Non-Nitrogen-Fixers or Nitrogen-Fixers? Factors Distinguishing the Dominance of Chroococcal and Diazotrophic Cyanobacterial Species.

Global warming and eutrophication are the main factors driving the development of cyanobacterial dominance in aquatic ecosystems. We used a model linking water temperature, oxygen saturation, concentrations of PO, NO, NH, total dissolved iron (TDFe), and SO to cyanobacteria to test the turnover patterns of cyanobacterial dominance of non-nitrogen-fixing (chroococcal species) and nitrogen-fixing (filamentous diazotrophic) species. Statistical analysis was performed using decision trees.

Interactions between Ciliate Species and Vary Depending on the Morphological Form and Biomass of the Diazotrophic Cyanobacterium.

can form extensive blooms from freshwater to the brackish environment and, being a diazotrophic species, contribute significantly to the nitrogen and carbon cycle. It occurs as single filaments or aggregates and could be used as an alternative nutrients source for bacteria and ciliates. Ciliates are a group of organisms playing a crucial role in the transfer of nitrogen from primary producers to higher trophic levels in aquatic food webs.

The use and impact of self-monitoring on substance use outcomes: A descriptive systematic review.

Self-Monitoring (SM), the act of observing ones' own behavior, has been used in substance use treatment because SM may bring conscious awareness to automatized substance use behaviors. Empirical findings regarding SM's effectiveness are mixed. The aim of this study was to synthesize the literature for the efficacy of SM on substance use.

A Preliminary Study of Associations between Discomfort Intolerance, Pain Severity/Interference, and Frequency of Cannabis Use among Individuals with Chronic Pain.

Cannabis use is more common among individuals with chronic pain, and is often used to relieve physical discomfort. However, little is known about factors that are associated with cannabis use among individuals with chronic pain, and there is reason to suspect that perceptions of discomfort intolerance (DI) play an important role in pain-cannabis relations. The goal of this study was to conduct an initial examination of perceived DI, pain severity, and pain-related interference in relation to frequency of cannabis use among individuals with chronic pain.

Variations in zooplankton functional groups density in freshwater ecosystems exposed to cyanobacterial blooms.

The recently observed decline of biodiversity has become a major problem on Earth. Anthropogenically-driven climate change and eutrophication of natural habitats represent great threats to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Particularly vulnerable are freshwater ecosystems, where the mentioned changes promote development of cyanobacteria.

Patient-reported use of medical cannabis for pain, anxiety, and depression symptoms: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rationale: Certifications for medical cannabis are generally restricted to a small number of specific medical conditions, yet patients frequently report symptoms of pain, anxiety, and depression as reasons for use. This is a critical concern for researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers, yet research in this area is currently obstructed by the lack of a focused review or empirical synthesis on patient-reported reasons for medical cannabis use.

Objectives: AND METHOD: The first aim of this project was to conduct the first systematic review and meta-analysis of empirical studies of patient-reported symptoms of pain, anxiety, and depression as reasons for medical cannabis use.

Menthol cigarette use and pain reporting among African American adults seeking treatment for smoking cessation.

Nicotine has acute pain-relieving properties, and tobacco smokers often report using cigarettes to cope with pain. The proportion of smokers using menthol cigarettes has increased in recent years, and there is reason to suspect that menthol may enhance the analgesic effects of nicotine. Up to 90% of African American smokers report using menthol cigarettes, and African Americans tend to report more severe pain and greater difficulty quitting.

A qualitative study of the feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation program for people living with HIV and emotional dysregulation.

Despite high rates of co-occurring tobacco use and anxiety among persons living with HIV, evidence-based interventions for these individuals are limited. An existing cognitive-behavioral treatment protocol for smoking cessation and anxiety (Norton, P. J.

Effects of nicotine deprivation on current pain intensity among daily cigarette smokers.

Animal research has consistently demonstrated increased pain in the context of nicotine deprivation, and there is cross-sectional evidence that tobacco smokers may experience greater pain following periods of smoking abstinence. This study aimed to examine current pain intensity as a function of nicotine deprivation among 137 daily tobacco smokers who did not endorse chronic pain and were recruited to participate in a primary study of the effects of smoking abstinence on experimental pain reactivity. Participants were randomized to either deprivation (12-24 hr abstinence) or continued ad lib smoking conditions.

Nicotine deprivation increases pain intensity, neurogenic inflammation, and mechanical hyperalgesia among daily tobacco smokers.

An evolving reciprocal model posits that pain and tobacco smoking behavior interact in the manner of a positive feedback loop, resulting in greater pain and the maintenance of nicotine dependence. There is also reason to believe that abstaining from smoking may increase pain during the early stages of smoking cessation. The goal of this study was to test the effects of nicotine deprivation on experimental pain reactivity.

Associations between pain intensity and urge to smoke: Testing the role of negative affect and pain catastrophizing.

Background: Cigarette smokers are more likely to experience pain than nonsmokers, and experimental research indicates that pain is a potent motivator of smoking. Urge to smoke is a predictor of early relapse, yet associations between pain and urge to smoke have yet to be tested among daily smokers. This study aimed to conduct the first crosssectional test of associations between current pain intensity and urge to smoke, and to test the role of negative affect and pain catastrophizing in relations between pain intensity and urge to smoke.

Effect of Microcystins on Proto- and Metazooplankton Is More Evident in Artificial Than in Natural Waterbodies.

The increasing proliferation of cyanobacterial blooms prolongs the impact of cyanobacteria on aquatic fauna, potentially altering trophic relationships. We hypothesized that any effect of dissolved microcystins (toxins produced by cyanobacteria) on plankton assemblages would be more evident in artificial reservoirs and ponds than in natural ones. The concentrations of dissolved microcystins in the waters we studied ranged widely from 0.

What Underpins the Trophic Networks of the Plankton in Shallow Oxbow Lakes?

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships in the microbial trophic network underpinning them about communities of plankton ciliates in shallow oxbow lakes of the Vistula River in southern Poland (Jeziorzany 1, Jeziorzany 2, Piekary, Tyniec). The plankton components (phytoplankton, ciliates, zooplankton) were grouped by dietary preference. The studied oxbows differed in physicochemical parameters and in phytoplankton.

Microcystins affect zooplankton biodiversity in oxbow lakes.

The authors tested the hypothesis that zooplankton diversity and density are affected by the presence of cyanotoxins in the water. The authors focused on 4 oxbow lakes of the Vistula River in southern Poland, which are subjected to mass cyanobacterial development. In 2 of the oxbows (Piekary and Tyniec), microcystins released into the water were found.

Acute analgesic effects of nicotine and tobacco in humans: a meta-analysis.

Although animal models have consistently demonstrated acute pain inhibitory effects of nicotine and tobacco, human experimental studies have yielded mixed results. The main goal of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effects of nicotine/tobacco administration on human experimental pain threshold and tolerance ratings. A search of PubMed and PsycINFO online databases identified 13 eligible articles, including k = 21 tests of pain tolerance (N = 393) and k = 15 tests of pain threshold (N = 339).

Chronic Pain Status, Nicotine Withdrawal, and Expectancies for Smoking Cessation Among Lighter Smokers.

Background: Chronic pain and tobacco smoking are both highly prevalent and comorbid conditions, and chronic pain may pose a barrier to smoking cessation.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to test associations between chronic pain status and several smoking-related factors that have previously been shown to predict cessation outcomes.

Method: Daily smokers (N = 205) were recruited from the general population to complete an online survey of pain and tobacco smoking.

Medication Adherence and HIV Symptom Distress in Relation to Panic Disorder Among HIV-Positive Adults Managing Opioid Dependence.

Panic disorder (PD) occurs at greater rates among those with HIV compared to those without HIV. Rates of PD may be elevated among those with opioid dependence (persons who inject drugs, PWID). Persons with HIV experience common bodily symptoms as a result of the disease and these symptoms overlap with those of PD which may contribute to a "fear of fear" cycle present in PD.

Relations between pain-related anxiety, tobacco dependence, and barriers to quitting among a community-based sample of daily smokers.

There is increasing recognition that complex and potentially bidirectional relations between pain and smoking may be relevant to the maintenance of tobacco addiction. Pain-related anxiety has been identified as a mechanism in the onset and progression of painful disorders, and initial evidence indicates that pain-related anxiety may be associated with essential features of tobacco dependence among smokers with chronic pain. However, there has not been an empirical study of pain-related anxiety in relation to tobacco dependence and self-reported barriers to quitting among a community-based sample of daily smokers.

Dyspnea and panic among patients with newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer.

Context: Among patients with lung cancer, dyspnea is associated with psychological distress, fatigue, and poor coping. Respiratory symptoms are also a common trigger for panic attacks in the general population. Minimal research has addressed the prevalence of panic disorder or the association of dyspnea with the risk of panic disorder in lung cancer.

A pilot study of pain-related anxiety and smoking-dependence motives among persons with chronic pain.

Complex interactions between pain and tobacco smoking have been of increasing interest to researchers and clinicians from a variety of disciplines. There is also recent evidence to suggest that pain-related anxiety may play an important role in the maintenance of tobacco dependence among persons with comorbid pain disorders. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the explanatory relevance of pain-related anxiety in relation to tobacco dependence among a sample of daily smokers with current chronic pain.

Chronic pain and marijuana use among a nationally representative sample of adults.

This study sought to examine the relations between chronic pain and marijuana use in a large nationally representative survey of adults (n = 5,672; 53% female; M(age) = 45.05, SD = 17.9) conducted in the United States.

Apparatus and initial results for pressurized planar electrochromatography.

Pressurized planar electrochromatography (PPEC) is a new planar chromatographic technique in which the mobile phase is driven by electroosmotic flow, while the sorbent layer is pressurized in a manner that allows heat to flow from the layer through an electrically insulating, thermally conducting, sheet of aluminum nitride ceramic. A prototype apparatus for performing PPEC is described. Separation by PPEC is faster than by conventional TLC, and an example is presented of a 24-fold enhancement in the speed of separation.

The heat-stable enterotoxin-guanylin receptor is expressed in rat hepatocytes and in a rat hepatoma (H-35) cell line.

Background/aims: Guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C) is an intestinal transmembrane receptor which binds both guanylin, an endogenous ligand, and Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) resulting in 5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) accumulation and chloride secretion. In the adult rat, there is a high basal level of GC-C expression in the intestine, but not in the liver. Increased expression of GC-C in the rat liver has been demonstrated during the perinatal period as well as with liver regeneration and during an acute phase response.

Genomic sequence of the murine guanylin gene.

Guanylin, a 15-amino-acid peptide, is an endogenous ligand of the intestinal receptor guanylate cyclase-C. After binding to this receptor, guanylin increases the intracellular concentration of cyclic GMP and induces chloride secretion. We have isolated a genomic clone containing the entire murine guanylin gene.