Lower Stress Response Research Articles

385 Combining Cannabidiol with Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Design and Methodology of a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: There is increasing evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) has promising potential to treat PTSD. However, more research is warranted to fully understand the benefits of CBD for PTSD. This poster will describe the design and methodology of one of the first ever pilot RCTs examining CBD (vs. placebo) combined with prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This study is an early Phase II double-blind, pilot RCT. Participants are 24 individuals 18-65 years old who meet DSM-5 criteria for PTSD on the CAPS-5 and were recruited from local hospitals and the community. Individuals complete a standardized baseline assessment with an independent evaluator to assess study eligibility. Participants who meet study inclusion are randomized to 18 days of CBD 250mg (BID) or placebo delivered in combination with 10-sessions Prolonged Exposure (PE) psychotherapy over 2 weeks. Individuals begin medication 3 days prior to beginning PE to ensure steady state. Participants complete self-report and biomarker outcomes at select timepoints during study participation, and are also asked to complete a 1-month follow-up assessment following treatment. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: This aims of this study are to: 1) examine the safety, feasibility, and PTSD symptom reductions associated with the combined intervention; 2) evaluate biomarkers associated with the endocannabinoid system and stress response; 3) determine the association between changes in biomarkers and PTSD symptoms following treatment. It is expected that CBD+PE will be safe and feasible, and that there will be a detectable signal of CBD vs. placebo in the reduction of PTSD symptoms. It is also anticipated that CBD will have higher levels of endocannabinoids and lower stress response levels compared to placebo. Lastly, we expect that greater changes in biomarkers will be associated with lower levels of PTSD severity following treatment. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Although there is growing interest in cannabinoids for psychiatric conditions, such as PTSD, controlled trials are limited and have yet to examine the proposed intervention for PTSD. If successful, this study will enhance the feasibility of a larger, adequately powered RCT to address immediate and long-term improvements for PTSD treatments.

TaEF1A is involved in low phosphorus stress responses and affects root development

TaEF1A is involved in low phosphorus stress responses and affects root development

Understanding psychophysiological responses to walking in urban settings in Asia and Africa

Global transition into healthy urban living requires active engagement by planners to understand the physical and social dimensions that underpin healthy living in urban settings. Much of the current research into the health and wellbeing benefits that can be afforded by smart planning has taken place in the Global North, with little focused attention on other parts of the world. Given the current rapid urbanization in both sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia, further research is needed to understand how urbanisation is impacting these populations in order to understand what public health measures can be implemented.Our research sought to understand the psychophysiological responses of participants in Nakuru (Kenya) and Udon Thani (Thailand) when walking in urban settings within their given city. Mood measures were taken pre- and post-walk, to understand subjective psychological responses to the urban settings. Heart rate variability was measured using a smart watch to understand physiological (stress) responses throughout walks in the urban settings.Our results show beneficial effects of nature within urban settings on heart rate variability, suggesting lower stress responses in these areas. The subjective responses did not show the expected improvements in mood across both locations as a result of walking generally, which we discuss in relation to geographical and/or potential social differences in these locations compared against studies that have been conducted largely in the Global North. The results of this study are useful in understanding the role of urban planning for improved public health in both African and Asian settings.

스트레스 반응 수준에 따라 인지스트레스와 호흡훈련이 정신건강과 심박변이도에 미치는 영향

Purpose: The present study investigated whether stress and ventilator ytraining (VT) have different effects on psychophysiological responses according to the magnitude of the stress response.BR Method: Participants were twenty-three college students with a high-tsress response and twenty-three with a low-stress response. Psychological tests (depression, axniety, stress response, and resilience), heart rate variability (SDNN, RMSSD, total power, LF, HF, and LF/HF ratio), and visual analogue scale (anxiety, stress, confidence, and relaxation) were measured at rest, after cognitive stress, and after ventilatory training.BR Results: High-stress group showed higher depression, trait, state anxiety, and lower resilience compared to the low-stress group. The high-stress group showed higher VAS anxiety and stress, and lower relaxation and self-confidence scores. Computational task increaseds tress and decreased heart rate and RMSSD. VT not only lowered anxiety and stress, increased relaxation and confidence, but also increased SDNN, RMSSD, total power, and LF. However, there was no significant d ifference between the stress response groups in all variables before and after the stress task and ventilatory training.BR Conclusion: VT seems to be an effective way to restore the balance of th aeutonomic nervous system caused by stress.

H+-pyrophosphatases enhance low nitrogen stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis and wheat by interacting with a receptor-like protein kinase.

Nitrogen is a major abiotic stress that affects plant productivity. Previous studies have shown that plant H+-pyrophosphatases (H+-PPases) enhance plant resistance to low nitrogen stress. However, the molecular mechanism underlying H+-PPase-mediated regulation of plant responses to low nitrogen stress is still unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the regulatory mechanism of AtAVP1 in response to low nitrogen stress. AtAVP1 in Arabidopsis thaliana and EdVP1 in Elymus dahuricus belong to the H+-PPase gene family. In this study, we found that AtAVP1 overexpression was more tolerant to low nitrogen stress than was wild type (WT), whereas the avp1-1 mutant was less tolerant to low nitrogen stress than WT. Plant height, root length, aboveground fresh and dry weights, and underground fresh and dry weights of EdVP1 overexpression wheat were considerably higher than those of SHI366 under low nitrogen treatment during the seedling stage. Two consecutive years of low nitrogen tolerance experiments in the field showed that grain yield and number of grains per spike of EdVP1 overexpression wheat were increased compared to those in SHI366, which indicated that EdVP1 conferred low nitrogen stress tolerance in the field. Furthermore, we screened interaction proteins in Arabidopsis; subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that AtAVP1 and Arabidopsis thaliana receptor-like protein kinase (AtRLK) were located on the plasma membrane. Yeast two-hybrid and luciferase complementary imaging assays showed that the AtRLK interacted with AtAVP1. Under low nitrogen stress, the Arabidopsis mutants rlk and avp1-1 had the same phenotypes. These results indicate that AtAVP1 regulates low nitrogen stress responses by interacting with AtRLK, which provides a novel insight into the regulatory pathway related to H+-pyrophosphatase function in plants.

Impact of soil from monoculture pine plantations on two anuran species from the Atlantic Forest: Odontophrynus reigi and Leptodactylus luctator

Monoculture tree plantations reduces landscape heterogeneity and the number and diversity of habitats available for species. Physical-chemical changes in soil may affect the ponds where tadpoles develop. This work aimed to study the effect on tadpoles of two species of frogs, Leptodactylus luctator (Ll) and Odontophrynus reigi (Or) exposed to soils from a pine plantation (PP), which were compared to tadpoles exposed to soils from Atlantic Forest, the native forest (NF). The impact of soils from both places on growth, development, antioxidant system and genetic damage of Ll and Or tadpoles were observed. A composite sample (5 kg) of soil was taken from the top 10 cm stratum in a 200 m transect in each site, with random plots of 50x50cm. In collected soil samples Organic Matter (OM), Organic Carbon (OC), and Total Nitrogen (TN) were determined. We conducted laboratory experiments, from 23 until 38 Gosner stages. During the experiment, pH and ammonium in the water were determined. Soil from NF presented higher content of OM, OC and TN, and water pH in PP was 0.2 units lower than in NF. Both species showed ≈60 % increase of catalase activity in PP, and ≈40 % increase of lipid peroxidation in NF. Ll tadpoles presented 10 times higher protein oxidation in PP than in NF, but Gosner stage was higher in NF. In NF the higher OM and OC in both species causes the increase of lipid peroxidation; and Ll responds to a stressor in PP that in Or is not observed. Or presented lower stress response towards PP soils, which indicates a tolerance towards this soil. The changes observed in soil chemistry, although not big from a physical-chemical point of view, affects the growth, development and oxidative stress of two species of anuran tadpoles from the NF, which can affect future populations and anuran diversity.

Role for μ-opioid receptor in antidepressant effects of δ-opioid receptor agonist KNT-127

Previous pharmacological data have shown the possible existence of functional interactions between μ- (MOP), κ- (KOP), and δ-opioid receptors (DOP) in pain and mood disorders. We previously reported that MOP knockout (KO) mice exhibit a lower stress response compared with wildtype (WT) mice. Moreover, DOP agonists have been shown to exert antidepressant-like effects in numerous animal models. In the present study, the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST) were used to examine the roles of MOP and DOP in behavioral despair. MOP-KO mice and WT mice were treated with KNT-127 (10 mg/kg), a selective DOP agonist. The results indicated a significant decrease in immobility time in the KNT-127 group compared with the saline group in all genotypes in both tests. In the saline groups, immobility time significantly decreased in MOP-KO mice compared with WT mice in both tests. In female MOP-KO mice, KNT-127 significantly decreased immobility time in the TST compared with WT mice. In male MOP-KO mice, however, no genotypic differences were found in the TST after either KNT-127 or saline treatment. Thus, at least in the FST and TST, the activation of DOP and absence of MOP had additive effects in reducing measures of behavioral despair, suggesting that effects on this behavior by DOP activation occur independently of MOP.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of the NPF genes provide new insight into low nitrogen tolerance in Setaria.

Nitrogen (N) is essential for plant growth and yield production and can be taken up from soil in the form of nitrate or peptides. The NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER family (NPF) genes play important roles in the uptake and transportation of these two forms of N. Bioinformatic analysis was used to identify and characterize the NPF genes in Setaria. RNA-seq was employed to analyze time-series low nitrate stress response of the SiNPF genes. Yeast and Arabidopsis mutant complementation were used to test the nitrate transport ability of SiNRT1.1B1 and SiNRT1.1B2. We identified 92 and 88 putative NPF genes from foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) and its wild ancestor green foxtail (Setaria viridis L.), respectively. These NPF genes were divided into eight groups according to their sequence characteristics and phylogenetic relationship, with similar intron-exon structure and motifs in the same subfamily. Twenty-six tandem duplication and 13 segmental duplication events promoted the expansion of SiNPF gene family. Interestingly, we found that the tandem duplication of the SiNRT1.1B gene might contribute to low nitrogen tolerance of foxtail millet. The gene expression atlas showed that the SiNPFs were divided into two major clusters, which were mainly expressed in root and the above ground tissues, respectively. Time series transcriptomic analysis further revealed the response of these SiNPF genes to short- and long- time low nitrate stress. To provide natural variation of gene information, we carried out a haplotype analysis of these SiNPFs and identified 2,924 SNPs and 400 InDels based on the re-sequence data of 398 foxtail millet accessions. We also predicted the three-dimensional structure of the 92 SiNPFs and found that the conserved proline 492 residues were not in the substrate binding pocket. The interactions of SiNPF proteins with were analyzed using molecular docking and the pockets were then identified. We found that the SiNPFs- binding energy ranged from -3.8 to -2.7 kcal/mol. Taken together, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the NPF gene family in Setaria and will contribute to function dissection of these genes for crop breeding aimed at improving high nitrogen use efficiency.

Effects of ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block in combination with sevoflurane general anesthesia via laryngeal mask on upper limb tumor and fracture surgery for children based on inflammatory stress response

Sevoflurane is used successfully for general anesthesia via laryngeal mask on upper limb tumors like osteosarcoma and Ewings sarcoma and fractures in orthopedic care centers. With the advancement in interventional radiology, many procedures are now available to support surgeons to carry out such procedures without complications. In this study, we tried to evaluate the effects of ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block in combination with sevoflurane general anesthesia via laryngeal mask for upper limb tumor (osteosarcoma in the metaphysic of long bones of upper limb and Ewing sarcoma-second most malignant tumor in children) and fracture surgery in children based on inflammatory stress response. Eighty-six children who were admitted to undergo surgery for upper limb tumor and fractures from June 2018 to November 2019 were selected and divided into control and study groups according to anesthesia methods (n= 43). The control group received only sevoflurane superficial general anesthesia via laryngeal mask, besides which the study group received ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block. The surgical, anesthetic outcomes and adverse reactions were compared. Pain was assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS) 4 h, 8 h and 12 h after surgery. The serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-10, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), cortisol (Cor) and insulin (Ins) were measured before surgery, on the day of surgery and 3 days after surgery, respectively. Compared with the control group, the surgical time and recovery time of the study group were shorter, the pain occurred later, the intraoperative respiration was slower, and the incidence rate of adverse reactions was significantly lower. The VAS scores of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group 4 h, 8 h and 12 h after surgery. The IL-1β, IL-10, CRP, TNF-α, E, NE, Cor, and Ins levels of the study group were also significantly lower than those of the control group on the day of surgery and 3 days after surgery. Observations of this study suggest that sevoflurane superficial general anesthesia via laryngeal mask in combination with brachial plexus block can be used in the upper limb tumor removal and fracture surgery for children. This strategy has the advantages of short recovery time, few adverse reactions, obvious sedative and analgesic effects, and low inflammatory stress response.

Associations between Stigma, Cognitive Appraisals, Coping Strategies and Stress Responses among Japanese Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment.

The number of infertility treatment cycles in Japan is the highest worldwide. Studies have shown that stigma is a predictor of stress-related symptoms including anxiety and depression in women undergoing infertility treatment. Stress management to prevent stress-related symptoms may be crucial; however, few studies have examined the model of stigma and stress responses. Based on the stress-coping model, we hypothesized that stigma threatens the identity of such women and that coping failure increases stress responses. We aimed to explore the role of cognitive appraisals and coping strategies as mediators of the association between the stigma of infertility and stress responses. In December 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Japan, in which 254 women undergoing infertility treatment completed a web-based survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the associations between stigma, cognitive appraisals, coping strategies, and stress responses. The results showed that explanatory power increased with each additional variable in the following order: stigma, cognitive appraisals, and coping. Participants with a high level of stigma evaluated it as threatening, and used self-blame and venting coping strategies, and showed higher stress responses. Conversely, participants who used positive reframing coping strategies exhibited lower stress responses. Based on this, effective strategies to address stigma and stress responses are necessitated.

Plant Stress and Allelotoxicity of Soils.

Stress exposures during vegetation are known to reduce the yield in crops, but the intensity and duration of stress is rather difficult to determine from the crop loss. Allelotoxins are released from plants into soil on exposure to stress factors. Soil allelotoxicity after vegetation was assumed to provide a diagnostic parameter that characterizes the total stress effect on crops. To verify the assumption, changes in soil allelotoxicity were studied after vegetation of three winter wheat cultivars fed with different amounts of nitrogen fertilizers. The cultivars Nemchinovskaya 85, Moskovskaya 39, and Lutescens 982/08 were found to differently respond to fertilizing. Nemchinovskaya 85 and Lutescens 982/08 showed lower stress responses at higher doses of nitrogen fertilizers, while their responses were appreciable when soil nitrogen was lacking. In the case of Moskovskaya 39, higher doses of nitrogen fertilizers caused an adverse reaction of increased allelotoxin release. Stepwise nitrogen fertilization was concluded to be necessary for preventing delayed plant development in the case of this cultivar. The results confirmed that soil allelotoxicity measured growing plants can serve as an indicator of stress caused by the growth conditions and use of various agricultural techniques.

Exploring COVID-19 circuit breaker (CB) restrictions at a migrant worker dormitory in Singapore: a case study and nested mixed-method analysis of stress management and mental health

IntroductionMeasures to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak in the migrant worker dormitories in Singapore included lockdown and isolation of residents for prolonged periods. In this paper, we explore efforts to ease...

Comparing gradual debonding strategies after prolonged cow-calf contact: Stress responses, performance, and health of dairy cow and calf

We assessed effects of two-step debonding strategies in calf rearing systems with different types of prolonged cow-calf contact (CCC) on stress responses, health and performance of dairy cows and calves. Forty-eight Holstein Friesian cow-calf pairs had either: 1) full contact including suckling, where contact was reduced before weaning via fence-line separation at day 49 (FC-FS) (n = 10); 2) full contact, where contact was reduced at day 56 by fitting calves with a nose-flap (FC-NF) (n = 10); 3) partial contact (calves were housed in a pen adjacent to the cow area allowing physical contact on initiative of the dam but no suckling), where contact was reduced before weaning by moving the calf box from the wall to prevent physical contact at day 49 (PC-BW) (n = 6); 4) partial contact, where contact was reduced the week after weaning by moving the calf box away from the wall at day 63 (PC-AW) (n = 12); 5) no contact (calves were removed from dam directly after birth and housed in a calf barn), calves were weaned at day 56 (NC) (n = 10). Between weeks 7–10, we assessed physiological stress parameters, weight gain, and the health status of calves, plus general activity patterns based on accelerometer sensor data of cow-calf pairs before, during and after the debonding interventions. Additionally, calves were subjected to four consecutive behavioural tests (i.e. open field, novel object, voluntary human approach and involuntary human approach test) prior to permanent separation at day 70 and their behavioural responses were assessed via video recordings to assess fearfulness. Machine-harvested milk yields of cows were evaluated during weeks 6–12. Data were analyzed with (generalized) linear mixed models. Throughout the debonding period, FC-NF calves had an impaired growth rate (P = 0.02). In weeks 6–9, FC-FS and FC-NF cows had lower machine-harvested milk yields than PC-BW, PC-AW, and NC cows (P ≤ 0.01). We found no differences in responsiveness of calves to behavioural tests, except that NC calves exhibited more solitary play events compared to PC and FC calves in the novel object test (P = 0.002). Overall, our results imply that calves with partial CCC showed low stress responses to debonding, whereas abrupt weaning with a nose-flap during full contact seemed most stressful. Machine-harvested milk yield of FC cows seemed to recover once calves were weaned. More research into strategies to improve the process of debonding is warranted.

The involvement of abscisic acid-insensitive mutants in low phosphate stress responses during rhizosphere acidification, anthocyanin accumulation and Pi homeostasis in Arabidopsis

Phosphorus is an essential plant nutrient, used in the formation of macromolecules such as nucleic acids and phospholipids. Abscisic acid (ABA) may be involved in the process of low inorganic phosphate (Pi) responses. The phenotypes of ABA-insensitive Arabidopsis mutants (abi1/2/3/4/5) under low Pi stress were investigated to identify possible low Pi response mutant genes. The results showed enhanced rhizosphere acidification in the abi1–1/abi2–1/abi5–1 mutants under low Pi stress compared with wild-type (WT) seedlings. The abi1–1/abi2–1/ abi3–1/abi5–1 mutants accumulated less anthocyanin than the WT, while the abi4–1 mutant showed greater accumulation, implicating all the ABA-insensitive mutants in anthocyanin deposition under Pi deficiency. Alterations in the Pi contents of roots or shoots were also observed in the mutants in response to both Pi sufficiency and deficiency, indicating that the mutants were involved in Pi uptake or transportation. The primary root length and root-shoot ratio of abi3–1 and abi4–1 mutants decreased compared with WT seedlings under low Pi condition. Further research showed that ABI5 could regulate PHT1;5 and WRKY42 expression by combining with ACGT cis-acting elements of the PHT1;5 and WRKY42 promoters.

Low Holding Densities Increase Stress Response and Aggression in Zebrafish.

Simple SummaryZebrafish are used as experimental animals in labs all around the world. To ensure that the health of zebrafish is maintained at the highest level, it is important to know the optimal housing conditions of the animals, including the housing density. Guidelines for housing densities of zebrafish can then be spread and followed globally, making it possible to compare research data from different facilities. To investigate the optimal housing densities of zebrafish and to better understand how holding density affects zebrafish behaviour and physiology, we evaluated the welfare of zebrafish housed at different densities for nine weeks. We observed that fish housed at the lowest holding density of 1 fish/L stood out from the rest of the experimental fish, showing higher levels of aggression, secreting more of the stress hormone cortisol in the water, and spending more time in the top zone of the tank, possibly reflecting the fact that fish in this density were hiding more behind the floating plants. Our data indicate that zebrafish should not be kept at 1 fish/L, or lower, to ensure good welfare of the animals.With laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio) being an established and popular research model, there is a need for universal, research-based husbandry guidelines for this species, since guidelines can help promote good welfare through providing appropriate care. Despite the widespread use of zebrafish in research, it remains unclear how holding densities affect their welfare. Previous studies have mainly evaluated the effects of holding densities on a single parameter, such as growth, reproductive output, or social interactions, rather than looking at multiple welfare parameters simultaneously. Here we investigated how chronic (nine weeks) exposure to five different holding densities (1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 fish/L) affected multiple welfare indicators. We found that fish in the 1 fish/L density treatment had higher free water cortisol concentrations per fish, increased vertical distribution, and displayed aggressive behaviour more frequently than fish held at higher densities. On the other hand, density treatments had no effect on anxiety behaviour, whole-brain neurotransmitter levels, egg volume, or the proportion of fertilised eggs. Our results demonstrate that zebrafish can be held at densities between 4 and 16 fish/L without compromising their welfare. However, housing zebrafish in the density of 1 fish/L increased their stress level and aggressive behaviour.

Effects of Low Salinity on the Physiological Indices, Stress-Related Gene Expression, and Histological Changes in Phasolosma Esculenta

Acute saline stress can cause death of Phasolosma esculenta, an important aquaculture species in China. Hence, investigating the sensitivity and physiological responses of P. esculenta to saline stress is important. The molecular, physiological, and immune responses of the intestine and body wall of P. esculenta upon saline stress were investigated in this study. The mortality rate of P. esculenta increased with the decreasing salinity. The Na+/K+-ATPase and acid phosphatase activity peaked at 6 h and 12 h, respectively, in the intestine and body wall, and subsequently stabilized at a higher level than control group. Further, superoxide dismutase activity significantly decreased within 12 h and then increased slowly, while its genes expression decreased and reached its lowest level at 6 h. In the intestine and body wall of P. esculenta, saline stress induced the transcription of Heat Shock Protein-70, Heat Shock Protein-90, and ferritin, along with the enlargement and loosening of connective tissue cells. Moreover, saline stress induced a more prominent adaptive response in the intestine than body wall. This research indicated that the enzymatic system, nonenzymatic system, and gene expressions of P. esculenta changed under low saline stress and provided references for the further research on the low saline stress response in P. esculenta.

Genome-wide evolution and expression analysis of the MYB-CC gene family in Brassica spp.

The MYB-CC family is a subtype within the MYB superfamily. This family contains an MYB domain and a predicted coiled-coil (CC) domain. Several MYB-CC transcription factors are involved in the plant’s adaptability to low phosphate (Pi) stress. We identified 30, 34, and 55 MYB-CC genes in Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica napus, respectively. The MYB-CC genes were divided into nine groups based on phylogenetic analysis. The analysis of the chromosome distribution and gene structure revealed that most MYB-CC genes retained the same relative position on the chromosomes and had similar gene structures during allotetraploidy. Evolutionary analysis showed that the ancestral whole-genome triplication (WGT) and the recent allopolyploidy are critical for the expansion of the MYB-CC gene family. The expression patterns of MYB-CC genes were found to be diverse in different tissues of the three Brassica species. Furthermore, the gene expression analysis under low Pi stress revealed that MYB-CC genes may be related to low Pi stress responses. These results may increase our understanding of MYB-CC gene family diversification and provide the basis for further analysis of the specific functions of MYB-CC genes in Brassica species.

СТРЕСОРЕАКТИВНІСТЬ І СТРЕСОСТІЙКІСТЬ ТА ПСИХІЧНЕ ЗДОРОВ’Я ОСОБИСТОСТІ

Human health, as a biopsychosocial phenomenon, substantially depends on the responsiveness of an organism under certain conditions of activity and existence. Regarding a human being, the following types of responsiveness have been determined: biological or species-level responsiveness; group or constitutional responsiveness; individual physiological responsiveness; individual pathological responsiveness; specific responsiveness; non-specific responsiveness. Stress as the general adaptation syndrome and non-specific responsiveness of an organism significantly affects the physical and mental health of a personality by dint of the fight-or-flight or escape mechanisms. Concurrently, the scope of reaction related to the fight or escape is used to characterize stress responsiveness, which is genetically determined and is strictly individual. Thus, the behavioral mechanism of fight or escape preeminently refers to a constituent of unconditioned-reflex and instinctive activities of the human organism. Furthermore, phylogenetic constituents of the fight or escape mechanism are essentially supplemented by ontogenetic experience, becoming firmly established at the level of conditioned-reflex and instrumental activities. As a result, the main adaptation mechanism of stress responsiveness or mechanism of fight or escape can be viewed as a unique functional combination of inherited and acquired responses (unconditioned-reflex and conditioned-reflex reactions), which will considerably determine somatic and psychic norms as well as pathology of an organism. In its turn, stress responsiveness is tightly connected with the stress resistance of an organism. Indeed, stress resistance is an individual capability of an organism to maintain normal working efficiency under the influence of a certain stressor. Stress resistance can be enhanced with the help of learning; the essence of this learning lies in the conscious control of the activities of particular organs and systems and the behavioral activity of an organism as a whole. In psychology, stress resistance serves as the basis for successful social cooperation of a personality, which is predominantly characterized by emotional stability, as well as a low level of anxiety. Hence, stress resistance as a constituent of mental health in systemic relations with stress responsiveness contributes to the stability of homeostasis indicators with the involvement of morphological and functional reserves of an organism. In general, it is expedient to emphasize the following forms of stress responsiveness – low stress responsiveness (hypo stress responsiveness), adequate stress responsiveness (normal stress responsiveness), and increased stress responsiveness (hyper stress responsiveness). At the same time, there is a probable negative influence of both decreased and increased stress responsiveness on the constituents of mental health of a personality. In a holistic way, stress responsiveness and stress resistance of an organism significantly depend on the particularities of the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system, as well as the specifics of temperament in the corresponding systemic relations. In this respect, the two most important aspects of temperament, such as activity and emotionality (including anxiety) are distinguished. The diagnostics of stress resistance in the functional connection with stress responsiveness, along with morphological and functional reserves of an organism can include the following levels: 1) morphological level; 2) physiological level; 3) hematological level; 4) biochemical level; 5) immunological level; 6) level of the emotional sphere; 7) level of the cognitive sphere; 8) behavioral level. Psychophysiological particularities of active leisure and cognitive-behavioral therapy are aimed at the strengthening of stress resistance of an organism, as well as preservation of mental health of a personality under the corresponding conditions of activity and existence.

Coping With Urban Habitats Via Glucocorticoid Regulation: Physiology, Behavior, and Life History in Stream Fishes.

As environments become urbanized, tolerant species become more prevalent. The physiological, behavioral and life-history mechanisms associated with the success of such species in urbanized habitats are not well understood, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Here, we examined the glucocorticoid (GC) profiles, life-history traits, and behavior of two species of fish across a gradient of urbanization to understand coping capacity and associated trade-offs. We studied the tolerant live-bearing Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) for two years and the slightly less tolerant, egg-laying, Blacktail Shiner (Cyprinella venusta) for one year. We used a water-borne hormone method to examine baseline, stress-induced, and recovery cortisol release rates across six streams with differing degrees of urbanization. We also measured life-history traits related to reproduction, and for G. affinis, we measured shoaling behavior and individual activity in a novel arena. Both species showed a trend for reduced stress responsiveness in more urbanized streams, accompanied by higher reproductive output. Although not all populations fit this trend, these results suggest that GC suppression may be adaptive for coping with urban habitats. In G. affinis, GC recovery increased with urbanization, and individuals with the lowest stress response and highest recovery had the greatest reproductive allotment, suggesting that rapid return to baseline GC levels is also an important coping mechanism. In G. affinis, urban populations showed altered life-history trade-offs whereas behavioral traits did not vary systematically with urbanization. Thus, these tolerant species of fish may cope with anthropogenically modified streams by altering their GC profiles and life-history trade-offs. These results contribute to understanding the mechanisms driving species-specific adaptations and thereby community structure in freshwater systems associated with land-use converted areas.

Effect of Exercise Therapy on Stress Response Evaluated byIoMT Monitoring System.

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) system plays a role in various areas of social activity, including healthcare. Telemetry of cardiovascular function, such as blood pressure and pulse, in daily life is useful in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and stress management. However, until now, brain function monitoring technology has not been installed in the IoMT system.In this study, we used near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) installed in the IoMT system to evaluate whether consumers who are not medical experts can measure their own brain function correctly. In addition, the IoMT system was used to assess the long-term effects of physical exercise on physical and mental health.We studied a total of 119 healthy adults recruited from a fitness gym in Koriyama, Japan. After receiving instruction in the usage of the IoMT monitoring system including NIRS, the subjects monitored their physical and mental conditions by themselves when they visited the gym. We evaluated the relations between blood pressure (BP), pulse rate (PR), body weight (BW) and age. In addition, we evaluated the left/right asymmetry of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) at rest and BP. We calculated the laterality index at rest (LIR) for assessment of left/right asymmetry of PFC activity; a positive LIR (>0) indicates right-dominant PFC activity associated with higher stress responses, while a negative LIR (<0) indicates left-dominant PFC activity associated with lower stress responses. We studied 47 out of 119 cases who monitored their physiological conditions before and after physical exercise for 6 months for this study.The results showed that the systolic blood pressure and mean blood pressure (p<0.05) were significantly reduced after the physical exercise for 6 months; body weight did not change significantly (p>0.05). In addition, NIRS demonstrated that LIR changed to plus values from minus values after exercise (p<0.01).These results show that (1) consumers who are not-medical experts can measure their own brain function correctly using NIRS; (2) after long-term physical exercise, systemic blood pressure decreased, associated with modulation of PFC activity (i.e., from right-dominant PFC activity to left-dominant activity), indicating that long-term physical exercises caused relaxation in the brain and the autonomic nervous system.