Early life stress and LPS interact to modify the mouse cortical transcriptome in the neonatal period

Introduction: Preterm birth (PTB) is closely associated with atypical cerebral cortical development and cognitive impairment. Early exposure to extrauterine life often results in atypical environmental and biological experiences that co-occur, including early life stress (ELS) and systemic inflammation. Understanding how these experiences interact to shape cortical development is an essential prerequisite to developing therapeutic interventions that will work in the complex postnatal environment of the preterm infant. Here, we studied the effects of a murine model of infection and ELS on the neonatal cortex transcriptome. Methods: We used a mouse model of infection (1 ​mg/kg LPS at postnatal day (P)3) +/− ELS (modified maternal separation; MMS on days P4–P6) at timepoints with neurodevelopmental relevance to PTB. We used 4 groups: control, LPS, MMS and LPS ​+ ​MMS. Cortices were dissected at P6 for 3′RNA sequencing. Results: LPS exposure resulted in reduced weight gain and increased expression of inflammation-associated genes in the brain. More genes were differentially expressed following LPS (15) and MMS (29) than with LPS ​+ ​MMS (8). There was significant overlap between the LPS and MMS datasets, particularly amongst upregulated genes, and when comparing LPS and MMS datasets with LPS ​+ ​MMS. Gene Ontology terms related to the extracellular matrix and cytokine response were enriched following MMS, but not following LPS or LPS ​+ ​MMS. 26 Reactome pathways were enriched in the LPS group, none of which were enriched in the LPS ​+ ​MMS group. Finally, a rank-rank hypergeometric overlap test showed similarities, particularly in upregulated genes, in the LPS and MMS conditions, indicating shared mechanisms. Conclusion: LPS and MMS interact to modify the cortical transcriptome in the neonatal period. This has important implications for understanding the neural basis of atypical cortical development associated with early exposure to extrauterine life

Conformational Preferences of 3-(Dimethylazinoyl)propanoic Acid as a Function of pH and Solvent; Intermolecular versus Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding

The conformational equilibrium of 3-(dimethylazinoyl)propanoic acid (DMAPA, azinoyl = N^+(O^−) has a weak pH-dependence in D_2O, with a slight preference for trans in alkaline solutions. The acid ionization constants of the protonated amine oxide and carboxylic functional groups as determined by NMR spectroscopy were 7.9 × 10^(−4) and 6.3 × 10^(−6), respectively. The corresponding value of K_1/K_2 of 1.3 × 10^2 is not deemed large enough to provide experimental NMR evidence for a significant degree of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in D_2O. Conformational preferences of DMAPA are mostly close to statistical (gauche/trans = 2/1) in other protic solvents, e.g., alcohols. However, the un-ionized form of DMAPA appears to be strongly intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded and gauche in aprotic solvents

Reconstructing Salmon Abundance in Rivers: An Initial Dendrochronological Evaluation

Decision-makers concerned with salmon or their stream habitats are faced with many persistent, difficult questions including: how large and variable were these populations before European settlement? Here, we examine the feasibility of reconstructing salmon abundance using links between marine nutrients carried upstream by Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) and growth of dominant riparian trees in two Alaskan systems. We employ standard dendrochronology methods and regression models to quantify relationships between annual tree-ring growth, salmon escapement, and the climate pattern that affects oceanic production of Northeast Pacific salmon stocks, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). We find that known, annual salmon escapement is significantly related to tree-ring growth at two sites in the Pacific coastal rainforest (PCRF) (r2 = 0.23, P \u3c 0.05 at each site), but not at two sites in the boreal forest. We then use relationships established at PCRF sites to reconstruct preliminary salmon spawning abundances to 1820 A.D. The PDO was not correlated with local 19-yr salmon escapement records and could not be used in re­constructions. Reconstructions compare favorably to southeastern Alaska fisheries catch data from 1924 to 1994 (Pearson correlation = 0.301 [P = 0.02] and 0.401 [P \u3c 0.01]). This study demonstrates the promise and utility of dendrochronology for reconstructing salmon returns to streams

Calculations of polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities for the Be+^+ ion

The polarizabilities and hyperpolarizabilities of the Be$^+$ ion in the $2^2S$ state and the $2^2P$ state are determined. Calculations are performed using two independent methods: i) variationally determined wave functions using Hylleraas basis set expansions and ii) single electron calculations utilizing a frozen-core Hamiltonian. The first few parameters in the long-range interaction potential between a Be$^+$ ion and a H, He, or Li atom, and the leading parameters of the effective potential for the high-$L$ Rydberg states of beryllium were also computed. All the values reported are the results of calculations close to convergence. Comparisons are made with published results where available.Comment: 18 pp; added details to Sec. I

How fluent is the fluent speech of people who stutter? A new approach to measuring kinematics with ultrasound

AM deposited 2020-06-22We present a new approach to the investigation of dynamic ultrasound tongue imaging (UTI) data, applied here to analyse the subtle aspects of the fluency of people who stutter (PWS). Fluent productions of CV syllables (C = /k/; V = /, i, /) from three PWS and three control speakers (PNS) were analysed for duration and peak velocity relative to articulatory movement towards (onset) and away from (offset) the consonantal closure. The objective was to apply a replicable methodology for kinematic investigation to speech of PWS in order to test Wingate's Fault-Line hypothesis. As was hypothesised, results show comparable onset behaviours for both groups. Regarding offsets, groups differ in peak velocity. Results suggest that PWS do not struggle initiating consonantal closure (onset). In transition from consonantal closure into the vowel, however, groups appear to employ different strategies expressed in increased variation (PNS) versus decreased mean peak velocity (PWS).casl30pub4219pub3-

The Effects of Video Instruction Versus Verbal Instruction on High Intensity Interval Exercise Performance: A Pilot Analysis

It has been indicated that music and motivational videos can have a positive impact on high-intensity treadmill performance in trained athletes. It has also been shown that live or recorded video exercise instructions have an overall positive effect on exercise performance accuracy in upper extremity exercises compared to written or verbal instructions in adults with no shoulder pathologies. It is unclear whether exercise instructions given via a home workout video has any effects on non-equipment based high-intensity interval exercise performance. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercising along with pre-recorded video instructions positively impacts overall exercise performance in a single bout of Tabata exercise compared to verbal and handout instructions alone. Methods: In this cross-over design, 8 (2F; 6M) sedentary, college-aged (171.5±40.7 lbs; 67.6±3in; 21.3±1.5yrs) individuals participated in two randomized intervention groups: 1) Tabata with video instructions on a computer screen (V) and 2) Tabata without video instruction (NV). The Tabata workout consisted of five total sessions. Each session was composed of two rounds, with each round containing four exercises each lasting 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest. Following the completion of a session, participants were given a 60 second rest period. The total duration of the exercise was 25 minutes. During the recovery period, the participants’ heart rate (HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded. Prior(pre) and immediately following the completion of exercise(post), participants were given the felt arousal scale (FAS) and the 10-centimeter visual analog fatigue scale (FS) to assess participants arousal and overall fatigue. Significant differences (p\u3c0.05) for average RPE for each trial along with the pre and post FAS and FS for each trial was determined using a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Significant differences between HR were analyzed using a Student\u27s T-test (p\u3c0.05). Results: The results of the dependent samples Wilcoxon test did not reveal any significant differences between NVFASPre and VFASpre (p=0.783), NVFASpost and VFASpost (p=0.71), NVFSpre and VFSpre (p=.401), NVFSpost and VFSpost (p=0.401) and NVRPE and VRPE (p=0.779). The student\u27s t-test also did not reveal any significant differences between NVHR and VHR (174.3 ± 18.4 & 174.3 ± 13.2 BPM; p=.359). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that there was no significant difference in exercise performance, arousal, intensity, and fatigue between instructions given visually or verbally. However, the preference of the participants for instruction was verbal rather than visual. Comments from the participants included that the person demonstrating the exercises in the video reduced their self-efficacy, because they could not keep up. Limitations of this study were the small sample size, not counting the number of repetitions for each exercise, and population of the participants. Future research should address these limitations

Workshop on Mars Sample Return Science

Martian magnetic history; quarantine issues; surface modifying processes; climate and atmosphere; sampling sites and strategies; and life sciences were among the topics discussed

Spitzer Secondary Eclipses of the Dense, Modestly-irradiated, Giant Exoplanet HAT-P-20b Using Pixel-Level Decorrelation

HAT-P-20b is a giant exoplanet that orbits a metal-rich star. The planet itself has a high total density, suggesting that it may also have a high metallicity in its atmosphere. We analyze two eclipses of the planet in each of the 3.6- and 4.5 micron bands of Warm Spitzer. These data exhibit intra-pixel detector sensitivity fluctuations that were resistant to traditional decorrelation methods. We have developed a simple, powerful, and radically different method to correct the intra-pixel effect for Warm Spitzer data, which we call pixel-level decorrelation (PLD). PLD corrects the intra-pixel effect very effectively, but without explicitly using - or even measuring - the fluctuations in the apparent position of the stellar image. We illustrate and validate PLD using synthetic and real data, and comparing the results to previous analyses. PLD can significantly reduce or eliminate red noise in Spitzer secondary eclipse photometry, even for eclipses that have proven to be intractable using other methods. Our successful PLD analysis of four HAT-P-20b eclipses shows a best-fit blackbody temperature of 1134 +/-29K, indicating inefficient longitudinal transfer of heat, but lacking evidence for strong molecular absorption. We find sufficient evidence for variability in the 4.5 micron band that the eclipses should be monitored at that wavelength by Spitzer, and this planet should be a high priority for JWST spectroscopy. All four eclipses occur about 35 minutes after orbital phase 0.5, indicating a slightly eccentric orbit. A joint fit of the eclipse and transit times with extant RV data yields e(cos{omega}) = 0.01352 (+0.00054, -0.00057), and establishes the small eccentricity of the orbit to high statistical confidence. Given the existence of a bound stellar companion, HAT-P-20b is another excellent candidate for orbital evolution via Kozai migration or other three-body mechanism.Comment: version published in ApJ, minor text and figure revision

Toward Eclipse Mapping of Hot Jupiters

Recent Spitzer infrared measurements of hot Jupiter eclipses suggest that eclipse mapping techniques could be used to spatially resolve the day-side photospheric emission of these planets using partial occultations. As a first step in this direction, we simulate ingress/egress lightcurves for the three brightest known eclipsing hot Jupiters and evaluate the degree to which parameterized photospheric emission models can be distinguished from each other with repeated, noisy eclipse measurements. We find that the photometric accuracy of Spitzer is insufficient to use this tool effectively. On the other hand, the level of photospheric details that could be probed with a few JWST eclipse measurements could greatly inform hot Jupiter atmospheric modeling efforts. A JWST program focused on non-parametric eclipse map inversions for hot Jupiters should be actively considered.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in Ap