone together with increases in monoacylglycerol, glycerol, and medium- and long-chain free fatty acids, reflective of lipid mobilization and catabolism. Additionally, ozone exposure increased serum lysolipids, potentially originating from membrane lipid breakdown. Ozone exposure also increased circulating mitochondrial β-oxidation–derived metabolites, such as acylcarnitines, together with increases in the ketone body 3-hydroxybutyrate. These changes suggested saturation of β-oxidation by ozone in exercising humans. Conclusions: As in rodents, acute ozone exposure increased stress hormones and globally altered peripheral lipid metabolism in humans, likely through activation of a neurohormonally mediated stress response pathway. The metabolomic assessment revealed new biomarkers and allowed for establishment of rodent-to-human coherence. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 01492517

  10. Ozone-induced foliar damage and release of stress volatiles is highly dependent on stomatal openness and priming by low-level ozone exposure in Phaseolus vulgaris

    PubMed Central

    Li, Shuai; Harley, Peter C.; Niinemets, Ülo

    2018-01-01

    Acute ozone exposure triggers major emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC), but quantitatively, it is unclear how different ozone doses alter the start and the total amount of these emissions, and the induction rate of different stress volatiles. It is also unclear whether priming (i.e., pre-exposure to lower O3 concentrations) can modify the magnitude and kinetics of volatile emissions. We investigated photosynthetic characteristics and VOC emissions in Phaseolus vulgaris following acute ozone exposure (600 nmol mol-1 for 30 min) under illumination and in darkness and after priming with 200 nmol mol-1 O3 for 30 min. Methanol and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway product emissions were induced rapidly, followed by moderate emissions of methyl salicylate (MeSA). Stomatal conductance prior to acute exposure was lower in darkness and after low O3 priming than in light and without priming. After low O3 priming, no MeSA and lower LOX emissions were detected under acute exposure. Overall, maximum emission rates and the total amount of emitted LOX products and methanol were quantitatively correlated with total stomatal ozone uptake. These results indicate that different stress volatiles scale differently with ozone dose and highlight the key role of stomatal conductance in controlling ozone uptake, leaf injury and volatile release. PMID:28623868

  11. Ozone-induced foliar damage and release of stress volatiles is highly dependent on stomatal openness and priming by low-level ozone exposure in Phaseolus vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Li, Shuai; Harley, Peter C; Niinemets, Ülo

    2017-09-01

    Acute ozone exposure triggers major emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but quantitatively, it is unclear how different ozone doses alter the start and the total amount of these emissions, and the induction rate of different stress volatiles. It is also unclear whether priming (i.e. pre-exposure to lower O 3 concentrations) can modify the magnitude and kinetics of volatile emissions. We investigated photosynthetic characteristics and VOC emissions in Phaseolus vulgaris following acute ozone exposure (600 nmol mol -1 for 30 min) under illumination and in darkness and after priming with 200 nmol mol -1 O 3 for 30 min. Methanol and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway product emissions were induced rapidly, followed by moderate emissions of methyl salicylate (MeSA). Stomatal conductance prior to acute exposure was lower in darkness and after low O 3 priming than in light and without priming. After low O 3 priming, no MeSA and lower LOX emissions were detected under acute exposure. Overall, maximum emission rates and the total amount of emitted LOX products and methanol were quantitatively correlated with total stomatal ozone uptake. These results indicate that different stress volatiles scale differently with ozone dose and highlight the key role of stomatal conductance in controlling ozone uptake, leaf injury and volatile release. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Adrenal-derived stress hormones modulate ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation.

    PubMed

    Henriquez, Andres; House, John; Miller, Desinia B; Snow, Samantha J; Fisher, Anna; Ren, Hongzu; Schladweiler, Mette C; Ledbetter, Allen D; Wright, Fred; Kodavanti, Urmila P

    2017-08-15

    Ozone-induced systemic effects are modulated through activation of the neuro-hormonal stress response pathway. Adrenal demedullation (DEMED) or bilateral total adrenalectomy (ADREX) inhibits systemic and pulmonary effects of acute ozone exposure. To understand the influence of adrenal-derived stress hormones in mediating ozone-induced lung injury/inflammation, we assessed global gene expression (mRNA sequencing) and selected proteins in lung tissues from male Wistar-Kyoto rats that underwent DEMED, ADREX, or sham surgery (SHAM) prior to their exposure to air or ozone (1ppm), 4h/day for 1 or 2days. Ozone exposure significantly changed the expression of over 2300 genes in lungs of SHAM rats, and these changes were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats. SHAM surgery but not DEMED or ADREX resulted in activation of multiple ozone-responsive pathways, including glucocorticoid, acute phase response, NRF2, and PI3K-AKT. Predicted targets from sequencing data showed a similarity between transcriptional changes induced by ozone and adrenergic and steroidal modulation of effects in SHAM but not ADREX rats. Ozone-induced increases in lung Il6 in SHAM rats coincided with neutrophilic inflammation, but were diminished in DEMED and ADREX rats. Although ozone exposure in SHAM rats did not significantly alter mRNA expression of Ifnγ and Il-4, the IL-4 protein and ratio of IL-4 to IFNγ (IL-4/IFNγ) proteins increased suggesting a tendency for a Th2 response. This did not occur in ADREX and DEMED rats. We demonstrate that ozone-induced lung injury and neutrophilic inflammation require the presence of circulating epinephrine and corticosterone, which transcriptionally regulates signaling mechanisms involved in this response. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Acute Ozone-Induced Pulmonary and Systemic Metabolic Effects Are Diminished in Adrenalectomized Rats

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Desinia B.; Snow, Samantha J.; Schladweiler, Mette C.; Richards, Judy E.; Ghio, Andrew J.; Ledbetter, Allen D.; Kodavanti, Urmila P.

    2016-01-01

    Acute ozone exposure increases circulating stress hormones and induces metabolic alterations in animals. We hypothesized that the increase of adrenal-derived stress hormones is necessary for both ozone-induced metabolic effects and lung injury. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats underwent bilateral adrenal demedullation (DEMED), total bilateral adrenalectomy (ADREX), or sham surgery (SHAM). After a 4 day recovery, rats were exposed to air or ozone (1 ppm), 4 h/day for 1 or 2 days and responses assessed immediately postexposure. Circulating adrenaline levels dropped to nearly zero in DEMED and ADREX rats relative to SHAM. Corticosterone tended to be low in DEMED rats and dropped to nearly zero in ADREX rats. Adrenalectomy in air-exposed rats caused modest changes in metabolites and lung toxicity parameters. Ozone-induced hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance were markedly attenuated in DEMED rats with nearly complete reversal in ADREX rats. Ozone increased circulating epinephrine and corticosterone in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Free fatty acids (P = .15) and branched-chain amino acids increased after ozone exposure in SHAM but not in DEMED or ADREX rats. Lung minute volume was not affected by surgery or ozone but ozone-induced labored breathing was less pronounced in ADREX rats. Ozone-induced increases in lung protein leakage and neutrophilic inflammation were markedly reduced in DEMED and ADREX rats (ADREX > DEMED). Ozone-mediated decreases in circulating white blood cells in SHAM were not observed in DEMED and ADREX rats. We demonstrate that ozone-induced peripheral metabolic effects and lung injury/inflammation are mediated through adrenal-derived stress hormones likely via the activation of stress response pathway. PMID:26732886

  14. Ozone Exposure Increases Circulating Stress Hormones and Lipid Metabolites in Humans

    EPA Science Inventory

    RATIONALE: Air pollution has been associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes; however, the mechanisms remain unknown. We have shown that acute ozone exposure in rats induces release of stress hormones, hyperglycemia, leptinemia, and gluoose intolerance that are assoc...

  15. Growth at elevated ozone or elevated carbon dioxide concentration alters antioxidant capacity and response to acute oxidative stress in soybean (Glycine max)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gillespie, K.M.; Rogers, A.; Ainsworth, E. A.

    2011-01-31

    Soybeans (Glycine max Merr.) were grown at elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO{sub 2}]) or chronic elevated ozone concentration ([O{sub 3}]; 90 ppb), and then exposed to an acute O{sub 3} stress (200 ppb for 4 h) in order to test the hypothesis that the atmospheric environment alters the total antioxidant capacity of plants, and their capacity to respond to an acute oxidative stress. Total antioxidant metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activity, and antioxidant transcript abundance were characterized before, immediately after, and during recovery from the acute O{sub 3} treatment. Growth at chronic elevated [O{sub 3}] increased the total antioxidant capacity of plants,more » while growth at elevated [CO{sub 2}] decreased the total antioxidant capacity. Changes in total antioxidant capacity were matched by changes in ascorbate content, but not phenolic content. The growth environment significantly altered the pattern of antioxidant transcript and enzyme response to the acute O{sub 3} stress. Following the acute oxidative stress, there was an immediate transcriptional reprogramming that allowed for maintained or increased antioxidant enzyme activities in plants grown at elevated [O{sub 3}]. Growth at elevated [CO{sub 2}] appeared to increase the response of antioxidant enzymes to acute oxidative stress, but dampened and delayed the transcriptional response. These results provide evidence that the growth environment alters the antioxidant system, the immediate response to an acute oxidative stress, and the timing over which plants return to initial antioxidant levels. The results also indicate that future elevated [CO{sub 2}] and [O{sub 3}] will differentially affect the antioxidant system.« less

  16. The Sesquiterpenes(E)-ß-Farnesene and (E)-α-Bergamotene Quench Ozone but Fail to Protect the Wild Tobacco Nicotiana attenuata from Ozone, UVB, and Drought Stresses

    PubMed Central

    Palmer-Young, Evan C.; Veit, Daniel; Gershenzon, Jonathan; Schuman, Meredith C.

    2015-01-01

    Among the terpenes, isoprene (C5) and monoterpene hydrocarbons (C10) have been shown to ameliorate abiotic stress in a number of plant species via two proposed mechanisms: membrane stabilization and direct antioxidant effects. Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (C15) not only share the structural properties thought to lend protective qualities to isoprene and monoterpene hydrocarbons, but also react rapidly with ozone, suggesting that sesquiterpenes may similarly enhance tolerance of abiotic stresses. To test whether sesquiterpenes protect plants against ozone, UVB light, or drought, we used transgenic lines of the wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata. The transgenic plants expressed a maize terpene synthase gene (ZmTPS10) which produced a blend of (E)-ß-farnesene and (E)-α-bergamotene, or a point mutant of the same gene (ZmTPS10M) which produced (E)-ß-farnesene alone,. (E)-ß-farnesene exerted a local, external, and transient ozone-quenching effect in ozone-fumigated chambers, but we found no evidence that enhanced sesquiterpene production by the plant inhibited oxidative damage, or maintained photosynthetic function or plant fitness under acute or chronic stress. Although the sesquiterpenes (E)-ß-farnesene and (E)-α-bergamotene might confer benefits under intermittent heat stress, which was not tested, any roles in relieving abiotic stress may be secondary to their previously demonstrated functions in biotic interactions. PMID:26030663

  17. Intermittent noise stress causes baroreflex desensitization and decreased heart rate variability in Wistar Kyoto rats exposed to ozone

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study shows that intermittent noise stress worsens the cardiopulmonary response of rats to ozone. It increases electrical disturbances and causes dysfunction the homeostatic regulation of the heart and vasculature. Although the acute cardiovascular health impacts o...

  18. Ozone induces glucose intolerance and systemic metabolic effects in young and aged brown Norway rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bass, V.; Gordon, C.J.; Jarema, K.A.

    Air pollutants have been associated with increased diabetes in humans. We hypothesized that ozone would impair glucose homeostasis by altering insulin signaling and/or endoplasmic reticular (ER) stress in young and aged rats. One, 4, 12, and 24 month old Brown Norway (BN) rats were exposed to air or ozone, 0.25 or 1.0 ppm, 6 h/day for 2 days (acute) or 2 d/week for 13 weeks (subchronic). Additionally, 4 month old rats were exposed to air or 1.0 ppm ozone, 6 h/day for 1 or 2 days (time-course). Glucose tolerance tests (GTT) were performed immediately after exposure. Serum and tissue biomarkersmore » were analyzed 18 h after final ozone for acute and subchronic studies, and immediately after each day of exposure in the time-course study. Age-related glucose intolerance and increases in metabolic biomarkers were apparent at baseline. Acute ozone caused hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance in rats of all ages. Ozone-induced glucose intolerance was reduced in rats exposed for 13 weeks. Acute, but not subchronic ozone increased α{sub 2}-macroglobulin, adiponectin and osteopontin. Time-course analysis indicated glucose intolerance at days 1 and 2 (2 > 1), and a recovery 18 h post ozone. Leptin increased day 1 and epinephrine at all times after ozone. Ozone tended to decrease phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate-1 in liver and adipose tissues. ER stress appeared to be the consequence of ozone induced acute metabolic impairment since transcriptional markers of ER stress increased only after 2 days of ozone. In conclusion, acute ozone exposure induces marked systemic metabolic impairments in BN rats of all ages, likely through sympathetic stimulation. - Highlights: • Air pollutants have been associated with increased diabetes in humans. • Acute ozone exposure produces profound metabolic alterations in rats. • Age influences metabolic risk factors in aging BN rats. • Acute metabolic effects are reversible and repeated exposure reduces these effects. • Ozone

  19. The Effect of Intermittent Noise Stress on Ozone-Induced ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Previous studies have established that acute exposure to air pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular dysfunction. Intrinsic factors are likely the most important determinants of how the body responds to an exposure. But data also suggests that non-environmental stressors like noise, which is a common urban public health problem, can modify and indeed worsen the response. Noise can cause obvious psychological disturbances typical of non-specific stress, but also changes that can increase the number of cardiovascular disease related mortalities. Therefore, we hypothesized that short-term exposure to noise would worsen the cardiovascular response to ozone. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats were implanted with radiotelemeters for the measurement of heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and electrocardiogram (ECG) and exposed to intermittent noise (85-90 dB) for one week after which they were exposed to either ozone (0.8 ppm) or filtered air. Left ventricular functional responses to dobutamine were measured using a Millar probe as well as arrhythmic sensitivity to aconitine in a separate set of untelemetered rats 24 hours after exposure. HR and BP decreased in all telemetered animals during ozone exposure; noise caused BP and HR to increase. Baseline left ventricular pressure (LVP) was significantly higher in animals exposed to both noise and ozone when compared to no noise; furthermore those animals had the least amount of change in LVP, dP/dT max and min with increasi

  20. Ozone-Induced Injury and Oxidative Stress in Bronchiolar Epithelium Are Associated with Altered Pulmonary Mechanics

    PubMed Central

    Sunil, Vasanthi R.

    2013-01-01

    In these studies, we analyzed the effects of ozone on bronchiolar epithelium. Exposure of rats to ozone (2 ppm, 3h) resulted in rapid (within 3h) and persistent (up to 72h) histological changes in the bronchiolar epithelium, including hypercellularity, loss of cilia, and necrotizing bronchiolitis. Perivascular edema and vascular congestion were also evident, along with a decrease in Clara cell secretory protein in bronchoalveolar lavage, which was maximal 24h post-exposure. Ozone also induced the appearance of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine, Ym1, and heme oxygenase-1 in the bronchiolar epithelium. This was associated with increased expression of cleaved caspase-9 and beclin-1, indicating initiation of apoptosis and autophagy. A rapid and persistent increase in galectin-3, a regulator of epithelial cell apoptosis, was also observed. Following ozone exposure (3–24h), increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and arginase-1 was noted in bronchiolar epithelium. Ozone-induced injury and oxidative stress in bronchiolar epithelium were linked to methacholine-induced alterations in pulmonary mechanics. Thus, significant increases in lung resistance and elastance, along with decreases in lung compliance and end tidal volume, were observed at higher doses of methacholine. This indicates that ozone causes an increase in effective stiffness of the lung as a consequence of changes in the conducting airways. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that bronchiolar epithelium is highly susceptible to injury and oxidative stress induced by acute exposure to ozone; moreover, this is accompanied by altered lung functioning. PMID:23492811

  1. Systemic Metabolic Derangement, Pulmonary Effects, and Insulin Insufficiency following subchronic ozone exposure in rats

    EPA Science Inventory

    Acute ozone exposure induces a classical stress response with elevated circulating stress hormones along with changes in glucose, protein and lipid metabolism in rats, with similar alterations in ozone-exposed humans. These stress-mediated changes over time have been linked to in...

  2. Systemic metabolic derangement, pulmonary effects, and insulin insufficiency following subchronic ozone exposure in rats.

    PubMed

    Miller, Desinia B; Snow, Samantha J; Henriquez, Andres; Schladweiler, Mette C; Ledbetter, Allen D; Richards, Judy E; Andrews, Debora L; Kodavanti, Urmila P

    2016-09-01

    Acute ozone exposure induces a classical stress response with elevated circulating stress hormones along with changes in glucose, protein and lipid metabolism in rats, with similar alterations in ozone-exposed humans. These stress-mediated changes over time have been linked to insulin resistance. We hypothesized that acute ozone-induced stress response and metabolic impairment would persist during subchronic episodic exposure and induce peripheral insulin resistance. Male Wistar Kyoto rats were exposed to air or 0.25ppm or 1.00ppm ozone, 5h/day, 3 consecutive days/week (wk) for 13wks. Pulmonary, metabolic, insulin signaling and stress endpoints were determined immediately after 13wk or following a 1wk recovery period (13wk+1wk recovery). We show that episodic ozone exposure is associated with persistent pulmonary injury and inflammation, fasting hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, as well as, elevated circulating adrenaline and cholesterol when measured at 13wk, however, these responses were largely reversible following a 1wk recovery. Moreover, the increases noted acutely after ozone exposure in non-esterified fatty acids and branched chain amino acid levels were not apparent following a subchronic exposure. Neither peripheral or tissue specific insulin resistance nor increased hepatic gluconeogenesis were present after subchronic ozone exposure. Instead, long-term ozone exposure lowered circulating insulin and severely impaired glucose-stimulated beta-cell insulin secretion. Thus, our findings in young-adult rats provide potential insights into epidemiological studies that show a positive association between ozone exposures and type 1 diabetes. Ozone-induced beta-cell dysfunction may secondarily contribute to other tissue-specific metabolic alterations following chronic exposure due to impaired regulation of glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Systemic metabolic derangement, pulmonary effects, and insulin insufficiency following subchronic ozone exposure in rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miller, Desinia B.

    Acute ozone exposure induces a classical stress response with elevated circulating stress hormones along with changes in glucose, protein and lipid metabolism in rats, with similar alterations in ozone-exposed humans. These stress-mediated changes over time have been linked to insulin resistance. We hypothesized that acute ozone-induced stress response and metabolic impairment would persist during subchronic episodic exposure and induce peripheral insulin resistance. Male Wistar Kyoto rats were exposed to air or 0.25 ppm or 1.00 ppm ozone, 5 h/day, 3 consecutive days/week (wk) for 13 wks. Pulmonary, metabolic, insulin signaling and stress endpoints were determined immediately after 13 wk ormore » following a 1 wk recovery period (13 wk + 1 wk recovery). We show that episodic ozone exposure is associated with persistent pulmonary injury and inflammation, fasting hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, as well as, elevated circulating adrenaline and cholesterol when measured at 13 wk, however, these responses were largely reversible following a 1 wk recovery. Moreover, the increases noted acutely after ozone exposure in non-esterified fatty acids and branched chain amino acid levels were not apparent following a subchronic exposure. Neither peripheral or tissue specific insulin resistance nor increased hepatic gluconeogenesis were present after subchronic ozone exposure. Instead, long-term ozone exposure lowered circulating insulin and severely impaired glucose-stimulated beta-cell insulin secretion. Thus, our findings in young-adult rats provide potential insights into epidemiological studies that show a positive association between ozone exposures and type 1 diabetes. Ozone-induced beta-cell dysfunction may secondarily contribute to other tissue-specific metabolic alterations following chronic exposure due to impaired regulation of glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism. - Highlights: • Subchronic episodic ozone exposure caused pulmonary and metabolic effects.

  4. On the interactions among tropospheric ozone levels and typical environmental stresses challenging Mediterranean crops.

    PubMed

    Fagnano, Massimo; Maggio, Albino

    2018-03-01

    The main environmental stresses of Italian croplands are discussed in relation to their interactions with ozone effects on crops. Water deficit and salinization are frequent in Mediterranean environments during spring-summer causing a decrease of soil water potential and water uptake by roots and consequently stomatal closure. These stresses also stimulate secondary metabolism and antioxidant accumulation, which also serves as a stress protection mechanism. High concentrations of tropospheric ozone are common all over Italy during the spring-summer season. Ozone injuries to vegetation are related to its penetration into plant tissues, mostly via stomatal uptake, rather than to tropospheric concentrations per se. In several crops, closure of stomata due to drought/salinization reduces ozone entering into leaf tissues and counteracts possible ozone damages. Furthermore, the stimulation of antioxidant synthesis as a response to environmental stresses can represent a further protection factor from ozone injuries for Mediterranean crops.The co-existence of stress-induced stomatal closure and high ozone levels during spring-summer in Mediterranean environments implies that models that do not take into account physiological responses of crops to drought and salinity stress may overestimate ozone damages when stress responses overlap with seasonal ozone peaks. The shift from concentration-based to flux-based approaches has improved the accuracy of models to assess ozone effects on agricultural crops. It is, however, necessary to further refine the flux concept with respect to the plant abiotic stress defense capacity that can differ among genotypes, climatic conditions, and physiological states.

  5. Ozone modifies the metabolic and endocrine response to glucose: Reproduction of effects with the stress hormone corticosterone.

    PubMed

    Thomson, Errol M; Pilon, Shinjini; Guénette, Josée; Williams, Andrew; Holloway, Alison C

    2018-03-01

    Air pollution is associated with increased incidence of metabolic disease (e.g. metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes); however, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Air pollutants increase the release of stress hormones (human cortisol, rodent corticosterone), which could contribute to metabolic dysregulation. We assessed acute effects of ozone, and stress axis involvement, on glucose tolerance and on the metabolic (triglyceride), endocrine/energy regulation (insulin, glucagon, GLP-1, leptin, ghrelin, corticosterone), and inflammatory/endothelial (TNF, IL-6, VEGF, PAI-1) response to exogenous glucose. Male Fischer-344 rats were exposed to clean air or 0.8 ppm ozone for 4 h in whole body chambers. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis involvement in ozone effects was tested through subcutaneous administration of the glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor metyrapone (50 mg/kg body weight), corticosterone (10 mg/kg body weight), or vehicle (40% propylene glycol) prior to exposure. A glucose tolerance test (2 g/kg body weight glucose) was conducted immediately after exposure, with blood samples collected at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. Ozone exposure impaired glucose tolerance, an effect accompanied by increased plasma triglycerides but no impairment of insulin release. Ozone diminished glucagon, GLP-1, and ghrelin responses to glucose, but did not significantly impact inflammatory/endothelial analytes. Metyrapone reduced corticosterone but increased glucose and triglycerides, complicating evaluation of the impact of glucocorticoid inhibition. However, administration of corticosterone reproduced the profile of ozone effects, supporting a role for the HPA axis. The results show that ozone-dependent changes in glucose tolerance are accompanied by altered metabolic and endocrine responses to glucose challenge that are reproduced by exogenous stress hormone. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. A Novel Gene, OZONE-RESPONSIVE APOPLASTIC PROTEIN1, Enhances Cell Death in Ozone Stress in Rice1

    PubMed Central

    Ueda, Yoshiaki; Siddique, Shahid; Frei, Michael

    2015-01-01

    A novel protein, OZONE-RESPONSIVE APOPLASTIC PROTEIN1 (OsORAP1), was characterized, which was previously suggested as a candidate gene underlying OzT9, a quantitative trait locus for ozone stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa). The sequence of OsORAP1 was similar to that of ASCORBATE OXIDASE (AO) proteins. It was localized in the apoplast, as shown by transient expression of an OsORAP1/green fluorescent protein fusion construct in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermal and mesophyll cells, but did not possess AO activity, as shown by heterologous expression of OsORAP1 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants with reduced background AO activity. A knockout rice line of OsORAP1 showed enhanced tolerance to ozone stress (120 nL L−1 average daytime concentration, 20 d), as demonstrated by less formation of leaf visible symptoms (i.e. cell death), less lipid peroxidation, and lower NADPH oxidase activity, indicating reduced active production of reactive oxygen species. In contrast, the effect of ozone on chlorophyll content was not significantly different among the lines. These observations suggested that OsORAP1 specifically induced cell death in ozone stress. Significantly enhanced expression of jasmonic acid-responsive genes in the knockout line implied the involvement of the jasmonic acid pathway in symptom mitigation. Sequence analysis revealed extensive polymorphisms in the promoter region of OsORAP1 between the ozone-susceptible cv Nipponbare and the ozone-tolerant cv Kasalath, the OzT9 donor variety, which could be responsible for the differential regulation of OsORAP1 reported earlier. These pieces of evidence suggested that OsORAP1 enhanced cell death in ozone stress, and its expression levels could explain the effect of a previously reported quantitative trait locus. PMID:26220952

  7. Systemic metabolic derangement, pulmonary effects, and insulin insufficiency following subchronic ozone exposure in rats☆,☆☆

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Desinia B.; Snow, Samantha J.; Henriquez, Andres; Schladweiler, Mette C.; Ledbetter, Allen D.; Richards, Judy E.; Andrews, Debora L.; Kodavanti, Urmila P.

    2017-01-01

    Acute ozone exposure induces a classical stress response with elevated circulating stress hormones along with changes in glucose, protein and lipid metabolism in rats, with similar alterations in ozone-exposed humans. These stress-mediated changes over time have been linked to insulin resistance. We hypothesized that acute ozone-induced stress response and metabolic impairment would persist during subchronic episodic exposure and induce peripheral insulin resistance. Male Wistar Kyoto rats were exposed to air or 0.25 ppm or 1.00 ppm ozone, 5 h/day, 3 consecutive days/week (wk) for 13 wks. Pulmonary, metabolic, insulin signaling and stress endpoints were determined immediately after 13 wk or following a 1 wk recovery period (13 wk + 1 wk recovery). We show that episodic ozone exposure is associated with persistent pulmonary injury and inflammation, fasting hyperglycemia, glucose intolerance, as well as, elevated circulating adrenaline and cholesterol when measured at 13 wk, however, these responses were largely reversible following a 1 wk recovery. Moreover, the increases noted acutely after ozone exposure in non-esterified fatty acids and branched chain amino acid levels were not apparent following a subchronic exposure. Neither peripheral or tissue specific insulin resistance nor increased hepatic gluconeogenesis were present after subchronic ozone exposure. Instead, long-term ozone exposure lowered circulating insulin and severely impaired glucose-stimulated beta-cell insulin secretion. Thus, our findings in young-adult rats provide potential insights into epidemiological studies that show a positive association between ozone exposures and type 1 diabetes. Ozone-induced beta-cell dysfunction may secondarily contribute to other tissue-specific metabolic alterations following chronic exposure due to impaired regulation of glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism. PMID:27368153

  8. Hypnotizability in acute stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Bryant, R A; Guthrie, R M; Moulds, M L

    2001-04-01

    This study investigated the relationship between acute dissociative reactions to trauma and hypnotizability. Acutely traumatized patients (N=61) with acute stress disorder, subclinical acute stress disorder (no dissociative symptoms), and no acute stress disorder were administered the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale within 4 weeks of their trauma. Although patients with acute stress disorder and patients with subclinical acute stress disorder displayed comparable levels of nondissociative psychopathology, acute stress disorder patients had higher levels of hypnotizability and were more likely to display reversible posthypnotic amnesia than both patients with subclinical acute stress disorder and patients with no acute stress disorder. The findings may be interpreted in light of a diathesis-stress process mediating trauma-related dissociation. People who develop acute stress disorder in response to traumatic experience may have a stronger ability to experience dissociative phenomena than people who develop subclinical acute stress disorder or no acute stress disorder.

  9. WATER STRESS REDUCES OZONE INJURY VIA A STOMATAL MECHANISM

    EPA Science Inventory

    Various studies have shown that water-stressed plants are more tolerant of ozone exposures than are unstressed plants. Two probable explanations for this tolerance are (a) stomatal closure which reduces ozone uptake and (b) biochemical or anatomical changes within the leaves. Pha...

  10. Model-based analysis of avoidance of ozone stress by stomatal closure in Siebold's beech (Fagus crenata)

    PubMed Central

    Hoshika, Yasutomo; Watanabe, Makoto; Inada, Naoki; Koike, Takayoshi

    2013-01-01

    Background and Aims Resistance of plants to ozone stress can be classified as either avoidance or tolerance. Avoidance of ozone stress may be explained by decreased stomatal conductance during ozone exposure because stomata are the principal interface for entry of ozone into plants. In this study, a coupled photosynthesis–stomatal model was modified to test whether the presence of ozone can induce avoidance of ozone stress by stomatal closure. Methods The response of Siebold's beech (Fagus crenata), a representative deciduous tree species, to ozone was studied in a free-air ozone exposure experiment in Japan. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance were measured under ambient and elevated ozone. An optimization model of stomata involving water, CO2 and ozone flux was tested using the leaf gas exchange data. Key Results The data suggest that there are two phases in the avoidance of ozone stress via stomatal closure for Siebold's beech: (1) in early summer ozone influx is efficiently limited by a reduction in stomatal conductance, without any clear effect on photosynthetic capacity; and (2) in late summer and autumn the efficiency of ozone stress avoidance was decreased because the decrease in stomatal conductance was small and accompanied by an ozone-induced decline of photosynthetic capacity. Conclusions Ozone-induced stomatal closure in Siebold's beech during early summer reduces ozone influx and allows the maximum photosynthetic capacity to be reached, but is not sufficient in older leaves to protect the photosynthetic system. PMID:23904447

  11. Identification of differentially expressed genes in Fiskeby III under ozone stress conditions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    As the global climate changes, plants will be challenged by environmental stresses that are more extreme and more frequent leading to increased yield loss. Specifically, ozone stress is an increasing problem in both urban and rural areas. Soybeans are one of the plant species that are quite ozone se...

  12. Acute pulmonary function response to ozone in young adults as a function of body mass index

    EPA Science Inventory

    Recent studies have shown enhanced responsiveness to ozone in obese mice. Adiposity has not been examined as a possible modulator of ozone response in humans. We therefore examined the relationship between body mass index and the acute spirometric response to ozone (O(3)) exposur...

  13. Classical and alternative macrophage activation in the lung following ozone-induced oxidative stress

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sunil, Vasanthi R., E-mail: sunilva@pharmacy.rutgers.edu; Patel-Vayas, Kinal; Shen, Jianliang

    Ozone is a pulmonary irritant known to cause oxidative stress, inflammation and tissue injury. Evidence suggests that macrophages play a role in the pathogenic response; however, their contribution depends on the mediators they encounter in the lung which dictate their function. In these studies we analyzed the effects of ozone-induced oxidative stress on the phenotype of alveolar macrophages (AM). Exposure of rats to ozone (2 ppm, 3 h) resulted in increased expression of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), as well as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in AM. Whereas 8-OHdG was maximum at 24 h, expression of HO-1 was biphasic increasing after 3 h andmore » 48–72 h. Cleaved caspase-9 and beclin-1, markers of apoptosis and autophagy, were also induced in AM 24 h post-ozone. This was associated with increased bronchoalveolar lavage protein and cells, as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, demonstrating alveolar epithelial injury. Ozone intoxication resulted in biphasic activation of the transcription factor, NFκB. This correlated with expression of monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase‐2, markers of proinflammatory macrophages. Increases in arginase-1, Ym1 and galectin-3 positive anti-inflammatory/wound repair macrophages were also observed in the lung after ozone inhalation, beginning at 24 h (arginase-1, Ym1), and persisting for 72 h (galectin-3). This was associated with increased expression of pro-surfactant protein-C, a marker of Type II cell proliferation and activation, important steps in wound repair. These data suggest that both proinflammatory/cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory/wound repair macrophages are activated early in the response to ozone-induced oxidative stress and tissue injury. -- Highlights: ► Lung macrophages are highly sensitive to ozone induced oxidative stress. ► Ozone induces autophagy and apoptosis in lung macrophages. ► Proinflammatory and wound repair macrophages are

  14. Bioinforrnatics of Gene Expression Profiling Data Provide Mechanistic Understanding of Acute Ozone-Induced Lung injury

    EPA Science Inventory

    Acute ozone-induced pulmonary injury and inflammation are well characterized. A few studies have used gene expression profiling to determine the types of changes induced by ozone; however the mechanisms or the pathways involved are less well understood. We presumed that robust bi...

  15. An evaluation of ozone exposure metrics for a seasonally drought-stressed ponderosa pine ecosystem.

    PubMed

    Panek, Jeanne A; Kurpius, Meredith R; Goldstein, Allen H

    2002-01-01

    Ozone stress has become an increasingly significant factor in cases of forest decline reported throughout the world. Current metrics to estimate ozone exposure for forest trees are derived from atmospheric concentrations and assume that the forest is physiologically active at all times of the growing season. This may be inaccurate in regions with a Mediterranean climate, such as California and the Pacific Northwest, where peak physiological activity occurs early in the season to take advantage of high soil moisture and does not correspond to peak ozone concentrations. It may also misrepresent ecosystems experiencing non-average climate conditions such as drought years. We compared direct measurements of ozone flux into a ponderosa pine canopy with a suite of the most common ozone exposure metrics to determine which best correlated with actual ozone uptake by the forest. Of the metrics we assessed, SUM0 (the sum of all daytime ozone concentrations > 0) best corresponded to ozone uptake by ponderosa pine, however the correlation was only strong at times when the stomata were unconstrained by site moisture conditions. In the early growing season (May and June). SUM0 was an adequate metric for forest ozone exposure. Later in the season, when stomatal conductance was limited by drought. SUM0 overestimated ozone uptake. A better metric for seasonally drought-stressed forests would be one that incorporates forest physiological activity, either through mechanistic modeling, by weighting ozone concentrations by stomatal conductance, or by weighting concentrations by site moisture conditions.

  16. Effect of acute ozone exposure on the lung metabolomes of obese and lean mice.

    PubMed

    Mathews, Joel Andrew; Kasahara, David Itiro; Cho, Youngji; Bell, Lauren Nicole; Gunst, Philip Ross; Karoly, Edward D; Shore, Stephanie Ann

    2017-01-01

    Pulmonary responses to the air pollutant, ozone, are increased in obesity. Both obesity and ozone cause changes in systemic metabolism. Consequently, we examined the impact of ozone on the lung metabolomes of obese and lean mice. Lean wildtype and obese db/db mice were exposed to acute ozone (2 ppm for 3 h) or air. 24 hours later, the lungs were excised, flushed with PBS to remove blood and analyzed via liquid-chromatography or gas-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for metabolites. Both obesity and ozone caused changes in the lung metabolome. Of 321 compounds identified, 101 were significantly impacted by obesity in air-exposed mice. These included biochemicals related to carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, which were each increased in lungs of obese versus lean mice. These metabolite changes may be of functional importance given the signaling capacity of these moieties. Ozone differentially affected the lung metabolome in obese versus lean mice. For example, almost all phosphocholine-containing lysolipids were significantly reduced in lean mice, but this effect was attenuated in obese mice. Glutathione metabolism was also differentially affected by ozone in obese and lean mice. Finally, the lung metabolome indicated a role for the microbiome in the effects of both obesity and ozone: all measured bacterial/mammalian co-metabolites were significantly affected by obesity and/or ozone. Thus, metabolic derangements in obesity appear to impact the response to ozone.

  17. Foliar Symptoms Triggered by Ozone Stress in Irrigated Holm Oaks from the City of Madrid, Spain

    PubMed Central

    Guerrero, Carlos Calderón; Günthardt-Goerg, Madeleine S.; Vollenweider, Pierre

    2013-01-01

    Background Despite abatement programs of precursors implemented in many industrialized countries, ozone remains the principal air pollutant throughout the northern hemisphere with background concentrations increasing as a consequence of economic development in former or still emerging countries and present climate change. Some of the highest ozone concentrations are measured in regions with a Mediterranean climate but the effect on the natural vegetation is alleviated by low stomatal uptake and frequent leaf xeromorphy in response to summer drought episodes characteristic of this climate. However, there is a lack of understanding of the respective role of the foliage physiology and leaf xeromorphy on the mechanistic effects of ozone in Mediterranean species. Particularly, evidence about morphological and structural changes in evergreens in response to ozone stress is missing. Results Our study was started after observing ozone -like injury in foliage of holm oak during the assessment of air pollution mitigation by urban trees throughout the Madrid conurbation. Our objectives were to confirm the diagnosis, investigate the extent of symptoms and analyze the ecological factors contributing to ozone injury, particularly, the site water supply. Symptoms consisted of adaxial and intercostal stippling increasing with leaf age. Underlying stippling, cells in the upper mesophyll showed HR-like reactions typical of ozone stress. The surrounding cells showed further oxidative stress markers. These morphological and micromorphological markers of ozone stress were similar to those recorded in deciduous broadleaved species. However, stippling became obvious already at an AOT40 of 21 ppm•h and was primarily found at irrigated sites. Subsequent analyses showed that irrigated trees had their stomatal conductance increased and leaf life -span reduced whereas the leaf xeromorphy remained unchanged. These findings suggest a central role of water availability versus leaf xeromorphy

  18. Young Children's Acute Stress After a Burn Injury: Disentangling the Role of Injury Severity and Parental Acute Stress.

    PubMed

    Haag, Ann-Christin; Landolt, Markus A

    2017-09-01

    Although injury severity and parental stress are strong predictors of posttraumatic adjustment in young children after burns, little is known about the interplay of these variables. This study aimed at clarifying mediation processes between injury severity and mother's, father's, and young child's acute stress. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between injury severity and parental and child acute stress. Parents of 138 burn-injured children (ages 1-4 years) completed standardized questionnaires on average 19 days postinjury. Sixteen children (11.7%) met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, preschool criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (excluding time criterion). The model revealed a significant mediation of maternal acute stress, with the effect of injury severity on a child's acute stress mediated by maternal acute stress. Paternal acute stress failed to serve as a mediating variable. Our findings confirm mothers' crucial role in the posttraumatic adjustment of young children. Clinically, mothers' acute stress should be monitored. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  19. Physiological response of Pinus halepensis needles under ozone and water stress conditions.

    PubMed

    Manes, Fausto; Donato, Eugenio; Vitale, Marcello

    2001-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate how physiological processes of potted Pinus halepensis plants, grown under controlled conditions, were affected by ozone (O3) and/or water stress, integrating the gas exchange and biochemical data with fluorescence OJIP polyphasic transient data. Plants submitted to only water stress (T1) and with ozone (T3) showed a strong decrease in stomatal conductance and gas exchange, coinciding with a reduction of maximum yield of photochemistry (varphipo) and very negative values of leaf water potential. Simultaneously, a great increase of both PSII antenna size, indicated by absorption per reaction centre, and electron transport per reaction centre were found. The reduction of photosynthesis in the O3-treated plants (T2) by a slowing down of the Calvin cycle was supported by the increase of related fluorescence parameters such as relative variable fluorescence, heat de-excitation constant, energy de-excitation by spillover, and the decrease of varphipo. We suggest an antagonistic effect between the two stresses to explain the delayed ozone-induced decrease of stomatal conductance values for T3 with respect to T1 plants, by an alteration of the physiological mechanisms of stomatal opening, which involve the increase of intra-cellular free-calcium induced by ABA under co-occurring water shortage. We emphasise the importance of considering the intensity of the individual stress factor in studies concerning the interaction of stresses.

  20. Medical ozone increases methotrexate clinical response and improves cellular redox balance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

    PubMed

    León Fernández, Olga Sonia; Viebahn-Haensler, Renate; Cabreja, Gilberto López; Espinosa, Irainis Serrano; Matos, Yanet Hernández; Roche, Liván Delgado; Santos, Beatriz Tamargo; Oru, Gabriel Takon; Polo Vega, Juan Carlos

    2016-10-15

    Medical ozone reduced inflammation, IL-1β, TNF-α mRNA levels and oxidative stress in PG/PS-induced arthritis in rats. The aim of this study was to investigate the medical ozone effects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate and methotrexate+ozone, and to compare between them. A randomized clinical study with 60 patients was performed, who were divided into two groups: one (n=30) treated with methotrexate (MTX), folic acid and Ibuprophen (MTX group) and the second group (n=30) received the same as the MTX group+medical ozone by rectal insufflation of the gas (MTX+ozone group). The clinical response of the patients was evaluated by comparing Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated (Anti-CCP) levels, reactants of acute phase and biochemical markers of oxidative stress before and after 20 days of treatment. MTX+ozone reduced the activity of the disease while MTX merely showed a tendency to decrease the variables. Reactants of acute phase displayed a similar picture. MTX+ozone reduced Anti-CCP levels as well as increased antioxidant system, and decreased oxidative damage whereas MTX did not change. Glutathione correlated with all clinical variables just after MTX+ozone. MTX+ozone increased the MTX clinical response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. No side effects were observed. These results suggest that ozone can increase the efficacy of MTX probably because both share common therapeutic targets. Medical ozone treatment is capable of being a complementary therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Association between outdoor ozone and compensated acute respiratory diseases among workers in Quebec (Canada).

    PubMed

    Adam-Poupart, Ariane; Labrèche, France; Busque, Marc-Antoine; Brand, Allan; Duguay, Patrice; Fournier, Michel; Zayed, Joseph; Smargiassi, Audrey

    2015-01-01

    Respiratory effects of ozone in the workplace have not been extensively studied. Our aim was to explore the relationship between daily average ozone levels and compensated acute respiratory problems among workers in Quebec between 2003 and 2010 using a time-stratified case-crossover design. Health data came from the Workers' Compensation Board. Daily concentrations of ozone were estimated using a spatiotemporal model. Conditional logistic regressions, with and without adjustment for temperature, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs, per 1 ppb increase of ozone), and lag effects were assessed. Relationships with respiratory compensations in all industrial sectors were essentially null. Positive non-statistically significant associations were observed for outdoor sectors, and decreased after controlling for temperature (ORs of 0.98; 1.01 and 1.05 at Lags 0, 1 and 2 respectively). Considering the predicted increase of air pollutant concentrations in the context of climate change, closer investigation should be carried out on outdoor workers.

  2. Diagnosing ozone stress and differential tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) with ethylenediurea (EDU).

    PubMed

    Ashrafuzzaman, Md; Lubna, Farzana Afrose; Holtkamp, Felix; Manning, William J; Kraska, Thorsten; Frei, Michael

    2017-11-01

    Rising tropospheric ozone concentrations in Asia necessitate the breeding of adapted rice varieties to ensure food security. However, breeding requires field-based evaluation of ample plant material, which can be technically challenging or very costly when using ozone fumigation facilities. The chemical ethylenediurea (EDU) has been proposed for estimating the effects of ozone in large-scale field applications, but controlled experiments investigating constitutive effects on rice or its suitability to detect genotypic differences in ozone tolerance are missing. This study comprised a controlled open top chamber experiment with four treatments (i) control (average ozone concentration 16 ppb), (ii) control with EDU application, (iii) ozone stress (average 77 ppb for 7 h daily throughout the season), and (iv) ozone stress with EDU application. Three contrasting rice genotypes were tested, i.e. the tolerant line L81 and the sensitive Nipponbare and BR28. The ozone treatment had significant negative effects on plant growth (height and tillering), stomatal conductance, SPAD value, spectral reflectance indices such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), lipid peroxidation, as well as biomass and grain yields. These negative effects were more pronounced in the a priori sensitive varieties, especially the widely grown Bangladeshi variety BR28, which showed grain yield reductions by 37 percent. EDU application had almost no effects on plants in the absence of ozone, but partly mitigated ozone effects on foliar symptoms, lipid peroxidation, SPAD value, stomatal conductance, several spectral reflectance parameters, panicle number, grain yield, and spikelet sterility. EDU responses were more pronounced in sensitive genotypes than in the tolerant L81. In conclusion, EDU had no constitutive effects on rice and partly offset negative ozone effects, especially in sensitive varieties. It can thus be used to diagnose ozone damage in field grown rice and for

  3. Stressed lungs: unveiling the role of circulating stress hormones in ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Our recent work demonstrated that circulating stress hormones, epinephrine and corticosterone/cortisol, are involved in mediating ozone pulmonary effects through the activation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Adrenalectomy in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats diminished circu...

  4. Acute stress reactions after submarine accidents.

    PubMed

    Eid, Jarle; Johnsen, Bjørn Helge

    2002-05-01

    The aim of the present study was to explore contextual and individual factors associated with acute stress reactions in three Norwegian submarine crews exposed to different significant peacetime maneuver accidents. Approximately 2 to 3 weeks after the accidents, crew members completed the Coping Style Questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale, and the Post-Traumatic Symptom Scale. Although exposed subjects (N = 47) revealed more posttraumatic stress symptoms than nonexposed crew members on shore leave (N = 7), they showed less acute stress reactions than survivors from a surface ship accident in the Norwegian Navy. Inspection of individual cases revealed that 4% of the exposed submariners showed high loads of acute stress symptoms. Unit cohesion and habitual coping styles emerged as resilience factors, whereas previous exposure to critical incidents and personal experience of not coping in the accident situation emerged as vulnerability factors, explaining 32% of the acute stress reactions reported by submarine crew members.

  5. Medical ozone promotes Nrf2 phosphorylation reducing oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines in multiple sclerosis patients.

    PubMed

    Delgado-Roche, Livan; Riera-Romo, Mario; Mesta, Fernando; Hernández-Matos, Yanet; Barrios, Juan M; Martínez-Sánchez, Gregorio; Al-Dalaien, Said M

    2017-09-15

    Oxidative stress and inflammation play key roles in the pathogenesis of Multiple sclerosis (MS). Different drugs have been used in the clinical practice, however, there is not a completely effective treatment. Due to its potential therapeutic action, medical ozone represents a promising approach for neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of the present study was to address the role of ozone therapy on the cellular redox state in MS patients. Ozone (20μg/ml) was administered three times per week during a month by rectal insufflation. The effect of ozone therapy on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation was addressed by spectrophotometric and immunoenzymatic assays. Furthermore, we investigated the action of ozone on CK2 expression and Nrf2 phosphorylation by western blotting analysis. Medical ozone significantly improved (P < 0.05) the activity of antioxidant enzymes and increased the levels of cellular reduced glutathione. In accordance, a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of oxidative damage on lipids and proteins was observed in ozone-treated patients. As well, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-1β were lower after ozone treatment. Ozone therapy incremented the CK2 expression together with Nrf2 phosphorylation in mononuclear cells of MS patients. These findings suggest that ozone´s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects might be partially associated with an induction of Nrf2 phosphorylation and activation. These results provide new insights on the molecular events modulated by ozone, and pointed out ozone therapy as a potential therapeutic alternative for MS patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. AN EVALUATION OF OZONE EXPOSURE METRICS FOR A SEASONALLY DROUGHT STRESSED PONDEROSA PINE ECOSYSTEM. (R826601)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone stress has become an increasingly significant factor in cases of forest decline reported throughout the world. Current metrics to estimate ozone exposure for forest trees are derived from atmospheric concentrations and assume that the forest is physiologically active at ...

  7. Combination of nanofiltration and ozonation for the remediation of real municipal wastewater effluents: Acute and chronic toxicity assessment.

    PubMed

    Miralles-Cuevas, S; Oller, I; Agüera, A; Llorca, M; Sánchez Pérez, J A; Malato, S

    2017-02-05

    The purpose of this work was to study the ozonation of nanofiltration (NF) retentates of real municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) effluents for removal of microcontaminants (MCs) and toxicity. MCs present in these effluents were monitored using LC-MS/MS. Acute and chronic toxicity was addressed with Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri and Selenastrum capricornutum. Up to 40 MCs were found, most of them in concentrations over 100ng/L. 90% degradation of the sum of MCs was the critical point of comparison. When the NF membrane system was applied to MWTP effluents, treatment of NF rejection needed 2.75-4.5g O 3 /m 3 ,4.5g O 3 /m 3 , which is less than 50% of the ozone needed for direct treatment of MWTP effluent. Treatment time (lower than 11min) was not influenced by MCs concentration, at least in the range tested (25-190μg/L). It has been demonstrated that consumption of ozone increased with organic load and inorganic content of different real effluents. MCs were eliminated by ozonation but acute toxicity (against V. fischeri and D. magna) increased. Chronic toxicity results were different and contrary in D. magna and S. capricornutum, due to the generation of new transformation products more toxic to D. magna than the parent contaminants. S. capricornutum inhibition percentage decreased in all cases after ozonation treatment. According to these results, before ozonation is implemented in MWTPs for the removal of MCs, the transformation products must first be examined and the treatment time or ozone doses should be extended to complete degradation if necessary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Tropospheric ozone toxicity vs. usefulness of ozone therapy.

    PubMed

    Bocci, Velio Alvaro

    2007-02-01

    There is a general consensus that continuous inhalation of air polluted with ozone is detrimental for the lungs and vital organs. Even if the concentration of tropospheric ozone is slightly above the tolerated dose, toxicity ensues owing to the cumulative dose inhaled for months. However, in medicine ozone is used as a real drug and a precise concentration and therapeutic dosage must be calibrated against the antioxidant capacity of blood. As ozone reacts with blood, it generates pharmacological messengers such as H(2)O(2) and lipid oxidation products (LOPs). These activate several biochemical pathways in blood cells, which after reinfusion are responsible for therapeutic activities lasting several days. Neither acute nor chronic toxicity has been registered.

  9. Bittersweet: Real-Time, Dynamic Changes in Blood Glucose Levels during an Acute Ozone Exposure in Rats

    EPA Science Inventory

    In humans and rats, acute exposures to ozone have been shown to activate the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes to induce multi-organ metabolic alterations including impaired glucose homeostasis. These findings have largely been gleaned from on...

  10. Acute psychophysiological stress impairs human associative learning.

    PubMed

    Ehlers, M R; Todd, R M

    2017-11-01

    Addiction is increasingly discussed asa disorder of associative learning processes, with both operant and classical conditioning contributing to the development of maladaptive habits. Stress has long been known to promote drug taking and relapse and has further been shown to shift behavior from goal-directed actions towards more habitual ones. However, it remains to be investigated how acute stress may influence simple associative learning processes that occur before a habit can be established. In the present study, healthy young adults were exposed to either acute stress or a control condition half an hour before performing simple classical and operant conditioning tasks. Psychophysiological measures confirmed successful stress induction. Results of the operant conditioning task revealed reduced instrumental responding under delayed acute stress that resembled behavioral responses to lower levels of reward. The classical conditioning experiment revealed successful conditioning in both experimental groups; however, explicit knowledge of conditioning as indicated by stimulus ratings differentiated the stress and control groups. These findings suggest that operant and classical conditioning are differentially influenced by the delayed effects of acute stress with important implications for the understanding of how new habitual behaviors are initially established. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Studies of young female responses to acute ozone exposure. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Adams, W.C.

    The primary purposes of this research were to determine if: (1) young adult females respond with greater acute effects of ozone (O3) than their male counterparts at a dose relative to lung size as well as at the same total dose; (2) O3 response in females is influenced by the disparate levels of progesterone (a steroid hormone) that they experience during the various phases of their menstrual cycles; and (3) O3 exposure has an effect on the integrity of normal menstrual cycles of healthy young adult females.

  12. Oxidative stress-dependent changes in immune responses and cell death in the substantia nigra after ozone exposure in rat.

    PubMed

    Rivas-Arancibia, Selva; Zimbrón, Luis Fernando Hernández; Rodríguez-Martínez, Erika; Maldonado, Perla D; Borgonio Pérez, Gabino; Sepúlveda-Parada, María

    2015-01-01

    Parkinson's disease has been associated with the selective loss of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role. The resulting increase in reactive oxygen species triggers a sequence of events that leads to cell damage, activation of microglia cells and neuroinflammatory responses. Our objective was to study whether chronic exposure to low doses of ozone, which produces oxidative stress itself, induces progressive cell death in conjunction with glial alterations in the substantia nigra. Animals were exposed to an ozone-free air stream (control) or to low doses of ozone for 7, 15, 30, 60, or 90 days. Each group underwent (1) spectrophotometric analysis for protein oxidation; (2) western blot testing for microglia reactivity and nuclear factor kappa B expression levels; and (3) immunohistochemistry for cytochrome c, GFAP, Iba-1, NFkB, and COX-2. Our results indicate that ozone induces an increase in protein oxidation levels, changes in activated astrocytes and microglia, and cell death. NFkB and cytochrome c showed an increase until 30 days of exposure, while cyclooxygenase 2 in the substantia nigra increased from 7 days up to 90 days of repetitive ozone exposure. These results suggest that oxidative stress caused by ozone exposure induces changes in inflammatory responses and progressive cell death in the substantia nigra in rats, which could also be occurring in Parkinson's disease.

  13. Oxidative stress-dependent changes in immune responses and cell death in the substantia nigra after ozone exposure in rat

    PubMed Central

    Rivas-Arancibia, Selva; Zimbrón, Luis Fernando Hernández; Rodríguez-Martínez, Erika; Maldonado, Perla D.; Borgonio Pérez, Gabino; Sepúlveda-Parada, María

    2015-01-01

    Parkinson's disease has been associated with the selective loss of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Increasing evidence suggests that oxidative stress plays a major role. The resulting increase in reactive oxygen species triggers a sequence of events that leads to cell damage, activation of microglia cells and neuroinflammatory responses. Our objective was to study whether chronic exposure to low doses of ozone, which produces oxidative stress itself, induces progressive cell death in conjunction with glial alterations in the substantia nigra. Animals were exposed to an ozone-free air stream (control) or to low doses of ozone for 7, 15, 30, 60, or 90 days. Each group underwent (1) spectrophotometric analysis for protein oxidation; (2) western blot testing for microglia reactivity and nuclear factor kappa B expression levels; and (3) immunohistochemistry for cytochrome c, GFAP, Iba-1, NFkB, and COX-2. Our results indicate that ozone induces an increase in protein oxidation levels, changes in activated astrocytes and microglia, and cell death. NFkB and cytochrome c showed an increase until 30 days of exposure, while cyclooxygenase 2 in the substantia nigra increased from 7 days up to 90 days of repetitive ozone exposure. These results suggest that oxidative stress caused by ozone exposure induces changes in inflammatory responses and progressive cell death in the substantia nigra in rats, which could also be occurring in Parkinson's disease. PMID:25999851

  14. Acute and delayed effects of intermittant ozone on cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses of young and aged rats

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone (03) is associated with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The aged population is considered to be more sensitive to air pollutants but relatively few studies have demonstrated increased susceptibility in animal models of aging. To study the acute and delayed physiolo...

  15. Response inhibition and cognitive appraisal in clients with acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Abolghasemi, Abass; Bakhshian, Fereshteh; Narimani, Mohammad

    2013-08-01

    The purpose of the present study was to compare response inhibition and cognitive appraisal in clients with acute stress disorder, clients with posttraumatic stress disorder, and normal individuals. This was a comparative study. The sample consisted of 40 clients with acute stress disorder, 40 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, and 40 normal individuals from Mazandaran province selected through convenience sampling method. Data were collected using Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Stroop Color-Word Test, Posttraumatic Cognitions Inventory, and the Impact of Event Scale. Results showed that individuals with acute stress disorder are less able to inhibit inappropriate responses and have more impaired cognitive appraisals compared to those with posttraumatic stress disorder. Moreover, results showed that response inhibition and cognitive appraisal explain 75% of the variance in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and 38% of the variance in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. The findings suggest that response inhibition and cognitive appraisal are two variables that influence the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder symptoms. Also, these results have important implications for pathology, prevention, and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder.

  16. Perceived stress at work is associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress.

    PubMed

    Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Theorell, Töres; Kushnir, Mark M; Bergquist, Jonas; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

    2013-09-01

    Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) have been suggested to play a protective role during acute psychosocial stress, because they act as antagonists to the effects of the stress hormone cortisol. This study aims to investigate whether prolonged psychosocial stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, is related to the capacity to produce DHEA and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. It also aims to investigate whether prolonged perceived stress affects the balance between production of cortisol and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. Thirty-six healthy subjects (19 men and 17 women, mean age 37 years, SD 5 years), were included. Perceived stress at work during the past week was measured by using the Stress-Energy (SE) Questionnaire. The participants were divided into three groups based on their mean scores; Low stress, Medium stress and High stress. The participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and blood samples were collected before, directly after the stress test, and after 30 min of recovery. General Linear Models were used to investigate if the Medium stress group and the High stress group differ regarding stress response compared to the Low stress group. Higher perceived stress at work was associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress. Furthermore, the ratio between the cortisol production and the DHEA-S production during the acute stress test were higher in individuals reporting higher perceived stress at work compared to individuals reporting low perceived stress at work. There was no statistical difference in DHEA response between the groups. This study shows that prolonged stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, seems to negatively affect the capacity to produce DHEA-S during acute stress. Given the protective functions of DHEA-S, attenuated DHEA-S production during acute stress may lead to higher risk for adverse

  17. Tropospheric ozone as a fungal elicitor.

    PubMed

    Zuccarini, Paolo

    2009-03-01

    Tropospheric ozone has been proven to trigger biochemical plant responses that are similar to the ones induced by an attack of fungal pathogens,i.e. it resembles fungal elicitors.This suggests that ozone can represent a valid tool for the study of stress responses and induction of resistance to pathogens. This review provides an overview of the implications of such a phenomenon for basic and applied research. After an introduction about the environmental implications of tropospheric ozone and plant responses to biotic stresses, the biochemistry of ozone stress is analysed, pointing out its similarities with plant responses to pathogens and its possible applications.

  18. Oxidative stress adaptation with acute, chronic, and repeated stress.

    PubMed

    Pickering, Andrew M; Vojtovich, Lesya; Tower, John; A Davies, Kelvin J

    2013-02-01

    Oxidative stress adaptation, or hormesis, is an important mechanism by which cells and organisms respond to, and cope with, environmental and physiological shifts in the level of oxidative stress. Most studies of oxidative stress adaption have been limited to adaptation induced by acute stress. In contrast, many if not most environmental and physiological stresses are either repeated or chronic. In this study we find that both cultured mammalian cells and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster are capable of adapting to chronic or repeated stress by upregulating protective systems, such as their proteasomal proteolytic capacity to remove oxidized proteins. Repeated stress adaptation resulted in significant extension of adaptive responses. Repeated stresses must occur at sufficiently long intervals, however (12-h or more for MEF cells and 7 days or more for flies), for adaptation to be successful, and the levels of both repeated and chronic stress must be lower than is optimal for adaptation to acute stress. Regrettably, regimens of adaptation to both repeated and chronic stress that were successful for short-term survival in Drosophila nevertheless also caused significant reductions in life span for the flies. Thus, although both repeated and chronic stress can be tolerated, they may result in a shorter life. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. ACUTE OZONE-INDUCED INFLAMMATORY GENE EXPRESSION IN THE RAT LUNG IS NOT RELATED TO LEVELS OF ANTIOXIDANTS IN THE LAVAGE FLUID

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT BODY: Ozone causes oxidative stress and lung inflammation. We hypothesized that rat strains with or without genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular disease will have different antioxidant levels in alveolar lining, and that ozone induced inflammatory gene expression wil...

  20. Occupational role stress is associated with higher cortisol reactivity to acute stress.

    PubMed

    Wirtz, Petra H; Ehlert, Ulrike; Kottwitz, Maria U; La Marca, Roberto; Semmer, Norbert K

    2013-04-01

    We investigated whether occupational role stress is associated with differential levels of the stress hormone cortisol in response to acute psychosocial stress. Forty-three medication-free nonsmoking men aged between 22 and 65 years (mean ± SEM: 44.5 ± 2) underwent an acute standardized psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic in front of an audience. We assessed occupational role stress in terms of role conflict and role ambiguity (combined into a measure of role uncertainty) as well as further work characteristics and psychological control variables including time pressure, overcommitment, perfectionism, and stress appraisal. Moreover, we repeatedly measured salivary cortisol and blood pressure levels before and after stress exposure, and several times up to 60 min thereafter. Higher role uncertainty was associated with a more pronounced cortisol stress reactivity (p = .016), even when controlling for the full set of potential confounders (p < .001). Blood pressure stress reactivity was not associated with role uncertainty. Our findings suggest that occupational role stress in terms of role uncertainty acts as a background stressor that is associated with increased HPA-axis reactivity to acute stress. This finding may represent a potential mechanism regarding how occupational role stress may precipitate adverse health outcomes.

  1. UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEM RESPONSE TO OZONE STRESS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ecological risk assessment of ozone impact requires consideration of many factors that, perhaps, are not of concern in human health risk assessment. The episodic nature of ozone exposure, functional complexity of species, and broad spatial and temporal scales characteristic of n...

  2. Acute and past subjective stress influence working memory and related neural substrates.

    PubMed

    Luettgau, Lennart; Schlagenhauf, Florian; Sjoerds, Zsuzsika

    2018-05-28

    Stress has been proposed to affect cognitive control capacities, including working memory (WM) maintenance. This effect may depend on variability in stress reactivity and past subjective stress. However, as most studies employed between-subjects designs, evidence for within-subject stress effects remains scarce. To understand the role of intra-individual stress effects on WM, we adopted a within-subject design to study how acute stress, variability in stress reactivity, and past subjective stress influence behavioral and neural WM mechanisms. Thirty-four healthy males performed a WM task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a control versus acute stress condition following the Trier Social Stress Test, a validated psychosocial stressor method. We tested for stress effects on WM performance and related neural activation by associating them with individual acute stress responsivity and past subjective stress experience using retrospective self-report questionnaires. We found no evidence of an effect of acute stress or related stress-reactivity on intra-individual WM performance. However, past subjective stress negatively influenced acute stress-induced changes to WM. On the neural level, acute stress reduced WM-related activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). The observed negative influence of inter-individual variability in past subjective stress experience on changes in WM performance, suggests that past subjective stress might induce vulnerability for impairing effects of acute stress on cognitive functioning. Because acute stress reduced WM-related dlPFC activation while WM performance remained unaffected, acute stress might boost neural processing efficiency in this group of high performing healthy individuals. Our study suggests that measures of past subjective stress should be considered when studying and interpreting the effects of acute stress on cognition. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Acute Stress Decreases but Chronic Stress Increases Myocardial Sensitivity to Ischemic Injury in Rodents

    PubMed Central

    Eisenmann, Eric D.; Rorabaugh, Boyd R.; Zoladz, Phillip R.

    2016-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the largest cause of mortality worldwide, and stress is a significant contributor to the development of CVD. The relationship between acute and chronic stress and CVD is well evidenced. Acute stress can lead to arrhythmias and ischemic injury. However, recent evidence in rodent models suggests that acute stress can decrease sensitivity to myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Conversely, chronic stress is arrhythmogenic and increases sensitivity to myocardial IRI. Few studies have examined the impact of validated animal models of stress-related psychological disorders on the ischemic heart. This review examines the work that has been completed using rat models to study the effects of stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Utilization of animal models of stress-related psychological disorders is critical in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders in patients experiencing stress-related psychiatric conditions. PMID:27199778

  4. Acute Stress Decreases but Chronic Stress Increases Myocardial Sensitivity to Ischemic Injury in Rodents.

    PubMed

    Eisenmann, Eric D; Rorabaugh, Boyd R; Zoladz, Phillip R

    2016-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the largest cause of mortality worldwide, and stress is a significant contributor to the development of CVD. The relationship between acute and chronic stress and CVD is well evidenced. Acute stress can lead to arrhythmias and ischemic injury. However, recent evidence in rodent models suggests that acute stress can decrease sensitivity to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Conversely, chronic stress is arrhythmogenic and increases sensitivity to myocardial IRI. Few studies have examined the impact of validated animal models of stress-related psychological disorders on the ischemic heart. This review examines the work that has been completed using rat models to study the effects of stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Utilization of animal models of stress-related psychological disorders is critical in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders in patients experiencing stress-related psychiatric conditions.

  5. Peritraumatic dissociation, acute stress, and early posttraumatic stress disorder in victims of general crime.

    PubMed

    Birmes, P; Carreras, D; Ducassé, J L; Charlet, J P; Warner, B A; Lauque, D; Schmitt, L

    2001-09-01

    To compare the relation between peritraumatic dissociation and acute stress and the early development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in victims of general crime. A total of 48 subjects were assessed within 24 hours of the trauma, using the Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire Self-Report Version (PDEQ-SRV). They were followed longitudinally to assess acute stress (2 weeks after the assault,) using the Standford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire (SASRQ), and posttraumatic stress (at 5 weeks), using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Impact of Event Scale (IES). Among PTSD subjects mean PDEQ scores were significantly higher (mean 3, SD 0.9) than in those without PTSD (mean 2.3, SD 0.7) (t = 2.78, df 46, P = 0.007). Among PTSD subjects, mean SASRQ scores were significantly higher (mean 97.9, SD 29.2) than in those without PTSD (mean 54.8, SD 28.2) (t = 4.9, df 46, P = 0.00007). High levels of peritraumatic dissociation and acute stress following violent assault are risk factors for early PTSD. Identifying acute reexperiencing can help the clinician identify subjects at highest risk.

  6. Medical ozone therapy reduces oxidative stress and testicular damage in an experimental model of testicular torsion in rats.

    PubMed

    Tusat, Mustafa; Mentese, Ahmet; Demir, Selim; Alver, Ahmet; Imamoglu, Mustafa

    2017-01-01

    Testicular torsion (TT) refers to rotation of the testis and twisting of the spermatic cord. TT results in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury involving increased oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis, and can even lead to infertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ozone therapy on testicular damage due to I/R injury in an experimental torsion model. 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups; sham-operated, torsion/detorsion (T/D), and T/D+ozone. Ozone (1mg/kg) was injected intraperi-toneally 120 minutes before detorsion and for the following 24h. Blood and tissue samples were collected at the end of 24h. Johnsen score, ischemia modified albumin (IMA), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels were determined. Levels of IMA, TOS, OSI, and histopathological scores increased in the serum/tissue of the rats in the experimental T/D group. Serum IMA, TOS, and OSI levels and tissue histo-pathological scores were lower in the rats treated with ozone compared with the T/D group. Our study results suggest that ozone therapy may exhibit beneficial effects on both biochemical and histopathological findings. Clinical trials are now necessary to confirm this. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

  7. Effect of Acute Ozone Induced Airway Inflammation on Human Sympathetic Nerve Traffic: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Crossover Study

    PubMed Central

    Tank, Jens; Biller, Heike; Heusser, Karsten; Holz, Olaf; Diedrich, André; Framke, Theodor; Koch, Armin; Grosshennig, Anika; Koch, Wolfgang; Krug, Norbert; Jordan, Jens; Hohlfeld, Jens M.

    2011-01-01

    Background Ozone concentrations in ambient air are related to cardiopulmonary perturbations in the aging population. Increased central sympathetic nerve activity induced by local airway inflammation may be one possible mechanism. Methodology/Principal Findings To elucidate this issue further, we performed a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study, including 14 healthy subjects (3 females, age 22–47 years), who underwent a 3 h exposure with intermittent exercise to either ozone (250 ppb) or clean air. Induced sputum was collected 3 h after exposure. Nineteen to 22 hours after exposure, we recorded ECG, finger blood pressure, brachial blood pressure, respiration, cardiac output, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) at rest, during deep breathing, maximum-inspiratory breath hold, and a Valsalva maneuver. While the ozone exposure induced the expected airway inflammation, as indicated by a significant increase in sputum neutrophils, we did not detect a significant estimated treatment effect adjusted for period on cardiovascular measurements. Resting heart rate (clean air: 59±2, ozone 60±2 bpm), blood pressure (clean air: 121±3/71±2 mmHg; ozone: 121±2/71±2 mmHg), cardiac output (clean air: 7.42±0.29 mmHg; ozone: 7.98±0.60 l/min), and plasma norepinephrine levels (clean air: 213±21 pg/ml; ozone: 202±16 pg/ml), were similar on both study days. No difference of resting MSNA was observed between ozone and air exposure (air: 23±2, ozone: 23±2 bursts/min). Maximum MSNA obtained at the end of apnea (air: 44±4, ozone: 48±4 bursts/min) and during the phase II of the Valsalva maneuver (air: 64±5, ozone: 57±6 bursts/min) was similar. Conclusions/Significance Our study suggests that acute ozone-induced airway inflammation does not increase resting sympathetic nerve traffic in healthy subjects, an observation that is relevant for environmental health. However, we can not exclude that chronic airway inflammation may contribute to sympathetic activation

  8. Impairments of spatial working memory and attention following acute psychosocial stress.

    PubMed

    Olver, James S; Pinney, Myra; Maruff, Paul; Norman, Trevor R

    2015-04-01

    Few studies have investigated the effect of an acute psychosocial stress paradigm on impaired attention and working memory in humans. Further, the duration of any stress-related cognitive impairment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an acute psychosocial stress paradigm, the Trier Social Stress, on cognitive function in healthy volunteers. Twenty-three healthy male and female subjects were exposed to an acute psychosocial stress task. Physiological measures (salivary cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure) and subjective stress ratings were measured at baseline, in anticipation of stress, immediately post-stress and after a period of rest. A neuropsychological test battery including spatial working memory and verbal memory was administered at each time point. Acute psychosocial stress produced significant increases in cardiovascular and subjective measures in the anticipatory and post-stress period, which recovered to baseline after rest. Salivary cortisol steadily declined over the testing period. Acute psychosocial stress impaired delayed verbal recall, attention and spatial working memory. Attention remained impaired, and delayed verbal recall continued to decline after rest. Acute psychosocial stress is associated with an impairment of a broad range of cognitive functions in humans and with prolonged abnormalities in attention and memory. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Cannabinoids & Stress: impact of HU-210 on behavioral tests of anxiety in acutely stressed mice.

    PubMed

    Kinden, Renee; Zhang, Xia

    2015-05-01

    Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent classes of mental disorders affecting the general population, but current treatment strategies are restricted by their limited efficacy and side effect profiles. Although the cannabinoid system is speculated to be a key player in the modulation of stress responses and emotionality, the vast majority of current research initiatives had not incorporated stress exposure into their experimental designs. This study was the first to investigate the impact of exogenous cannabinoid administration in an acutely stressed mouse model, where CD1 mice were pre-treated with HU-210, a potent CB1R agonist, prior to acute stress exposure and subsequent behavioral testing. Exogenous cannabinoid administration induced distinct behavioral phenotypes in stressed and unstressed mice. While low doses of HU-210 were anxiolytic in unstressed subjects, this effect was abolished when mice were exposed to an acute stressor. The administration of higher HU-210 doses in combination with acute stress exposure led to severe locomotor deficits that were not previously observed at the same dose in unstressed subjects. These findings suggest that exogenous cannabinoids and acute stress act synergistically in an anxiogenic manner. This study underlies the importance of including stress exposure into future anxiety-cannabinoid research due to the differential impact of cannabinoid administration on stressed and unstressed subjects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Skin temperature reveals the intensity of acute stress

    PubMed Central

    Herborn, Katherine A.; Graves, James L.; Jerem, Paul; Evans, Neil P.; Nager, Ruedi; McCafferty, Dominic J.; McKeegan, Dorothy E.F.

    2015-01-01

    Acute stress triggers peripheral vasoconstriction, causing a rapid, short-term drop in skin temperature in homeotherms. We tested, for the first time, whether this response has the potential to quantify stress, by exhibiting proportionality with stressor intensity. We used established behavioural and hormonal markers: activity level and corticosterone level, to validate a mild and more severe form of an acute restraint stressor in hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). We then used infrared thermography (IRT) to non-invasively collect continuous temperature measurements following exposure to these two intensities of acute handling stress. In the comb and wattle, two skin regions with a known thermoregulatory role, stressor intensity predicted the extent of initial skin cooling, and also the occurrence of a more delayed skin warming, providing two opportunities to quantify stress. With the present, cost-effective availability of IRT technology, this non-invasive and continuous method of stress assessment in unrestrained animals has the potential to become common practice in pure and applied research. PMID:26434785

  11. EFFECTS OF OZONE AND WATER STRESS ON CANOPY TEMPERATURE, WATER USE, AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF ALFALFA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone (O3) and soil water deficit are two environmental stresses that significantly affect the growth and yield of alfalfa. However, little is known of the responses of field-grown alfalfa to O3, and the effects of the interaction between O3 and water stress on canopy temperature...

  12. The role of maladaptive appraisals in child acute stress reactions.

    PubMed

    Salmon, Karen; Sinclair, Emma; Bryant, Richard A

    2007-06-01

    To test the prediction of cognitive models of trauma that negative, catastrophic appraisals central to the development of psychopathological stress reactions. A cross-sectional, concurrent design was used. Sixty-six children (aged 7-13 years), who were hospitalized after traumatic injury were assessed within 4 weeks of their trauma for acute stress disorder, depression, and administered the Child Post-traumatic Cognitions Inventory (cPTCI). Parental acute stress was also assessed. Children's negative appraisals of their ongoing vulnerability accounted for 44% of the variance of acute stress reactions in children. Injury severity, depression, age, and parental acute stress levels did not account for significant additional variance. The findings provide support for cognitive models of trauma adaptation and highlight the importance of assessing children's appraisals of their traumatic experience in order to develop effective interventions.

  13. Acute Stress Symptoms in Young Children with Burns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoddard, Frederick J.; Saxe, Glenn; Ronfeldt, Heidi; Drake, Jennifer E.; Burns, Jennifer; Edgren, Christy; Sheridan, Robert

    2006-01-01

    Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are a focus of much research with older children, but little research has been conducted with young children, who account for about 50% of all pediatric burn injuries. This is a 3-year study of 12- to 48-month-old acutely burned children to assess acute traumatic stress outcomes. The aims were to…

  14. Acute psychosocial stress reduces pain modulation capabilities in healthy men.

    PubMed

    Geva, Nirit; Pruessner, Jens; Defrin, Ruth

    2014-11-01

    Anecdotes on the ability of individuals to continue to function under stressful conditions despite injuries causing excruciating pain suggest that acute stress may induce analgesia. However, studies exploring the effect of acute experimental stress on pain perception show inconsistent results, possibly due to methodological differences. Our aim was to systematically study the effect of acute stress on pain perception using static and dynamic, state-of-the-art pain measurements. Participants were 29 healthy men who underwent the measurement of heat-pain threshold, heat-pain intolerance, temporal summation of pain, and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Testing was conducted before and during exposure to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST), inducing acute psychosocial stress. Stress levels were evaluated using perceived ratings of stress and anxiety, autonomic variables, and salivary cortisol. The MIST induced a significant stress reaction. Although pain threshold and pain intolerance were unaffected by stress, an increase in temporal summation of pain and a decrease in CPM were observed. These changes were significantly more robust among individuals with stronger reaction to stress ("high responders"), with a significant correlation between the perception of stress and the performance in the pain measurements. We conclude that acute psychosocial stress seems not to affect the sensitivity to pain, however, it significantly reduces the ability to modulate pain in a dose-response manner. Considering the diverse effects of stress in this and other studies, it appears that the type of stress and the magnitude of its appraisal determine its interactions with the pain system. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Acute stress responses: A review and synthesis of ASD, ASR, and CSR.

    PubMed

    Isserlin, Leanna; Zerach, Gadi; Solomon, Zahava

    2008-10-01

    Toward the development of a unifying diagnosis for acute stress responses this article attempts to find a place for combat stress reaction (CSR) within the spectrum of other defined acute stress responses. This article critically compares the diagnostic criteria of acute stress disorder (ASD), acute stress reaction (ASR), and CSR. Prospective studies concerning the predictive value of ASD, ASR, and CSR are reviewed. Questions, recommendations, and implications for clinical practice are raised concerning the completeness of the current acute stress response diagnoses, the heterogeneity of different stressors, the scope of expected outcomes, and the importance of decline in function as an indicator of future psychological, psychiatric, and somatic distress. PsycINFO Database Record 2009 APA.

  16. Aging Exacerbates Neuroinflammatory Outcomes Induced by Acute Ozone Exposure.

    PubMed

    Tyler, Christina R; Noor, Shahani; Young, Tamara L; Rivero, Valeria; Sanchez, Bethany; Lucas, Selita; Caldwell, Kevin K; Milligan, Erin D; Campen, Matthew J

    2018-05-01

    The role of environmental stressors, particularly exposure to air pollution, in the development of neurodegenerative disease remains underappreciated. We examined the neurological effects of acute ozone (O3) exposure in aged mice, where increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability may confer vulnerability to neuroinflammatory outcomes. C57BL/6 male mice, aged 8-10 weeks or 12-18 months were exposed to either filtered air or 1.0 ppm O3 for 4 h; animals received a single IP injection of sodium fluorescein (FSCN) 20 h postexposure. One-hour post-FSCN injection, animals were transcardially perfused for immunohistochemical analysis of BBB permeability. β-amyloid protein expression was assessed via ELISA. Flow cytometric characterization of infiltrating immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and microglia populations was performed 20 h post-O3 exposure. Flow cytometry analysis of brains revealed increased microglia "activation" and presentation of CD11b, F4/80, and MHCII in aged animals relative to younger ones; these age-induced differences were potentiated by acute O3 exposure. Cortical and limbic regions in aged brains had increased reactive microgliosis and β-amyloid protein expression after O3 insult. The aged cerebellum was particularly vulnerable to acute O3 exposure with increased populations of infiltrating neutrophils, peripheral macrophages/monocytes, and Ly6C+ inflammatory monocytes after insult, which were not significantly increased in the young cerebellum. O3 exposure increased the penetration of FSCN beyond the BBB, the infiltration of peripheral immune cells, and reactive gliosis of microglia. Thus, the aged BBB is vulnerable to insult and becomes highly penetrable in response to O3 exposure, leading to greater neuroinflammatory outcomes.

  17. Oxidative stress caused by ozone exposure induces β-amyloid 1-42 overproduction and mitochondrial accumulation by activating the amyloidogenic pathway.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Zimbrón, L F; Rivas-Arancibia, S

    2015-09-24

    Oxidative stress is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that has been suggested to be the trigger of AD pathology. However, whether oxidative damage precedes and contributes directly to the intracellular accumulation of beta amyloid 1-42 (βA42) peptide remains a matter of debate. Chronic exposure to low doses of ozone similar to the levels during a day of high pollution in México City causes a state of oxidative stress that elicits progressive neurodegeneration in the hippocampi of rats. Several reports have demonstrated that the mitochondria are among the first organelles to be affected by oxidative stress and βA42 toxicity and act as sites of the accumulation of βA42, which affects energy metabolism. However, the mechanisms related to the neurodegeneration process and organelle damage that occur in conditions of chronic exposure to low doses of ozone have not been demonstrated. To analyze the effect of chronic ozone chronic exposure on changes in the production and accumulation of the βA42 and βA40 peptides in the mitochondria of hippocampal neurons of rats exposed to ozone, we examined the mitochondrial expression levels of Presenilins 1 and 2 and ADAM10 to detect changes related to the oxidative stress caused by low doses of ozone (0.25ppm). The results revealed significant accumulations of βA42 peptide in the mitochondrial fractions on days 60 and 90 of ozone exposure along with reductions in beta amyloid 1-40 accumulation, significant overexpressions of Pres2 and significant reductions in ADAM10 expression. Beta amyloid immunodetection revealed that there were some intracellular deposits of βA42 and that βA42 and the mitochondrial markers OPA1 and COX1 colocalized. These results indicate that the time of exposure to ozone and the accumulation of βA42 in the mitochondria of the hippocampal cells of rats were correlated. Our results suggest that the accumulation of the βA42 peptide may promote mitochondrial dysfunction due to its

  18. Effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on isolated islets' insulin release

    PubMed Central

    Zardooz, Homeira; Zahediasl, Saleh; Rostamkhani, Fatemeh; Farrokhi, Babak; Nasiraei, Shiva; Kazeminezhad, Behrang; Gholampour, Roohollah

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated pancreatic islets. Male Wistar rats were divided into two control and stressed groups; each further was allocated into fed and fasted groups. Stress was induced by communication box for one (acute), fifteen and thirty (chronic) days. After islet isolation, their number, size and insulin output were assessed. Plasma corticosterone level was determined. In fasted animals, acute stress increased basal and post stress plasma corticosterone level, while 30 days stress decreased it compared to day 1. In fed rats, acute stress increased only post stress plasma corticosterone concentration, however, after 15 days stress, it was decreased compared to day 1. Acute stress did not change insulin output; however, the insulin output was higher in the fed acutely stressed rats at 8.3 and 16.7 mM glucose than fasted ones. Chronic stress increased insulin output on day 15 in the fasted animals but decreased it on day 30 in the fed animals at 8.3 and 16.7 mM glucose. In the fasted control rats insulin output was lower than fed ones. In the chronic stressed rats insulin output at 8.3 and 16.7 mM glucose was higher in the fasted than fed rats. The number of islets increased in the fasted rats following 15 days stress. This study indicated that the response of the isolated islets from acute and chronically stressed rats are different and depends on the feeding status. PMID:27385956

  19. Acute stress affects risk taking but not ambiguity aversion.

    PubMed

    Buckert, Magdalena; Schwieren, Christiane; Kudielka, Brigitte M; Fiebach, Christian J

    2014-01-01

    Economic decisions are often made in stressful situations (e.g., at the trading floor), but the effects of stress on economic decision making have not been systematically investigated so far. The present study examines how acute stress influences economic decision making under uncertainty (risk and ambiguity) using financially incentivized lotteries. We varied the domain of decision making as well as the expected value of the risky prospect. Importantly, no feedback was provided to investigate risk taking and ambiguity aversion independent from learning processes. In a sample of 75 healthy young participants, 55 of whom underwent a stress induction protocol (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups), we observed more risk seeking for gains. This effect was restricted to a subgroup of participants that showed a robust cortisol response to acute stress (n = 26). Gambling under ambiguity, in contrast to gambling under risk, was not influenced by the cortisol response to stress. These results show that acute psychosocial stress affects economic decision making under risk, independent of learning processes. Our results further point to the importance of cortisol as a mediator of this effect.

  20. Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Ischemic and Nephrotoxic Acute Kidney Injury.

    PubMed

    Yan, Mingjuan; Shu, Shaoqun; Guo, Chunyuan; Tang, Chengyuan; Dong, Zheng

    2018-06-12

    Acute kidney injury is a medical condition characterized by kidney damage with a rapid decline of renal function, which is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Recent research has further established an intimate relationship between acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Perturbations of kidney cells in acute kidney injury result in the accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, leading to unfolded protein response or endoplasmic reticulum stress. In this review, we analyze the role and regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress in acute kidney injury triggered by renal ischemia-reperfusion and cisplatin nephrotoxicity. The balance between the two major components of unfolded protein response, the adaptive pathway and the apoptotic pathway, plays a critical role in determining the cell fate in endoplasmic reticulum stress. The adaptive pathway is evoked to attenuate translation, induce chaperones, maintain protein homeostasis, and promote cell survival. Prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress activates the apoptotic pathway, resulting in the elimination of dysfunctional cells. Therefore, regulating ER stress in kidney cells may provide a therapeutic target in acute kidney injury.

  1. Skin temperature reveals the intensity of acute stress.

    PubMed

    Herborn, Katherine A; Graves, James L; Jerem, Paul; Evans, Neil P; Nager, Ruedi; McCafferty, Dominic J; McKeegan, Dorothy E F

    2015-12-01

    Acute stress triggers peripheral vasoconstriction, causing a rapid, short-term drop in skin temperature in homeotherms. We tested, for the first time, whether this response has the potential to quantify stress, by exhibiting proportionality with stressor intensity. We used established behavioural and hormonal markers: activity level and corticosterone level, to validate a mild and more severe form of an acute restraint stressor in hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). We then used infrared thermography (IRT) to non-invasively collect continuous temperature measurements following exposure to these two intensities of acute handling stress. In the comb and wattle, two skin regions with a known thermoregulatory role, stressor intensity predicted the extent of initial skin cooling, and also the occurrence of a more delayed skin warming, providing two opportunities to quantify stress. With the present, cost-effective availability of IRT technology, this non-invasive and continuous method of stress assessment in unrestrained animals has the potential to become common practice in pure and applied research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Acute stress affects prospective memory functions via associative memory processes.

    PubMed

    Szőllősi, Ágnes; Pajkossy, Péter; Demeter, Gyula; Kéri, Szabolcs; Racsmány, Mihály

    2018-01-01

    Recent findings suggest that acute stress can improve the execution of delayed intentions (prospective memory, PM). However, it is unclear whether this improvement can be explained by altered executive control processes or by altered associative memory functioning. To investigate this issue, we used physical-psychosocial stressors to induce acute stress in laboratory settings. Then participants completed event- and time-based PM tasks requiring the different contribution of control processes and a control task (letter fluency) frequently used to measure executive functions. According to our results, acute stress had no impact on ongoing task performance, time-based PM, and verbal fluency, whereas it enhanced event-based PM as measured by response speed for the prospective cues. Our findings indicate that, here, acute stress did not affect executive control processes. We suggest that stress affected event-based PM via associative memory processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Relationship of Stress, Leukocyte Functions and Acute Ulcerative Gingivitis.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-10-22

    IONAL 1jjl (I Y AN[)AAU> I,)(, 4 •. . . . .i -AD (Report Number 3 , Lf) RELATIONSHIP OF STRESS, LEUKOCYTE FUNCTION AND ACUTE ULCERATIVE GINGIVITIS...AIk £It. KEY WORDS (C~mntm. a reers old. A *1acoa and Identit by block number) Acute Necrotic Ulcerative Gingivitis (ANUG)), Stress 4 Leukocyte

  4. Aging Exacerbates Neuroinflammatory Outcomes Induced by Acute Ozone Exposure

    DOE PAGES

    Tyler, Christina R.; Noor, Shahani; Young, Tamara; ...

    2018-01-27

    The role of environmental stressors, particularly exposure to air pollution, in the development of neurodegenerative disease remains underappreciated. We examined the neurological effects of acute ozone (O 3) exposure in aged mice, where increased blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability may confer vulnerability to neuroinflammatory outcomes. C 57BL/6 male mice, aged 8-10 weeks or 12–18 months were exposed to either filtered air (FA) or 1.0 ppm O 3 for 4 hours; animals received a single IP injection of sodium fluorescein (FSCN) 20 hours post-exposure. One-hour post-FSCN injection, animals were transcardially perfused for immunohistochemical analysis of BBB permeability. β-amyloid protein expression wasmore » assessed via ELISA. Flow cytometric characterization of infiltrating immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and microglia populations was performed 20 hours post-O 3 exposure. Flow cytometry analysis of brains revealed increased microglia “activation” and presentation of CD11b, F4/80 and MHCII in aged animals relative to younger ones; these age-induced differences were potentiated by acute O 3 exposure. Cortical and limbic regions in aged brains had increased reactive microgliosis and β-amyloid protein expression after O 3 insult. The aged cerebellum was particularly vulnerable to acute O 3 exposure with increased populations of infiltrating neutrophils, peripheral macrophages/monocytes, and Ly6C + inflammatory monocytes after insult, which were not significantly increased in the young cerebellum. O 3 exposure increased the penetration of FSCN beyond the BBB, the infiltration of peripheral immune cells, and reactive gliosis of microglia. Furthermore, the aged BBB is vulnerable to insult and becomes highly penetrable in response to O 3 exposure, leading to greater neuroinflammatory outcomes.« less

  5. Aging Exacerbates Neuroinflammatory Outcomes Induced by Acute Ozone Exposure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tyler, Christina R.; Noor, Shahani; Young, Tamara

    The role of environmental stressors, particularly exposure to air pollution, in the development of neurodegenerative disease remains underappreciated. We examined the neurological effects of acute ozone (O 3) exposure in aged mice, where increased blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability may confer vulnerability to neuroinflammatory outcomes. C 57BL/6 male mice, aged 8-10 weeks or 12–18 months were exposed to either filtered air (FA) or 1.0 ppm O 3 for 4 hours; animals received a single IP injection of sodium fluorescein (FSCN) 20 hours post-exposure. One-hour post-FSCN injection, animals were transcardially perfused for immunohistochemical analysis of BBB permeability. β-amyloid protein expression wasmore » assessed via ELISA. Flow cytometric characterization of infiltrating immune cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, and microglia populations was performed 20 hours post-O 3 exposure. Flow cytometry analysis of brains revealed increased microglia “activation” and presentation of CD11b, F4/80 and MHCII in aged animals relative to younger ones; these age-induced differences were potentiated by acute O 3 exposure. Cortical and limbic regions in aged brains had increased reactive microgliosis and β-amyloid protein expression after O 3 insult. The aged cerebellum was particularly vulnerable to acute O 3 exposure with increased populations of infiltrating neutrophils, peripheral macrophages/monocytes, and Ly6C + inflammatory monocytes after insult, which were not significantly increased in the young cerebellum. O 3 exposure increased the penetration of FSCN beyond the BBB, the infiltration of peripheral immune cells, and reactive gliosis of microglia. Furthermore, the aged BBB is vulnerable to insult and becomes highly penetrable in response to O 3 exposure, leading to greater neuroinflammatory outcomes.« less

  6. Acute stress affects risk taking but not ambiguity aversion

    PubMed Central

    Buckert, Magdalena; Schwieren, Christiane; Kudielka, Brigitte M.; Fiebach, Christian J.

    2014-01-01

    Economic decisions are often made in stressful situations (e.g., at the trading floor), but the effects of stress on economic decision making have not been systematically investigated so far. The present study examines how acute stress influences economic decision making under uncertainty (risk and ambiguity) using financially incentivized lotteries. We varied the domain of decision making as well as the expected value of the risky prospect. Importantly, no feedback was provided to investigate risk taking and ambiguity aversion independent from learning processes. In a sample of 75 healthy young participants, 55 of whom underwent a stress induction protocol (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups), we observed more risk seeking for gains. This effect was restricted to a subgroup of participants that showed a robust cortisol response to acute stress (n = 26). Gambling under ambiguity, in contrast to gambling under risk, was not influenced by the cortisol response to stress. These results show that acute psychosocial stress affects economic decision making under risk, independent of learning processes. Our results further point to the importance of cortisol as a mediator of this effect. PMID:24834024

  7. Stress sensitizes the brain: increased processing of unpleasant pictures after exposure to acute stress.

    PubMed

    Weymar, Mathias; Schwabe, Lars; Löw, Andreas; Hamm, Alfons O

    2012-07-01

    A key component of acute stress is a surge in vigilance that enables a prioritized processing of highly salient information to promote the organism's survival. In this study, we investigated the neural effects of acute stress on emotional picture processing. ERPs were measured during a deep encoding task, in which 40 male participants categorized 50 unpleasant and 50 neutral pictures according to arousal and valence. Before picture encoding, participants were subjected either to the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) or to a warm water control procedure. The exposure to the SECPT resulted in increased subjective and autonomic (heart rate and blood pressure) stress responses relative to the control condition. Viewing of unpleasant relative to neutral pictures evoked enhanced late positive potentials (LPPs) over centro-parietal scalp sites around 400 msec after picture onset. Prior exposure to acute stress selectively increased the LPPs for unpleasant pictures. Moreover, the LPP magnitude for unpleasant pictures following the SECPT was positively associated with incidental free recall performance 24 hr later. The present results suggest that acute stress sensitizes the brain for increased processing of cues in the environment, particularly priming the processing of unpleasant cues. This increased processing is related to later long-term memory performance.

  8. Effect of ultrasonic and ozone pre-treatments on pharmaceutical waste activated sludge's solubilisation, reduction, anaerobic biodegradability and acute biological toxicity.

    PubMed

    Pei, Jin; Yao, Hong; Wang, Hui; Shan, Dan; Jiang, Yichen; Ma, Lanqianya; Yu, Xiaohua

    2015-09-01

    Ultrasonic and ozone pre-treatment technologies were employed in this study to improve the anaerobic digestion efficiency of pharmaceutical waste activated sludge. The sludge solubilisation achieved 30.01% (150,000 kJ/kg TS) and 28.10% (0.1g O3/g TS) after ultrasonic treatment and ozone treatment. The anaerobic biodegradability after ultrasonic treatment was higher compared to ozonation due to the higher cumulative methane volume observed after 6 days (249 ml vs 190 ml). The ozonated sludge released the highest concentration of Cu(2+) into the liquid phase (6.640 mg L(-1)) compared to 0.530 mg/L for untreated sludge and 0.991 mg/L for sonicated sludge. The acute toxicity test measured by luminescent bacteria showed that anaerobic digestion could degrade toxic compounds and result in a reduction in toxicity. The main mechanism of action led to some differences in the treated sludge exhibiting higher potential for methane production from pharmaceutical waste sludge with ultrasonic treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Low-Grade Inflammation and Ambulatory Cortisol in Adolescents: Interaction Between Interviewer-Rated Versus Self-Rated Acute Stress and Chronic Stress.

    PubMed

    Schreier, Hannah M C; Chen, Edith

    To determine whether the association between self-rated or interviewer-rated recent acute stress exposures and low-grade inflammation and daily cortisol production in adolescents is moderated by chronic stress ratings. Acute and chronic stress exposures were assessed in 261 adolescents aged 13 to 16 years using a semistructured life stress interview. The negative impact of acute stressors was independently rated by both adolescents (self-rated) and interviewers (interviewer-rated). Markers of inflammation (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ra, C-reactive protein) were measured from peripheral blood samples obtained via antecubital venipuncture. Participants collected 4 saliva samples at home on each of 6 consecutive days for the analysis of diurnal salivary cortisol profiles. There were no main effects of acute stressors (self- and interviewer-rated) and chronic family or peer stress on adolescent inflammation markers and cortisol (p values > .10). However, the interaction between interviewer-rated acute stress and chronic family stress was significantly associated with adolescent inflammation markers (IL-6, IL-1ra). Specifically, as chronic family stress increased, the association between acute stressor impact (interviewer-rated) and inflammation markers became more positive (IL-6 (B = .054, SE = .023, p = .022); IL-1ra (B = .030, SE = .014, p = .034)). Interactions between self-rated acute stress and chronic family stress were not associated with any biological measures (p values > .10). Interactions between acute stressor impact (both self- and interviewer-rated) and chronic peer stress were also not significantly associated with any biological measures (p values > .05). Among adolescents, interviewer-based ratings of acute stressor impact may allow for better prediction of health-relevant inflammation markers than adolescents' own ratings.

  10. Low-Grade Inflammation and Ambulatory Cortisol in Adolescents: Interaction between Interviewer-rated versus Self-rated Acute Stress and Chronic Stress

    PubMed Central

    Schreier, Hannah M. C.; Chen, Edith

    2016-01-01

    Objective To determine whether the association between self-rated or interviewer-rated recent acute stress exposures and low-grade inflammation and daily cortisol production in adolescents is moderated by chronic stress ratings. Methods Acute and chronic stress exposures were assessed in 261 adolescents aged 13-16 using a semi-structured life stress interview. The negative impact of acute stressors was independently rated by both adolescents (self-rated) and interviewers (interviewer-rated). Markers of inflammation (IL-6, IL-1ra, CRP) were measured from peripheral blood samples obtained via antecubital venipuncture. Participants collected 4 saliva samples at home on each of six consecutive days for the analysis of diurnal salivary cortisol profiles. Results There were no main effects of acute stressors (self- and interviewer-rated) and chronic family or peer stress on adolescent inflammation markers and cortisol (ps > .10). However, the interaction between interviewer-rated acute stress and chronic family stress was significantly associated with adolescent inflammation markers (IL-6, IL-1ra). Specifically, as chronic family stress increased, the association between acute stressor impact (interviewer-rated) and inflammation markers became more positive (IL-6 (B = .054, SE = .023, p = .022); IL-1ra (B = .030, SE = .014, p = .034)). Interactions between self-rated acute stress and chronic family stress were not associated with any biological measures (ps > .10). Interactions between acute stressor impact (both self- and interviewer-rated) and chronic peer stress were also not significantly associated with any biological measures (ps > .05). Conclusions Among adolescents, interviewer-based ratings of acute stressor impact may allow for better prediction of health-relevant inflammation markers than adolescents’ own ratings. PMID:27490853

  11. Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress Study V: Ozone exposure of rats and its effect on lipids, proteins and DNA in plasma and urine

    PubMed Central

    Kadiiska, Maria B.; Basu, Samar; Brot, Nathan; Cooper, Christopher; Csallany, A. Saari; Davies, Michael J.; George, Magdalene M.; Murray, Dennis M.; Roberts, L. Jackson; Shigenaga, Mark K.; Sohal, Rajindar S.; Stocker, Roland; Van Thiel, David H.; Wiswedel, Ingrid; Hatch, Gary E.; Mason, Ronald P.

    2014-01-01

    Ozone exposure effect on free radical-catalyzed oxidation products of lipids, proteins and DNA in the plasma and urine of rats was studied as a continuation of the international Biomarker of Oxidative Stress Study (BOSS) sponsored by NIEHS/NIH. The goal was to identify a biomarker for ozone-induced oxidative stress and to assess whether inconsistent results often reported in the literature might be due to the limitations of the available methods for measuring the various types of oxidative products. The time and dose-dependent effects of ozone exposure on rat plasma lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, methionine oxidation, tyrosine- and phenylalanine oxidation products, as well as urinary malondialdehyde and F2-isoprostanes were investigated with various techniques. The criterion used to recognize a marker in the model of ozone exposure was that a significant effect could be identified and measured in a biological fluid seen at both doses at more than one time point. No statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at either ozone dose and time point studied could be identified in this study. Tissue samples were not included. Despite all the work accomplished in the BOSS study of ozone, no available product of oxidation in biological fluid has yet met the required criteria of being a biomarker. The current negative findings as a consequence of ozone exposure are of great importance, because they document that in complex systems, as the present in vivo experiment, the assays used may not provide meaningful data of ozone oxidation, especially in human studies. PMID:23608465

  12. Does Acute Stress Disorder Predict Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Bank Robbery?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen, Maj; Elklit, Ask

    2013-01-01

    Unfortunately, the number of bank robberies is increasing and little is known about the subsequent risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several studies have investigated the prediction of PTSD through the presence of acute stress disorder (ASD). However, there have only been a few studies following nonsexual assault. The present study…

  13. Prefrontal Cortex Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor 1 Conveys Acute Stress-Induced Executive Dysfunction.

    PubMed

    Uribe-Mariño, Andrés; Gassen, Nils C; Wiesbeck, Maximilian F; Balsevich, Georgia; Santarelli, Sara; Solfrank, Beate; Dournes, Carine; Fries, Gabriel R; Masana, Merce; Labermeier, Christiana; Wang, Xiao-Dong; Hafner, Kathrin; Schmid, Bianca; Rein, Theo; Chen, Alon; Deussing, Jan M; Schmidt, Mathias V

    2016-11-15

    The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) subserves complex cognition and is impaired by stress. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), through CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1), constitutes a key element of the stress response. However, its contribution to the effects of stress in the mPFC remains unclear. Mice were exposed to acute social defeat stress and subsequently to either the temporal order memory (n = 11-12) or reversal learning (n = 9-11) behavioral test. Changes in mPFC Crhr1 messenger RNA levels were measured in acutely stressed mice (n = 12). Crhr1 loxP/loxP mice received either intra-mPFC adeno-associated virus-Cre or empty microinjections (n = 17-20) and then were submitted to acute stress and later to the behavioral tests. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to detect activation of the protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway in the mPFC of acutely stressed mice (n = 8) or intra-mPFC CRF injected mice (n = 7). Finally, mice received intra-mPFC CRF (n = 11) and/or Rp-isomer cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphorothioate (Rp-cAMPS) (n = 12) microinjections and underwent behavioral testing. We report acute stress-induced effects on mPFC-mediated cognition, identify CRF-CRFR1-containing microcircuits within the mPFC, and demonstrate stress-induced changes in Crhr1 messenger RNA expression. Importantly, intra-mPFC CRFR1 deletion abolishes acute stress-induced executive dysfunction, whereas intra-mPFC CRF mimics acute stress-induced mPFC dysfunction. Acute stress and intra-mPFC CRF activate the PKA signaling pathway in the mPFC, leading to cyclic AMP response element binding protein phosphorylation in intra-mPFC CRFR1-expressing neurons. Finally, PKA blockade reverses the intra-mPFC CRF-induced executive dysfunction. Taken together, these results unravel a molecular mechanism linking acute stress to executive dysfunction via CRFR1. This will aid in the development of novel therapeutic targets for stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 Society of Biological

  14. Removal and toxicity reduction of naphthenic acids by ozonation and combined ozonation-aerobic biodegradation.

    PubMed

    Vaiopoulou, Eleni; Misiti, Teresa M; Pavlostathis, Spyros G

    2015-03-01

    A commercial naphthenic acids (NAs) mixture (TCI Chemicals) and five model NA compounds were ozonated in a semibatch mode. Ozonation of 25 and 35 mg/L NA mixture followed pseudo first-order kinetics (k(obs)=0.11±0.008 min(-1); r(2)=0.989) with a residual NAs concentration of about 5 mg/L. Ozone reacted preferentially with NAs of higher cyclicity and molecular weight and decreased both cyclicity and the acute Microtox® toxicity by 3.3-fold. The ozone reactivity with acyclic and monocyclic model NAs varied and depended on other structural features, such as branching and the presence of tertiary or quaternary carbons. Batch aerobic degradation of unozonated NA mixture using a NA-enriched culture resulted in 83% NA removal and a 6.7-fold decrease in toxicity, whereas a combination of ozonation-biodegradation resulted in 89% NA removal and a 15-fold decrease in toxicity. Thus, ozonation of NA-bearing waste streams coupled with biodegradation are effective treatment processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Oxidative stress responses of Daphnia magna exposed to effluents spiked with emerging contaminants under ozonation and advanced oxidation processes.

    PubMed

    Oropesa, Ana Lourdes; Novais, Sara C; Lemos, Marco F L; Espejo, Azahara; Gravato, Carlos; Beltrán, Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Integration of conventional wastewater treatments with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) has become of great interest to remove pharmaceuticals and their metabolites from wastewater. However, application of these technologies generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that may reach superficial waters through effluents from sewage treatment plants. The main objective of the present study was to elucidate if ROS present in real effluents after biological and then chemical (single ozonation, solar photolytic ozonation, solar photocatalytic ozonation (TiO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 ) and solar photocatalytic oxidation (TiO 2 )) treatments induce oxidative stress in Daphnia magna. For this, the activity of two antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and the level of lipid peroxidation were determined in Daphnia. The results of oxidative stress biomarkers studied suggest that D. magna is able to cope with the superoxide ion radical (O 2 · - ) present in the treated effluent due to single ozonation by mainly inducing the antioxidant activity superoxide dismutase, thus preventing lipid peroxidation. Lethal effects (measured in terms of immobility) were not observed in these organisms after exposure to any solution. Therefore, in order to probe the ecological efficiency of urban wastewater treatments, studies on lethal and sublethal effects in D. magna would be advisable.

  16. Comparison of the effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on metabolic features in rats*

    PubMed Central

    Rostamkhani, Fatemeh; Zardooz, Homeira; Zahediasl, Saleh; Farrokhi, Babak

    2012-01-01

    This study was aimed to compare the effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on metabolic factors. Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into control and stressed groups. Stress was applied by a communication box acutely (1 d) and chronically (15 and 30 d). Blood sampling was carried out by retro-orbital-puncture method. The plasma levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, and corticosterone were measured. In addition, feed and water intake, latency to eat and drink, adrenal and body weights were determined. Acute and chronic psychological stress did not significantly change basal plasma corticosterone levels. However, immediately (1 min) after acute exposure to stress, plasma corticosterone level increased compared to that before stress exposure. Acute stress increased plasma insulin levels significantly. Fifteen days of stress exposure resulted in plasma glucose increase. Chronic stress significantly increased feed intake, latency to eat, and adrenal weight compared to acute stress. The body weights of both control and stressed groups increased markedly during the experiment. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index did not change significantly in the stressed group. In conclusion, application of acute and chronic psychological stress leads to different metabolic and/or behavioral changes but the metabolic changes resulting from acute exposure to stress seem to be more pronounced. PMID:23125083

  17. Drought and ozone stress effects on competition among selected prairie grass species and Giant Foxtail

    Treesearch

    Gregory A. Endress; Anton G. Endress; Louis R. Iverson; Louis R. Iverson

    1999-01-01

    Differential responses of species to environmental stress may interfere with restoration of prairie ecosystems or change community structure. The impact of increasing atmospheric ozone (O3) concentrations and/or low water on the growth of Andropogon gerardii Vitm. (big bluestem) and Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash (Indian grass), two common warm-season native grasses,...

  18. Social media as a shield: Facebook buffers acute stress.

    PubMed

    Rus, Holly M; Tiemensma, Jitske

    2018-03-01

    Facebook remains the most widely used social media platform. Research suggests that Facebook may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being, and that it may impair physiological stress recovery. However, little is known about its influence on stress reactivity. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined how Facebook influences reactivity to an acute social stressor. Facebook users (n=104, 53 males, mean age 19.50, SD=1.73) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook account or sit quietly with the option of reading electronic magazines before experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers in response to the stressor. However, participants who used Facebook experienced lower levels of psychosocial stress, physiological stress, and rated the stressor as less threatening (p's<0.05) when controlling for gender and emotional investment in the website compared to controls. Results suggest that Facebook use may buffer stress-in particular psychosocial stress-if used before experiencing an acute social stressor. This study is among the first to incorporate both objective and subjective measures in investigating the complex relationship between Facebook use and well-being. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Media's role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings.

    PubMed

    Holman, E Alison; Garfin, Dana Rose; Silver, Roxane Cohen

    2014-01-07

    We compared the impact of media vs. direct exposure on acute stress response to collective trauma. We conducted an Internet-based survey following the Boston Marathon bombings between April 29 and May 13, 2013, with representative samples of residents from Boston (n = 846), New York City (n = 941), and the remainder of the United States (n = 2,888). Acute stress symptom scores were comparable in Boston and New York [regression coefficient (b) = 0.43; SE = 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI), -2.36, 3.23], but lower nationwide when compared with Boston (b = -2.21; SE = 1.07; 95% CI, -4.31, -0.12). Adjusting for prebombing mental health (collected prospectively), demographics, and prior collective stress exposure, six or more daily hours of bombing-related media exposure in the week after the bombings was associated with higher acute stress than direct exposure to the bombings (continuous acute stress symptom total: media exposure b = 15.61 vs. direct exposure b = 5.69). Controlling for prospectively collected prebombing television-watching habits did not change the findings. In adjusted models, direct exposure to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Sandy Hook School shootings were both significantly associated with bombing-related acute stress; Superstorm Sandy exposure wasn't. Prior exposure to similar and/or violent events may render some individuals vulnerable to the negative effects of collective traumas. Repeatedly engaging with trauma-related media content for several hours daily shortly after collective trauma may prolong acute stress experiences and promote substantial stress-related symptomatology. Mass media may become a conduit that spreads negative consequences of community trauma beyond directly affected communities.

  20. Loneliness and acute stress reactivity: A systematic review of psychophysiological studies.

    PubMed

    Brown, Eoin G; Gallagher, Stephen; Creaven, Ann-Marie

    2018-05-01

    Physiological reactivity to acute stress has been proposed as a potential biological mechanism by which loneliness may lead to negative health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease. This review was conducted to investigate the association between loneliness and physiological responses to acute stress. A series of electronic databases were systematically searched (PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL Plus, EBSCOhost, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Science Direct) for relevant studies, published up to October 2016. Eleven studies were included in the review. Overall, the majority of studies reported positive associations between loneliness and acute stress responses, such that higher levels of loneliness were predictive of exaggerated physiological reactions. However, in a few studies, loneliness was also linked with decreased stress responses for particular physiological outcomes, indicating the possible existence of blunted relationships. There was no clear pattern suggesting any sex- or stressor-based differences in these associations. The available evidence supports a link between loneliness and atypical physiological reactivity to acute stress. A key finding of this review was that greater levels of loneliness are associated with exaggerated blood pressure and inflammatory reactivity to acute stress. However, there was some indication that loneliness may also be related to blunted cardiac, cortisol, and immune responses. Overall, this suggests that stress reactivity could be one of the biological mechanisms through which loneliness impacts upon health. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  1. Parent-Child Agreement Regarding Children's Acute Stress: The Role of Parent Acute Stress Reactions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Garcia-Espana, J. Felipe; Miller, Victoria A.; Winston, Flaura

    2006-01-01

    Objective: We examined parent--child agreement regarding child acute stress disorder (ASD) and the relationship between parent ASD symptoms and parent ratings of child ASD. Method: Parent-child dyads (N = 219; child age 8-17 years) were assessed within 1 month of child injury. Parent--child agreement was examined regarding child ASD presence,…

  2. Biomarkers of oxidative stress study V: ozone exposure of rats and its effect on lipids, proteins, and DNA in plasma and urine.

    PubMed

    Kadiiska, Maria B; Basu, Samar; Brot, Nathan; Cooper, Christopher; Saari Csallany, A; Davies, Michael J; George, Magdalene M; Murray, Dennis M; Jackson Roberts, L; Shigenaga, Mark K; Sohal, Rajindar S; Stocker, Roland; Van Thiel, David H; Wiswedel, Ingrid; Hatch, Gary E; Mason, Ronald P

    2013-08-01

    Ozone exposure effect on free radical-catalyzed oxidation products of lipids, proteins, and DNA in the plasma and urine of rats was studied as a continuation of the international Biomarker of Oxidative Stress Study (BOSS) sponsored by NIEHS/NIH. The goal was to identify a biomarker for ozone-induced oxidative stress and to assess whether inconsistent results often reported in the literature might be due to the limitations of the available methods for measuring the various types of oxidative products. The time- and dose-dependent effects of ozone exposure on rat plasma lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, methionine oxidation, and tyrosine- and phenylalanine oxidation products, as well as urinary malondialdehyde and F2-isoprostanes were investigated with various techniques. The criterion used to recognize a marker in the model of ozone exposure was that a significant effect could be identified and measured in a biological fluid seen at both doses at more than one time point. No statistically significant differences between the experimental and the control groups at either ozone dose and time point studied could be identified in this study. Tissue samples were not included. Despite all the work accomplished in the BOSS study of ozone, no available product of oxidation in biological fluid has yet met the required criteria of being a biomarker. The current negative findings as a consequence of ozone exposure are of great importance, because they document that in complex systems, as the present in vivo experiment, the assays used may not provide meaningful data of ozone oxidation, especially in human studies. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on platelet aggregation in mice.

    PubMed

    Matsuhisa, Fumikazu; Kitamura, Nobuo; Satoh, Eiki

    2014-03-01

    Although psychological stress has long been known to alter cardiovascular function, there have been few studies on the effect of psychological stress on platelets, which play a pivotal role in cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of acute and chronic psychological stress on the aggregation of platelets and platelet cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). Mice were subjected to both transportation stress (exposure to novel environment, psychological stress) and restraint stress (psychological stress) for 2 h (acute stress) or 3 weeks (2 h/day) (chronic stress). In addition, adrenalectomized mice were subjected to similar chronic stress (both transportation and restraint stress for 3 weeks). The aggregation of platelets from mice and [Ca(2+)]i was determined by light transmission assay and fura-2 fluorescence assay, respectively. Although acute stress had no effect on agonist-induced platelet aggregation, chronic stress enhanced the ability of the platelet agonists thrombin and ADP to stimulate platelet aggregation. However, chronic stress failed to enhance agonist-induced increase in [Ca(2+)]i. Adrenalectomy blocked chronic stress-induced enhancement of platelet aggregation. These results suggest that chronic, but not acute, psychological stress enhances agonist-stimulated platelet aggregation independently of [Ca(2+)]i increase, and the enhancement may be mediated by stress hormones secreted from the adrenal glands.

  4. Acute stress induces selective alterations in cost/benefit decision-making.

    PubMed

    Shafiei, Naghmeh; Gray, Megan; Viau, Victor; Floresco, Stan B

    2012-09-01

    Acute stress can exert beneficial or detrimental effects on different forms of cognition. In the present study, we assessed the effects of acute restraint stress on different forms of cost/benefit decision-making, and some of the hormonal and neurochemical mechanisms that may underlie these effects. Effort-based decision-making was assessed where rats chose between a low effort/reward (1 press=2 pellets) or high effort/reward option (4 pellets), with the effort requirement increasing over 4 blocks of trials (2, 5, 10, and 20 lever presses). Restraint stress for 1 h decreased preference for the more costly reward and induced longer choice latencies. Control experiments revealed that the effects on decision-making were not mediated by general reductions in motivation or preference for larger rewards. In contrast, acute stress did not affect delay-discounting, when rats chose between a small/immediate vs larger/delayed reward. The effects of stress on decision-making were not mimicked by treatment with physiological doses of corticosterone (1-3 mg/kg). Blockade of dopamine receptors with flupenthixol (0.25 mg/kg) before restraint did not attenuate stress-induced effects on effort-related choice, but abolished effects on choice latencies. These data suggest that acute stress interferes somewhat selectively with cost/benefit evaluations concerning effort costs. These effects do not appear to be mediated solely by enhanced glucocorticoid activity, whereas dopaminergic activation may contribute to increased deliberation times induced by stress. These findings may provide insight into impairments in decision-making and anergia associated with stress-related disorders, such as depression.

  5. Acute Stress Induces Selective Alterations in Cost/Benefit Decision-Making

    PubMed Central

    Shafiei, Naghmeh; Gray, Megan; Viau, Victor; Floresco, Stan B

    2012-01-01

    Acute stress can exert beneficial or detrimental effects on different forms of cognition. In the present study, we assessed the effects of acute restraint stress on different forms of cost/benefit decision-making, and some of the hormonal and neurochemical mechanisms that may underlie these effects. Effort-based decision-making was assessed where rats chose between a low effort/reward (1 press=2 pellets) or high effort/reward option (4 pellets), with the effort requirement increasing over 4 blocks of trials (2, 5, 10, and 20 lever presses). Restraint stress for 1 h decreased preference for the more costly reward and induced longer choice latencies. Control experiments revealed that the effects on decision-making were not mediated by general reductions in motivation or preference for larger rewards. In contrast, acute stress did not affect delay-discounting, when rats chose between a small/immediate vs larger/delayed reward. The effects of stress on decision-making were not mimicked by treatment with physiological doses of corticosterone (1–3 mg/kg). Blockade of dopamine receptors with flupenthixol (0.25 mg/kg) before restraint did not attenuate stress-induced effects on effort-related choice, but abolished effects on choice latencies. These data suggest that acute stress interferes somewhat selectively with cost/benefit evaluations concerning effort costs. These effects do not appear to be mediated solely by enhanced glucocorticoid activity, whereas dopaminergic activation may contribute to increased deliberation times induced by stress. These findings may provide insight into impairments in decision-making and anergia associated with stress-related disorders, such as depression. PMID:22569506

  6. Acute stress promotes post-injury brain regeneration in fish.

    PubMed

    Sinyakov, Michael S; Haimovich, Amihai; Avtalion, Ramy R

    2017-12-01

    The central nervous system and the immune system, the two major players in homeostasis, operate in the ongoing bidirectional interaction. Stress is the third player that exerts strong effect on these two 'supersystems'; yet, its impact is studied much less. In this work employing carp model, we studied the influence of preliminary stress on neural and immune networks involved in post-injury brain regeneration. The relevant in vivo models of air-exposure stress and precisely directed cerebellum injury have been developed. Neuronal regeneration was evaluated by using specific tracers of cell proliferation and differentiation. Involvement of immune networks was accessed by monitoring the expression of selected T cells markers. Contrast difference between acute and chronic stress manifested in the fact that chronically stressed fish did not survive the brain injury. Neuronal regeneration appeared as a biphasic process whereas involvement of immune system proceeded as a monophasic route. In stressed fish, immune response was fast and accompanied or even preceded neuronal regeneration. In unstressed subjects, immune response took place on the second phase of neuronal regeneration. These findings imply an intrinsic regulatory impact of acute stress on neuronal and immune factors involved in post-injury brain regeneration. Stress activates both neuronal and immune defense mechanisms and thus contributes to faster regeneration. In this context, paradoxically, acute preliminary stress might be considered a distinct asset in speeding up the following post-injury brain regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Ozone Quenching Properties of Isoprene and Its Antioxidant Role in Leaves1

    PubMed Central

    Loreto, Francesco; Mannozzi, Michela; Maris, Christophe; Nascetti, Pamela; Ferranti, Francesco; Pasqualini, Stefania

    2001-01-01

    Isoprene is formed in and emitted by plants and the reason for this apparent carbon waste is still unclear. It has been proposed that isoprene stabilizes cell and particularly chloroplast thylakoid membranes. We tested if membrane stabilization or isoprene reactivity with ozone induces protection against acute ozone exposures. The reduction of visible, physiological, anatomical, and ultrastructural (chloroplast) damage shows that clones of plants sensitive to ozone and unable to emit isoprene become resistant to acute and short exposure to ozone if they are fumigated with exogenous isoprene, and that isoprene-emitting plants that are sensitive to ozone do not suffer damage when exposed to ozone. Isoprene-induced ozone resistance is associated with the maintenance of photochemical efficiency and with a low energy dissipation, as indicated by fluorescence quenching. This suggests that isoprene effectively stabilizes thylakoid membranes. However, when isoprene reacts with ozone within the leaves or in a humid atmosphere, it quenches the ozone concentration to levels that are less or non-toxic for plants. Thus, protection from ozone in plants fumigated with isoprene may be due to a direct ozone quenching rather than to an induced resistance at membrane level. Irrespective of the mechanism, isoprene is one of the most effective antioxidants in plants. PMID:11457950

  8. Openness to experience and adapting to change: Cardiovascular stress habituation to change in acute stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Ó Súilleabháin, Páraic S; Howard, Siobhán; Hughes, Brian M

    2018-05-01

    Underlying psychophysiological mechanisms of effect linking openness to experience to health outcomes, and particularly cardiovascular well-being, are unknown. This study examined the role of openness in the context of cardiovascular responsivity to acute psychological stress. Continuous cardiovascular response data were collected for 74 healthy young female adults across an experimental protocol, including differing counterbalanced acute stressors. Openness was measured via self-report questionnaire. Analysis of covariance revealed openness was associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP; p = .016), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP; p = .036) responsivity across the protocol. Openness was also associated with heart rate (HR) responding to the initial stress exposure (p = .044). Examination of cardiovascular adaptation revealed that higher openness was associated with significant SBP (p = .001), DBP (p = .009), and HR (p = .002) habituation in response to the second differing acute stress exposure. Taken together, the findings suggest persons higher in openness are characterized by an adaptive cardiovascular stress response profile within the context of changing acute stress exposures. This study is also the first to demonstrate individual differences in cardiovascular adaptation across a protocol consisting of differing stress exposures. More broadly, this research also suggests that future research may benefit from conceptualizing an adaptive fitness of openness within the context of change. In summary, the present study provides evidence that higher openness stimulates short-term stress responsivity, while ensuring cardiovascular habituation to change in stress across time. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  9. Stressed lungs: unveiling the role of circulating stress ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Ozone, a major component of smog generated through the interaction of light and anthropogenic emissions, induces adverse pulmonary, cardiovascular, and systemic health effects upon inhalation. It is generally accepted that ozone-induced lung injury is mediated by its interaction with lung lining components causing local oxidative changes, which then leads to cell damage and recruitment of inflammatory cells. It is postulated that the spillover of reactive intermediates and pro-inflammatory molecules from lung to systemic circulation mediates extra-pulmonary effects. However, recent work from our laboratory supports an alternative hypothesis that circulating stress hormones, such as epinephrine and corticosterone/cortisol, are involved in mediating ozone pulmonary effects. We have shown in rats and humans that ozone increases the levels of circulating stress hormones through activation of the hypothalamus- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis before any measurable effects are observed in the lung. The surgical removal of adrenals diminishes circulating stress hormones and at the same time, the pulmonary effects of ozone suggesting a significant contribution of these hormones in ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation. While ozone effects in the lung have been extensively studied, the contribution of central nervous system -mediated hormonal stress response has not been examined. In order to understand the signaling pathways that might be involved in ozone-induced lun

  10. Acute stress disorder in hospitalised victims of 26/11-terror attack on Mumbai, India.

    PubMed

    Balasinorwala, Vanshree Patil; Shah, Nilesh

    2010-11-01

    The 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai have been internationally denounced. Acute stress disorder is common in victims of terror. To find out the prevalence and to correlate acute stress disorder, 70 hospitalised victims of terror were assessed for presence of the same using DSM-IV TR criteria. Demographic data and clinical variables were also collected. Acute stress disorder was found in 30% patients. On demographic profile and severity of injury, there were some interesting observations and differences between the victims who developed acute stress disorder and those who did not; though none of the differences reached the level of statistical significance. This study documents the occurrence of acute stress disorder in the victims of 26/11 terror attack.

  11. PTSD, Acute Stress, Performance and Decision-Making in Emergency Service Workers.

    PubMed

    Regehr, Cheryl; LeBlanc, Vicki R

    2017-06-01

    Despite research identifying high levels of stress and traumatic stress symptoms among those in the emergency services, the impact of these symptoms on performance and hence public safety remains uncertain. This review paper discusses a program of research that has examined the effects of prior critical incident exposure, acute stress, and current post-traumatic symptoms on the performance and decision-making during an acutely stressful event among police officers, police communicators, paramedics and child protection workers. Four studies, using simulation methods involving video simulators, human-patient simulators, and/or standardized patients, examined the performance of emergency workers in typical workplace situations related to their individual profession. Results varied according to level of acuity of stress and the nature of performance and decision-making. There was no evidence that PTSD had a direct impact on global performance on tasks for which emergency responders are highly trained. However, PTSD was associated with assessment of risk in situations that required professional judgement. Further, individuals experiencing PTSD symptoms reported higher levels of acute stress when faced with high acuity situations. Acute stress in these studies was associated with performance deficits on complex cognitive tasks, verbal memory impairment and heightened assessment of risk. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  12. Biological markers of stress in pediatric acute burn injury.

    PubMed

    Brown, Nadia J; Kimble, Roy M; Rodger, Sylvia; Ware, Robert S; McWhinney, Brett C; Ungerer, Jacobus P J; Cuttle, Leila

    2014-08-01

    Burns and their associated wound care procedures evoke significant stress and anxiety, particularly for children. Little is known about the body's physiological stress reactions throughout the stages of re-epithelialization following an acute burn injury. Previously, serum and urinary cortisol have been used to measure stress in burn patients, however these measures are not suitable for a pediatric burn outpatient setting. To assess the sensitivity of salivary cortisol and sAA in detecting stress during acute burn wound care procedures and to investigate the body's physiological stress reactions throughout burn re-epithelialization. Seventy-seven participants aged four to thirteen years who presented with an acute burn injury to the burn center at the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia, were recruited between August 2011 and August 2012. Both biomarkers were responsive to the stress of burn wound care procedures. sAA levels were on average 50.2 U/ml higher (p<0.001) at 10 min post-dressing removal compared to baseline levels. Salivary cortisol levels showed a blunted effect with average levels at ten minutes post dressing removal decreasing by 0.54 nmol/L (p<0.001) compared to baseline levels. sAA levels were associated with pain (p=0.021), no medication (p=0.047) and Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire scores at three months post re-epithelialization (p=0.008). Similarly, salivary cortisol was associated with no medication (p<0.001), pain scores (p=0.045) and total body surface area of the burn (p=0.010). Factors which support the use of sAA over salivary cortisol to assess stress during morning acute burn wound care procedures include; sensitivity, morning clinic times relative to cortisol's diurnal peaks, and relative cost. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  13. Social identity influences stress appraisals and cardiovascular reactions to acute stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Stephen; Meaney, Sarah; Muldoon, Orla T

    2014-09-01

    This study tested a recent theoretical development in stress research to see whether group membership influenced cardiovascular reactions following exposure to acute stress. Participants (N = 104) were exposed to a message in which a maths test was described as stressful or challenging by an ingroup member (a student) or outgroup member (a stress disorder sufferer). Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) and heart rate (HR) were monitored throughout a standard reactivity study. As expected, a significant interaction was found; relative to those who were told that the task was challenging, ingroup members reported more stress and had higher DBP and HR reactivity when told by an ingroup member that the maths task was stressful; task information did not have the same effect for outgroup members. These results indicate that informational support is not constant but varies as a function of group membership. Finally, this recent development in stress research may prove useful for those interested in investigating the interactions between social, psychological and physiological processes underlying health disparities. What is already known on this subject? Stress is a common risk factor for hypertension and coronary heart disease. Social support has been found to reduce cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress. The influence of social support on stress varies as a consequence of social identity. What does this study add? The social group that one belongs to influences how one appraises and responds to stress. Social identity provides a useful framework for understanding how social processes are associated with health disparities. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  14. Effect of acute acoustic stress on anorectal function sensation in healthy human.

    PubMed

    Gonlachanvit, S; Rhee, J; Sun, W M; Chey, W D

    2005-04-01

    Little is known about the effects of acute acoustic stress on anorectal function. To determine the effects of acute acoustic stress on anorectal function and sensation in healthy volunteers. Ten healthy volunteers (7 M, 3 F, mean age 34 +/- 3 years) underwent anorectal manometry, testing of rectal compliance and sensation using a barostat with and without acute noise stress on separate days. Rectal perception was assessed using an ascending method of limits protocol and a 5-point Likert scale. Arousal and anxiety status were evaluated using a visual analogue scale. Acoustic stress significantly increased anxiety score (P < 0.05). Rectal compliance was significantly decreased with acoustic stress compared with control P (P < 0.000001). In addition, less intraballoon volume was needed to induce the sensation of severe urgency with acoustic stress (P < 0.05). Acoustic stress had no effect on hemodynamic parameters, anal sphincter pressure, threshold for first sensation, sensation of stool, or pain. Acute acoustic stimulation increased anxiety scores, decreased rectal compliance, and enhanced perception of severe urgency to balloon distention but did not affect anal sphincter pressure in healthy volunteers. These results may offer insight into the pathogenesis of stress-in-induced diarrhoea and faecal urgency.

  15. Lung transcriptional profiling: insights into the mechanisms of ozone-induced pulmonary injury in Wistar Kyoto rats

    EPA Science Inventory

    Acute ozone-induced pulmonary injury and inflammation are well characterized in rats; however, mechanistic understanding of the pathways involved is limited. We hypothesized that acute exposure of healthy rats to ozone will cause transcriptional alterations, and comprehensive ana...

  16. Water stress mitigates the negative effects of ozone on photosynthesis and biomass in poplar plants.

    PubMed

    Gao, Feng; Catalayud, Vicent; Paoletti, Elena; Hoshika, Yasutomo; Feng, Zhaozhong

    2017-11-01

    Tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) pollution frequently overlaps with drought episodes but the combined effects are not yet understood. We investigated the physiological and biomass responses of an O 3 sensitive hybrid poplar clone ('546') under three O 3 levels (charcoal-filtered ambient air, non-filtered ambient air (NF), and NF plus 40 ppb) and two watering regimes (well-watered (WW) and reduced watering (RW), i.e. 40% irrigation) for one growing season. Water stress increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, protecting leaves from pigment degradation by O 3 . Impairment of photosynthesis by O 3 was also reduced by stomatal closure due to water stress, which preserved light-saturated CO 2 assimilation rate, and the maximum carboxylation efficiency. Water stress increased water use efficiency of the leaves while O 3 decreased it, showing significant interactions. Effects were more evident in older leaves than in younger leaves. Water stress reduced biomass production, but the negative effects of O 3 were less in RW than in WW for total biomass per plant. A stomatal O 3 flux-based dose-response relationship was parameterized considering water stress effects, which explained biomass losses much better than a concentration-based approach. The O 3 critical level of Phytotoxic Ozone Dose over a threshold of 7 nmol O 3 .m -2 .s -1 (POD 7 ) for a 4% biomass loss in this poplar clone under different water regimes was 4.1 mmol m -2 . Our results suggest that current O 3 levels in most parts of China threaten poplar growth and that interaction with water availability is a key factor for O 3 risk assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Acute Stress Symptoms in Children: Results From an International Data Archive

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Palmieri, Patrick A.; Rork, Kristine; Delahanty, Douglas L.; Kenardy, Justin; Kohser, Kristen L.; Landolt, Markus A.; Le Brocque, Robyne; Marsac, Meghan L.; Meiser-Stedman, Richard; Nixon, Reginald D.V.; Bui, Eric; McGrath, Caitlin

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To describe the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms and to examine proposed "DSM-5" symptom criteria in relation to concurrent functional impairment in children and adolescents. Method: From an international archive, datasets were identified that included assessment of acute traumatic stress reactions and…

  18. The Relationship between Acute Stress Disorder and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Cancer

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kangas, Maria; Henry, Jane L.; Bryant, Richard A.

    2005-01-01

    In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following cancer diagnosis. Patients who were recently diagnosed with 1st onset head and neck or lung malignancy (N = 82) were assessed for ASD within the initial month following their diagnosis and reassessed (n =…

  19. Acute stress cardiomyopathy and deaths associated with electronic weapons.

    PubMed

    Cevik, Cihan; Otahbachi, Mohammad; Miller, Elizabeth; Bagdure, Satish; Nugent, Kenneth M

    2009-03-06

    Deaths associated with the use of electronic weapons almost always occur in young men involved in either civil disturbances or criminal activity. These situations are associated with high levels of circulating catecholamines and frequently associated with drug intoxication. The mechanism for these deaths is unclear. Clinical studies indicate that these high voltage electrical pulses do not cause cardiac arrhythmia. Acute stress cardiomyopathy provides an alternative explanation for deaths associated with electronic weapons and may provide a better explanation for the usual time course associated with taser deaths. Patients with acute stress cardiomyopathy usually have had an emotional or physical stress, have high circulating levels of catecholamines, present with an acute coronary syndrome but have normal coronary vessels without significant thrombus formation. They have unusual left ventricular dysfunction with so-called apical ballooning. This presentation has been attributed to the direct effects of catecholamines on myocardial cell function. Alternative explanations include vasospasm in the coronary microcirculation and/or acute thrombosis followed by rapid thrombolysis. Similar events could occur during the high stress situations associated with the use of electronic weapons. These events also likely explain restraint-related deaths which occur in independent of any use of electronic weapons. Forensic pathologists have the opportunity to provide important details about the pathogenesis of these deaths through histological studies and careful evaluation of coronary vessels.

  20. Perceived Chronic Stress Exposure Modulates Reward-Related Medial Prefrontal Cortex Responses to Acute Stress in Depression

    PubMed Central

    Kumar, Poornima; Slavich, George M.; Berghorst, Lisa H.; Treadway, Michael T.; Brooks, Nancy H.; Dutra, Sunny J.; Greve, Douglas N.; O'Donovan, Aoife; Bleil, Maria E.; Maninger, Nicole; Pizzagalli, Diego A.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often precipitated by life stress and growing evidence suggests that stress-induced alterations in reward processing may contribute to such risk. However, no human imaging studies have examined how recent life stress exposure modulates the neural systems that underlie reward processing in depressed and healthy individuals. Methods In this proof-of-concept study, 12 MDD and 10 psychiatrically healthy individuals were interviewed using the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS) to assess their perceived levels of recent acute and chronic life stress exposure. Additionally, each participant performed a monetary incentive delay task under baseline (no-stress) and stress (social-evaluative) conditions during functional MRI. Results Across groups, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation to reward feedback was greater during acute stress versus no-stress conditions in individuals with greater perceived stressor severity. Under acute stress, depressed individuals showed a positive correlation between perceived stressor severity levels and reward-related mPFC activation (r = 0.79, p = 0.004), whereas no effect was found in healthy controls. Moreover, for depressed (but not healthy) individuals, the correlations between the stress (r = 0.79) and no-stress (r = −0.48) conditions were significantly different. Finally, relative to controls, depressed participants showed significantly reduced mPFC grey matter, but functional findings remained when accounting for structural differences. Limitation Small sample size, which warrants replication. Conclusion Depressed individuals experiencing greater recent life stress recruited the mPFC more under stress when processing rewards. Our results represent an initial step toward elucidating mechanisms underlying stress sensitization and recurrence in depression. PMID:25898329

  1. Media’s role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings

    PubMed Central

    Holman, E. Alison; Garfin, Dana Rose; Silver, Roxane Cohen

    2014-01-01

    We compared the impact of media vs. direct exposure on acute stress response to collective trauma. We conducted an Internet-based survey following the Boston Marathon bombings between April 29 and May 13, 2013, with representative samples of residents from Boston (n = 846), New York City (n = 941), and the remainder of the United States (n = 2,888). Acute stress symptom scores were comparable in Boston and New York [regression coefficient (b) = 0.43; SE = 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI), −2.36, 3.23], but lower nationwide when compared with Boston (b = −2.21; SE = 1.07; 95% CI, −4.31, −0.12). Adjusting for prebombing mental health (collected prospectively), demographics, and prior collective stress exposure, six or more daily hours of bombing-related media exposure in the week after the bombings was associated with higher acute stress than direct exposure to the bombings (continuous acute stress symptom total: media exposure b = 15.61 vs. direct exposure b = 5.69). Controlling for prospectively collected prebombing television-watching habits did not change the findings. In adjusted models, direct exposure to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the Sandy Hook School shootings were both significantly associated with bombing-related acute stress; Superstorm Sandy exposure wasn't. Prior exposure to similar and/or violent events may render some individuals vulnerable to the negative effects of collective traumas. Repeatedly engaging with trauma-related media content for several hours daily shortly after collective trauma may prolong acute stress experiences and promote substantial stress-related symptomatology. Mass media may become a conduit that spreads negative consequences of community trauma beyond directly affected communities. PMID:24324161

  2. 20-HETE mediates ozone-induced, neutrophil-independent airway hyper-responsiveness in mice.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Philip R; Mesaros, A Clementina; Zhang, Jie; Christmas, Peter; Stark, Christopher M; Douaidy, Karim; Mittelman, Michael A; Soberman, Roy J; Blair, Ian A; Panettieri, Reynold A

    2010-04-20

    Ozone, a pollutant known to induce airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), increases morbidity and mortality in patients with obstructive airway diseases and asthma. We postulate oxidized lipids mediate in vivo ozone-induced AHR in murine airways. Male BALB/c mice were exposed to ozone (3 or 6 ppm) or filtered air (controls) for 2 h. Precision cut lung slices (PCLS; 250 microm thickness) containing an intrapulmonary airway ( approximately 0.01 mm(2) lumen area) were prepared immediately after exposure or 16 h later. After 24 h, airways were contracted to carbachol (CCh). Log EC(50) and E(max) values were then calculated by measuring the airway lumen area with respect to baseline. In parallel studies, dexamethasone (2.5 mg/kg), or 1-aminobenzotriazol (ABT) (50 mg/kg) were given intraperitoneal injection to naïve mice 18 h prior to ozone exposure. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) was administered 2 h prior. Cell counts, cytokine levels and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for lipid analysis were assessed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from ozone exposed and control mice. Ozone acutely induced AHR to CCh. Dexamethasone or indomethacin had little effect on the ozone-induced AHR; while, ABT, a cytochrome P450 inhibitor, markedly attenuated airway sensitivity. BAL fluid from ozone exposed animals, which did not contain an increase in neutrophils or interleukin (IL)-6 levels, increased airway sensitivity following in vitro incubation with a naïve PCLS. In parallel, significant increases in oxidized lipids were also identified using LC-MS with increases of 20-HETE that were decreased following ABT treatment. These data show that ozone acutely induces AHR to CCh independent of inflammation and is insensitive to steroid treatment or cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition. BAL fluid from ozone exposed mice mimicked the effects of in vivo ozone exposure that were associated with marked increases in oxidized lipids. 20-HETE plays a pivotal role in mediating acute ozone

  3. The role of dehydroepiandrosterone on functional innate immune responses to acute stress.

    PubMed

    Prall, Sean P; Larson, Emilee E; Muehlenbein, Michael P

    2017-12-01

    The androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) responds to stress activation, exhibits anti-glucocorticoid properties, and modulates immunity in diverse ways, yet little is known of its role in acute stress responses. In this study, the effects of DHEA and its sulfate ester DHEA-S on human male immune function during exposure to an acute stressor is explored. Variation in DHEA, DHEA-S, testosterone, and cortisol, along with bacterial killing assays, was measured in response to a modified Trier Social Stress test in 27 young adult males. Cortisol was positively related to salivary innate immunity but only for participants who also exhibited high DHEA responses. Additionally, DHEA positively and DHEA-S negatively predicted salivary immunity, but the opposite was observed for serum-based innate immunity. The DHEA response to acute stress appears to be an important factor in stress-mediated immunological responses, with differential effects on immunity dependent upon the presence of other hormones, primarily cortisol and DHEA-S. These results suggest that DHEA plays an important role, alongside other hormones, in modulating immunological shifts during acute stress. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Prolonged Effects of Acute Stress on Decision-Making under Risk: A Human Psychophysiological Study

    PubMed Central

    Yamakawa, Kaori; Ohira, Hideki; Matsunaga, Masahiro; Isowa, Tokiko

    2016-01-01

    This study investigates the prolonged effects of physiological responses induced by acute stress on risk-taking in decision-making. Participants were divided into a Stress group (N = 14) and a Control group (N = 12). The Trier Social Stress Test was administered as an acute stressor, and reading was administered as a control task; thereafter, participants performed a decision-making task in which they needed to choose a sure option or a gamble option in Gain and Loss frame trials 2 h after (non-) exposure to the stressor. Increased cortisol, adrenaline, heart rate (HR), and subjective stress levels validated acute stress manipulation. Stressed participants made fewer risky choices only in the Gain domain, whereas no effect of stress was shown in the Loss domain. Deceleration of HR reflecting attention was greater for Gains compared with Losses only in the Stress group. Risk avoidance was determined by increased levels of cortisol caused by acute stress. These results suggest that processes regarding glucocorticoid might be involved in the prolonged effects of acute stress on the evaluation of risks and the monitoring of outcomes in decision-making. PMID:27679566

  5. Acute stress shifts the balance between controlled and automatic processes in prospective memory.

    PubMed

    Möschl, Marcus; Walser, Moritz; Plessow, Franziska; Goschke, Thomas; Fischer, Rico

    2017-10-01

    In everyday life we frequently rely on our abilities to postpone intentions until later occasions (prospective memory; PM) and to deactivate completed intentions even in stressful situations. Yet, little is known about the effects of acute stress on these abilities. In the present work we investigated the impact of acute stress on PM functioning under high task demands. (1) Different from previous studies, in which intention deactivation required mostly low processing demands, we used salient focal PM cues to induce high processing demands during intention-deactivation phases. (2) We systematically manipulated PM-monitoring demands in a nonfocal PM task that required participants to monitor for either one or six specific syllables that could occur in ongoing-task words. Eighty participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test, a standardized stress induction protocol, or a standardized control situation, before performing a computerized PM task. Our primary interests were whether PM performance, PM-monitoring costs, aftereffects of completed intentions and/or commission-error risk would differ between stressed and non-stressed individuals and whether these effects would differ under varying task demands. Results revealed that PM performance and aftereffects of completed intentions during subsequent performance were not affected by acute stress induction, replicating previous findings. Under high demands on intention deactivation (focal condition), however, acute stress produced a nominal increase in erroneous PM responses after intention completion (commission errors). Most importantly, under high demands on PM monitoring (nonfocal condition), acute stress led to a substantial reduction in PM-monitoring costs. These findings support ideas of selective and demand-dependent effects of acute stress on cognitive functioning. Under high task demands, acute stress might induce a shift in processing strategy towards resource-saving behavior, which seems to increase the

  6. Executive functioning performance predicts subjective and physiological acute stress reactivity: preliminary results.

    PubMed

    Hendrawan, Donny; Yamakawa, Kaori; Kimura, Motohiro; Murakami, Hiroki; Ohira, Hideki

    2012-06-01

    Individual differences in baseline executive functioning (EF) capacities have been shown to predict state anxiety during acute stressor exposure. However, no previous studies have clearly demonstrated the relationship between EF and physiological measures of stress. The present study investigated the efficacy of several well-known EF tests (letter fluency, Stroop test, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) in predicting both subjective and physiological stress reactivity during acute psychosocial stress exposure. Our results show that letter fluency served as the best predictor for both types of reactivity. Specifically, the higher the letter fluency score, the lower the acute stress reactivity after controlling for the baseline stress response, as indicated by lower levels of state anxiety, negative mood, salivary cortisol, and skin conductance. Moreover, the predictive power of the letter fluency test remained significant for state anxiety and cortisol indices even after further adjustments for covariates by adding the body mass index (BMI) as a covariate. Thus, good EF performance, as reflected by high letter fluency scores, may dampen acute stress responses, which suggests that EF processes are directly associated with aspects of stress regulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Rigid patterns of effortful choice behavior after acute stress in rats.

    PubMed

    Hart, Evan E; Stolyarova, Alexandra; Conoscenti, Michael A; Minor, Thomas R; Izquierdo, Alicia

    2017-01-01

    Physical effort is a common cost of acquiring rewards, and decreased effort is a feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Stress affects performance on several tests of cognition and decision making in both humans and nonhumans. Only a few recent reports show impairing effects of stress in operant tasks involving effort and cognitive flexibility. Brain regions affected by stress, such as the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala, are also implicated in mediating effortful choices. Here, we assessed effort-based decision making after an acute stress procedure known to induce persistent impairment in shuttle escape and elevated plasma corticosterone. In these animals, we also probed levels of polysialyted neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), a marker of structural plasticity, in medial frontal cortex and amygdala. We found that animals that consistently worked for high magnitude rewards continued to do so, even after acute shock stress. We also found that PSA-NCAM was increased in both regions after effortful choice experience but not after shock stress alone. These findings are discussed with reference to the existing broad literature on cognitive effects of stress and in the context of how acute stress may bias effortful decisions to a rigid pattern of responding.

  8. Role of tachykinins in ozone-induced acute lung injury in guinea pigs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tepper, J.S.; Costa, D.L.; Fitzgerald, S.

    To examine the hypothesis that the acute reversible changes caused by ozone (O3) exposure are mediated by tachykinin release, guinea pigs were depleted of tachykinins by use of repeated capsaicin (CAP) injections before O3 exposure in an attempt to prevent O3-induced functional changes. Unexpectedly, CAP pretreatment caused divergent results in the functional responses to O3. Ventilatory measurements obtained from CAP-pretreated O3-exposed (CAP-O3) animals were exacerbated rather than diminished compared with the effects of O3 alone. Similarly, lavage fluid protein accumulation was enhanced in the CAP-O3 group compared with the O3-exposed group. In better agreement with our initial hypothesis, the CAP-O3more » group was less responsive than the O3-exposed animals to histamine aerosol challenge. Additionally, Evans blue dye accumulation, a hallmark of tachykinin release, was increased in O3-exposed animals and was partially blocked in the CAP-O3 group. These data suggest that tachykinin-containing sensory fibers are unlikely to mediate the acute effects of O3 exposure on tidal breathing and lavage fluid protein accumulation but may play a role in causing post-O3 airway hyperreactivity and protein extravasation into the trachea.« less

  9. Dorsal CA1 interneurons contribute to acute stress-induced spatial memory deficits.

    PubMed

    Yu, Jing-Ying; Fang, Ping; Wang, Chi; Wang, Xing-Xing; Li, Kun; Gong, Qian; Luo, Ben-Yan; Wang, Xiao-Dong

    2018-06-01

    Exposure to severely stressful experiences disrupts the activity of neuronal circuits and impairs declarative memory. GABAergic interneurons coordinate neuronal network activity, but their involvement in stress-evoked memory loss remains to be elucidated. Here, we provide evidence that interneurons in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus partially modulate acute stress-induced memory deficits. In adult male mice, both acute forced swim stress and restraint stress impaired hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and increased the density of c-fos-positive interneurons in the dorsal CA1. Selective activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons by chemogenetics disrupted memory performance in the spatial object recognition task. In comparison, anxiety-related behavior, spatial working memory and novel object recognition memory remained intact when dorsal CA1 interneurons were overactivated. Moreover, chemogenetic activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons suppressed the activity of adjacent pyramidal neurons, whereas a single exposure to forced swim stress but not restraint stress increased the activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons. However, chemogenetic inhibition of dorsal CA1 interneurons led to spatial memory impairments and failed to attenuate acute stress-induced memory loss. These findings suggest that acute stress may overactivate interneurons in the dorsal CA1, which reduces the activity of pyramidal neurons and in turn disrupts long-term memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Perceived life stress exposure modulates reward-related medial prefrontal cortex responses to acute stress in depression.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Poornima; Slavich, George M; Berghorst, Lisa H; Treadway, Michael T; Brooks, Nancy H; Dutra, Sunny J; Greve, Douglas N; O'Donovan, Aoife; Bleil, Maria E; Maninger, Nicole; Pizzagalli, Diego A

    2015-07-15

    Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often precipitated by life stress and growing evidence suggests that stress-induced alterations in reward processing may contribute to such risk. However, no human imaging studies have examined how recent life stress exposure modulates the neural systems that underlie reward processing in depressed and healthy individuals. In this proof-of-concept study, 12 MDD and 10 psychiatrically healthy individuals were interviewed using the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS) to assess their perceived levels of recent acute and chronic life stress exposure. Additionally, each participant performed a monetary incentive delay task under baseline (no-stress) and stress (social-evaluative) conditions during functional MRI. Across groups, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation to reward feedback was greater during acute stress versus no-stress conditions in individuals with greater perceived stressor severity. Under acute stress, depressed individuals showed a positive correlation between perceived stressor severity levels and reward-related mPFC activation (r=0.79, p=0.004), whereas no effect was found in healthy controls. Moreover, for depressed (but not healthy) individuals, the correlations between the stress (r=0.79) and no-stress (r=-0.48) conditions were significantly different. Finally, relative to controls, depressed participants showed significantly reduced mPFC gray matter, but functional findings remained robust while accounting for structural differences. Small sample size, which warrants replication. Depressed individuals experiencing greater recent life stress recruited the mPFC more under stress when processing rewards. Our results represent an initial step toward elucidating mechanisms underlying stress sensitization and recurrence in depression. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Acute stress enhances learning and memory by activating acid-sensing ion channels in rats.

    PubMed

    Ye, Shunjie; Yang, Rong; Xiong, Qiuju; Yang, Youhua; Zhou, Lianying; Gong, Yeli; Li, Changlei; Ding, Zhenhan; Ye, Guohai; Xiong, Zhe

    2018-04-15

    Acute stress has been shown to enhance learning and memory ability, predominantly through the action of corticosteroid stress hormones. However, the valuable targets for promoting learning and memory induced by acute stress and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) play an important role in central neuronal systems and involves in depression, synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. In the current study, we used a combination of electrophysiological and behavioral approaches in an effort to explore the effects of acute stress on ASICs. We found that corticosterone (CORT) induced by acute stress caused a potentiation of ASICs current via glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) not mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs). Meanwhile, CORT did not produce an increase of ASICs current by pretreated with GF109203X, an antagonist of protein kinase C (PKC), whereas CORT did result in a markedly enhancement of ASICs current by bryostatin 1, an agonist of PKC, suggesting that potentiation of ASICs function may be depended on PKC activating. More importantly, an antagonist of ASICs, amiloride (10 μM) reduced the performance of learning and memory induced by acute stress, which is further suggesting that ASICs as the key components involves in cognitive processes induced by acute stress. These results indicate that acute stress causes the enhancement of ASICs function by activating PKC signaling pathway, which leads to potentiated learning and memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Surgeons' and surgical trainees' acute stress in real operations or simulation: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Georgiou, Konstantinos; Larentzakis, Andreas; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G

    2017-12-01

    Acute stress in surgery is ubiquitous and has an immediate impact on surgical performance and patient safety. Surgeons react with several coping strategies; however, they recognise the necessity of formal stress management training. Thus, stress assessment is a direct need. Surgical simulation is a validated standardised training milieu designed to replicate real-life situations. It replicates stress, prevents biases, and provides objective metrics. The complexity of stress mechanisms makes stress measurement difficult to quantify and interpret. This systematic review aims to identify studies that have used acute stress estimation measurements in surgeons or surgical trainees during real operations or surgical simulation, and to collectively present the rationale of these tools, with special emphasis in salivary markers. A search strategy was implemented to retrieve relevant articles from MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases. The 738 articles retrieved were reviewed for further evaluation according to the predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Thirty-three studies were included in this systematic review. The methods for acute stress assessment varied greatly among studies with the non-invasive techniques being the most commonly used. Subjective and objective tests for surgeons' acute stress assessment are being presented. There is a broad spectrum of acute mental stress assessment tools in the surgical field and simulation and salivary biomarkers have recently gained popularity. There is a need to maintain a consistent methodology in future research, towards a deeper understanding of acute stress in the surgical field. Copyright © 2017 Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Acute restraint stress induces endothelial dysfunction: role of vasoconstrictor prostanoids and oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Carda, Ana P P; Marchi, Katia C; Rizzi, Elen; Mecawi, André S; Antunes-Rodrigues, José; Padovan, Claudia M; Tirapelli, Carlos R

    2015-01-01

    We hypothesized that acute stress would induce endothelial dysfunction. Male Wistar rats were restrained for 2 h within wire mesh. Functional and biochemical analyses were conducted 24 h after the 2-h period of restraint. Stressed rats showed decreased exploration on the open arms of an elevated-plus maze (EPM) and increased plasma corticosterone concentration. Acute restraint stress did not alter systolic blood pressure, whereas it increased the in vitro contractile response to phenylephrine and serotonin in endothelium-intact rat aortas. NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; nitric oxide synthase, NOS, inhibitor) did not alter the contraction induced by phenylephrine in aortic rings from stressed rats. Tiron, indomethacin and SQ29548 reversed the increase in the contractile response to phenylephrine induced by restraint stress. Increased systemic and vascular oxidative stress was evident in stressed rats. Restraint stress decreased plasma and vascular nitrate/nitrite (NOx) concentration and increased aortic expression of inducible (i) NOS, but not endothelial (e) NOS. Reduced expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1, but not COX-2, was observed in aortas from stressed rats. Restraint stress increased thromboxane (TX)B(2) (stable TXA(2) metabolite) concentration but did not affect prostaglandin (PG)F2α concentration in the aorta. Restraint reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, whereas concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were not affected. The major new finding of our study is that restraint stress increases vascular contraction by an endothelium-dependent mechanism that involves increased oxidative stress and the generation of COX-derived vasoconstrictor prostanoids. Such stress-induced endothelial dysfunction could predispose to the development of cardiovascular diseases.

  14. Sex-specific hippocampal 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is disrupted in response to acute stress

    PubMed Central

    Papale, Ligia A.; Li, Sisi; Madrid, Andy; Zhang, Qi; Chen, Li; Chopra, Pankaj; Jin, Peng; Keleş, Sündüz; Alisch, Reid S.

    2016-01-01

    Environmental stress is among the most important contributors to increased susceptibility to develop psychiatric disorders. While it is well known that acute environmental stress alters gene expression, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes remain largely unknown. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is a novel environmentally sensitive epigenetic modification that is highly enriched in neurons and is associated with active neuronal transcription. Recently, we reported a genome-wide disruption of hippocampal 5hmC in male mice following acute stress that was correlated to altered transcript levels of genes in known stress related pathways. Since sex-specific endocrine mechanisms respond to environmental stimulus by altering the neuronal epigenome, we examined the genome-wide profile of hippocampal 5hmC in female mice following exposure to acute stress and identified 363 differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DhMRs) linked to known (e.g., Nr3c1 and Ntrk2) and potentially novel genes associated with stress response and psychiatric disorders. Integration of hippocampal expression data from the same female mice found stress-related hydroxymethylation correlated to altered transcript levels. Finally, characterization of stress-induced sex-specific 5hmC profiles in the hippocampus revealed 778 sex-specific acute stress-induced DhMRs some of which were correlated to altered transcript levels that produce sex-specific isoforms in response to stress. Together, the alterations in 5hmC presented here provide a possible molecular mechanism for the adaptive sex-specific response to stress that may augment the design of novel therapeutic agents that will have optimal effectiveness in each sex. PMID:27576189

  15. Adrenergic and steroid hormone modulation of ozone-induced pulmonary injury and inflammation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Rationale: We have shown that acute ozone inhalation promotes activation of the sympathetic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis leading to release of cortisol and epinephrine from the adrenals. Adrenalectomy (ADREX) inhibits ozone-induced pulmonary vascular leakage and ...

  16. Salivary Markers of Inflammation in Response to Acute Stress

    PubMed Central

    Slavish, Danica C.; Graham-Engeland, Jennifer E.; Smyth, Joshua M.; Engeland, Christopher G.

    2014-01-01

    There is burgeoning interest in the ability to detect inflammatory markers in response to stress within naturally occurring social contexts and/or across multiple time points per day within individuals. Salivary collection is a less invasive process than current methods of blood collection and enables intensive naturalistic methodologies, such as those involving extensive repeated measures per day over time. Yet the reliability and validity of saliva-based to blood-based inflammatory biomarkers in response to stress remains unclear. We review and synthesize the published studies that have examined salivary markers of inflammation following exposure to an acute laboratory stressor. Results from each study are reviewed by analyte (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, CRP) and stress type (social-cognitive and exercise-physical), after which methodological issues and limitations are addressed. Although the literature is limited, several inflammatory markers (including IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6) have been reliably determined from saliva and have increased significantly in response to stress across multiple studies, with effect sizes ranging from very small to very large. Although CRP from saliva has been associated with CRP in circulating blood more consistently than other biomarkers have been associated with their counterparts in blood, evidence demonstrating it reliably responds to acute stress is absent. Although the current literature is presently too limited to allow broad assertion that inflammatory biomarkers determined from saliva are valuable for examining acute stress responses, this review suggests that specific targets may be valid and highlights specific areas of need for future research. PMID:25205395

  17. Atopic asthmatic subjects but not atopic subjects without asthma have enhanced inflammatory response to ozone

    EPA Science Inventory

    BACKGROUND: Asthma is a known risk factor for acute ozone-associated respiratory disease. Ozone causes an immediate decrease in lung function and increased airway inflammation. The role of atopy and asthma in modulation of ozone-induced inflammation has not been determined. OB...

  18. Self-esteem levels and cardiovascular and inflammatory responses to acute stress.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, Katie; Brydon, Lena; Wright, Caroline E; Steptoe, Andrew

    2008-11-01

    Acute mental stress tests have helped to clarify the pathways through which psychosocial factors are linked to disease risk. This methodology is now being used to investigate potentially protective psychosocial factors. We investigated whether global self-esteem might buffer cardiovascular and inflammatory responses to acute stress. One hundred and one students completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded for 5 min periods at baseline, during two mental stress tasks, (a speech and a color-word task) and 10, 25 and 40 min into a recovery period. Plasma levels of tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) were assessed at baseline, immediately post-stress and after 45 min recovery. Repeated measures analysis of variance demonstrated that heart rate levels were lower across all time points in those with high self-esteem, although heart rate reactivity to stress was not related to self-esteem. There were no differences in baseline HRV, TNF-alpha, IL-6 or IL-1Ra. Multiple linear regressions revealed that greater self-esteem was associated with a smaller reduction in heart rate variability during the speech task, but not the color-word task. Greater self-esteem was associated with smaller TNF-alpha and IL-1Ra responses immediately following acute stress and smaller IL-1Ra responses at 45 min post-stress. In conclusion, global self-esteem is associated with lower heart rate and attenuated HRV and inflammatory responses to acute stress. These responses could be processes through which self-esteem protects against the development of disease.

  19. Effect of acute psychological stress on response inhibition: An event-related potential study.

    PubMed

    Qi, Mingming; Gao, Heming; Liu, Guangyuan

    2017-04-14

    This study aimed to investigate the effect of acute psychological stress on response inhibition and its electrophysiological correlates using a dual-task paradigm. Acute stress was induced by a primary task (mental arithmetic task), which consisted of a stress block and a control block. Response inhibition was measured using a secondary task (Go/NoGo task). In each trial, a Go/NoGo stimulus was presented immediately after the mental arithmetic task. The results revealed increased subjective stress and negative affect for the stress relative to control block, suggesting that the mental arithmetic task triggered a reliable stress response. ERPs locked to the Go/NoGo stimuli revealed that decreased P2 and increased N2 components were evoked for the stress block compared to the control block. These results demonstrated that acute psychological stress alters the response inhibition process by reducing the early selective attention process and enhancing the cognitive control process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. [Health impact of ozone in 13 Italian cities].

    PubMed

    Mitis, Francesco; Iavarone, Ivano; Martuzzi, Marco

    2007-01-01

    to estimate the health impact of ozone in 13 Italian cities over 200,000 inhabitants and to produce basic elements to permit the reproducibility of the study in other urban locations. the following data have been used: population data (2001), health data (2001 or from scientific literature), environmental data (2002-2004), from urban background monitoring station and concentration/response risk coefficients derived from recent metanalyses. The indicators SOMO35 and SOMO0 have been used as a proxi of the average exposure to calcolate attributable deaths (and years of life lost) and several causes of morbility for ozone concentrations over 70 microg/m3. acute mortality for all causes and for cardiovascular mortality, respiratory-related hospital admissions in elderly, asthma exacerbation in children and adults, minor restricted activity days, lower respiratory symptoms in children. over 500 (1900) deaths, the 0.6% (2.1%) of total mortality, equivalent to about 6000 (22,000) years of life lost are attributable to ozone levels over 70 microg/m3 in the 13 Italian cities under study. Larger figures, in the order of thousands, are attributable to less severe morbidity outcomes. The health impact of ozone in Italian towns is relevant in terms of acute mortality and morbidity, although less severe than PM10 impact. Background ozone levels are increasing. Abatement strategies for ozone concentrations should consider the whole summer and not only "peak" days and look at policies limiting the concentration of precursors produced by traffic sources. Relevant health benefits can be obtained also under levels proposed as guidelines in the present environmental regulations.

  1. Sex-specific hippocampal 5-hydroxymethylcytosine is disrupted in response to acute stress.

    PubMed

    Papale, Ligia A; Li, Sisi; Madrid, Andy; Zhang, Qi; Chen, Li; Chopra, Pankaj; Jin, Peng; Keleş, Sündüz; Alisch, Reid S

    2016-12-01

    Environmental stress is among the most important contributors to increased susceptibility to develop psychiatric disorders. While it is well known that acute environmental stress alters gene expression, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes remain largely unknown. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is a novel environmentally sensitive epigenetic modification that is highly enriched in neurons and is associated with active neuronal transcription. Recently, we reported a genome-wide disruption of hippocampal 5hmC in male mice following acute stress that was correlated to altered transcript levels of genes in known stress related pathways. Since sex-specific endocrine mechanisms respond to environmental stimulus by altering the neuronal epigenome, we examined the genome-wide profile of hippocampal 5hmC in female mice following exposure to acute stress and identified 363 differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DhMRs) linked to known (e.g., Nr3c1 and Ntrk2) and potentially novel genes associated with stress response and psychiatric disorders. Integration of hippocampal expression data from the same female mice found stress-related hydroxymethylation correlated to altered transcript levels. Finally, characterization of stress-induced sex-specific 5hmC profiles in the hippocampus revealed 778 sex-specific acute stress-induced DhMRs some of which were correlated to altered transcript levels that produce sex-specific isoforms in response to stress. Together, the alterations in 5hmC presented here provide a possible molecular mechanism for the adaptive sex-specific response to stress that may augment the design of novel therapeutic agents that will have optimal effectiveness in each sex. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Chronic and Acute Stress Promote Overexploitation in Serial Decision Making.

    PubMed

    Lenow, Jennifer K; Constantino, Sara M; Daw, Nathaniel D; Phelps, Elizabeth A

    2017-06-07

    Many decisions that humans make resemble foraging problems in which a currently available, known option must be weighed against an unknown alternative option. In such foraging decisions, the quality of the overall environment can be used as a proxy for estimating the value of future unknown options against which current prospects are compared. We hypothesized that such foraging-like decisions would be characteristically sensitive to stress, a physiological response that tracks biologically relevant changes in environmental context. Specifically, we hypothesized that stress would lead to more exploitative foraging behavior. To test this, we investigated how acute and chronic stress, as measured by changes in cortisol in response to an acute stress manipulation and subjective scores on a questionnaire assessing recent chronic stress, relate to performance in a virtual sequential foraging task. We found that both types of stress bias human decision makers toward overexploiting current options relative to an optimal policy. These findings suggest a possible computational role of stress in decision making in which stress biases judgments of environmental quality. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many of the most biologically relevant decisions that we make are foraging-like decisions about whether to stay with a current option or search the environment for a potentially better one. In the current study, we found that both acute physiological and chronic subjective stress are associated with greater overexploitation or staying at current options for longer than is optimal. These results suggest a domain-general way in which stress might bias foraging decisions through changing one's appraisal of the overall quality of the environment. These novel findings not only have implications for understanding how this important class of foraging decisions might be biologically implemented, but also for understanding the computational role of stress in behavior and cognition more broadly

  3. Chronic and Acute Stress Promote Overexploitation in Serial Decision Making

    PubMed Central

    Lenow, Jennifer K.; Constantino, Sara M.

    2017-01-01

    Many decisions that humans make resemble foraging problems in which a currently available, known option must be weighed against an unknown alternative option. In such foraging decisions, the quality of the overall environment can be used as a proxy for estimating the value of future unknown options against which current prospects are compared. We hypothesized that such foraging-like decisions would be characteristically sensitive to stress, a physiological response that tracks biologically relevant changes in environmental context. Specifically, we hypothesized that stress would lead to more exploitative foraging behavior. To test this, we investigated how acute and chronic stress, as measured by changes in cortisol in response to an acute stress manipulation and subjective scores on a questionnaire assessing recent chronic stress, relate to performance in a virtual sequential foraging task. We found that both types of stress bias human decision makers toward overexploiting current options relative to an optimal policy. These findings suggest a possible computational role of stress in decision making in which stress biases judgments of environmental quality. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many of the most biologically relevant decisions that we make are foraging-like decisions about whether to stay with a current option or search the environment for a potentially better one. In the current study, we found that both acute physiological and chronic subjective stress are associated with greater overexploitation or staying at current options for longer than is optimal. These results suggest a domain-general way in which stress might bias foraging decisions through changing one's appraisal of the overall quality of the environment. These novel findings not only have implications for understanding how this important class of foraging decisions might be biologically implemented, but also for understanding the computational role of stress in behavior and cognition more broadly

  4. The dynamic interplay between acute psychosocial stress, emotion and autobiographical memory.

    PubMed

    Sheldon, Signy; Chu, Sonja; Nitschke, Jonas P; Pruessner, Jens C; Bartz, Jennifer A

    2018-06-06

    Although acute psychosocial stress can impact autobiographical memory retrieval, the nature of this effect is not entirely clear. One reason for this ambiguity is because stress can have opposing effects on the different stages of autobiographical memory retrieval. We addressed this issue by testing how acute stress affects three stages of the autobiographical memory retrieval - accessing, recollecting and reconsolidating a memory. We also investigate the influence of emotion valence on this effect. In a between-subjects design, participants were first exposed to an acute psychosocial stressor or a control task. Next, the participants were shown positive, negative or neutral retrieval cues and asked to access and describe autobiographical memories. After a three to four day delay, participants returned for a second session in which they described these autobiographical memories. During initial retrieval, stressed participants were slower to access memories than were control participants; moreover, cortisol levels were positively associated with response times to access positively-cued memories. There were no effects of stress on the amount of details used to describe memories during initial retrieval, but stress did influence memory detail during session two. During session two, stressed participants recovered significantly more details, particularly emotional ones, from the remembered events than control participants. Our results indicate that the presence of stress impairs the ability to access consolidated autobiographical memories; moreover, although stress has no effect on memory recollection, stress alters how recollected experiences are reconsolidated back into memory traces.

  5. The Prosodic Evolution of West Slavic in the Context of the Neo-Acute Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feldstein, Ronald F.

    1975-01-01

    Because of neo-acute stress--or transferred acute stress--long vowel prosody in West Slavic had a special evolution. Two kinds of long vowel evolution are examined. The nature of transitionality across Slavic territory from tonal opposition to distinctive stress placement is pointed out. (SC)

  6. The impact of surfactant protein-A on ozone-induced changes in the mouse bronchoalveolar lavage proteome

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Ozone is a major component of air pollution. Exposure to this powerful oxidizing agent can cause or exacerbate many lung conditions, especially those involving innate immunity. Surfactant protein-A (SP-A) plays many roles in innate immunity by participating directly in host defense as it exerts opsonin function, or indirectly via its ability to regulate alveolar macrophages and other innate immune cells. The mechanism(s) responsible for ozone-induced pathophysiology, while likely related to oxidative stress, are not well understood. Methods We employed 2-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE), a discovery proteomics approach, coupled with MALDI-ToF/ToF to compare the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) proteomes in wild type (WT) and SP-A knockout (KO) mice and to assess the impact of ozone or filtered air on the expression of BAL proteins. Using the PANTHER database and the published literature most identified proteins were placed into three functional groups. Results We identified 66 proteins and focused our analysis on these proteins. Many of them fell into three categories: defense and immunity; redox regulation; and protein metabolism, modification and chaperones. In response to the oxidative stress of acute ozone exposure (2 ppm; 3 hours) there were many significant changes in levels of expression of proteins in these groups. Most of the proteins in the redox group were decreased, the proteins involved in protein metabolism increased, and roughly equal numbers of increases and decreases were seen in the defense and immunity group. Responses between WT and KO mice were similar in many respects. However, the percent change was consistently greater in the KO mice and there were more changes that achieved statistical significance in the KO mice, with levels of expression in filtered air-exposed KO mice being closer to ozone-exposed WT mice than to filtered air-exposed WT mice. Conclusion We postulate that SP-A plays a role in reactive oxidant

  7. Exposure to acute stress enhances decision-making competence: Evidence for the role of DHEA.

    PubMed

    Shields, Grant S; Lam, Jovian C W; Trainor, Brian C; Yonelinas, Andrew P

    2016-05-01

    Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Exposure to Acute Stress Enhances Decision-Making Competence: Evidence for the Role of DHEA

    PubMed Central

    Shields, Grant S.; Lam, Jovian C. W.; Trainor, Brian C.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2016-01-01

    Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol. PMID:26874561

  9. Acute social stress increases biochemical and self report markers of stress without altering spatial learning in humans.

    PubMed

    Klopp, Christine; Garcia, Carlos; Schulman, Allan H; Ward, Christopher P; Tartar, Jaime L

    2012-01-01

    Spatial learning is shown to be influenced by acute stress in both human and other animals. However, the intricacies of this relationship are unclear. Based on prior findings we hypothesized that compared to a control condition, a social stress condition would not affect spatial learning performance despite elevated biochemical markers of stress. The present study tested the effects of social stress in human males and females on a subsequent spatial learning task. Social stress induction consisted of evaluative stress (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) compared to a placebo social stress. Compared to the placebo condition, the TSST resulted in significantly elevated cortisol and alpha amylase levels at multiple time points following stress induction. In accord, cognitive appraisal measures also showed that participants in the TSST group experienced greater perceived stress compared to the placebo group. However, there were no group differences in performance on a spatial learning task. Our findings suggest that unlike physiological stress, social stress does not result in alterations in spatial learning in humans. It is possible that moderate social evaluative stress in humans works to prevent acute stress-mediated alterations in hippocampal learning processes..

  10. [Acute Stress and Broken Heart Syndrome. A Case Report].

    PubMed

    Vergel, Juliana; Tamayo-Orozco, Sebastián; Vallejo-Gómez, Andrés Felipe; Posada, María Teresa; Restrepo, Diana

    Stress has been associated with an acute heart failure syndrome of important morbidity and mortality. Case report and non-systematic review of the relevant literature. A 65-year-old woman with a history of an untreated generalized anxiety disorder, whom after the violent death of her son presented with oppressive chest pain irradiated to neck and left superior extremity, lasting for more than 30minutes, initial clinical suspect suggests acute coronary syndrome. Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy is characterized by a reversible left ventricular dysfunction and wall movement abnormalities, without any compromise of the coronary arteries, associated to high plasma levels of catecholamines which in most cases correlates with an acute stress of emotional or physical type. Tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy has to be considered by physicians among the differential diagnosis when facing a patient with suspected acute coronary syndrome, especially in post-menopausal women with a history of psychiatric comorbidities such as a generalized anxiety disorder. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  11. Cancer, acute stress disorder, and repressive coping.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Anette Fischer; Zachariae, Robert

    2010-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between repressive coping style and Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) in a sample of cancer patients. A total of 112 cancer patients recently diagnosed with cancer participated in the study. ASD was assessed by the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, and repressive coping was assessed by a combination of scores from the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and the Bendig version of the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. Significantly fewer patients classified as "repressors" were diagnosed with ASD compared to patients classified as "non-repressors". However, further investigations revealed that the lower incidence of ASD in repressors apparently was caused by a low score on anxiety and not by an interaction effect between anxiety and defensiveness. Future studies have to investigate whether different psychological mechanisms are responsible for the lower incidence of ASD in repressors and true low-anxious patients.

  12. Leptin concentrations in response to acute stress predict subsequent intake of comfort foods

    PubMed Central

    Tomiyama, A. Janet; Schamarek, Imke; Lustig, Robert H.; Kirschbaum, Clemens; Puterman, Eli; Havel, Peter J.; Epel, Elissa S.

    2012-01-01

    Both animals and humans show a tendency toward eating more “comfort food” (high fat, sweet food) after acute stress. Such stress eating may be contributing to the obesity epidemic, and it is important to understand the underlying psychobiological mechanisms. Prior investigations have studied what makes individuals eat more after stress; this study investigates what might make individuals eat less. Leptin has been shown to increase following a laboratory stressor, and is known to affect eating behavior. This study examined whether leptin reactivity accounts for individual differences in stress eating. To test this, we exposed forty women to standardized acute psychological laboratory stress (Trier Social Stress Test) while blood was sampled repeatedly for measurements of plasma leptin. We then measured food intake after the stressor in 29 of these women. Increasing leptin during the stressor predicted lower intake of comfort food. These initial findings suggest that acute changes in leptin may be one of the factors modulating down the consumption of comfort food following stress. PMID:22579988

  13. Repeated, but Not Acute, Stress Suppresses Inflammatory Plasma Extravasation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strausbaugh, Holly J.; Dallman, Mary F.; Levine, Jon D.

    1999-12-01

    Clinical findings suggest that inflammatory disease symptoms are aggravated by ongoing, repeated stress, but not by acute stress. We hypothesized that, compared with single acute stressors, chronic repeated stress may engage different physiological mechanisms that exert qualitatively different effects on the inflammatory response. Because inhibition of plasma extravasation, a critical component of the inflammatory response, has been associated with increased disease severity in experimental arthritis, we tested for a potential repeated stress-induced inhibition of plasma extravasation. Repeated, but not single, exposures to restraint stress produced a profound inhibition of bradykinin-induced synovial plasma extravasation in the rat. Experiments examining the mechanism of inhibition showed that the effect of repeated stress was blocked by adrenalectomy, but not by adrenal medullae denervation, suggesting that the adrenal cortex mediates this effect. Consistent with known effects of stress and with mediation by the adrenal cortex, restraint stress evoked repeated transient elevations of plasma corticosterone levels. This elevated corticosterone was necessary and sufficient to produce inhibition of plasma extravasation because the stress-induced inhibition was blocked by preventing corticosterone synthesis and, conversely, induction of repeated transient elevations in plasma corticosterone levels mimicked the effects of repeated stress. These data suggest that repetition of a mild stressor can induce changes in the physiological state of the animal that enable a previously innocuous stressor to inhibit the inflammatory response. These findings provide a potential explanation for the clinical association between repeated stress and aggravation of inflammatory disease symptoms and provide a model for study of the biological mechanisms underlying the stress-induced aggravation of chronic inflammatory diseases.

  14. Forests and ozone: productivity, carbon storage, and feedbacks.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bin; Shugart, Herman H; Shuman, Jacquelyn K; Lerdau, Manuel T

    2016-02-22

    Tropospheric ozone is a serious air-pollutant, with large impacts on plant function. This study demonstrates that tropospheric ozone, although it damages plant metabolism, does not necessarily reduce ecosystem processes such as productivity or carbon sequestration because of diversity change and compensatory processes at the community scale ameliorate negative impacts at the individual level. This study assesses the impact of ozone on forest composition and ecosystem dynamics with an individual-based gap model that includes basic physiology as well as species-specific metabolic properties. Elevated tropospheric ozone leads to no reduction of forest productivity and carbon stock and to increased isoprene emissions, which result from enhanced dominance by isoprene-emitting species (which tolerate ozone stress better than non-emitters). This study suggests that tropospheric ozone may not diminish forest carbon sequestration capacity. This study also suggests that, because of the often positive relationship between isoprene emission and ozone formation, there is a positive feedback loop between forest communities and ozone, which further aggravates ozone pollution.

  15. Acute stress induces hyperacusis in women with high levels of emotional exhaustion.

    PubMed

    Hasson, Dan; Theorell, Töres; Bergquist, Jonas; Canlon, Barbara

    2013-01-01

    Hearing problems is one of the top ten public health disorders in the general population and there is a well-established relationship between stress and hearing problems. The aim of the present study was to explore if an acute stress will increase auditory sensitivity (hyperacusis) in individuals with high levels of emotional exhaustion (EE). Hyperacusis was assessed using uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL) in 348 individuals (140 men; 208 women; age 23-71 years). Multivariate analyses (ordered logistic regression), were used to calculate odds ratios, including interacting or confounding effects of age, gender, ear wax and hearing loss (PTA). Two-way ANCOVAs were used to assess possible differences in mean ULLs between EE groups pre- and post-acute stress task (a combination of cold pressor, emotional Stroop and Social stress/video recording). There were no baseline differences in mean ULLs between the three EE groups (one-way ANOVA). However, after the acute stress exposure there were significant differences in ULL means between the EE-groups in women. Post-hoc analyses showed that the differences in mean ULLs were between those with high vs. low EE (range 5.5-6.5 dB). Similar results were found for frequencies 0.5 and 1 kHz. The results demonstrate that women with high EE-levels display hyperacusis after an acute stress task. The odds of having hyperacusis were 2.5 (2 kHz, right ear; left ns) and 2.2 (4 kHz, right ear; left ns) times higher among those with high EE compared to those with low levels. All these results are adjusted for age, hearing loss and ear wax. Women with high levels of emotional exhaustion become more sensitive to sound after an acute stress task. This novel finding highlights the importance of including emotional exhaustion in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing problems.

  16. Acute stress differentially affects spatial configuration learning in high and low cortisol-responding healthy adults

    PubMed Central

    Meyer, Thomas; Smeets, Tom; Giesbrecht, Timo; Quaedflieg, Conny W. E. M.; Merckelbach, Harald

    2013-01-01

    Background Stress and stress hormones modulate memory formation in various ways that are relevant to our understanding of stress-related psychopathology, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Particular relevance is attributed to efficient memory formation sustained by the hippocampus and parahippocampus. This process is thought to reduce the occurrence of intrusions and flashbacks following trauma, but may be negatively affected by acute stress. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that the efficiency of visuo-spatial processing and learning based on the hippocampal area is related to PTSD symptoms. Objective The current study investigated the effect of acute stress on spatial configuration learning using a spatial contextual cueing task (SCCT) known to heavily rely on structures in the parahippocampus. Method Acute stress was induced by subjecting participants (N = 34) to the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST). Following a counterbalanced within-subject approach, the effects of stress and the ensuing hormonal (i.e., cortisol) activity on subsequent SCCT performance were compared to SCCT performance following a no-stress control condition. Results Acute stress did not impact SCCT learning overall, but opposing effects emerged for high versus low cortisol responders to the MAST. Learning scores following stress were reduced in low cortisol responders, while high cortisol-responding participants showed improved learning. Conclusions The effects of stress on spatial configuration learning were moderated by the magnitude of endogenous cortisol secretion. These findings suggest a possible mechanism by which cortisol responses serve an adaptive function during stress and trauma, and this may prove to be a promising route for future research in this area. PMID:23671762

  17. Acute psychosocial stress differentially influences salivary endocrine and immune measures in undergraduate students.

    PubMed

    Campisi, Jay; Bravo, Yesika; Cole, Jennifer; Gobeil, Kyle

    2012-10-10

    Undergraduate students routinely experience acute psychosocial stress when interviewing for post-collegiate employment. While numerous studies have demonstrated that acute stress can increase release of immune-relevant molecules in blood, fewer studies have examined if acute stress also increases immune-relevant molecules into saliva. Saliva, and the biomolecules found in saliva often serve important immune defense roles and can be used to non-invasively screen for many systemic diseases. Therefore, the current study examined saliva concentrations of endocrine and immune molecules following exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor (mock job interview) in undergraduates. Heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, salivary immunoglobulin-A (S-IgA), and salivary C-reactive protein (S-CRP) were compared in healthy college undergraduates (n=15) before and after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The TSST induced significant increases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and salivary cortisol. Additional analyses revealed a non-significant (p=0.1) increase in the level of S-IgA following the TSST. A significant decrease in S-IgA was observed during the recovery period. No change in S-CRP was observed following the TSST. These results suggest that acute stress experienced by undergraduates when interviewing for a job activates the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and that cortisol levels increase in saliva. Stress-induced elevations in cortisol might be responsible for the decreased S-IgA observed following the recovery period. Collectively, these data provide further insight into the interaction between psychosocial stress, endocrine, and immune functioning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Stressful life events and acute kidney injury in intensive and semi-intensive care unities.

    PubMed

    Diniz, Denise Para; Marques, Daniella Aparecida; Blay, Sérgio Luis; Schor, Nestor

    2012-03-01

    Several studies point out that pathophysiological changes related to stress may influence renal function and are associated with disease onset and evolution. However, we have not found any studies about the influence of stress on renal function and acute kidney injury. To evaluate the association between stressful life events and acute kidney injury diagnosis, specifying the most stressful classes of events for these patients in the past 12 months. Case-control study. The study was carried out at Hospital São Paulo, in Universidade Federal de São Paulo and at Hospital dos Servidores do Estado de São Paulo, in Brazil. Patients with acute kidney injury and no chronic disease, admitted to the intensive or semi-intensive care units were included. Controls included patients in the same intensive care units with other acute diseases, except for the acute kidney injury, and also with no chronic disease. Out of the 579 patients initially identified, 475 answered to the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) questionnaire and 398 were paired by age and gender (199 cases and 199 controls). The rate of stressful life events was statistically similar between cases and controls. The logistic regression analysis to detect associated effects of the independent variables to the stressful events showed that: increasing age and economic classes A and B in one of the hospitals (Hospital São Paulo - UNIFESP) increased the chance of a stressful life event (SLE). This study did not show association between the Acute Kidney Injury Group with a higher frequency of stressful life events, but that old age, higher income, and type of clinical center were associated.

  19. Sex differences in the expression of lung inflammatory mediators in response to ozone

    PubMed Central

    Cabello, Noe; Mishra, Vikas; Sinha, Utkarshna; DiAngelo, Susan L.; Chroneos, Zissis C.; Ekpa, Ndifreke A.; Cooper, Timothy K.; Caruso, Carla R.

    2015-01-01

    Sex differences in the incidence of respiratory diseases have been reported. Women are more susceptible to inflammatory lung disease induced by air pollution and show worse adverse pulmonary health outcomes than men. However, the mechanisms underlying these differences remain unknown. In the present study, we hypothesized that sex differences in the expression of lung inflammatory mediators affect sex-specific immune responses to environmental toxicants. We focused on the effects of ground-level ozone, a major air pollutant, in the expression and regulation of lung immunity genes. We exposed adult male and female mice to 2 ppm of ozone or filtered air (control) for 3 h. We compared mRNA levels of 84 inflammatory genes in lungs harvested 4 h postexposure using a PCR array. We also evaluated changes in lung histology and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell counts and protein content at 24 and 72 h postexposure. Our results revealed sex differences in lung inflammation triggered by ozone exposure and in the expression of genes involved in acute phase and inflammatory responses. Major sex differences were found in the expression of neutrophil-attracting chemokines (Ccl20, Cxcl5, and Cxcl2), the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, and oxidative stress-related enzymes (Ptgs2, Nos2). In addition, the phosphorylation of STAT3, known to mediate IL-6-related immune responses, was significantly higher in ozone-exposed mice. Together, our observations suggest that a differential regulation of the lung immune response could be implicated in the observed increased susceptibility to adverse health effects from ozone observed in women vs. men. PMID:26342085

  20. Effects of Drought Stress and Ozone Exposure on Isoprene Emissions from Oak Seedlings in Texas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madronich, M. B.; Harte, A.; Schade, G. W.

    2014-12-01

    Isoprene is the dominant hydrocarbon emitted by plants to the atmosphere with an approximate global emission of 550 Tg C yr-1. Isoprene emission studies have elucidated plants' isoprene production capacity, and the controlling factors of instantaneous emissions. However, it is not yet well understood how long-term climatic factors such as drought and increasing ozone concentrations affect isoprene emission rates. Drought reduces photosynthetic activity and is thus expected to reduce isoprene emission rate, since isoprene production relies on photosynthates. On the other hand, ozone is also known to negatively affect photosynthesis rates, but can instead increase isoprene emissions. These apparent inconsistencies and a lack of experimental data make it difficult to accurately parameterize isoprene emission responses to changing environmental conditions. The objective of this work is to reduce some of these uncertainties, using oak seedlings as a study system. Our project focuses on isoprene emission responses of oak trees to typical summer drought and high ozone conditions in Texas. We report on experiments conducted using a laboratory whole-plant chamber and leaf-level data obtained from greenhouse-grown seedlings. The chamber experiment studied the effects of ozone and drought on isoprene emissions from >3 year old oak seedlings under controlled conditions of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), temperature, soil-moisture and the chamber's air composition. Stress in plants was induced by manipulating potted soil-moisture and ozone concentration in the chamber. The greenhouse study focused on understanding the effects of drought under Texas climatic conditions. For this study we used two year old seedlings of water oak (Quercus nigra) and post oak (Quercus stellata). Temperature, humidity and light in the greenhouse followed local conditions. Leaf-level conductance, photosynthesis measurements and isoprene sampling were carried out under controlled leaf

  1. Acute stress does not impair long-term memory retrieval in older people.

    PubMed

    Pulopulos, Matias M; Almela, Mercedes; Hidalgo, Vanesa; Villada, Carolina; Puig-Perez, Sara; Salvador, Alicia

    2013-09-01

    Previous studies have shown that stress-induced cortisol increases impair memory retrieval in young people. This effect has not been studied in older people; however, some findings suggest that age-related changes in the brain can affect the relationships between acute stress, cortisol and memory in older people. Our aim was to investigate the effects of acute stress on long-term memory retrieval in healthy older people. To this end, 76 participants from 56 to 76 years old (38 men and 38 women) were exposed to an acute psychosocial stressor or a control task. After the stress/control task, the recall of pictures, words and stories learned the previous day was assessed. There were no differences in memory retrieval between the stress and control groups on any of the memory tasks. In addition, stress-induced cortisol response was not associated with memory retrieval. An age-related decrease in cortisol receptors and functional changes in the amygdala and hippocampus could underlie the differences observed between the results from this study and those found in studies performed with young people. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Acute and chronic stress and the inflammatory response in hyperprolactinemic rats.

    PubMed

    Ochoa-Amaya, J E; Malucelli, B E; Cruz-Casallas, P E; Nasello, A G; Felicio, L F; Carvalho-Freitas, M I R

    2010-01-01

    Prolactin (PRL), a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, has multiple physiological functions, including immunoregulation. PRL can also be secreted in response to stressful stimuli. During stress, PRL has been suggested to oppose the immunosuppressive effects of inflammatory mediators. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of short- and long-term hyperprolactinemia on the inflammatory response in rats subjected to acute or chronic cold stress. Inflammatory edema was induced by carrageenan in male rats, and hyperprolactinemia was induced by injections of the dopamine receptor antagonist domperidone. The volume of inflammatory edema was measured by plethysmography after carrageenan injection. Additionally, the effects of hyperprolactinemia on body weight and serum corticosterone levels were evaluated. Five days of domperidone-induced hyperprolactinemia increased the volume of inflammatory edema. No differences in serum corticosterone levels were observed between groups. No significant differences were found among 30 days domperidone-induced hyperprolactinemic animals subjected to acute stress and the inflammatory response observed in chronic hyperprolactinemic animals subjected to chronic stress. The results suggest that short-term hyperprolactinemia has pro-inflammatory effects. Because such an effect was not observed in long-term hyperprolactinemic animals, PRL-induced tolerance seems likely. We suggest that short-term hyperprolactinemia may act as a protective factor in rats subjected to acute stress. These data suggest that hyperprolactinemia and stress interact differentially according to the time period. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. Stress integration after acute and chronic predator stress: differential activation of central stress circuitry and sensitization of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Helmer F; Bodie, Bryan L; Tauchi, Miyuki; Dolgas, C Mark; Herman, James P

    2003-12-01

    Predator exposure is a naturalistic stressor of high ethological relevance. In the current study, our group examined central and peripheral integration of stress responses in rats after acute or repeated exposure to a natural predator (cat). Acute cat exposure rapidly induced hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activation and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) CRH mRNA production. Repeated daily cat exposure (7 and 14 d) also up-regulated PVN mRNA CRH expression, but did not result in frank adrenocortical hyperactivity. Unlike other chronic homotypic stress regimens, repeated cat exposure facilitated corticosterone secretion after the 6th or 13th day of exposure. Notably, ACTH secretion and central amygdaloid nucleus CRH mRNA expression were enhanced in animals that were preexposed to the holding chamber relative to chamber-naive rats, suggesting that contextual cues can sensitize subsequent responses to a fearful stimulus. Analysis of c-fos activation was then used to identify brain circuits activated by acute predator stress. Cat exposure elicited a pattern of central c-fos activation that differed substantially from that after either restraint or hypoxia. Predator-specific c-fos mRNA induction was observed in several brain regions comprising the hypothetical brain defense circuit (bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial region of the ventromedial nucleus, and dorsal premammillary nucleus). Surprisingly, acute cat exposure did not induce c-fos expression in the PVN. In summary, the data indicate that 1) predation stress invokes a unique stress circuitry that promotes homotypic sensitization of the HPA axis, and 2) familiarization of animals to testing environments can prime central stress pathways to respond robustly to novel threats.

  4. Triathletes Lose Their Advantageous Pain Modulation under Acute Psychosocial Stress.

    PubMed

    Geva, Nirit; Pruessner, Jens; Defrin, Ruth

    2017-02-01

    Triathletes, who constantly engage in intensely stressful sport, were recently found to exhibit greater pain tolerance and more efficient pain inhibition capabilities than nonathletes. However, pain inhibition correlated negatively with retrospective reports of mental stress during training and competition. The aim of the current study was to test pain inhibition capabilities of triathletes under acute, controlled psychological stress manipulation. Participants were 25 triathletes and ironman triathletes who underwent the measurement of pain threshold, pain intolerance, tonic suprathreshold pain, and conditioned pain modulation before and during exposure to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST). Perceived ratings of stress and anxiety, autonomic variables, and salivary cortisol levels were obtained as indices of stress. The MIST induced a significant stress reaction manifested in the subjective and objective indices. Overall, a significant reduction in pain threshold and in conditioned pain modulation efficacy was observed after the MIST, which reached the baseline levels observed previously in nonathletes. Paradoxically, the magnitude of this stress-induced hyperalgesia (SIH) correlated negatively with the magnitude of the stress response; low-stress responders exhibited greater SIH than high-stress responders. The results suggest that under acute psychological stress, triathletes not only react with SIH and a reduction in pain modulation but also lose their advantageous pain modulation over nonathletes. The stronger the stress response recorded, the weaker the SIH. It appears that triathletes are not resilient to stress, responding with an increase in the sensitivity to pain as well as a decrease in pain inhibition. The possible effects of athletes' baseline pain profile and stress reactivity on SIH are discussed.

  5. Having your cake and eating it too: a habit of comfort food may link chronic social stress exposure and acute stress-induced cortisol hyporesponsiveness.

    PubMed

    Tryon, M S; DeCant, Rashel; Laugero, K D

    2013-04-10

    Stress has been tied to changes in eating behavior and food choice. Previous studies in rodents have shown that chronic stress increases palatable food intake which, in turn, increases visceral fat and inhibits acute stress-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The effect of chronic stress on eating behavior in humans is less understood, but it may be linked to HPA responsivity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of chronic social stress and acute stress reactivity on food choice and food intake. Forty-one women (BMI=25.9±5.1 kg/m(2), age range=41 to 52 years) were subjected to the Trier Social Stress Test or a control task (nature movie) to examine HPA responses to an acute laboratory stressor and then invited to eat from a buffet containing low- and high-calorie snacks. Women were also categorized as high chronic stress or low chronic stress based on Wheaton Chronic Stress Inventory scores. Women reporting higher chronic stress and exhibiting low cortisol reactivity to the acute stress task consumed significantly more calories from chocolate cake on both stress and control visits. Chronic stress in the low cortisol reactor group was also positively related to total fat mass, body fat percentage, and stress-induced negative mood. Further, women reporting high chronic stress consumed significantly less vegetables, but only in those aged 45 years and older. Chronic stress in women within the higher age category was positively related to total calories consumed at the buffet, stress-induced negative mood and food craving. Our results suggest an increased risk for stress eating in persons with a specific chronic stress signature and imply that a habit of comfort food may link chronic social stress and acute stress-induced cortisol hyporesponsiveness. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  6. History of chronic stress modifies acute stress-evoked fear memory and acoustic startle in male rats.

    PubMed

    Schmeltzer, Sarah N; Vollmer, Lauren L; Rush, Jennifer E; Weinert, Mychal; Dolgas, Charles M; Sah, Renu

    2015-01-01

    Chronicity of trauma exposure plays an important role in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thus, exposure to multiple traumas on a chronic scale leads to worse outcomes than acute events. The rationale for the current study was to investigate the effects of a single adverse event versus the same event on a background of chronic stress. We hypothesized that a history of chronic stress would lead to worse behavioral outcomes than a single event alone. Male rats (n = 14/group) were exposed to either a single traumatic event in the form of electric foot shocks (acute shock, AS), or to footshocks on a background of chronic stress (chronic variable stress-shock, CVS-S). PTSD-relevant behaviors (fear memory and acoustic startle responses) were measured following 7 d recovery. In line with our hypothesis, CVS-S elicited significant increases in fear acquisition and conditioning versus the AS group. Unexpectedly, CVS-S elicited reduced startle reactivity to an acoustic stimulus in comparison with the AS group. Significant increase in FosB/ΔFosB-like immunostaining was observed in the dentate gyrus, basolateral amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex of CVS-S rats. Assessments of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stress-regulatory transmitter associated with chronic PTSD, revealed selective reduction in the hippocampus of CVS-S rats. Collectively, our data show that cumulative stress potentiates delayed fear memory and impacts defensive responding. Altered neuronal activation in forebrain limbic regions and reduced NPY may contribute to these phenomena. Our preclinical studies support clinical findings reporting worse PTSD outcomes stemming from cumulative traumatization in contrast to acute trauma.

  7. Ozone uptake, water loss and carbon exchange dynamics in annually drought-stressed Pinus ponderosa forests: measured trends and parameters for uptake modeling.

    PubMed

    Panek, Jeanne A

    2004-03-01

    This paper describes 3 years of physiological measurements on ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) growing along an ozone concentration gradient in the Sierra Nevada, California, including variables necessary to parameterize, validate and modify photosynthesis and stomatal conductance algorithms used to estimate ozone uptake. At all sites, gas exchange was under tight stomatal control during the growing season. Stomatal conductance was strongly correlated with leaf water potential (R2=0.82), which decreased over the growing season with decreasing soil water content (R2=0.60). Ozone uptake, carbon uptake, and transpirational water loss closely followed the dynamics of stomatal conductance. Peak ozone and CO2 uptake occurred in early summer and declined progressively thereafter. As a result, periods of maximum ozone uptake did not correspond to periods of peak ozone concentration, underscoring the inappropriateness of using current metrics based on concentration (e.g., SUM0, W126 and AOT40) for assessing ozone exposure risk to plants in this climate region. Both Jmax (maximum CO2-saturated photosynthetic rate, limited by electron transport) and Vcmax (maximum rate of Rubisco-limited carboxylation) increased toward the middle of the growing season, then decreased in September. Intrinsic water-use efficiency rose with increasing drought stress, as expected. The ratio of Jmax to Vcmax was similar to literature values of 2.0. Nighttime respiration followed a Q10 of 2.0, but was significantly higher at the high-ozone site. Respiration rates decreased by the end of the summer as a result of decreased metabolic activity and carbon stores.

  8. The association between acute mental stress and abnormal left atrial electrophysiology.

    PubMed

    O'Neal, Wesley T; Hammadah, Muhammad; Sandesara, Pratik B; Almuwaqqat, Zakaria; Samman-Tahhan, Ayman; Gafeer, Mohamad M; Abdelhadi, Naser; Wilmot, Kobina; Al Mheid, Ibhar; Bremner, Douglas J; Kutner, Michael; Soliman, Elsayed Z; Shah, Amit J; Quyyumi, Arshed A; Vaccarino, Viola

    2017-10-01

    Acute stress may trigger atrial fibrillation (AF), but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We examined if acute mental stress results in abnormal left atrial electrophysiology as detected by more negative deflection of P-wave terminal force in lead V 1 (PTFV 1 ), a well-known marker of AF risk. We examined this hypothesis in 422 patients (mean age = 56 ± 10 years; 61% men; 44% white) with stable coronary heart disease who underwent mental (speech task) stress testing. PTFV 1 was defined as the duration (milliseconds) times the value of the depth (μV) of the downward deflection (terminal portion) of the P-wave in lead V 1 measured on digital electrocardiograms (ECG). Electrocardiographic left atrial abnormality was defined as PTFV 1 ≤ -4000 μV*ms. Mean PTFV 1 values during stress and recovery were compared with rest. The percentage of participants who developed left atrial abnormality during stress and recovery was compared with the percentage at rest. Compared with rest, PTFV 1 became more negative during mental stress (mean change =  -348, 95% CI = [-515, -182]; P < 0.001) and no change was observed at recovery (mean change = 12, 95%CI = [-148, 172]; P = 0.89). A larger percentage of participants showed left atrial abnormality on ECGs obtained at stress (n = 163, 39%) and recovery (n = 142, 34%) compared with rest (n = 127, 30%). Acute mental stress alters left atrial electrophysiology, suggesting that stressful situations promote adverse transient electrical changes to provide the necessary substrate for AF. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Reactivity to Acute Stress: an Investigation into the Roles of Perceived Stress and Family Resources.

    PubMed

    Obasi, Ezemenari M; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A; Cavanagh, Lucia; Ratliff, Kristen L; Pittman, Delishia M; Brooks, Jessica J

    2017-11-01

    Rurally situated African Americans suffer from chronic exposure to stress that may have a deleterious effect on health outcomes. Unfortunately, research on potential mechanisms that underlie health disparities affecting the African American community has received limited focus in the scientific literature. This study investigated the relationship between perceived stress, family resources, and cortisol reactivity to acute stress. A rural sample of African American emerging adults (N = 60) completed a battery of assessments, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and provided four samples of salivary cortisol: prior to receiving TSST instructions, prior to conducting the speech task, immediately following the TSST, and 15-20 min following the TSST. As predicted, cortisol levels increased in response to a controlled laboratory inducement of acute stress. Moreover, diminished levels of family resources were associated with blunted cortisol reactivity to acute stress. Of note, higher levels of perceived stress over the past month and being male were independently associated with lower levels of cortisol at baseline. Lack of family resources had a blunting relationship on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity. These findings provide biomarker support for the relationship between family resources-an indicator associated with social determinants of health-and stress physiology within a controlled laboratory experiment. Identifying mechanisms that work toward explanation of within-group differences in African American health disparities is both needed and informative for culturally informed prevention and intervention efforts.

  10. Time matters - acute stress response and glucocorticoid sensitivity in early multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Kern, Simone; Rohleder, Nicolas; Eisenhofer, Graeme; Lange, Jan; Ziemssen, Tjalf

    2014-10-01

    Psychosocial stress has frequently been associated with disease activity and acute exacerbations in multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite this well established finding, strikingly little is known about the acute hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) stress response in MS. Twenty-six early relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients and seventeen age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (CS) took part in the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a well validated psycho-social laboratory stress protocol. Repeated blood samples were analyzed for stress-related cortisol and catecholamine levels as well as for glucocorticoid sensitivity (GCS) of target immune cells. Chronic and acute stress appraisals were assessed by self-report measures. RRMS patients and CS did not differ in stress-related cortisol/catecholamine levels, GCS or stress appraisal in response to the TSST. However, cortisol release as well as GCS was strongly correlated with time since diagnosis but not with neurological disability. Patients with shorter disease duration (2-12 months) expressed a significantly higher cortisol stress response while MS patients with longer disease duration (14-36 months) showed a significantly diminished HPA response as well as lower post-stress GCS. There is evidence for a time-dependent variability in the HPA stress system with an increased cortisol stress response in the first year after diagnosis along with a more blunted HPA stress response and a diminished GCS in subsequent disease stages. Data underscore the highly dynamic nature of HPA axis regulation in the MS disease process, which could possibly relate to compensatory mechanisms within a cytokine-HPA axis feedback circuit model. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. The influence of acute stress on the regulation of conditioned fear

    PubMed Central

    Raio, Candace M.; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

    2014-01-01

    Fear learning and regulation is a prominent model for describing the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders and stress-related psychopathology. Fear expression can be modulated using a number of regulatory strategies, including extinction, cognitive emotion regulation, avoidance strategies and reconsolidation. In this review, we examine research investigating the effects of acute stress and stress hormones on these regulatory techniques. We focus on what is known about the impact of stress on the ability to flexibly regulate fear responses that are acquired through Pavlovian fear conditioning. Our primary aim is to explore the impact of stress on fear regulation in humans. Given this, we focus on techniques where stress has been linked to alterations of fear regulation in humans (extinction and emotion regulation), and briefly discuss other techniques (avoidance and reconsolidation) where the impact of stress or stress hormones have been mainly explored in animal models. These investigations reveal that acute stress may impair the persistent inhibition of fear, presumably by altering prefrontal cortex function. Characterizing the effects of stress on fear regulation is critical for understanding the boundaries within which existing regulation strategies are viable in everyday life and can better inform treatment options for those who suffer from anxiety and stress-related psychopathology. PMID:25530986

  12. Acute Stress Induces Hyperacusis in Women with High Levels of Emotional Exhaustion

    PubMed Central

    Hasson, Dan; Theorell, Töres; Bergquist, Jonas; Canlon, Barbara

    2013-01-01

    Background Hearing problems is one of the top ten public health disorders in the general population and there is a well-established relationship between stress and hearing problems. The aim of the present study was to explore if an acute stress will increase auditory sensitivity (hyperacusis) in individuals with high levels of emotional exhaustion (EE). Methods Hyperacusis was assessed using uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL) in 348 individuals (140 men; 208 women; age 23–71 years). Multivariate analyses (ordered logistic regression), were used to calculate odds ratios, including interacting or confounding effects of age, gender, ear wax and hearing loss (PTA). Two-way ANCOVAs were used to assess possible differences in mean ULLs between EE groups pre- and post-acute stress task (a combination of cold pressor, emotional Stroop and Social stress/video recording). Results There were no baseline differences in mean ULLs between the three EE groups (one-way ANOVA). However, after the acute stress exposure there were significant differences in ULL means between the EE-groups in women. Post-hoc analyses showed that the differences in mean ULLs were between those with high vs. low EE (range 5.5–6.5 dB). Similar results were found for frequencies 0.5 and 1 kHz. The results demonstrate that women with high EE-levels display hyperacusis after an acute stress task. The odds of having hyperacusis were 2.5 (2 kHz, right ear; left ns) and 2.2 (4 kHz, right ear; left ns) times higher among those with high EE compared to those with low levels. All these results are adjusted for age, hearing loss and ear wax. Conclusion Women with high levels of emotional exhaustion become more sensitive to sound after an acute stress task. This novel finding highlights the importance of including emotional exhaustion in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing problems. PMID:23301005

  13. Stressed lungs: unveiling the role of circulating stress hormones in ozone-induced lung injury and inflammation.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone, a major component of smog generated through the interaction of light and anthropogenic emissions, induces adverse pulmonary, cardiovascular, and systemic health effects upon inhalation. It is generally accepted that ozone-induced lung injury is mediated by its interaction ...

  14. Increased neural responses to empathy for pain might explain how acute stress increases prosociality

    PubMed Central

    Tomova, L.; Majdandžić, J.; Hummer, A.; Windischberger, C.; Heinrichs, M.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Recent behavioral investigations suggest that acute stress can increase prosocial behavior. Here, we investigated whether increased empathy represents a potential mechanism for this finding. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the effects of acute stress on neural responses related to automatic and regulatory components of empathy for pain as well as subsequent prosocial behavior. Stress increased activation in brain areas associated with the automatic sharing of others’ pain, such as the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, we found increased prosocial behavior under stress. Furthermore, activation in the anterior midcingulate cortex mediated the effects of stress on prosocial behavior. However, stressed participants also displayed stronger and inappropriate other-related responses in situations which required them to take the perspective of another person, and to regulate their automatic affective responses. Thus, while acute stress may increase prosocial behavior by intensifying the sharing of others’ emotions, this comes at the cost of reduced cognitive appraisal abilities. Depending on the contextual constraints, stress may therefore affect empathy in ways that are either beneficial or detrimental. PMID:27798249

  15. Acute Stress Disorder as a Predictor of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Physical Assault Victims

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elklit, Ask; Brink, Ole

    2004-01-01

    The authors' objective was to examine the ability of acute stress disorder (ASD) and other trauma-related factors in a group of physical assault victims in predicting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 6 months later. Subjects included 214 victims of violence who completed a questionnaire 1 to 2 weeks after the assault, with 128 participating…

  16. Traumatic Memories in Acute Stress Disorder: An Analysis of Narratives before and after Treatment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moulds, Michelle L.; Bryant, Richard A.

    2005-01-01

    The dissociative reactions in acute stress disorder purportedly impede encoding and organization of traumatic memories and consequently impair the individual's ability to retrieve trauma-related details. A qualitative examination was conducted on trauma narratives of individuals with acute stress disorder (N = 15) prior to cognitive behavior…

  17. Impact of acute psychological stress on cardiovascular risk factors in face of insulin resistance.

    PubMed

    Jones, Kristian T; Shelton, Richard C; Wan, Jun; Li, Li

    2016-11-01

    Individuals with insulin resistance (IR) are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Psychological stress may contribute to develop CVD in IR, although mechanisms are poorly understood. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that individuals with IR have enhanced emotional and physiological responses to acute psychological stress, leading to increased CVD risk. Sixty participants were enrolled into the study, and classified into IR group (n = 31) and insulin sensitive group (n = 29) according to the Quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, which was calculated based on an oral glucose tolerance test. The Trier social stress test, a standardized experimental stress paradigm, was performed on each participant, and emotional and physiological responses were examined. Blood was collected from each subject for insulin, cytokines, and cortisol measurements. Compared with the insulin-sensitive group, individuals with IR had significantly lower ratings of energy and calm, but higher fatigue levels in response to acute stressors. Individuals with IR also showed blunted heart rate reactivity following stress. In addition, the IR status was worsened by acute psychological stress as demonstrated by further increased insulin secretion. Furthermore, individuals with IR showed significantly increased levels of leptin and interleukin-6, but decreased levels of adiponectin, at baseline, stress test, and post-stress period. Our findings in individuals with IR under acute stress would allow a better understanding of the risks for developing CVD and to tailor the interventions for better outcomes.

  18. Impact of Acute Psychological Stress on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Face of Insulin Resistance

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Kristian T.; Shelton, Richard C.; Wan, Jun; Li, Li

    2016-01-01

    Individuals with insulin resistance (IR) are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Psychological stress may contribute to develop CVD in IR although mechanisms are poorly understood. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that individuals with IR have enhanced emotional and physiological responses to acute psychological stress, leading to increased CVD risk. Sixty participants were enrolled into the study, and classified into IR group (n=31) and insulin sensitive group (n=29) according to the Quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, which was calculated based on an oral glucose tolerance test. The Trier social stress test, a standardized experimental stress paradigm, was performed on each participant, and emotional and physiological responses were examined. Blood was collected from each subject for insulin, cytokines and cortisol measurements. Compared with insulin sensitive group, individuals with IR had significantly lower ratings of energy and calm, but higher fatigue levels in response to acute stressors. Individuals with IR also showed blunted heart rate reactivity following stress. In addition, the IR status was worsened by acute psychological stress as demonstrated by further increased insulin secretion. Furthermore, individuals with IR showed significantly increased levels of leptin and interleukin-6, but decreased levels of adiponectin, at baseline, stress test and post-stress period. Our findings in individuals with IR under acute stress would allow a better understanding of the risks for developing CVD and to tailor the interventions for better outcomes. PMID:27588343

  19. Acute stress negatively affects object recognition early memory consolidation and memory retrieval unrelated to state-dependency.

    PubMed

    Nelissen, Ellis; Prickaerts, Jos; Blokland, Arjan

    2018-06-01

    It is well known that stress affects memory performance. However, there still appears to be inconstancy in literature about how acute stress affects the different stages of memory: acquisition, consolidation and retrieval. In this study, we exposed rats to acute stress and measured the effect on memory performance in the object recognition task as a measure for episodic memory. Stress was induced 30 min prior to the learning phase to affect acquisition, directly after the learning phase to affect consolidation, or 30 min before the retrieval phase to affect retrieval. Additionally, we induced stress both 30 min prior to the learning phase and 30 min prior to the retrieval phase to test whether the effects were related to state-dependency. As expected, we found that acute stress did not affect acquisition but had a negative impact on retrieval. To our knowledge, we are the first to show that early consolidation was negatively affected by acute stress. We also show that stress does not have a state-dependent effect on memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Acute stress switches spatial navigation strategy from egocentric to allocentric in a virtual Morris water maze.

    PubMed

    van Gerven, Dustin J H; Ferguson, Thomas; Skelton, Ronald W

    2016-07-01

    Stress and stress hormones are known to influence the function of the hippocampus, a brain structure critical for cognitive-map-based, allocentric spatial navigation. The caudate nucleus, a brain structure critical for stimulus-response-based, egocentric navigation, is not as sensitive to stress. Evidence for this comes from rodent studies, which show that acute stress or stress hormones impair allocentric, but not egocentric navigation. However, there have been few studies investigating the effect of acute stress on human spatial navigation, and the results of these have been equivocal. To date, no study has investigated whether acute stress can shift human navigational strategy selection between allocentric and egocentric navigation. The present study investigated this question by exposing participants to an acute psychological stressor (the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task, PASAT), before testing navigational strategy selection in the Dual-Strategy Maze, a modified virtual Morris water maze. In the Dual-Strategy maze, participants can chose to navigate using a constellation of extra-maze cues (allocentrically) or using a single cue proximal to the goal platform (egocentrically). Surprisingly, PASAT stress biased participants to solve the maze allocentrically significantly more, rather than less, often. These findings have implications for understanding the effects of acute stress on cognitive function in general, and the function of the hippocampus in particular. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. The effect of obesity on inflammatory cytokine and leptin production following acute mental stress.

    PubMed

    Caslin, H L; Franco, R L; Crabb, E B; Huang, C J; Bowen, M K; Acevedo, E O

    2016-02-01

    Obesity may contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk by eliciting chronic systemic inflammation and impairing the immune response to additional stressors. There has been little assessment of the effect of obesity on psychological stress, an independent risk factor for CVD. Therefore, it was of interest to examine interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), and leptin following an acute mental stress task in nonobese and obese males. Twenty college-aged males (21.3 ± 0.56 years) volunteered to participate in a 20-min Stroop color-word and mirror-tracing task. Subjects were recruited for obese (body mass index: BMI > 30) and nonobese (BMI < 25) groups, and blood samples were collected for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis. The acute mental stress task elicited an increase in heart rate, catecholamines, and IL-1β in all subjects. Additionally, acute mental stress increased cortisol concentrations in the nonobese group. There was a significant reduction in leptin in obese subjects 30 min posttask compared with a decrease in nonobese subjects 120 min posttask. Interestingly, the relationship between the percent change in leptin and IL-1Ra at 120 min posttask in response to an acute mental stress task was only observed in nonobese individuals. This is the first study to suggest that adiposity in males may impact leptin and inflammatory signaling mechanisms following acute mental stress. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  2. Ozone measurements in Amazonia - Dry season versus wet season

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kirchhoff, V. W. J. H.; Da Silva, I. M. O.; Browell, Edward V.

    1990-01-01

    Recent ozone measurements taken in the Amazonian rain forest environment during the wet season (April-May 1987) are described, revealling new aspects of the regional atmospheric chemistry. The measurements were part of the Amazon Boundary Layer Experiment (ABLE 2B) mission and utilized UV absorption as a measurement technique to obtain surface ozone data; 20 ozonesondes were launched in order to obtain vertical ozone profiles used to describe the upper troposphere and stratosphere. The major differences in comparison to a previous dry season experiment, which found ozone concentrations to be lower in the whole troposphere by nearly a factor of 2, are stressed.

  3. Acute stress disorder as a predictor of posttraumatic stress: A longitudinal study of Chinese children exposed to the Lushan earthquake.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Peiling; Zhang, Yuqing; Wei, Chuguang; Liu, Zhengkui; Hannak, Walter

    2016-09-01

    This study examined the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children who experienced the Lushan earthquake in Sichuan, China, and assessed the ability of ASD to predict PTSD. The Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) was used to assess acute stress reaction within weeks of the trauma. The University of California at Los Angeles Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA-PTSD) for children was administered at intervals of 2, 6, and 12 months after the earthquake to 197 students who experienced the Lushan earthquake at the Longxing Middle School. The results demonstrated that 28.4% of the children suffered from ASD, but only a small percentage of the population went on to develop PTSD. Among all of the students, 35.0% of those who met the criteria for ASD were diagnosed with PTSD at the 12-month interval. The severity of ASD symptoms correlated with later PTSD symptoms. © 2016 The Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  4. The Effects of Acute Stress on Core Executive Functions: A Meta-Analysis and Comparison with Cortisol

    PubMed Central

    Shields, Grant S.; Sazma, Matthew A.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2016-01-01

    Core executive functions such as working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility are integral to daily life. A growing body of research has suggested that acute stress may impair core executive functions. However, there are a number of inconsistencies in the literature, leading to uncertainty about how or even if acute stress influences core executive functions. We addressed this by conducting a meta-analysis of acute stress effects on working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. We found that stress impaired working memory and cognitive flexibility, whereas it had nuanced effects on inhibition. Many of these effects were moderated by other variables, such as sex. In addition, we compared effects of acute stress on core executive functions to effects of cortisol administration and found some striking differences. Our findings indicate that stress works through mechanisms aside from or in addition to cortisol to produce a state characterized by more reactive processing of salient stimuli but greater control over actions. We conclude by highlighting some important future directions for stress and executive function research. PMID:27371161

  5. Increased neural responses to empathy for pain might explain how acute stress increases prosociality.

    PubMed

    Tomova, L; Majdandžic, J; Hummer, A; Windischberger, C; Heinrichs, M; Lamm, C

    2017-03-01

    Recent behavioral investigations suggest that acute stress can increase prosocial behavior. Here, we investigated whether increased empathy represents a potential mechanism for this finding. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the effects of acute stress on neural responses related to automatic and regulatory components of empathy for pain as well as subsequent prosocial behavior. Stress increased activation in brain areas associated with the automatic sharing of others' pain, such as the anterior insula, the anterior midcingulate cortex, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, we found increased prosocial behavior under stress. Furthermore, activation in the anterior midcingulate cortex mediated the effects of stress on prosocial behavior. However, stressed participants also displayed stronger and inappropriate other-related responses in situations which required them to take the perspective of another person, and to regulate their automatic affective responses. Thus, while acute stress may increase prosocial behavior by intensifying the sharing of others' emotions, this comes at the cost of reduced cognitive appraisal abilities. Depending on the contextual constraints, stress may therefore affect empathy in ways that are either beneficial or detrimental. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press.

  6. Modeling the effects of ozone on soybean growth and yield.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, K; Miller, J E; Flagler, R B; Heck, W W

    1990-01-01

    A simple mechanistic model was developed based on an existing growth model in order to address the mechanisms of the effects of ozone on growth and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merr. 'Davis'] and interacting effects of other environmental stresses. The model simulates daily growth of soybean plants using environmental data including shortwave radiation, temperature, precipitation, irrigation and ozone concentration. Leaf growth, dry matter accumulation, water budget, nitrogen input and seed growth linked to senescence and abscission of leaves are described in the model. The effects of ozone are modeled as reduced photosynthate production and accelerated senescence. The model was applied to the open-top chamber experiments in which soybean plants were exposed to ozone under two levels of soil moisture regimes. After calibrating the model to the growth data and seed yield, goodness-of-fit of the model was tested. The model fitted well for top dry weight in the vegetative growth phase and also at maturity. The effect of ozone on seen yield was also described satisfactorily by the model. The simulation showed apparent interaction between the effect of ozone and soil moisture stress on the seed yield. The model revealed that further work is needed concerning the effect of ozone on the senescence process and the consequences of alteration of canopy microclimate by the open-top chambers.

  7. Dynamic changes in DNA methylation of stress-associated genes (OXTR, BDNF ) after acute psychosocial stress.

    PubMed

    Unternaehrer, E; Luers, P; Mill, J; Dempster, E; Meyer, A H; Staehli, S; Lieb, R; Hellhammer, D H; Meinlschmidt, G

    2012-08-14

    Environmentally induced epigenetic alterations are related to mental health. We investigated quantitative DNA methylation status before and after an acute psychosocial stressor in two stress-related genes: oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF ). The cross sectional study took place at the Division of Theoretical and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Trier, Germany and was conducted from February to August 2009. We included 83 participants aged 61-67 years. Thereof, 76 participants completed the full study procedure consisting of blood sampling before (pre-stress), 10 min after (post-stress) and 90 min after (follow-up) the Trier social stress test. We assessed quantitative DNA methylation of whole-blood cells using Sequenom EpiTYPER. Methylation status differed between sampling times in one target sequence of OXTR (P<0.001): methylation increased from pre- to post-stress (P=0.009) and decreased from post-stress to follow-up (P<0.001). This decrease was also found in a second target sequence of OXTR (P=0.034), where it lost statistical significance when blood cell count was statistically controlled. We did not detect any time-associated differences in methylation status of the examined BDNF region. The results suggest a dynamic regulation of DNA methylation in OXTR-which may in part reflect changes in blood cell composition-but not BDNF after acute psychosocial stress. This may enhance the understanding of how psychosocial events alter DNA methylation and could provide new insights into the etiology of mental disorders.

  8. Chronic and acute effects of stress on energy balance: are there appropriate animal models?

    PubMed

    Harris, Ruth B S

    2015-02-15

    Stress activates multiple neural and endocrine systems to allow an animal to respond to and survive in a threatening environment. The corticotropin-releasing factor system is a primary initiator of this integrated response, which includes activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The energetic response to acute stress is determined by the nature and severity of the stressor, but a typical response to an acute stressor is inhibition of food intake, increased heat production, and increased activity with sustained changes in body weight, behavior, and HPA reactivity. The effect of chronic psychological stress is more variable. In humans, chronic stress may cause weight gain in restrained eaters who show increased HPA reactivity to acute stress. This phenotype is difficult to replicate in rodent models where chronic psychological stress is more likely to cause weight loss than weight gain. An exception may be hamsters subjected to repeated bouts of social defeat or foot shock, but the data are limited. Recent reports on the food intake and body composition of subordinate members of group-housed female monkeys indicate that these animals have a similar phenotype to human stress-induced eaters, but there are a limited number of investigators with access to the model. Few stress experiments focus on energy balance, but more information on the phenotype of both humans and animal models during and after exposure to acute or chronic stress may provide novel insight into mechanisms that normally control body weight. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Chronic and acute effects of stress on energy balance: are there appropriate animal models?

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Stress activates multiple neural and endocrine systems to allow an animal to respond to and survive in a threatening environment. The corticotropin-releasing factor system is a primary initiator of this integrated response, which includes activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The energetic response to acute stress is determined by the nature and severity of the stressor, but a typical response to an acute stressor is inhibition of food intake, increased heat production, and increased activity with sustained changes in body weight, behavior, and HPA reactivity. The effect of chronic psychological stress is more variable. In humans, chronic stress may cause weight gain in restrained eaters who show increased HPA reactivity to acute stress. This phenotype is difficult to replicate in rodent models where chronic psychological stress is more likely to cause weight loss than weight gain. An exception may be hamsters subjected to repeated bouts of social defeat or foot shock, but the data are limited. Recent reports on the food intake and body composition of subordinate members of group-housed female monkeys indicate that these animals have a similar phenotype to human stress-induced eaters, but there are a limited number of investigators with access to the model. Few stress experiments focus on energy balance, but more information on the phenotype of both humans and animal models during and after exposure to acute or chronic stress may provide novel insight into mechanisms that normally control body weight. PMID:25519732

  10. RNA-seq analysis reveals genetic response and tolerance mechanisms to ozone exposure in soybean

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Oxidative stress caused by ground level ozone is a major contributor to yield loss in a number of important crop plants. Soybean (Glycine max) is especially ozone sensitive, and research into its response to oxidative stress is limited. To better understand the genetic response in soybean to oxida...

  11. Acute stress among adolescents and female rape victims measured by ASC-Kids: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Nilsson, Doris; Nordenstam, Carin; Green, Sara; Wetterhall, Annika; Lundin, Tom; Svedin, Carl Göran

    2015-01-01

    Rape is considered a stressful trauma and often with durable consequences. How the aftermath of rape is for young adolescents' girls considering acute stress is an overlooked field and remains to be studied. In this study, we wanted to investigate acute stress among adolescent victims of rape and the psychometric properties of the Acute Stress Checklist for Children (ASC-Kids). A clinical sample (n = 79) of raped girls, 13-17 years old who had turned to a special rape victim unit for treatment, answered the ASC-Kids. ASC-Kids was also given to a group of minor stressed, non-raped adolescents in the same age range (n = 154) together with the University of California at Los Angeles Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD RI), and the Sense of Coherence Scale 13 (SOC-13). The scores from the groups were compared and showed significant differences in mean values on all the diagnostic criteria of acute stress disorder. In the clinical group, 36.7% obtained full ASD criteria. ASC-Kids could discriminate well between groups. Cronbach's alpha was found to be excellent, and the correlation between the UCLA PTSD RI and ASC-Kids found to be good; both ASC-Kids and UCLA PTSD RI had a good and moderate negative correlation with SOC-13. Adolescent female rape victims were shown to have a very high level of acute stress, and the ASC-Kids was found to have sound psychometrics and can be a valuable screening instrument to support clinicians in their assessments of an indication of adolescents after potentially stressful events such as rape.

  12. Aptopic asthmatic subjects but not aptopic subjects without asthma have enhanced inflammatory response to ozone**

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background Asthma is a known risk factor for acute ozone-associated respiratory disease. Ozone (03) causes an immediate decrease in lung function and increased airway inflammation. The role of atopy and asthma in modulation of 03-induced inflammation has not been determined. Ob...

  13. Racial and gender differences on sources of acute stress and coping style among competitive athletes.

    PubMed

    Anshel, Mark H; Sutarso, Toto; Jubenville, Colby

    2009-04-01

    The authors examined racial and gender differences on sport-related sources of acute stress that competitive athletes perceived as highly intense and experienced during the competitive event. Athletes (N = 332, 176 men, 156 women; 59 African Americans: 27 men, 32 women; 232 Caucasians: 125 men, 107 women; and 41 Hispanics: 24 men, 17 women) who competed in sport on a high school or college team participated in this study. The sources of the acute stress and the coping style in sport scales, which M. H. Anshel and T. Sutarso (2007) developed, required the athletes to indicate their perceived stress intensity and their "typical" coping responses after experiencing the two stressors they perceived as most intense. A multivarite analysis of variance indicated that Caucasians experienced higher stress intensity more often than did African Americans on each of two sources of acute stress, and Caucasians tended to use an approach-behavior coping style. Women reported higher stress intensity for coach-related sources of acute stress and used approach-behavioral and avoidance-cognitive coping styles more often than did their male counterparts. Hispanic athletes did not differ from other groups on any measure. The authors conclude that race and gender influence the coping process in competitive sport.

  14. Acute myocardial infarction and stress cardiomyopathy following the Christchurch earthquakes.

    PubMed

    Chan, Christina; Elliott, John; Troughton, Richard; Frampton, Christopher; Smyth, David; Crozier, Ian; Bridgman, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Christchurch, New Zealand, was struck by 2 major earthquakes at 4:36 am on 4 September 2010, magnitude 7.1 and at 12:51 pm on 22 February 2011, magnitude 6.3. Both events caused widespread destruction. Christchurch Hospital was the region's only acute care hospital. It remained functional following both earthquakes. We were able to examine the effects of the 2 earthquakes on acute cardiac presentations. Patients admitted under Cardiology in Christchurch Hospital 3 week prior to and 5 weeks following both earthquakes were analysed, with corresponding control periods in September 2009 and February 2010. Patients were categorised based on diagnosis: ST elevation myocardial infarction, Non ST elevation myocardial infarction, stress cardiomyopathy, unstable angina, stable angina, non cardiac chest pain, arrhythmia and others. There was a significant increase in overall admissions (p<0.003), ST elevation myocardial infarction (p<0.016), and non cardiac chest pain (p<0.022) in the first 2 weeks following the early morning September earthquake. This pattern was not seen after the early afternoon February earthquake. Instead, there was a very large number of stress cardiomyopathy admissions with 21 cases (95% CI 2.6-6.4) in 4 days. There had been 6 stress cardiomyopathy cases after the first earthquake (95% CI 0.44-2.62). Statistical analysis showed this to be a significant difference between the earthquakes (p<0.05). The early morning September earthquake triggered a large increase in ST elevation myocardial infarction and a few stress cardiomyopathy cases. The early afternoon February earthquake caused significantly more stress cardiomyopathy. Two major earthquakes occurring at different times of day differed in their effect on acute cardiac events.

  15. Relationship between cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers: Exploring multiple mediation model.

    PubMed

    Cai, Wen-Peng; Pan, Yu; Zhang, Shui-Miao; Wei, Cun; Dong, Wei; Deng, Guang-Hui

    2017-10-01

    The current study aimed to explore the association of cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers and to understand the multiple mediation effects of social support and resilience on the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute stress responses. A total of 1477 male soldiers completed mental scales, including the cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire-Chinese version, the perceived social support scale, the Chinese version of the Connor-Davidson resilience scale, and the military acute stress scale. As hypothesized, physiological responses, psychological responses, and acute stress were associated with negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation, and negatively associated with positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social supports and resilience. Besides, positive-focused cognitive emotion regulation, social support, and resilience were significantly associated with one another, and negative-focused cognitive emotion regulation was negatively associated with social support. Regression analysis and bootstrap analysis showed that social support and resilience had partly mediating effects on negative strategies and acute stress, and fully mediating effects on positive strategies and acute stress. These results thus indicate that military acute stress is significantly associated with cognitive emotion regulation, social support, and resilience, and that social support and resilience have multiple mediation effects on the relationship between cognitive emotion regulation and acute stress responses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. StressModEx--Physiotherapist-led Stress Inoculation Training integrated with exercise for acute whiplash injury: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Ritchie, Carrie; Kenardy, Justin; Smeets, Rob; Sterling, Michele

    2015-07-01

    Whiplash associated disorders are the most common non-hospitalised injuries following a road traffic crash. Up to 50% of individuals who experience a whiplash injury will not fully recover and report ongoing pain and disability. Most recovery, if it occurs, takes place in the first 2-3 months post injury, indicating that treatment provided in the early stages is critical to long-term outcome. However, early management approaches for people with acute whiplash associated disorders are modestly effective. One reason may be that the treatments have been non-specific and have not targeted the processes shown to be associated with poor recovery, such as post-traumatic stress symptoms. Targeting and modulating these early stress responses in the early management of acute whiplash associated disorders may improve health outcomes. Early aggressive psychological interventions in the form of psychological debriefing may be detrimental to recovery and are now not recommended for management of early post-traumatic stress symptoms. In contrast, Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) is a cognitive behavioural approach that teaches various general problem-solving and coping strategies to manage stress-related anxiety (ie, relaxation training, cognitive restructuring and positive self-statements) and provides important information to injured individuals about the impact of stress on their physical and psychological wellbeing. While referral to a psychologist may be necessary in some cases where acute stress disorder or other more significant psychological reactions to stress are evident, in the case of acute whiplash injuries, it is neither feasible nor necessary for a psychologist to deliver the early stress modulation intervention to all injured individuals. The feasibility of using other specially trained health professionals to deliver psychological interventions has been explored in conditions such as chronic low back pain, chronic whiplash and cancer, but few trials have studied

  17. Timing matters: the interval between acute stressors within chronic mild stress modifies behavioral and physiologic stress responses in male rats.

    PubMed

    Cavigelli, Sonia A; Bao, Alexander D; Bourne, Rebecca A; Caruso, Michael J; Caulfield, Jasmine I; Chen, Mary; Smyth, Joshua M

    2018-04-12

    Chronic mild stress can lead to negative health outcomes. Frequency, duration, and intensity of acute stressors can affect health-related processes. We tested whether the temporal pattern of daily acute stressors (clustered or dispersed across the day) affects depression-related physiology. We used a rodent model to keep stressor frequency, duration, and intensity constant, and experimentally manipulated the temporal pattern of acute stressors delivered during the active phase of the day. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to one of three chronic mild stress groups: Clustered: stressors that occurred within 1 hour of each other (n = 21), Dispersed: stressors that were spread out across the active phase (n = 21), and Control: no stressors presented (n = 21). Acute mild stressors included noise, strobe lights, novel cage, cage tilt, wet bedding, and water immersion. Depression-related outcomes included: sucrose preference, body weight, circulating glucocorticoid (corticosterone) concentration after a novel acute stressor and during basal morning and evening times, and endotoxin-induced circulating interleukin-6 concentrations. Compared to control rats, those in the Clustered group gained less weight, consumed less sucrose, had a blunted acute corticosterone response, and an accentuated acute interleukin-6 response. Rats in the Dispersed group had an attenuated corticosterone decline during the active period and after an acute stressor compared to the Control group. During a chronic mild stress experience, the temporal distribution of daily acute stressors affected health-related physiologic processes. Regular exposure to daily stressors in rapid succession may predict more depression-related symptoms, whereas exposure to stressors dispersed throughout the day may predict diminished glucocorticoid negative feedback.

  18. Acute stress in residents during emergency care: a study of personal and situational factors.

    PubMed

    Dias, Roger Daglius; Scalabrini Neto, Augusto

    2017-05-01

    Providing care for simulated emergency patients may induce considerable acute stress in physicians. However, the acute stress provoked in a real-life emergency room (ER) is not well known. Our aim was to assess acute stress responses in residents during real emergency care and investigate the related personal and situational factors. A cross-sectional observational study was carried out at an emergency department of a tertiary teaching hospital. All second-year internal medicine residents were invited to voluntarily participate in this study. Acute stress markers were assessed at baseline (T1), before residents started their ER shift, and immediately after an emergency situation (T2), using heart rate, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure, salivary α-amylase activity, salivary interleukin-1 β, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-s and STAI-t). Twenty-four residents were assessed during 40 emergency situations. All stress markers presented a statistically significant increase between T1 and T2. IL-1 β presented the highest percent increase (141.0%, p < .001), followed by AA (99.0%, p = .002), HR (81.0%, p < .001), DBP (8.0%, p < .001), and SBP (3.0%, p < .001). In the multivariable analysis, time of residency had a negative correlation with HR during the emergency (adjusted R-square = .168; F = 8.69; p = .006), SBP response (adjusted R-square = .210; F = 6.19; p = .005) and DBP response (adjusted R-square = .293; F = 9.09; p = .001). Trait anxiety (STAI-t) was positively correlated with STAI-s (adjusted R-square = .326; F = 19.9; p < .001), and number of procedures performed during emergency care had a positive association with HR response (adjusted R-square = .241; F = 5.02; p = .005). In the present study, emergency care provoked substantial acute stress in residents. Resident experience, trait anxiety, and number of emergency procedures were independently associated with

  19. The glutathione-S-transferase Mu 1 null genotype modulates ozone-induced airway inflammation in humans*

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background: The Glutathione-S-Transferase Mu 1 null genotype has been reported to be a risk factor for acute respiratory disease associated with increases in ambient air ozone. Ozone is known to cause an immediate decrease in lung function and increased airway inflammation. Howev...

  20. Acute stress enhances adult rat hippocampal neurogenesis and activation of newborn neurons via secreted astrocytic FGF2

    PubMed Central

    Kirby, Elizabeth D; Muroy, Sandra E; Sun, Wayne G; Covarrubias, David; Leong, Megan J; Barchas, Laurel A; Kaufer, Daniela

    2013-01-01

    Stress is a potent modulator of the mammalian brain. The highly conserved stress hormone response influences many brain regions, particularly the hippocampus, a region important for memory function. The effect of acute stress on the unique population of adult neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) that resides in the adult hippocampus is unclear. We found that acute stress increased hippocampal cell proliferation and astrocytic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) expression. The effect of acute stress occurred independent of basolateral amygdala neural input and was mimicked by treating isolated NPCs with conditioned media from corticosterone-treated primary astrocytes. Neutralization of FGF2 revealed that astrocyte-secreted FGF2 mediated stress-hormone-induced NPC proliferation. 2 weeks, but not 2 days, after acute stress, rats also showed enhanced fear extinction memory coincident with enhanced activation of newborn neurons. Our findings suggest a beneficial role for brief stress on the hippocampus and improve understanding of the adaptive capacity of the brain. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00362.001 PMID:23599891

  1. Personality and physiological reactions to acute psychological stress.

    PubMed

    Bibbey, Adam; Carroll, Douglas; Roseboom, Tessa J; Phillips, Anna C; de Rooij, Susanne R

    2013-10-01

    Stable personality traits have long been presumed to have biological substrates, although the evidence relating personality to biological stress reactivity is inconclusive. The present study examined, in a large middle aged cohort (N=352), the relationship between key personality traits and both cortisol and cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress. Salivary cortisol and cardiovascular activity were measured at rest and in response to a psychological stress protocol comprising 5min each of a Stroop task, mirror tracing, and a speech task. Participants subsequently completed the Big Five Inventory to assess neuroticism, agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion, and conscientiousness. Those with higher neuroticism scores exhibited smaller cortisol and cardiovascular stress reactions, whereas participants who were less agreeable and less open had smaller cortisol and cardiac reactions to stress. These associations remained statistically significant following adjustment for a range of potential confounding variables. Thus, a negative personality disposition would appear to be linked to diminished stress reactivity. These findings further support a growing body of evidence which suggests that blunted stress reactivity may be maladaptive. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Ozone distribution in remote ecologically vulnerable terrain of the southern Sierra Nevada, CA

    Treesearch

    Jeanne Panek; David Saah; Annie Esperanza; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Witold Fraczek; Ricardo Cisneros

    2013-01-01

    Ozone concentration spatial patterns remain largely uncharacterized across the extensive wilderness areas of the Sierra Nevada, CA, despite being downwind of major pollution sources. These natural areas, including four national parks and four national forests, contain forest species that are susceptible to ozone injury. Forests stressed by ozone are also more...

  3. Losing the Warning Signal: Drought Compromises the Cross-Talk of Signaling Molecules in Quercus ilex Exposed to Ozone.

    PubMed

    Cotrozzi, Lorenzo; Pellegrini, Elisa; Guidi, Lucia; Landi, Marco; Lorenzini, Giacomo; Massai, Rossano; Remorini, Damiano; Tonelli, Mariagrazia; Trivellini, Alice; Vernieri, Paolo; Nali, Cristina

    2017-01-01

    Understanding the interactions between drought and acute ozone (O 3 ) stress in terms of signaling molecules and cell death would improve the predictions of plant responses to climate change. The aim was to investigate whether drought stress influences the responses of plants to acute episodes of O 3 exposure. In this study, the behavior of 84 Mediterranean evergreen Quercus ilex plants was evaluated in terms of cross-talk responses among signaling molecules. Half of the sample was subjected to drought (20% of the effective daily evapotranspiration, for 15 days) and was later exposed to an acute O 3 exposure (200 nL L -1 for 5 h). First, our results indicate that in well-water conditions, O 3 induced a signaling pathway specific to O 3 -sensitive behavior. Second, different trends and consequently different roles of phytohormones and signaling molecules (ethylene, ET; abscisic acid, ABA; salycilic acid, SA and jasmonic acid, JA) were observed in relation to water stress and O 3 . A spatial and functional correlation between these signaling molecules was observed in modulating O 3 -induced responses in well-watered plants. In contrast, in drought-stressed plants, these compounds were not involved either in O 3 -induced signaling mechanisms or in leaf senescence (a response observed in water-stressed plants before the O 3 -exposure). Third, these differences were ascribable to the fact that in drought conditions, most defense processes induced by O 3 were compromised and/or altered. Our results highlight how Q. ilex plants suffering from water deprivation respond differently to an acute O 3 episode compared to well-watered plants, and suggest new effect to be considered in plant responses to environmental changes. This poses the serious question as to whether or not multiple high-magnitude O 3 events (as predicted) can change these cross-talk responses, thus opening it up possible further investigations.

  4. Repeated Exposure to Conditioned Fear Stress Increases Anxiety and Delays Sleep Recovery Following Exposure to an Acute Traumatic Stressor

    PubMed Central

    Greenwood, Benjamin N.; Thompson, Robert S.; Opp, Mark R.; Fleshner, Monika

    2014-01-01

    Repeated stressor exposure can sensitize physiological responses to novel stressors and facilitate the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders including anxiety. Disruptions in diurnal rhythms of sleep–wake behavior accompany stress-related psychiatric disorders and could contribute to their development. Complex stressors that include fear-eliciting stimuli can be a component of repeated stress experienced by human beings, but whether exposure to repeated fear can prime the development of anxiety and sleep disturbances is unknown. In the current study, adult male F344 rats were exposed to either control conditions or repeated contextual fear conditioning for 22 days followed by exposure to no, mild (10), or severe (100) acute uncontrollable tail shock stress. Exposure to acute stress produced anxiety-like behavior as measured by a reduction in juvenile social exploration and exaggerated shock-elicited freezing in a novel context. Prior exposure to repeated fear enhanced anxiety-like behavior as measured by shock-elicited freezing, but did not alter social exploratory behavior. The potentiation of anxiety produced by prior repeated fear was temporary; exaggerated fear was present 1 day but not 4 days following acute stress. Interestingly, exposure to acute stress reduced rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep during the hours immediately following acute stress. This initial reduction in sleep was followed by robust REM rebound and diurnal rhythm flattening of sleep/wake behavior. Prior repeated fear extended the acute stress-induced REM and NREM sleep loss, impaired REM rebound, and prolonged the flattening of the diurnal rhythm of NREM sleep following acute stressor exposure. These data suggest that impaired recovery of sleep/wake behavior following acute stress could contribute to the mechanisms by which a history of prior repeated stress increases vulnerability to subsequent novel stressors and stress-related disorders. PMID

  5. Stressful events and coping related to acute and sub-acute whiplash-associated disorders.

    PubMed

    Pettersson, Susanne; Bring, Annika; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

    2017-03-01

    Purpose To describe daily stressors affecting and coping strategies employed by individuals with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) immediately to one month (acute) and three to four months (sub-acute) after injury events using a daily coping assessment. Levels of pain, anxiety, depressed mood and activity are also compared between phases. Method A descriptive prospective design with a content analysis approach was used. Participants completed daily coping assessments for one week during both acute and sub-acute phases. Main measure was whiplash-associated disorders-daily coping assessment (WAD-DCA). Results Nine participants used words describing recovery in the sub-acute phase; 31 described stressful events during both phases. Most frequently reported stressors were related to "symptoms", "emotions" and "occupations/studies". These were equally reported during both phases. Cognitive coping strategies were employed more often during the sub-acute phase (p = 0.008). The only behavioral strategy that increased in prevalence over time was the "relaxed" strategy (p = 0.001). Anxiety levels declined over time (p = 0.022). Conclusion The reported stressors were largely uniform across both acute and sub-acute phases; however, the use of cognitive coping strategies increased over time. The WAD-DCA captures individual stressors and coping strategies employed during a vulnerable phase of rehabilitation and can thus provide information that is useful to clinical practice. Implications for rehabilitation The WAD-DCA provides valuable information for clinical practice when employed during early phases of whiplash-associated disorder development. Reported stressors during the acute and sub-acute phases are essentially the same, whereas cognitive coping strategies grow in prevalence over time. Tailored treatments in early phases of whip-lash associated disorders may benefit from strategies aimed at matching patient-specific stressors with contextually adapted coping

  6. Preexposure to ozone blocks the antigen-induced late asthmatic response of the canine peripheral airways

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Turner, C.R.; Kleeberger, S.R.; Spannhake, E.W.

    1989-01-01

    The influence of exposure of the airways to ozone on acute allergic responsiveness has been investigated in several species. Little is known, however, about the effect of this environmental pollutant on the late asthmatic response (LAR) in animals in which it is exhibited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this effect in the canine peripheral airways and to assess the potential role of mast cells in modulating the effect. A series of experiments on seven mongrel dogs demonstrated that the numbers of mast cells at the base of the epithelial region of small subsegmental airways exposed to 1more » ppm ozone for 5 min were significantly (p less than .01) increased 3 h following exposure compared to air exposed or nonexposed control airways. In a second series of experiments performed on eight additional mongrel dogs with inherent sensitivity to Ascaris suum antigen, antigen aerosol was administered to the sublobar segment 3 h following ozone preexposure when mast cell numbers were presumed to be increased. These experiments were performed to determine whether ozone preexposure could enhance the late-phase response to antigen by virtue of acutely increasing the number of mast cells available to bind the antigen. Four of the eight dogs tested displayed a late-phase response to antigen following air-sham preexposure. In these four dogs, simultaneous ozone preexposure of a contralateral lobe completely blocked the late-phase response to antigen. These results indicate that the consequences of a single exposure to ozone persist beyond its effects on acute antigen-induced bronchoconstriction and extend to the complex processes involved with the late response. This attenuating effect of ozone is seen under conditions where mast-cell numbers in the airways are increased above baseline levels.« less

  7. Intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are involved in rat testis by cold water immersion-induced acute and chronic stress.

    PubMed

    Juárez-Rojas, Adriana Lizbeth; García-Lorenzana, Mario; Aragón-Martínez, Andrés; Gómez-Quiroz, Luis Enrique; Retana-Márquez, María del Socorro

    2015-01-01

    Testicular apoptosis is activated by stress, but it is not clear which signaling pathway is activated in response to stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether intrinsic, extrinsic, or both apoptotic signaling pathways are activated by acute and chronic stress. Adult male rats were subjected to cold water immersion-induced stress for 1, 20, 40, and 50 consecutive days. The seminiferous tubules:apoptotic cell ratio was assayed on acute (1 day) and chronic (20, 40, 50 days) stress. Apoptotic markers, including cleaved-caspase 3 and 8, the pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins were also determined after acute and chronic stress induction. Additionally, epididymal sperm quality was evaluated, as well as corticosterone and testosterone levels. An increase in tubule apoptotic cell count percentage after an hour of acute stress and during chronic stress induction was observed. The apoptotic cells rate per tubule increment was only detected one hour after acute stress, but not with chronic stress. Accordingly, there was an increase in Bax, cleaved caspase-8 and caspase-3 pro-apoptotic proteins with a decrease of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in both acutely and chronically stressed male testes. In addition, sperm count, viability, as well as total and progressive motility were low in chronically stressed males. Finally, the levels of corticosterone increased whereas testosterone levels decreased in chronically stressed males. Activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway was shown by cleaved caspase-8 increase whereas the intrinsic apoptotic pathway activation was determined by the increase of Bax, along with Bcl-2 decrease, making evident a cross-talk between these two pathways with the activation of caspase-3. These results suggest that both acute and chronic stress can potentially activate the intrinsic/extrinsic apoptosis pathways in testes. Chronic stress also reduces the quality of epididymal spermatozoa, possibly due to a decrease in testosterone.

  8. Acute stress impairs cognitive flexibility in men, not women.

    PubMed

    Shields, Grant S; Trainor, Brian C; Lam, Jovian C W; Yonelinas, Andrew P

    2016-09-01

    Psychosocial stress influences cognitive abilities, such as long-term memory retrieval. However, less is known about the effects of stress on cognitive flexibility, which is mediated by different neurobiological circuits and could thus be regulated by different neuroendocrine pathways. In this study, we randomly assigned healthy adults to an acute stress induction or control condition and subsequently assessed participants' cognitive flexibility using an open-source version of the Wisconsin Card Sort task. Drawing on work in rodents, we hypothesized that stress would have stronger impairing effects on cognitive flexibility in men than women. As predicted, we found that stress impaired cognitive flexibility in men but did not significantly affect women. Our results thus indicate that stress exerts sex-specific effects on cognitive flexibility in humans and add to the growing body of research highlighting the need to consider sex differences in effects of stress.

  9. Ozone-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma: role of neutrophil-derived serine proteinases.

    PubMed

    Hiltermann, T J; Peters, E A; Alberts, B; Kwikkers, K; Borggreven, P A; Hiemstra, P S; Dijkman, J H; van Bree, L A; Stolk, J

    1998-04-01

    Proteinase inhibitors may be of potential therapeutic value in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma. Our aim was to study the role of neutrophils, and neutrophil-derived serine proteinases in an acute model in patients with asthma. Exposure to ozone induces an acute neutrophilic inflammatory reaction accompanied by an increase in airway hyperresponsiveness. It is thought that these two effects of ozone are linked, and that neutrophil-derived serine proteinases (i.e. elastase) may play a role in the ozone-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Therefore, we examined the effect of recombinant antileukoprotease (rALP), one of the major serine proteinase inhibitors in the lung, on ozone-induced changes in airway hyperresponsiveness in this model. We observed that 16 h after exposure to ozone, airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine was increased both following placebo and rALP treatment. There was no significant difference between placebo and rALP treatment (change in area under the dose-response curve to methacholine: 117.3+/-59.0 vs 193.6+/-59.6 % fall x DD; p=.12). Moreover, the immediate decrease in FEV1 after ozone exposure was not significantly different between the two groups (placebo: -29.6+/-6.7%; rALP: -20.9+/-3.8%; p=.11). In addition, no significant differences were observed in plasma levels of fibrinogen degradation products generated by neutrophil serine proteinases before and after exposure to ozone. We conclude that neutrophil-derived serine proteinases are not important mediators for ozone-induced hyperresponsiveness.

  10. Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stress Cardiomyopathy following the Christchurch Earthquakes

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Christina; Elliott, John; Troughton, Richard; Frampton, Christopher; Smyth, David; Crozier, Ian; Bridgman, Paul

    2013-01-01

    Background Christchurch, New Zealand, was struck by 2 major earthquakes at 4:36am on 4 September 2010, magnitude 7.1 and at 12:51pm on 22 February 2011, magnitude 6.3. Both events caused widespread destruction. Christchurch Hospital was the region's only acute care hospital. It remained functional following both earthquakes. We were able to examine the effects of the 2 earthquakes on acute cardiac presentations. Methods Patients admitted under Cardiology in Christchurch Hospital 3 week prior to and 5 weeks following both earthquakes were analysed, with corresponding control periods in September 2009 and February 2010. Patients were categorised based on diagnosis: ST elevation myocardial infarction, Non ST elevation myocardial infarction, stress cardiomyopathy, unstable angina, stable angina, non cardiac chest pain, arrhythmia and others. Results There was a significant increase in overall admissions (p<0.003), ST elevation myocardial infarction (p<0.016), and non cardiac chest pain (p<0.022) in the first 2 weeks following the early morning September earthquake. This pattern was not seen after the early afternoon February earthquake. Instead, there was a very large number of stress cardiomyopathy admissions with 21 cases (95% CI 2.6–6.4) in 4 days. There had been 6 stress cardiomyopathy cases after the first earthquake (95% CI 0.44–2.62). Statistical analysis showed this to be a significant difference between the earthquakes (p<0.05). Conclusion The early morning September earthquake triggered a large increase in ST elevation myocardial infarction and a few stress cardiomyopathy cases. The early afternoon February earthquake caused significantly more stress cardiomyopathy. Two major earthquakes occurring at different times of day differed in their effect on acute cardiac events. PMID:23844213

  11. Ozone exposure, antioxidant genes, and lung function in an elderly cohort: VA Normative Aging Study

    PubMed Central

    Alexeeff, Stacey E.; Litonjua, Augusto A.; Wright, Robert O.; Baccarelli, Andrea; Suh, Helen; Sparrow, David; Vokonas, Pantel S.; Schwartz, Joel

    2008-01-01

    Background Ozone exposure is known to cause oxidative stress. We investigated the acute effects of ozone (O3) on lung function in the elderly, a suspected risk group. We then investigated whether genetic polymorphisms of antioxidant genes (heme oxygenase-1 [HMOX1] and glutathione S-transferase pi [GSTP1]) modified these associations. Methods We studied 1,100 elderly men from the Normative Aging Study whose lung function (forced vital capacity [FVC] and forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1]) was measured every 3 years from 1995–2005. We genotyped the GSTP1 Ile105Val and Ala114Val polymorphisms and the (GT)n repeat polymorphism in the HMOX1 promoter, classifying repeats as short (n<25) or long (n 25). Ambient O3 was measured continuously at locations in the Greater Boston area. We used mixed linear models, adjusting for known confounders. Results A 15 ppb increase in O3 during the previous 48 hours was associated with a 1.25% decrease in FEV1 (95% CI: −1.96%, −0.54%). This estimated effect was worsened with either the presence of a long (GT)n repeat in HMOX1 (−1.38%, 95% CI: −2.11%, −0.65) or the presence of an allele coding for Val105 in GSTP1 (−1.69%, 95% CI: −2.63%, −0.75). A stronger estimated effect of O3 on FEV1 was found in subjects carrying both the GSTP1 105Val variant and the HMOX1 long (GT)n repeat (−1.94%, 95% CI: −2.89%, −0.98%). Similar associations were also found between FVC and ozone exposure. Conclusions Our results suggest that ozone has an acute effect on lung function in the elderly, and the effects may be modified by the presence of specific polymorphisms in antioxidant genes. PMID:18524839

  12. Silymarin Prevents Restraint Stress-Induced Acute Liver Injury by Ameliorating Oxidative Stress and Reducing Inflammatory Response.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sou Hyun; Oh, Dal-Seok; Oh, Ji Youn; Son, Tae Gen; Yuk, Dong Yeon; Jung, Young-Suk

    2016-04-01

    Silymarin is a flavonoid extracted from the milk thistle Silybum marianum. It has been reported to prevent liver injuries induced by various chemicals or toxins. Our recent study suggested that silymarin induces hepatic synthesis of glutathione by increasing cysteine availability, which may consequently contribute to increased antioxidant capacity of the liver. In the present study, we investigated the effects of silymarin on acute liver injury induced by restraint stress. Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was orally administered to BALB/c mice every 12 h (3 times in total). After the last dose, mice were subjected to restraint stress for 6 h, and serum levels of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, and hepatic levels of lipid peroxidation were determined. Hepatic levels of sulfur-containing metabolites such as methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, cysteine, and glutathione were also measured. The level of pro-inflammatory mediators in both liver and serum was determined. To study the mechanism of the effects of silymarin, we assessed Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and apoptotic signaling. Restraint stress induced severe oxidative stress and increased mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory mediators; both effects of restraint stress were significantly inhibited by silymarin. Moreover, administration of silymarin significantly prevented acute liver injury induced by restraint stress by blocking JNK activation and subsequently apoptotic signaling. In conclusion, these results suggest that the inhibition of restraint stress-induced liver injury by silymarin is due at least in part to its anti-oxidant activity and its ability to suppress the inflammatory response.

  13. Effects of Acute Ozone Exposure and Methyl Jasmonate Treatment on White Pine Monoterpene and Sesquiterpene Emission Rates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faiola, C. L.; Wagner, D.; Allwine, E.; Harley, P. C.; Vanreken, T. M.

    2010-12-01

    Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are produced by plants and include monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and their oxygenated derivatives. These BVOCs are one of the principal factors influencing the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere in forested regions, and impact both ozone concentration and secondary organic aerosol formation. Under unstressed conditions, the release of BVOCs to the atmosphere is primarily controlled by the vapor pressure of the relevant compounds within the plant tissue, which is in turn dependent on temperature as well as complex biochemical production processes. However, various natural and anthropogenic stressors can alter both the quantity and composition of the BVOCs emitted by plants. Many potential stressors are expected to become stronger as climate change effects escalate. The impacts of most stressors on BVOC emissions have not been well characterized, particularly in a field setting where changes in BVOC emissions could have influential feedbacks with climate. This study investigated the effects of two stressors on monoterpene and sesquiterpene emission rates at a field site in northern Michigan: acute ozone exposure and treatment with methyl jasmonate, an herbivory proxy. The study included six repetitions of the same experiment, each time using a new set of sub-canopy eastern white pine specimens. For each experiment, dynamic branch enclosures were simultaneously used on three specimens for sample collection: one ozone treatment tree, one methyl jasmonate treatment tree, and one control tree. Sampling lines were placed in each enclosure and VOCs were collected onto cartridges packed with Tenax GR adsorbent. Samples were collected several times per day for at least two days before treatment and for five days after treatment. Cartridges were analyzed via thermodesorption with an Agilent GC/MS/FID. This analysis allowed the identification and quantification of several monoterpene and sesquiterpene species in the samples

  14. Short-term effects of multiple ozone metrics on daily mortality in a megacity of China.

    PubMed

    Li, Tiantian; Yan, Meilin; Ma, Wenjun; Ban, Jie; Liu, Tao; Lin, Hualiang; Liu, Zhaorong

    2015-06-01

    Epidemiological studies have widely demonstrated association between ambient ozone and mortality, though controversy remains, and most of them only use a certain metric to assess ozone levels. However, in China, few studies have investigated the acute effects of ambient ozone, and rare studies have compared health effects of multiple daily metrics of ozone. The present analysis aimed to explore variability of estimated health effects by using multiple temporal ozone metrics. Six metrics of ozone, 1-h maximum, maximum 8-h average, 24-h average, daytime average, nighttime average, and commute average, were used in a time-series study to investigate acute mortality associated with ambient ozone pollution in Guangzhou, China, using 3 years of daily data (2006-2008). We used generalized linear models with Poisson regression incorporating natural spline functions to analyze the mortality, ozone, and covariate data. We also examined the association by season. Daily 1- and 8-h maximum, 24-h average, and daytime average concentrations yielded statistically significant associations with mortality. An interquartile range (IQR) of O3 metric increase of each ozone metric (lag 2) corresponds to 2.92 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.24 to 5.66), 3.60 % (95 % CI, 0.92 to 8.49), 3.03 % (95 % CI, 0.57 to 15.8), and 3.31 % (95 % CI, 0.69 to 10.4) increase in daily non-accidental mortality, respectively. Nighttime and commute metrics were weakly associated with increased mortality rate. The associations between ozone and mortality appeared to be more evident during cool season than in the warm season. Results were robust to adjustment for co-pollutants, weather, and time trend. In conclusion, these results indicated that ozone, as a widespread pollutant, adversely affects mortality in Guangzhou.

  15. Acute Stress Disorder: Conceptual Issues and Treatment Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koucky, Ellen M.; Galovski, Tara E.; Nixon, Reginald D. V.

    2012-01-01

    Acute stress disorder (ASD) was included as a diagnosis to the 4th edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual" (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) as a way of describing pathological reactions in the first month following a trauma. Since that time, ASD has been the focus of some controversy, particularly regarding the theoretical basis…

  16. The acute autonomic stress response and amniotic fluid glucocorticoids in second-trimester pregnant women.

    PubMed

    La Marca-Ghaemmaghami, Pearl; Dainese, Sara M; La Marca, Roberto; Zimmermann, Roland; Ehlert, Ulrike

    2015-01-01

    The maternal autonomic nervous system (ANS) has received little attention in the investigation of biological mechanisms linking prenatal stress to fetal cortisol (F) excess. In vitro, norepinephrine and epinephrine inhibit placental 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2), which protects the fetus from F overexposure by inactivating it to cortisone (E). Here, we investigated the acute ANS stress response to an amniocentesis and its association with amniotic fluid F, E, and E/(E + F) as a marker of fetoplacental 11β-HSD2 activity. An aliquot of amniotic fluid was obtained from 34 healthy, second-trimester pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis. Repeated assessment of mood states served to examine the psychological stress response to amniocentesis. Saliva samples were collected to measure stress-induced changes in salivary α-amylase concentrations in response to amniocentesis. Cardiac parameters were measured continuously. Undergoing amniocentesis induced significant psychological and autonomic alterations. Low-frequency (LF)/high-frequency (HF) baseline, suggested to reflect sympathovagal balance, was negatively correlated with amniotic E/(E + F) (r=-0.53, p = .002) and positively with F (r = 0.62, p < .001). In contrast, a stronger acute LF/HF response was positively associated with E/(E + F) (r = 0.44, p = .012) and negatively with F (r=-0.40, p = .025). These findings suggest that the maternal ANS is involved in the regulation of the fetoplacental barrier to stress. Allostatic processes may have been initiated to counterbalance acute stress effects. In contrast, higher LF/HF baseline values, possibly indicative of chronic stress exposure, may have inhibited 11β-HSD2 activity in the fetoplacental unit. These results parallel animal findings of up-regulated placental 11β-HSD2 in response to acute stress but impairment under chronic stress.

  17. Genes of innate immunity and the biological response to inhaled ozone

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhuowei; Tighe, Robert M.; Feng, Feifei; Ledford, Julie G.; Hollingsworth, John W.

    2013-01-01

    Ambient ozone has a significant impact on human health. We have made considerable progress in understanding the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the biological response to ozone. It is increasingly clear that genes of innate immunity play a central role in both infectious and non-infectious lung disease. The biological response to ambient ozone provides a clinically relevant environmental exposure that allows us to better understand the role of innate immunity in non-infectious airways disease. In this brief review, we focus on: (1) specific cell types in the lung modified by ozone; (2) ozone and oxidative stress; (3) the relationship between genes of innate immunity and ozone; (4) the role of extracellular matrix in reactive airways disease; and (5) the effect of ozone on the adaptive immune system. We summarize recent advances in understanding the mechanisms that ozone contributes to environmental airways disease. PMID:23169704

  18. The effects of acute foot shock stress on empathy levels in rats.

    PubMed

    Karakilic, Aslı; Kizildag, Servet; Kandis, Sevim; Guvendi, Guven; Koc, Basar; Camsari, Gamze B; Camsari, Ulas M; Ates, Mehmet; Arda, Sevil Gonenc; Uysal, Nazan

    2018-09-03

    Empathy defined as the ability to understand and the share the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of another, is an important skill in survival and reproduction. Among many factors that affect empathy include psychological stress, anxiety states. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of acute psychological stress on empathic behavior and its association with oxytocin and vasopressin levels in amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Rats were subjected to 0.2 mA (low) and 1.6 mA (high) intensity of foot shock stress for duration of 20 min. Empathic behavior was found to be improved as a response to low intensity stress, but not to high intensity stress. As a response to lower intensity stress, vasopressin was increased in prefrontal cortex and amygdala; oxytocin was increased in only prefrontal cortex, and corticosterone levels increased in general. Anxiety indicators did not change in low intensity stress group yet; high intensity stress group demonstrated a lesser degree of anxiety response. High intensity stress group stayed unexpectedly more active in middle area of elevated plus maze test equipment, which may support impaired executive decision making abilities in the setting of high anxiety states. Further research is needed to investigate gender effects, the role of dopaminergic system and other stress related pathways in acute stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Behavioral Predictors of Acute Stress Symptoms During Intense Military Training

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    the Ways of Coping Scale ( Folkman & Lazarus , 1988). During survival training, the Clinician- Administered Dissociative States Scale (Bremner et al...Published on behalf of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Acute Stress Symptoms 217 Folkman , S., & Lazarus , R. (1988). Manual...and performance in sport (pp. 17–42). Chichester, UK: Wiley. Lazarus , R. S. (2000). Cognitive-motivational-relational theory of emotion. In Y . Hanin

  20. Tropospheric Ozone and Photochemical Smog

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sillman, S.

    2003-12-01

    The question of air quality in polluted regions represents one of the issues of geochemistry with direct implications for human well-being. Human health and well-being, along with the well-being of plants, animals, and agricultural crops, are dependent on the quality of air we breathe. Since the start of the industrial era, air quality has become a matter of major importance, especially in large cities or urbanized regions with heavy automobile traffic and industrial activity.Concern over air quality existed as far back as the 1600s. Originally, polluted air in cities resulted from the burning of wood or coal, largely as a source of heat. The industrial revolution in England saw a great increase in the use of coal in rapidly growing cities, both for industrial use and domestic heating. London suffered from devastating pollution events during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with thousands of excess deaths attributed to air pollution (Brimblecombe, 1987). With increasing use of coal, other instances also occurred in continental Europe and the USA. These events were caused by directly emitted pollutants (primary pollutants), including sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulates. They were especially acute in cities with northerly locations during fall and winter when sunlight is at a minimum. These original pollution events gave rise to the term "smog" (a combination of smoke and fog). Events of this type have become much less severe since the 1950s in Western Europe and the US, as natural gas replaced coal as the primary source of home heating, industrial smokestacks were designed to emit at higher altitudes (where dispersion is more rapid), and industries were required to install pollution control equipment.Beginning in the 1950s, a new type of pollution, photochemical smog, became a major concern. Photochemical smog consists of ozone (O3) and other closely related species ("secondary pollutants") that are produced photochemically from directly

  1. Effects of acute handling stress on short-term central expression of orexigenic/anorexigenic genes in zebrafish.

    PubMed

    Cortés, Raul; Teles, Mariana; Oliveira, Miguel; Fierro-Castro, Camino; Tort, Lluis; Cerdá-Reverter, José Miguel

    2018-02-01

    Physiological mechanisms driving stress response in vertebrates are evolutionarily conserved. These mechanisms involve the activation of both the hypothalamic-sympathetic-chromaffin cell (HSC) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes. In fish, the reduction of food intake levels is a common feature of the behavioral response to stress but the central mechanisms coordinating the energetic response are not well understood yet. In this work, we explore the effects of acute stress on key central systems regulating food intake in fish as well as on total body cortisol and glucose levels. We show that acute stress induced a rapid increase in total body cortisol with no changes in body glucose, at the same time promoting a prompt central response by activating neuronal pathways. All three orexigenic peptides examined, i.e., neuropeptide y (npy), agouti-related protein (agrp), and ghrelin, increased their central expression level suggesting that these neuronal systems are not involved in the short-term feeding inhibitory effects of acute stress. By contrast, the anorexigenic precursors tested, i.e., cart peptides and pomc, exhibited increased expression after acute stress, suggesting their involvement in the anorexigenic effects.

  2. Dynamic changes in saliva after acute mental stress

    PubMed Central

    Naumova, Ella A.; Sandulescu, Tudor; Bochnig, Clemens; Khatib, Philipp Al; Lee, Wing-Kee; Zimmer, Stefan; Arnold, Wolfgang H.

    2014-01-01

    Stress-related variations of fluoride concentration in supernatant saliva and salivary sediment, salivary cortisol, total protein and pH after acute mental stress were assessed. The hypothesis was that stress reactions have no influence on these parameters. Thirty-four male students were distributed into two groups: first received the stress exposure followed by the same protocol two weeks later but without stress exposure, second underwent the protocol without stress exposure followed by the stress exposure two weeks later. The stressor was a public speech followed by tooth brushing. Saliva was collected before, immediately after stress induction and immediately, at 10, 30 and 120 min. after tooth brushing. Cortisol concentrations, total protein, intraoral pH, and fluoride content in saliva were measured. The data were analyzed statistically. Salivary sediment was ca 4.33% by weight of whole unstimulated saliva. Fluoride bioavailability was higher in salivary sediment than in supernatant saliva. The weight and fluoride concentration was not altered during 2 hours after stress exposure. After a public speech, the salivary cortisol concentration significantly increased after 20 minutes compared to the baseline. The salivary protein concentration and pH also increased. Public speaking influences protein concentration and salivary pH but does not alter the fluoride concentration of saliva. PMID:24811301

  3. Development and psychometric evaluation of child acute stress measures in Spanish and English.

    PubMed

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Gold, Jeffrey I; Montaño, Zorash; Kohser, Kristen L; Cuadra, Anai; Muñoz, Cynthia; Armstrong, F Daniel

    2013-02-01

    Clinicians and researchers need tools for accurate early assessment of children's acute stress reactions and acute stress disorder (ASD). There is a particular need for independently validated Spanish-language measures. The current study reports on 2 measures of child acute stress (a self-report checklist and a semistructured interview), describing the development of the Spanish version of each measure and psychometric evaluation of both the Spanish and English versions. Children between the ages of 8 to 17 years who had experienced a recent traumatic event completed study measures in Spanish (n = 225) or in English (n = 254). Results provide support for reliability (internal consistency of the measures in both languages ranged from .83 to .89; cross-language reliability of the checklist was .93) and for convergent validity (with later PTSD symptoms, and with concurrent anxiety symptoms). Comparing checklist and interview results revealed a strong association between severity scores within the Spanish and English samples. Differences between the checklist and interview in evaluating the presence of ASD appear to be linked to different content coverage for dissociation symptoms. Future studies should further assess the impact of differing assessment modes, content coverage, and the use of these measures in children with diverse types of acute trauma exposure in English- and Spanish-speaking children. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

  4. Cumulative exposure to prior collective trauma and acute stress responses to the Boston marathon bombings.

    PubMed

    Garfin, Dana Rose; Holman, E Alison; Silver, Roxane Cohen

    2015-06-01

    The role of repeated exposure to collective trauma in explaining response to subsequent community-wide trauma is poorly understood. We examined the relationship between acute stress response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and prior direct and indirect media-based exposure to three collective traumatic events: the September 11, 2001 (9/11) terrorist attacks, Superstorm Sandy, and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Representative samples of residents of metropolitan Boston (n = 846) and New York City (n = 941) completed Internet-based surveys shortly after the Boston Marathon bombings. Cumulative direct exposure and indirect exposure to prior community trauma and acute stress symptoms were assessed. Acute stress levels did not differ between Boston and New York metropolitan residents. Cumulative direct and indirect, live-media-based exposure to 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and the Sandy Hook shooting were positively associated with acute stress responses in the covariate-adjusted model. People who experience multiple community-based traumas may be sensitized to the negative impact of subsequent events, especially in communities previously exposed to similar disasters. © The Author(s) 2015.

  5. The impact of acute stress on hormones and cytokines, and how their recovery is affected by music-evoked positive mood

    PubMed Central

    Koelsch, Stefan; Boehlig, Albrecht; Hohenadel, Maximilian; Nitsche, Ines; Bauer, Katrin; Sack, Ulrich

    2016-01-01

    Stress and recovery from stress significantly affect interactions between the central nervous system, endocrine pathways, and the immune system. However, the influence of acute stress on circulating immune-endocrine mediators in humans is not well known. Using a double-blind, randomized study design, we administered a CO2 stress test to n = 143 participants to identify the effects of acute stress, and recovery from stress, on serum levels of several mediators with immune function (IL-6, TNF-α, leptin, and somatostatin), as well as on noradrenaline, and two hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis hormones (ACTH and cortisol). Moreover, during a 1 h-recovery period, we repeatedly measured these serum parameters, and administered an auditory mood-induction protocol with positive music and a neutral control stimulus. The acute stress elicited increases in noradrenaline, ACTH, cortisol, IL-6, and leptin levels. Noradrenaline and ACTH exhibited the fastest and strongest stress responses, followed by cortisol, IL-6 and leptin. The music intervention was associated with more positive mood, and stronger cortisol responses to the acute stressor in the music group. Our data show that acute (CO2) stress affects endocrine, immune and metabolic functions in humans, and they show that mood plays a causal role in the modulation of responses to acute stress. PMID:27020850

  6. Protective effect of exercise and sildenafil on acute stress and cognitive function.

    PubMed

    Ozbeyli, Dilek; Gokalp, Ayse Gizem; Koral, Tolga; Ocal, Onur Yuksel; Dogan, Berkay; Akakin, Dilek; Yuksel, Meral; Kasimay, Ozgur

    2015-11-01

    There are contradictory results about the effects of exercise and sildenafil on cognitive functions. To investigate the effects of sildenafil pretreatment and chronic exercise on anxiety and cognitive functions. Wistar rats (n=42) were divided as sedentary and exercise groups. A moderate-intensity swimming exercise was performed for 6 weeks, 5 days/week, 1h/day. Some of the rats were administered orogastrically with sildenafil (25mg/kg/day) either acutely or chronically. Exposure to cat odor was used for induction of stress. The level of anxiety was evaluated by elevated plus maze test, while object recognition test was used to determine cognitive functions. Brain tissues were removed for the measurement of myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide levels, lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence, and for histological analysis. Increased MPO and MDA levels in sedentary-stressed rats were decreased with sildenafil applications. Chronic exercise inhibited the increase in MPO levels. Increased nitric oxide and lucigenin chemiluminescence levels in sedentary-stressed rats, were diminished with chronic sildenafil pretreatment. The time spent in the open arms of the plus maze was declined in sedentary-stressed rats, while chronic sildenafil pretreatment increased the time back to that in non-stressed rats. Acute sildenafil application to exercised rats prolonged the time spent in open arms as compared to non-treated exercise group. The time spent with the novel object, which was decreased in sedentary-stressed rats, was increased with sildenafil pretreatment. Our results suggest that sildenafil pretreatment or exercise exerts a protective effect against acute stress and improves cognitive functions by decreasing oxidative damage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Chronic mitochondrial uncoupling treatment prevents acute cold-induced oxidative stress in birds.

    PubMed

    Stier, Antoine; Massemin, Sylvie; Criscuolo, François

    2014-12-01

    Endotherms have evolved two major types of thermogenesis that allow them to actively produce heat in response to cold exposure, either through muscular activity (i.e. shivering thermogenesis) or through futile electro-chemical cycles (i.e. non-shivering thermogenesis). Amongst the latter, mitochondrial uncoupling is of key importance because it is suggested to drive heat production at a low cost in terms of oxidative stress. While this has been experimentally shown in mammals, the oxidative stress consequences of cold exposure and mitochondrial uncoupling are clearly less understood in the other class of endotherms, the birds. We compared metabolic and oxidative stress responses of zebra finches chronically treated with or without a chemical mitochondrial uncoupler (2,4-dinitrophenol: DNP), undergoing an acute (24 h) and a chronic (4 weeks) cold exposure (12 °C). We predicted that control birds should present at least a transient elevation of oxidative stress levels in response to cold exposure. This oxidative stress cost should be more pronounced in control birds than in DNP-treated birds, due to their lower basal uncoupling state. Despite similar increase in metabolism, control birds presented elevated levels of DNA oxidative damage in response to acute (but not chronic) cold exposure, while DNP-treated birds did not. Plasma antioxidant capacity decreased overall in response to chronic cold exposure. These results show that acute cold exposure increases oxidative stress in birds. However, uncoupling mitochondrial functioning appears as a putative compensatory mechanism preventing cold-induced oxidative stress. This result confirms previous observations in mice and underlines non-shivering thermogenesis as a putative key mechanism for endotherms in mounting a response to cold at a low oxidative cost.

  8. Chronic stress decreases availability of heat shock proteins to glucocorticoid receptor in response to novel acute stress in Wistar rat hypothalamus.

    PubMed

    Simic, Iva; Mitic, Milos; Djordjevic, Jelena; Radojcic, Marija; Adzic, Miroslav

    2012-05-01

    Chronic psychosocial isolation (CPSI) is known to cause several maladaptive changes in the limbic brain structures, which regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. In this study, we focused our investigation on CPSI effects in the hypothalamus (HT) since it is a major driver of HPA axis activity. We also investigated whether the exposure to CPSI could alter the response to subsequent acute stress (30-min immobilization). In the HT, we followed cytosolic and nuclear levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), as a mediator of HPA axis feedback inhibition, and its chaperones, the heat shock proteins (HSPs), hsp70 and hsp90. The CPSI did not cause any changes in either GR or HSPs levels. However, we observed increase of the GR and hsp70 in both HT cellular compartments as a response of naïve rats to acute stress, whereas the response of CPSI rats to acute stress was associated with elevation of the GR in the cytosol and decrease of HSPs in the nucleus. Thus, our data indicated reduced availability of HSPs to GR in both cytosol and nucleus of the HT under acute stress of CPSI animals, and therefore, pointed out to potentially negative effects of CPSI on GR function in the HT.

  9. Factor Structure of the Acute Stress Disorder Scale in a Sample of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmondson, Donald; Mills, Mary Alice; Park, Crystal L.

    2010-01-01

    Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a poorly understood and controversial diagnosis (A. G. Harvey & R. A. Bryant, 2002). The present study used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the factor structure of the most widely used self-report measure of ASD, the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (R. A. Bryant, M. L. Moulds, & R. M. Guthrie, 2000),…

  10. Drought stress does not protect Quercus ilex L. from ozone effects: results from a comparative study of two subspecies differing in ozone sensitivity.

    PubMed

    Alonso, R; Elvira, S; González-Fernández, I; Calvete, H; García-Gómez, H; Bermejo, V

    2014-03-01

    Long-term effects of ozone (O3) exposure and drought stress were assessed on two subspecies of Quercus ilex: ssp. ilex and ssp. ballota. Two-year-old seedlings were continuously exposed for 26 months in open-top chambers to three O3 treatments: charcoal filtered air, non-filtered air and non-filtered air supplemented with 40 nl · l(-1) O3. Additionally, two irrigation regimes were adopted: half of the plants were well-watered and the others received half of the water supplied to control plants. Growth, shoot water potential and gas exchange rates were assessed seasonally, and biomass accumulation was determined at the end of the experiment. Drought stress caused higher reductions of gas exchange, growth and biomass accumulation than O3 exposure in both subspecies. The combination of O3 and drought stress caused further decreases of accumulated aboveground biomass but no additive effects were observed on gas exchange rates or root biomass. Thus, drought stress did not protect Q. ilex from O3 effects on biomass when the response of the whole plant was considered. Q. ilex ssp. ballota was more sensitive to O3 and ssp. ilex was more affected by drought stress. The different O3 sensitivity was not only related to pollutant uptake but also to the ability of plants for resource acquisition and allocation. Based on biomass dose-response functions, Q. ilex is more resistant to O3 than other European evergreen tree species, however, O3 represents an additional stress factor that might be impairing plant ability to withstand current and future climate change. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  11. Association between air pollution and acute childhood wheezy episodes: prospective observational study.

    PubMed Central

    Buchdahl, R.; Parker, A.; Stebbings, T.; Babiker, A.

    1996-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--To examine the association between the air pollutants ozone, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide and the incidence of acute childhood wheezy episodes. DESIGN--Prospective observational study over one year. SETTING--District general hospital. SUBJECTS--1025 children attending the accident and emergency department with acute wheezy episodes; 4285 children with other conditions as the control group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Daily incidence of acute wheezy episodes. RESULTS--After seasonal adjustment, day to day variations in daily average concentrations of ozone and sulphur dioxide were found to have significant associations with the incidence of acute wheezy episodes. The strongest association was with ozone, for which a non-linear U shaped relation was seen. In terms of the incidence rate ratio (1 at a mean 24 hour ozone concentration of 40 microg/m3 (SD=19.1)), children were more likely to attend when the concentration was two standard deviations below the mean (incidence rate ratio=3.01; 95% confidence interval 2.17 to 4.18) or two standard deviations above the mean (1.34; 1.09 to 1.66). Sulphur dioxide had a weaker log-linear relation with incidence (1.12; 1.05 to 1.19 for each standard deviation (14.1) increase in sulphur dioxide concentration). Further adjustment for temperature and wind speed did not significantly alter these associations. CONCLUSIONS--Independent of season, temperature, and wind speed, fluctuations in concentrations of atmospheric ozone and sulphur dioxide are strongly associated with patterns of attendance at accident and emergency departments for acute childhood wheezy episodes. A critical ozone concentration seems to exist in the atmosphere above or below which children are more likely to develop symptoms. PMID:8597731

  12. Chronic but not acute foot-shock stress leads to temporary suppression of cell proliferation in rat hippocampus.

    PubMed

    Dagyte, G; Van der Zee, E A; Postema, F; Luiten, P G M; Den Boer, J A; Trentani, A; Meerlo, P

    2009-09-15

    Stressful experiences, especially when prolonged and severe are associated with psychopathology and impaired neuronal plasticity. Among other effects on the brain, stress has been shown to negatively regulate hippocampal neurogenesis, and this effect is considered to be exerted via glucocorticoids. Here, we sought to determine the temporal dynamics of changes in hippocampal neurogenesis after acute and chronic exposure to foot-shock stress. Rats subjected to a foot-shock procedure showed strong activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, even after exposure to daily stress for 3 weeks. Despite a robust release of corticosterone, acute foot-shock stress did not affect the rate of hippocampal cell proliferation. In contrast, exposure to foot-shock stress daily for 3 weeks led to reduced cell proliferation 2 hours after the stress procedure. Interestingly, this stress-induced effect did not persist and was no longer detected 24 hours later. Also, while chronic foot-shock stress had no impact on survival of hippocampal cells that were born before the stress procedure, it led to a decreased number of doublecortin-positive granule neurons that were born during the chronic stress period. Thus, whereas a strong activation of the HPA axis during acute foot-shock stress is not sufficient to reduce hippocampal cell proliferation, repeated exposure to stressful stimuli for prolonged period of time ultimately results in dysregulated neurogenesis. In sum, this study supports the notion that chronic stress may lead to cumulative changes in the brain that are not seen after acute stress. Such changes may indicate compromised brain plasticity and increased vulnerability to neuropathology.

  13. Aerobic Fitness Level Affects Cardiovascular and Salivary Alpha Amylase Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

    PubMed

    Wyss, Thomas; Boesch, Maria; Roos, Lilian; Tschopp, Céline; Frei, Klaus M; Annen, Hubert; La Marca, Roberto

    2016-12-01

    Good physical fitness seems to help the individual to buffer the potential harmful impact of psychosocial stress on somatic and mental health. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of physical fitness levels on the autonomic nervous system (ANS; i.e. heart rate and salivary alpha amylase) responses to acute psychosocial stress, while controlling for established factors influencing individual stress reactions. The Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) was executed with 302 male recruits during their first week of Swiss Army basic training. Heart rate was measured continuously, and salivary alpha amylase was measured twice, before and after the stress intervention. In the same week, all volunteers participated in a physical fitness test and they responded to questionnaires on lifestyle factors and personal traits. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine ANS responses to acute psychosocial stress from physical fitness test performances, controlling for personal traits, behavioural factors, and socioeconomic data. Multiple linear regression revealed three variables predicting 15 % of the variance in heart rate response (area under the individual heart rate response curve during TSST-G) and four variables predicting 12 % of the variance in salivary alpha amylase response (salivary alpha amylase level immediately after the TSST-G) to acute psychosocial stress. A strong performance at the progressive endurance run (high maximal oxygen consumption) was a significant predictor of ANS response in both models: low area under the heart rate response curve during TSST-G as well as low salivary alpha amylase level after TSST-G. Further, high muscle power, non-smoking, high extraversion, and low agreeableness were predictors of a favourable ANS response in either one of the two dependent variables. Good physical fitness, especially good aerobic endurance capacity, is an important protective factor against health

  14. Effects of acute ozone exposure on the electrophysiological properties of guinea pig trachea

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Croxton, T.L.; Takahashi, Masahiko; Kokia, Ira

    1994-12-31

    Acute ozone (O{sub 3}) exposures produce an increase in the apparent permeability of the tracheal epithelium, but the mechanism of this response is poorly understood. Comparison of previous studies suggests that qualitative differences may exist between measurements made in vivo or in vitro. To test this possibility we used both in vitro and in vivo electrophysiological techniques to investigate the effects of O{sub 3} exposure on guinea pig tracheal epithelium. Male Hartley guinea pigs were exposed to either 1 or 2 ppm O{sub 3} or to filtered air for 3 h and were studied 0, 6, or 24 h aftermore » exposure. Air-exposed animals had in vitro mean tracheal potential (V{sub T}) -32.0 {+-} 1.5 mV, conductance (G{sub T}{sup L}) 2.18 {+-} 0.22 mS/cm, short-circuit current (I{sub SC}{sup L}) 62.6 {+-} 3.7 {mu}A/cm, and diameter (D) 2.44 {+-} 0.10 mm. In vitro properties after 1 ppm O{sub 3} exposure did not differ at any time point from control. Two parts per million O{sub 3} increased I{sub SC}{sup L}, but only at 6 h postexposure. The effect of O{sub 3} on I{sub SC}{sup L} was abolished by amiloride. There were no significant changes in V{sub T}, G{sub T}{sup L}, or D. In vivo tracheal potential under pentobarbital anesthesia was -19.7 {+-} 1.7 mV. At 6 h postexposure to 2 ppm O{sub 3}, but not at 0 or 24 h, in vivo V{sub I} was increased. Thus, acute exposure of guinea pigs to a high concentration of O{sub 3} caused a delayed increase in Na{sup +} absorption by the trachea with no change in conductance. This indicates that paracellular permeability of guinea pig tracheal epithelium was not substantially increased by acute O{sub 3} and suggests that enhanced macromolecular uptake in this species probably occurs transcellularly. 24 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.« less

  15. Corticosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone in songbird plasma and brain: effects of season and acute stress

    PubMed Central

    Newman, Amy E. M.; Soma, Kiran K.

    2010-01-01

    Prolonged increases in plasma glucocorticoids can exacerbate neurodegeneration. In rats, these neurodegenerative effects can be reduced by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an androgen precursor with anti-glucocorticoid actions. In song sparrows, season and acute restraint stress affect circulating levels of corticosterone and DHEA, and the effects of stress differ in plasma collected from the brachial and jugular veins. Jugular plasma is an indirect index of the neural steroidal milieu. Here, we directly measured corticosterone and DHEA in several brain regions and jugular plasma, and examined the effects of season and acute restraint stress (30 min) (n = 571 samples). Corticosterone levels were up to 10× lower in brain than in jugular plasma. In contrast, DHEA levels were up to 5× higher in brain than in jugular plasma and were highest in the hippocampus. Corticosterone and DHEA concentrations were strongly seasonally regulated in plasma but, surprisingly, not seasonally regulated in brain. Acute stress increased corticosterone levels in plasma and brain, except during the molt, when stress unexpectedly decreased corticosterone levels in the hippocampus. Acute stress increased DHEA levels in plasma during the molt but had no effects on DHEA levels in brain. This is the first study to measure (i) corticosterone or DHEA levels in the brain of adult songbirds and (ii) seasonal changes in corticosterone or DHEA levels in the brain of any species. These results highlight several critical differences between systemic and local steroid concentrations and the difficulty of using circulating steroid levels to infer local steroid levels within the brain. PMID:19473242

  16. Protective effect of Mn(III)-desferrioxamine B upon oxidative stress caused by ozone and acid rain in the Brazilian soybean cultivar Glycine max "Sambaiba".

    PubMed

    Esposito, Jéssica Bordotti Nobre; Esposito, Breno Pannia; Azevedo, Ricardo Antunes; Cruz, Luciano Soares; da Silva, Luzimar Campos; de Souza, Silvia Ribeiro

    2015-04-01

    This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Mn complex (Mn(III)-desferrioxamine B (MnDFB)) on oxidative stress in the Brazilian soybean cultivar Glycine max "Sambaiba" following exposure to ozone and acid rain. We determined the suitable dose of MnDFB to apply to G. max seedlings using a dose-response curve. The highest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and Mn content in leaves were found upon the application of 8 μM MnDFB. Thus, G. max seedlings pretreated with 8 μM MnDFB were individually exposed to ozone and acid rain simulated. Pretreatment with MnDFB reduced lipid peroxidation upon ozone exposure and increased SOD activity in leaves; it did not alter the metal content in any part of the plant. Conversely, following acid rain exposure, neither the metal content in leaves nor SOD enzyme activity were directly affected by MnDFB, unlike pH. Our findings demonstrated that exogenous MnDFB application before ozone exposure may modulate the MnSOD, Cu/ZnSOD, and FeSOD activities to combat the ROS excess in the cell. Here, we demonstrated that the applied dose of MnDFB enhances antioxidative defenses in soybean following exposure to acid rain and especially to ozone.

  17. Acute Stress in Parents of Children Newly Diagnosed With Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Patiño-Fernández, Anna Maria; Pai, Ahna L.H.; Alderfer, Melissa; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Reilly, Anne; Kazak, Anne E.

    2010-01-01

    Objective Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and subclinical symptoms of acute stress (SAS) may be a useful framework for understanding the psychological reactions of mothers and fathers of children newly diagnosed with a pediatric malignancy. Patients and Methods Mothers (N = 129) and fathers (N = 72) of 138 children newly diagnosed with cancer completed questionnaires assessing acute distress, anxiety, and family functioning. Demographic data were also gathered. Inclusion criteria were: a confirmed diagnosis of a pediatric malignancy in a child under the age of 18 years without prior chronic or life threatening illness and fluency in English or Spanish. Results Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were used to examine predictors of SAS. Fifty-one percent (N = 66) of mothers and 40% (N = 29) of fathers met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ASD. The majority of the sample reported experiencing at least one SAS. General anxiety, but not family functioning, was a strong predictor of SAS in both mothers and fathers even after controlling for demographic characteristics. Conclusions Immediately following their child’s diagnosis of cancer, most mothers and fathers experience SAS, with a subsample meeting criteria for ASD. More anxious parents are at heightened risk of more intense reactions. The findings support the need for evidence-based psychosocial support at diagnosis and throughout treatment for families who are at risk for acute distress reactions. PMID:17514742

  18. Predicting the effects of tropospheric ozone on forest productivity in the Northeastern U.S.

    Treesearch

    Scott V. Ollinger; John D. Aber; Peter B. Reich

    1996-01-01

    It is widely believed that tropospheric ozone presents a significant anthropogenic stress on forest ecosystems. Although much information has been collected regarding ozone effects at the seedling and leaf level, we do not have a reliable means of estimating the effect on mature, native forests. For the present study, we incorporated leaf-level ozone response...

  19. Acute Heat Stress Changes Protein Expression in the Testes of a Broiler-Type Strain of Taiwan Country Chickens.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Chen, Chao-Jung; Chan, Hong-Lin; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2018-03-19

    Heat stress leads to decreased fertility in roosters. This study investigated the global protein expression in response to acute heat stress in the testes of a broiler-type strain of Taiwan country chickens (TCCs). Twelve 45-week-old roosters were randomly allocated to the control group maintained at 25°C, and three groups subjected to acute heat stress at 38°C for 4 h, with 0, 2, and 6 h of recovery, respectively. Testis samples were collected for hematoxylin and eosin staining, apoptosis assay, and protein analysis. The results revealed 101 protein spots that differed significantly from the control following exposure to acute heat stress. The proteins that were differentially expressed participated mainly in protein metabolism and other metabolic processes, responses to stimuli, apoptosis, cellular organization, and spermatogenesis. Proteins that negatively regulate apoptosis were downregulated and proteins involved in autophagy and major heat shock proteins (HSP90α, HSPA5, and HSPA8) were upregulated in the testes of heat-stressed chickens. In conclusion, acute heat stress causes a change in protein expression in the testes of broiler-type B strain TCCs and may thus impair cell morphology, spermatogenesis, and apoptosis. The expression of heat shock proteins increased to attenuate the testicular injury induced by acute heat stress.

  20. Acute psychosocial stress and emotion regulation skills modulate empathic reactions to pain in others

    PubMed Central

    Buruck, Gabriele; Wendsche, Johannes; Melzer, Marlen; Strobel, Alexander; Dörfel, Denise

    2014-01-01

    Psychosocial stress affects resources for adequate coping with environmental demands. A crucial question in this context is the extent to which acute psychosocial stressors impact empathy and emotion regulation. In the present study, 120 participants were randomly assigned to a control group vs. a group confronted with the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), an established paradigm for the induction of acute psychosocial stress. Empathy for pain as a specific subgroup of empathy was assessed via pain intensity ratings during a pain-picture task. Self-reported emotion regulation skills were measured as predictors using an established questionnaire. Stressed individuals scored significantly lower on the appraisal of pain pictures. A regression model was chosen to find variables that further predict the pain ratings. These findings implicate that acute psychosocial stress might impair empathic processes to observed pain in another person and the ability to accept one's emotion additionally predicts the empathic reaction. Furthermore, the ability to tolerate negative emotions modulated the relation between stress and pain judgments, and thus influenced core cognitive-affective functions relevant for coping with environmental challenges. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of reducing negative emotions in terms of empathic distress when confronted with pain of another person under psychosocial stress, in order to be able to retain pro-social behavior. PMID:24910626

  1. A Total Ozone Dependent Ozone Profile Climatology Based on Ozone-Sondes and Aura MLS Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Labow, G. J.; McPeters, R. D.; Ziemke, J. R.

    2014-12-01

    A new total ozone-based ozone profile climatology has been created for use in satellite and/or ground based ozone retrievals. This climatology was formed by combining data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) with data from balloon sondes and binned by zone and total ozone. Because profile shape varies with total column ozone, this climatology better captures the ozone variations than the previously used seasonal climatologies, especially near the tropopause. This is significantly different than ozone climatologies used in the past as there is no time component. The MLS instrument on Aura has excellent latitude coverage and measures ozone profiles daily from the upper troposphere to the lower mesosphere at ~3.5 km resolution. Almost a million individual MLS ozone measurements are merged with data from over 55,000 ozonesondes which are then binned as a function of total ozone. The climatology consists of average ozone profiles as a function of total ozone for six 30 degree latitude bands covering altitudes from 0-75 km (in Z* pressure altitude coordinates). This new climatology better represents the profile shape as a function of total ozone than previous climatologies and shows some remarkable and somewhat unexpected correlations between total ozone and ozone in the lower altitudes, particularly in the lower and middle troposphere. These data can also be used to infer biases and errors in either the MLS retrievals or ozone sondes.

  2. Systemic responses to inhaled ozone in mice: cachexia and down-regulation of liver xenobiotic metabolizing genes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Last, Jerold A.; Gohil, Kishorchandra; Mathrani, Vivek C.

    2005-10-15

    Rats or mice acutely exposed to high concentrations of ozone show an immediate and significant weight loss, even when allowed free access to food and water. The mechanisms underlying this systemic response to ozone have not been previously elucidated. We have applied the technique of global gene expression analysis to the livers of C57BL mice acutely exposed to ozone. Mice lost up to 14% of their original body weight, with a 42% decrease in total food consumption. We previously had found significant up-regulation of genes encoding proliferative enzymes, proteins related to acute phase reactions and cytoskeletal functions, and other biomarkersmore » of a cachexia-like inflammatory state in lungs of mice exposed to ozone. These results are consistent with a general up-regulation of different gene families responsive to NF-{kappa}B in the lungs of the exposed mice. In the present study, we observed significant down-regulation of different families of mRNAs in the livers of the exposed mice, including genes related to lipid and fatty acid metabolism, and to carbohydrate metabolism in this tissue, consistent with a systemic cachexic response. Several interferon-dependent genes were down-regulated in the liver, suggesting a possible role for interferon as a signaling molecule between lung and liver. In addition, transcription of several mRNAs encoding enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism in the livers of mice exposed to ozone was decreased, suggesting cytokine-mediated suppression of cytochrome P450 expression. This finding may explain a previously controversial report from other investigators more than 20 years ago of prolongation of pentobarbital sleeping time in mice exposed to ozone.« less

  3. Systemic responses to inhaled ozone in mice: cachexia and down-regulation of liver xenobiotic metabolizing genes.

    PubMed

    Last, Jerold A; Gohil, Kishorchandra; Mathrani, Vivek C; Kenyon, Nicholas J

    2005-10-15

    Rats or mice acutely exposed to high concentrations of ozone show an immediate and significant weight loss, even when allowed free access to food and water. The mechanisms underlying this systemic response to ozone have not been previously elucidated. We have applied the technique of global gene expression analysis to the livers of C57BL mice acutely exposed to ozone. Mice lost up to 14% of their original body weight, with a 42% decrease in total food consumption. We previously had found significant up-regulation of genes encoding proliferative enzymes, proteins related to acute phase reactions and cytoskeletal functions, and other biomarkers of a cachexia-like inflammatory state in lungs of mice exposed to ozone. These results are consistent with a general up-regulation of different gene families responsive to NF-kappaB in the lungs of the exposed mice. In the present study, we observed significant down-regulation of different families of mRNAs in the livers of the exposed mice, including genes related to lipid and fatty acid metabolism, and to carbohydrate metabolism in this tissue, consistent with a systemic cachexic response. Several interferon-dependent genes were down-regulated in the liver, suggesting a possible role for interferon as a signaling molecule between lung and liver. In addition, transcription of several mRNAs encoding enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism in the livers of mice exposed to ozone was decreased, suggesting cytokine-mediated suppression of cytochrome P450 expression. This finding may explain a previously controversial report from other investigators more than 20 years ago of prolongation of pentobarbital sleeping time in mice exposed to ozone.

  4. Acute Stress Symptoms in Children: Results From an International Data Archive

    PubMed Central

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Palmieri, Patrick A.; Rork, Kristine; Delahanty, Douglas L.; Kenardy, Justin; Kohser, Kristen L.; Landolt, Markus A.; Le Brocque, Robyne; Marsac, Meghan L.; Meiser-Stedman, Richard; Nixon, Reginald D. V.; Bui, Eric; McGrath, Caitlin

    2012-01-01

    Objective To describe the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms and examine proposed DSM-5 symptom criteria in relation to concurrent functional impairment in children. Method From an international archive, datasets were identified which included assessment of acute traumatic stress reactions and concurrent impairment in children age 5 to 17. Data came from 15 studies conducted in the US, UK, Australia, and Switzerland with 1645 children. Dichotomized items were created to indicate the presence or absence of each of the 14 proposed ASD symptoms and functional impairment. The performance of a proposed diagnostic criterion (number of ASD symptoms required) was examined as a predictor of concurrent impairment. Results Each ASD symptom was endorsed by 14% to 51% of children; 41% reported clinically-relevant impairment. Children reported from 0 to 13 symptoms (mean = 3.6). Individual ASD symptoms were associated with greater likelihood of functional impairment. The DSM-5 proposed 8-symptom requirement was met by 202 (12.3%) children, and had low sensitivity (.25) in predicting concurrent clinically-relevant impairment. Requiring fewer symptoms (three to four) greatly improved sensitivity while maintaining moderate specificity. Conclusions This group of symptoms appears to capture aspects of traumatic stress reactions that can create distress and interfere with children’s ability to function in the acute post-trauma phase. Results provide a benchmark for comparison with adult samples; a smaller proportion of children met the 8-symptom criterion than reported for adults. Symptom requirements for the ASD diagnosis may need to be lowered to optimally identify children whose acute distress warrants clinical attention. PMID:22840552

  5. Acute Stress Impairs Inhibitory Control based on Individual Differences in Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity

    PubMed Central

    Roos, Leslie E.; Knight, Erik L.; Beauchamp, Kathryn G.; Berkman, Elliot T.; Faraday, Kelsie; Hyslop, Katie; Fisher, Philip A.

    2017-01-01

    Identifying environmental influences on inhibitory control (IC) may help promote positive behavioral and social adjustment. Although chronic stress is known to predict lower IC, the immediate effects of acute stress are unknown. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) may be a mechanism of the stress-IC link, given its psychophysiological regulatory role and connections to prefrontal brain regions critical to IC. We used a focused assessment of IC (the stop-signal task) to test whether an acute social stressor (the Trier Social Stress Test) affected participants’ pre- to post-IC performance (n = 58), compared to a control manipulation (n = 31). High frequency heart-rate variability was used as an index of PNS activity in response to the manipulation. Results indicated that stress impaired IC performance, blocking the practice effects observed in control participants. We also investigated the associations between PNS activity and IC; higher resting PNS activity predicted better pre-manipulation IC, and greater PNS stressor reactivity protected against the negative effects of stress on IC. Together, these results are the first to document the immediate effects of acute stress on IC and a phenotypic marker (PNS reactivity to stressors) of susceptibility to stress-induced IC impairment. This study suggests a new way to identify situations in which individuals are likely to exhibit IC vulnerability and related consequences such as impulsivity and risk taking behavior. Targeting PNS regulation may represent a novel target for IC-focused interventions. PMID:28268165

  6. Effect of acute and repeated restraint stress on glucose oxidation to CO2 in hippocampal and cerebral cortex slices.

    PubMed

    Torres, I L; Gamaro, G D; Silveira-Cucco, S N; Michalowski, M B; Corrêa, J B; Perry, M L; Dalmaz, C

    2001-01-01

    It has been suggested that glucocorticoids released during stress might impair neuronal function by decreasing glucose uptake by hippocampal neurons. Previous work has demonstrated that glucose uptake is reduced in hippocampal and cerebral cortex slices 24 h after exposure to acute stress, while no effect was observed after repeated stress. Here, we report the effect of acute and repeated restraint stress on glucose oxidation to CO2 in hippocampal and cerebral cortex slices and on plasma glucose and corticosterone levels. Male adult Wistar rats were exposed to restraint 1 h/day for 50 days in the chronic model. In the acute model there was a single exposure. Immediately or 24 h after stress, the animals were sacrificed and the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were dissected, sliced, and incubated with Krebs buffer, pH 7.4, containing 5 mM glucose and 0.2 microCi D-[U-14C] glucose. CO2 production from glucose was estimated. Trunk blood was also collected, and both corticosterone and glucose were measured. The results showed that corticosterone levels after exposure to acute restraint were increased, but the increase was smaller when the animals were submitted to repeated stress. Blood glucose levels increased after both acute and repeated stress. However, glucose utilization, measured as CO2 production in hippocampal and cerebral cortex slices, was the same in stressed and control groups under conditions of both acute and chronic stress. We conclude that, although stress may induce a decrease in glucose uptake, this effect is not sufficient to affect the energy metabolism of these cells.

  7. Effects of dark chocolate consumption on the prothrombotic response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men.

    PubMed

    von Känel, R; Meister, R E; Stutz, M; Kummer, P; Arpagaus, A; Huber, S; Ehlert, U; Wirtz, P H

    2014-12-01

    Flavanoid-rich dark chocolate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but underlying mechanisms are elusive. We investigated the acute effect of dark chocolate on the reactivity of prothrombotic measures to psychosocial stress. Healthy men aged 20-50 years (mean ± SD: 35.7 ± 8.8) were assigned to a single serving of either 50 g of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (n=31) or 50 g of optically identical flavonoid-free placebo chocolate (n=34). Two hours after chocolate consumption, both groups underwent an acute standardised psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic. We determined plasma levels of four stress-responsive prothrombotic measures (i. e., fibrinogen, clotting factor VIII activity, von Willebrand Factor antigen, fibrin D-dimer) prior to chocolate consumption, immediately before and after stress, and at 10 minutes and 20 minutes after stress cessation. We also measured the flavonoid epicatechin, and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma. The dark chocolate group showed a significantly attenuated stress reactivity of the hypercoagulability marker D-dimer (F=3.87, p=0.017) relative to the placebo chocolate group. Moreover, the blunted D-dimer stress reactivity related to higher plasma levels of the flavonoid epicatechin assessed before stress (F=3.32, p = 0.031) but not to stress-induced changes in catecholamines (p's=0.35). There were no significant group differences in the other coagulation measures (p's≥0.87). Adjustments for covariates did not alter these findings. In conclusion, our findings indicate that a single consumption of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate blunted the acute prothrombotic response to psychosocial stress, thereby perhaps mitigating the risk of acute coronary syndromes triggered by emotional stress.

  8. Ozone injury to forests across the northeast and north central United States, 1994 - 2010

    Treesearch

    Gretchen C. Smith; Randall S. Morin; George L. McCaskill

    2012-01-01

    Ozone is a highly toxic air contaminant that has been shown to decrease tree growth and cause significant disturbance to forested ecosystems. Ozone also causes distinct foliar injury symptoms to certain species (bioindicator plants) that can be used to detect and monitor ozone stress (biomonitoring) in the forest environment. In the early 1990s, the U.S. Forest Service...

  9. Repeated handling, restraint, or chronic crowding impair the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical response to acute restraint stress.

    PubMed

    Gadek-Michalska, A; Bugajski, J

    2003-09-01

    The purpose of the present study was to assess whether, and to what extent prior handling, restraint or social crowding stress during 3-10 days affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) response to an acute short-lasting restraint stress. Also the effect of a feedback inhibitory mechanism of corticosterone in the impairment of HPA axis by these stressors was investigated. Male Wistar rats were pretreated with handling 1 min/day for 3-10 days, restraint 2 times daily for 3-7 days and crowding stress for 7 days before exposure to acute restraint stress in metal tubes for 10 min. Some group of rats received exogenous s.c. corticosterone either once 25 mg/kg or 2 times daily 10 mg/kg for 3-10 days before restraint stress. After the last restraint the rats were decapitated and their trunk blood was collected for the measurement of plasma ACTH and serum corticosterone levels. Handling for 3-7 days, restraint for 3-7 days, and crowding for 7 days and a single pretreatment with corticosterone--all significantly and to a similar extent inhibited the restraint stress-induced increase in ACTH and corticosterone secretion. Chronic pretreatment with corticosterone blunted the restraint stress-induced increase in HPA axis activity. These results indicate that repeated short-lasting stress induced by handling, restraint, or crowding potently attenuates the acute restraint stress-induced stimulatory action of the HPA axis. They also indicate adaptive action of moderate stress on the HPA axis response to acute stress. The results also suggest that a short-lasting hypersecretion of corticosterone during psychological stress may induce a prolonged feedback inhibition of the HPA axis activity. The attenuation of HPA axis response by prior handling has also obvious methodological implications.

  10. Acute stress and depression 3 days after vaginal delivery--observational, comparative study.

    PubMed

    Imsiragić, Azijada Srkalović; Begić, Drazen; Martić-Biocina, Sanja

    2009-06-01

    During the first month postpartum, 85% of women experience some form of mood disorders. The most common are: postpartum blues, non-psychotic postpartum depression, puerperal psychosis. Delivery of a child can be traumatic for some women. Several authors have found that women could get symptoms of one form of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after childbirth. However, etiology of established postpartum disorders is still unknown. The aim of this study is to detect symptoms of acute stress reaction and acute depressive state as a consequence of peripartal complications, as early as three days postpartum using Impact of Events Scale revised (IES-R) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) questionnaires and to demonstrate their potential usage for the early detection of vulnerable mothers with greater risk to develop any of postpartum psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. For that purpose 103 subjects, without previous medical history of psychiatric illness, were included in the investigation. Long duration of delivery (> or = 12 h), very painful delivery, complication and illness of mother during and after delivery as a consequence of delivery, preterm delivery (before week 36) and/or illness of the child (as a consequence of delivery or congenital) are considered to be risk factors for acute stress reaction and acute depressive state after delivery. Sixty one out of 103 investigated mothers had one or more researched peripartal complications. A statistically significant difference has been found between the control (n=42) and the peripartal complications (n=61) groups in both the mean IES-R (4.67 +/- 5.43 and 13.50 +/- 14.12, respectively, p < 0.01) as well as in the mean EPDS (3.85 +/- 2.76 and 7.03 +/- 3.90, respectively, p < 0.01) scores. Additionally, while there were 4 cases of acute stress reactions and 3 cases of acute depressive state in the peripartal complications group there were no cases of these states in the control group. Based on our

  11. Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Child Acute Stress Measures in Spanish and English

    PubMed Central

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Gold, Jeffrey I.; Montaño, Zorash; Kohser, Kristen L.; Cuadra, Anai; Muñoz, Cynthia; Armstrong, F. Daniel

    2015-01-01

    Clinicians and researchers need tools for accurate early assessment of children’s acute stress reactions and acute stress disorder (ASD). There is a particular need for independently validated Spanish-language measures. The current study reports on 2 measures of child acute stress (a self-report checklist and a semi-structured interview), describing the development of the Spanish version of each measure and psychometric evaluation of both the Spanish and English versions. Children between the ages of 8 to 17 years who had experienced a recent traumatic event completed study measures in Spanish (n = 225) or in English (n = 254). Results provide support for reliability (internal consistency of the measures in both languages ranges from .83 to .89; cross-language reliability of the checklist is .93) and for convergent validity (with later PTSD symptoms, and with concurrent anxiety symptoms). Comparing checklist and interview results revealed a strong association between severity scores within the Spanish and English samples. Checklist-interview differences in evaluating the presence of ASD appear to be linked to different content coverage for dissociation symptoms. Future studies should further assess the impact of differing assessment modes, content coverage, and the use of these measures in children with diverse types of acute trauma exposure in English- and Spanish-speaking children. PMID:23371337

  12. Exposure to Acute Stress is Associated with Attenuated Sweet Taste

    PubMed Central

    al’Absi, Mustafa; Nakajima, Motohiro; Hooker, Stephanie; Wittmers, Larry; Cragin, Tiffany

    2011-01-01

    This study examined the effects of stress on taste perception. Participants (N = 38; 21 women) completed two laboratory sessions: one stress (public speaking, math, and cold pressor) and one control rest session. The taste perception test was conducted at the end of each session and included rating the intensity and pleasantness of sweet, salty, sour, and savory solutions at suprathreshold concentrations. Cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood measures were collected throughout the sessions. Participants showed the expected changes in cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood measures in response to stress. Reported intensity of the sweet solution was significantly lower on the stress day than on the rest day. Cortisol level post stress predicted reduced intensity of salt and sour, suggesting that stress-related changes in adrenocortical activity were related to reduced taste intensity. Results indicate that acute stress may alter taste perception, and ongoing research investigates the extent to which these changes mediate effects of stress on appetite. PMID:22091733

  13. Behavioral economic analysis of stress effects on acute motivation for alcohol.

    PubMed

    Owens, Max M; Ray, Lara A; MacKillop, James

    2015-01-01

    Due to issues of definition and measurement, the heavy emphasis on subjective craving in the measurement of acute motivation for alcohol and other drugs remains controversial. Behavioral economic approaches have increasingly been applied to better understand acute drug motivation, particularly using demand curve modeling via purchase tasks to characterize the perceived reinforcing value of the drug. This approach has focused on using putatively more objective indices of motivation, such as units of consumption, monetary expenditure, and price sensitivity. To extend this line of research, the current study used an alcohol purchase task to determine if, compared to a neutral induction, a personalized stress induction would increase alcohol demand in a sample of heavy drinkers. The stress induction significantly increased multiple measures of the reinforcing value of alcohol to the individual, including consumption at zero price (intensity), the maximum total amount of money spent on alcohol (Omax), the first price where consumption was reduced to zero (breakpoint), and the general responsiveness of consumption to increases in price (elasticity). These measures correlated only modestly with craving and mood. Self-reported income was largely unrelated to demand but moderated the influence of stress on Omax. Moderation based on CRH-BP genotype (rs10055255) was present for Omax, with T allele homozygotes exhibiting more pronounced increases in response to stress. These results provide further support for a behavioral economic approach to measuring acute drug motivation. The findings also highlight the potential relevance of income and genetic factors in understanding state effects on the perceived reinforcing value of alcohol. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  14. Ozone therapy effects on biomarkers and lung function in asthma.

    PubMed

    Hernández Rosales, Frank A; Calunga Fernández, José L; Turrent Figueras, José; Menéndez Cepero, Silvia; Montenegro Perdomo, Adonis

    2005-01-01

    The relationship and behavior of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) expression and erythrocyte glutathione antioxidant pathway in asthma patients treated with systemic ozone therapy have not been studied before. Asthma patients were treated about 1 year with three cycles (5 or 6 months each) with three different ozone therapy protocols. Ozone major autohemotherapy (MAHT) was applied at doses of 4 and 8 mg, 15 sessions each cycle; and ozone rectal insufflations (RI) at a dose of 10 mg, 20 sessions each cycle. Serum IgE, HLA-DR expression in PBMC and biomarkers for antioxidant pathway were measured before and at the end of each cycle. Lung function and symptoms test were recorded at the beginning and after the third cycle. IgE and HLA-DR decreased with the three types of treatments, while increments in reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutation reductase and glutathione S-transferase were achieved with all treatments. Lung function and symptoms test were markedly improved. However, in all parameters the best response was obtained in the order: MAHT at 8 mg better than MAHT at 4 mg better than RI at 10 mg. Before ozone treatment, glutathione antioxidant parameters were under the normal reference values, suggesting the occurrence of oxidative stress associated with atopic asthma. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of ozone therapy in reducing IgE and inflammatory mediators along with the induction of antioxidant elements. The study raises the role of systemic ozone therapy in atopic asthma by means of its immunomodulatory and oxidative stress regulation properties.

  15. Systemic response of the stony coral Pocillopora damicornis against acute cadmium stress.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhi; Yu, Xiaopeng; Tang, Jia; Wu, Yibo; Wang, Lingui; Huang, Bo

    2018-01-01

    Heavy metals have become one of the main pollutants in the marine environment and a major threat to the growth and reproduction of stony corals. In the present study, the density of symbiotic zooxanthellae, levels of crucial physiological activities and the transcriptome were investigated in the stony coral Pocillopora damicornis after the acute exposure to elevated cadmium concentration. The density of symbiotic zooxanthellae decreased significantly during 12-24h period, and reached lowest at 24h after acute cadmium stress. No significant changes were observed in the activity of glutathione S-transferase during the entire stress exposure. The activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and the concentration of glutathione decreased significantly, but the activation level of caspase3 increased significantly after cadmium exposure. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis revealed 3538 significantly upregulated genes and 8048 significantly downregulated genes at 12h after the treatment. There were 12 overrepresented GO terms for significantly upregulated genes, mostly related to unfolded protein response, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis. In addition, a total of 32 GO terms were overrepresented for significantly downregulated genes, and mainly correlated with macromolecular metabolic processes. These results collectively suggest that acute cadmium stress could induce apoptosis by repressing the production of the antioxidants, elevating oxidative stress and activating the unfolded protein response. This cascade of reactions would result to the collapse of the coral-zooxanthella symbiosis and the expulsion of symbiotic zooxanthellae in the stony coral P. damicornis, ultimately leading to coral bleaching. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. P-CPA pretreatment reverses the changes in sleep and behavior following acute immobilization stress rats.

    PubMed

    Sinha, Rakesh Kumar

    2006-02-01

    The effects of p-CPA (para-chlorophenylalanine) pretreatment was studied on the sleep-wake parameters and patterns of behavioral activities in an animal model of acute immobilization stress. For the experiments, young male Charles Foster rats were divided into three groups, subjected to (i) acute immobilization stress for four hours on specially designed wooden boards, (ii) a similar model of acute immobilization stress after pretreatment of p-CPA (injected through i.p. route), and (iii) control rats (p-CPA untreated and unstressed). Three channels of electrographic signals, i.e., EEG (electroencephalogram), EOG (electrooculogram), and EMG (electromyogram) were recorded continuously for four hours for all three groups of rats to analyze the changes in sleep-wake stages. The assessment of behavior was performed just after the stress on separate groups of rats in Open-Field (OF) and Elevated Plus-Maze (EPM) apparatuses. The significant changes in total sleep time (P < 0.05), total time for rapid eye movement sleep (P < 0.01), and total time in wakefulness (P < 0.01) following acute immobilization stress were found reversed in the p-CPA (a serotonin inhibitor) pretreated group of rats. Simultaneously, the results of the present work also revealed that the changes in grooming behavior (P < 0.05) in OF and the total time spent on the center of EPM (P < 0.05) were observed altered in p-CPA pretreated group of rats.

  17. Differential gene expressions in testes of L2 strain Taiwan country chicken in response to acute heat stress.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2013-01-15

    Acute heat stress affects genes involved in spermatogenesis in mammals. However, there is apparently no elaborate research on the effects of acute heat stress on gene expression in avian testes. The purpose of this study was to investigate global gene expression in testes of the L2 strain of Taiwan country chicken after acute heat stress. Twelve roosters, 45 weeks old, were allocated into four groups, including control roosters kept at 25 °C, roosters subjected to 38 °C acute heat stress for 4 hours without recovery, with 2-hour recovery, and with 6-hour recovery, respectively. Testis samples were collected for RNA isolation and microarray analysis. Based on gene expression profiles, 169 genes were upregulated and 140 genes were downregulated after heat stress using a cutoff value of twofold or greater change. Based on gene ontology analysis, differentially expressed genes were mainly related to response to stress, transport, signal transduction, and metabolism. A functional network analysis displayed that heat shock protein genes and related chaperones were the major upregulated groups in chicken testes after acute heat stress. A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of mRNA expressions of HSP70, HSP90AA1, BAG3, SERPINB2, HSP25, DNAJA4, CYP3A80, CIRBP, and TAGLN confirmed the results of the microarray analysis. Because the HSP genes (HSP25, HSP70, and HSP90AA1) and the antiapoptotic BAG3 gene were dramatically altered in heat-stressed chicken testes, we concluded that these genes were important factors in the avian testes under acute heat stress. Whether these genes could be candidate genes for thermotolerance in roosters requires further investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Preliminary evidence that acute stress moderates basal testosterone's association with retaliatory behavior.

    PubMed

    Prasad, Smrithi; Narayanan, Jayanth; Lim, Vivien K G; Koh, Gerald C H; Koh, David S Q; Mehta, Pranjal H

    2017-06-01

    A contribution to a special issue on Hormones and Human Competition. Testosterone is theorized to increase retaliation after social provocation. However, empirical evidence in support of these theories is mixed. The present research investigated whether acute stress causally suppresses testosterone's association with retaliation. We also explored sex differences in behavioral responses to acute stress. Thirty-nine participants (51.28% male) were randomly assigned to a high- or low-stress condition. Then participants engaged in 20 one-shot rounds of the ultimatum game, which was used to assess retaliatory behavioral responses to unfair treatment. Participants provided two saliva samples to measure testosterone and cortisol concentrations - one sample before the stress manipulation, and the second after the ultimatum game (20minutes post-stressor). Results revealed a positive association between basal testosterone and retaliation in the low-stress condition, but not in the high-stress condition. Further, cortisol concentrations increased in the high- compared to the low-stress condition, and these cortisol changes moderated the association between basal testosterone and retaliation. The associations between basal testosterone and retaliation under varying levels of stress were similar in men and women. However, there was a sex difference in behavioral responses to the stress manipulation that was independent of testosterone. In women, the high-stress condition reduced retaliation compared to the low-stress condition, whereas in men the opposite pattern emerged. Collectively, this study (i) provides preliminary evidence that experimentally manipulated stress blocks basal testosterone's association with retaliation, and (ii) reveals a sex difference in retaliation under varying levels of stress. Discussion focuses on mechanisms, limitations, and the need for follow-up studies with larger sample sizes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Antioxidant defense and oxidative stress in children with acute hepatitis A

    PubMed Central

    Popovic-Dragonjic, Lidija; Jovanovic, Maja; Vrbic, Miodrag; Konstantinovic, Ljiljana; Kostic, Velimir; Dragonjic, Ivan

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Published data on oxidative stress in children with acute hepatitis A are still very scarce. This study aims to evaluate the oxidant/antioxidant status of these patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, case-control study, over 2.5 years in patients under hospitalized and ambulatory care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The levels of a whole-blood antioxidant, reduced glutathione; and plasma antioxidants, β-carotene, retinol, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol; and the biomarker of oxidative stress, malondialdehyde, were evaluated in 50 pediatric patients (age range, 5-16 years; 29 males and 21 females) with acute hepatitis A and in 50 healthy children as control subjects (age range, 5-16 years; 25 males and 25 females). RESULTS: Plasma levels of reduced glutathione, β-carotene, retinol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid were significantly lower, while malondialdehyde plasma levels were significantly increased in the patient group when compared to the controls (P<.0001 for all parameters). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that pediatric patients with acute hepatitis A were influenced by oxidative stress, resulting in significantly lower levels of plasma antioxidants and increased lipid peroxidation. In the absence of other therapeutic options, antioxidant vitamin supplements could be added to the therapy for these patients to help reestablish the oxidant status balance. Further investigations to confirm this suggestion are recommended. PMID:21623054

  20. Potential impacts of ambient ozone on wheat rust diseases and the role of plant ozone sensitivity

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The resurgence of rust diseases and the continued rise in tropospheric ozone (O3) levels have the potential to limit global wheat production. We conducted a series of experiments to understand the potential interactions between these two stress factors. Both stem rust and leaf rust were increased o...

  1. OSO paradigm--A rapid behavioral screening method for acute psychosocial stress reactivity in mice.

    PubMed

    Brzózka, M M; Unterbarnscheidt, T; Schwab, M H; Rossner, M J

    2016-02-09

    Chronic psychosocial stress is an important environmental risk factor for the development of psychiatric diseases. However, studying the impact of chronic psychosocial stress in mice is time consuming and thus not optimally suited to 'screen' increasing numbers of genetically manipulated mouse models for psychiatric endophenotypes. Moreover, many studies focus on restraint stress, a strong physical stressor with limited relevance for psychiatric disorders. Here, we describe a simple and a rapid method based on the resident-intruder paradigm to examine acute effects of mild psychosocial stress in mice. The OSO paradigm (open field--social defeat--open field) compares behavioral consequences on locomotor activity, anxiety and curiosity before and after exposure to acute social defeat stress. We first evaluated OSO in male C57Bl/6 wildtype mice where a single episode of social defeat reduced locomotor activity, increased anxiety and diminished exploratory behavior. Subsequently, we applied the OSO paradigm to mouse models of two schizophrenia (SZ) risk genes. Transgenic mice with neuronal overexpression of Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) type III showed increased risk-taking behavior after acute stress exposure suggesting that NRG1 dysfunction is associated with altered affective behavior. In contrast, Tcf4 transgenic mice displayed a normal stress response which is in line with the postulated predominant contribution of TCF4 to cognitive deficits of SZ. In conclusion, the OSO paradigm allows for rapid screening of selected psychosocial stress-induced behavioral endophenotypes in mouse models of psychiatric diseases. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Consideration of air quality standards for vegetation with respect to ozone

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heggestad, H.E.

    1969-06-01

    Present evidence suggests that ozone is the most damaging of all air pollutants affecting vegetation. It is the principal oxidant in the photochemical smog complex. Concentrations of ozone have exceeded 0.5 part per million (ppm) in the Los Angeles area. One-tenth of this level for 8 hours is known to injure very sensitive tobacco varieties. Many plant species are visibly affected after a few hours exposure at concentrations much lower than 0.5 ppm. There is also some evidence that ozone reduces plant growth. Many factors must be taken into account when considering standards to protect vegetation from ozone damage. Thesemore » include ozone concentration and methods of measurement, time of exposure, possible additive effects of other pollutants, sensitivity of plant species, their economic value, and the extent of injury which can be tolerated. The response of a species to the pollutant is conditioned by genetic factors and environmental conditions. Lack of specific routine methods for measuring ozone in ambient air is a handicap. California and Colorado established standards for oxidants at 0.15 and 0.10 ppm, respectively, for 1 hour. How these standards relate to the ozone dosage causing acute and chronic injury to various plant species is discussed.« less

  3. Mimicking acute and chronic stress exposure in naive beef steers alters the acute phase response (APR) associated with vaccination

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This study was designed to determine the effect of an acute versus chronic stress model on the APR associated with vaccination in naïve beef steers. Steers (n=32; 209 +/- 8 kg) were blocked by body weight and assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) Chronic stress (CHR), 0.5 mg/kg body weight dexamethasone...

  4. IL-33 Drives Augmented Responses to Ozone in Obese Mice

    PubMed Central

    Mathews, Joel A.; Krishnamoorthy, Nandini; Kasahara, David Itiro; Cho, Youngji; Wurmbrand, Allison Patricia; Ribeiro, Luiza; Smith, Dirk; Umetsu, Dale; Levy, Bruce D.; Shore, Stephanie Ann

    2016-01-01

    Background: Ozone increases IL-33 in the lungs, and obesity augments the pulmonary effects of acute ozone exposure. Objectives: We assessed the role of IL-33 in the augmented effects of ozone observed in obese mice. Methods: Lean wildtype and obese db/db mice were pretreated with antibodies blocking the IL-33 receptor, ST2, and then exposed to ozone (2 ppm for 3 hr). Airway responsiveness was assessed, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and lung cells harvested for flow cytometry 24 hr later. Effects of ozone were also assessed in obese and lean mice deficient in γδ T cells and their wildtype controls. Results and Discussion: Ozone caused greater increases in BAL IL-33, neutrophils, and airway responsiveness in obese than lean mice. Anti-ST2 reduced ozone-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in obese mice but had no effect in lean mice. Obesity also augmented ozone-induced increases in BAL CXCL1 and IL-6, and in BAL type 2 cytokines, whereas anti-ST2 treatment reduced these cytokines. In obese mice, ozone increased lung IL-13+ innate lymphoid cells type 2 (ILC2) and IL-13+ γδ T cells. Ozone increased ST2+ γδ T cells, indicating that these cells can be targets of IL-33, and γδ T cell deficiency reduced obesity-related increases in the response to ozone, including increases in type 2 cytokines. Conclusions: Our data indicate that IL-33 contributes to augmented responses to ozone in obese mice. Obesity and ozone also interacted to promote type 2 cytokine production in γδ T cells and ILC2 in the lungs, which may contribute to the observed effects of IL-33. Citation: Mathews JA, Krishnamoorthy N, Kasahara DI, Cho Y, Wurmbrand AP, Ribeiro L, Smith D, Umetsu D, Levy BD, Shore SA. 2017. IL-33 drives augmented responses to ozone in obese mice. Environ Health Perspect 125:246–253; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP272 PMID:27472835

  5. Resistin deficiency in mice has no effect on pulmonary responses induced by acute ozone exposure

    PubMed Central

    Razvi, Shehla S.; Richards, Jeremy B.; Malik, Farhan; Cromar, Kevin R.; Price, Roger E.; Bell, Cynthia S.; Weng, Tingting; Atkins, Constance L.; Spencer, Chantal Y.; Cockerill, Katherine J.; Alexander, Amy L.; Blackburn, Michael R.; Alcorn, Joseph L.; Haque, Ikram U.

    2015-01-01

    Acute exposure to ozone (O3), an air pollutant, causes pulmonary inflammation, airway epithelial desquamation, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Pro-inflammatory cytokines—including IL-6 and ligands of chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2 [keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2], TNF receptor 1 and 2 (TNF), and type I IL-1 receptor (IL-1α and IL-1β)—promote these sequelae. Human resistin, a pleiotropic hormone and cytokine, induces expression of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 (the human ortholog of murine KC and MIP-2), and TNF. Functional differences exist between human and murine resistin; yet given the aforementioned observations, we hypothesized that murine resistin promotes O3-induced lung pathology by inducing expression of the same inflammatory cytokines as human resistin. Consequently, we examined indexes of O3-induced lung pathology in wild-type and resistin-deficient mice following acute exposure to either filtered room air or O3. In wild-type mice, O3 increased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) resistin. Furthermore, O3 increased lung tissue or BALF IL-1α, IL-6, KC, TNF, macrophages, neutrophils, and epithelial cells in wild-type and resistin-deficient mice. With the exception of KC, which was significantly greater in resistin-deficient compared with wild-type mice, no genotype-related differences in the other indexes existed following O3 exposure. O3 caused AHR to acetyl-β-methylcholine chloride (methacholine) in wild-type and resistin-deficient mice. However, genotype-related differences in airway responsiveness to methacholine were nonexistent subsequent to O3 exposure. Taken together, these data demonstrate that murine resistin is increased in the lungs of wild-type mice following acute O3 exposure but does not promote O3-induced lung pathology. PMID:26386120

  6. Chronic Desipramine Prevents Acute Stress-Induced Reorganization of Medial Prefrontal Cortex Architecture by Blocking Glutamate Vesicle Accumulation and Excitatory Synapse Increase

    PubMed Central

    Treccani, Giulia; Liebenberg, Nico; Chen, Fenghua; Popoli, Maurizio; Wegener, Gregers; Nyengaard, Jens Randel

    2015-01-01

    Background: Although a clear negative influence of chronic exposure to stressful experiences has been repeatedly demonstrated, the outcome of acute stress on key brain regions has only just started to be elucidated. Although it has been proposed that acute stress may produce enhancement of brain plasticity and that antidepressants may prevent such changes, we still lack ultrastructural evidence that acute stress-induced changes in neurotransmitter physiology are coupled with structural synaptic modifications. Methods: Rats were pretreated chronically (14 days) with desipramine (10mg/kg) and then subjected to acute foot-shock stress. By means of serial section electron microscopy, the structural remodeling of medial prefrontal cortex glutamate synapses was assessed soon after acute stressor cessation and stress hormone levels were measured. Results: Foot-shock stress induced a remarkable increase in the number of docked vesicles and small excitatory synapses, partially and strongly prevented by desipramine pretreatment, respectively. Acute stress-induced corticosterone elevation was not affected by drug treatment. Conclusions: Since desipramine pretreatment prevented the stress-induced structural plasticity but not the hormone level increase, we hypothesize that the preventing action of desipramine is located on pathways downstream of this process and/or other pathways. Moreover, because enhancement of glutamate system remodeling may contribute to overexcitation dysfunctions, this aspect could represent a crucial component in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. PMID:25522419

  7. Role of Paraoxonase 1 Activity and Oxidative/Antioxidative Stress Markers in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Hui; Zhao, Teng; Liu, Jingyao

    2018-06-01

    Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is an antioxidant which confers antioxidant properties to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and prevents low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activities of PON1 and oxidative/antioxidative stress markers in acute cerebral infarction. In this study, 161 patients diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction and 161 gender- and age-matched healthy controls were recruited. Based on the clinicoradiological profiles, the patients were further classified into two groups: lacunar infarction group and large-artery atherosclerosis group. We measured the individual lipid status parameters, oxidative and antioxidative stress status parameters, and PON1 activity. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and oxidative stress parameters in patients with acute cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those in the normal controls (p < 0.05). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level, PON1 activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and antioxidative stress parameters in patients were lower than in the normal controls (p < 0.05). Superoxide anion (O2-), malondialdehyde (MDA), and PON1 levels in the lacunar infarction group were lower than in the large-artery atherosclerosis group (p < 0.05). Oxidative stress markers and PON1 activity are sensitive indicators of acute cerebral infarction. Our findings suggest a severely impaired antioxidative protection mechanism in these patients. Our study provides new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of acute cerebral infarction, which may also provide new therapeutic targets for ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.

  8. Changes in PEP carboxylase, rubisco and rubisco activase mRNA levels from maize (Zea mays) exposed to a chronic ozone stress.

    PubMed

    Leitao, Louis; Maoret, Jean-José; Biolley, Jean-Philippe

    2007-01-01

    We quantified the ozone impact on levels of Zea mays L. cv. Chambord mRNAs encoding C4-phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (C4-PEPc), ribulose-l,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small and large subunits (Rubisco-SSU and Rubisco-LSU, respectively) and Rubisco activase (RCA) using real-time RT-PCR. Foliar pigment content, PEPc and Rubisco protein amounts were simultaneously determined. Two experiments were performed to study the ozone response of the 5th and the 10th leaf. For each experiment, three ozone concentrations were tested in open-top chambers: non-filtered air (NF, control) and non-filtered air containing 40 (+40) and 80 nL L-1 (+80) ozone. Regarding the 5th leaf, +40 atmosphere induced a loss in pigmentation, PEPc and Rubisco activase mRNAs. However, it was unable to notably depress carboxylase protein amounts and mRNAs encoding Rubisco. Except for Rubisco mRNAs, all other measured parameters from 5th leaf were depressed by +80 atmosphere. Regarding the 10th leaf, +40 atmosphere increased photosynthetic pigments and transcripts encoding Rubisco and Rubisco activase. Rubisco and PEPc protein amounts were not drastically changed, even if they tended to be increased. Level of C4-PEPc mRNA remained almost stable. In response to +80 atmosphere, pigments and transcripts encoding PEPc were notably decreased. Rubisco and PEPc protein amounts also declined to a lesser extent. Conversely, the level of transcripts encoding both Rubisco subunits and Rubisco activase that were not consistently disturbed tended to be slightly augmented. So, the present study suggests that maize leaves can respond differentially to a similar ozone stress.

  9. Effects of ozone therapy on facial nerve regeneration.

    PubMed

    Ozbay, Isa; Ital, Ilker; Kucur, Cuneyt; Akcılar, Raziye; Deger, Aysenur; Aktas, Savas; Oghan, Fatih

    Ozone may promote moderate oxidative stress, which increases antioxidant endogenous systems. There are a number of antioxidants that have been investigated therapeutically for improving peripheral nerve regeneration. However, no previous studies have reported the effect of ozone therapy on facial nerve regeneration. We aimed to evaluate the effect of ozone therapy on facial nerve regeneration. Fourteen Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into two groups with experimental nerve crush injuries: a control group, which received saline treatment post-crush, and an experimental group, which received ozone treatment. All animals underwent surgery in which the left facial nerve was exposed and crushed. Treatment with saline or ozone began on the day of the nerve crush. Left facial nerve stimulation thresholds were measured before crush, immediately after crush, and after 30 days. After measuring nerve stimulation thresholds at 30 days post-injury, the crushed facial nerve was excised. All specimens were studied using light and electron microscopy. Post-crushing, the ozone-treated group had lower stimulation thresholds than the saline group. Although this did not achieve statistical significance, it is indicative of greater functional improvement in the ozone group. Significant differences were found in vascular congestion, macrovacuolization, and myelin thickness between the ozone and control groups. Significant differences were also found in axonal degeneration and myelin ultrastructure between the two groups. We found that ozone therapy exerted beneficial effect on the regeneration of crushed facial nerves in rats. Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  10. Exposure to acute stress is associated with attenuated sweet taste.

    PubMed

    Al'Absi, Mustafa; Nakajima, Motohiro; Hooker, Stephanie; Wittmers, Larry; Cragin, Tiffany

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the effects of stress on taste perception. Participants (N = 38; 21 women) completed two laboratory sessions: one stress (public speaking, math, and cold pressor) and one control rest session. The taste perception test was conducted at the end of each session and included rating the intensity and pleasantness of sweet, salty, sour, and savory solutions at suprathreshold concentrations. Cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood measures were collected throughout the sessions. Participants showed the expected changes in cardiovascular, hormonal, and mood measures in response to stress. Reported intensity of the sweet solution was significantly lower on the stress day than on the rest day. Cortisol level poststress predicted reduced intensity of salt and sour, suggesting that stress-related changes in adrenocortical activity were related to reduced taste intensity. Results indicate that acute stress may alter taste perception, and ongoing research investigates the extent to which these changes mediate effects of stress on appetite. Copyright © 2011 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

  11. Controlled Exposure of Healthy Young Volunteers to Ozone Causes Cardiovascular Effects

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background: Recent epidemiology studies have reported associations between acute ozone exposure and mortality. Such studies have previously reported associations between airborne particulate matter pollution (PM) and mortality and support for a causal relationship has come from c...

  12. Controlled exposure of healthy young volunteers to ozone causes cardiovascular effects**

    EPA Science Inventory

    Background: Recent epidemiology studies have reported associations between acute ozone exposure and mortality. Such studies have previously reported associations between airborne particulate matter pollution (PM) and mortality and support for a causal relationship has come from c...

  13. Individual differences in early adolescents' latent trait cortisol (LTC): Relation to recent acute and chronic stress.

    PubMed

    Stroud, Catherine B; Chen, Frances R; Doane, Leah D; Granger, Douglas A

    2016-08-01

    Research suggests that environmental stress contributes to health by altering the regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. Recent evidence indicates that early life stress alters trait indicators of HPA axis activity, but whether recent stress alters such indicators is unknown. Using objective contextual stress interviews with adolescent girls and their mothers, we examined the impact of recent acute and chronic stress occurring during the past year on early adolescent girls' latent trait cortisol (LTC) level. We also examined whether associations between recent stress and LTC level: a) varied according to the interpersonal nature and controllability of the stress; and b) remained after accounting for the effect of early life stress. Adolescents (n=117;M age=12.39years) provided salivary cortisol samples three times a day (waking, 30min post-waking and bedtime) over 3days. Results indicated that greater recent interpersonal acute stress and greater recent independent (i.e., uncontrollable) acute stress were each associated with a higher LTC level, over and above the effect of early adversity. In contrast, greater recent chronic stress was associated with a lower LTC level. Findings were similar in the overall sample and a subsample of participants who strictly adhered to the timed schedule of saliva sample collection. Implications for understanding the impact of recent stress on trait-like individual differences in HPA axis activity are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The relationship between personality and the response to acute psychological stress.

    PubMed

    Xin, Yuanyuan; Wu, Jianhui; Yao, Zhuxi; Guan, Qing; Aleman, André; Luo, Yuejia

    2017-12-04

    The present study examined the relationship between personality traits and the response to acute psychological stress induced by a standardized laboratory stress induction procedure (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST). The stress response was measured with a combination of cardiovascular reactivity, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity, and subjective affect (including positive affect, negative affect and subjective controllability) in healthy individuals. The Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) approach was applied to account for the relationship between personality traits and stress responses. Results suggested that higher neuroticism predicted lower heart rate stress reactivity, lower cortisol stress response, more decline of positive affect and lower subjective controllability. Individuals higher in extraversion showed smaller cortisol activation to stress and less increase of negative affect. In addition, higher openness score was associated with lower cortisol stress response. These findings elucidate that neuroticism, extraversion and openness are important variables associated with the stress response and different dimensions of personality trait are associated with different aspects of the stress response.

  15. Lower Electrodermal Activity to Acute Stress in Caregivers of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Adaptive Habituation to Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruiz-Robledillo, Nicolás; Moya-Albiol, Luis

    2015-01-01

    Caring for a relative with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entails being under chronic stress that could alter body homeostasis. Electrodermal activity (EDA) is an index of the sympathetic activity of the autonomic nervous system related to emotionality and homeostasis. This study compares EDA in response to acute stress in the laboratory between…

  16. Effects of chronic plus acute prolonged stress on measures of coping style, anxiety, and evoked HPA-axis reactivity.

    PubMed

    Roth, Megan K; Bingham, Brian; Shah, Aparna; Joshi, Ankur; Frazer, Alan; Strong, Randy; Morilak, David A

    2012-11-01

    Exposure to psychological trauma is the precipitating factor for PTSD. In addition, a history of chronic or traumatic stress exposure is a predisposing risk factor. We have developed a Chronic plus Acute Prolonged Stress (CAPS) treatment for rats that models some of the characteristics of stressful events that can lead to PTSD in humans. We have previously shown that CAPS enhances acute fear responses and impairs extinction of conditioned fear. Further, CAPS reduced the expression of glucocorticoid receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. In this study we examined the effects of CAPS exposure on behavioral stress coping style, anxiety-like behaviors, and acute stress reactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to CAPS treatment, consisting of chronic intermittent cold stress (4 °C, 6 h/day, 14 days) followed on day 15 by a single 1-h session of sequential acute stressors (social defeat, immobilization, swim). After CAPS or control treatment, different groups were tested for shock probe defensive burying, novelty suppressed feeding, or evoked activation of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone release by an acute immobilization stress. CAPS resulted in a decrease in active burying behavior and an increase in immobility in the shock probe test. Further, CAPS-treated rats displayed increases in the latency to feed in the novelty suppressed feeding test, despite an increase in food intake in the home cage. CAPS treatment also reduced the HPA response to a subsequent acute immobilization stress. These results further validate CAPS treatment as a rat model of relevance to PTSD, and together with results reported previously, suggest that CAPS impairs fear extinction, shifts coping behavior from an active to a more passive strategy, increases anxiety, and alters HPA reactivity, resembling many aspects of human PTSD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Obesity-Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Causes Lung Endothelial Dysfunction and Promotes Acute Lung Injury.

    PubMed

    Shah, Dilip; Romero, Freddy; Guo, Zhi; Sun, Jianxin; Li, Jonathan; Kallen, Caleb B; Naik, Ulhas P; Summer, Ross

    2017-08-01

    Obesity is a significant risk factor for acute respiratory distress syndrome. The mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. We recently showed that diet-induced obese mice exhibit pulmonary vascular endothelial dysfunction, which is associated with enhanced susceptibility to LPS-induced acute lung injury. Here, we demonstrate that lung endothelial dysfunction in diet-induced obese mice coincides with increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Specifically, we observed enhanced expression of the major sensors of misfolded proteins, including protein kinase R-like ER kinase, inositol-requiring enzyme α, and activating transcription factor 6, in whole lung and in primary lung endothelial cells isolated from diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, we found that primary lung endothelial cells exposed to serum from obese mice, or to saturated fatty acids that mimic obese serum, resulted in enhanced expression of markers of ER stress and the induction of other biological responses that typify the lung endothelium of diet-induced obese mice, including an increase in expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and a decrease in expression of endothelial cell-cell junctional proteins. Similar changes were observed in lung endothelial cells and in whole-lung tissue after exposure to tunicamycin, a compound that causes ER stress by blocking N-linked glycosylation, indicating that ER stress causes endothelial dysfunction in the lung. Treatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid, a chemical protein chaperone that reduces ER stress, restored vascular endothelial cell expression of adhesion molecules and protected against LPS-induced acute lung injury in diet-induced obese mice. Our work indicates that fatty acids in obese serum induce ER stress in the pulmonary endothelium, leading to pulmonary endothelial cell dysfunction. Our work suggests that reducing protein load in the ER of pulmonary endothelial cells might protect against acute respiratory distress syndrome in obese

  18. Aged rats are hypo-responsive to acute restraint: implications for psychosocial stress in aging

    PubMed Central

    Buechel, Heather M.; Popovic, Jelena; Staggs, Kendra; Anderson, Katie L.; Thibault, Olivier; Blalock, Eric M.

    2013-01-01

    Cognitive processes associated with prefrontal cortex and hippocampus decline with age and are vulnerable to disruption by stress. The stress/stress hormone/allostatic load hypotheses of brain aging posit that brain aging, at least in part, is the manifestation of life-long stress exposure. In addition, as humans age, there is a profound increase in the incidence of new onset stressors, many of which are psychosocial (e.g., loss of job, death of spouse, social isolation), and aged humans are well-understood to be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of such new-onset chronic psychosocial stress events. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this age-related shift in chronic psychosocial stress response, or the initial acute phase of that chronic response, have been less well-studied. Here, we separated young (3 month) and aged (21 month) male F344 rats into control and acute restraint (an animal model of psychosocial stress) groups (n = 9–12/group). We then assessed hippocampus-associated behavioral, electrophysiological, and transcriptional outcomes, as well as blood glucocorticoid and sleep architecture changes. Aged rats showed characteristic water maze, deep sleep, transcriptome, and synaptic sensitivity changes compared to young. Young and aged rats showed similar levels of distress during the 3 h restraint, as well as highly significant increases in blood glucocorticoid levels 21 h after restraint. However, young, but not aged, animals responded to stress exposure with water maze deficits, loss of deep sleep and hyperthermia. These results demonstrate that aged subjects are hypo-responsive to new-onset acute psychosocial stress, which may have negative consequences for long-term stress adaptation and suggest that age itself may act as a stressor occluding the influence of new onset stressors. PMID:24575039

  19. Iron decreases biological effects of ozone exposure

    EPA Science Inventory

    CONTEXT: Ozone (0(3)) exposure is associated with a disruption of iron homeostasis and increased availability of this metal which potentially contributes to an oxidative stress and biologicaleffects. OBJECTIVE: We tested the postulate that increased concentrations of iron in c...

  20. Acute effects of 0. 2 ppm ozone in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Solic, J.J.; Hazucha, M.J.; Bromberg, P.A.

    1982-06-01

    Epidemiologic data suggest that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might be more sensitive than normal persons to the respiratory effects of oxidant pollutant exposure. Our study was designed to determine the response of patients with COPD to ozone. Thirteen white men with nonreversible airways obstruction (mean FEV1/FVC, 58%), of whom 8 were current smokers, were randomly exposed for 2 h to air and to 0.2 ppm ozone on 2 consecutive days using a single-blind crossover design. During either exposure, subjects exercised for 7.5 min every 30 min. Measures of respiratory mechanics obtained pre-exposure and postexposure were not significantlymore » affected by either exposure. Similarly, ventilation and gas exchange measured during exercise showed no difference either between exercise periods or exposure days. However, arterial O/sub 2/ saturation (SaO/sub 2/), measured by ear oximetry during the final exercise period each day was lower (94.8%) at the end of O/sub 2/ exposure, than SaO/sub 2/ obtained at the end of air exposure (95.3%), the difference (0.48%) being significant (p . 0.008). Because normal subjects undergoing comparable exposures show a threshold for respiratory mechanical effects at about 0.3 ppm ozone, our data suggest that mild to moderate COPD is not associated with increased sensitivity to low ozone concentrations. However, our data do not rule out the possibility that the response of such subjects might be exaggerated at higher ozone concentrations. The consistent (in 11 of 13 subjects), though small, decrease in SaO/sub 2/ may indicate that indexes of ventilation/perfusion distribution might be more sensitive measures of ozone effect in this compromised patient group than are conventional respiratory mechanics measures.« less

  1. Cardiopulmonary Effects of Acute Stressful Exercise at Altitude of Individuals with Sickle Cell Trait (SCT)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-06-01

    Annual Symposium on Blood. Stuttgart Germany: FK Schattauer Verlag, 1973; 91-94. Home M: Sickle cell anemia as a rheologic disease. Am J Med 1981; 70...AD___ AD-A222 948 CARDIOPULMONARY EFFECTS OF ACUTE STRESSFUL EXERCISE AT ALTITUDE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SICKLE CELL TRAIT (SCT) FINAL REPORT Idelle M...Clawi’katiornj (U) Cardiopulmonlary Effects to Acute Stressful Exercise at Altitude of Individuals with - sickle Cell Trait (I1bAS) 12. PERSONAL. AUTHOR

  2. Acute stress blocks the caffeine-induced enhancement of contextual memory retrieval in mice.

    PubMed

    Pierard, Chistophe; Krazem, Ali; Henkous, Nadia; Decorte, Laurence; Béracochéa, Daniel

    2015-08-15

    This study investigated in mice the dose-effect of caffeine on memory retrieval in non-stress and stress conditions. C57 Bl/6 Jico mice learned two consecutive discriminations (D1 and D2) in a four-hole board which involved either distinct contextual (CSD) or similar contextual (SSD) cues. All mice received an i.p. injection of vehicle or caffeine (8, 16 or 32mg/kg) 30min before the test session. Results showed that in non-stress conditions, the 16mg/kg caffeine dose induced a significant enhancement of D1 performance in CSD but not in SSD. Hence, we studied the effect of an acute stress (electric footshocks) administered 15min before the test session on D1 performance in caffeine-treated mice. Results showed that stress significantly decreased D1 performance in vehicle-treated controls and the memory-enhancing effect induced by the 16mg/kg caffeine dose in non-stress condition is no longer observed. Interestingly, whereas caffeine-treated mice exhibited weaker concentrations of plasma corticosterone as compared to vehicles in non-stress condition, stress significantly increased plasma corticosterone concentrations in caffeine-treated mice which reached similar level to that of controls. Overall, the acute stress blocked both the endocrinological and memory retrieval enhancing effects of caffeine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Exposure to Ozone Modulates Human Airway Protease/Antiprotease Balance Contributing to Increased Influenza A Infection

    PubMed Central

    Kesic, Matthew J.; Meyer, Megan; Bauer, Rebecca; Jaspers, Ilona

    2012-01-01

    Exposure to oxidant air pollution is associated with increased respiratory morbidities and susceptibility to infections. Ozone is a commonly encountered oxidant air pollutant, yet its effects on influenza infections in humans are not known. The greater Mexico City area was the primary site for the spring 2009 influenza A H1N1 pandemic, which also coincided with high levels of environmental ozone. Proteolytic cleavage of the viral membrane protein hemagglutinin (HA) is essential for influenza virus infectivity. Recent studies suggest that HA cleavage might be cell-associated and facilitated by the type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) human airway trypsin-like protease (HAT) and transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2), whose activities are regulated by antiproteases, such as secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI). Based on these observations, we sought to determine how acute exposure to ozone may modulate cellular protease/antiprotease expression and function, and to define their roles in a viral infection. We utilized our in vitro model of differentiated human nasal epithelial cells (NECs) to determine the effects of ozone on influenza cleavage, entry, and replication. We show that ozone exposure disrupts the protease/antiprotease balance within the airway liquid. We also determined that functional forms of HAT, TMPRSS2, and SLPI are secreted from human airway epithelium, and acute exposure to ozone inversely alters their expression levels. We also show that addition of antioxidants significantly reduces virus replication through the induction of SLPI. In addition, we determined that ozone-induced cleavage of the viral HA protein is not cell-associated and that secreted endogenous proteases are sufficient to activate HA leading to a significant increase in viral replication. Our data indicate that pre-exposure to ozone disrupts the protease/antiprotease balance found in the human airway, leading to increased influenza susceptibility. PMID

  4. Cognitive benefit and cost of acute stress is differentially modulated by individual brain state

    PubMed Central

    Hermans, Erno J.; Fernández, Guillén

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Acute stress is associated with beneficial as well as detrimental effects on cognition in different individuals. However, it is not yet known how stress can have such opposing effects. Stroop-like tasks typically show this dissociation: stress diminishes speed, but improves accuracy. We investigated accuracy and speed during a stroop-like task of 120 healthy male subjects after an experimental stress induction or control condition in a randomized, counter-balanced cross-over design; we assessed brain–behavior associations and determined the influence of individual brain connectivity patterns on these associations, which may moderate the effect and help identify stress resilience factors. In the mean, stress was associated to increase in accuracy, but decrease in speed. Accuracy was associated to brain activation in a distributed set of brain regions overlapping with the executive control network (ECN) and speed to temporo-parietal activation. In line with a stress-related large-scale network reconfiguration, individuals showing an upregulation of the salience and down-regulation of the executive-control network under stress displayed increased speed, but decreased performance. In contrast, individuals who upregulate their ECN under stress show improved performance. Our results indicate that the individual large-scale brain network balance under acute stress moderates cognitive consequences of threat. PMID:28402480

  5. Cognitive benefit and cost of acute stress is differentially modulated by individual brain state.

    PubMed

    Kohn, Nils; Hermans, Erno J; Fernández, Guillén

    2017-07-01

    Acute stress is associated with beneficial as well as detrimental effects on cognition in different individuals. However, it is not yet known how stress can have such opposing effects. Stroop-like tasks typically show this dissociation: stress diminishes speed, but improves accuracy. We investigated accuracy and speed during a stroop-like task of 120 healthy male subjects after an experimental stress induction or control condition in a randomized, counter-balanced cross-over design; we assessed brain-behavior associations and determined the influence of individual brain connectivity patterns on these associations, which may moderate the effect and help identify stress resilience factors. In the mean, stress was associated to increase in accuracy, but decrease in speed. Accuracy was associated to brain activation in a distributed set of brain regions overlapping with the executive control network (ECN) and speed to temporo-parietal activation. In line with a stress-related large-scale network reconfiguration, individuals showing an upregulation of the salience and down-regulation of the executive-control network under stress displayed increased speed, but decreased performance. In contrast, individuals who upregulate their ECN under stress show improved performance. Our results indicate that the individual large-scale brain network balance under acute stress moderates cognitive consequences of threat. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

  6. Mind-body interactions in the regulation of airway inflammation in asthma: A PET study of acute and chronic stress

    PubMed Central

    Rosenkranz, Melissa A.; Esnault, Stephane; Christian, Bradley T.; Crisafi, Gina; Gresham, Lauren K.; Higgins, Andrew T.; Moore, Mollie N.; Moore, Sarah M.; Weng, Helen Y.; Salk, Rachel H.; Busse, William W.; Davidson, Richard J.

    2016-01-01

    Background Psychological stress has long been recognized as a contributing factor to asthma symptom expression and disease progression. Yet, the neural mechanisms that underlie this relationship have been largely unexplored in research addressing the pathophysiology and management of asthma. Studies that have examined the mechanisms of this relationship in the periphery suggest that it is the superimposition of acute stress on top of chronic stress that is of greatest concern for airway inflammation. Methods We compared asthmatic individuals with high and low levels of chronic life stress in their neural and peripheral physiological responses to the Trier Social Stress Test and a matched control task. We used FDG-PET to measure neural activity during performance of the two tasks. We used both circulating and airway-specific markers of asthma-related inflammation to assess the impact of acute stress in these two groups. Results Asthmatics under chronic stress had a larger HPA-axis response to an acute stressor, which failed to show the suppressive effects on inflammatory markers observed in those with low chronic stress. Moreover, our PET data suggest that greater activity in the anterior insula during acute stress may reflect regulation of the effect of stress on inflammation. In contrast, greater activity in the mid-insula and perigenual anterior cingulate seems to reflect greater reactivity and was associated with greater airway inflammation, a more robust alpha amylase response, and a greater stress-induced increase in proinflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in airway cells. Conclusions Acute stress is associated with increases in markers of airway inflammation in asthmatics under chronic stress. This relationship may be mediated by interactions between the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, that determine the salience of environmental cues, as well as descending regulatory influence of inflammatory pathways in the periphery. PMID:27039241

  7. Mind-body interactions in the regulation of airway inflammation in asthma: A PET study of acute and chronic stress.

    PubMed

    Rosenkranz, Melissa A; Esnault, Stephane; Christian, Bradley T; Crisafi, Gina; Gresham, Lauren K; Higgins, Andrew T; Moore, Mollie N; Moore, Sarah M; Weng, Helen Y; Salk, Rachel H; Busse, William W; Davidson, Richard J

    2016-11-01

    Psychological stress has long been recognized as a contributing factor to asthma symptom expression and disease progression. Yet, the neural mechanisms that underlie this relationship have been largely unexplored in research addressing the pathophysiology and management of asthma. Studies that have examined the mechanisms of this relationship in the periphery suggest that it is the superimposition of acute stress on top of chronic stress that is of greatest concern for airway inflammation. We compared asthmatic individuals with high and low levels of chronic life stress in their neural and peripheral physiological responses to the Trier Social Stress Test and a matched control task. We used FDG-PET to measure neural activity during performance of the two tasks. We used both circulating and airway-specific markers of asthma-related inflammation to assess the impact of acute stress in these two groups. Asthmatics under chronic stress had a larger HPA-axis response to an acute stressor, which failed to show the suppressive effects on inflammatory markers observed in those with low chronic stress. Moreover, our PET data suggest that greater activity in the anterior insula during acute stress may reflect regulation of the effect of stress on inflammation. In contrast, greater activity in the mid-insula and perigenual anterior cingulate seems to reflect greater reactivity and was associated with greater airway inflammation, a more robust alpha amylase response, and a greater stress-induced increase in proinflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in airway cells. Acute stress is associated with increases in markers of airway inflammation in asthmatics under chronic stress. This relationship may be mediated by interactions between the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, that determine the salience of environmental cues, as well as descending regulatory influence of inflammatory pathways in the periphery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Impact of ozone on monoterpene emissions and evidence for an isoprene-like antioxidant action of monoterpenes emitted by Quercus ilex leaves.

    PubMed

    Loreto, Francesco; Pinelli, Paola; Manes, Fausto; Kollist, Hannes

    2004-04-01

    Quercus ilex (L.) leaves emit monoterpenes, particularly alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and sabinene. Apart from the monoterpene pools that are stored in specialized structures and have a clear defensive or attractive role, the function of monoterpenes in Q. ilex leaves is unknown. We tested whether monoterpenes have an antioxidant role, as has previously been found for isoprene in isoprene-emitting leaves. We exposed Q. ilex leaves to either mild and repeated ozone exposure (Experiment I) or to a single acute ozone exposure (Experiment II) at temperatures ranging between 20 and 32 degrees C. Both ozone treatments rapidly stimulated monoterpene synthesis, but had no effect on photosynthesis and caused no visible damage to leaves maintained at 25, 30 or 32 degrees C. Ozone inhibited both photosynthesis and monoterpene synthesis in leaves maintained at 20 degrees C. To characterize the relationship between monoterpenes and ozone-induced damage, we fed detached leaves fosmidomycin, a selective inhibitor of isoprene synthesis. Fosmidomycin caused rapid and complete inhibition of monoterpene emissions in leaves maintained at 30 degrees C, confirming that monoterpenes are synthesized by the same biochemical pathway as isoprene. However, over the experimental period, fosmidomycin did not affect concentrations of compounds that are formed from chloroplastic isoprenoids and that might have conferred antioxidant protection, either directly (carotenoids) or indirectly (chlorophylls, xanthophylls). In leaves whose monoterpene synthesis had been inhibited by fosmidomycin, ozone rapidly and significantly inhibited photosynthesis and increased the production of hydrogen peroxide and malonyldialdehyde. We conclude that monoterpenes produced by Q. ilex leaves share the same biosynthetic pathway and function as isoprene. Furthermore, all volatile isoprenoids may have similar antioxidant properties and may be stimulated by the same stress-inducing conditions.

  9. Acute stress affects free recall and recognition of pictures differently depending on age and sex.

    PubMed

    Hidalgo, Vanesa; Pulopulos, Matias M; Puig-Perez, Sara; Espin, Laura; Gomez-Amor, Jesus; Salvador, Alicia

    2015-10-01

    Little is known about age differences in the effects of stress on memory retrieval. Our aim was to perform an in-depth examination of acute psychosocial stress effects on memory retrieval, depending on age and sex. For this purpose, data from 52 older subjects (27 men and 25 women) were reanalyzed along with data from a novel group of 50 young subjects (26 men and 24 women). Participants were exposed to an acute psychosocial stress task (Trier Social Stress Test) or a control task. After the experimental manipulation, the retrieval of positive, negative and neutral pictures learned the previous day was tested. As expected, there was a significant response to the exposure to the stress task, but the older participants had a lower cortisol response to TSST than the younger ones. Stress impaired free recall of emotional (positive and negative) and neutral pictures only in the group of young men. Also in this group, correlation analyses showed a marginally significant association between cortisol and free recall. However, exploratory analyses revealed only a negative relationship between the stress-induced cortisol response and free recall of negative pictures. Moreover, stress impaired recognition memory of positive pictures in all participants, although this effect was not related to the cortisol or alpha-amylase response. These results indicate that both age and sex are critical factors in acute stress effects on specific aspects of long-term memory retrieval of emotional and neutral material. They also point out that more research is needed to better understand their specific role. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Ozone: depression of frond multiplication and floral production in duckweed. [Lemna perpusilla

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feder, W.A.; Sullivan, F.

    1969-09-26

    Plants of Lemna perpusilla number6746 grown in an environment charged daily with a low concentration of ozone over 2 weeks were slower to begin multiplying, had a significantly lower rate of frond doubling, and required longer to produce fewer flowers than control plants. Treated plants produced smaller slightly yellow fronds but had no symptoms of acute injury. Control plants produced four times as many fronds and six times as many flowers as plants continuously exposed to ozone (0.1 part per million).

  11. Potentials and limits for the use of ozone as a fish disease control agent

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wedemeyer, Gary A.; Nelson, Nancy C.; Yasutake, Wm. T.

    1979-01-01

    Ozone and chlorine inactivation curves were determined in three types of freshwater at 20 C for the destruction of the fish pathogens Aeromonas salmonicida the etiologic agent of furunculosis, and Yersinia ruckeri the enteric redmouth bacterium (ERM). Ozone and chlorine inactivation curves were also obtained in the same water types at 10 C for the fish pathogenic viruses infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHNV), and infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPNV). Acute toxicity tests using the rainbow trout as a representative salmonid revealed that ozone was highly toxic at the dose levels used. Partial chronic (3. mo.) testing revealed that ozone exposure at 2 μg/L causes only minimal physiological changes, none of which would be expected to compromise biological function.

  12. Acute stress symptoms in children: results from an international data archive.

    PubMed

    Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Palmieri, Patrick A; Rork, Kristine; Delahanty, Douglas L; Kenardy, Justin; Kohser, Kristen L; Landolt, Markus A; Le Brocque, Robyne; Marsac, Meghan L; Meiser-Stedman, Richard; Nixon, Reginald D V; Bui, Eric; McGrath, Caitlin

    2012-08-01

    To describe the prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) symptoms and to examine proposed DSM-5 symptom criteria in relation to concurrent functional impairment in children and adolescents. From an international archive, datasets were identified that included assessment of acute traumatic stress reactions and concurrent impairment in children and adolescents 5 to 17 years of age. Data came from 15 studies conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Switzerland and included 1,645 children and adolescents. Dichotomized items were created to indicate the presence or absence of each of the 14 proposed ASD symptoms and functional impairment. The performance of a proposed diagnostic criterion (number of ASD symptoms required) was examined as a predictor of concurrent impairment. Each ASD symptom was endorsed by 14% to 51% of children and adolescents; 41% reported clinically relevant impairment. Children and adolescents reported from 0 to 13 symptoms (mean = 3.6). Individual ASD symptoms were associated with greater likelihood of functional impairment. The DSM-5 proposed eight-symptom requirement was met by 202 individuals (12.3%) and had low sensitivity (0.25) in predicting concurrent clinically relevant impairment. Requiring fewer symptoms (three to four) greatly improved sensitivity while maintaining moderate specificity. This group of symptoms appears to capture aspects of traumatic stress reactions that can create distress and interfere with children's and adolescents' ability to function in the acute post-trauma phase. Results provide a benchmark for comparison with adult samples; a smaller proportion of children and adolescents met the eight-symptom criterion than reported for adults. Symptom requirements for the ASD diagnosis may need to be lowered to optimally identify children and adolescents whose acute distress warrants clinical attention. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  13. Evaluation of neural reflex activation as a mode of action for the acute respiratory effects of ozone.

    PubMed

    Prueitt, Robyn L; Goodman, Julie E

    2016-09-01

    Exposure to elevated levels of ozone has been associated with a variety of respiratory-related health endpoints in both epidemiology and controlled human exposure studies, including lung function decrements and airway inflammation. A mode of action (MoA) for these effects has not been established, but it has been proposed that they may occur through ozone-induced activation of neural reflexes. We critically reviewed experimental studies of ozone exposure and neural reflex activation and applied the International Programme on Chemical Safety (IPCS) mode-of-action/human relevance framework to evaluate the biological plausibility and human relevance of this proposed MoA. Based on the currently available experimental data, we found that the proposed MoA of neural reflex activation is biologically plausible for the endpoint of ozone-induced lung function decrements at high ozone exposures, but further studies are needed to fill important data gaps regarding the relevance of this MoA at lower exposures. A role for the proposed MoA in ozone-induced airway inflammation is less plausible, as the evidence is conflicting and is also of unclear relevance given the lack of studies conducted at lower exposures. The evidence suggests a different MoA for ozone-induced inflammation that may still be linked to the key events in the proposed MoA, such that neural reflex activation may have some degree of involvement in modulating ozone-induced neutrophil influx, even if it is not a direct role.

  14. Comparative evaluation of effects of ozonated and chlorinated thermal discharges on estuarine and fresh water organisms. First quarterly progress report, April 1979

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guerra, C.R.; DelMonaco, J.L.; Singletary, J.H.

    1979-01-01

    The biological evaluation program incorporates three types of experimental tests: acute (96 hour) toxicity studies; behavioral (avoidance) response studies; and physiological (cough) response studies. In addition, specimens used in testing are examined for physical damage resulting from exposure to chlorine or ozoen. The objective of the acute (96 hour) toxicity study is to determine the respective lethal levels (LC/sub 50/) of chlorinated and ozonated waters. The objective of the behavioral (avoidance) response study is to determine what (if any) concentrations of ozone and of chlorine will be avoided. The objective of physiological (cough) response study is to determine what concentrationsmore » of ozone and of chlorine are physiologically detected. Ozonated and chlorinated waters were evaluated in all studies for both the addition of increased temperature and without it. Results indicate that ozone is less toxic than chlorine under the test conditions used. The lethal levels vary according to species of water quality measurements at Bergen Generating Station, New York are tabulated. (JBG)« less

  15. Comprehensive endocrine response to acute stress in the bottlenose dolphin from serum, blubber, and feces.

    PubMed

    Champagne, Cory D; Kellar, Nicholas M; Trego, Marisa L; Delehanty, Brendan; Boonstra, Rudy; Wasser, Samuel K; Booth, Rebecca K; Crocker, Daniel E; Houser, Dorian S

    2018-05-29

    Several hormones are potential indicators of stress in free-ranging animals and provide information on animal health in managed-care settings. In response to stress, glucocorticoids (GC, e.g. cortisol) first appear in circulation but are later incorporated into other tissues (e.g. adipose) or excreted in feces or urine. These alternative matrices can be sampled remotely, or by less invasive means, than required for blood collection and are especially valuable in highly mobile species, like marine mammals. We characterized the timing and magnitude of several hormones in response to a stressor in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and the subsequent incorporation of cortisol into blubber, and its metabolites excreted in feces. We evaluated the endocrine response to an acute stressor in bottlenose dolphins under managed care. We used a standardized stress protocol where dolphins voluntarily beached onto a padded platform and remained out of water for two hours; during the stress test blood samples were collected every 15 min and blubber biopsies were collected every hour (0, 60, and 120 min). Each subject was studied over five days: voluntary blood samples were collected on each of two days prior to the stress test; 1 and 2 h after the conclusion of the out-of-water stress test; and on the following two days after the stress test. Fecal samples were collected daily, each afternoon. The acute stressor resulted in increases in circulating ACTH, cortisol, and aldosterone during the stress test, and each returned to baseline levels within 2 h of the dolphin's return to water. Both cortisol and aldosterone concentrations were correlated with ACTH, suggesting both corticosteroids are at least partly regulated by ACTH. Thyroid hormone concentrations were generally unaffected by the acute stressor. Blubber cortisol increased during the stress test, and fecal GC excretion was elevated on the day of the stress test. We found that GCs in bottlenose dolphins can

  16. Acute stress impairs the retrieval of extinction memory in humans

    PubMed Central

    Raio, Candace M.; Brignoni-Perez, Edith; Goldman, Rachel; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

    2014-01-01

    Extinction training is a form of inhibitory learning that allows an organism to associate a previously aversive cue with a new, safe outcome. Extinction does not erase a fear association, but instead creates a competing association that may or may not be retrieved when a cue is subsequently encountered. Characterizing the conditions under which extinction learning is expressed is important to enhancing the treatment of anxiety disorders that rely on extinction-based exposure therapy as a primary treatment technique. The ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which plays an important role in the expression of extinction memory, has been shown to be functionally impaired after stress exposure. Further, recent research in rodents found that exposure to stress led to deficits in extinction retrieval, although this has yet to be tested in humans. To explore how stress might influence extinction retrieval in humans, participants underwent a differential aversive learning paradigm, in which one image was probabilistically paired with an aversive shock while the other image denoted safety. Extinction training directly followed, at which point reinforcement was omitted. A day later, participants returned to the lab and either completed an acute stress manipulation (i.e., cold pressor), or a control task, before undergoing an extinction retrieval test. Skin conductance responses and salivary cortisol concentrations were measured throughout each session as indices of fear arousal and neuroendocrine stress responses, respectively. The efficacy of our stress induction was established by observing significant increases in cortisol for the stress condition only. We examined extinction retrieval by comparing conditioned responses during the last trial of extinction (day 1) with that of the first trial of re-extinction (day 2). Groups did not differ on initial fear acquisition or extinction, however, one day later participants in the stress group (n = 27) demonstrated significantly less

  17. Unequivocal detection of ozone recovery in the Antarctic Ozone Hole through significant increases in atmospheric layers with minimum ozone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Laat, Jos; van Weele, Michiel; van der A, Ronald

    2015-04-01

    An important new landmark in present day ozone research is presented through MLS satellite observations of significant ozone increases during the ozone hole season that are attributed unequivocally to declining ozone depleting substances. For many decades the Antarctic ozone hole has been the prime example of both the detrimental effects of human activities on our environment as well as how to construct effective and successful environmental policies. Nowadays atmospheric concentrations of ozone depleting substances are on the decline and first signs of recovery of stratospheric ozone and ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole have been observed. The claimed detection of significant recovery, however, is still subject of debate. In this talk we will discuss first current uncertainties in the assessment of ozone recovery in the Antarctic ozone hole by using multi-variate regression methods, and, secondly present an alternative approach to identify ozone hole recovery unequivocally. Even though multi-variate regression methods help to reduce uncertainties in estimates of ozone recovery, great care has to be taken in their application due to the existence of uncertainties and degrees of freedom in the choice of independent variables. We show that taking all uncertainties into account in the regressions the formal recovery of ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole cannot be established yet, though is likely before the end of the decade (before 2020). Rather than focusing on time and area averages of total ozone columns or ozone profiles, we argue that the time evolution of the probability distribution of vertically resolved ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole contains a better fingerprint for the detection of ozone recovery in the Antarctic ozone hole. The advantages of this method over more tradition methods of trend analyses based on spatio-temporal average ozone are discussed. The 10-year record of MLS satellite measurements of ozone in the Antarctic ozone hole shows a

  18. Acute Alcohol Modulates Cardiac Function as PI3K/Akt Regulates Oxidative Stress

    PubMed Central

    Umoh, Nsini A.; Walker, Robin K.; Al-Rubaiee, Mustafa; Jeffress, Miara A.; Haddad, Georges E.

    2015-01-01

    Background Clinical manifestations of alcohol abuse on the cardiac muscle include defective contractility with the development of heart failure. Interestingly, low alcohol consumption has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Although several hypotheses have been postulated for alcoholic cardiomyopathy and for the low-dose beneficial cardiovascular effects, the precise mechanisms and mediators remain largely undefined. We hypothesize that modulation of oxidative stress by PI3K/Akt plays a key role in the cardiac functional outcome to acute alcohol exposure. Methods Thus, acutely exposed rat cardiac tissue and cardiocytes to low (LA: 5 mM), moderate (MA: 25 mM), and high (HA: 100 mM) alcohol were assessed for markers of oxidative stress in the presence and absence of PI3K/Akt activators (IGF-1 0.1 μM or constitutively active PI3K: Ad.BD110 transfection) or inhibitor (LY294002 1 μMor Akt-negative construct Ad.Akt(K179M) transfection). Results Acute LA reduced Akt, superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and NFκB, ERK1, and p38 MAPK gene expression. Acute HA only increased that of SOD-3 and NFκB. These effects were generally inhibited by Ad.Akt(K179M) and enhanced with Ad.BD110 transfection. In parallel, LA reduced but HA enhanced Akt activity, which was reversed by IGF-1 and inhibited by Ad.Akt(K179M), respectively. Also, LA reduced caspase 3/7 activity and oxidative stress, while HA increased both. The former was blocked, while the latter effect was enhanced by Ad.Akt(K179M). The reverse was true with PI3K/Akt activation. This translated into reduced viability with HA, with no effect with LA. On the functional level, acute LA improved cardiac output and ejection fraction, mainly through increased stroke volume. This was accompanied with enhanced end-systolic pressure–volume relationship and preload recruitable stroke work. Opposite effect was recorded for HA. LA and HA in vivo functional effects were alleviated by LY and enhanced by IGF-1 treatment

  19. Effect of ozone exposure on antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vargas, M.H.; Segura, P.; Campos, M.G.

    1994-12-31

    Airway hyperresponsiveness can be induced by several stimuli including antigen and ozone, both of which may be present in the air of polluted cities. Though the effect of ozone on the bronchoconstrictor response to antigen has been well described, the combined effect of these stimuli on airway hyperresponsiveness has not yet been studied. Sensitized guinea pigs with or without ozone exposure for 1 h at 3 ppm, 18 h prior to study, were challenged with a dose-response curve to histamine (0.01-1.8 {mu}g/kg, iv), and then by a second histamine dose-response curve 1 h later. Airway responses were measured as themore » increase in pulmonary insufflation pressure. In sensitized guinea pigs, the histamine ED50 significantly decreased after antigen challenge, demonstrating the development of airway hyperresponsiveness. Sensitized guinea pigs exposed to ozone showed airway hyperresponsiveness to histamine when compared with nonexposed animals, and such hyperresponsiveness was further enhanced after antigen challenge. We conclude that in this guinea pig model of acute allergic bronchoconstriction both antigen challenge and ozone induce airway hyperresponsiveness, while ozone exposure does not modify the development of antigen-induced hyperresponsiveness. 25 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less

  20. Effect of acute psychological stress on prefrontal GABA concentration determined by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Hasler, Gregor; van der Veen, Jan Willem; Grillon, Christian; Drevets, Wayne C; Shen, Jun

    2010-10-01

    Impaired function of the central gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system, which provides the brain's major inhibitory pathways, is thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. The effect of acute psychological stress on the human GABA-ergic system is still unknown, however. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of acute stress on prefrontal GABA levels. A recently developed noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy method was used to measure changes in the GABA concentration of the prefrontal cortex in 10 healthy human subjects during a threat-of-shock condition and during a safe condition (two sessions on different days). The main outcome measure was the mean GABA concentration within a 3×3×2-cm(3) voxel selected from the medial prefrontal cortex. Prefrontal GABA decreased by approximately 18% in the threat-of-shock condition relative to the safe condition. This reduction was specific to GABA, since the concentrations of N-acetyl-aspartate, choline-containing compounds, and glutamate/glutamine levels obtained in the same spectra did not change significantly. This result appeared compatible with evidence from preclinical studies in rodents, which showed rapid presynaptic down-regulation of GABA-ergic neurotransmission in response to acute psychological stress. The molecular mechanism and functional significance of this reduced inhibitory effect of acute psychological stress in relation to impaired GABA-ergic function in anxiety disorders merit further investigation.

  1. Acute Exercise and Oxidative Stress: CrossFit™ vs. Treadmill Bout

    PubMed Central

    Kliszczewicz, Brian; Quindry, C. John; Blessing, L. Daniel; Oliver, D. Gretchen; Esco, R. Michael; Taylor, J. Kyle

    2015-01-01

    CrossFit™, a popular high-intensity training modality, has been the subject of scrutiny, with concerns of elevated risk of injury and health. Despite these concerns empirical evidence regarding physiologic stresses including acute oxidative stress is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the acute redox response to a CrossFit™ bout. Furthermore, these findings were compared to a high-intensity treadmill bout as a point of reference. Ten males 26.4 ± 2.7 yrs having three or more months of CrossFit™ experience participated in the present study. Blood plasma was collected at four time points: Pre-exercise (PRE), immediately-post-exercise (IPE), 1 hr-post (1-HP) and 2 hr-post (2-HP), to examine oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity. Regarding plasma oxidative damage, CrossFit™ and Treadmill elicited a time-dependent increase of lipid peroxides 1-HP (CrossFit™=+143%, Treadmill=+115%) and 2-HP (CrossFit™=+256%, Treadmill+167%). Protein Carbonyls were increased IPE in CF only (+5%), while a time-dependent decrease occurred 1-HP (CrossFit™=−16%, Treadmill=−8%) and 2-HP (CF=−16%, TM=−1%) compared to IPE. Regarding antioxidant capacity, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power also demonstrated a time-dependent increase within CrossFit™ and Treadmill: IPE (CrossFit™=+25%, Treadmill=+17%), 1-HP (CrossFit™=+26%, Treadmill=+4.8%), 2-HP (CrossFit™=+20%, Treadmill=+12%). Total Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity showed a time-dependent decrease in IPE (CrossFit™=−10%, Treadmill=−12%), 1-HP (CrossFit™=−12%, Treadmill=−6%), 2-HP (CrossFit™=−7%, Treadmill=−11%). No trial-dependent differences were observed in any biomarker of oxidative stress. The CrossFit™ bout elicited an acute blood oxidative stress response comparable to a traditional bout of high-intensity treadmill running. Results also confirm that exercise intensity and the time course of exercise recovery influence oxidative responses. PMID:26557192

  2. The usefulness of ozone treatment in spinal pain

    PubMed Central

    Bocci, Velio; Borrelli, Emma; Zanardi, Iacopo; Travagli, Valter

    2015-01-01

    Objective The aim of this review is to elucidate the biochemical, molecular, immunological, and pharmaceutical mechanisms of action of ozone dissolved in biological fluids. Studies performed during the last two decades allow the drawing of a comprehensive framework for understanding and recommending the integration of ozone therapy for spinal pain. Methods An in-depth screening of primary sources of information online – via SciFinder Scholar, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases as well as Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews – was performed. In this review, the most significant papers of the last 25 years are presented and their proposals critically evaluated, regardless of the bibliometric impact of the journals. Results The efficacy of standard treatments combined with the unique capacity of ozone therapy to reactivate the innate antioxidant system is the key to correcting the oxidative stress typical of chronic inflammatory diseases. Pain pathways and control systems of algesic signals after ozone administration are described. Conclusion This paper finds favors the full insertion of ozone therapy into pharmaceutical sciences, rather than as either an alternative or an esoteric approach. PMID:26028964

  3. Ozone

    MedlinePlus

    Ozone is a gas. It can be good or bad, depending on where it is. "Good" ozone occurs naturally about 10 to 30 miles above ... the sun's ultraviolet rays. Part of the good ozone layer is gone. Man-made chemicals have destroyed ...

  4. Acute psychosocial stress and everyday moral decision-making in young healthy men: The impact of cortisol.

    PubMed

    Singer, Nina; Sommer, Monika; Döhnel, Katrin; Zänkert, Sandra; Wüst, Stefan; Kudielka, Brigitte M

    2017-07-01

    In everyday life, moral decisions must frequently be made under acute stress. Although there is increasing evidence that both stress and cortisol affect moral judgment and behavior as well as decision-making in various domains unrelated to morality, surprisingly few attempts have been made to explore the effects of stress on everyday moral decision-making. Therefore, in the present study, we exposed 50 young healthy men to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or its non-stressful placebo version (PTSST). We investigated the impact of acute stress exposure and stress-related cortisol levels on decision-making, decision certainty, and emotions in 28 everyday moral conflict situations with altruistic versus egoistic response alternatives. Results showed that the TSST-exposed group made more altruistic decisions than the non-stress control group, while groups did not differ in decision certainty and emotion ratings. Moreover, in correlational as well as regression analyses, additionally controlling for confounding variables, we observed significant positive associations between cortisol levels and altruistic decision-making. Further analyses revealed that altruistic decisions came along with significantly higher decision certainty and significantly more positive emotion ratings than egoistic decisions. Notably, our data also raise the idea that the personality trait agreeableness plays an important role in everyday moral decision-making. In sum, our findings provide initial evidence that both acute stress exposure and cortisol levels have prosocial effects on everyday moral decision-making in young healthy men. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Acute mental stress but not enforced muscle activity transiently increases natural cytotoxicity in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    PubMed

    Jonsdottir, I H; Johansson, C; Asea, A; Hellstrand, K; Hoffmann, P

    1996-08-01

    The influence of acute mental stress and the effect of electrically induced skeletal muscle contractions on natural cytotoxicity in vivo was investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats Natural cytotoxicity in vivo was measured as the clearance of injected 51Cr-labelled YAC-1 lymphoma cells from the lungs, which are specifically lysed by natural killer cells. The mental stress consisted of an air jet directed towards the animals in their cage for 25 min. During the mental stress there was a significant increase in natural cytotoxicity. Thus, retained radioactivity in the lungs was decreased to 74 +/- 6% of the control levels which was set to 100% (P < 0.01). This augmentation of YAC-1-cell clearance could be blocked with the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist Timolol. Two hours after termination of the air stress, in vivo cytotoxicity had returned to control levels. In contrast, acute physical stress, consisting of electrically induced muscle contractions for 60 min, had no significant effects on in vivo cytotoxicity, either during the stimulation or 1, 2 or 24 h after the stimulation. Further, significantly increased plasma levels of adrenaline were seen after the air jet stress, but not after muscle stimulation. There were no significant changes in plasma noradrenaline levels either after air stress or muscle stimulation. These results indicate that changes in in vivo cytotoxicity after mild mental stress are dependent on increased plasma catecholamine levels while acute physical stress without changes in catecholamine levels, does not influence in vivo cytotoxicity.

  6. Testosterone and acute stress are associated with fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor in African men: the SABPA study.

    PubMed

    Malan, Nicolaas T; von Känel, Roland; Schutte, Alta E; Huisman, Hugo W; Schutte, Rudolph; Smith, Wayne; Mels, Carina M; Kruger, Ruan; Meiring, Muriel; van Rooyen, Johannes M; Malan, Leoné

    2013-10-12

    Low testosterone, acute and chronic stress and hypercoagulation are all associated with hypertension and hypertension-related diseases. The interaction between these factors and future risk for coronary artery disease in Africans has not been fully elucidated. In this study, associations of testosterone, acute cardiovascular and coagulation stress responses with fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor in African and Caucasian men in a South African cohort were investigated. Cardiovascular variables were studied by means of beat-to-beat and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Fasting serum-, salivary testosterone and citrate coagulation markers were obtained from venous blood samples. Acute mental stress responses were evoked with the Stroop test. The African group demonstrated a higher cardiovascular risk compared to Caucasian men with elevated blood pressure, low-grade inflammation, chronic hyperglycemia (HbA1c), lower testosterone levels, and elevated von Willebrand factor (VWF) and fibrinogen levels. Blunted testosterone acute mental stress responses were demonstrated in African males. In multiple regression analyses, higher circulating levels of fibrinogen and VWF in Africans were associated with a low T environment (R(2) 0.24-0.28; p≤0.01), but only circulating fibrinogen in Caucasians. Regarding endothelial function, a low testosterone environment and a profile of augmented α-adrenergic acute mental stress responses (diastolic BP, D-dimer and testosterone) were associated with circulating VWF levels in Africans (Adj R(2) 0.24; p<0.05). An interdependence between acute mental stress, salivary testosterone, D-dimer and vascular responses existed in African males in their association with circulating VWF but no interdependence of the independent variables occurred with fibrinogen levels. © 2013.

  7. 16 CFR 260.11 - Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims. 260.11... THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS § 260.11 Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims. It is... friendly to, the ozone layer or the atmosphere. Example 1: A product is labeled “ozone-friendly.” The claim...

  8. 16 CFR 260.11 - Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims. 260.11... THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING CLAIMS § 260.11 Ozone-safe and ozone-friendly claims. It is... friendly to, the ozone layer or the atmosphere. Example 1: A product is labeled “ozone-friendly.” The claim...

  9. Acute Heat Stress Induces Differential Gene Expressions in the Testes of a Broiler-Type Strain of Taiwan Country Chickens

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2015-01-01

    The expression of testicular genes following acute heat stress has been reported in layer-type roosters, but few similar studies have been conducted on broilers. This study investigated the effect of acute heat stress on the gene expression in the testes of a broiler-type strain of Taiwan country chickens. Roosters were subjected to acute heat stress (38°C) for 4 h, and then exposed to 25°C, with testes collected 0, 2, and 6 h after the cessation of heat stress, using non-heat-stressed roosters as controls (n = 3 roosters per group). The body temperature and respiratory rate increased significantly (p<0.05) during the heat stress. The numbers of apoptotic cells increased 2 h after the acute heat stress (79 ± 7 vs. 322 ± 192, control vs. heat stress; p<0.05), which was earlier than the time of increase in layer-type roosters. Based on a chicken 44 K oligo microarray, 163 genes were found to be expressed significantly different in the testes of the heat-stressed chickens from those of the controls, including genes involved in the response to stimulus, protein metabolism, signal transduction, cell adhesion, transcription, and apoptosis. The mRNA expressions of upregulated genes, including HSP25, HSP90AA1, HSPA2, and LPAR2, and of downregulated genes, including CDH5, CTNNA3, EHF, CIRBP, SLA, and NTF3, were confirmed through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, numerous transcripts in the testes exhibited distinct expressions between the heat-stressed broiler-type and layer-type chickens. We concluded that the transcriptional responses of testes to acute heat stress may differ between the broiler-type and layer-type roosters. Whether the differential expression patterns associate with the heat-tolerance in the strains require a further exploration. PMID:25932638

  10. Acute heat stress induces differential gene expressions in the testes of a broiler-type strain of Taiwan country chickens.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2015-01-01

    The expression of testicular genes following acute heat stress has been reported in layer-type roosters, but few similar studies have been conducted on broilers. This study investigated the effect of acute heat stress on the gene expression in the testes of a broiler-type strain of Taiwan country chickens. Roosters were subjected to acute heat stress (38°C) for 4 h, and then exposed to 25°C, with testes collected 0, 2, and 6 h after the cessation of heat stress, using non-heat-stressed roosters as controls (n = 3 roosters per group). The body temperature and respiratory rate increased significantly (p<0.05) during the heat stress. The numbers of apoptotic cells increased 2 h after the acute heat stress (79 ± 7 vs. 322 ± 192, control vs. heat stress; p<0.05), which was earlier than the time of increase in layer-type roosters. Based on a chicken 44 K oligo microarray, 163 genes were found to be expressed significantly different in the testes of the heat-stressed chickens from those of the controls, including genes involved in the response to stimulus, protein metabolism, signal transduction, cell adhesion, transcription, and apoptosis. The mRNA expressions of upregulated genes, including HSP25, HSP90AA1, HSPA2, and LPAR2, and of downregulated genes, including CDH5, CTNNA3, EHF, CIRBP, SLA, and NTF3, were confirmed through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Moreover, numerous transcripts in the testes exhibited distinct expressions between the heat-stressed broiler-type and layer-type chickens. We concluded that the transcriptional responses of testes to acute heat stress may differ between the broiler-type and layer-type roosters. Whether the differential expression patterns associate with the heat-tolerance in the strains require a further exploration.

  11. Negative Energy Balance Blocks Neural and Behavioral Responses to Acute Stress by "Silencing" Central Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Signaling in Rats.

    PubMed

    Maniscalco, James W; Zheng, Huiyuan; Gordon, Patrick J; Rinaman, Linda

    2015-07-29

    Previous reports indicate that caloric restriction attenuates anxiety and other behavioral responses to acute stress, and blunts the ability of stress to increase anterior pituitary release of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Since hindbrain glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) neurons and noradrenergic prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) neurons participate in behavioral and endocrine stress responses, and are sensitive to the metabolic state, we examined whether overnight food deprivation blunts stress-induced recruitment of these neurons and their downstream hypothalamic and limbic forebrain targets. A single overnight fast reduced anxiety-like behavior assessed in the elevated-plus maze and acoustic startle test, including marked attenuation of light-enhanced startle. Acute stress [i.e., 30 min restraint (RES) or 5 min elevated platform exposure] robustly activated c-Fos in GLP-1 and PrRP neurons in fed rats, but not in fasted rats. Fasting also significantly blunted the ability of acute stress to activate c-Fos expression within the anterior ventrolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vlBST). Acute RES stress suppressed dark-onset food intake in rats that were fed ad libitum, whereas central infusion of a GLP-1 receptor antagonist blocked RES-induced hypophagia, and reduced the ability of RES to activate PrRP and anterior vlBST neurons in ad libitum-fed rats. Thus, an overnight fast "silences" GLP-1 and PrRP neurons, and reduces both anxiety-like and hypophagic responses to acute stress. The partial mimicking of these fasting-induced effects in ad libitum-fed rats after GLP-1 receptor antagonism suggests a potential mechanism by which short-term negative energy balance attenuates neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to acute stress. The results from this study reveal a potential central mechanism for the "metabolic tuning" of stress responsiveness. A single overnight fast, which markedly reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats, reduces or blocks the ability of

  12. The effect of acute physical and mental stress on soluble cellular adhesion molecule concentration.

    PubMed

    Crabb, E Blake; Franco, R Lee; Caslin, Heather L; Blanks, Anson M; Bowen, Mary K; Acevedo, Edmund O

    2016-07-15

    This study investigated the impact of acute physical and mental stress on serum concentrations of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 and CX3CL1/fractalkine. Male volunteers (n=20; 21.3±0.55years of age) completed a graded treadmill test to exhaustion and a 20-minute mental stress task (Stroop Color-Word Test, mental arithmetic) on separate, non-consecutive days. Heart rate (HR) was measured at baseline and throughout exercise and mental stress. Blood was collected at baseline (PRE), immediately following (POST) and 30min after (POST30) exercise and mental stress. Soluble VCAM-1 and fractalkine were quantified in participant serum via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Both treadmill exercise and the mental stress task significantly increased participant HR; although, exercise resulted in a substantially greater increase in participant HR compared to mental stress (197.82±11.99 vs. 38.67±3.10% [p<0.001]). VCAM-1 (815.74±139.55 vs. 738.67±131.59ng/mL [p=0.002]) and fractalkine (1.032±0.33 vs. 0.59±0.20ng/mL [p<0.001]) were significantly elevated in participant serum POST maximal exercise before returning to values similar to baseline at POST30. The acute mental stress task did not significantly alter serum VCAM-1 or fractalkine at any time point. In conclusion, maximal aerobic exercise results in a significant elevation of the soluble adhesion molecules VCAM-1 and fractalkine in the serum of adult males that does not occur following laboratory-induced mental stress. The findings of the current investigation may suggest a novel protective role for acute aerobic exercise in vascular health via exercise-induced CAM proteolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Response of the rat erythrocyte to ozone exposure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larkin, E. C.; Kimzey, S. L.; Siler, K.

    1978-01-01

    Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to high (6-8 ppm) and moderate (1.5 ppm) amounts of ozone (O3) for various time periods. Response of the rat erythrocyte to ozone was monitored with red blood cell potassium (rubidium) influx studies, with storage stress combined with ultrastructural studies and with levels of erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase. Erythrocytes of rats exposed to O3 showed no significant changes either in their potassium influx or in their glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities compared to controls. Erythrocyte differential counts on O3-exposed animals showed significant changes initially as well as following storage stress compared to controls. Rats exposed to 8 ppm O3 for 4 h showed a marked increase in echinocytes. These consistent transformations from discocytes to echinocytes following O3 exposure suggest latent erythrocyte damage has occurred.

  14. The multitasking framework: the effects of increasing workload on acute psychobiological stress reactivity.

    PubMed

    Wetherell, Mark A; Carter, Kirsty

    2014-04-01

    A variety of techniques exist for eliciting acute psychological stress in the laboratory; however, they vary in terms of their ease of use, reliability to elicit consistent responses and the extent to which they represent the stressors encountered in everyday life. There is, therefore, a need to develop simple laboratory techniques that reliably elicit psychobiological stress reactivity that are representative of the types of stressors encountered in everyday life. The multitasking framework is a performance-based, cognitively demanding stressor, representative of environments where individuals are required to attend and respond to several different stimuli simultaneously with varying levels of workload. Psychological (mood and perceived workload) and physiological (heart rate and blood pressure) stress reactivity was observed in response to a 15-min period of multitasking at different levels of workload intensity in a sample of 20 healthy participants. Multitasking stress elicited increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and increased workload intensity elicited dose-response increases in levels of perceived workload and mood. As individuals rarely attend to single tasks in real life, the multitasking framework provides an alternative technique for modelling acute stress and workload in the laboratory. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Influence of acute exercise of varying intensity and duration on postprandial oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Canale, Robert E; Farney, Tyler M; McCarthy, Cameron G; Bloomer, Richard J

    2014-09-01

    Aerobic exercise can reduce postprandial lipemia, and possibly oxidative stress, when performed prior to a lipid-rich meal. To compare the impact of acute exercise on postprandial oxidative stress. We compared aerobic and anaerobic exercise bouts of different intensities and durations on postprandial blood triglycerides (TAG), oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, advanced oxidation protein products), and antioxidant status (trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase). Twelve trained men (21-35 years) underwent four conditions: (1) No exercise rest; (2) 60-min aerobic exercise at 70% heart rate reserve; (3) five 60-s sprints at 100% max capacity; and (4) ten 15-s sprints at 200% max capacity. All exercise bouts were performed on a cycle ergometer. A high-fat meal was consumed 1 h after exercise cessation. Blood samples were collected pre-meal and 2 and 4 h post-meal and analyzed for TAG, oxidative stress biomarkers, and antioxidant status. No significant interaction or condition effects were noted for any variable (p > 0.05), with acute exercise having little to no effect on the magnitude of postprandial oxidative stress. In a sample of healthy, well-trained men, neither aerobic nor anaerobic exercise attenuates postprandial oxidative stress in response to a high-fat meal.

  16. Cortisol modulates men's affiliative responses to acute social stress.

    PubMed

    Berger, Justus; Heinrichs, Markus; von Dawans, Bernadette; Way, Baldwin M; Chen, Frances S

    2016-01-01

    The dominant characterization of the physiological and behavioral human stress reaction is the fight-or-flight response. On the other hand, it has been suggested that social affiliation during stressful times ("tend-and-befriend") also represents a common adaptive response to stress, particularly for women. In the current study, we investigate the extent to which men may also show affiliative responses following acute stress. In addition, we examine a potential neuroendocrine modulator of the hypothesized affiliative response. Eighty male students (forty dyads) were recruited to undergo either the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) or a non-stressful control situation. Subsequently, participants completed a dyadic interaction task and were then asked to report their feelings of psychological closeness to their interaction partner. Although participants assigned to the stress condition did not differ overall on psychological closeness from participants assigned to the control condition, participants with high cortisol responses to the stressor showed significantly higher ratings of psychological closeness to their interaction partner than participants with low cortisol responses. Our findings suggest that men may form closer temporary bonds following stressful situations that are accompanied by a significant cortisol response. We suggest that the traditional characterization of the male stress response in terms of "fight-or-flight" may be incomplete, and that social affiliation may in fact represent a common, adaptive response to stress in men. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Differential Effects of Elevated Ozone on Two Hybrid Aspen Genotypes Predisposed to Chronic Ozone Fumigation. Role of Ethylene and Salicylic Acid1

    PubMed Central

    Vahala, Jorma; Keinänen, Markku; Schützendübel, Andres; Polle, Andrea; Kangasjärvi, Jaakko

    2003-01-01

    The role of ethylene (ET) signaling in the responses of two hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × P. tremuloides Michx.) clones to chronic ozone (O3; 75 nL L−1) was investigated. The hormonal responses differed between the clones; the O3-sensitive clone 51 had higher ET evolution than the tolerant clone 200 during the exposure, whereas the free salicylic acid concentration in clone 200 was higher than in clone 51. The cellular redox status, measured as glutathione redox balance, did not differ between the clones suggesting that the O3 lesions were not a result of deficient antioxidative capacity. The buildup of salicylic acid during chronic O3 exposure might have prevented the up-regulation of ET biosynthesis in clone 200. Blocking of ET perception with 1-methylcyclopropene protected both clones from the decrease in net photosynthesis during chronic exposure to O3. After a pretreatment with low O3 for 9 d, an acute 1.5-fold O3 elevation caused necrosis in the O3-sensitive clone 51, which increased substantially when ET perception was blocked. The results suggest that in hybrid aspen, ET signaling had a dual role depending on the severity of the stress. ET accelerated leaf senescence under low O3, but under acute O3 elevation, ET signaling seemed to be required for protection from necrotic cell death. PMID:12746525

  18. Changes in protein expression in testes of L2 strain Taiwan country chickens in response to acute heat stress.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shih-Han; Cheng, Chuen-Yu; Chen, Chao-Jung; Chen, Hsin-Hsin; Tang, Pin-Chi; Chen, Chih-Feng; Lee, Yen-Pai; Huang, San-Yuan

    2014-07-01

    Heat stress causes a decrease of fertility in roosters. Yet, the way acute heat stress affects protein expression remains poorly understood. This study investigated differential protein expression in testes of the L2 strain of Taiwan country chickens following acute heat stress. Twelve 45-week-old roosters were allocated into four groups, including control roosters kept at 25 °C, roosters subjected to 38 °C acute heat stress for 4 hours without recovery, with 2 hours of recovery, and with 6 hours of recovery. Testis samples were collected for morphologic assay and protein analysis. Some of the differentially expressed proteins were validated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Abnormal and apoptotic spermatogenic cells were observed at 2 hours of recovery after acute heat stress, especially among the spermatocytes. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis revealed that 119 protein spots were differentially expressed in chicken testes following heat stress, and peptide mass fingerprinting revealed that these spots contained 92 distinct proteins. In the heat-stressed samples, the heat shock proteins, chaperonin containing t-complex, and proteasome subunits were downregulated, and glutathione S-transferase, transgelin, and DJ-1 were upregulated. Our results demonstrate that acute heat stress impairs the processes of translation, protein folding, and protein degradation, and thus results in apoptosis and interferes with spermatogenesis. On the other hand, the increased expression of antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione S-transferase and DJ-1, may attenuate heat-induced damage. These findings may have implications for breeding chickens that can tolerate more extreme conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Acute changes in foot strike pattern and cadence affect running parameters associated with tibial stress fractures.

    PubMed

    Yong, Jennifer R; Silder, Amy; Montgomery, Kate L; Fredericson, Michael; Delp, Scott L

    2018-05-18

    Tibial stress fractures are a common and debilitating injury that occur in distance runners. Runners may be able to decrease tibial stress fracture risk by adopting a running pattern that reduces biomechanical parameters associated with a history of tibial stress fracture. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that converting to a forefoot striking pattern or increasing cadence without focusing on changing foot strike type would reduce injury risk parameters in recreational runners. Running kinematics, ground reaction forces and tibial accelerations were recorded from seventeen healthy, habitual rearfoot striking runners while running in their natural running pattern and after two acute retraining conditions: (1) converting to forefoot striking without focusing on cadence and (2) increasing cadence without focusing on foot strike. We found that converting to forefoot striking decreased two risk factors for tibial stress fracture: average and peak loading rates. Increasing cadence decreased one risk factor: peak hip adduction angle. Our results demonstrate that acute adaptation to forefoot striking reduces different injury risk parameters than acute adaptation to increased cadence and suggest that both modifications may reduce the risk of tibial stress fractures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. The relationship of attachment insecurity to subjective stress and autonomic function during standardized acute stress in healthy adults.

    PubMed

    Maunder, Robert G; Lancee, William J; Nolan, Robert P; Hunter, Jonathan J; Tannenbaum, David W

    2006-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to test predicted relationships between adult attachment and stress using subjective and physiological measures. Sixty-seven healthy adults completed measures of adult attachment and perceived chronic stress. Subjective stress and the high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) spectral bandwidths of heart rate variability (HRV) were measured during a standardized stress protocol. Attachment anxiety is associated with between-subject differences in chronic perceived stress (P=.001) and subjective acute stress (P=.01). There is a main effect of attachment avoidance on between-subject differences in HF HRV (P=.004). Attachment avoidance is inversely associated with HF HRV, independent of age and variability in respiration. Attachment anxiety is associated with self-reported distress. Attachment avoidance is inversely associated with HF HRV, a marker of vagal influence on cardiac activity, but is not associated with subjective stress.

  1. CARRY-OVER EFFECTS OF OZONE ON ROOT GROWTH AND CARBOHYDRATE CONCENTRATIONS OF PONDEROSA PINE SEEDLINGS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone exposure decreases belowground carbon allocation and root growth of plants;however,the extent to which these effects persist and the cumulative impact of ozone stress on plant growth are poorly understood.To evaluate the potential for plant compensation,we followed the prog...

  2. Vitamin E antagonizes ozone-induced asthma exacerbation in Balb/c mice through the Nrf2 pathway.

    PubMed

    Duan, Liju; Li, Jinquan; Ma, Ping; Yang, Xu; Xu, Shunqing

    2017-09-01

    Millions of people are regularly exposed to ozone, a gas known to contribute significantly to worsening the symptoms of patients with asthma. However, the mechanisms underlying these ozone exacerbation effects are not fully understood. In this study, we examined the exacerbation effect of ozone in OVA-induced asthma mice and tried to demonstrate the protective mechanism of vitamin E (VE). An asthma mouse model was established, and used to identify the exacerbating effects of ozone by assessing cytokine and serum immunoglobulin concentrations, airway leukocyte infiltration, histopathological changes in lung tissues, and airway hyper-responsiveness. We then determined the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated, the extent to which VE induced ROS elimination, and examined the antagonistic effects of VE on the ozone-induced exacerbating effects. This study showed that 1-ppm ozone exposure could exacerbate OVA-induced asthma in mice. More importantly we found that ozone induced oxidative stress in asthmatic airways may lead to the inhibition of Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and may subsequently induce even more exaggerated oxidative stress associated with asthma exacerbation. Through VE induced Nrf2 activation and the subsequent increase in Nrf2 target protein expression, this study suggests a novel mechanism for alleviating ozone exacerbated asthma symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery.

    PubMed

    Rus, Holly M; Tiemensma, Jitske

    2017-01-01

    Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users ( n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration ( p < 0.05) when controlling for gender and emotional investment in the website compared to controls. Results suggest that social media use may delay or impair recovery after experiencing an acute social stressor. This novel study incorporated objective physiological markers with subjective psychosocial measures to show that Facebook use may negatively impact well-being.

  4. Social Media under the Skin: Facebook Use after Acute Stress Impairs Cortisol Recovery

    PubMed Central

    Rus, Holly M.; Tiemensma, Jitske

    2017-01-01

    Social media's influence on stress remains largely unknown. Conflicting research suggests that Facebook use may both enhance and undermine psychosocial constructs related to well-being. Using novel experimental methods, this study examined the impact of social media use on stress recovery. Facebook users (n = 92, 49 males, mean age 19.55 SD = 1.63) were randomly assigned to use their own Facebook profile or quietly read after experiencing an acute social stressor. All participants showed significant changes in subjective and physiological stress markers during recovery. Participants who used Facebook experienced greater sustained cortisol concentration (p < 0.05) when controlling for gender and emotional investment in the website compared to controls. Results suggest that social media use may delay or impair recovery after experiencing an acute social stressor. This novel study incorporated objective physiological markers with subjective psychosocial measures to show that Facebook use may negatively impact well-being. PMID:28974938

  5. Ozone distribution in remote ecologically vulnerable terrain of the southern Sierra Nevada, CA.

    PubMed

    Panek, Jeanne; Saah, David; Esperanza, Annie; Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Fraczek, Witold; Cisneros, Ricardo

    2013-11-01

    Ozone concentration spatial patterns remain largely uncharacterized across the extensive wilderness areas of the Sierra Nevada, CA, despite being downwind of major pollution sources. These natural areas, including four national parks and four national forests, contain forest species that are susceptible to ozone injury. Forests stressed by ozone are also more vulnerable to other agents of mortality, including insects, pathogens, climate change, and ultimately fire. Here we analyze three years of passive ozone monitor data from the southern Sierra Nevada and interpolate landscape-scale spatial and temporal patterns during the summer-through-fall high ozone concentration period. Segmentation analysis revealed three types of ozone exposure sub-regions: high, low, and variable. Consistently high ozone exposure regions are expected to be most vulnerable to forest mortality. One high exposure sub-region has been documented elsewhere as being further vulnerable to increased drought and fire potential. Identifying such hot-spots of forest vulnerability has utility for prioritizing management. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Impact of downward-mixing ozone on surface ozone accumulation in southern Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Lin, Ching-Ho

    2008-04-01

    The ozone that initially presents in the previous day's afternoon mixing layer can remain in the nighttime atmosphere and then be carried over to the next morning. Finally, this ozone can be brought to the ground by downward mixing as mixing depth increases during the daytime, thereby increasing surface ozone concentrations. Variation of ozone concentration during each of these periods is investigated in this work. First, ozone concentrations existing in the daily early morning atmosphere at the altitude range of the daily maximum mixing depth (residual ozone concentrations) were measured using tethered ozonesondes on 52 experimental days during 2004-2005 in southern Taiwan. Daily downward-mixing ozone concentrations were calculated by a box model coupling the measured daily residual ozone concentrations and daily mixing depth variations. The ozone concentrations upwind in the previous day's afternoon mixing layer were estimated by the combination of back air trajectory analysis and known previous day's surface ozone distributions. Additionally, the relationship between daily downward-mixing ozone concentration and daily photochemically produced ozone concentration was examined. The latter was calculated by removing the former from daily surface maximum ozone concentration. The measured daily residual ozone concentrations distributed at 12-74 parts per billion (ppb) with an average of 42 +/- 17 ppb are well correlated with the previous upwind ozone concentration (R2 = 0.54-0.65). Approximately 60% of the previous upwind ozone was estimated to be carried over to the next morning and became the observed residual ozone. The daily downward-mixing ozone contributes 48 +/- 18% of the daily surface maximum ozone concentration, indicating that the downward-mixing ozone is as important as daily photochemically produced ozone to daily surface maximum ozone accumulation. The daily downward-mixing ozone is poorly correlated with the daily photochemically produced ozone and

  7. LUNG INJURY AFTER OZONE EXPOSURE IS IRON-DEPENDENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress and biological effect after ozone (O3) exposure are dependent on changes in iron homeostasis. After O3 exposure, healthy volunteers demonstrated increased lavage concentrations of iron, transferrin, lactoferrin, and ferritin. In norm...

  8. Neurocognitive Function and State Cognitive Stress Appraisal Predict Cortisol Reactivity to an Acute Psychosocial Stressor in Adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Slattery, Marcia J.; Grieve, Adam J.; Ames, Michelle E.; Armstrong, Jeffrey M.; Essex, Marilyn J.

    2014-01-01

    Stress and associated alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function have deleterious impacts on the development of multiple mental and physical health problems. Prior research has aimed to identify individuals most at risk for the development of these stress-related maladies by examining factors that may contribute to inter-individual differences in HPA responses to acute stress. The objectives of this study were to investigate, in adolescents, 1) whether differences in neurocognitive abilities influenced cortisol reactivity to an acute stressor, 2) whether internalizing psychiatric disorders influenced this relationship, and 3) whether acute cognitive stress-appraisal mechanisms mediated an association between neurocognitive function and cortisol reactivity. Subjects were 70 adolescents from a community sample who underwent standardized neurocognitive assessments of IQ, achievement, and declarative memory measures at mean age 14 and whose physiological and behavioral responses to a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) were assessed at mean age 18. Results showed that, among all adolescents, lower nonverbal memory performance predicted lower cortisol reactivity. In addition, internalizing disorders interacted with verbal memory such that the association with cortisol reactivity was strongest for adolescents with internalizing disorders. Finally, lower secondary cognitive appraisal of coping in anticipation of the TSST independently predicted lower cortisol reactivity but did not mediate the neurocognitive–cortisol relationship. Findings suggest that declarative memory may contribute to inter-individual differences in acute cortisol reactivity in adolescents, internalizing disorders may influence this relationship, and cognitive stress appraisal also predicts cortisol reactivity. Developmental, research, and clinical implications are discussed. PMID:23253895

  9. Having your cake and eating it too: A habit of comfort food may link chronic social stress exposure and acute stress-induced cortisol hyporesponsiveness.

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Stress has been tied to changes in eating behavior and food choice. Previous studies in rodents have shown that chronic stress increases palatable food intake which, in turn, increases mesenteric fat and inhibits acute stress-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The effect of...

  10. Weight loss in rats exposed to repeated acute restraint stress is independent of energy or leptin status.

    PubMed

    Harris, Ruth B S; Mitchell, Tiffany D; Simpson, Jacob; Redmann, Stephen M; Youngblood, Bradley D; Ryan, Donna H

    2002-01-01

    Acute release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) during repeated restraint (3-h restraint on each of 3 days) causes temporary hypophagia but chronic suppression of body weight in rats. Here we demonstrated that a second bout of repeated restraint caused additional weight loss, but continuing restraint daily for 10 days did not increase weight loss because the rats adapted to the stress. In these two studies serum leptin, which suppresses the endocrine response to stress, was reduced in restrained rats. Peripheral infusion of leptin before and during restraint did not prevent stress-induced weight loss, although stress-induced corticosterone release was suppressed. Restrained rats were hyperthermic during restraint, but there was no evidence that fever or elevated free interleukin-6 caused the sustained reduction in weight. Restraining food-restricted rats caused a small but significant weight loss. Food-restricted rats fed ad libitum after the end of restraint showed a blunted hyperphagia and slower rate of weight regain than their controls. These results indicate that repeated acute stress induces a chronic change in weight independent of stress-induced hypophagia and may represent a change in homeostasis initiated by repeated acute activation of the central CRF system.

  11. Think aloud: acute stress and coping strategies during golf performances.

    PubMed

    Nicholls, Adam R; Polman, Remco C J

    2008-07-01

    A limitation of the sport psychology coping literature is the amount of time between a stressful episode and the recall of the coping strategies used in the stressful event (Nicholls & Polman, 2007). The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a technique to measure acute stress and coping during performance. Five high-performance adolescent golfers took part in Level 2 verbalization think aloud trials (Ericsson & Simon, 1993), which involved participants verbalizing their thoughts, over six holes of golf. Verbal reports were audio-recorded during each performance, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using protocol analysis (Ericsson & Simon, 1993). Stressors and coping strategies varied throughout the six holes, which support the proposition that stress and coping is a dynamic process that changes across phases of the same performance (Lazarus, 1999). The results also revealed information regarding the sequential patterning of stress and coping, suggesting that the golfers experienced up to five stressors before reporting a coping strategy. Think aloud appears a suitable method to collect concurrent stress and coping data.

  12. Influence of ozonation and biodegradation on toxicity of industrial textile wastewater.

    PubMed

    Paździor, Katarzyna; Wrębiak, Julita; Klepacz-Smółka, Anna; Gmurek, Marta; Bilińska, Lucyna; Kos, Lech; Sójka-Ledakowicz, Jadwiga; Ledakowicz, Stanisław

    2017-06-15

    The textile industry demands huge volumes of high quality water which converts into wastewater contaminated by wide spectrum of chemicals. Estimation of textile wastewater influence on the aquatic systems is a very important issue. Therefore, closing of the water cycle within the factories is a promising method of decreasing its environmental impact as well as operational costs. Taking both reasons into account, the aim of this work was to establish the acute toxicity of the textile wastewater before and after separate chemical, biological as well as combined chemical-biological treatment. For the first time the effects of three different combinations of chemical and biological methods were investigated. The acute toxicity analysis were evaluated using the Microtox ® toxicity test. Ozonation in two reactors of working volume 1 dm 3 (stirred cell) and 20 dm 3 (bubble column) were tested as chemical process, while biodegradation was conducted in two, different systems - Sequence Batch Reactors (SBR; working volume 1.5 dm 3 ) and Horizontal Continuous Flow Bioreactor (HCFB; working volume 12 dm 3 ). The untreated wastewater had the highest toxicity (EC50 value in range: 3-6%). Ozonation caused lower reduction of the toxicity than biodegradation. In the system with SBR the best results were obtained for the biodegradation followed by the ozonation and additional biodegradation - 96% of the toxicity removal. In the second system (with HCFB) two-stage treatment (biodegradation followed by the ozonation) led to the highest toxicity reduction (98%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. The effect of ozone and naringin on intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury in an experimental model.

    PubMed

    Isik, Arda; Peker, Kemal; Gursul, Cebrail; Sayar, Ilyas; Firat, Deniz; Yilmaz, Ismayil; Demiryilmaz, Ismail

    2015-09-01

    The aim of the study was to evaulate the effect of ozone and naringin on the intestine after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion(II/R) injury. Thirty five rats divided into 5 groups of 7 animals: control, II/R, ozone, naringin and naringin + ozone. Only laparotomy and exploration of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) were done in control group. In the experimental groups, SAM was occluded for 1 h and reperfused for 1 h. 15 min after ischemia, ozone (25 μg/ml, 0.5 mg/kg), naringin (80 mg/kg) and naringin + ozone(80 mg/kg + 25 μg/ml, 0.5 mg/kg) were infused intraperitoneally to each groups. Ileum tissues were harvested to determine intestinal mucosal injury and oxidative stress markers. For SMA occlusion, different than literature, silk suture binding was used. Oxidative stress markers were significantly low in experimental groups compared with II/R group (p < 0.05). Histopathologically, the injury score was significantly low at experimental groups compared with II/R group (p < 0.05). The lowest injury score was encountered at naringine + ozone group. Ozone alone or combined with naringin has a protective effect for mesenteric ischemia. Instead of using instruments such as clamps in the II/R rat model, silk binding may be used safely. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Therapeutic relevance of ozone therapy in degenerative diseases: Focus on diabetes and spinal pain.

    PubMed

    Braidy, Nady; Izadi, Morteza; Sureda, Antoni; Jonaidi-Jafari, Nematollah; Banki, Abdolali; Nabavi, Seyed F; Nabavi, Seyed M

    2018-04-01

    Ozone, one of the most important air pollutants, is a triatomic molecule containing three atoms of oxygen that results in an unstable form due to its mesomeric structure. It has been well-known that ozone has potent ability to oxidize organic compounds and can induce respiratory irritation. Although ozone has deleterious effects, many therapeutic effects have also been suggested. Since last few decades, the therapeutic potential of ozone has gained much attention through its strong capacity to induce controlled and moderated oxidative stress when administered in precise therapeutic doses. A plethora of scientific evidence showed that the activation of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1a), nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT), nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2-antioxidant response element (Nrf2-ARE), and activated protein-1 (AP-1) pathways are the main molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of ozone therapy. Activation of these molecular pathways leads to up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant systems, activation of immune functions as well as suppression of inflammatory processes, which is important for correcting oxidative stress in diabetes and spinal pain. The present study intended to review critically the available scientific evidence concerning the beneficial properties of ozone therapy for treatment of diabetic complications and spinal pain. It finds benefit for integrating the therapy with ozone into pharmacological procedures, instead of a substitutive or additional option to therapy. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Acute Stress Dysregulates the LPP ERP Response to Emotional Pictures and Impairs Sustained Attention: Time-Sensitive Effects

    PubMed Central

    Alomari, Rima A.; Fernandez, Mercedes; Banks, Jonathan B.; Acosta, Juliana; Tartar, Jaime L.

    2015-01-01

    Stress can increase emotional vigilance at the cost of a decrease in attention towards non-emotional stimuli. However, the time-dependent effects of acute stress on emotion processing are uncertain. We tested the effects of acute stress on subsequent emotion processing up to 40 min following an acute stressor. Our measure of emotion processing was the late positive potential (LPP) component of the visual event-related potential (ERP), and our measure of non-emotional attention was the sustained attention to response task (SART). We also measured cortisol levels before and after the socially evaluated cold pressor test (SECPT) induction. We found that the effects of stress on the LPP ERP emotion measure were time sensitive. Specifically, the LPP ERP was only altered in the late time-point (30–40 min post-stress) when cortisol was at its highest level. Here, the LPP no longer discriminated between the emotional and non-emotional picture categories, most likely because neutral pictures were perceived as emotional. Moreover, compared to the non-stress condition, the stress-condition showed impaired performance on the SART. Our results support the idea that a limit in attention resources after an emotional stressor is associated with the brain incorrectly processing non-emotional stimuli as emotional and interferes with sustained attention. PMID:26010485

  16. Acute Stress Dysregulates the LPP ERP Response to Emotional Pictures and Impairs Sustained Attention: Time-Sensitive Effects.

    PubMed

    Alomari, Rima A; Fernandez, Mercedes; Banks, Jonathan B; Acosta, Juliana; Tartar, Jaime L

    2015-05-20

    Stress can increase emotional vigilance at the cost of a decrease in attention towards non-emotional stimuli. However, the time-dependent effects of acute stress on emotion processing are uncertain. We tested the effects of acute stress on subsequent emotion processing up to 40 min following an acute stressor. Our measure of emotion processing was the late positive potential (LPP) component of the visual event-related potential (ERP), and our measure of non-emotional attention was the sustained attention to response task (SART). We also measured cortisol levels before and after the socially evaluated cold pressor test (SECPT) induction. We found that the effects of stress on the LPP ERP emotion measure were time sensitive. Specifically, the LPP ERP was only altered in the late time-point (30-40 min post-stress) when cortisol was at its highest level. Here, the LPP no longer discriminated between the emotional and non-emotional picture categories, most likely because neutral pictures were perceived as emotional. Moreover, compared to the non-stress condition, the stress-condition showed impaired performance on the SART. Our results support the idea that a limit in attention resources after an emotional stressor is associated with the brain incorrectly processing non-emotional stimuli as emotional and interferes with sustained attention.

  17. Consideration of air quality standards for vegetation with respect to ozone

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Heggestad, H.E.

    1968-01-01

    There is an increasing body of evidence that ozone is the most damaging of all air pollutants affecting vegetation. It is the principal oxidant in the photochemical smog complex. Concentrations measured with an ultraviolet photometer, considered specific for ozone, have exceeded 0.5 part per million (ppM) in the Los Angeles area. Only one-tenth of this level, or 0.05 ppM, for 8 hours is known to injure very sensitive tobacco varieties. Studies in several laboratories show that a broad spectrum of plant species is visibly affected after a few hours exposure at concentrations much lower than 0.5 ppM. There is alsomore » some evidence that ozone reduces plant growth. Many factors must be taken into account in considering standards for possible use in the protection of vegetation from ozone damage. These include ozone concentration and methods of measurement, time of exposure, possible additive effects of other pollutants, sensitivity of species to ozone, their economic value, and the extent of injury which can be tolerated. The response of a species to the pollutant is conditioned by genetic factors and environmental conditions. The lack of routine, specific methods for measuring ozone in ambient air is a handicap. California and Colorado established standards for oxidants at 0.15 ppM and 0.10 ppM, respectively, for 1 hour. How these standards relate to the dosage of ozone that causes acute and chronic injury to various plant species is discussed. 28 references.« less

  18. Effect of Acute Psychological Stress on Prefrontal GABA Concentration Determined by Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Hasler, Gregor; van der Veen, Jan Willem; Grillon, Christian; Drevets, Wayne C.; Shen, Jun

    2011-01-01

    Objective Impaired function of the central gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system, which provides the brain’s major inhibitory pathways, is thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. The effect of acute psychological stress on the human GABA-ergic system is still unknown, however. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of acute stress on prefrontal GABA levels. Method A recently developed noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy method was used to measure changes in the GABA concentration of the prefrontal cortex in 10 healthy human subjects during a threat-of-shock condition and during a safe condition (two sessions on different days). The main outcome measure was the mean GABA concentration within a 3×3×2-cm3 voxel selected from the medial prefrontal cortex. Results Prefrontal GABA decreased by approximately 18% in the threat-of-shock condition relative to the safe condition. This reduction was specific to GABA, since the concentrations of N-acetyl-aspartate, choline-containing compounds, and glutamate/glutamine levels obtained in the same spectra did not change significantly. Conclusions This result appeared compatible with evidence from preclinical studies in rodents, which showed rapid presynaptic down-regulation of GABA-ergic neurotransmission in response to acute psychological stress. The molecular mechanism and functional significance of this reduced inhibitory effect of acute psychological stress in relation to impaired GABA-ergic function in anxiety disorders merit further investigation. PMID:20634372

  19. Progenitor cells are mobilized by acute psychological stress but not beta-adrenergic receptor agonist infusion.

    PubMed

    Riddell, Natalie E; Burns, Victoria E; Wallace, Graham R; Edwards, Kate M; Drayson, Mark; Redwine, Laura S; Hong, Suzi; Bui, Jack C; Fischer, Johannes C; Mills, Paul J; Bosch, Jos A

    2015-10-01

    Stimuli that activate the sympathetic nervous system, such as acute psychological stress, rapidly invoke a robust mobilization of lymphocytes into the circulation. Experimental animal studies suggest that bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (PCs) also mobilize in response to sympathetic stimulation. Here we tested the effects of acute psychological stress and brief pharmacological β-adrenergic (βAR) stimulation on peripheral PC numbers in humans. In two studies, we investigated PC mobilization in response to an acute speech task (n=26) and βAR-agonist (isoproterenol) infusion (n=20). A subset of 8 participants also underwent the infusion protocol with concomitant administration of the βAR-antagonist propranolol. Flow cytometry was used to enumerate lymphocyte subsets, total progenitor cells, total haematopoietic stem cells (HSC), early HSC (multi-lineage potential), late HSC (lineage committed), and endothelial PCs (EPCs). Both psychological stress and βAR-agonist infusion caused the expected mobilization of total monocytes and lymphocytes and CD8(+) T lymphocytes. Psychological stress also induced a modest, but significant, increase in total PCs, HSCs, and EPC numbers in peripheral blood. However, infusion of a βAR-agonist did not result in a significant change in circulating PCs. PCs are rapidly mobilized by psychological stress via mechanisms independent of βAR-stimulation, although the findings do not exclude βAR-stimulation as a possible cofactor. Considering the clinical and physiological relevance, further research into the mechanisms involved in stress-induced PC mobilization seems warranted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Progenitor cells are mobilized by acute psychological stress but not beta-adrenergic receptor agonist infusion

    PubMed Central

    Riddell, Natalie E.; Burns, Victoria E.; Wallace, Graham R.; Edwards, Kate M.; Drayson, Mark; Redwine, Laura S.; Hong, Suzi; Bui, Jack D.; Fischer, Johannes C.; Mills, Paul J.; Bosch, Jos A.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Stimuli that activate the sympathetic nervous system, such as acute psychological stress, rapidly invoke a robust mobilization of lymphocytes into the circulation. Experimental animal studies suggest that bone marrow-derived progenitor cells (PCs) also mobilize in response to sympathetic stimulation. Here we tested the effects of acute psychological stress and brief pharmacological β-adrenergic (βAR) stimulation on peripheral PC numbers in humans. Methods In two studies, we investigated PC mobilization in response to an acute speech task (n=26) and βAR-agonist (isoproterenol) infusion (n=20). A subset of 8 participants also underwent the infusion protocol with concomitant administration of the βAR-antagonist propranolol. Flow cytometry was used to enumerate lymphocyte subsets, total progenitor cells, total haematopoietic stem cells (HSC), early HSC (multi-lineage potential), late HSC (lineage committed), and endothelial PCs (EPCs). Results Both psychological stress and βAR-agonist infusion caused the expected mobilization of total monocytes and lymphocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Psychological stress also induced a modest, but significant, increase in total PCs, HSCs, and EPC numbers in peripheral blood. However, infusion of a βAR-agonist did not result in a significant change in circulating PCs. Conclusion PCs are rapidly mobilized by psychological stress via mechanisms independent of βAR-stimulation, although the findings do not exclude βAR-stimulation as a possible cofactor. Considering the clinical and physiological relevance, further research into the mechanisms involved in stress-induced PC mobilization seems warranted. PMID:25747743

  1. Ozone Layer Protection

    MedlinePlus

    ... Offices Labs and Research Centers Contact Us Share Ozone Layer Protection The stratospheric ozone layer is Earth’s “ ... to ozone-depleting substances, and sun safety. Stratospheric Ozone Layer Basic Ozone Layer Science Health and Environmental ...

  2. Fear extinction deficits following acute stress associate with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala neurons

    PubMed Central

    Maroun, Mouna; Ioannides, Pericles J.; Bergman, Krista L.; Kavushansky, Alexandra; Holmes, Andrew; Wellman, Cara L.

    2013-01-01

    Stress-sensitive psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction of corticolimbic circuits mediating extinction. Chronic stress facilitates fear conditioning, impairs extinction, and produces dendritic proliferation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a critical site of plasticity for extinction. Acute stress impairs extinction, alters plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex-to-BLA circuit, and causes dendritic retraction in the medial prefrontal cortex. Here, we examined extinction learning and basolateral amygdala pyramidal neuron morphology in adult male rats following a single elevated platform stress. Acute stress impaired extinction acquisition and memory, and produced dendritic retraction and increased mushroom spine density in basolateral amygdala neurons in the right hemisphere. Unexpectedly, irrespective of stress, rats that underwent fear and extinction testing showed basolateral amygdala dendritic retraction and altered spine density relative to non-conditioned rats, particularly in the left hemisphere. Thus, extinction deficits produced by acute stress are associated with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the finding that conditioning and extinction as such was sufficient to alter basolateral amygdala morphology and spine density illustrates the sensitivity of basolateral amygdala morphology to behavioral manipulation. These findings may have implications for elucidating the role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. PMID:23714419

  3. The effect of mild acute stress during memory consolidation on emotional recognition memory.

    PubMed

    Corbett, Brittany; Weinberg, Lisa; Duarte, Audrey

    2017-11-01

    Stress during consolidation improves recognition memory performance. Generally, this memory benefit is greater for emotionally arousing stimuli than neutral stimuli. The strength of the stressor also plays a role in memory performance, with memory performance improving up to a moderate level of stress and thereafter worsening. As our daily stressors are generally minimal in strength, we chose to induce mild acute stress to determine its effect on memory performance. In the current study, we investigated if mild acute stress during consolidation improves memory performance for emotionally arousing images. To investigate this, we had participants encode highly arousing negative, minimally arousing negative, and neutral images. We induced stress using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST) in half of the participants and a control task to the other half of the participants directly after encoding (i.e. during consolidation) and tested recognition 48h later. We found no difference in memory performance between the stress and control group. We found a graded pattern among confidence, with responders in the stress group having the least amount of confidence in their hits and controls having the most. Across groups, we found highly arousing negative images were better remembered than minimally arousing negative or neutral images. Although stress did not affect memory accuracy, responders, as defined by cortisol reactivity, were less confident in their decisions. Our results suggest that the daily stressors humans experience, regardless of their emotional affect, do not have adverse effects on memory. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Activation of neurokinin-1 receptors during ozone inhalation contributes to epithelial injury and repair.

    PubMed

    Oslund, Karen L; Hyde, Dallas M; Putney, Leialoha F; Alfaro, Mario F; Walby, William F; Tyler, Nancy K; Schelegle, Edward S

    2008-09-01

    We investigated the importance of neurokinin (NK)-1 receptors in epithelial injury and repair and neutrophil function. Conscious Wistar rats were exposed to 1 ppm ozone or filtered air for 8 hours, followed by an 8-hour postexposure period. Before exposure, we administered either the NK-1 receptor antagonist, SR140333, or saline as a control. Ethidium homodimer was instilled into lungs as a marker of necrotic airway epithelial cells. After fixation, whole mounts of airway dissected lung lobes were immunostained for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, a marker of epithelial proliferation. Both ethidium homodimer and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-positive epithelial cells were quantified in specific airway generations. Rats treated with the NK-1 receptor antagonist had significantly reduced epithelial injury and epithelial proliferation compared with control rats. Sections of terminal bronchioles showed no significant difference in the number of neutrophils in airways between groups. In addition, staining ozone-exposed lung sections for active caspase 3 showed no apoptotic cells, but ethidium-positive cells colocalized with the orphan nuclear receptor, Nur77, a marker of nonapoptotic, programmed cell death mediated by the NK-1 receptor. An immortalized human airway epithelial cell line, human bronchial epithelial-1, showed no significant difference in the number of oxidant stress-positive cells during exposure to hydrogen peroxide and a range of SR140333 doses, demonstrating no antioxidant effect of the receptor antagonist. We conclude that activation of the NK-1 receptor during acute ozone inhalation contributes to epithelial injury and subsequent epithelial proliferation, a critical component of repair, but does not influence neutrophil emigration into airways.

  5. Neural Mechanisms Underlying 5-HTTLPR Related Sensitivity to Acute Stress

    PubMed Central

    Drabant, Emily M; Ramel, Wiveka; Edge, Michael D; Hyde, Luke W; Kuo, Janice R; Goldin, Philippe R; Hariri, Ahmad R; Gross, James J

    2013-01-01

    Objective Many studies have shown that 5-HTTLPR genotype interacts with exposure to stress in conferring risk for psychopathology. However, the specific neural mechanisms through which this gene-by-environment interaction confers risk remain largely unknown, and no study to date has directly examined the modulatory effects of the 5-HTTLPR on corticolimbic circuit responses during exposure to acute stress. Methods An acute laboratory stressor was administered to 51 healthy women during BOLD fMRI scanning. In this task, electric shocks of uncertain intensity were threatened and unpredictably delivered to the wrist after a long anticipatory cue period of unpredictable duration. Results Relative to those carrying the L allele, SS homozygotes showed enhanced activation during threat anticipation in a network of regions including amygdala, hippocampus, anterior insula, thalamus, pulvinar, caudate, precuneus, anterior cingulate cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex. SS homozygotes also displayed enhanced positive coupling between medial prefrontal cortex activation and anxiety experience, whereas individuals carrying the L allele displayed enhanced negative coupling between insula activation and perceived success at regulating anxiety. Conclusions The present findings suggest that, when exposed to stress, SS homozygotes may preferentially engage neural systems which enhance fear and arousal, modulate attention toward threat, and perseverate on emotional salience of the threat. This may be one mechanism underlying risk for psychopathology conferred by the S allele upon exposure to life stressors. PMID:22362395

  6. Genetic dissection of ozone tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by a genome-wide association study

    PubMed Central

    Ueda, Yoshiaki; Frimpong, Felix; Qi, Yitao; Matthus, Elsa; Wu, Linbo; Höller, Stefanie; Kraska, Thorsten; Frei, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Tropospheric ozone causes various negative effects on plants and affects the yield and quality of agricultural crops. Here, we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) to determine candidate loci associated with ozone tolerance. A diversity panel consisting of 328 accessions representing all subgroups of O. sativa was exposed to ozone stress at 60 nl l–1 for 7h every day throughout the growth season, or to control conditions. Averaged over all genotypes, ozone significantly affected biomass-related traits (plant height –1.0%, shoot dry weight –15.9%, tiller number –8.3%, grain weight –9.3%, total panicle weight –19.7%, single panicle weight –5.5%) and biochemical/physiological traits (symptom formation, SPAD value –4.4%, foliar lignin content +3.4%). A wide range of genotypic variance in response to ozone stress were observed in all phenotypes. Association mapping based on more than 30 000 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers yielded 16 significant markers throughout the genome by applying a significance threshold of P<0.0001. Furthermore, by determining linkage disequilibrium blocks associated with significant SNPs, we gained a total of 195 candidate genes for these traits. The following sequence analysis revealed a number of novel polymorphisms in two candidate genes for the formation of visible leaf symptoms, a RING and an EREBP gene, both of which are involved in cell death and stress defence reactions. This study demonstrated substantial natural variation of responses to ozone in rice and the possibility of using GWAS in elucidating the genetic factors underlying ozone tolerance. PMID:25371505

  7. KCNQ/Kv7 channel activator flupirtine protects against acute stress-induced impairments of spatial memory retrieval and hippocampal LTP in rats.

    PubMed

    Li, C; Huang, P; Lu, Q; Zhou, M; Guo, L; Xu, X

    2014-11-07

    Spatial memory retrieval and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) are impaired by stress. KCNQ/Kv7 channels are closely associated with memory and the KCNQ/Kv7 channel activator flupirtine represents neuroprotective effects. This study aims to test whether KCNQ/Kv7 channel activation prevents acute stress-induced impairments of spatial memory retrieval and hippocampal LTP. Rats were placed on an elevated platform in the middle of a bright room for 30 min to evoke acute stress. The expression of KCNQ/Kv7 subunits was analyzed at 1, 3 and 12 h after stress by Western blotting. Spatial memory was examined by the Morris water maze (MWM) and the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) in the hippocampal CA1 area was recorded in vivo. Acute stress transiently decreased the expression of KCNQ2 and KCNQ3 in the hippocampus. Acute stress impaired the spatial memory retrieval and hippocampal LTP, the KCNQ/Kv7 channel activator flupirtine prevented the impairments, and the protective effects of flupirtine were blocked by XE-991 (10,10-bis(4-Pyridinylmethyl)-9(10H)-anthracenone), a selective KCNQ channel blocker. Furthermore, acute stress decreased the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) at Ser9 in the hippocampus, and flupirtine inhibited the reduction. These results suggest that the KCNQ/Kv7 channels may be a potential target for protecting both hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory retrieval from acute stress influences. Copyright © 2014 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Enamel and dentin bond strength following gaseous ozone application.

    PubMed

    Cadenaro, Milena; Delise, Chiara; Antoniollo, Francesca; Navarra, Ottavia Chiara; Di Lenarda, Roberto; Breschi, Lorenzo

    2009-08-01

    To evaluate the effects of gaseous ozone application on enamel and dentin bond strength produced by two self-etching adhesive systems. The shear bond strength test was conducted to assess adhesion on enamel (protocol 1), while the microtensile bond strength test was performed on dentin (protocol 2). Protocol 1: 96 bovine incisors were randomly divided into 4 groups, and enamel surfaces were bonded in accordance with the following treatments: (1E) ozone + Clearfil Protect Bond; (2E) Clearfil Protect Bond (control); (3E) ozone + Xeno III; (4E) Xeno III (control). Ozone gas was applied for 80 s. Shear bond strength was measured with a universal testing machine. Protocol 2: 40 noncarious human molars were selected. Middle/deep dentin was exposed and bonded in accordance with the following treatments: (1D) ozone+Clearfil Protect Bond; (2D) Clearfil Protect Bond (control); (3D) ozone+Xeno III (4D) Xeno III (control). Four-mm-thick buildups were built on the adhesives, then specimens were sectioned in accordance with the nontrimming technique. Specimens were stressed until failure occurred, and failure modes were analyzed. Shear bond and microtensile bond strength data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. No statistical differences were found between ozone treated specimens and controls, neither on enamel nor on dentin irrespective of the tested adhesive. Clearfil Protect Bond showed higher bond strength to enamel than Xeno III, irrespective of the ozone treatment (p < 0.05). The use of ozone gas to disinfect the cavity before placing a restoration had no influence on immediate enamel and dentin bond strength.

  9. An approach to an acute emotional stress reference scale.

    PubMed

    Garzon-Rey, J M; Arza, A; de-la-Camara, C; Lobo, A; Armario, A; Aguilo, J

    2017-06-16

    The clinical diagnosis aims to identify the degree of affectation of the psycho-physical state of the patient as a guide to therapeutic intervention. In stress, the lack of a measurement tool based on a reference makes it difficult to quantitatively assess this degree of affectation. To define and perform a primary assessment of a standard reference in order to measure acute emotional stress from the markers identified as indicators of the degree. Psychometric tests and biochemical variables are, in general, the most accepted stress measurements by the scientific community. Each one of them probably responds to different and complementary processes related to the reaction to a stress stimulus. The reference that is proposed is a weighted mean of these indicators by assigning them relative weights in accordance with a principal components analysis. An experimental study was conducted on 40 healthy young people subjected to the psychosocial stress stimulus of the Trier Social Stress Test in order to perform a primary assessment and consistency check of the proposed reference. The proposed scale clearly differentiates between the induced relax and stress states. Accepting the subjectivity of the definition and the lack of a subsequent validation with new experimental data, the proposed standard differentiates between a relax state and an emotional stress state triggered by a moderate stress stimulus, as it is the Trier Social Stress Test. The scale is robust. Although the variations in the percentage composition slightly affect the score, but they do not affect the valid differentiation between states.

  10. Negative Energy Balance Blocks Neural and Behavioral Responses to Acute Stress by “Silencing” Central Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Signaling in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Maniscalco, James W.; Zheng, Huiyuan; Gordon, Patrick J.

    2015-01-01

    Previous reports indicate that caloric restriction attenuates anxiety and other behavioral responses to acute stress, and blunts the ability of stress to increase anterior pituitary release of adrenocorticotropic hormone. Since hindbrain glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) neurons and noradrenergic prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) neurons participate in behavioral and endocrine stress responses, and are sensitive to the metabolic state, we examined whether overnight food deprivation blunts stress-induced recruitment of these neurons and their downstream hypothalamic and limbic forebrain targets. A single overnight fast reduced anxiety-like behavior assessed in the elevated-plus maze and acoustic startle test, including marked attenuation of light-enhanced startle. Acute stress [i.e., 30 min restraint (RES) or 5 min elevated platform exposure] robustly activated c-Fos in GLP-1 and PrRP neurons in fed rats, but not in fasted rats. Fasting also significantly blunted the ability of acute stress to activate c-Fos expression within the anterior ventrolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vlBST). Acute RES stress suppressed dark-onset food intake in rats that were fed ad libitum, whereas central infusion of a GLP-1 receptor antagonist blocked RES-induced hypophagia, and reduced the ability of RES to activate PrRP and anterior vlBST neurons in ad libitum-fed rats. Thus, an overnight fast “silences” GLP-1 and PrRP neurons, and reduces both anxiety-like and hypophagic responses to acute stress. The partial mimicking of these fasting-induced effects in ad libitum-fed rats after GLP-1 receptor antagonism suggests a potential mechanism by which short-term negative energy balance attenuates neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to acute stress. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The results from this study reveal a potential central mechanism for the “metabolic tuning” of stress responsiveness. A single overnight fast, which markedly reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats

  11. Stress hormonal changes in the brain and plasma after acute noise exposure in mice.

    PubMed

    Jin, Sang Gyun; Kim, Min Jung; Park, So Young; Park, Shi Nae

    2017-06-01

    To investigate the effects of acute noise stress on two amine stress hormones, norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the brain and plasma of mice after noise exposure. Mice were grouped into the control and noise groups. Mice in the noise group were exposed to white noise of 110dB sound pressure level for 60min. Auditory brainstem response thresholds, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, the organ of Corti grading scores, western blots of NE/5-HIAA in the whole brain and hippocampus, and the plasma levels of NE/5-HIAA were compared between the two groups. Significant hearing loss and cochlear damage were demonstrated in the noise group. NE and 5-HIAA in the hippocampus were elevated in the noise group (p=0.019/0.022 for NE/5-HIAA vs. the control). Plasma levels of NE and 5-HIAA were not statistically different between the groups (p=0.052/0.671 for NE/5-HIAA). Hearing loss with outer hair cell dysfunction and morphological changes of the organ of Corti after noise exposure in C57BL/6 mice proved the reliability of our animal model as an acute noise stress model. NE and 5-HIAA are suggested to be the potential biomarkers for acute noise stress in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Ozone Layer Observations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McPeters, Richard; Bhartia, P. K. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been monitoring the ozone layer from space using optical remote sensing techniques since 1970. With concern over catalytic destruction of ozone (mid-1970s) and the development of the Antarctic ozone hole (mid-1980s), long term ozone monitoring has become the primary focus of NASA's series of ozone measuring instruments. A series of TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) and SBUV (Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet) instruments has produced a nearly continuous record of global ozone from 1979 to the present. These instruments infer ozone by measuring sunlight backscattered from the atmosphere in the ultraviolet through differential absorption. These measurements have documented a 15 Dobson Unit drop in global average ozone since 1980, and the declines in ozone in the antarctic each October have been far more dramatic. Instruments that measure the ozone vertical distribution, the SBUV and SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) instruments for example, show that the largest changes are occurring in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere. The goal of ozone measurement in the next decades will be to document the predicted recovery of the ozone layer as CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) levels decline. This will require a continuation of global measurements of total column ozone on a global basis, but using data from successor instruments to TOMS. Hyperspectral instruments capable of measuring in the UV will be needed for this purpose. Establishing the relative roles of chemistry and dynamics will require instruments to measure ozone in the troposphere and in the stratosphere with good vertical resolution. Instruments that can measure other chemicals important to ozone formation and destruction will also be needed.

  13. Retigabine ameliorates acute stress-induced impairment of spatial memory retrieval through regulating USP2 signaling pathways in hippocampal CA1 area.

    PubMed

    Li, Cai; Zhang, Ji; Xu, Haiwei; Chang, Mujun; Lv, Chuntao; Xue, Wenhua; Song, Zhizhen; Zhang, Lizhen; Zhang, Xiaojian; Tian, Xin

    2018-06-01

    Acute stress could trigger maladaptive changes associated with stress-related cognitive and emotional deficits. Dysfunction of ion channel or receptor in the hippocampal area has been linked to the cognitive deficits induced by stress. It is known that Kv7 channel openers, including FDA-approved drug retigabine, show cognitive protective efficacy. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here we showed that exposing adult male rats to acute stress significantly impaired the spatial memory, a cognitive process controlled by the hippocampus. Concomitantly, significantly reduced AMPA receptor expression was found in hippocampal CA1 area from acute stressed rats. This effect relied on the down-regulation of deubiquitinating enzyme USP2 and its upstream regulators (PGC-1α and β-catenin), and the subsequent enhancement of mTOR-related autophagy which is regulated by USP2. These findings suggested that acute stress dampened AMPA receptor expression by controlling USP2-related signaling, which caused the detrimental effect on hippocampus-dependent cognitive processes. We also found that retigabine alleviated acute stress-induced spatial memory retrieval impairment through adjusting the aberrance of USP2, its upstream regulators (PGC-1α, E4BP4 and β-catenin) and its downstream targets (mTOR, autophagy and GluA1). Our results have identified USP2 as a key molecule that mediates stress-induced spatial memory retrieval impairment, which provides a framework for new druggable targets to conceptually treat stress-associated cognitive deficits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. RAAS and stress markers in acute ischemic stroke: preliminary findings.

    PubMed

    Back, C; Thiesen, K L; Skovgaard, K; Edvinsson, L; Jensen, L T; Larsen, V A; Iversen, H K

    2015-02-01

    Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade has neuroprotective effects in animal stroke models, but no effects in clinical stroke trials. We evaluated cerebral and peripheral changes in the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) and stress responses in acute ischemic stroke patients. Blood from a jugular and cubital vein was collected within 48 h of stroke onset, after 24 and 48 h, and renin, angiotensin I, angiotensin II, aldosterone, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol were measured. Post-stroke cubital vein samples were collected after 8 (4.7-10) months. The acute systolic blood pressure was significantly increased, 148 (141-168) vs 140 (130-147) mmHg post-stroke. Angiotensin I, renin and aldosterone levels were significantly lower, angiotensin II was unchanged, and ACE activity was higher in the acute phase compared to post-stroke. No differences in RAAS were detected between jugular and cubital plasma levels. Jugular venous plasma levels of epinephrine and cortisol were elevated in the acute phase compared to cubital levels (P < 0.05). Increased epinephrine and cortisol levels in the jugular vein blood may reflect a higher peripheral turnover. The observed changes in RAAS in the acute stroke phase are consistent with responses to increased blood pressure. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Verapamil enhances acute stress or glucocorticoid-induced deficits in retrieval of long-term memory in rats.

    PubMed

    Rashidy-Pour, Ali; Vafaei, Abbas Ali; Taherian, Abbas Ali; Miladi-Gorji, Hossein; Sadeghi, Hassan; Fathollahi, Yaghoub; Bandegi, Ahmad Reza

    2009-10-12

    This study was designed to investigate an interaction between acute restraint stress and corticosterone with verapamil, a blocker of L-type voltage-dependent calcium (VDC) channels on retrieval of long-term memory. Young adult male rats were trained in one trial inhibitory avoidance task (0.5 mA, 3 s footshock). On retention test given 48 h after training, the latency to re-enter dark compartment of the apparatus was recorded. In Experiment 1, verapamil pretreatment (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg) enhanced the impairing effects of acute stress (which was applied for 10 min in a Plexiglass tube 30 min before the retention test) on memory retrieval. The applied stress increased circulating corticosterone levels as assessed immediately after the retention test, indicating that stress-induced impairment of memory retrieval is mediated, in part, by increased plasma levels of glucocorticoids. Verapamil did not change this response. In Experiment 2, pretreatment of an intermediate dose of verapamil also enhanced corticosterone-induced impairment of memory retrieval. In Experiments 3 and 4, acute stress or corticosterone did not change motor activity with or without prior treatment of verapamil, suggesting that stress or glucocorticoid-induced impairment of memory retrieval is not due to any gross disturbances in motor performance of animals. These findings indicate that blockade of L-type VDC channels enhances stress or glucocorticoid-induced impairment of memory retrieval, and provide evidence for the existence of an interaction between glucocorticoids and L-type VDC channels on memory retrieval.

  16. Antarctic ozone loss in 1989-2010: evidence for ozone recovery?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuttippurath, J.; Lefèvre, F.; Pommereau, J.-P.; Roscoe, H. K.; Goutail, F.; Pazmiño, A.; Shanklin, J. D.

    2012-04-01

    We present a detailed estimation of chemical ozone loss in the Antarctic polar vortex from 1989 to 2010. The analyses include ozone loss estimates for 12 Antarctic ground-based (GB) stations. All GB observations show minimum ozone in the late September-early October period. Among the stations, the lowest minimum ozone values are observed at South Pole and the highest at Dumont d'Urville. The ozone loss starts by mid-June at the vortex edge and then progresses towards the vortex core with time. The loss intensifies in August-September, peaks by the end of September-early October, and recovers thereafter. The average ozone loss in the Antarctic is revealed to be about 33-50% in 1989-1992 in agreement with the increase in halogens during this period, and then stayed at around 48% due to saturation of the loss. The ozone loss in the warmer winters (e.g. 2002, and 2004) is lower (37-46%) and in the colder winters (e.g. 2003, and 2006) is higher (52-55%). Because of small inter-annual variability, the correlation between ozone loss and the volume of polar stratospheric clouds yields ~0.51. The GB ozone and ozone loss values are in good agreement with those found from the space-based observations of the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer/Ozone Monitoring Instrument (TOMS/OMI), the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME), the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY), and the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), where the differences are within ±5% and are mostly within the error bars of the measurements. The piece-wise linear trends computed from the September-November vortex average GB and TOMS/OMI ozone show about -4 to -5.6 DU (Dobson Unit) yr-1 in 1989-1996 and about +1 DU yr-1 in 1997-2010. The trend during the former period is significant at 95% confidence intervals, but the trend in 1997-2010 is significant only at 85% confidence intervals. Our analyses suggest a period of about 9-10 yr to get the first detectable ozone

  17. Treatment of soft drink process wastewater by ozonation, ozonation-H₂O₂ and ozonation-coagulation processes.

    PubMed

    García-Morales, M A; Roa-Morales, G; Barrera-Díaz, C; Balderas-Hernández, P

    2012-01-01

    In this research, we studied the treatment of wastewater from the soft drink process using oxidation with ozone. A scheme composed of sequential ozonation-peroxide, ozonation-coagulation and coagulation-ozonation treatments to reduce the organic matter from the soft drink process was also used. The samples were taken from the conventional activated sludge treatment of the soft drink process, and the experiments using chemical oxidation with ozone were performed in a laboratory using a reactor through a porous plate glass diffuser with air as a feedstock for the generation of ozone. Once the sample was ozonated, the treatments were evaluated by considering the contact time, leading to greater efficiency in removing colour, turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The effect of ozonation and coagulant coupled with treatment efficiency was assessed under optimal conditions, and substantial colour and turbidity removal were found (90.52% and 93.33%, respectively). This was accompanied by a 16.78% reduction in COD (initial COD was 3410 mg/L). The absorbance spectra of the oxidised products were compared using UV-VIS spectroscopy to indicate the level of oxidation of the wastewater. We also determined the kinetics of decolouration and the removal of turbidity with the best treatment. The same treatment was applied to the sample taken from the final effluent of the activated sludge system, and a COD removal efficiency of 100% during the first minute of the reaction with ozone was achieved. As a general conclusion, we believe that the coagulant polyaluminum chloride - ozone (PAC- ozone) treatment of wastewater from the manufacturing of soft drinks is the most efficient for removing turbidity and colour and represents an advantageous option to remove these contaminants because their removal was performed in minutes compared to the duration of traditional physical, chemical and biological processes that require hours or days.

  18. Understanding recovery in children following traffic-related injuries: exploring acute traumatic stress reactions, child coping, and coping assistance.

    PubMed

    Marsac, Meghan L; Donlon, Katharine A; Hildenbrand, Aimee K; Winston, Flaura K; Kassam-Adams, Nancy

    2014-04-01

    Millions of children incur potentially traumatic physical injuries every year. Most children recover well from their injury but many go on to develop persistent traumatic stress reactions. This study aimed to describe children's coping and coping assistance (i.e., the ways in which parents and peers help children cope) strategies and to explore the association between coping and acute stress reactions following an injury. Children (N = 243) rated their acute traumatic stress reactions within one month of injury and reported on coping and coping assistance six months later. Parents completed a measure of coping assistance at the six-month assessment. Children used an average of five to six coping strategies (out of 10), with wishful thinking, social support, and distraction endorsed most frequently. Child coping was associated with parent and peer coping assistance strategies. Significant acute stress reactions were related to subsequent child use of coping strategies (distraction, social withdrawal, problem-solving, blaming others) and to child report of parent use of distraction (as a coping assistance strategy). Findings suggest that children's acute stress reactions may influence their selection of coping and coping assistance strategies. To best inform interventions, research is needed to examine change in coping behaviors and coping assistance over time, including potential bidirectional relationships between trauma reactions and coping.

  19. Evaluating the Impact of a Brief Artistic Intervention on Cardiovascular Recovery from Acute Stress

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keogh, Katharina; Creaven, Ann-Marie

    2017-01-01

    In this study we tested whether drawing and coloring influence cardiovascular recovery and perceived stress following exposure to a stressor. In a mixed experimental design, participants (N = 62) completed an acute stress task before being randomly assigned to one of three brief activities: free-form drawing (full creative control), coloring…

  20. Adverse Cardiovascular Effects with Acute Particulate Matter and Ozone Exposures: Interstrain Variation in Mice

    PubMed Central

    Hamade, Ali K.; Rabold, Richard; Tankersley, Clarke G.

    2008-01-01

    Objectives Increased ambient particulate matter (PM) levels are associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as shown by numerous epidemiology studies. Few studies have investigated the role of copollutants, such as ozone, in this association. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which PM affects cardiac function remain uncertain. We hypothesized that PM and O3 induce adverse cardiovascular effects in mice and that these effects are strain dependent. Study design After implanting radiotelemeters to measure heart rate (HR) and HR variability (HRV) parameters, we exposed C57Bl/6J (B6), C3H/HeJ (HeJ), and C3H/HeOuJ (OuJ) inbred mouse strains to three different daily exposures of filtered air (FA), carbon black particles (CB), or O3 and CB sequentially [O3CB; for CB, 536 ± 24 μg/m3; for O3, 584 ± 35 ppb (mean ± SE)]. Results We observed significant changes in HR and HRV in all strains due to O3CB exposure, but not due to sequential FA and CB exposure (FACB). The data suggest that primarily acute HR and HRV effects occur during O3CB exposure, especially in HeJ and OuJ mice. For example, HeJ and OuJ mice demonstrated dramatic increases in HRV parameters associated with marked brady-cardia during O3CB exposure. In contrast, depressed HR responses occurred in B6 mice without detectable changes in HRV parameters. Conclusions These findings demonstrate that important interstrain differences exist with respect to PM- and O3-induced cardiac effects. This interstrain variation suggests that genetic factors may modulate HR regulation in response to and recuperation from acute copollutant exposures. PMID:18709144

  1. Sex differences in perceived stress and early recovery in young and middle-aged patients with acute myocardial infarction.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xiao; Bao, Haikun; Strait, Kelly; Spertus, John A; Lichtman, Judith H; D'Onofrio, Gail; Spatz, Erica; Bucholz, Emily M; Geda, Mary; Lorenze, Nancy P; Bueno, Héctor; Beltrame, John F; Krumholz, Harlan M

    2015-02-17

    Younger age and female sex are both associated with greater mental stress in the general population, but limited data exist on the status of perceived stress in young and middle-aged patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction. We examined sex difference in stress, contributing factors to this difference, and whether this difference helps explain sex-based disparities in 1-month recovery using data from 3572 patients with acute myocardial infarction (2397 women and 1175 men) 18 to 55 years of age. The average score of the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale at baseline was 23.4 for men and 27.0 for women (P<0.001). Higher stress in women was explained largely by sex differences in comorbidities, physical and mental health status, intrafamily conflict, caregiving demands, and financial hardship. After adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, women had worse recovery than men at 1 month after acute myocardial infarction, with mean differences in improvement score between women and men ranging from -0.04 for EuroQol utility index to -3.96 for angina-related quality of life (P<0.05 for all). Further adjustment for baseline stress reduced these sex-based differences in recovery to -0.03 to -3.63, which, however, remained statistically significant (P<0.05 for all). High stress at baseline was associated with significantly worse recovery in angina-specific and overall quality of life, as well as mental health status. The effect of baseline stress on recovery did not vary between men and women. Among young and middle-aged patients, higher stress at baseline is associated with worse recovery in multiple health outcomes after acute myocardial infarction. Women perceive greater psychological stress than men at baseline, which partially explains women's worse recovery. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  2. Polar ozone

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Solomon, S.; Grose, W. L.; Jones, R. L.; Mccormick, M. P.; Molina, Mario J.; Oneill, A.; Poole, L. R.; Shine, K. P.; Plumb, R. A.; Pope, V.

    1990-01-01

    The observation and interpretation of a large, unexpected ozone depletion over Antarctica has changed the international scientific view of stratospheric chemistry. The observations which show the veracity, seasonal nature, and vertical structure of the Antarctic ozone hole are presented. Evidence for Arctic and midlatitude ozone loss is also discussed. The chemical theory for Antarctic ozone depletion centers around the occurrence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in Antarctic winter and spring; the climatology and radiative properties of these clouds are presented. Lab studies of the physical properties of PSCs and the chemical processes that subsequently influence ozone depletion are discussed. Observations and interpretation of the chemical composition of the Antarctic stratosphere are described. It is shown that the observed, greatly enhanced abundances of chlorine monoxide in the lower stratosphere are sufficient to explain much if not all of the ozone decrease. The dynamic meteorology of both polar regions is given, interannual and interhemispheric variations in dynamical processes are outlined, and their likely roles in ozone loss are discussed.

  3. Ozone decomposition

    PubMed Central

    Batakliev, Todor; Georgiev, Vladimir; Anachkov, Metody; Rakovsky, Slavcho

    2014-01-01

    Catalytic ozone decomposition is of great significance because ozone is a toxic substance commonly found or generated in human environments (aircraft cabins, offices with photocopiers, laser printers, sterilizers). Considerable work has been done on ozone decomposition reported in the literature. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the literature, concentrating on analysis of the physico-chemical properties, synthesis and catalytic decomposition of ozone. This is supplemented by a review on kinetics and catalyst characterization which ties together the previously reported results. Noble metals and oxides of transition metals have been found to be the most active substances for ozone decomposition. The high price of precious metals stimulated the use of metal oxide catalysts and particularly the catalysts based on manganese oxide. It has been determined that the kinetics of ozone decomposition is of first order importance. A mechanism of the reaction of catalytic ozone decomposition is discussed, based on detailed spectroscopic investigations of the catalytic surface, showing the existence of peroxide and superoxide surface intermediates. PMID:26109880

  4. Relationship between general intelligence, emotional intelligence, stress levels and stress reactivity.

    PubMed

    Singh, Yogesh; Sharma, Ratna

    2012-07-01

    Stressful life events and daily life stresses have both deleterious and cumulative effects on human body. In several studies, stress has been shown to affect various parameter of higher mental function like attention, concentration, learning and memory. Present study was designed to explore the relationship among GI level, EI level, psychological stress levels and acute stress reactivity in young normal healthy subjects. The study was conducted on thirty four healthy male student volunteers to study a) acute stress reactivity in subjects with varying levels of General Intelligence (GI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) and b) correlation between GI, EI, acute stress and perceived stress. Baseline GI and EI and acute stress and perceived stress scores were measured by standard assessment scales. Using median value of GI and EI scores as cutoff values, subjects were categorized into four groups. Among different GI-EI groups, acute stress reactivity was similar but salivary Cortisol (especially post stressor level) and perceived stress level was a differentiating factor. High level of EI was associated inversely with acute and chronic perceived stress level. Significant correlation was found between acute and chronic perceived stress levels. Level of general intelligence showed no relation to acute or chronic stress levels as well as acute stress reactivity. The differences in various groups of GI and EI had no effect on the baseline and post stress performance on Sternberg memory test and all the three conditions of Stroop test. In conclusion emotional intelligence as an attribute is better suited to handle day to day acute stress and chronic perceived stress.

  5. Enhanced startle responsivity 24 hours after acute stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Herten, Nadja; Otto, Tobias; Adolph, Dirk; Pause, Bettina M; Kumsta, Robert; Wolf, Oliver T

    2016-10-01

    Cortisol release in a stressful situation can be beneficial for memory encoding and memory consolidation. Stimuli, such as odors, related to the stressful episode may successfully cue memory contents of the stress experience. The current investigation aimed at testing the potency of stress to influence startle responsivity 24 hr later and to implicitly reactivate emotional memory traces triggered by an odor involved. Participants were assigned to either a stress (Trier Social Stress Test [TSST]) or control (friendly TSST [f-TSST]) condition featuring an ambient odor. On the next day, participants underwent an auditory startle paradigm while their eyeblink reflex was recorded by an electrooculogram. Three different olfactory stimuli were delivered, one being the target odor presented the day before. Additionally, negative, positive, and pictures of the committee members were included for comparing general startle responsivity and fear-potentiated startle. Participants of the stress group demonstrated an enhanced startle response across all stimuli compared to participants of the control group. There were no specific effects with regard to the target odor. The typical fear-potentiated startle response occurred. Stressed participants tended to rate the target odor more aversive than control participants. Odor recognition memory did not differ between the groups, suggesting an implicit effect on odor valence. Our results show that acute stress exposure enhances startle responsivity 24 hr later. This effect might be caused by a shift of amygdala function causing heightened sensitivity, but lower levels of specificity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Acute changes in community violence and increases in hospital visits and deaths from stress-responsive diseases.

    PubMed

    Ahern, Jennifer; Matthay, Ellicott C; Goin, Dana E; Farkas, Kriszta; Rudolph, Kara E

    2018-06-06

    Community violence may affect a broad range of health outcomes through physiologic stress responses and changes in health behaviors among residents. However, existing research on the health impacts of community violence suffers from problems with bias. We examined the relations of acute changes in community violence with hospital visits and deaths due to stress-responsive diseases (mental, respiratory, and cardiac conditions) in statewide data from California 2005-2013. The community violence exposure was measured as both binary spikes and continuous acute changes. We applied a combined fixed-effects and time-series design that separates the effects of violence from those of community- and individual-level confounders more effectively than past research. Temporal patterning was removed from community violence rates and disease rates in each place using a Kalman smoother, resulting in residual rates. We used linear regression with place fixed-effects to examine within-place associations of acute changes in community violence with residual rates of each outcome, controlling for local time-varying covariates. We found acute increases in hospital visits and deaths due to anxiety disorders (0.31 per 100,000; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.02,0.59), substance use (0.47 per 100,000; 95%CI 0.14,0.80), asthma (0.56 per 100,000; 95%CI 0.16,0.95), and fatal acute myocardial infarction (0.09 per 100,000; 95%CI 0.00,0.18) co-occurring with violence spikes. The pattern of findings was similar for the exposure of continuous acute violence changes. Although the associations were small, the identified increases in stress-responsive conditions suggest the possibility of health impacts of acute changes in community violence.

  7. Acute Exercise and Oxidative Stress: CrossFit(™) vs. Treadmill Bout.

    PubMed

    Kliszczewicz, Brian; Quindry, C John; Blessing, L Daniel; Oliver, D Gretchen; Esco, R Michael; Taylor, J Kyle

    2015-09-29

    CrossFit(™), a popular high-intensity training modality, has been the subject of scrutiny, with concerns of elevated risk of injury and health. Despite these concerns empirical evidence regarding physiologic stresses including acute oxidative stress is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the acute redox response to a CrossFit(™) bout. Furthermore, these findings were compared to a high-intensity treadmill bout as a point of reference. Ten males 26.4 ± 2.7 yrs having three or more months of CrossFit(™) experience participated in the present study. Blood plasma was collected at four time points: Pre-exercise (PRE), immediately-post-exercise (IPE), 1 hr-post (1-HP) and 2 hr-post (2-HP), to examine oxidative damage and antioxidant capacity. Regarding plasma oxidative damage, CrossFit(™) and Treadmill elicited a time-dependent increase of lipid peroxides 1-HP (CrossFit(™)=+143%, Treadmill=+115%) and 2-HP (CrossFit(™)=+256%, Treadmill+167%). Protein Carbonyls were increased IPE in CF only (+5%), while a time-dependent decrease occurred 1-HP (CrossFit(™)=-16%, Treadmill=-8%) and 2-HP (CF=-16%, TM=-1%) compared to IPE. Regarding antioxidant capacity, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power also demonstrated a time-dependent increase within CrossFit(™) and Treadmill: IPE (CrossFit(™)=+25%, Treadmill=+17%), 1-HP (CrossFit(™)=+26%, Treadmill=+4.8%), 2-HP (CrossFit(™)=+20%, Treadmill=+12%). Total Enzymatic Antioxidant Capacity showed a time-dependent decrease in IPE (CrossFit(™)=-10%, Treadmill=-12%), 1-HP (CrossFit(™)=-12%, Treadmill=-6%), 2-HP (CrossFit(™)=-7%, Treadmill=-11%). No trial-dependent differences were observed in any biomarker of oxidative stress. The CrossFit(™) bout elicited an acute blood oxidative stress response comparable to a traditional bout of high-intensity treadmill running. Results also confirm that exercise intensity and the time course of exercise recovery influence oxidative responses.

  8. Impact of parameterization choices on the restitution of ozone deposition over vegetation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Le Morvan-Quéméner, Aurélie; Coll, Isabelle; Kammer, Julien; Lamaud, Eric; Loubet, Benjamin; Personne, Erwan; Stella, Patrick

    2018-04-01

    Ozone is a potentially phyto-toxic air pollutant, which can cause leaf damage and drastically alter crop yields, causing serious economic losses around the world. The VULNOZ (VULNerability to OZone in Anthropised Ecosystems) project is a biology and modeling project that aims to understand how plants respond to the stress of high ozone concentrations, then use a set of models to (i) predict the impact of ozone on plant growth, (ii) represent ozone deposition fluxes to vegetation, and finally (iii) estimate the economic consequences of an increasing ozone background the future. In this work, as part of the VULNOZ project, an innovative representation of ozone deposition to vegetation was developed and implemented in the CHIMERE regional chemistry-transport model. This type of model calculates the average amount of ozone deposited on a parcel each hour, as well as the integrated amount of ozone deposited to the surface at the regional or country level. Our new approach was based on a refinement of the representation of crop types in the model and the use of empirical parameters specific to each crop category. The results obtained were compared with a conventional ozone deposition modeling approach, and evaluated against observations from several agricultural areas in France. They showed that a better representation of the distribution between stomatal and non-stomatal ozone fluxes was obtained in the empirical approach, and they allowed us to produce a new estimate of the total amount of ozone deposited on the subtypes of vegetation at the national level.

  9. Sex hormones affect acute and chronic stress responses in sexually dimorphic patterns: Consequences for depression models.

    PubMed

    Guo, Lei; Chen, Yi-Xi; Hu, Yu-Ting; Wu, Xue-Yan; He, Yang; Wu, Juan-Li; Huang, Man-Li; Mason, Matthew; Bao, Ai-Min

    2018-05-21

    Alterations in peripheral sex hormones may play an important role in sex differences in terms of stress responses and mood disorders. It is not yet known whether and how stress-related brain systems and brain sex steroid levels fluctuate in relation to changes in peripheral sex hormone levels, or whether the different sexes show different patterns. We aimed to investigate systematically, in male and female rats, the effect of decreased circulating sex hormone levels following gonadectomy on acute and chronic stress responses, manifested as changes in plasma and hypothalamic sex steroids and hypothalamic stress-related molecules. Experiment (Exp)-1: Rats (14 males, 14 females) were gonadectomized or sham-operated (intact); Exp-2: gonadectomized and intact rats (28 males, 28 females) were exposed to acute foot shock or no stressor; and Exp-3: gonadectomized and intact rats (32 males, 32 females) were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) or no stressor. For all rats, plasma and hypothalamic testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and the expression of stress-related molecules were determined, including corticotropin-releasing hormone, vasopressin, oxytocin, aromatase, and the receptors for estrogens, androgens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was observed in terms of plasma sex hormones, brain sex steroids, and hypothalamic stress-related molecule mRNAs (p > 0.113) in intact or gonadectomized, male or female, rats. Male and female rats, either intact or gonadectomized and exposed to acute or chronic stress, showed different patterns of stress-related molecule changes. Diminished peripheral sex hormone levels lead to different peripheral and central patterns of change in the stress response systems in male and female rats. This has implications for the choice of models for the study of the different types of mood disorders which also show sex differences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Acute Stress Suppresses Synaptic Inhibition and Increases Anxiety via Endocannabinoid Release in the Basolateral Amygdala

    PubMed Central

    Itoga, Christy A.; Fisher, Marc O.; Solomonow, Jonathan; Roltsch, Emily A.; Gilpin, Nicholas W.

    2016-01-01

    Stress and glucocorticoids stimulate the rapid mobilization of endocannabinoids in the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Cannabinoid receptors in the BLA contribute to anxiogenesis and fear-memory formation. We tested for rapid glucocorticoid-induced endocannabinoid regulation of synaptic inhibition in the rat BLA. Glucocorticoid application to amygdala slices elicited a rapid, nonreversible suppression of spontaneous, but not evoked, GABAergic synaptic currents in BLA principal neurons; the effect was also seen with a membrane-impermeant glucocorticoid, but not with intracellular glucocorticoid application, implicating a membrane-associated glucocorticoid receptor. The glucocorticoid suppression of GABA currents was not blocked by antagonists of nuclear corticosteroid receptors, or by inhibitors of gene transcription or protein synthesis, but was blocked by inhibiting postsynaptic G-protein activity, suggesting a postsynaptic nongenomic steroid signaling mechanism that stimulates the release of a retrograde messenger. The rapid glucocorticoid-induced suppression of inhibition was prevented by blocking CB1 receptors and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) synthesis, and it was mimicked and occluded by CB1 receptor agonists, indicating it was mediated by the retrograde release of the endocannabinoid 2-AG. The rapid glucocorticoid effect in BLA neurons in vitro was occluded by prior in vivo acute stress-induced, or prior in vitro glucocorticoid-induced, release of endocannabinoid. Acute stress also caused an increase in anxiety-like behavior that was attenuated by blocking CB1 receptor activation and inhibiting 2-AG synthesis in the BLA. Together, these findings suggest that acute stress causes a long-lasting suppression of synaptic inhibition in BLA neurons via a membrane glucocorticoid receptor-induced release of 2-AG at GABA synapses, which contributes to stress-induced anxiogenesis. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We provide a cellular mechanism in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) for

  11. Ozone risk for crops and pastures in present and future climates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fuhrer, Jürg

    2009-02-01

    Ozone is the most important regional-scale air pollutant causing risks for vegetation and human health in many parts of the world. Ozone impacts on yield and quality of crops and pastures depend on precursor emissions, atmospheric transport and leaf uptake and on the plant’s biochemical defence capacity, all of which are influenced by changing climatic conditions, increasing atmospheric CO2 and altered emission patterns. In this article, recent findings about ozone effects under current conditions and trends in regional ozone levels and in climatic factors affecting the plant’s sensitivity to ozone are reviewed in order to assess implications of these developments for future regional ozone risks. Based on pessimistic IPCC emission scenarios for many cropland regions elevated mean ozone levels in surface air are projected for 2050 and beyond as a result of both increasing emissions and positive effects of climate change on ozone formation and higher cumulative ozone exposure during an extended growing season resulting from increasing length and frequency of ozone episodes. At the same time, crop sensitivity may decline in areas where warming is accompanied by drying, such as southern and central Europe, in contrast to areas at higher latitudes where rapid warming is projected to occur in the absence of declining air and soil moisture. In regions with rapid industrialisation and population growth and with little regulatory action, ozone risks are projected to increase most dramatically, thus causing negative impacts major staple crops such as rice and wheat and, consequently, on food security. Crop improvement may be a way to increase crop cross-tolerance to co-occurring stresses from heat, drought and ozone. However, the review reveals that besides uncertainties in climate projections, parameters in models for ozone risk assessment are also uncertain and model improvements are necessary to better define specific targets for crop improvements, to identify regions

  12. Effects of acute psychological stress on placebo and nocebo responses in a clinically relevant model of visceroception.

    PubMed

    Roderigo, Till; Benson, Sven; Schöls, Margarita; Hetkamp, Madeleine; Schedlowski, Manfred; Enck, Paul; Elsenbruch, Sigrid

    2017-08-01

    There is evidence to suggest a role of emotions in placebo and nocebo effects, but whether acute psychological stress changes the magnitude of placebo or nocebo responses has not been tested. In a clinically relevant model of visceroception, we assessed effects of acute psychological stress on changes in urgency and pain in response to positive or negative treatment suggestions. In 120 healthy volunteers, perceived urge-to-defecate and pain in response to individually calibrated rectal distensions were measured with visual analogue scales during a BASELINE. Participants then underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (N = 60) or a simple cognitive task (control, N = 60) and were randomized to positive (placebo), negative (nocebo), or neutral treatment information regarding intravenous administration of saline. The series of distensions was repeated, and changes in visual analogue scales from BASELINE to TEST were compared between groups using analysis of covariance and planned post hoc tests. Treatment information emerged as a main factor (P <0.001), supporting treatment information effects for both urgency and pain. Effects for urgency were modulated by stress (interaction effect: P <0.05): Positive information reduced urgency (P = 0.025), while negative information increased urgency (P = 0.026) only in stressed groups. For pain, effects of stress emerged for nocebo responses, which were only evident in stressed groups (P = 0.009). This is the first experimental study supporting effects of acute psychological stress on placebo and nocebo responses in visceroception. Results call for mechanistic as well as patient studies to assess how psychological stress shapes patients' treatment expectations and thereby affects health outcomes.

  13. Assessment of Protective Effect of Some Modern Agrochemicals against Ozone-Induced Stress in Sensitive Clover and Tobacco Cultivars.

    PubMed

    Blum, Oleg; Didyk, Nataliya; Pavluchenko, Nataliya; Godzik, Barbara

    2011-01-01

    Some modern agrochemicals with antioxidant potential were tested for their protective effect against ozone injury using clover and tobacco ozone-sensitive cultivars as model plants subjected to ambient ozone at two sites (Kyiv city in Ukraine and Szarów village in Poland). All used agrochemicals showed partial protective effects against ozone injury on clover and tobacco. Conducted studies confirmed the effectiveness of modern fungicides belonging to strobilurin group as protectants of sensitive crops against ozone damage. The effectiveness of new growth regulators "Emistym C" and "Agrostymulin" was showed for the first time. Out of the studied agrochemicals, fungicide "Strobi" and natural growth regulator "Emistym C" demonstrated the best protective effects. These agrochemicals present promise for further studies of their possible utilization for enhancement of ozone tolerance of sensitive crops.

  14. The Estrous Cycle of the Ewe Is Resistant to Disruption by Repeated, Acute Psychosocial Stress1

    PubMed Central

    Wagenmaker, Elizabeth R.; Breen, Kellie M.; Oakley, Amy E.; Tilbrook, Alan J.; Karsch, Fred J.

    2010-01-01

    Five experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that psychosocial stress interferes with the estrous cycle of sheep. In experiment 1, ewes were repeatedly isolated during the follicular phase. Timing, amplitude, and duration of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge were not affected. In experiment 2, follicular-phase ewes were subjected twice to a “layered stress” paradigm consisting of sequential, hourly application of isolation, restraint, blindfold, and predator cues. This reduced the LH pulse amplitude but did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 3, different acute stressors were given sequentially within the follicular phase: food denial plus unfamiliar noises and forced exercise, layered stress, exercise around midnight, and transportation. This, too, did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 4, variable acute psychosocial stress was given every 1–2 days for two entire estrous cycles; this did not disrupt any parameter of the cycle monitored. Lastly, experiment 5 examined whether the psychosocial stress paradigms of experiment 4 would disrupt the cycle and estrous behavior if sheep were metabolically stressed by chronic food restriction. Thirty percent of the food-restricted ewes exhibited deterioration of estrous cycle parameters followed by cessation of cycles and failure to express estrous behavior. However, disruption was not more evident in ewes that also encountered psychosocial stress. Collectively, these findings indicate the estrous cycle of sheep is remarkably resistant to disruption by acute bouts of psychosocial stress applied intermittently during either a single follicular phase or repeatedly over two estrous cycles. PMID:20164438

  15. Self-reported racial discrimination and endothelial reactivity to acute stress in women.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Julie A; Tennen, Howard; Finan, Patrick H; Ghuman, Nimrta; Burg, Matthew M

    2013-08-01

    This study investigated the effect of self-reported racial discrimination on endothelial responses to acute laboratory mental stress among post-menopausal women. One-hundred thirteen women (n = 94 self-identified as White and n = 19 self-identified as racial/ethnic minority), 43% with type 2 diabetes, reported lifetime experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination. Repeated assessments of flow-mediated dilation were performed at baseline, immediately after 5 min of mental arithmetic and at 20-min recovery. Both White and racial/ethnic minority women reported lifetime discrimination, with rates significantly higher among minorities. Self-reported lifetime discrimination was associated with attenuated flow-mediated dilation at recovery. Confounding variables, including clinical characteristics, mood, personality traits, other life stressors and general distress, did not better account for the effect of racial discrimination. Neither race/ethnicity nor diabetes status moderated the effect. The perceived stressfulness of the mental arithmetic was not associated with the endothelial response. In conclusion, self-reported lifetime discrimination is associated with attenuated endothelial recovery from acute mental stress. Elucidating the effects of discrimination and the biological mechanisms through which it affects the vasculature may suggest interventions to improve health. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Chronic and Acute Ozone Exposure in the Week Prior to Delivery Is Associated with the Risk of Stillbirth

    PubMed Central

    Ha, Sandie; Pollack, Anna Z.; Zhu, Yeyi; Seeni, Indulaxmi; Kim, Sung Soo; Sherman, Seth; Liu, Danping

    2017-01-01

    Chronic and acute air pollution has been studied in relation to stillbirth with inconsistent findings. We examined stillbirth risk in a retrospective cohort of 223,375 singleton deliveries from 12 clinical sites across the United States. Average criteria air pollutant exposure was calculated using modified Community Multiscale Air Quality models for the day of delivery and each of the seven days prior, whole pregnancy, and first trimester. Poisson regression models using generalized estimating equations estimated the relative risk (RR) of stillbirth and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in relation to an interquartile range increase in pollutant with adjustment for temperature, clinical, and demographic factors. Ozone (O3) was associated with a 13–22% increased risk of stillbirth on days 2, 3, and 5–7 prior to delivery in single pollutant models, and these findings persisted in multi-pollutant models for days 5 (RR = 1.22, CI = 1.07–1.38) and 6 (RR = 1.18, CI = 1.04–1.33). Whole pregnancy and first trimester O3 increased risk 18–39% in single pollutant models. Maternal asthma increased stillbirth risk associated with chronic PM2.5 and carbon monoxide exposures. Both chronic and acute O3 exposure consistently increased stillbirth risk, while the role of other pollutants varied. Approximately 8000 stillbirths per year in the US may be attributable to O3 exposure. PMID:28684711

  17. Association Between Interleukin-6 and Striatal Prediction-Error Signals Following Acute Stress in Healthy Female Participants.

    PubMed

    Treadway, Michael T; Admon, Roee; Arulpragasam, Amanda R; Mehta, Malavika; Douglas, Samuel; Vitaliano, Gordana; Olson, David P; Cooper, Jessica A; Pizzagalli, Diego A

    2017-10-15

    Stress is widely known to alter behavioral responses to rewards and punishments. It is believed that stress may precipitate these changes through modulation of corticostriatal circuitry involved in reinforcement learning and motivation, although the intervening mechanisms remain unclear. One candidate is inflammation, which can rapidly increase following stress and can disrupt dopamine-dependent reward pathways. Here, in a sample of 88 healthy female participants, we first assessed the effect of an acute laboratory stress paradigm on levels of plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine known to be both responsive to stress and elevated in depression. In a second laboratory session, we examined the effects of a second laboratory stress paradigm on reward prediction error (RPE) signaling in the ventral striatum. We show that individual differences in stress-induced increases in IL-6 (session 1) were associated with decreased ventral striatal RPE signaling during reinforcement learning (session 2), though there was no main effect of stress on RPE. Furthermore, changes in IL-6 following stress predicted intraindividual variability in perceived stress during a 4-month follow-up period. Taken together, these data identify a novel link between IL-6 and striatal RPEs during reinforcement learning in the context of acute psychological stress, as well as future appraisal of stressful life events. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparison of three acute stress models for simulating the pathophysiology of stress-related mucosal disease.

    PubMed

    Saxena, Bhagawati; Singh, Sanjay

    2017-05-30

    Stress-related mucosal disease (SRMD) is highly prevalent in intensive care patients leading to increasing treatment cost and mortality. SRMD is a disease elusive of ideal treatment. Evaluation of drugs is very pertinent for the efficient and safe treatment of SRMD. It relies mainly on in vivo screening models. There are various stress models, and till date, none of them is validated for simulating the SRMD pathophysiology. The present study aims to choose the best model, which reproduce pathophysiology of SRMD, among previously established stress models. This study evaluates ulcer index, hexosamine content, microvascular permeability, and gastric content in three acute stress models (cold-restraint, restraint, and water immersion restraint). Macroscopic pictures of the ulcerogenic stomach explain that in contrast to other models, cold-restraint stress (CRS) exposure produced marked ulcers on the fundic area of the stomach. Results of the present study depicted that each stress model significantly increased ulcer index, microvascular permeability and decreased hexosamine level, however, the maximum in the case of CRS-exposed rats. Total acidity and pH of the gastric content remains unchanged in all the stress models. On the contrary, the gastric volume significantly decreased only in case of CRS, while unchanged in other stress models. The overall results revealed that the CRS resembles the pathophysiology of SRMD closely. It is the best and feasible model among all the models to evaluate drugs for the treatment of SRMD.

  19. Inhaled ozone (O{sub 3})-induces changes in serum metabolomic and liver transcriptomic profiles in rats

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Miller, Desinia B.; Karoly, Edward D.; Jones, Jan C.

    Air pollution has been linked to increased incidence of diabetes. Recently, we showed that ozone (O{sub 3}) induces glucose intolerance, and increases serum leptin and epinephrine in Brown Norway rats. In this study, we hypothesized that O{sub 3} exposure will cause systemic changes in metabolic homeostasis and that serum metabolomic and liver transcriptomic profiling will provide mechanistic insights. In the first experiment, male Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to filtered air (FA) or O{sub 3} at 0.25, 0.50, or 1.0 ppm, 6 h/day for two days to establish concentration-related effects on glucose tolerance and lung injury. In a secondmore » experiment, rats were exposed to FA or 1.0 ppm O{sub 3}, 6 h/day for either one or two consecutive days, and systemic metabolic responses were determined immediately after or 18 h post-exposure. O{sub 3} increased serum glucose and leptin on day 1. Glucose intolerance persisted through two days of exposure but reversed 18 h-post second exposure. O{sub 3} increased circulating metabolites of glycolysis, long-chain free fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids and cholesterol, while 1,5-anhydroglucitol, bile acids and metabolites of TCA cycle were decreased, indicating impaired glycemic control, proteolysis and lipolysis. Liver gene expression increased for markers of glycolysis, TCA cycle and gluconeogenesis, and decreased for markers of steroid and fat biosynthesis. Genes involved in apoptosis and mitochondrial function were also impacted by O{sub 3}. In conclusion, short-term O{sub 3} exposure induces global metabolic derangement involving glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, typical of a stress–response. It remains to be examined if these alterations contribute to insulin resistance upon chronic exposure. - Highlights: • Ozone, an ubiquitous air pollutant induces acute systemic metabolic derangement. • Serum metabolomic approach provides novel insights in ozone-induced changes. • Ozone exposure induces

  20. Ozone effects on the ultrastructure of peatland plants: Sphagnum mosses, Vaccinium oxycoccus, Andromeda polifolia and Eriophorum vaginatum.

    PubMed

    Rinnan, Riikka; Holopainen, Toini

    2004-10-01

    Ozone effects on peatland vegetation are poorly understood. Since stress responses are often first visible in cell ultrastructure, electron microscopy was used to assess the sensitivity of common peatland plants to elevated ozone concentrations. Three moss species (Sphagnum angustifolium, S. magellanicum and S. papillosum), a graminoid (Eriophorum vaginatum) and two dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium oxycoccus and Andromeda polifolia), all growing within an intact canopy on peat monoliths, were exposed to a concentration of 0, 50, 100 or 150 ppb ozone in two separate growth chamber experiments simulating either summer or autumn conditions in central Finland. After a 4- or 5-week-long exposure, samples were photographed in a transmission electron microscope and analysed quantitatively using image processing software. In the chlorophyllose cells of the Sphagnum moss leaves from the capitulum, ozone exposure led to a decrease in chloroplast area and in granum stack thickness and various changes in plastoglobuli and cell wall thickness, depending on the species and the experiment. In E. vaginatum, ozone exposure significantly reduced chloroplast cross-sectional areas and the amount of starch, whereas there were no clear changes in the plastoglobuli. In the dwarf shrubs, ozone induced thickening of the cell wall and an increase in the size of plastoglobuli under summer conditions. In contrast, under autumn conditions the cell wall thickness remained unchanged but ozone exposure led to a transient increase in the chloroplast and starch areas, and in the number and size of plastoglobuli. Ozone responses in the Sphagnum mosses were comparable to typical ozone stress symptoms of higher plants, and indicated sensitivity especially in S. angustifolium. The responses in the dwarf shrubs suggest stimulation of photosynthesis by low ozone concentrations and ozone sensitivity only under cool autumn conditions.

  1. Ozone Effects on the Ultrastructure of Peatland Plants: Sphagnum Mosses, Vaccinium oxycoccus, Andromeda polifolia and Eriophorum vaginatum

    PubMed Central

    RINNAN, RIIKKA; HOLOPAINEN, TOINI

    2004-01-01

    • Background and Aims Ozone effects on peatland vegetation are poorly understood. Since stress responses are often first visible in cell ultrastructure, electron microscopy was used to assess the sensitivity of common peatland plants to elevated ozone concentrations. • Methods Three moss species (Sphagnum angustifolium, S. magellanicum and S. papillosum), a graminoid (Eriophorum vaginatum) and two dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium oxycoccus and Andromeda polifolia), all growing within an intact canopy on peat monoliths, were exposed to a concentration of 0, 50, 100 or 150 ppb ozone in two separate growth chamber experiments simulating either summer or autumn conditions in central Finland. After a 4- or 5-week-long exposure, samples were photographed in a transmission electron microscope and analysed quantitatively using image processing software. • Key Results In the chlorophyllose cells of the Sphagnum moss leaves from the capitulum, ozone exposure led to a decrease in chloroplast area and in granum stack thickness and various changes in plastoglobuli and cell wall thickness, depending on the species and the experiment. In E. vaginatum, ozone exposure significantly reduced chloroplast cross-sectional areas and the amount of starch, whereas there were no clear changes in the plastoglobuli. In the dwarf shrubs, ozone induced thickening of the cell wall and an increase in the size of plastoglobuli under summer conditions. In contrast, under autumn conditions the cell wall thickness remained unchanged but ozone exposure led to a transient increase in the chloroplast and starch areas, and in the number and size of plastoglobuli. • Conclusions Ozone responses in the Sphagnum mosses were comparable to typical ozone stress symptoms of higher plants, and indicated sensitivity especially in S. angustifolium. The responses in the dwarf shrubs suggest stimulation of photosynthesis by low ozone concentrations and ozone sensitivity only under cool autumn conditions. PMID:15333464

  2. PLANT WATER STATUS INFLUENCES OZONE SENSITIVITY OF BEAN PLANTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    Studies were conducted in a controlled environment chamber to determine the association between plant water status and ozone sensitivity. Bean plants were subjected to various water stress regimes for 4 to 10 days using a semipermeable membrane system which controlled plant water...

  3. Traffic congestion and ozone precursor emissions in Bilbao, Spain.

    PubMed

    Ibarra-Berastegi, Gabriel; Madariaga, Imanol

    2003-01-01

    can only be made on the long-term time scale, since that is the only fraction embedded in the ozone time series that can exclusively be attributed to emissions of precursors. This fact stresses the need to study the different fractions embedded in the time series of ozone measured levels separately. Though the coefficients obtained in the regression are only valid for the 1993-1996 period, these traffic regimes represent long-term targets (congestion or fluent traffic) that can inspire policies for a joint management of the traffic and pollution by ozone in the area of Bilbao beyond that period. The results of this work show the need of a joint management of ozone and traffic in Bilbao. Since an accurate knowledge of traffic was not available, the use of emission factors to relate traffic and actual ozone levels has not been possible. For this reason, this study has focused on the long-term fractions of traffic and ozone. In the future, if a more accurate knowledge of traffic is available, it will be possible to find relationships between traffic and ozone on all time scales.

  4. The effects of acute stress and perceptual load on distractor interference.

    PubMed

    Sato, Hirotsune; Takenaka, Ippei; Kawahara, Jun I

    2012-01-01

    Selective attention can be improved under conditions in which a high perceptual load is assumed to exhaust cognitive resources, leaving scarce resources for distractor processing. The present study examined whether perceptual load and acute stress share common attentional resources by manipulating perceptual and stress loads. Participants identified a target within an array of nontargets that were flanked by compatible or incompatible distractors. Attentional selectivity was measured by longer reaction times in response to the incompatible than to the compatible distractors. Participants in the stress group participated in a speech test that increased anxiety and threatened self-esteem. The effect of perceptual load interacted with the stress manipulation in that participants in the control group demonstrated an interference effect under the low perceptual load condition, whereas such interference disappeared under the high perceptual load condition. Importantly, the stress group showed virtually no interference under the low perceptual load condition, whereas substantial interference occurred under the high perceptual load condition. These results suggest that perceptual and stress related demands consume the same attentional resources.

  5. Fear extinction deficits following acute stress associate with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala neurons.

    PubMed

    Maroun, Mouna; Ioannides, Pericles J; Bergman, Krista L; Kavushansky, Alexandra; Holmes, Andrew; Wellman, Cara L

    2013-08-01

    Stress-sensitive psychopathologies such as post-traumatic stress disorder are characterized by deficits in fear extinction and dysfunction of corticolimbic circuits mediating extinction. Chronic stress facilitates fear conditioning, impairs extinction, and produces dendritic proliferation in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a critical site of plasticity for extinction. Acute stress impairs extinction, alters plasticity in the medial prefrontal cortex-to-BLA circuit, and causes dendritic retraction in the medial prefrontal cortex. Here, we examined extinction learning and basolateral amygdala pyramidal neuron morphology in adult male rats following a single elevated platform stress. Acute stress impaired extinction acquisition and memory, and produced dendritic retraction and increased mushroom spine density in basolateral amygdala neurons in the right hemisphere. Unexpectedly, irrespective of stress, rats that underwent fear and extinction testing showed basolateral amygdala dendritic retraction and altered spine density relative to non-conditioned rats, particularly in the left hemisphere. Thus, extinction deficits produced by acute stress are associated with increased spine density and dendritic retraction in basolateral amygdala pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, the finding that conditioning and extinction as such was sufficient to alter basolateral amygdala morphology and spine density illustrates the sensitivity of basolateral amygdala morphology to behavioral manipulation. These findings may have implications for elucidating the role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  6. Cytokine profile of NALT during acute stress and its possible effect on IgA secretion.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez-Meza, Juan Manuel; Jarillo-Luna, Rosa Adriana; Rivera-Aguilar, Victor; Miliar-García, Angel; Campos-Rodríguez, Rafael

    2017-08-01

    Stress stimuli affect the immune system responses that occur at mucosal membranes, particularly IgA secretion. It has been suggested that acute stress increases the levels of IgA and that sympathetic innervation plays an important role in this process. We herein explore in a murine model how acute stress affects the Th1/Th2/Treg cytokine balance in NALT, and the possible role of glucocorticoids in this effect. Nine-week-old male CD1 mice were divided into three groups: unstressed (control), stressed (subjected to 4h of immobilization), and stressed after pretreatment with a single dose of the corticosterone receptor antagonist RU-486. The parameters evaluated included plasma corticosterone and epinephrine, IgA levels in nasal fluid (by ELISA), the percentage of CD19 + B220 + IgA + lymphocytes and CD138 + IgA + plasma cells, and the mRNA expression of heavy α chain, J chain and pIgR. Moreover, the gene and protein expression of Th1 cytokines (TNFα, IL-2 and INF-γ), Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) and Treg cytokines (IL-10 and TGFβ) were determined in nasal mucosa. The results show that acute stress generated a shift towards the dominance of an anti-inflammatory immune response (Th2 and Treg cytokines), evidenced by a significant rise in the amount of T cells that produce IL4, IL-5 and IL-10. This immune environment may favor IgA biosynthesis by CD138 + IgA + plasma cells, a process mediated mostly by glucocorticoids. Copyright © 2017 European Federation of Immunological Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Acute stress disorder in older, middle-aged and younger adults in reaction to the second Lebanon war.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Miri

    2008-01-01

    To compare rate of acute stress disorder (ASD) and intensity of acute stress symptoms (ASS) in younger, middle-aged and older Israeli citizens exposed to missile attacks during the second Lebanon war. A telephone survey of a random sample of residents in the northern area of Israel was conducted in July 2006, during the third week of Lebanon war. Respondents were divided into groups aged 18-40, 41-69 and 70+. ASD and ASS were measured by the Acute Stress Interview questionnaire and by war-related exposure variables and demographic data. Exposure variables were similar in the three age groups. Older respondents reported lower intensity of ASS and obtained lower means for each of the symptoms criteria than the young adults, while the middle-aged adults were in between the younger and the older group. ASD criteria were met by 13.2% of the younger, 4.7% of middle-aged and 4.3% of older respondents (p > 0.05), and subsyndromal ASD was found in 20.5%, 14.1% and 4.4% (p < 0.05) respectively. Twenty-two percent of ASS variance was explained by younger age, female gender and higher perceived proximity to missile falling. Older adults reacted to the war situation with lower level of acute stress symptoms. Long-term effects of war on different age groups should be further studied.

  8. Nicotiana tabacum as model for ozone - plant surface reactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jud, Werner; Fischer, Lukas; Wohlfahrt, Georg; Tissier, Alain; Canaval, Eva; Hansel, Armin

    2015-04-01

    Elevated tropospheric ozone concentrations are considered a toxic threat to plants, responsible for global crop losses with associated economic costs of several billion dollars per year. The ensuing injuries have been related to the uptake of ozone through the stomatal pores and oxidative effects damaging the internal leaf tissue. A striking question of current research is the environment and plant specific partitioning of ozone loss between gas phase, stomatal or plant surface sink terms. Here we show results from ozone fumigation experiments using various Nicotiana Tabacum varieties, whose surfaces are covered with different amounts of unsaturated diterpenoids exuded by their glandular trichomes. Exposure to elevated ozone levels (50 to 150 ppbv) for 5 to 15 hours in an exceptionally clean cuvette system did neither result in a reduction of photosynthesis nor caused any visible leaf damage. Both these ozone induced stress effects have been observed previously in ozone fumigation experiments with the ozone sensitive tobacco line Bel-W3. In our case ozone fumigation was accompanied by a continuous release of oxygenated volatile organic compounds, which could be clearly associated to their condensed phase precursors for the first time. Gas phase reactions of ozone were avoided by choosing a high enough gas exchange rate of the plant cuvette system. In the case of the Ambalema variety, that is known to exude only the diterpenoid cis-abienol, ozone fumigation experiments yield the volatiles formaldehyde and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK). The latter could be unequivocally separated from isomeric methacrolein (MACR) by the aid of a Selective Reagent Ion Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (SRI-ToF-MS), which was switched every six minutes from H3O+ to NO+ primary ion mode and vice versa. Consistent with the picture of an ozone protection mechanism caused by reactive diterpenoids at the leaf surface are the results from dark-light experiments. The ozone loss obtained from the

  9. Reconciliation of Halogen-Induced Ozone Loss with the Total-Column Ozone Record

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shepherd, T. G.; Plummer, D. A.; Scinocca, J. F.; Hegglin, M. I.; Fioletov, V. E.; Reader, M. C.; Remsberg, E.; von Clarmann, T.; Wang, H. J.

    2014-01-01

    The observed depletion of the ozone layer from the 1980s onwards is attributed to halogen source gases emitted by human activities. However, the precision of this attribution is complicated by year-to-year variations in meteorology, that is, dynamical variability, and by changes in tropospheric ozone concentrations. As such, key aspects of the total-column ozone record, which combines changes in both tropospheric and stratospheric ozone, remain unexplained, such as the apparent absence of a decline in total-column ozone levels before 1980, and of any long-term decline in total-column ozone levels in the tropics. Here we use a chemistry-climate model to estimate changes in halogen-induced ozone loss between 1960 and 2010; the model is constrained by observed meteorology to remove the eects of dynamical variability, and driven by emissions of tropospheric ozone precursors to separate out changes in tropospheric ozone. We show that halogen-induced ozone loss closely followed stratospheric halogen loading over the studied period. Pronounced enhancements in ozone loss were apparent in both hemispheres following the volcanic eruptions of El Chichon and, in particular, Mount Pinatubo, which significantly enhanced stratospheric aerosol loads. We further show that approximately 40% of the long-term non-volcanic ozone loss occurred before 1980, and that long-term ozone loss also occurred in the tropical stratosphere. Finally, we show that halogeninduced ozone loss has declined by over 10% since stratospheric halogen loading peaked in the late 1990s, indicating that the recovery of the ozone layer is well underway.

  10. Symptoms of acute stress in Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens during the Second Lebanon War.

    PubMed

    Yahav, Rivka; Cohen, Miri

    2007-10-01

    The "Second Lebanon War" exposed northern Israel to massive missile attacks, aimed at civilian centers, Jewish and Arab, for a period of several weeks. To assess prevalence of acute stress disorder (ASD) and acute stress symptoms (ASS) in Jewish and Arab samples, and their correlates with demographic and exposure variables. Telephone survey conducted in the third week of the second Lebanon war with a random sample of 133 Jewish and 66 Arab adult residents of northern Israel. ASD, ASS and symptoms-related impairment were measured by the Acute Stress Disorder Interview (ASDI) questionnaire, in addition to war-related exposure and demographic data. The majority of respondents experienced at least one of four symptom groups of ASD, 5.5% of the Jewish respondents and 20.3% of the Arabs met the criteria of ASD. Higher rates of Arab respondents reported symptoms of dissociation, reexperiencing and arousal, but a similar rate of avoidance was reported by the two samples. Higher mean scores of ASS and of symptoms-related impairment were reported by the Arab respondents. According to multiple regression analyses, younger age, female gender, Arab ethnicity and experiencing the war more intensely as a stressor significantly explained ASS variance, while Arab ethnicity and proximity to missiles exploding significantly explained the variance of symptoms-related impairment. A substantial rate of participants experienced symptoms of acute stress, while for only small proportion were the symptoms consistent with ASD. Higher ASD and ASS were reported by the Arab sample, calling attention to the need to build interventions to reduce the present symptoms and to help prepare for possible similar situations in the future.

  11. Effects of stratospheric ozone recovery on photochemistry and ozone air quality in the troposphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, H.; Wu, S.; Huang, Y.; Wang, Y.

    2014-04-01

    There has been significant stratospheric ozone depletion since the late 1970s due to ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). With the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments and adjustments, stratospheric ozone is expected to recover towards its pre-1980 level in the coming decades. In this study, we examine the implications of stratospheric ozone recovery for the tropospheric chemistry and ozone air quality with a global chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). With a full recovery of the stratospheric ozone, the projected increases in ozone column range from 1% over the low latitudes to more than 10% over the polar regions. The sensitivity factor of troposphere ozone photolysis rate, defined as the percentage changes in surface ozone photolysis rate for 1% increase in stratospheric ozone column, shows significant seasonal variation but is always negative with absolute value larger than one. The expected stratospheric ozone recovery is found to affect the tropospheric ozone destruction rates much more than the ozone production rates. Significant decreases in surface ozone photolysis rates due to stratospheric ozone recovery are simulated. The global average tropospheric OH decreases by 1.7%, and the global average lifetime of tropospheric ozone increases by 1.5%. The perturbations to tropospheric ozone and surface ozone show large seasonal and spatial variations. General increases in surface ozone are calculated for each season, with increases by up to 0.8 ppbv in the remote areas. Increases in ozone lifetime by up to 13% are found in the troposphere. The increased lifetimes of tropospheric ozone in response to stratospheric ozone recovery enhance the intercontinental transport of ozone and global pollution, in particular for the summertime. The global background ozone attributable to Asian emissions is calculated to increase by up to 15% or 0.3 ppbv in the Northern Hemisphere in response to the projected stratospheric ozone recovery.

  12. Acute and long-term behavioral correlates of underwater trauma--potential relevance to stress and post-stress syndromes.

    PubMed

    Richter-Levin, G

    1998-06-02

    As a consequence of a brief but significantly extreme stressor, an individual will experience a stress response, which may sometimes develop into Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Though a rat model for ASD and PTSD is not expected to encompass the richness and complexity of the disorders in humans, it will enable the study of the common underlying mechanisms that generate the disorders, the study of pre-trauma etiological aspects of the disorders and the screening of drugs with potential relevance to the treatment of the disorders. One well-documented aspect of PTSD is the enhancing influence of contextual elements on the appearance of symptoms of the post-stress trauma. To exploit this effect, we have chosen to assess the effects of an underwater trauma in the Morris water maze since the effects of such trauma on memory and attention can be later evaluated in the context of the trauma. At both 1 h and 3 weeks after the trauma, significant behavioral deficits were observed in the water maze. The effects of the underwater trauma on the performance of rats in the water maze were context specific. Underwater trauma in a different (out-of-context) water container had no effects on the ability of rats to perform a spatial memory task in the water maze. An elevated level of anxiety was found in the plus maze test, independently of whether the trauma was performed in the water maze or in a different (out-of-context) water container. The results indicate that a within-context underwater trauma has both acute and lasting behavioral consequences which can be assessed using a spatial memory test in the context of the trauma. The results are discussed in relation to their relevance to stress and PTSD.

  13. Ambient Ozone and Emergency Department Visits for Cellulitis

    PubMed Central

    Szyszkowicz, Mieczysław; Porada, Eugeniusz; Kaplan, Gilaad G.; Rowe, Brian H.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives were to assess and estimate an association between exposure to ground-level ozone and emergency department (ED) visits for cellulitis. All ED visits for cellulitis in Edmonton, Canada, in the period April 1992–March 2002 (N = 69,547) were examined. Case-crossover design was applied to estimate odds ratio (OR, and 95% confidence interval) per one interquartile range (IQR) increase in ozone concentration (IQR = 14.0 ppb). Delay of ED visit relating to exposure was probed using 0- to 5-day exposure lags. For all patients in the all months (January–December) and lags 0 to 2 days, OR = 1.05 (1.02, 1.07). For male patients during the cold months (October–March): OR = 1.05 (1.02, 1.09) for lags 0 and 2 and OR = 1.06 (1.02, 1.10) for lag 3. For female patients in the warm months (April–September): OR = 1.12 (1.06, 1.18) for lags 1 and 2. Cellulitis developing on uncovered (more exposed) skin was analyzed separately, observed effects being stronger. Cellulitis may be associated with exposure to ambient ground level ozone; the exposure may facilitate cellulitis infection and aggravate acute symptoms. PMID:21139878

  14. Combined Effects of Ozone and Drought on the Physiology and Membrane Lipids of Two Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) Cultivars.

    PubMed

    Rebouças, Deborah Moura; De Sousa, Yuri Maia; Bagard, Matthieu; Costa, Jose Helio; Jolivet, Yves; De Melo, Dirce Fernandes; Repellin, Anne

    2017-03-03

    The interactive effects of drought and ozone on the physiology and leaf membrane lipid content, composition and metabolism of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) were investigated in two cultivars (EPACE-1 and IT83-D) grown under controlled conditions. The drought treatment (three-week water deprivation) did not cause leaf injury but restricted growth through stomatal closure. In contrast, the short-term ozone treatment (130 ppb 12 h daily during 14 day) had a limited impact at the whole-plant level but caused leaf injury, hydrogen peroxide accumulation and galactolipid degradation. These effects were stronger in the IT83-D cultivar, which also showed specific ozone responses such as a higher digalactosyl-diacylglycerol (DGDG):monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) ratio and the coordinated up-regulation of DGDG synthase (VuDGD2) and ω-3 fatty acid desaturase 8 (VuFAD8) genes, suggesting that membrane remodeling occurred under ozone stress in the sensitive cultivar. When stresses were combined, ozone did not modify the stomatal response to drought and the observed effects on whole-plant physiology were essentially the same as when drought was applied alone. Conversely, the drought-induced stomatal closure appeared to alleviate ozone effects through the reduction of ozone uptake.

  15. Effects of long-term ozone exposure and drought on the photosynthetic capacity of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) New Phytol

    Treesearch

    Jan L. Beyers; George H. Riechers; Patrick J. Temple

    1992-01-01

    Seedlings of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) were grown for three years under three atmospheric ozone concentrations- clean air (CF), ambient ozone (NF), and 1-5 times ambient ozone (NF150) - at a moderatelypolluted site in the Sierra Nevada, under either well-watered or drought-stressed conditions. When the trees were 5 years old,...

  16. Health benefits from large-scale ozone reduction in the United States.

    PubMed

    Berman, Jesse D; Fann, Neal; Hollingsworth, John W; Pinkerton, Kent E; Rom, William N; Szema, Anthony M; Breysse, Patrick N; White, Ronald H; Curriero, Frank C

    2012-10-01

    Exposure to ozone has been associated with adverse health effects, including premature mortality and cardiopulmonary and respiratory morbidity. In 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the primary (health-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone to 75 ppb, expressed as the fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hr average over a 24-hr period. Based on recent monitoring data, U.S. ozone levels still exceed this standard in numerous locations, resulting in avoidable adverse health consequences. We sought to quantify the potential human health benefits from achieving the current primary NAAQS standard of 75 ppb and two alternative standard levels, 70 and 60 ppb, which represent the range recommended by the U.S. EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). We applied health impact assessment methodology to estimate numbers of deaths and other adverse health outcomes that would have been avoided during 2005, 2006, and 2007 if the current (or lower) NAAQS ozone standards had been met. Estimated reductions in ozone concentrations were interpolated according to geographic area and year, and concentration-response functions were obtained or derived from the epidemiological literature. We estimated that annual numbers of avoided ozone-related premature deaths would have ranged from 1,410 to 2,480 at 75 ppb to 2,450 to 4,130 at 70 ppb, and 5,210 to 7,990 at 60 ppb. Acute respiratory symptoms would have been reduced by 3 million cases and school-loss days by 1 million cases annually if the current 75-ppb standard had been attained. Substantially greater health benefits would have resulted if the CASAC-recommended range of standards (70-60 ppb) had been met. Attaining a more stringent primary ozone standard would significantly reduce ozone-related premature mortality and morbidity.

  17. Health Benefits from Large-Scale Ozone Reduction in the United States

    PubMed Central

    Berman, Jesse D.; Fann, Neal; Hollingsworth, John W.; Pinkerton, Kent E.; Rom, William N.; Szema, Anthony M.; Breysse, Patrick N.; White, Ronald H.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Exposure to ozone has been associated with adverse health effects, including premature mortality and cardiopulmonary and respiratory morbidity. In 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the primary (health-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone to 75 ppb, expressed as the fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hr average over a 24-hr period. Based on recent monitoring data, U.S. ozone levels still exceed this standard in numerous locations, resulting in avoidable adverse health consequences. Objectives: We sought to quantify the potential human health benefits from achieving the current primary NAAQS standard of 75 ppb and two alternative standard levels, 70 and 60 ppb, which represent the range recommended by the U.S. EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). Methods: We applied health impact assessment methodology to estimate numbers of deaths and other adverse health outcomes that would have been avoided during 2005, 2006, and 2007 if the current (or lower) NAAQS ozone standards had been met. Estimated reductions in ozone concentrations were interpolated according to geographic area and year, and concentration–response functions were obtained or derived from the epidemiological literature. Results: We estimated that annual numbers of avoided ozone-related premature deaths would have ranged from 1,410 to 2,480 at 75 ppb to 2,450 to 4,130 at 70 ppb, and 5,210 to 7,990 at 60 ppb. Acute respiratory symptoms would have been reduced by 3 million cases and school-loss days by 1 million cases annually if the current 75-ppb standard had been attained. Substantially greater health benefits would have resulted if the CASAC-recommended range of standards (70–60 ppb) had been met. Conclusions: Attaining a more stringent primary ozone standard would significantly reduce ozone-related premature mortality and morbidity. PMID:22809899

  18. Acute psychological stress increases plasma levels of cortisol, prolactin and TSH.

    PubMed

    Schedlowski, M; Wiechert, D; Wagner, T O; Tewes, U

    1992-01-01

    The effects of acute stress during a parachute jump on hormonal responses were studied in 12 experienced and 11 inexperienced military parachutists. Each subject performed two jumps. Prior to and immediately after each jump blood samples were drawn and analysed for plasma levels of cortisol, prolactin, thyrotropin (TSH), somatotropin (STH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). While there was a significant increase in cortisol, prolactin and TSH levels after both jumps, no alterations could be observed in STH and LH levels. Stress-induced hormonal responses were not affected by jump experience. There was also no association between the endocrine variables and anxiety scores.

  19. A single session of hatha yoga improves stress reactivity and recovery after an acute psychological stress task-A counterbalanced, randomized-crossover trial in healthy individuals.

    PubMed

    Benvenutti, Mateus J; Alves, Eduardo da Sliva; Michael, Scott; Ding, Ding; Stamatakis, Emmanuel; Edwards, Kate M

    2017-12-01

    Yoga is promoted as an anti-stress activity, however, little is known about the mechanisms through which it acts. The present study investigated the acute effects of a hatha yoga session, displayed on a video, on the response to and recovery from an acute psychological stressor. Twenty-four healthy young adults took part in a counterbalanced, randomized-crossover trial, with a yoga and a control condition (watching TV). Participants attended the laboratory in the afternoon on two days and each session comprised a baseline, control or yoga task, stress task and recovery. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and salivary cortisol responses were measured. State cognitive- and somatic-anxiety along with self-confidence were assessed before and after the stressor. Although no difference in the BP or HR responses to stress were found between conditions, systolic BP (p=0.047) and diastolic BP (p=0.018) recovery from stress were significantly accelerated and salivary cortisol reactivity was significantly lower (p=0.01) in the yoga condition. A yoga session also increased self-confidence (p=0.006) in preparation for the task and after completion. Moreover, self-confidence reported after the stress task was considered debilitative towards performance in the control condition, but remained facilitative in the yoga condition. Our results show that a single video-instructed session of hatha yoga was able to improve stress reactivity and recovery from an acute stress task in healthy individuals. These positive preliminary findings encourage further investigation in at-risk populations in which the magnitude of effects may be greater, and support the use of yoga for stress reactivity and recovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Sex differences and the role of acute stress in the open-field tower maze.

    PubMed

    Lipatova, Olga; Campolattaro, Matthew M; Dixon, Dawndra C; Durak, Ayse

    2018-05-15

    Many studies provide evidence that differences in spatial learning exist between males and females. However, it is necessary to consider non-mnemonic factors that may influence these findings. The present experiment investigated acquisition, retention, and the effects of stress on response- and place-learning in male and female rats. Rats were trained in an open-field tower maze. Procedures were used to minimize stress in the rats, and their ability to solve place- or response-learning in the maze was determined by analyzing a response variable (i.e., first choice correct response) that was not influenced by general locomotor activity. The results revealed that male and female rats acquire place- and response-learning at the same rate even though females moved significantly faster in the maze. However, females showed better retrieval of place-, but not response-learning compared to male rats. This effect appeared to be enhanced when the rats were tested immediately following an acute restraint stress. Furthermore, both female and male rats that were exposed to acute restraint stress showed less impairment than controls when subsequently tested in a novel situation. These findings have clinical implications that a mild physiological stress response can make one more cognitively resistant to adversities later in life. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. CONTRIBUTION TO INDOOR OZONE LEVELS OF AN OZONE GENERATOR

    EPA Science Inventory

    This report gives results of a study of a commonly used commercially available ozone generator, undertaken to determine its impact on indoor ozone levels. xperiment were conducted in a typical mechanically ventilated office and in a test house. he generated ozone and the in-room ...

  2. Antarctic Ozone Hole, 2000

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Each spring the ozone layer over Antarctica nearly disappears, forming a 'hole' over the entire continent. The hole is created by the interaction of some man-made chemicals-freon, for example-with Antarctica's unique weather patterns and extremely cold temperatures. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, thereby protecting living things. Since the ozone hole was discovered many of the chemicals that destroy ozone have been banned, but they will remain in the atmosphere for decades. In 2000, the ozone hole grew quicker than usual and exceptionally large. By the first week in September the hole was the largest ever-11.4 million square miles. The top image shows the average total column ozone values over Antarctica for September 2000. (Total column ozone is the amount of ozone from the ground to the top of the atmosphere. A relatively typical measurement of 300 Dobson Units is equivalent to a layer of ozone 0.12 inches thick on the Earth's surface. Levels below 220 Dobson Units are considered to be significant ozone depletion.) The record-breaking hole is likely the result of lower than average ozone levels during the Antarctic fall and winter, and exceptionally cold temperatures. In October, however (bottom image), the hole shrank dramatically, much more quickly than usual. By the end of October, the hole was only one-third of it's previous size. In a typical year, the ozone hole does not collapse until the end of November. NASA scientists were surprised by this early shrinking and speculate it is related to the region's weather. Global ozone levels are measured by the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS). For more information about ozone, read the Earth Observatory's ozone fact sheet, view global ozone data and see these ozone images. Images by Greg Shirah, NASA GSFC Scientific Visualization Studio.

  3. Development of Compact Ozonizer with High Ozone Output by Pulsed Power

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanaka, Fumiaki; Ueda, Satoru; Kouno, Kanako; Sakugawa, Takashi; Akiyama, Hidenori; Kinoshita, Youhei

    Conventional ozonizer with a high ozone output using silent or surface discharges needs a cooling system and a dielectric barrier, and therefore becomes a large machine. A compact ozonizer without the cooling system and the dielectric barrier has been developed by using a pulsed power generated discharge. The wire to plane electrodes made of metal have been used. However, the ozone output was low. Here, a compact and high repetition rate pulsed power generator is used as an electric source of a compact ozonizer. The ozone output of 6.1 g/h and the ozone yield of 86 g/kWh are achieved at 500 pulses per second, input average power of 280 W and an air flow rate of 20 L/min.

  4. Acute post-traumatic stress symptoms and age predict outcome in military blast concussion.

    PubMed

    Mac Donald, Christine L; Adam, Octavian R; Johnson, Ann M; Nelson, Elliot C; Werner, Nicole J; Rivet, Dennis J; Brody, David L

    2015-05-01

    High rates of adverse outcomes have been reported following blast-related concussive traumatic brain injury in US military personnel, but the extent to which such adverse outcomes can be predicted acutely after injury is unknown. We performed a prospective, observational study of US military personnel with blast-related concussive traumatic brain injury (n = 38) and controls (n = 34) enrolled between March and September 2012. Importantly all subjects returned to duty and did not require evacuation. Subjects were evaluated acutely 0-7 days after injury at two sites in Afghanistan and again 6-12 months later in the United States. Acute assessments revealed heightened post-concussive, post-traumatic stress, and depressive symptoms along with worse cognitive performance in subjects with traumatic brain injury. At 6-12 months follow-up, 63% of subjects with traumatic brain injury and 20% of controls had moderate overall disability. Subjects with traumatic brain injury showed more severe neurobehavioural, post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms along with more frequent cognitive performance deficits and more substantial headache impairment than control subjects. Logistic regression modelling using only acute measures identified that a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, older age, and more severe post-traumatic stress symptoms provided a good prediction of later adverse global outcomes (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve = 0.84). Thus, US military personnel with concussive blast-related traumatic brain injury in Afghanistan who returned to duty still fared quite poorly on many clinical outcome measures 6-12 months after injury. Poor global outcome seems to be largely driven by psychological health measures, age, and traumatic brain injury status. The effects of early interventions and longer term implications of these findings are unknown. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All

  5. Baicalin ameliorates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction through iNOS, inflammation and oxidative stress in rat

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Huaguo; Xu, Yongfu; Wang, Jianzhong; Zhao, Wei; Ruan, Huihui

    2015-01-01

    Baicalin belongs to glucuronic acid glycosides and after hydrolysisbaicalein and glucuronic acid come into being. It has such effects as clearing heat and removing toxicity, anti-inflammation, choleresis, bringing high blood pressure down, diuresis, anti-allergic reaction and so on. In this study, we investigated whether baicalin ameliorates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction and its mechanism. Rat model of acute myocardial infarction was induced by isoproterenol. Casein kinase (CK), the MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and infarct size measurement were used to measure the protective effect of baicalin on isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction. iNOS protein expression in rat was analyzed using western blot analysis. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and caspase-3 activation levels were explored using commercial ELISA kits. In the acute myocardial infarction experiment, baicalin effectively ameliorates the level of CK, CK-MB, LDH and cTnT, reduced infarct size in acute myocardial infarction rat model. Meanwhile, treatment with baicalin effectively decreased the iNOS protein expression, inflammatory factors and oxidative stresses in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction. However, baicalin emerged that anti-apoptosis activity and suppressed the activation of caspase-3 in a rat model of acute myocardial infarction. The data suggest that the protective effect of baicalin ameliorates isoproterenol-induced acute myocardial infarction through iNOS, inflammation and oxidative stress in rat. PMID:26617721

  6. Cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress following sleep deprivation.

    PubMed

    Franzen, Peter L; Gianaros, Peter J; Marsland, Anna L; Hall, Martica H; Siegle, Greg J; Dahl, Ronald E; Buysse, Daniel J

    2011-10-01

    Psychological stress and sleep disturbances are highly prevalent and are both implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases. Given the common co-occurrence of psychological distress and sleep disturbances including short sleep duration, this study examined the combined effects of these two factors on blood pressure reactivity to immediate mental challenge tasks after well-rested and sleep-deprived experimental conditions. Participants (n = 20) were healthy young adults free from current or past sleep, psychiatric, or major medical disorders. Using a within-subjects crossover design, we examined acute stress reactivity under two experimental conditions: after a night of normal sleep in the laboratory and after a night of total sleep deprivation. Two standardized psychological stress tasks were administered, a Stroop color-word naming interference task and a speech task, which were preceded by a prestress baseline period and followed by a poststress recovery period. Each period was 10 minutes in duration, and blood pressure recordings were collected every 2.5 minutes throughout each period. Mean blood pressure responses during stress and recovery periods were examined with a mixed-effects analysis of covariance, controlling for baseline blood pressure. There was a significant interaction between sleep deprivation and stress on systolic blood pressure (F(2,82.7) = 4.05, p = .02). Systolic blood pressure was higher in the sleep deprivation condition compared with the normal sleep condition during the speech task and during the two baseline periods. Sleep deprivation amplified systolic blood pressure increases to psychological stress. Sleep loss may increase cardiovascular risk by dysregulating stress physiology.

  7. Influence of acute stress on spatial tasks in humans.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Anthony E; VanderKaay Tomasulo, Melissa M

    2011-07-06

    Few studies have investigated the relationship between stress and spatial performance in humans. In this study, participants were exposed to an acute laboratory stressor (Star Mirror Tracing Task) or a control condition (watching a nature video) and then performed two spatial tasks. In the first task, participants navigated through a virtual reality (VR) environment and then returned to the environment to make directional judgments relating to the learned targets. In the second task, perspective taking, participants made directional judgments to targets after imagined body rotations with respect to a map. Compared to the control condition, participants in the Stress condition showed increases in heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure indicating sympathetic adrenal medulla (SAM) axis activation. Participants in the Stress condition also reported being more anxious, angry, frustrated, and irritated than participants in the Non-Stress condition. Salivary cortisol did not differ between conditions, indicating no significant hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis involvement. In the VR task, memory encoding was unaffected as directional error was similar in both conditions; however, participants in the Stress condition responded more slowly, which may be due to increases in negative affect, SAM disruption in spatial memory retrieval through catecholamine release, or a combination of both factors. In the perspective taking task, participants were also slower to respond after stress, suggesting interference in the ability to adopt new spatial orientations. Additionally, sex differences were observed in that men had greater accuracy on both spatial tasks, but no significant Sex by Stress condition interactions were demonstrated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Delay discounting and response disinhibition under acute experimental stress in women with borderline personality disorder and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

    PubMed

    Krause-Utz, A; Cackowski, S; Daffner, S; Sobanski, Esther; Plichta, Michael M; Bohus, M; Ende, G; Schmahl, C

    2016-11-01

    Impulsivity is a core feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In BPD, impulsive behavior primarily occurs under acute stress; impulse control deficits under non-stress conditions may be partly related to co-morbid ADHD. We aimed to investigate whether acute experimental stress has an impact on self-reported impulsivity, response inhibition (action withholding, action cancelation) and delay discounting in BPD compared to ADHD. Thirty female BPD patients, 28 female ADHD patients (excluding patients with co-morbid BPD and ADHD), and 30 female healthy controls (HC) completed self-reports and behavioral measures of impulsivity (IMT, assessing action withholding; GoStop, measuring action cancelation, Delay Discounting Task) under baseline conditions and after an experimental stress induction (Mannheim Multicomponent Stress Test). Both patient groups reported higher impulsivity than HC, ADHD reported higher trait impulsivity than BPD. On the IMT, ADHD showed significant action-withholding deficits under both conditions, while BPD performed significantly worse than HC under stress. In BPD but not ADHD and HC, action-withholding deficits (IMT) were significantly increased under stress compared to baseline, while no group/stress effects were found for action cancelation (GoStop). Delay discounting was significantly more pronounced in BPD than in HC (no stress effect was found). In BPD, behavioral deficits in action withholding (but not in action cancelation) appear to be influenced by acute experimental stress. Delay discounting seems to be a general feature of BPD, independent of co-morbid ADHD and acute stress, possibly underlying typical expressions of behavioral impulsivity in the disorder.

  9. Increases in anxiety-like behavior induced by acute stress are reversed by ethanol in adolescent but not adult rats.

    PubMed

    Varlinskaya, Elena I; Spear, Linda P

    2012-01-01

    Repeated exposure to stressors has been found to increase anxiety-like behavior in laboratory rodents, with the social anxiety induced by repeated restraint being extremely sensitive to anxiolytic effects of ethanol in both adolescent and adult rats. No studies, however, have compared social anxiogenic effects of acute stress or the capacity of ethanol to reverse this anxiety in adolescent and adult animals. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether adolescent [postnatal day (P35)] Sprague-Dawley rats differ from their adult counterparts (P70) in the impact of acute restraint stress on social anxiety and in their sensitivity to the social anxiolytic effects of ethanol. Animals were restrained for 90 min, followed by examination of stress- and ethanol-induced (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 g/kg) alterations in social behavior using a modified social interaction test in a familiar environment. Acute restraint stress increased anxiety, as indexed by reduced levels of social investigation at both ages, and decreased social preference among adolescents. These increases in anxiety were dramatically reversed among adolescents by acute ethanol. No anxiolytic-like effects of ethanol emerged following restraint stress in adults. The social suppression seen in response to higher doses of ethanol was reversed by restraint stress in animals of both ages. To the extent that these data are applicable to humans, the results of the present study provide some experimental evidence that stressful life events may increase the attractiveness of alcohol as an anxiolytic agent for adolescents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Indication of attenuated DHEA-s response during acute psychosocial stress in patients with clinical burnout.

    PubMed

    Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Sjörs, Anna; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

    2015-08-01

    Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-s) is an anabolic protective hormone. We have previously reported that DHEA-s production capacity is attenuated in stressed individuals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the DHEA-s response during acute psychosocial stress in patients with clinical burnout. Seventeen patients with clinical burnout were compared to 13 non-chronically stressed healthy controls, aged 31-50 years (mean age 41 years, SD 6 years), as they underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). All patients fulfilled diagnostic criteria for stress-related exhaustion disorder, which is a criteria-based diagnosis that has been used in Sweden since 2005 to define patients seeking health-care for clinical burnout. Blood samples were collected before, directly after the stress test, and after 30 min of recovery. DHEA-s levels were measured and delta values (peak levels minus baseline levels) plus area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCI) were calculated. The patients had 43% smaller AUCI DHEA-s (p=0.041) during the stress test. The delta DHEA-s was 34% lower in the patients, however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.054). The study indicates that DHEA-s production capacity during acute stress may be attenuated in patients with clinical burnout. Reduced DHEA-s production may constitute one of the links between stress, burnout and the associated adverse health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Differential effects of 5-HTTLPR genotypes on mood, memory, and attention bias following acute tryptophan depletion and stress exposure.

    PubMed

    Firk, Christine; Markus, C Rob

    2009-05-01

    Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) may be associated with increased vulnerability to acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and depression vulnerability especially following stressful life events. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ATD in subjects with different 5-HTTLPR profiles before and after stress exposure on affective and cognitive-attentional changes. Eighteen subjects with homozygotic short alleles (S'/S') and 17 subjects with homozygotic long alleles (L'/L') of the 5-HTTLPR participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design to measure the effects of ATD on mood, memory, and attention before and after acute stress exposure. ATD lowered mood in all subjects independent of genotype. In S'/S' genotypes, mild acute stress increased depressive mood and in L'/L' genotypes increased feelings of vigor. Furthermore, S'/S' genotypes differed from L'/L' genotypes on measures of attention independent of treatment and memory following ATD. Polymorphisms of the 5-HTTLPR differentially affect responses to mild stress and ATD, suggesting greater vulnerability of S'/S' carriers to serotonergic manipulations and supporting increased depression vulnerability.

  12. Proteomic differences with and without ozone-exposure in a smoking-induced emphysema lung model

    PubMed Central

    Uh, Soo-Taek; Koo, So-My; Jang, An Soo; Park, Sung Woo; Choi, Jae Sung; Kim, Yong-Hoon

    2015-01-01

    Background/Aims Acute exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be related to air pollution, of which ozone is an important constituent. In this study, we investigated the protein profiles associated with ozone-induced exacerbations in a smoking-induced emphysema model. Methods Mice were divided into the following groups: group I, no smoking and no ozone (NS + NO); group II, no smoking and ozone (NS + O); group III, smoking and no ozone (S + NO); and group IV, smoking and ozone (S + O). Bronchoalveolar lavage, the mean linear intercept (MLI) on hematoxylin and eosin staining, nano-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and Western blotting analyses were performed. Results The MLIs of groups III (S + NO) and IV (S + O) (45 ± 2 and 44 ± 3 µm, respectively) were significantly higher than those of groups I (NS + NO) and II (NS + O) (26 ± 2 and 23 ± 2 µm, respectively; p < 0.05). Fourteen spots that showed significantly different intensities on image analyses of two-dimensional (2D) protein electrophoresis in group I (NS + NO) were identified by LC-MS/MS. The levels of six proteins were higher in group IV (S + O). The levels of vimentin, lactate dehydrogenase A, and triose phosphate isomerase were decreased by both smoking and ozone treatment in Western blotting and proteomic analyses. In contrast, TBC1 domain family 5 (TBC1D5) and lamin A were increased by both smoking and ozone treatment. Conclusions TBC1D5 could be a biomarker of ozone-induced lung injury in emphysema. PMID:25589837

  13. An exploratory study of the association of acute posttraumatic stress, depression, and pain to cognitive functioning in mild traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Massey, Jessica S; Meares, Susanne; Batchelor, Jennifer; Bryant, Richard A

    2015-07-01

    Few studies have examined whether psychological distress and pain affect cognitive functioning in the acute to subacute phase (up to 30 days postinjury) following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The current study explored whether acute posttraumatic stress, depression, and pain were associated with performance on a task of selective and sustained attention completed under conditions of increasing cognitive demands (standard, auditory distraction, and dual-task), and on tests of working memory, memory, processing speed, reaction time (RT), and verbal fluency. At a mean of 2.87 days (SD = 2.32) postinjury, 50 adult mTBI participants, consecutive admissions to a Level 1 trauma hospital, completed neuropsychological tests and self-report measures of acute posttraumatic stress, depression, and pain. A series of canonical correlation analyses was used to explore the relationships of a common set of psychological variables to various sets of neuropsychological variables. Significant results were found on the task of selective and sustained attention. Strong relationships were found between psychological variables and speed (r(c) = .56, p = .02) and psychological variables and accuracy (r(c) = .68, p = .002). Pain and acute posttraumatic stress were associated with higher speed scores (reflecting more correctly marked targets) under standard conditions. Acute posttraumatic stress was associated with lower accuracy scores across all task conditions. Moderate but nonsignificant associations were found between psychological variables and most cognitive tasks. Acute posttraumatic stress and pain show strong associations with selective and sustained attention following mTBI. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. N-fixation in legumes--An assessment of the potential threat posed by ozone pollution.

    PubMed

    Hewitt, D K L; Mills, G; Hayes, F; Norris, D; Coyle, M; Wilkinson, S; Davies, W

    2016-01-01

    The growth, development and functioning of legumes are often significantly affected by exposure to tropospheric ozone (O3) pollution. However, surprisingly little is known about how leguminous Nitrogen (N) fixation responds to ozone, with a scarcity of studies addressing this question in detail. In the last decade, ozone impacts on N-fixation in soybean, cowpea, mung bean, peanut and clover have been shown for concentrations which are now commonly recorded in ambient air or are likely to occur in the near future. We provide a synthesis of the existing literature addressing this issue, and also explore the effects that may occur on an agroecosystem scale by predicting reductions in Trifolium (clovers) root nodule biomass in United Kingdom (UK) pasture based on ozone concentration data for a "high" (2006) and "average" ozone year (2008). Median 8% and 5% reductions in clover root nodule biomass in pasture across the UK were predicted for 2006 and 2008 respectively. Seasonal exposure to elevated ozone, or short-term acute concentrations >100 ppb, are sufficient to reduce N-fixation and/or impact nodulation, in a range of globally-important legumes. However, an increasing global burden of CO2, the use of artificial fertiliser, and reactive N-pollution may partially mitigate impacts of ozone on N-fixation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Pasireotide treatment does not modify hyperglycemic and corticosterone acute restraint stress responses in rats.

    PubMed

    Ribeiro-Oliveira, Antônio; Schweizer, Junia R O L; Amaral, Pedro H S; Bizzi, Mariana F; Silveira, Warley Cezar da; Espirito-Santo, Daniel T A; Zille, Giancarlo; Soares, Beatriz S; Schmid, Herbert A; Yuen, Kevin C J

    2018-04-17

    Pasireotide is a new-generation somatostatin analog that acts through binding to multiple somatostatin receptor subtypes. Studies have shown that pasireotide induces hyperglycemia, reduces glucocorticoid secretion, alters neurotransmission, and potentially affects stress responses typically manifested as hyperglycemia and increased corticosterone secretion. This study specifically aimed to evaluate whether pasireotide treatment modifies glucose and costicosterone secretion in response to acute restraint stress. Male Holtzman rats of 150-200 g were treated with pasireotide (10 µg/kg/day) twice-daily for two weeks or vehicle for the same period. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 5, 10, 30, and 60 min of restraint stress. The three experimental groups comprised of vehicle + restraint (VEHR), pasireotide + restraint (PASR), and pasireotide + saline (PASNR). Following pasireotide treatment, no significant differences in baseline glucose and corticosterone levels were observed among the three groups. During restraint, hyperglycemia was observed at 10 min (p < .01 for both comparisons), peaked at 30 min (p < .01 for both comparisons) and showed higher 60 min areas under glucose curves in the VEHR and PASR stressed groups when compared to the non-stressed PASNR group (p < .05 for both comparisons). Restraint also increased corticosterone secretion in the VEHR and PASR stressed groups at 5 min (p < .01 for both comparisons), and peaked at 30 min (p < .01 for both comparisons) with corresponding higher 60 min areas under corticosterone curves when compared to the non-stressed PASNR group (p < .01 for both comparisons). In conclusion, pasireotide treatment does not modify hyperglycemic- and corticosterone-restraint stress responses, thus preserving acute stress regulation.

  16. Inhalation of progesterone inhibits chronic airway inflammation of mice exposed to ozone.

    PubMed

    Fei, Xia; Bao, Wuping; Zhang, Pengyu; Zhang, Xue; Zhang, Guoqing; Zhang, Yingying; Zhou, Xin; Zhang, Min

    2017-05-01

    Chronic ozone exposure leads to a model of mice with lung inflammation, emphysema and oxidative stress. Progesterone plays an important role in attenuating the neuroinflammation. We assume that progesterone will reduce the chronic airway inflammation exposed to ozone and evaluate whether combination of progesterone with glucocorticoids results in synergistic effects. C57/BL6 mice were exposed to ozone (2.5ppm, 3h) 12 times over 6 weeks, and were administered with progesterone (0.03 or 0.3mg/L; inhaled) alone or combined with budesonide (BUD) (0.2g/L) after each exposure until the tenth week. Mice were studied 24h after final exposure, cells and inflammatory mediators were assessed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lungs used for evaluation of glucocorticoids receptors (GR), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation and nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) activation. Exposure to ozone resulted in a marked lung neutrophilia. Moreover, in ozone-exposed group, the levels of oxidative stress-related interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, activated NF-κB and p38MAPK, airway inflammatory cells infiltration density, mean linear intercept (Lm) were greatly increased, FEV 25 and glucocorticoids receptors (GR) were markedly decreased. Comparable to BUD, progesterone treatment dose-dependently led to a significant reduction of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, activated NF-κB and p38MAPK, and an increase of FEV 25 and GR. Progesterone combined with BUD resulted in dramatic changes, compared to monotherapy of BUD or progesterone. Therefore, these results demonstrate that chronic ozone exposure has profound airway inflammatory effects counteracted by progesterone and progesterone acts synergistically with glucocorticoids in attenuating the airway inflammation dose-dependently. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Acute stress exposure preceding transient global brain ischemia exacerbates the decrease in cortical remodeling potential in the rat retrosplenial cortex.

    PubMed

    Kutsuna, Nobuo; Yamashita, Akiko; Eriguchi, Takashi; Oshima, Hideki; Suma, Takeshi; Sakatani, Kaoru; Yamamoto, Takamitsu; Yoshino, Atsuo; Katayama, Yoichi

    2014-01-01

    Doublecortin (DCX)-immunoreactive (-ir) cells are candidates that play key roles in adult cortical remodeling. We have previously reported that DCX-ir cells decrease after stress exposure or global brain ischemia (GBI) in the cingulate cortex (Cg) of rats. Herein, we investigate whether the decrease in DCX-ir cells is exacerbated after GBI due to acute stress exposure preconditioning. Twenty rats were divided into 3 groups: acute stress exposure before GBI (Group P), non-stress exposure before GBI (Group G), and controls (Group C). Acute stress or GBI was induced by a forced swim paradigm or by transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion, respectively. DCX-ir cells were investigated in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and retrosplenial cortex (RS). The number of DCX-ir cells per unit area (mm(2)) decreased after GBI with or without stress preconditioning in the ACC and in the RS (ANOVA followed by a Tukey-type test, P<0.001). Moreover, compared to Group G, the number in Group P decreased significantly in RS (P<0.05), though not significantly in ACC. Many of the DCX-ir cells were co-localized with the GABAergic neuronal marker parvalbumin. The present study indicates that cortical remodeling potential of GABAergic neurons of Cg decreases after GBI, and moreover, the ratio of the decrease is exacerbated by acute stress preconditioning in the RS. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

  18. Experiences of stress among nurses in acute mental health settings.

    PubMed

    Currid, Thomas

    To explore occupational stressors, the lived experience of stress and the meaning of this experience for staff working in acute mental health care. The study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to ascertain the lived experience of stress among eight qualified staff working in a mental health NHS trust in London. A semi-structured interview format was used. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis framework. The occupational experience of nurses in this study indicates that staff are frequently subjected to violent and aggressive behaviour from patients. Such experiences adversely affect patient outcomes in that staff may be reluctant to engage with such individuals because of anxiety about being hurt or experiencing further intimidation. Environmental pressures coupled with high activity levels mean that staff have little time to focus on the task at hand or to plan future activities. As a result they find that when they go home they are unable to switch off from work. Further investment is needed in acute mental health settings and in staff who work in this area. If this does not happen, it is likely that the quality of service provision will deteriorate and nurses' health and wellbeing will suffer.

  19. Seawater inhalation induces acute lung injury via ROS generation and the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway

    PubMed Central

    Li, Cong-Cong; Lu, Xi; Qian, Wei-Sheng; Li, Yu-Juan; Jin, Fa-Guang; Mu, De-Guang

    2018-01-01

    Seawater (SW) inhalation can induce acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the present study, SW induced apoptosis of rat alveolar epithelial cells and histopathological alterations to lung tissue. Furthermore, SW administration increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas pretreatment with the ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), significantly decreased ROS generation, apoptosis and histopathological alterations. In addition, SW exposure upregulated the expression levels of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), which are critical proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, thus indicating that SW may activate ER stress. Conversely, blocking ER stress with 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) significantly improved SW-induced apoptosis and histopathological alterations, whereas an ER stress inducer, thapsigargin, had the opposite effect. Furthermore, blocking ROS with NAC inhibited SW-induced ER stress, as evidenced by the downregulation of GRP78, phosphorylated (p)-protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK), p-inositol-requiring kinase 1α (IRE1α), p-50 activating transcription factor 6α and CHOP. In addition, blocking ER stress with 4-PBA decreased ROS generation. In conclusion, the present study indicated that ROS and ER stress pathways, which are involved in alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis, are important in the pathogenesis of SW-induced ALI. PMID:29436612

  20. Acute cold stress improved the transcription of pro-inflammatory cytokines of Chinese soft-shelled turtle against Aeromonas hydrophila.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zuobing; Chen, Bojian; Yuan, Lin; Niu, Cuijuan

    2015-03-01

    Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis, is widely cultured in East and Southeast Asian countries. It frequently encounters the stress of abrupt temperature changes, which leads to mass death in most cases. However, the mechanism underlying the stress-elicited death remains unknown. We have suspected that the stress impaired the immune function of Chinese soft-shelled turtle, which could result in the mass death, as we noticed that there was a clinical syndrome of infection in dead turtles. To test our hypothesis, we first performed bioinformatic annotation of several pro-inflammatory molecules (IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, IL-12β) of Chinese soft-shelled turtle. Then, we treated the turtles in six groups, injected with Aeromonas hydrophila before acute cold stress (25 °C) and controls, after acute cold stress (15 °C) and controls as well as after the temperature was restored to 25 °C and controls, respectively. Subsequently, real-time PCR for several pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6, IL-12β, IL-8 and IFNγ) was performed to assess the turtle immune function in spleen and intestine, 24 hours after the injection. We found that the mRNA expression levels of the immune molecules were all enhanced after acute cold stress. This change disappeared when the temperature was restored back to 25 °C. Our results suggest that abrupt temperature drop did not suppress the immune function of Chinese soft-shelled turtle in response to germ challenge after abrupt temperature drop. In contrast, it may even increase the expression of various cytokines at least, within a short time after acute cold stress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. 2009 Antarctic Ozone Hole

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-09-16

    The annual ozone hole has started developing over the South Pole, and it appears that it will be comparable to ozone depletions over the past decade. This composite image from September 10 depicts ozone concentrations in Dobson units, with purple and blues depicting severe deficits of ozone. "We have observed the ozone hole again in 2009, and it appears to be pretty average so far," said ozone researcher Paul Newman of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "However, we won't know for another four weeks how this year's ozone hole will fully develop." Scientists are tracking the size and depth of the ozone hole with observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura spacecraft, the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment on the European Space Agency's ERS-2 spacecraft, and the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-16 satellite. The depth and area of the ozone hole are governed by the amount of chlorine and bromine in the Antarctic stratosphere. Over the southern winter, polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) form in the extreme cold of the atmosphere, and chlorine gases react on the cloud particles to release chlorine into a form that can easily destroy ozone. When the sun rises in August after months of seasonal polar darkness, the sunlight heats the clouds and catalyzes the chemical reactions that deplete the ozone layer. The ozone hole begins to grow in August and reaches its largest area in late September to early October. Recent observations and several studies have shown that the size of the annual ozone hole has stabilized and the level of ozone-depleting substances has decreased by 4 percent since 2001. But since chlorine and bromine compounds have long lifetimes in the atmosphere, a recovery of atmospheric ozone is not likely to be noticeable until 2020 or later. Visit NASA's Ozone Watch page for current imagery and data: ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html

  2. Sex-specific microRNA expression networks in an acute mouse model of ozone-induced lung inflammation.

    PubMed

    Fuentes, Nathalie; Roy, Arpan; Mishra, Vikas; Cabello, Noe; Silveyra, Patricia

    2018-05-08

    Sex differences in the incidence and prognosis of respiratory diseases have been reported. Studies have shown that women are at increased risk of adverse health outcomes from air pollution than men, but sex-specific immune gene expression patterns and regulatory networks have not been well studied in the lung. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are environmentally sensitive posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression that may mediate the damaging effects of inhaled pollutants in the lung, by altering the expression of innate immunity molecules. Male and female mice of the C57BL/6 background were exposed to 2 ppm of ozone or filtered air (control) for 3 h. Female mice were also exposed at different stages of the estrous cycle. Following exposure, lungs were harvested and total RNA was extracted. We used PCR arrays to study sex differences in the expression of 84 miRNAs predicted to target inflammatory and immune genes. We identified differentially expressed miRNA signatures in the lungs of male vs. female exposed to ozone. In silico pathway analyses identified sex-specific biological networks affected by exposure to ozone that ranged from direct predicted gene targeting to complex interactions with multiple intermediates. We also identified differences in miRNA expression and predicted regulatory networks in females exposed to ozone at different estrous cycle stages. Our results indicate that both sex and hormonal status can influence lung miRNA expression in response to ozone exposure, indicating that sex-specific miRNA regulation of inflammatory gene expression could mediate differential pollution-induced health outcomes in men and women.

  3. Children's Models of the Ozone Layer and Ozone Depletion.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christidou, Vasilia; Koulaidis, Vasilis

    1996-01-01

    The views of 40 primary students on ozone and its depletion were recorded through individual, semi-structured interviews. The data analysis resulted in the formation of a limited number of models concerning the distribution and role of ozone in the atmosphere, the depletion process, and the consequences of ozone depletion. Identifies five target…

  4. Chronic and Acute Stress, Gender, and Serotonin Transporter Gene-Environment Interactions Predicting Depression Symptoms in Youth

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hammen, Constance; Brennan, Patricia A.; Keenan-Miller, Danielle; Hazel, Nicholas A.; Najman, Jake M.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Many recent studies of serotonin transporter gene by environment effects predicting depression have used stress assessments with undefined or poor psychometric methods, possibly contributing to wide variation in findings. The present study attempted to distinguish between effects of acute and chronic stress to predict depressive…

  5. Ozone bioindicator

    Treesearch

    John W. Coulston; Mark J. Ambrose

    2007-01-01

    Why Is Ozone Important? Ground-level ozone occurs at phytotoxic levels in the United States (Lefohn and Pinkerton 1988). Elevated levels of ozone can cause foliar injury to several tree species, may cause growth loss, and can make trees more susceptible to insects and pathogens (Chappelka and Samuelson 1998). However, tree species have varying degrees of sensitivity to...

  6. Ozone, Tropospheric

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fishman, Jack

    1995-01-01

    In the early part of the 20th century, ground-based and balloon-borne measurements discovered that most of atmosphere's ozone is located in the stratosphere with highest concentrations located between 15 and 30 km (9,3 and 18.6 miles). For a long time, it was believed that tropospheric ozone originated from the stratosphere and that most of it was destroyed by contact with the earth's surface. Ozone, O3, was known to be produced by the photo-dissociation of molecular oxygen, O2, a process that can only occur at wavelengths shorter than 242 nm. Because such short-wave-length radiation is present only in the stratosphere, no tropospheric ozone production is possible by this mechanism. In the 1940s, however, it became obvious that production of ozone was also taking place in the troposphere. The overall reaction mechanism was eventually identified by Arie Haagen-Smit of the California Institute of Technology, in highly polluted southern California. The copious emissions from the numerous cars driven there as a result of the mass migration to Los Angeles after World War 2 created the new unpleasant phenomenon of photochemical smog, the primary component of which is ozone. These high levels of ozone were injuring vegetable crops, causing women's nylons to run, and generating increasing respiratory and eye-irritation problems for the populace. Our knowledge of tropospheric ozone increased dramatically in the early 1950s as monitoring stations and search centers were established throughout southern California to see what could be done to combat this threat to human health and the environment.

  7. Differential effects of airway anesthesia on ozone-induced pulmonary responses in human subjects.

    PubMed

    Schelegle, E S; Eldridge, M W; Cross, C E; Walby, W F; Adams, W C

    2001-04-01

    We examined the effect of tetracaine aerosol inhalation, a local anesthetic, on lung volume decrements, rapid shallow breathing, and subjective symptoms of breathing discomfort induced by the acute inhalation of 0.30 ppm ozone for 65 min in 22 ozone-sensitive healthy human subjects. After 50 min of ozone inhalation FEV(1) was reduced 24%, breathing frequency was increased 40%, tidal volume was decreased 31%, and total subjective symptom score was increased (71.2, compared with 3.8 for filtered air exposure). Inhalation of tetracaine aerosol resulted in marked reductions in ozone-induced subjective symptoms of throat tickle and/or irritation (92.1%), cough (78.5%), shortness of breath (72.5%), and pain on deep inspiration (69.4%). In contrast, inhalation of tetracaine aerosol (mass median aerodynamic diameter of 3.52 microm with a geometric standard deviation of 1.92) resulted in only minor and inconsistent rectification of FEV(1) decrements (5.0%) and breathing frequency (-3.8%) that was not significantly different from that produced by saline aerosol alone (FEV(1), 5.1% and breathing frequency, -2.7%). Our data are consistent with afferent endings located within the large conducting airways of the tracheobronchial tree being primarily responsible for ozone-induced subjective symptoms and provides strong evidence that ozone-induced inhibition of maximal inspiratory effort is not dependent on conscious sensations of inspiratory discomfort.

  8. Urban Summertime Ozone of China: Peak Ozone Hour and Nighttime Mixing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qu, H.; Wang, Y.; Zhang, R.

    2017-12-01

    We investigate the observed diurnal cycle of summertime ozone in the cities of China using a regional chemical transport model. The simulated daytime ozone is in general agreement with the observations. Model simulations suggest that the ozone peak time and peak concentration are a function of NOx (NO + NO2) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. The differences between simulated and observed ozone peak time and peak concentration in some regions can be applied to understand biases in the emission inventories. For example, the VOCs emissions are underestimated over the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, and either NOx emissions are underestimated or VOC emissions are overestimated over the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) regions. In contrast to the general good daytime ozone simulations, the simulated nighttime ozone has a large low bias of up to 40 ppbv. Nighttime ozone in urban areas is sensitive to the nocturnal boundary-layer mixing, and enhanced nighttime mixing (from the surface to 200-500 m) is necessary for the model to reproduce the observed level of ozone.

  9. Physiological and biochemical stress responses in grassland species are influenced by both early-season ozone exposure and interspecific competition.

    PubMed

    Scebba, Francesca; Canaccini, Francesca; Castagna, Antonella; Bender, Jürgen; Weigel, Hans-Joachim; Ranieri, Annamaria

    2006-08-01

    The effects of two-year early season ozone exposure on physiological and biochemical stress response were investigated in model plant communities. Achillea millefolium and Veronica chamaedrys target plants were grown in monocultures and in mixed cultures with Poa pratensis (phytometer) and exposed in open-top chambers over two years for five weeks to charcoal-filtered (CF) air plus 25 nl l(-1) O3 (control) and non-filtered (NF) air plus 50 nl l(-1) O3. Significant O3 effects were detected in different physiological and biochemical parameters, evidencing interspecific differences in metabolic stress responses and a strong influence of the competition factor. O3 induced strong oxidative effects in Achillea irrespective to the different growth modality. Veronica showed less O3-induced effects in monoculture than when grown in competition with the phytometer. Poa exhibited a different behaviour against O3 depending on the species in competition, showing an overall higher sensitivity to O3 when in mixture with Achillea.

  10. Total ozone changes in the 1987 Antarctic ozone hole

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krueger, Arlin J.; Schoeberl, Mark R.; Doiron, Scott D.; Sechrist, Frank; Galimore, Reginald

    1988-01-01

    The development of the Antarctic ozone minimum was observed in 1987 with the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument. In the first half of August the near-polar (60 and 70 deg S) ozone levels were similar to those of recent years. By September, however, the ozone at 70 and 80 deg S was clearly lower than any previous year including 1985, the prior record low year. The levels continued to decrease throughout September until October 5 when a new record low of 109 DU was established at a point near the South Pole. This value is 29 DU less than the lowest observed in 1985 and 48 DU less than the 1986 low. The zonal mean total ozone at 60 deg S remained constant throughout the time of ozone hole formation. The ozone decline was punctuated by local minima formed away from the polar night boundary at about 75 deg S. The first of these, on August 15 to 17, formed just east of the Palmer Peninsula and appears to be a mountain wave. The second major minimum formed on September 5 to 7 again downwind of the Palmer Peninsula. This event was larger in scale than the August minimum and initiated the decline of ozone across the polar region. The 1987 ozone hole was nearly circular and pole centered for its entire life. In previous years the hole was perturbed by intrusions of the circumpolar maximum into the polar regions, thus causing the hole to be elliptical. The 1987 hole also remained in place until the end of November, a few days longer than in 1985, and this persistence resulted in the latest time for recovery to normal values yet observed.

  11. Systolic blood pressure reactivity during submaximal exercise and acute psychological stress in youth

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Background: Studies in youth show an association between systolic blood-pressure (SBP) reactivity to acute psychological stress and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT). However, it has not yet been determined whether SBP reactivity during submaximal exercise is also associated with CIMT i...

  12. Heart rate variability during acute psychosocial stress: A randomized cross-over trial of verbal and non-verbal laboratory stressors.

    PubMed

    Brugnera, Agostino; Zarbo, Cristina; Tarvainen, Mika P; Marchettini, Paolo; Adorni, Roberta; Compare, Angelo

    2018-05-01

    Acute psychosocial stress is typically investigated in laboratory settings using protocols with distinctive characteristics. For example, some tasks involve the action of speaking, which seems to alter Heart Rate Variability (HRV) through acute changes in respiration patterns. However, it is still unknown which task induces the strongest subjective and autonomic stress response. The present cross-over randomized trial sought to investigate the differences in perceived stress and in linear and non-linear analyses of HRV between three different verbal (Speech and Stroop) and non-verbal (Montreal Imaging Stress Task; MIST) stress tasks, in a sample of 60 healthy adults (51.7% females; mean age = 25.6 ± 3.83 years). Analyses were run controlling for respiration rates. Participants reported similar levels of perceived stress across the three tasks. However, MIST induced a stronger cardiovascular response than Speech and Stroop tasks, even after controlling for respiration rates. Finally, women reported higher levels of perceived stress and lower HRV both at rest and in response to acute psychosocial stressors, compared to men. Taken together, our results suggest the presence of gender-related differences during psychophysiological experiments on stress. They also suggest that verbal activity masked the vagal withdrawal through altered respiration patterns imposed by speaking. Therefore, our findings support the use of highly-standardized math task, such as MIST, as a valid and reliable alternative to verbal protocols during laboratory studies on stress. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Melatonin Supplementation Ameliorates Energy Charge and Oxidative Stress Induced by Acute Exercise in Rat Heart Tissue

    PubMed Central

    Cimen, Behzat; Uz, Ali; Cetin, Ihsan; Cimen, Leyla; Cetin, Aysun

    2017-01-01

    Background Regular physical exercises may help people to be more resistant to everyday problems; however, how acute and intense exercises affect the heart tissues functioning with maximum capacity and how melatonin changes the effect of acute and intense exercises are still not obvious. We aimed to comprehend whether melatonin intravenous injection supports the oxidative/antioxidative conditions and energy charge in heart tissues of rats exposed to acute swimming exercise. Methods Thirty Wistar-albino male rats were categorized into 3 groups with equal number of subjects. Control group performed no application, and acute intensive swimming exercise group were subjected to acute intensive swimming exercise for 30 minutes, and melatonin group were applied 25 mg/kg single dose melatonin administration prior to 30 minutes acute intensive swimming exercise. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were measured by spectrophotometric method; and the levels of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) and energy charge were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography. Results Tissue MDA and 3-NT levels of the acute intensive exercise group were found to be higher than the control group. It was also found that the melatonin administration increased the energy charge and antioxidant activities, while decreased tissue MDA and 3-NT levels in heart tissues. Our results provide evidence for melatonin that can exert potent protective effects on oxidative stress and energy charge for heart tissues in acute swimming exercise. Conclusions These findings suggest that the direct beneficial effects of melatonin could be potentially applied on prevention of oxidative stress and energy deficit. PMID:28959107

  14. Effect of acute heat stress on rat adrenal glands: a morphological and stereological study.

    PubMed

    Koko, Vesna; Djordjeviae, Jelena; Cvijiae, Gordana; Davidoviae, Vukosava

    2004-11-01

    The morphological and stereological structure of rat adrenal gland was analysed by light microscopy after an acute (60 min) exposure to high ambient temperature (38 degrees C). A significant increase in plasma corticotrophin (ACTH) and serum corticosterone (CORT) concentrations was observed, confirming that acute heat exposure has a strong stressful effect. Under these conditions the adrenal gland mass and volume were decreased, probably as the consequence of adrenal cortex reduction, especially that of the zona fasciculata (ZF). Histological examination revealed that many ZF cells were deprived of lipid droplets. Fibrosis was observed in all parts of the adrenal gland, both cortex and medulla, of heat stressed animals. Mitotic figures were absent in cortical cells after heat exposure, but there were no differences in ZF and zona reticularis (ZR) small blood vessels compared to nonstressed controls.

  15. A stress MRI of the shoulder for evaluation of ligamentous stabilizers in acute and chronic acromioclavicular joint instabilities.

    PubMed

    Izadpanah, Kaywan; Winterer, Jan; Vicari, Marco; Jaeger, Martin; Maier, Dirk; Eisebraun, Leonie; Ute Will, Jutta; Kotter, Elmar; Langer, Mathias; Südkamp, Norbert P; Hennig, Jürgen; Weigel, Mathias

    2013-06-01

    To show the feasibility of a stress magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a new method for simultaneous evaluation of the morphology and the functional integrity of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) ligamentous stabilizers. MRI of four volunteers, 10 patients with acute, and six with chronic ACJ injuries was performed using a 0.25 T open MRI scanner. A 2D-proton-density and a 3D-gradient-echo sequence at rest and under 6.5 kg shoulder traction were performed. Comparative measurements of the coracoclavicular and the acromioclavicular distance were performed. Additionally, the conoid and trapezoid ligament lengths were measured with multiplanar reconstructions. MRI at rest correctly identified tears of the coracoclavicular and the acromioclavicular ligaments in eight patients suffering acute ACJ injuries. Stress application helped to distinguish between partial and complete coracoclavicular ligament tears in two cases. Insufficiency of the ACJ ligaments was present in all acute and chronic ACJ injuries. Stress application in chronic ACJ ligaments revealed isolated insufficiency of the conoid ligament in three cases and of the trapezoid ligament in one case. Combined insufficiency was present in two cases. Stress MRI facilitates simultaneous acquisition of morphologic and functional information of the ACJ stabilizers. In acute ACJ injuries it helps to distinguish between partial and complete ligament tears. In chronic ACJ injuries it provides functional information of the ligament regrinds. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. STRESS RESPONSE STUDIES USING ANIMAL MODELS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation will provide the evidence that ozone exposure in animal models induce neuroendocrine stress response and this stress response modulates lung injury and inflammation through adrenergic and glucocorticoid receptors.

  17. Combined Effects of Ozone and Drought on the Physiology and Membrane Lipids of Two Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) Cultivars

    PubMed Central

    Moura Rebouças, Deborah; Maia De Sousa, Yuri; Bagard, Matthieu; Costa, Jose Helio; Jolivet, Yves; Fernandes De Melo, Dirce; Repellin, Anne

    2017-01-01

    The interactive effects of drought and ozone on the physiology and leaf membrane lipid content, composition and metabolism of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) were investigated in two cultivars (EPACE-1 and IT83-D) grown under controlled conditions. The drought treatment (three-week water deprivation) did not cause leaf injury but restricted growth through stomatal closure. In contrast, the short-term ozone treatment (130 ppb 12 h daily during 14 day) had a limited impact at the whole-plant level but caused leaf injury, hydrogen peroxide accumulation and galactolipid degradation. These effects were stronger in the IT83-D cultivar, which also showed specific ozone responses such as a higher digalactosyl-diacylglycerol (DGDG):monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol (MGDG) ratio and the coordinated up-regulation of DGDG synthase (VuDGD2) and ω-3 fatty acid desaturase 8 (VuFAD8) genes, suggesting that membrane remodeling occurred under ozone stress in the sensitive cultivar. When stresses were combined, ozone did not modify the stomatal response to drought and the observed effects on whole-plant physiology were essentially the same as when drought was applied alone. Conversely, the drought-induced stomatal closure appeared to alleviate ozone effects through the reduction of ozone uptake. PMID:28273829

  18. Variability in Ozone-Induced Pulmonary Injury and Inflammation in Healthy and Cardiovascular Compromised Rat Models

    EPA Science Inventory

    The molecular bases for variability in air pollutant-induced pulmonary injury due to underlying cardiovascular (CVD) and/or metabolic diseases are unknown. We hypothesized that healthy and genetic CVD-prone rat models will exhibit exacerbated response to acute ozone exposure depe...

  19. Sleep quality but not sleep quantity effects on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress.

    PubMed

    Bassett, Sarah M; Lupis, Sarah B; Gianferante, Danielle; Rohleder, Nicolas; Wolf, Jutta M

    2015-01-01

    Given the well-documented deleterious health effects, poor sleep has become a serious public health concern and increasing efforts are directed toward understanding underlying pathways. One potential mechanism may be stress and its biological correlates; however, studies investigating the effects of poor sleep on a body's capacity to deal with challenges are lacking. The current study thus aimed at testing the effects of sleep quality and quantity on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress. A total of 73 college-aged adults (44 females) were investigated. Self-reported sleep behavior was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and salivary cortisol responses to the Trier Social Stress Test were measured. In terms of sleep quality, we found a significant three-way interaction, such that relative to bad sleep quality, men who reported fairly good or very good sleep quality showed blunted or exaggerated cortisol responses, respectively, while women's stress responses were less dependent on their self-reported sleep quality. Contrarily, average sleep duration did not appear to impact cortisol stress responses. Lastly, participants who reported daytime dysfunctions (i.e. having trouble staying awake or keeping up enthusiasm) also showed a trend to blunted cortisol stress responses compared to participants who did not experience these types of daytime dysfunctions. Overall, the current study suggests gender-specific stress reactivity dysfunctions as one mechanism linking poor sleep with detrimental physical health outcomes. Furthermore, the observed differential sleep effects may indicate that while the body may be unable to maintain normal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal functioning in an acute psychosocial stress situation after falling prey to low sleep quality, it may retain capacities to deal with challenges during extended times of sleep deprivation.

  20. Acute effects of heroin on negative emotional processing: relation of amygdala activity and stress-related responses.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, André; Borgwardt, Stefan; Gerber, Hana; Wiesbeck, Gerhard A; Schmid, Otto; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Smieskova, Renata; Lang, Undine E; Walter, Marc

    2014-08-15

    Negative emotional states and abnormal stress reactivity are central components in drug addiction. The brain stress system in the amygdala is thought to play a key role in the maintenance of drug dependence through negative reinforcement. Although acute heroin administration was found to reduce anxiety, craving, and stress hormone release, whether these effects are reflected in amygdala activity has not yet been investigated. With a randomized, crossover, double-blind design, saline and heroin were administered to 22 heroin-dependent patients, whereas 17 healthy control subjects were included for the placebo administration only. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate blood oxygen level-dependent responses during fearful faces processing. Stress reactivity was measured by adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and by cortisol concentrations in serum and saliva 60 min after substance administration. Anxiety and craving levels were assessed with self-report ratings. Heroin administration acutely reduced the left amygdala response to fearful faces relative to the saline injection. Patients receiving saline showed a significantly higher left amygdala response to fearful faces than healthy control subjects, whose activity did not differ from patients receiving heroin. The left amygdala activity correlated significantly with scores on state-anxiety and levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, serum cortisol, and saliva cortisol among all patients and control subjects. Our results show a direct relation between the acute heroin effects on stress-related emotions, stress reactivity, and left amygdala response to negative facial expressions. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying negative reinforcement in heroin addiction and the effects of regular heroin substitution. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry Published by Society of Biological Psychiatry All rights reserved.

  1. The Antarctic Ozone Hole

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jones, Anna E.

    2008-01-01

    Since the mid 1970s, the ozone layer over Antarctica has experienced massive destruction during every spring. In this article, we will consider the atmosphere, and what ozone and the ozone layer actually are. We explore the chemistry responsible for the ozone destruction, and learn about why conditions favour ozone destruction over Antarctica. For…

  2. Severe oxidative stress in an acute inflammatory demyelinating model in the rhesus monkey.

    PubMed

    Dunham, Jordon; van de Vis, Reinofke; Bauer, Jan; Wubben, Jacqueline; van Driel, Nikki; Laman, Jon D; 't Hart, Bert A; Kap, Yolanda S

    2017-01-01

    Oxidative stress is increasingly implicated as a co-factor of tissue injury in inflammatory/demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), such as multiple sclerosis (MS). While rodent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) models diverge from human demyelinating disorders with respect to limited oxidative injury, we observed that in a non-human primate (NHP) model for MS, namely EAE in the common marmoset, key pathological features of the disease were recapitulated, including oxidative tissue injury. Here, we investigated the presence of oxidative injury in another NHP EAE model, i.e. in rhesus macaques, which yields an acute demyelinating disease, which may more closely resemble acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) than MS. Rhesus monkey EAE diverges from marmoset EAE by abundant neutrophil recruitment into the CNS and destructive injury to white matter. This difference prompted us to investigate to which extent the oxidative pathway features elicited in MS and marmoset EAE are reflected in the acute rhesus monkey EAE model. The rhesus EAE brain was characterized by widespread demyelination and active lesions containing numerous phagocytic cells and to a lesser extent T cells. We observed induction of the oxidative stress pathway, including injury, with a predilection of p22phox expression in neutrophils and macrophages/microglia. In addition, changes in iron were observed. These results indicate that pathogenic mechanisms in the rhesus EAE model may differ from the marmoset EAE and MS brain due to the neutrophil involvement, but may in the end lead to similar induction of oxidative stress and injury.

  3. The stress-buffering effect of acute exercise: Evidence for HPA axis negative feedback.

    PubMed

    Zschucke, Elisabeth; Renneberg, Babette; Dimeo, Fernando; Wüstenberg, Torsten; Ströhle, Andreas

    2015-01-01

    According to the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis, physically trained individuals show lower physiological and psychological responses to stressors other than exercise, e.g. psychosocial stress. Reduced stress reactivity may constitute a mechanism of action for the beneficial effects of exercise in maintaining mental health. With regard to neural and psychoneuroendocrine stress responses, the acute stress-buffering effects of exercise have not been investigated yet. A sample of highly trained (HT) and sedentary (SED) young men was randomized to either exercise on a treadmill at moderate intensity (60-70% VO2max; AER) for 30 min, or to perform 30 min of "placebo" exercise (PLAC). 90 min later, an fMRI experiment was conducted using an adapted version of the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST). The subjective and psychoneuroendocrine (cortisol and α-amylase) changes induced by the exercise intervention and the MIST were assessed, as well as neural activations during the MIST. Finally, associations between the different stress responses were analysed. Participants of the AER group showed a significantly reduced cortisol response to the MIST, which was inversely related to the previous exercise-induced α-amylase and cortisol fluctuations. With regard to the sustained BOLD signal, we found higher bilateral hippocampus (Hipp) activity and lower prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in the AER group. Participants with a higher aerobic fitness showed lower cortisol responses to the MIST. As the Hipp and PFC are brain structures prominently involved in the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, these findings indicate that the acute stress-buffering effect of exercise relies on negative feedback mechanisms. Positive affective changes after exercise appear as important moderators largely accounting for the effects related to physical fitness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. NADPH:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 Regulates Host Susceptibility to Ozone via Isoprostane Generation*

    PubMed Central

    Kummarapurugu, Apparao B.; Fischer, Bernard M.; Zheng, Shuo; Milne, Ginger L.; Ghio, Andrew J.; Potts-Kant, Erin N.; Foster, W. Michael; Soderblom, Erik J.; Dubois, Laura G.; Moseley, M. Arthur; Thompson, J. Will; Voynow, Judith A.

    2013-01-01

    NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is recognized as a major susceptibility gene for ozone-induced pulmonary toxicity. In the absence of NQO1 as can occur by genetic mutation, the human airway is protected from harmful effects of ozone. We recently reported that NQO1-null mice are protected from airway hyperresponsiveness and pulmonary inflammation following ozone exposure. However, NQO1 regenerates intracellular antioxidants and therefore should protect the individual from oxidative stress. To explain this paradox, we tested whether in the absence of NQO1 ozone exposure results in increased generation of A2-isoprostane, a cyclopentenone isoprostane that blunts inflammation. Using GC-MS, we found that NQO1-null mice had greater lung tissue levels of D2- and E2-isoprostanes, the precursors of J2- and A2-isoprostanes, both at base line and following ozone exposure compared with congenic wild-type mice. We confirmed in primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells that A2-isoprostane inhibited ozone-induced NF-κB activation and IL-8 regulation. Furthermore, we determined that A2-isoprostane covalently modified the active Cys179 domain in inhibitory κB kinase in the presence of ozone in vitro, thus establishing the biochemical basis for A2-isoprostane inhibition of NF-κB. Our results demonstrate that host factors may regulate pulmonary susceptibility to ozone by regulating the generation of A2-isoprostanes in the lung. These observations provide the biochemical basis for the epidemiologic observation that NQO1 regulates pulmonary susceptibility to ozone. PMID:23275341

  5. Stress Induced Cardiomyopathy Triggered by Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Case Series Challenging the Mayo Clinic Definition.

    PubMed

    Christodoulidis, Georgios; Kundoor, Vishwa; Kaluski, Edo

    2017-08-28

    BACKGROUND Various physical and emotional factors have been previously described as triggers for stress induced cardiomyopathy. However, acute myocardial infarction as a trigger has never been reported. CASE REPORT We describe four patients who presented with an acute myocardial infarction, in whom the initial echocardiography revealed wall motion abnormalities extending beyond the coronary distribution of the infarct artery. Of the four patients identified, the mean age was 59 years; three patients were women and two patients had underlying psychiatric history. Electrocardiogram revealed ST elevation in the anterior leads in three patients; QTc was prolonged in all cases. All patients had ≤ moderately elevated troponin. Single culprit lesion was found uniformly in the proximal or mid left anterior descending artery. Initial echocardiography revealed severely reduced ejection fraction with relative sparing of the basal segments, whereas early repeat echocardiography revealed significant improvement in the left ventricular function in all patients. CONCLUSIONS This is the first case series demonstrating that acute myocardial infarction can trigger stress induced cardiomyopathy. Extensive reversible wall motion abnormalities, beyond the ones expected from angiography, accompanied by modest elevation in troponin and marked QTc prolongation, suggest superimposed stress induced cardiomyopathy.

  6. Earth's Endangered Ozone

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panofsky, Hans A.

    1978-01-01

    Included are (1) a discussion of ozone chemistry; (2) the effects of nitrogen fertilizers, fluorocarbons, and high level aircraft on the ozone layer; and (3) the possible results of a decreasing ozone layer. (MR)

  7. Immune status influences fear and anxiety responses in mice after acute stress exposure

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Sarah M.; Sand, Joseph; Francis, T. Chase; Nagaraju, Anitha; Michael, Kerry C.; Keegan, Achsah D.; Kusnecov, Alexander; Gould, Todd D.; Tonelli, Leonardo H.

    2014-01-01

    Significant evidence suggests that exposure to traumatic and/or acute stress in both mice and humans results in compromised immune function that in turn may affect associated brain processes. Additionally, recent studies in mouse models of immune deficiency have suggested that adaptive immunity may play a role during traumatic stress exposure and that impairments in lymphocyte function may contribute to increased susceptibility to various psychogenic stressors. However, rodent studies on the relationship between maladaptive stress responses and lymphocyte deficiency have been complicated by the fact that genetic manipulations in these models may also result in changes in CNS function due to the expression of targeted genes in tissues other than lymphocytes, including the brain. To address these issues we utilized mice with a deletion of recombination-activating gene 2 (Rag2), which has no confirmed expression in the CNS; thus, its loss should result in the absence of mature lymphocytes without altering CNS function directly. Stress responsiveness of immune deficient Rag2−/− mice on a BALB/c background was evaluated in three different paradigms: predator odor exposure (POE), fear conditioning (FC) and learned helplessness (LH). These models are often used to study different aspects of stress responsiveness after the exposure to an acute stressor. In addition, immunoblot analysis was used to assess hippocampal BDNF expression under both stressed and non-stressed conditions. Subsequent to POE, Rag2−/− mice exhibited a reduced acoustic startle response compared to BALB/c mice; no significant differences in behavior were observed in either FC or LH. Furthermore, analysis of hippocampal BDNF indicated that Rag2−/− mice have elevated levels of the mature form of BDNF compared to BALB/c mice. Results from our studies suggest that the absence of mature lymphocytes is associated with increased resilience to stress exposure in the POE and does not affect

  8. Aircraft cabin ozone measurements on B747-100 and B747-SP aircraft: Correlations with atmospheric ozone and ozone encounter statistics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Perkins, P. J.; Holdeman, J. D.; Gauntner, D. J.

    1978-01-01

    Simultaneous measurements of atmospheric (outside) ozone concentration and ozone levels in the cabin of the B747-100 and B747-SP airliners were made by NASA to evaluate the aircraft cabin ozone contamination problem. Instrumentation on these aircraft measured ozone from an outside probe and at one point in the cabin. Average ozone in the cabin of the B747-100 was 39 percent of the outside. Ozone in the cabin of the B747-SP measured 82 percent of the outside, before corrective measures. Procedures to reduce the ozone in this aircraft included changes in the cabin air circulation system, use of the high-temperature 15th stage compressor bleed, and charcoal filters in the inlet cabin air ducting, which as separate actions reduced the ozone to 58, 19 and 5 percent, respectively. The potential for the NASA instrumented B747 aircraft to encounter high levels of cabin ozone was derived from atmospheric oxone measurements on these aircraft. Encounter frequencies for two B747-100's were comparable even though the route structures were different. The B747-SP encountered high ozone than did the B747-100's.

  9. Differential expression of heat shock transcription factors and heat shock proteins after acute and chronic heat stress in laying chickens (Gallus gallus).

    PubMed

    Xie, Jingjing; Tang, Li; Lu, Lin; Zhang, Liyang; Xi, Lin; Liu, Hsiao-Ching; Odle, Jack; Luo, Xugang

    2014-01-01

    Heat stress due to high environmental temperature negatively influences animal performances. To better understand the biological impact of heat stress, laying broiler breeder chickens were subjected either to acute (step-wisely increasing temperature from 21 to 35°C within 24 hours) or chronic (32°C for 8 weeks) high temperature exposure. High temperature challenges significantly elevated body temperature of experimental birds (P<0.05). However, oxidation status of lipid and protein and expression of heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs) 70 and 90 were differently affected by acute and chronic treatment. Tissue-specific responses to thermal challenge were also found among heart, liver and muscle. In the heart, acute heat challenge affected lipid oxidation (P = 0.05) and gene expression of all 4 HSF gene expression was upregulated (P<0.05). During chronic heat treatment, the HSP 70 mRNA level was increased (P<0.05) and HSP 90 mRNA (P<0.05) was decreased. In the liver, oxidation of protein was alleviated during acute heat challenge (P<0.05), however, gene expression HSF2, 3 and 4 and HSP 70 were highly induced (P<0.05). HSP90 expression was increased by chronic thermal treatment (P<0.05). In the muscle, both types of heat stress increased protein oxidation, but HSFs and HSPs gene expression remained unaltered. Only tendencies to increase were observed in HSP 70 (P = 0.052) and 90 (P = 0.054) gene expression after acute heat stress. The differential expressions of HSF and HSP genes in different tissues of laying broiler breeder chickens suggested that anti-heat stress mechanisms might be provoked more profoundly in the heart, by which the muscle was least protected during heat stress. In addition to HSP, HSFs gene expression could be used as a marker during acute heat stress.

  10. Acute episodes of predator exposure in conjunction with chronic social instability as an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder

    PubMed Central

    Zoladz, Phillip R.; Conrad, Cheryl D.; Fleshner, Monika; Diamond, David M.

    2008-01-01

    People who are exposed to horrific, life-threatening experiences are at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some of the symptoms of PTSD include persistent anxiety, exaggerated startle, cognitive impairments and increased sensitivity to yohimbine, an α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist. We have taken into account the conditions known to induce PTSD, as well as factors responsible for long-term maintenance of the disorder, to develop an animal model of PTSD. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were administered a total of 31 days of psychosocial stress, composed of acute and chronic components. The acute component was a 1-h stress session (immobilization during cat exposure), which occurred on Days 1 and 11. The chronic component was that on all 31 days the rats were given unstable housing conditions. We found that psychosocially stressed rats had reduced growth rate, reduced thymus weight, increased adrenal gland weight, increased anxiety, an exaggerated startle response, cognitive impairments, greater cardiovascular and corticosterone reactivity to an acute stressor and heightened responsivity to yohimbine. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of acute inescapable episodes of predator exposure administered in conjunction with daily social instability as an animal model of PTSD. PMID:18574787

  11. The Influence of Acute Handling Stress on Some Blood Parameters in Cultured Sea Bream (Sparus Aurata Linnaeus, 1758)

    PubMed Central

    Fazio, Francesco; Ferrantelli, Vincenzo; Fortino, Gianluca; Giangrosso, Giuseppe; Faggio, Caterina

    2015-01-01

    The effect of acute handling stress on haematological profile, blood glucose and lactate (secondary stress markers) in cultured sea bream Sparus aurata was evaluated. Sixty six Sparus aurata were used and equally divided into two groups (A and B). Group A was not subjected to stress, Group B was subjected to acute handling stress. From each fish, biometric data and blood samples were collected to evaluate haematological profile, blood glucose and lactate. Unpaired t-test Student was applied to evaluate possible differences in parameters between the two groups. Red blood cells, haematocrit, haemoglobin, white blood cells (WBC), glucose and lactate showed an increase (P<0.05) in Group B compared with Group A, while mean corpuscular volume decreased (P<0.05) in Group B. The results highlight the role of studied parameters in monitoring the stressful conditions of aquaculture production which affect animal welfare and fish products quality. PMID:27800375

  12. Persistent Effects of Acute Stress on Fear and Drug-Seeking in a Novel Model of the Comorbidity between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pizzimenti, Christie L.; Navis, Tom M.; Lattal, K. Matthew

    2017-01-01

    Even following long periods of abstinence, individuals with anxiety disorders have high rates of relapse to drugs of abuse. Although many current models of relapse demonstrate effects of acute stress on drug-seeking, most of these studies examine stressful experiences that occur in close temporal and physical proximity to the reinstatement test.…

  13. Ozone and Ozone By-Products in the Cabins of Commercial Aircraft

    PubMed Central

    Weisel, Clifford; Weschler, Charles J.; Mohan, Kris; Vallarino, Jose; Spengler, John D.

    2013-01-01

    The aircraft cabin represents a unique indoor environment due to its high surface-to-volume ratio, high occupant density and the potential for high ozone concentrations at cruising altitudes. Ozone was continuously measured and air was sampled on sorbent traps, targeting carbonyl compounds, on 52 transcontinental U.S. or international flights between 2008 and 2010. The sampling was predominantly on planes that did not have ozone scrubbers (catalytic converters). Peak ozone levels on aircraft without catalytic convertors exceeded 100 ppb, with some flights having periods of more than an hour when the ozone levels were > 75ppb. Ozone was greatly reduced on relatively new aircraft with catalytic convertors, but ozone levels on two flights whose aircraft had older convertors were similar to those on planes without catalytic convertors. Hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (6-MHO) were detected in the aircraft cabin at sub- to low ppb levels. Linear regression models that included the log transformed mean ozone concentration, percent occupancy and plane type were statistically significant and explained between 18 and 25% of the variance in the mixing ratio of these carbonyls. Occupancy was also a significant factor for 6-MHO, but not the linear aldehydes, consistent with 6-MHO’s formation from the reaction between ozone and squalene, which is present in human skin oils. PMID:23517299

  14. Prior exposure to repeated immobilization or chronic unpredictable stress protects from some negative sequels of an acute immobilization.

    PubMed

    Pastor-Ciurana, Jordi; Rabasa, Cristina; Ortega-Sánchez, Juan A; Sanchís-Ollè, Maria; Gabriel-Salazar, Marina; Ginesta, Marta; Belda, Xavier; Daviu, Núria; Nadal, Roser; Armario, Antonio

    2014-05-15

    Exposure to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) is gaining acceptance as a putative animal model of depression. However, there is evidence that chronic exposure to stress can offer non-specific stress protection from some effects of acute superimposed stressors. We then compared in adult male rats the protection afforded by prior exposure to CUS with the one offered by repeated immobilization on boards (IMO) regarding some of the negative consequences of an acute exposure to IMO. Repeated exposure to IMO protected from the negative consequences of an acute IMO on activity in an open-field, saccharin intake and body weight gain. Active coping during IMO (struggling) was markedly reduced by repeated exposure to the same stressor, but it was not affected by a prior history of CUS, suggesting that our CUS protocol does not appear to impair active coping responses. CUS exposure itself caused a strong reduction of activity in the open-field but appeared to protect from the hypo-activity induced by acute IMO. Moreover, prior CUS offered partial protection from acute IMO-induced reduction of saccharin intake and body weight gain. It can be concluded that a prior history of CUS protects from some of the negative consequences of exposure to a novel severe stressor, suggesting the development of partial cross-adaptation whose precise mechanisms remain to be studied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Validation of the stomatal flux approach for the assessment of ozone visible injury in young forest trees. Results from the TOP (transboundary ozone pollution) experiment at Curno, Italy.

    PubMed

    Gerosa, G; Marzuoli, R; Desotgiu, R; Bussotti, F; Ballarin-Denti, A

    2009-05-01

    This paper summarises some of the main results of a two-year experiment carried out in an Open-Top Chambers facility in Northern Italy. Seedlings of Populus nigra, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur and Fraxinus excelsior have been subjected to different ozone treatments (charcoal-filtered and non-filtered air) and soil moisture regimes (irrigated and non-irrigated plots). Stomatal conductance models were applied and parameterised under South Alpine environmental conditions and stomatal ozone fluxes have been calculated. The flux-based approach provided a better performance than AOT40 in predicting the onset of foliar visible injuries. Critical flux levels, related to visible leaf injury, are proposed for P. nigra and F. sylvatica (ranging between 30 and 33 mmol O(3) m(-2)). Soil water stress delayed visible injury appearance and development by limiting ozone uptake. Data from charcoal-filtered treatments suggest the existence of an hourly flux threshold, below which may occur a complete ozone detoxification.

  16. Acute stress causes rapid synaptic insertion of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors to facilitate long-term potentiation in the hippocampus

    PubMed Central

    Jo, Jihoon; Hogg, Ellen L.; Piers, Thomas; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Seaton, Gillian; Seok, Heon; Bru-Mercier, Gilles; Son, Gi Hoon; Regan, Philip; Hildebrandt, Lars; Waite, Eleanor; Kim, Byeong-Chae; Kerrigan, Talitha L.; Kim, Kyungjin; Whitcomb, Daniel J.; Lightman, Stafford L.

    2013-01-01

    The neuroendocrine response to episodes of acute stress is crucial for survival whereas the prolonged response to chronic stress can be detrimental. Learning and memory are particularly susceptible to stress with cognitive deficits being well characterized consequences of chronic stress. Although there is good evidence that acute stress can enhance cognitive performance, the mechanism(s) for this are unclear. We find that hippocampal slices, either prepared from rats following 30 min restraint stress or directly exposed to glucocorticoids, exhibit an N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor-independent form of long-term potentiation. We demonstrate that the mechanism involves an NMDA receptor and PKA-dependent insertion of Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors into synapses. These then trigger the additional NMDA receptor-independent form of LTP during high frequency stimulation. PMID:24271563

  17. Seawater inhalation induces acute lung injury via ROS generation and the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.

    PubMed

    Li, Peng-Cheng; Wang, Bo-Rong; Li, Cong-Cong; Lu, Xi; Qian, Wei-Sheng; Li, Yu-Juan; Jin, Fa-Guang; Mu, De-Guang

    2018-05-01

    Seawater (SW) inhalation can induce acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In the present study, SW induced apoptosis of rat alveolar epithelial cells and histopathological alterations to lung tissue. Furthermore, SW administration increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas pretreatment with the ROS scavenger, N‑acetyl‑L‑cysteine (NAC), significantly decreased ROS generation, apoptosis and histopathological alterations. In addition, SW exposure upregulated the expression levels of glucose‑regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), which are critical proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, thus indicating that SW may activate ER stress. Conversely, blocking ER stress with 4‑phenylbutyric acid (4‑PBA) significantly improved SW‑induced apoptosis and histopathological alterations, whereas an ER stress inducer, thapsigargin, had the opposite effect. Furthermore, blocking ROS with NAC inhibited SW‑induced ER stress, as evidenced by the downregulation of GRP78, phosphorylated (p)‑protein kinase R‑like ER kinase (PERK), p‑inositol‑requiring kinase 1α (IRE1α), p‑50 activating transcription factor 6α and CHOP. In addition, blocking ER stress with 4‑PBA decreased ROS generation. In conclusion, the present study indicated that ROS and ER stress pathways, which are involved in alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis, are important in the pathogenesis of SW‑induced ALI.

  18. Acute effect of ozone exposure on daily mortality in seven cities of Jiangsu Province, China: No clear evidence for threshold.

    PubMed

    Chen, Kai; Zhou, Lian; Chen, Xiaodong; Bi, Jun; Kinney, Patrick L

    2017-05-01

    Few multicity studies have addressed the health effects of ozone in China due to the scarcity of ozone monitoring data. A critical scientific and policy-relevant question is whether a threshold exists in the ozone-mortality relationship. Using a generalized additive model and a univariate random-effects meta-analysis, this research evaluated the relationship between short-term ozone exposure and daily total mortality in seven cities of Jiangsu Province, China during 2013-2014. Spline, subset, and threshold models were applied to further evaluate whether a safe threshold level exists. This study found strong evidence that short-term ozone exposure is significantly associated with premature total mortality. A 10μg/m 3 increase in the average of the current and previous days' maximum 8-h average ozone concentration was associated with a 0.55% (95% posterior interval: 0.34%, 0.76%) increase of total mortality. This finding is robust when considering the confounding effect of PM 2.5 , PM 10 , NO 2 , and SO 2 . No consistent evidence was found for a threshold in the ozone-mortality concentration-response relationship down to concentrations well below the current Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standard (CAAQS) level 2 standard (160μg/m 3 ). Our findings suggest that ozone concentrations below the current CAAQS level 2 standard could still induce increased mortality risks in Jiangsu Province, China. Continuous air pollution control measures could yield important health benefits in Jiangsu Province, China, even in cities that meet the current CAAQS level 2 standard. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Acute effect of ozone exposure on daily mortality in seven cities of Jiangsu Province, China: No clear evidence for threshold

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Kai; Zhou, Lian; Chen, Xiaodong; Bi, Jun; Kinney, Patrick L.

    2017-01-01

    Background Few multicity studies have addressed the health effects of ozone in China due to the scarcity of ozone monitoring data. A critical scientific and policy-relevant question is whether a threshold exists in the ozone-mortality relationship. Methods Using a generalized additive model and a univariate random-effects meta-analysis, this research evaluated the relationship between short-term ozone exposure and daily total mortality in seven cities of Jiangsu Province, China during 2013–2014. Spline, subset, and threshold models were applied to further evaluate whether a safe threshold level exists. Results This study found strong evidence that short-term ozone exposure is significantly associated with premature total mortality. A 10 μg/m3 increase in the average of the current and previous days’ maximum 8-h average ozone concentration was associated with a 0.55% (95% posterior interval: 0.34%, 0.76%) increase of total mortality. This finding is robust when considering the confounding effect of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and SO2. No consistent evidence was found for a threshold in the ozone-mortality concentration-response relationship down to concentrations well below the current Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standard (CAAQS) level 2 standard (160 μg/m3). Conclusions Our findings suggest that ozone concentrations below the current CAAQS level 2 standard could still induce increased mortality risks in Jiangsu Province, China. Continuous air pollution control measures could yield important health benefits in Jiangsu Province, China, even in cities that meet the current CAAQS level 2 standard. PMID:28231551

  20. Acute stress alters transcript expression pattern and reduces processing of proBDNF to mature BDNF in Dicentrarchus labrax

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Stress involves alterations of brain functioning that may precipitate to mood disorders. The neurotrophin Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has recently been involved in stress-induced adaptation. BDNF is a key regulator of neuronal plasticity and adaptive processes. Regulation of BDNF is complex and may reflect not only stress-specific mechanisms but also hormonal and emotional responses. For this reason we used, as an animal model of stress, a fish whose brain organization is very similar to that of higher vertebrates, but is generally considered free of emotional reactions. Results We provide a comprehensive characterization of BDNF gene in the Dicentrarchus labrax and its transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation following acute stress. While total BDNF mRNA levels are unchanged, BDNF transcripts 1c and 1d resulted down regulated after acute stress. Acute stress induces also a significant increase in proBDNF levels and reduction in mature BDNF suggesting altered regulation of proBDNF proteolytic processing. Notably, we provide here the first evidence that fishes possess a simplified proteolytic regulation of BDNF since the pro28Kda form, generated by the SKI-1 protease in mammals, is absent in fishes because the cleavage site has first emerged in reptilians. Finally, we show that the proBDNF/totBDNF ratio is a highly predictive novel quantitative biomarker to detect stress in fishes with sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 87%, and Negative Predictive Value = 100%. Conclusion The high predictivity of proBDNF/totBDNF ratio for stress in lower vertebrates indicates that processing of BDNF is a central mechanism in adaptation to stress and predicts that a similar regulation of pro/mature BDNF has likely been conserved throughout evolution of vertebrates from fish to man. PMID:20074340

  1. Acute stress alters transcript expression pattern and reduces processing of proBDNF to mature BDNF in Dicentrarchus labrax.

    PubMed

    Tognoli, Chiara; Rossi, Federica; Di Cola, Francesco; Baj, Gabriele; Tongiorgi, Enrico; Terova, Genciana; Saroglia, Marco; Bernardini, Giovanni; Gornati, Rosalba

    2010-01-14

    Stress involves alterations of brain functioning that may precipitate to mood disorders. The neurotrophin Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has recently been involved in stress-induced adaptation. BDNF is a key regulator of neuronal plasticity and adaptive processes. Regulation of BDNF is complex and may reflect not only stress-specific mechanisms but also hormonal and emotional responses. For this reason we used, as an animal model of stress, a fish whose brain organization is very similar to that of higher vertebrates, but is generally considered free of emotional reactions. We provide a comprehensive characterization of BDNF gene in the Dicentrarchus labrax and its transcriptional, translational and post-translational regulation following acute stress. While total BDNF mRNA levels are unchanged, BDNF transcripts 1c and 1d resulted down regulated after acute stress. Acute stress induces also a significant increase in proBDNF levels and reduction in mature BDNF suggesting altered regulation of proBDNF proteolytic processing. Notably, we provide here the first evidence that fishes possess a simplified proteolytic regulation of BDNF since the pro28Kda form, generated by the SKI-1 protease in mammals, is absent in fishes because the cleavage site has first emerged in reptilians. Finally, we show that the proBDNF/totBDNF ratio is a highly predictive novel quantitative biomarker to detect stress in fishes with sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 87%, and Negative Predictive Value = 100%. The high predictivity of proBDNF/totBDNF ratio for stress in lower vertebrates indicates that processing of BDNF is a central mechanism in adaptation to stress and predicts that a similar regulation of pro/mature BDNF has likely been conserved throughout evolution of vertebrates from fish to man.

  2. Ambient Ozone Pollution and Daily Mortality: A Nationwide Study in 272 Chinese Cities.

    PubMed

    Yin, Peng; Chen, Renjie; Wang, Lijun; Meng, Xia; Liu, Cong; Niu, Yue; Lin, Zhijing; Liu, Yunning; Liu, Jiangmei; Qi, Jinlei; You, Jinling; Zhou, Maigeng; Kan, Haidong

    2017-11-21

    Few large multicity studies have been conducted in developing countries to address the acute health effects of atmospheric ozone pollution. We explored the associations between ozone and daily cause-specific mortality in China. We performed a nationwide time-series analysis in 272 representative Chinese cities between 2013 and 2015. We used distributed lag models and over-dispersed generalized linear models to estimate the cumulative effects of ozone (lagged over 0-3 d) on mortality in each city, and we used hierarchical Bayesian models to combine the city-specific estimates. Regional, seasonal, and demographic heterogeneity were evaluated by meta-regression. At the national-average level, a 10-μg/m 3 increase in 8-h maximum ozone concentration was associated with 0.24% [95% posterior interval (PI): 0.13%, 0.35%], 0.27% (95% PI: 0.10%, 0.44%), 0.60% (95% PI: 0.08%, 1.11%), 0.24% (95% PI: 0.02%, 0.46%), and 0.29% (95% PI: 0.07%, 0.50%) higher daily mortality from all nonaccidental causes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, coronary diseases, and stroke, respectively. Associations between ozone and daily mortality due to respiratory and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease specifically were positive but imprecise and nonsignificant. There were no statistically significant differences in associations between ozone and nonaccidental mortality according to region, season, age, sex, or educational attainment. Our findings provide robust evidence of higher nonaccidental and cardiovascular mortality in association with short-term exposure to ambient ozone in China. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1849.

  3. Climate-driven ground-level ozone extreme in the fall over the Southeast United States

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yuhang

    2016-01-01

    Ground-level ozone is adverse to human and vegetation health. High ground-level ozone concentrations usually occur over the United States in the summer, often referred to as the ozone season. However, observed monthly mean ozone concentrations in the southeastern United States were higher in October than July in 2010. The October ozone average in 2010 reached that of July in the past three decades (1980–2010). Our analysis shows that this extreme October ozone in 2010 over the Southeast is due in part to a dry and warm weather condition, which enhances photochemical production, air stagnation, and fire emissions. Observational evidence and modeling analysis also indicate that another significant contributor is enhanced emissions of biogenic isoprene, a major ozone precursor, from water-stressed plants under a dry and warm condition. The latter finding is corroborated by recent laboratory and field studies. This climate-induced biogenic control also explains the puzzling fact that the two extremes of high October ozone both occurred in the 2000s when anthropogenic emissions were lower than the 1980s and 1990s, in contrast to the observed decreasing trend of July ozone in the region. The occurrences of a drying and warming fall, projected by climate models, will likely lead to more active photochemistry, enhanced biogenic isoprene and fire emissions, an extension of the ozone season from summer to fall, and an increase of secondary organic aerosols in the Southeast, posing challenges to regional air quality management. PMID:27551089

  4. Climate-driven ground-level ozone extreme in the fall over the Southeast United States.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yuzhong; Wang, Yuhang

    2016-09-06

    Ground-level ozone is adverse to human and vegetation health. High ground-level ozone concentrations usually occur over the United States in the summer, often referred to as the ozone season. However, observed monthly mean ozone concentrations in the southeastern United States were higher in October than July in 2010. The October ozone average in 2010 reached that of July in the past three decades (1980-2010). Our analysis shows that this extreme October ozone in 2010 over the Southeast is due in part to a dry and warm weather condition, which enhances photochemical production, air stagnation, and fire emissions. Observational evidence and modeling analysis also indicate that another significant contributor is enhanced emissions of biogenic isoprene, a major ozone precursor, from water-stressed plants under a dry and warm condition. The latter finding is corroborated by recent laboratory and field studies. This climate-induced biogenic control also explains the puzzling fact that the two extremes of high October ozone both occurred in the 2000s when anthropogenic emissions were lower than the 1980s and 1990s, in contrast to the observed decreasing trend of July ozone in the region. The occurrences of a drying and warming fall, projected by climate models, will likely lead to more active photochemistry, enhanced biogenic isoprene and fire emissions, an extension of the ozone season from summer to fall, and an increase of secondary organic aerosols in the Southeast, posing challenges to regional air quality management.

  5. Ozone-induced impairment of mucociliary transport and its prevention with N-acetylcysteine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allegra, L.; Moavero, N.E.; Rampoldi, C.

    1991-09-30

    The effects of an oxidizing gaseous pollutant on tracheal mucous velocity have been studied in conscious sheep. Acute (2 hours) exposure to 1.0 ppm of ozone showed an effect on tracheal mucous velocity that resulted in a significant decrease 40 minutes and 2 hours after exposure (35% and 40% of the baseline, respectively). Repeated exposure for longer periods (4 days, 5 hours/day) to 1.0 ppm of ozone also significantly decreased tracheal mucous velocity during the first and the second day (-47% and -70% of the baseline, respectively), but during the following days of exposure adaptation took place (tracheal mucous velocitymore » ranging from -42% to -55% of baseline). The tracheal mucous velocity still significantly decreased 5 days after the last exposure. N-Acetylcysteine, known both for its mucolytic and antioxidizing properties, has been demonstrated to prevent significantly all of the immediate effects of either short-term or long-term ozone exposures on mucociliary functions.« less

  6. Ozone, ozone production rates and NO observations on the outskirts of Quito, Ecuador

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cazorla, M.

    2014-12-01

    Air quality measurements of ambient ozone, ozone production rates and nitrogen oxides, in addition to baseline meterology observations, are being taken at a recently built roof-top facility on the campus of Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in Ecuador. The measurement site is located in Cumbayá, a densely populated valley adjacent to the city of Quito. Time series of ozone and NO are being obtained with commercial air quality monitors. Rush-hour peaks of NO, above 100 ppb, have been observed, while daytime ozone levels are low. In addition, ozone production rates are being measured with the Ecuadorian version of the MOPS, Measurement of Ozone Production Sensor, originally built at Penn State University in 2010. NO and ozone observations and test results of measured ozone production rates will be presented.

  7. Plasma omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid status and monounsaturated fatty acids are altered by chronic social stress and predict endocrine responses to acute stress in titi monkeys

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Disturbances in fatty acid (FA) metabolism may link chronic psychological stress, endocrine responsiveness, and psychopathology. Therefore, lipid metabolome-wide responses and their relationships with endocrine (cortisol; insulin; adiponectin) responsiveness to acute stress (AS) were assessed in a ...

  8. Ozone and the stratosphere

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shimazaki, Tatsuo

    1987-01-01

    It is shown that the stratospheric ozone is effective in absorbing almost all radiation below 300 nm at heights below 300 km. The distribution of global ozone in the troposphere and the lower stratosphere, and the latitudinal variations of the total ozone column over four seasons are considered. The theory of the ozone layer production is discussed together with catalytic reactions for ozone loss and the mechanisms of ozone transport. Special attention is given to the anthropogenic perturbations, such as SST exhaust gases and freon gas from aerosol cans and refrigerators, that may cause an extensive destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer and thus have a profound impact on the world climate and on life.

  9. Talofibular interval changes after acute ankle sprain: a stress ultrasonography study of ankle laxity.

    PubMed

    Croy, Theodore; Saliba, Susan; Saliba, Ethan; Anderson, Mark W; Hertel, Jay

    2013-11-01

    Quantifying talocrural joint laxity after ankle sprain is problematic. Stress ultrasonography (US) can image the lateral talocrural joint and allow the measurement of the talofibular interval, which may suggest injury to the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL). The acute talofibular interval changes after lateral ankle sprain are unknown. Twenty-five participants (9 male, 16 female; age 21.8 ± 3.2 y, height 167.8 ± 34.1 cm, mass 72.7 ± 13.8 kg) with 27 acute, lateral ankle injuries underwent bilateral stress US imaging at baseline (<7 d) and on the affected ankle at 3 wk and 6 wk from injury in 3 ankle conditions: neutral, anterior drawer, and inversion. Talofibular interval (mm) was measured using imaging software and self-reported function (activities of daily living [ADL] and sports) by the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). The talofibular interval increased with anterior-drawer stress in the involved ankle (22.65 ± 3.75 mm; P = .017) over the uninvolved ankle (19.45 ± 2.35 mm; limb × position F1,26 = 4.9, P = .035) at baseline. Inversion stress also resulted in greater interval changes (23.41 ± 2.81 mm) than in the uninvolved ankles (21.13 ± 2.08 mm). A main effect for time was observed for inversion (F2,52 = 4.3, P = .019, 21.93 ± 2.24 mm) but not for anterior drawer (F2,52 = 3.1, P = .055, 21.18 ± 2.34 mm). A significant reduction in the talofibular interval took place between baseline and week 3 inversion measurements only (F1,26 = 5.6, P = .026). FAAM-ADL and sports results increased significantly from baseline to wk 3 (21.9 ± 16.2, P < .0001 and 23.8 ± 16.9, P < .0001) and from wk 3 to wk 6 (2.5 ± 4.4, P = .009 and 10.5 ± 13.2, P = .001). Stress US methods identified increased talofibular interval changes suggestive of talocrural laxity and ATFL injury using anterior drawer and inversion stress that, despite significant improvements in self-reported function, only marginally improved during the 6 wk after ankle sprain. Stress US

  10. Symptom Differences in Acute and Chronic Presentation of Childhood Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Famularo, Richard; And Others

    1990-01-01

    Twenty-four child abuse victims, age 5-13, were diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children with the acute form of PTSD exhibited such symptoms as difficulty falling asleep, hypervigilance, nightmares, and generalized anxiety. Children exhibiting chronic PTSD exhibited increased detachment, restricted range of affect,…

  11. Initial evaluation of floor cooling on lactating sows under severe acute heat stress

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The objectives were to evaluate an acute heat stress protocol for lactating sows and evaluate preliminary estimates of water flow rates required to cool sows. Twelve multiparous sows were provided with a cooling pad built with an aluminum plate surface, high-density polyethylene base and copper pipe...

  12. Evidence for a Continuous Decline in Lower Stratospheric Ozone Offsetting Ozone Layer Recovery

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ball, William T.; Alsing, Justin; Mortlock, Daniel J.; Staehelin, Johannes; Haigh, Joanna D.; Peter, Thomas; Tummon, Fiona; Stuebi, Rene; Stenke, Andrea; Anderson, John; hide

    2018-01-01

    Ozone forms in the Earth's atmosphere from the photodissociation of molecular oxygen, primarily in the tropical stratosphere. It is then transported to the extratropics by the Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC), forming a protective "ozone layer" around the globe. Human emissions of halogen-containing ozone-depleting substances (hODSs) led to a decline in stratospheric ozone until they were banned by the Montreal Protocol, and since 1998 ozone in the upper stratosphere is rising again, likely the recovery from halogen-induced losses. Total column measurements of ozone between the Earth's surface and the top of the atmosphere indicate that the ozone layer has stopped declining across the globe, but no clear increase has been observed at latitudes between 60degS and 60degN outside the polar regions (60-90deg). Here we report evidence from multiple satellite measurements that ozone in the lower stratosphere between 60degS and 60degN has indeed continued to decline since 1998. We find that, even though upper stratospheric ozone is recovering, the continuing downward trend in the lower stratosphere prevails, resulting in a downward trend in stratospheric column ozone between 60degS and 60degN. We find that total column ozone between 60degS and 60degN appears not to have decreased only because of increases in tropospheric column ozone that compensate for the stratospheric decreases. The reasons for the continued reduction of lower stratospheric ozone are not clear; models do not reproduce these trends, and thus the causes now urgently need to be established.

  13. Evidence for a continuous decline in lower stratospheric ozone offsetting ozone layer recovery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ball, William T.; Alsing, Justin; Mortlock, Daniel J.; Staehelin, Johannes; Haigh, Joanna D.; Peter, Thomas; Tummon, Fiona; Stübi, Rene; Stenke, Andrea; Anderson, John; Bourassa, Adam; Davis, Sean M.; Degenstein, Doug; Frith, Stacey; Froidevaux, Lucien; Roth, Chris; Sofieva, Viktoria; Wang, Ray; Wild, Jeannette; Yu, Pengfei; Ziemke, Jerald R.; Rozanov, Eugene V.

    2018-02-01

    Ozone forms in the Earth's atmosphere from the photodissociation of molecular oxygen, primarily in the tropical stratosphere. It is then transported to the extratropics by the Brewer-Dobson circulation (BDC), forming a protective ozone layer around the globe. Human emissions of halogen-containing ozone-depleting substances (hODSs) led to a decline in stratospheric ozone until they were banned by the Montreal Protocol, and since 1998 ozone in the upper stratosphere is rising again, likely the recovery from halogen-induced losses. Total column measurements of ozone between the Earth's surface and the top of the atmosphere indicate that the ozone layer has stopped declining across the globe, but no clear increase has been observed at latitudes between 60° S and 60° N outside the polar regions (60-90°). Here we report evidence from multiple satellite measurements that ozone in the lower stratosphere between 60° S and 60° N has indeed continued to decline since 1998. We find that, even though upper stratospheric ozone is recovering, the continuing downward trend in the lower stratosphere prevails, resulting in a downward trend in stratospheric column ozone between 60° S and 60° N. We find that total column ozone between 60° S and 60° N appears not to have decreased only because of increases in tropospheric column ozone that compensate for the stratospheric decreases. The reasons for the continued reduction of lower stratospheric ozone are not clear; models do not reproduce these trends, and thus the causes now urgently need to be established.

  14. Ozone Trend Detectability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Campbell, J. W. (Editor)

    1981-01-01

    The detection of anthropogenic disturbances in the Earth's ozone layer was studied. Two topics were addressed: (1) the level at which a trend in total ozoning is detected by existing data sources; and (2) empirical evidence in the prediction of the depletion in total ozone. Error sources are identified. The predictability of climatological series, whether empirical models can be trusted, and how errors in the Dobson total ozone data impact trend detectability, are discussed.

  15. OZONE BYPRODUCT FORMATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    The use of ozone for water treatment has been increasing as ozone has great potential for degrading water pollutants and inactivating viruses, Giardia cysts, and Cryptosporidium oocysts. Although it appears that ozone generates less undesirable disinfection by-products (DBPs) th...

  16. Cross-talk between oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines in acute pancreatitis: a key role for protein phosphatases.

    PubMed

    Escobar, Javier; Pereda, Javier; Arduini, Alessandro; Sandoval, Juan; Sabater, Luis; Aparisi, Luis; López-Rodas, Gerardo; Sastre, Juan

    2009-01-01

    Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory process localized in the pancreatic gland that frequently involves peripancreatic tissues. It is still under investigation why an episode of acute pancreatitis remains mild affecting only the pancreas or progresses to a severe form leading to multiple organ failure and death. Proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress play a pivotal role in the early pathophysiological events of the disease. Cytokines such as interleukin 1beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha initiate and propagate almost all consequences of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. On the other hand, depletion of pancreatic glutathione is an early hallmark of acute pancreatitis and reactive oxygen species are also associated with the inflammatory process. Changes in thiol homestasis and redox signaling decisively contribute to amplification of the inflammatory cascade through mitogen activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) pathways. This review focuses on the relationship between oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines and MAP kinase/protein phosphatase pathways as major modulators of the inflammatory response in acute pancreatitis. Redox sensitive signal transduction mediated by inactivation of protein phosphatases, particularly protein tyrosin phosphatases, is highlighted.

  17. The characteristics of tropospheric ozone seasonality observed from ozone soundings at Pohang, Korea.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jae H; Lee, H J; Lee, S H

    2006-07-01

    This paper presents the first analysis of vertical ozone sounding measurements over Pohang, Korea. The main focus is to analyze the seasonal variation of vertical ozone profiles and determine the mechanisms controlling ozone seasonality. The maxima ozone at the surface and in the free troposphere are observed in May and June, respectively. In comparison with the ozone seasonality at Oki (near sea level) and Happo (altitude of 1840 m) in Japan, which are located at the same latitude as of Pohang, we have found that the time of the ozone maximum at the Japanese sites is always a month earlier than at Pohang. Analysis of the wind flow at the surface shows that the wind shifts from westerly to southerly in May over Japan, but in June over Pohang. However, this wind shift above boundary layer occurs a month later. This wind shift results in significantly smaller amounts of ozone because the southerly wind brings clean wet tropical air. It has been suggested that the spring ozone maximum in the lower troposphere is due to polluted air transported from China. However, an enhanced ozone amount over the free troposphere in June appears to have a different origin. A tongue-like structure in the time-height cross-section of ozone concentrations, which starts from the stratosphere and extends to the middle troposphere, suggests that the ozone enhancement occurs due to a gradual migration of ozone from the stratosphere. The high frequency of dry air with elevated ozone concentrations in the upper troposphere in June suggests that the air is transported from the stratosphere. HYSPLIT trajectory analysis supports the hypothesis that enhanced ozone in the free troposphere is not likely due to transport from sources of anthropogenic activity.

  18. SMM mesospheric ozone measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Aikin, A. C.

    1990-01-01

    The main objective was to understand the secular and seasonal behavior of ozone in the lower mesosphere, 50 to 70 km. This altitude region is important in understanding the factors which determine ozone behavior. A secondary objective is the study of stratospheric ozone in the polar regions. Use is made of results from the SBUV satellite borne instrument. In the Arctic the interaction between chlorine compounds and low molecular weight hydrocarbons is studied. More than 30,000 profiles were obtained using the UVSP instrument on the SMM spacecraft. Several orbits of ozone data per day were obtained allowing study of the current rise in solar activity from the minimum until the present. Analysis of Nimbus 7 SBUV data in Antarctic spring indicates that ozone is depleted within the polar vortex relative to ozone outside the vortex. This depletion confirms the picture of ozone loss at altitudes where polar stratospheric clouds exist. In addition, there is ozone loss above the cloud level indicating that there is another mechanism in addition to ozone loss initiated by heterogeneous chlorine reactions on cloud particles.

  19. The stressed female brain: neuronal activity in the prelimbic but not infralimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex suppresses learning after acute stress.

    PubMed

    Maeng, Lisa Y; Shors, Tracey J

    2013-01-01

    Women are nearly twice as likely as men to suffer from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), indicating that many females are especially vulnerable to stressful life experience. A profound sex difference in the response to stress is also observed in laboratory animals. Acute exposure to an uncontrollable stressful event disrupts associative learning during classical eyeblink conditioning in female rats but enhances this same type of learning process in males. These sex differences in response to stress are dependent on neuronal activity in similar but also different brain regions. Neuronal activity in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) is necessary in both males and females. However, neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during the stressor is necessary to modify learning in females but not in males. The mPFC is often divided into its prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions, which differ both in structure and function. Through its connections to the BLA, we hypothesized that neuronal activity within the PL, but not IL, during the stressor is necessary to suppress learning in females. To test this hypothesis, either the PL or IL of adult female rats was bilaterally inactivated with GABAA agonist muscimol during acute inescapable swim stress. About 24 h later, all subjects were trained with classical eyeblink conditioning. Though stressed, females without neuronal activity in the PL learned well. In contrast, females with IL inactivation during the stressor did not learn well, behaving similarly to stressed vehicle-treated females. These data suggest that exposure to a stressful event critically engages the PL, but not IL, to disrupt associative learning in females. Together with previous studies, these data indicate that the PL communicates with the BLA to suppress learning after a stressful experience in females. This circuit may be similarly engaged in women who become cognitively impaired after stressful life

  20. Sleep quality but not sleep quantity effects on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress

    PubMed Central

    Bassett, Sarah M.; Lupis, Sarah B.; Gianferante, Danielle; Rohleder, Nicolas; Wolf, Jutta M.

    2016-01-01

    Given the well-documented deleterious health effects, poor sleep has become a serious public health concern and increasing efforts are directed towards understanding underlying pathways. One potential mechanism may be stress and its biological correlates; however, studies investigating the effects of poor sleep on a body’s capacity to deal with challenges are lacking. The current study thus aimed at testing the effects of sleep quality and sleep quantity on cortisol responses to acute psychosocial stress. A total of 73 college-aged adults (44 females) were investigated. Self-reported sleep behavior was assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and salivary cortisol responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were measured. In terms of sleep quality, we found a significant three-way interaction, such that relative to bad sleep quality, men who reported fairly good or very good sleep quality showed blunted or exaggerated cortisol responses, respectively, while women’s stress responses were less dependent on their self-reported sleep quality. Contrarily, average sleep duration did not appear to impact cortisol stress responses. Lastly, participants who reported daytime dysfunctions (i.e., having trouble staying awake or keeping up enthusiasm) also showed a trend to blunted cortisol stress responses compared to participants who did not experience these types of daytime dysfunctions. Overall, the current study suggests gender-specific stress reactivity dysfunctions as one mechanism linking poor sleep with detrimental physical health outcomes. Furthermore, the observed differential sleep effects may indicate that while the body may be unable to maintain normal HPA functioning in an acute psychosocial stress situation after falling prey to low sleep quality, it may retain capacities to deal with challenges during extended times of sleep deprivation. PMID:26414625

  1. How is ozone pollution reducing our food supply?

    PubMed

    Wilkinson, Sally; Mills, Gina; Illidge, Rosemary; Davies, William J

    2012-01-01

    Ground-level ozone pollution is already decreasing global crop yields (from ∼2.2-5.5% for maize to 3.9-15% and 8.5-14% for wheat and soybean, respectively), to differing extents depending on genotype and environmental conditions, and this problem is predicted to escalate given climate change and increasing ozone precursor emissions in many areas. Here a summary is provided of how ozone pollution affects yield in a variety of crops, thus impacting global food security. Ozone causes visible injury symptoms to foliage; it induces early senescence and abscission of leaves; it can reduce stomatal aperture and thereby carbon uptake, and/or directly reduce photosynthetic carbon fixation; it can moderate biomass growth via carbon availability or more directly; it can decrease translocation of fixed carbon to edible plant parts (grains, fruits, pods, roots) due either to reduced availability at source, redirection to synthesis of chemical protectants, or reduced transport capabilities via phloem; decreased carbon transport to roots reduces nutrient and water uptake and affects anchorage; ozone can moderate or bring forward flowering and induce pollen sterility; it induces ovule and/or grain abortion; and finally it reduces the ability of some genotypes to withstand other stresses such as drought, high vapour pressure deficit, and high photon flux density via effects on stomatal control. This latter point is emphasized here, given predictions that atmospheric conditions conducive to drought formation that also give rise to intense precursor emission events will become more severe over the coming decades.

  2. Trait Hostility and Acute Inflammatory Responses to Stress in the Laboratory

    PubMed Central

    Girard, Dominique; Tardif, Jean-Claude; Boisclair Demarble, Julie; D’Antono, Bianca

    2016-01-01

    Hostility has been associated with higher basal levels of inflammation. The present study evaluated the association of hostility with acute stress-induced changes in inflammatory activity. One hundred and ninety-nine healthy men and women, aged 19–64 years, were exposed to a stress protocol involving four interpersonal stressors. Participants completed the Cook-Medley Hostility questionnaire and provided two blood samples for the measurement of inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, Il-6, MPO, TNF-α, MCP-1, Il-8, Il-10, and Il-18), prior to and following exposure to a standardized stress protocol. In univariate analyses, hostility was associated with significantly higher TNF-α, but lower Il-8 and Il-18 values post-stress, though only Il-8 remained significant after controlling for baseline differences. In multivariate analyses, a significant Age by Hostility interaction emerged for Il-6, while sex moderated the relation between hostility and Il-10 reactivity. Following stress, hostility was associated with greater pro-inflammatory Il-6 activity among younger individuals and to decreased anti-inflammatory Il-10 activity in women. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to evaluate their implication for disease. PMID:27270459

  3. A comparative study of ozonation, iron coated zeolite catalyzed ozonation and granular activated carbon catalyzed ozonation of humic acid.

    PubMed

    Gümüş, Dilek; Akbal, Feryal

    2017-05-01

    This study compares ozonation (O 3 ), iron coated zeolite catalyzed ozonation (ICZ-O 3 ) and granular activated carbon catalyzed ozonation (GAC-O 3 ) for removal of humic acid from an aqueous solution. The results were evaluated by the removal of DOC that specifies organic matter, UV 254 absorbance, SUVA (Specific Ultraviolet Absorbance at 254 nm) and absorbance at 436 nm. When ozonation was used alone, DOC removal was 21.4% at an ozone concentration of 10 mg/L, pH 6.50 and oxidation time of 60 min. The results showed that the use of ICZ or GAC as a catalyst increased the decomposition of humic acid compared to ozonation alone. DOC removal efficiencies were 62% and 48.1% at pH 6.5, at a catalyst loading of 0.75 g/L, and oxidation time of 60 min for ICZ and GAC, respectively. The oxidation experiments were also carried out using <100 kDa and <50 kDa molecular size fractions of humic acid in the presence of ICZ or GAC. Catalytic ozonation also yielded better DOC and UV 254 reduction in both <50 kDa and <100 kDa fractions of HA compared to ozonation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Differential modulatory effects of morphine on acute and chronic stress induced neurobehavioral and cellular markers in rats.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Jagdish C; Ray, Arunabha; Gulati, Kavita

    2014-04-15

    The present study evaluated the effects of morphine treatments on elevated plus maze test parameters, oxidative stress markers and Hsp70 expression in normal and stressed rats. Acute and chronic stress caused neurobehavioral suppression, altered prooxidant-antioxidant balance and increased Hsp70 expression in brain homogenates in a differential manner. Morphine (1 and 5mg/kg) attenuated RS induced anxiogenesis, changes in MDA and GSH but further enhanced Hsp70 expression. Similar anxiolytic and Hsp70 enhancing effects were seen after morphine in normal rats (no RS). Exposure to chronic RS did not elicit any appreciable neurobehavioral response in EPM but enhanced MDA, lowered GSH and exaggerated the Hsp70 expression. Pretreatment with morphine did not affect the neurobehavioral response to chronic RS, but reverted the GSH and Hsp70 expression. The results suggest that morphine differentially influences acute and chronic stress induced changes in anxiety behavior and complex interactions between oxidative stress markers and Hsp70 expression which may contribute to these effects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Estimated Acute Effects of Ambient Ozone and Nitrogen Dioxide on Mortality in the Pearl River Delta of Southern China

    PubMed Central

    Tao, Yebin; Zhong, Liuju; Lu, Shou-En; Li, Yi; Dai, Lingzhen; Zhang, Yuanhang; Zhu, Tong

    2011-01-01

    Background and objectives: Epidemiologic studies have attributed adverse health effects to air pollution; however, controversy remains regarding the relationship between ambient oxidants [ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)] and mortality, especially in Asia. We conducted a four-city time-series study to investigate acute effects of O3 and NO2 in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of southern China, using data from 2006 through 2008. Methods: We used generalized linear models with Poisson regression incorporating natural spline functions to analyze acute mortality in association with O3 and NO2, with PM10 (particulate matter ≤ 10 μm in diameter) included as a major confounder. Effect estimates were determined for individual cities and for the four cities as a whole. We stratified the analysis according to high- and low- exposure periods for O3. Results: We found consistent positive associations between ambient oxidants and daily mortality across the PRD cities. Overall, 10-μg/m3 increases in average O3 and NO2 concentrations over the previous 2 days were associated with 0.81% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63%, 1.00%] and 1.95% (95% CI: 1.62%, 2.29%) increases in total mortality, respectively, with stronger estimated effects for cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. After adjusting for PM10, estimated effects of O3 on total and cardiovascular mortality were stronger for exposure during high-exposure months (September through November), whereas respiratory mortality was associated with O3 exposure during nonpeak exposure months only. Conclusions: Our findings suggest significant acute mortality effects of O3 and NO2 in the PRD and strengthen the rationale for further limiting the ambient pollution levels in the area. PMID:22157208

  6. Investigating ozone-induced decomposition of surface-bound permethrin for conditions in aircraft cabins.

    PubMed

    Coleman, B K; Wells, J R; Nazaroff, W W

    2010-02-01

    The reaction of ozone with permethrin can potentially form phosgene. Published evidence on ozone levels and permethrin surface concentrations in aircraft cabins indicated that significant phosgene formation might occur in this setting. A derivatization technique was developed to detect phosgene with a lower limit of detection of 2 ppb. Chamber experiments were conducted with permethrin-coated materials (glass, carpet, seat fabric, and plastic) exposed to ozone under cabin-relevant conditions (150 ppb O(3), 4.5/h air exchange rate, <1% relative humidity, 1700 ng/cm(2) of permethrin). Phosgene was not detected in these experiments. Reaction of ozone with permethrin appears to be hindered by the electron-withdrawing chlorine atoms adjacent to the double bond in permethrin. Experimental results indicate that the upper limit on the reaction probability of ozone with surface-bound permethrin is approximately 10(-7). Extrapolation by means of material-balance modeling indicates that the upper limit on the phosgene level in aircraft cabins resulting from this chemistry is approximately 1 microg/m(3) or approximately 0.3 ppb. It was thus determined that phosgene formation, if it occurs in aircraft cabins, is not likely to exceed relevant, health-based phosgene exposure guidelines. Phosgene formation from ozone-initiated oxidation of permethrin in the aircraft cabin environment, if it occurs, is estimated to generate levels below the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment acute reference exposure level of 4 microg/m(3) or approximately 1 ppb.

  7. Enhanced pharmaceutical removal from water in a three step bio-ozone-bio process.

    PubMed

    de Wilt, Arnoud; van Gijn, Koen; Verhoek, Tom; Vergnes, Amber; Hoek, Mirit; Rijnaarts, Huub; Langenhoff, Alette

    2018-07-01

    Individual treatment processes like biological treatment or ozonation have their limitations for the removal of pharmaceuticals from secondary clarified effluents with high organic matter concentrations (i.e. 17 mg TOC/L). These limitations can be overcome by combining these two processes for a cost-effective pharmaceutical removal. A three-step biological-ozone-biological (BO 3 B) treatment process was therefore designed for the enhanced pharmaceutical removal from wastewater effluent. The first biological step removed 38% of ozone scavenging TOC, thus proportionally reducing the absolute ozone input for the subsequent ozonation. Complementariness between biological and ozone treatment, i.e. targeting different pharmaceuticals, resulted in cost-effective pharmaceutical removal by the overall BO 3 B process. At a low ozone dose of 0.2 g O 3 /g TOC and an HRT of 1.46 h in the biological reactors, the removal of 8 out of 9 pharmaceuticals exceeded 85%, except for metoprolol (60%). Testing various ozone doses and HRTs revealed that pharmaceuticals were ineffectively removed at 0.1 g O3/g TOC and an HRT of 0.3 h. At HRTs of 0.47 and 1.46 h easily and moderately biodegradable pharmaceuticals such as caffeine, gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen and sulfamethoxazole were over 95% removed by biological treatment. The biorecalcitrant carbamazepine was completely ozonated at a dose of 0.4 g O 3 /g TOC. Ozonation products are likely biodegraded in the last biological reactor as a 17% TOC removal was found. No appreciable acute toxicity towards D. magna, P. subcapitata and V. fischeri was found after exposure to the influents and effluents of the individual BO 3 B reactors. The BO 3 B process is estimated to increase the yearly wastewater treatment tariff per population equivalent in the Netherlands by less than 10%. Overall, the BO 3 B process is a cost-effective treatment process for the removal of pharmaceuticals from secondary clarified effluents. Copyright

  8. Ozonation of Canadian Athabasca asphaltene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cha, Zhixiong

    Application of ozonation in the petrochemical industry for heavy hydrocarbon upgrading has not been sufficiently explored. Among heavy hydrocarbons, asphaltenes are the heaviest and the most difficult fractions for analysis and treatment. Therefore, ozonation of asphaltenes presents an interesting application in the petrochemical industry. Commercial application of ozonation in the petrochemical industry has three obstacles: availability of an ozone-resistant and environmentally friendly solvent, the precipitation of ozonation intermediates during reaction, and recovery of the solvent and separation of the ozonation products. Preliminary ozonation of Athabasca oil sands asphaltene in nonparticipating solvents encountered serious precipitation of the ozonation intermediates. The precipitated intermediates could be polymeric ozonides and intermolecular ozonides or polymeric peroxides. Because the inhomogeneous reaction medium caused low ozone efficiency, various participating solvents such as methanol and acetic acid were added to form more soluble hydroperoxides. The mass balance results showed that on average, one asphaltene molecule reacted with 12 ozone molecules through the electrophilic reaction and the subsequent decomposition of ozonation intermediates generated acetone extractable products. GC/MS analysis of these compounds indicated that the free radical reactions could be important for generation of volatile products. The extensively ozonated asphaltene in the presence of participating solvents were refluxed with methanol to generate more volatile products. GC/MS analysis of the methanol-esterified ozonation products indicated that most volatile products were aliphatic carboxylic acid esters generated through cleavage of substituents. Reaction kinetics study showed that asphaltene ozonation was initially a diffusion rate-controlled reaction and later developed to a chemical reaction rate-controlled reaction after depletion of the reactive aromatic sites

  9. Ozone Therapy on Rats Submitted to Subtotal Nephrectomy: Role of Antioxidant System

    PubMed Central

    Calunga, José Luis; Zamora, Zullyt B.; Borrego, Aluet; del Río, Sarahí; Barber, Ernesto; Menéndez, Silvia; Hernández, Frank; Montero, Teresita; Taboada, Dunia

    2005-01-01

    administrations produced a delay in the advance of the disease, protecting the kidneys against vascular, hemorheological, and oxidative mechanisms. This behavior suggests ozone therapy has a protective effect on renal tissue by downregulation of the oxidative stress shown in CRF. PMID:16192672

  10. Nitric oxide alleviates wheat yield reduction by protecting photosynthetic system from oxidation of ozone pollution.

    PubMed

    Li, Caihong; Song, Yanjie; Guo, Liyue; Gu, Xian; Muminov, Mahmud A; Wang, Tianzuo

    2018-05-01

    Accelerated industrialization has been increasing releases of chemical precursors of ozone. Ozone concentration has risen nowadays, and it's predicted that this trend will continue in the next few decades. The yield of many ozone-sensitive crops suffers seriously from ozone pollution, and there are abundant reports exploring the damage mechanisms of ozone to these crops, such as winter wheat. However, little is known on how to alleviate these negative impacts to increase grain production under elevated ozone. Nitric oxide, as a bioactive gaseous, mediates a variety of physiological processes and plays a central role in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present study, the accumulation of endogenous nitric oxide in wheat leaves was found to increase in response to ozone. To study the functions of nitric oxide, its precursor sodium nitroprusside was spayed to wheat leaves under ozone pollution. Wheat leaves spayed with sodium nitroprusside accumulated less hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage under ozone pollution, which can be accounted for by the higher activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase than in leaves treated without sodium nitroprusside. Consequently, net photosynthetic rate of wheat treated using sodium nitroprusside was much higher, and yield reduction was alleviated under ozone fumigation. These findings are important for our understanding of the potential roles of nitric oxide in responses of crops in general and wheat in particular to ozone pollution, and provide a viable method to mitigate the detrimental effects on crop production induced by ozone pollution, which is valuable for keeping food security worldwide. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. HPA-axis and inflammatory reactivity to acute stress is related with basal HPA-axis activity.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xuejie; Gianferante, Danielle; Hanlin, Luke; Fiksdal, Alexander; Breines, Juliana G; Thoma, Myriam V; Rohleder, Nicolas

    2017-04-01

    Inflammation is drawing attention as pathway between psychosocial stress and health, and basal HPA axis activity has been suggested to exert a consistent regulatory influence on peripheral inflammation. Here we studied the relationship between basal HPA axis activity and inflammatory and HPA axis acute stress reactivity. We recruited 48 healthy individuals and collected saliva for diurnal cortisol sampling at 6 points. Participants were previously exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) on two consecutive days. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and salivary cortisol reactivity to acute stress were measured, and their relationships with basal HPA axis activity were analyzed. Steeper cortisol awakening response (CAR) linear increase was related with stronger cortisol stress reactivity (γ=0.015; p=0.042) and marginally significantly with greater habituation (γ=0.01; p=0.066). Greater curvilinearity of CAR was related with stronger cortisol reactivity (γ=-0.014; p=0.021) and greater cortisol habituation (γ=-0.011; p=0.006). Steeper daily linear decline was related with significant or marginally significantly stronger cortisol and IL-6 reactivity (cortisol: γ=-0.0004; p=0.06; IL-6: γ=-0.028; p=0.031) and greater habituation (cortisol: γ=-0.002; p=0.009, IL-6: γ=-0.015; p=0.033). Greater curvilinearity of daily decline was related with stronger IL-6 reactivity (γ=0.002; p=0.024) and also greater cortisol and IL-6 habituation (cortisol: γ=0.00009; p=0.03, IL-6: γ=0.001; p=0.024). Patterns of basal HPA axis activity that are related with healthier outcomes were found to be related with stronger initial cortisol and IL-6 reactivity and greater habituation. This is an important step in understanding the long-term health implications of acute stress responsiveness, and future studies should employ longitudinal designs to identify the direction of these relationships. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Progranulin Protects Hippocampal Neurogenesis via Suppression of Neuroinflammatory Responses Under Acute Immune Stress.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yanbo; Matsuwaki, Takashi; Yamanouchi, Keitaro; Nishihara, Masugi

    2017-07-01

    Immune stress is well known to suppress adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus. We have demonstrated that progranulin (PGRN) has a mitogenic effect on neurogenesis under several experimental conditions. We have also shown that PGRN suppresses excessive neuroinflammatory responses after traumatic brain injury. However, the role of PGRN in modulating neurogenesis under acute immune stress is yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we evaluated the involvement of PGRN in neurogenesis and inflammatory responses in the hippocampus using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced immune stress model. Treatment of mice with LPS significantly increased the expression of PGRN in activated microglia and decreased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. PGRN deficiency increased CD68-immunoreactive area and exacerbated suppression of neurogenesis following LPS treatment. The expression levels of lysosomal genes including lysozyme M, macrophage expressed gene 1, and cathepsin Z were higher in PGRN-deficient than in wild-type mice, while PGRN deficiency decreased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) mRNA levels, suggesting that PGRN suppresses excessive lysosomal biogenesis by promoting mTOR signaling. LPS treatment also increased the expression of proinflammatory genes such as interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) in the hippocampus, and PGRN deficiency further enhanced gene expression of IL-6 and mPGES-1. These results suggest that PGRN plays a protecting role in hippocampal neurogenesis at least partially by attenuating neuroinflammatory responses during LPS-induced acute immune stress.

  13. Ozone Antimicrobial Efficacy

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ozone is a potent germicide that has been used extensively for water purification. In Europe, 90 percent of the municipal water systems are treated with ozone, and in France, ozone has been used to treat drinking water since 1903. However, there is limited information on the bioc...

  14. Distinct Trajectories of Cortisol Response to Prolonged Acute Stress Are Linked to Affective Responses and Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Healthy Females

    PubMed Central

    Treadway, Michael T.; Valeri, Linda; Douglas, Samuel

    2017-01-01

    The development of robust laboratory procedures for acute stress induction over the last decades has greatly advanced our understanding of stress responses in humans and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Nevertheless, attempts to uncover linear relationships among endocrine, neural, and affective responses to stress have generally yielded inconsistent results. Here, 79 healthy females completed a well established laboratory procedure of acute stress induction that was modified to prolong its effect. Endocrinological and subjective affect assessments revealed stress-induced increases in cortisol release and negative affect that persisted 65 and 100 min after stress onset, respectively, confirming a relatively prolonged acute stress induction. Applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response: the hyper-response (n = 10), moderate-response (n = 21), and mild-response (n = 48) groups. Notably, whereas all three groups exhibited a significant stress-induced increase in cortisol release and negative affect, the hyper-response and mild-response groups both reported more negative affect relative to the moderate-response group. Structural MRI revealed no group differences in hippocampal and amygdala volumes, yet a continuous measure of cortisol response (area under the curve) showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release were associated with less hippocampal gray matter volume compared with moderate cortisol release. Together, these results suggest that distinct trajectories of cortisol response to prolonged acute stress among healthy females may not be captured by conventional linear analyses; instead, quadratic relations may better describe links between cortisol response to stress and affective responses, as well as hippocampal structural variability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite substantial research, it is unclear whether and how

  15. Distinct Trajectories of Cortisol Response to Prolonged Acute Stress Are Linked to Affective Responses and Hippocampal Gray Matter Volume in Healthy Females.

    PubMed

    Admon, Roee; Treadway, Michael T; Valeri, Linda; Mehta, Malavika; Douglas, Samuel; Pizzagalli, Diego A

    2017-08-16

    The development of robust laboratory procedures for acute stress induction over the last decades has greatly advanced our understanding of stress responses in humans and their underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Nevertheless, attempts to uncover linear relationships among endocrine, neural, and affective responses to stress have generally yielded inconsistent results. Here, 79 healthy females completed a well established laboratory procedure of acute stress induction that was modified to prolong its effect. Endocrinological and subjective affect assessments revealed stress-induced increases in cortisol release and negative affect that persisted 65 and 100 min after stress onset, respectively, confirming a relatively prolonged acute stress induction. Applying latent class linear mixed modeling on individuals' patterns of cortisol responses identified three distinct trajectories of cortisol response: the hyper-response ( n = 10), moderate-response ( n = 21), and mild-response ( n = 48) groups. Notably, whereas all three groups exhibited a significant stress-induced increase in cortisol release and negative affect, the hyper-response and mild-response groups both reported more negative affect relative to the moderate-response group. Structural MRI revealed no group differences in hippocampal and amygdala volumes, yet a continuous measure of cortisol response (area under the curve) showed that high and low levels of stress-induced cortisol release were associated with less hippocampal gray matter volume compared with moderate cortisol release. Together, these results suggest that distinct trajectories of cortisol response to prolonged acute stress among healthy females may not be captured by conventional linear analyses; instead, quadratic relations may better describe links between cortisol response to stress and affective responses, as well as hippocampal structural variability. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite substantial research, it is unclear whether and how

  16. Stretching the stress boundary: Linking air pollution health effects to a neurohormonal stress response.

    PubMed

    Kodavanti, Urmila P

    2016-12-01

    Inhaled pollutants produce effects in virtually all organ systems in our body and have been linked to chronic diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and diabetes. A neurohormonal stress response (referred to here as a systemic response produced by activation of the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis) has been implicated in a variety of psychological and physical stresses, which involves immune and metabolic homeostatic mechanisms affecting all organs in the body. In this review, we provide new evidence for the involvement of this well-characterized neurohormonal stress response in mediating systemic and pulmonary effects of a prototypic air pollutant - ozone. A plethora of systemic metabolic and immune effects are induced in animals exposed to inhaled pollutants, which could result from increased circulating stress hormones. The release of adrenal-derived stress hormones in response to ozone exposure not only mediates systemic immune and metabolic responses, but by doing so, also modulates pulmonary injury and inflammation. With recurring pollutant exposures, these effects can contribute to multi-organ chronic conditions associated with air pollution. This review will cover, 1) the potential mechanisms by which air pollutants can initiate the relay of signals from respiratory tract to brain through trigeminal and vagus nerves, and activate stress responsive regions including hypothalamus; and 2) the contribution of sympathetic and HPA-axis activation in mediating systemic homeostatic metabolic and immune effects of ozone in various organs. The potential contribution of chronic environmental stress in cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive and metabolic diseases, and the knowledge gaps are also discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Air Pollution, edited by Wenjun Ding, Andrew J. Ghio and Weidong Wu. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Effects of acute and chronic stress on telencephalic neurochemistry and gene expression in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

    PubMed

    Moltesen, Maria; Laursen, Danielle Caroline; Thörnqvist, Per-Ove; Andersson, Madelene Åberg; Winberg, Svante; Höglund, Erik

    2016-12-15

    By filtering relevant sensory inputs and initiating stress responses, the brain is an essential organ in stress coping and adaptation. However, exposure to chronic or repeated stress can lead to allostatic overload, where neuroendocrinal and behavioral reactions to stress become maladaptive. This work examines forebrain mechanisms involved in allostatic processes in teleost fishes. Plasma cortisol, forebrain serotonergic (5-HTergic) neurochemistry, and mRNA levels of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), CRF-binding protein (CRF-BP), CRF receptors (CRFR1 and CRFR2), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), glucocorticoid receptors (GR1 and GR2) and serotonin type 1A (5-HT 1A ) receptors (5-HT 1Aα and 5-HT 1Aβ ) were investigated at 1 h before and 0, 1 and 4 h after acute stress, in two groups of rainbow trout held in densities of 25 and 140 kg m -3 for 28 days. Generally, being held at 140 kg m -3 resulted in a less pronounced cortisol response. This effect was also reflected in lower forebrain 5-HTergic turnover, but not in mRNA levels in any of the investigated genes. This lends further support to reports that allostatic load causes fish to be incapable of mounting a proper cortisol response to an acute stressor, and suggests that changes in forebrain 5-HT metabolism are involved in allostatic processes in fish. Independent of rearing densities, mRNA levels of 5-HT 1Aα and MR were downregulated 4 h post-stress compared with values 1 h post-stress, suggesting that these receptors are under feedback control and take part in the downregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis after exposure to an acute stressor. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  18. Annual and Seasonal Global Variation in Total Ozone and Layer-Mean Ozone, 1958-1987 (1991)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Angell, J. K.; Korshover, J.; Planet, W. G.

    For 1958 through 1987, this data base presents total ozone variations and layer mean ozone variations expressed as percent deviations from the 1958 to 1977 mean. The total ozone variations were derived from mean monthly ozone values published in Ozone Data for the World by the Atmospheric Environment Service in cooperation with the World Meteorological Organization. The layer mean ozone variations are derived from ozonesonde and Umkehr observations. The data records include year, seasonal and annual total ozone variations, and seasonal and annual layer mean ozone variations. The total ozone data are for four regions (Soviet Union, Europe, North America,more » and Asia); five climatic zones (north and south polar, north and south temperate, and tropical); both hemispheres; and the world. Layer mean ozone data are for four climatic zones (north and south temperate and north and south polar) and for the stratosphere, troposphere, and tropopause layers. The data are in two files [seasonal and year-average total ozone (13.4 kB) and layer mean ozone variations (24.2 kB)].« less

  19. Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress Study IV. Are Antioxidants Markers of Ozone Exposure?

    EPA Science Inventory

    To determine whether the oxidative effects of ozone would result in losses of antioxidants from plasma, and possibly bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). This research is part of a comprehensive, multilaboratory validation study searching for noninvasive biomarkers of oxidative ...

  20. MULTIPOLLUTANT METHODS - METHODS FOR OZONE AND OZONE PRECURSORS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This task involves the development and testing of methods for monitoring ozone and compounds associated with the atmospheric chemistry of ozone production both as precursors and reaction products. Although atmospheric gases are the primary interest, separation of gas and particl...