Nuclear lifetime of states in ⁹⁴Tc and ⁹⁶Tc via the pulsed-beam, direct-timing technique

This article discusses nuclear lifetime of states in ⁹⁴TC and ⁹⁶TC via the pulsed-beam, direct-timing technique

Mutation in Folate Metabolism Causes Epigenetic Instability and Transgenerational Effects on Development

SummaryThe importance of maternal folate consumption for normal development is well established, yet the molecular mechanism linking folate metabolism to development remains poorly understood. The enzyme methionine synthase reductase (Mtrr) is necessary for utilization of methyl groups from the folate cycle. We found that a hypomorphic mutation of the mouse Mtrr gene results in intrauterine growth restriction, developmental delay, and congenital malformations, including neural tube, heart, and placental defects. Importantly, these defects were dependent upon the Mtrr genotypes of the maternal grandparents. Furthermore, we observed widespread epigenetic instability associated with altered gene expression in the placentas of wild-type grandprogeny of Mtrr-deficient maternal grandparents. Embryo transfer experiments revealed that Mtrr deficiency in mice lead to two distinct, separable phenotypes: adverse effects on their wild-type daughters’ uterine environment, leading to growth defects in wild-type grandprogeny, and the appearance of congenital malformations independent of maternal environment that persist for five generations, likely through transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.PaperFlic

A pair production telescope for medium-energy gamma-ray polarimetry

We describe the science motivation and development of a pair production telescope for medium-energy (∼5–200 MeV) gamma-ray polarimetry. Our instrument concept, the Advanced Energetic Pair Telescope (AdEPT), takes advantage of the Three-Dimensional Track Imager, a low-density gaseous time projection chamber, to achieve angular resolution within a factor of two of the pair production kinematics limit (∼0.6° at 70 MeV), continuum sensitivity comparable with the Fermi-LAT front detector (<3 × 10−6 MeV cm−2 s−1 at 70 MeV), and minimum detectable polarization less than 10% for a 10 mCrab source in 106 s.submittedVersionFil: Hunter, Stanley D. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Bloser, Peter F. University of New Hampshire. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Space Science Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Depaola, Gerardo Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Dion, Michael P. Department of Energy. Office of Science. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: DeNolfo, Georgia A. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Hanu, Andrei. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Iparraguirre, Lorenzo Marcos. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Legere, Jason. University of New Hampshire. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Space Science Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Longo, Francesco. Università Degli Studi de Trieste. Dipartimento di fisica; Italia.Fil: McConnell, Mark L. University of New Hampshire. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Space Science Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Nowicki, Suzanne F. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Nowicki, Suzanne F. University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Department of Physics; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Ryan, James M. University of New Hampshire. Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space. Space Science Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Son, Seunghee. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Son, Seunghee. University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Department of Physics; Estados Unidos de América.Fil: Stecker, Floyd W. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Goddard Space Flight Center; Estados Unidos de América.Física de Partículas y Campo

Ageism and sexuality

Sexuality remains important throughout a person’s life, but sexual behavior does not receive the same levels of acceptance at all ages. Older people are challenged by ageist attitudes and perceptions that hinder their sexual expression. They are stereotyped as non-sexual beings who should not, cannot, and do not want to have sexual relationships. Expressing sexuality or engaging in sexual activity in later life is considered by many in society as immoral or perverted. False expectations for older people also stem from ideals of beauty, centralization of the biomedical perspective on sexuality of older adults, and the association of sex with reproduction. Unfortunately, older people internalize many ageist attitudes towards sexuality in later life and become less interested in sex and less sexually active. The following chapter explores attitudes towards sexuality in later life among the media, young people, older people themselves, and care providers. In order to enable older people to express their sexuality and sexual identity freely and fully, awareness of ageist perceptions must be raised and defeated

A genome-wide association study of anorexia nervosa suggests a risk locus implicated in dysregulated leptin signaling

J. Kaprio, A. Palotie, A. Raevuori-Helkamaa ja S. Ripatti ovat työryhmän Eating Disorders Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium jäseniä. Erratum in: Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 21;7(1):8379, doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-06409-3We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of anorexia nervosa (AN) using a stringently defined phenotype. Analysis of phenotypic variability led to the identification of a specific genetic risk factor that approached genome-wide significance (rs929626 in EBF1 (Early B-Cell Factor 1); P = 2.04 x 10(-7); OR = 0.7; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.61-0.8) with independent replication (P = 0.04), suggesting a variant-mediated dysregulation of leptin signaling may play a role in AN. Multiple SNPs in LD with the variant support the nominal association. This demonstrates that although the clinical and etiologic heterogeneity of AN is universally recognized, further careful sub-typing of cases may provide more precise genomic signals. In this study, through a refinement of the phenotype spectrum of AN, we present a replicable GWAS signal that is nominally associated with AN, highlighting a potentially important candidate locus for further investigation.Peer reviewe

Aged Mouse Hippocampus Exhibits Signs of Chronic Hypoxia and an Impaired HIF-Controlled Response to Acute Hypoxic Exposures

Altered hypoxia-inducible factor-alpha (HIF-&alpha;) activity may have significant consequences in the hippocampus, which mediates declarative memory, has limited vascularization, and is vulnerable to hypoxic insults. Previous studies have reported that neurovascular coupling is reduced in aged brains and that diseases which cause hypoxia increase with age, which may render the hippocampus susceptible to acute hypoxia. Most studies have investigated the actions of HIF-&alpha; in aging cortical structures, but few have focused on the role of HIF-&alpha; within aged hippocampus. This study tests the hypothesis that aging is associated with impaired hippocampal HIF-&alpha; activity. Dorsal hippocampal sections from mice aged 3, 9, 18, and 24 months were probed for the presence of HIF-&alpha; isoforms or their associated gene products using immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in situ hybridization (fISH). A subset of each age was exposed to acute hypoxia (8% oxygen) for 3 h to investigate changes in the responsiveness of HIF-&alpha; to hypoxia. Basal mean intensity of fluorescently labeled HIF-1&alpha; protein increases with age in the hippocampus, whereas HIF-2&alpha; intensity only increases in the 24-month group. Acute hypoxic elevation of HIF-1&alpha; is lost with aging and is reversed in the 24-month group. fISH reveals that glycolytic genes induced by HIF-1&alpha; (lactose dehydrogenase-a, phosphoglycerate kinase 1, and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1) are lower in aged hippocampus than in 3-month hippocampus, and mRNA for monocarboxylate transporter 1, a lactose transporter, increases. These results indicate that lactate, used in neurotransmission, may be limited in aged hippocampus, concurrent with impaired HIF-&alpha; response to hypoxic events. Therefore, impaired HIF-&alpha; may contribute to age-associated cognitive decline during hypoxic events