Claims-making as Social Science: a Review of Environmental Values in American Culture, by Willett Kempton, James S. Boster, and Jennifer A. Hartley; Cambridge, Mass : The MIT Press, 1995

Claims-making as Social Science: a Review of Environmental Values in American Culture, by Willett Kempton, James S. Boster, and Jennifer A. Hartley; Cambridge, Mass : The MIT Press 1995. xii, 226 pp., 4 appendices. Reviewed by Thomas Greider, Associate Professor of Community and Environmental Sociology University of Kentucky

Short Telomeres in Hatchling Snakes: Erythrocyte Telomere Dynamics and Longevity in Tropical Pythons

Telomere length (TL) has been found to be associated with life span in birds and humans. However, other studies have demonstrated that TL does not affect survival among old humans. Furthermore, replicative senescence has been shown to be induced by changes in the protected status of the telomeres rather than the loss of TL. In the present study we explore whether age- and sex-specific telomere dynamics affect life span in a long-lived snake, the water python (Liasis fuscus)

Permanent embryo arrest: molecular and cellular concepts

Developmental arrest is one of the mechanisms responsible for the elevated levels of embryo demise during the first week of in vitro development. Approximately 10–15% of IVF embryos permanently arrest in mitosis at the 2- to 4-cell cleavage stage showing no indication of apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in this process and must be controlled in order to optimize embryo production. A stress sensor that can provide a key understanding of permanent cell cycle arrest and link ROS with cellular signaling pathway(s) is p66Shc, an adaptor protein for apoptotic-response to oxidative stress. Deletion of the p66Shc gene in mice results in extended lifespan, which is linked to their enhanced resistance to oxidative stress and reduced levels of apoptosis. p66Shc has been shown to generate mitochondrial H2O2 to trigger apoptosis, but may also serve as an integration point for many signaling pathways that affect mitochondrial function. We have detected elevated levels of p66Shc and ROS within arrested embryos and believe that p66Shc plays a central role in regulating permanent embryo arrest. In this paper, we review the cellular and molecular aspects of permanent embryo arrest and speculate on the mechanism(s) and etiology of this method of embryo demise

Healthy aging and disease: role for telomere biology?

Aging is a biological process that affects most cells, organisms and species. Human aging is associated with increased susceptibility to a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, neurological diseases and cancer. Despite the remarkable progress made during the last two decades, our understanding of the biology of aging remains incomplete. Telomere biology has recently emerged as an important player in the aging and disease process

Validation of human telomere length multi-ancestry meta-analysis association signals identifies POP5 and KBTBD6 as human telomere length regulation genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become well-powered to detect loci associated with telomere length. However, no prior work has validated genes nominated by GWAS to examine their role in telomere length regulation. We conducted a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of 211,369 individuals and identified five novel association signals. Enrichment analyses of chromatin state and cell-type heritability suggested that blood/immune cells are the most relevant cell type to examine telomere length association signals. We validated specific GWAS associations by overexpressing KBTBD6 or POP5 and demonstrated that both lengthened telomeres. CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of the predicted causal regions in K562 blood cells reduced expression of these genes, demonstrating that these loci are related to transcriptional regulation of KBTBD6 and POP5. Our results demonstrate the utility of telomere length GWAS in the identification of telomere length regulation mechanisms and validate KBTBD6 and POP5 as genes affecting telomere length regulation

Validation of Human Telomere Length Multi-Ancestry Meta-Analysis Association Signals Identifies POP5 and KBTBD6 as Human Telomere Length Regulation Genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have become well-powered to detect loci associated with telomere length. However, no prior work has validated genes nominated by GWAS to examine their role in telomere length regulation. We conducted a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of 211,369 individuals and identified five novel association signals. Enrichment analyses of chromatin state and cell-type heritability suggested that blood/immune cells are the most relevant cell type to examine telomere length association signals. We validated specific GWAS associations by overexpressing KBTBD6 or POP5 and demonstrated that both lengthened telomeres. CRISPR/Cas9 deletion of the predicted causal regions in K562 blood cells reduced expression of these genes, demonstrating that these loci are related to transcriptional regulation of KBTBD6 and POP5. Our results demonstrate the utility of telomere length GWAS in the identification of telomere length regulation mechanisms and validate KBTBD6 and POP5 as genes affecting telomere length regulation

Agricultural Information Worldwide, vol. 4, no. 2, 2011

Agricultural Information Worldwide, Volume 4, Number 2, 2011In this issue: FROM THE EDITORS DESK / Toni Greider (57). ARTICLES: Researcher Attitudes and Behaviour Towards the 'Openness' of Research Outputs in Agriculture and Related Fields [Article and Abstract], Attitudes et comportement des chercheurs : vers la « franchise » des résultats de la recherche en agriculture et domaines relatifs [Resumé], Actitudes y comportamiento de los investigadores: Hacia la ‘abertura’ de los resultados de investigación en la agricultura y campos relacionados [Resumen] / Philip Edge, Franz Martin, Stephen Rudgard, Nadia Manning Thomas (59); Beyond Agricultural Information Access--Shared Learning Experiences in Solomon Islands [Article and Abstract], Au-delà de l'accès à l'information agricole – des experiences d'apprentissage p artagées dans les Iles Salomon [Resumé], Más allá del acceso a la información agrícola –experiencias de aprendizaje compartidas en las Islas Salomón [Resumen] / Peter Walton (70); Why and How to Build an International Information Alliance Like SIDALC? The road travelled by Latin America [Article and Abstract], Pourquoi et comment construire une alliance internationale d'information comme l e SIDALC ? La route prise par l'Amérique latine et les Antilles [Resumé], ¿Por qué y cómo construir una alianza internacional de información como SIDALC? El camino recorrido por América Latina y el Caribe [Resumen] / Federico Sancho (75); Nigerian Rural Youths’ Utilization of Agricultural Information on Selected Arable Crops: Empirical Evidence [Article and Abstract], Utilisation d'information agricole destinée aux exploitations agricoles chez les jeunes ruraux du Nigeria : démonstration empirique [Resumé], Uso de Información Agrícola sobre Cultivos de Labranza Selectos por Jóvenes Nigerianos en Zonas Rurales: Evidencia Empírica [Resumen] / Olumuyiwa Akin Olaniyi, Jacob Gbemiga Adewale (81). NEWS FROM IAALD: IAALD: Your Professional Connection to the Virtual World / Toni Greider (88); IAALD Africa Holds Its Third Conference / Toni Greider (91); IAALD Election Results / IAALD Editor (92