Substance P regulates puberty onset and fertility in the female mouse

Puberty is a tightly regulated process that leads to reproductive capacity. Kiss1 neurons are crucial in this process by stimulating GnRH, yet how Kiss1 neurons are regulated remains unknown. Substance P (SP), an important neuropeptide in pain perception, induces gonadotropin release in adult mice in a kisspeptin-dependent manner. Here, we assessed whether SP, through binding to its receptor NK1R (neurokinin 1 receptor), participates in the timing of puberty onset and fertility in the mouse. We observed that 1) selective NK1R agonists induce gonadotropin release in prepubertal females; 2) the expression of Tac1 (encoding SP) and Tacr1 (NK1R) in the arcuate nucleus is maximal before puberty, suggesting increased SP tone; 3) repeated exposure to NK1R agonists prepubertally advances puberty onset; and 4) female Tac1-/- mice display delayed puberty; moreover, 5) SP deficiency leads to subfertility in females, showing fewer corpora lutea and antral follicles and leading to decreased litter size. Thus, our findings support a role for SP in the stimulation of gonadotropins before puberty, acting via Kiss1 neurons to stimulate GnRH release, and its involvement in the attainment of full reproductive capabilities in female mice. Copyright © 2015 by the Endocrine Society

Thin-film plate polarizer with Fabry-Perot filter design

A thin-film plate polarizer with a polarization ratio T/Ts> 1000 for single laser wavelengths can be realized if a Fabry-Perot filter is used. The spectral width of the polarization region of the filter polarizer is smaller than that of the usual long-wave pass filter, but there are not the practical difficulties of depositing multilayer systems with a large number of layers having nonquarter-wave thicknesses. For theoretical analysis, the principle of equivalent layer is extended to the Fabry-Perot design. Experimental results of the Fabry-Perot filter polarizer for different laser wavelengths, and with different coating materials, are presented

Shift-free narrowband filters for the UV-B region

Monitoring of stratospherical ozone depletion by filter rediometers calls for narrowband filters with outstanding parameters. At filter wavelengths down to 300 nm narrow bandwidth, high peak transmittance together with high out-of-band blocking especially at longer wavelength are demanded. Furthermore, filters have to be completely free of wavelength shift caused by humidity. Conventional interference filters suffer from such shift because of the water sorption of the evaporated layers. By using plasma ion assisted deposition (Advanced Plasma Source - APS, Leybold) of zirconia and silicia layers we succeeded in manufacturing blocked two-cavity filters with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 1.7 nm and peak transmittance of 17 per cent at the center wavelength in the UV-B region. Outside the transmission band from UV to NIR (>= 1000 nm) optical density is at least 6. There was no decrease in wavelength of such filters (without hermetisation) by changing relative humidity from 100 per cent to 0 per cent. Corresponding conventional filters shifted 4.5 nm under the same conditions. The filter performance achieved allows use for the development of sensitive and specific instrumentation for environmental, climate, and meterological research

Microstructured multilayer dielectric coatings with binary optical functions

Micropatterned interference filters have been developed by dry etching of dielectric multilayer stacks. Apart from the optical demands on the conventional filter design there are new requirements originating from the pattening process, which has to be stopped at the interface between two layers. In this paper the fundamental problems associated with the design and the development of micropatterned multilayer dielectric stacks are discussed. Details of the production of a two-stage filterarray are described and experimental results are presented

Micropatterned multilayer dielectric filters with two spectral characteristics

Micropatterned interference filters are developed by dry etching of dielectric multilayer stacks. The application of reactive-ion etching (RIE) techniques combined with the use of an etchstop layer are shown to be quite effective in producing two-stage micropatterns with defined spectral properties. By using a MgF2 underlayer the etching of TiO2 and Si02 layers is stopped exactly. Which provides the possibility to develop large area patterns (>lxl cm2) with feature sizes as small as 10 mu m. The distortion of edge features is shown to be better than 1 mu m. A filter array was developed providing high-reflection and antireflection coatings within a period of 20 mu m

Identification of gene networks modulated by activin in LßT2 cells using DNA microarray analysis

Activins, members of the TGFß family of proteins, are widely expressed in a variety of tissues. First identified based on their ability to regulate biosynthesis and secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), activins have also been shown to modulate development, cell growth, apoptosis, and inflammation. Despite their many known functions, the precise mechanisms and downstream signaling pathways by which activins mediate their diverse effects remain unknown. We have used a DNA microarray assay to identify genes that are regulated by activin, alone or in combination with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), another major regulator of FSH, in a murine gonadotrope-derived cell line (LßT2). We used mRNA from these cells to screen Affymetrix Mu74av2 mouse Gene Chip oligonucleotide microarrays, representing approximately 12,400 mouse genes. Treatment of LßT2 cells with activin A, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHA) or activin A plus GnRHA resulted in alterations in levels of gene expression that ranged in magnitude from 15 to 67-fold. Data analysis identified 268 transcripts that were up- or down-regulated by twofold or more. Distinct sets of genes were affected by treatment with activin, GnRHA and activin plus GnRHA, suggesting interactions between activin and GnRHA. Changes in expression of seven randomly selected representative genes identified by the microarray technique were confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR and semi-quantitative reverse transcription/PCR (RT/PCR). Modulation of expression of genes by activin suggests that activin may mediate its effects through a variety of signaling pathways

Influence of substrate cleaning on LIDT of 355 nm HR coatings

An advanced high-purity reactive e-beam evaporation process was used to deposit Al2O3/SiO2 HR coatings for 355 nm (Nd: YAG third harmonic) high-power laser applications. Both 1:1 an R:1, 6 ns pulse width, laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) tests for normal (0 deg) and non-normal (45 deg) incident designs were performed to study the influence of quartz substrate cleaning. Damage test results indicate very high LIDT values on clean substrates. Some tested points have R:1 LIDT above 20 J/cm2. Post-cleaning of coated substrates degrades LIDT

IAD of oxide coatings at low temperature: a comparison of processes based on different ion sources

A comparative study of different ion and plasma assisted physical vapor deposition processes at low temperature is reported. To work out a clear comparison of the different processes, the object of the study are single layers of different metal oxides like Ta2O5, TiO2, SiO2 and mixed oxides like H4 (Merck) deposited on glass and silicon substrates. Three different types of ion- (or plasma-respectively) sources are used: the cold cathode ion source from Denton (CC 104), the end hall ion source Mark II from CSC and the advanced plasma source from Leybold. Each of these processes is run under conditions concerning process parameters like bias, ion current, ion energy, beam characteristics and gas flow, which were understood to be optimized also to maintain long-term stability as realistic production conditions. The resulting metal oxide single layers are characterized by their optical properties, dispersion curves for NUV and VIS as well as absorption and scatter at discrete wavelengths. Also discussed are mechanical properties like hardness and adherence. A test method is presented which clearly shows the superior behavior of the IAD coatings

Central precocious puberty caused by mutations in the imprinted gene MKRN3

Background: The onset of puberty is first detected as an increase in pulsatile secretion of gonado-tropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Early activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis results in central precocious puberty. The timing of pubertal development is driven in part by genetic factors, but only a few, rare molecular defects associated with central precocious puberty have been identified. Methods: We performed whole-exome sequencing in 40 members of 15 families with central precocious puberty. Candidate variants were confirmed with Sanger sequencing. We also performed quantitative real-time polymerase-chain-reaction assays to determine levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) in the hypothalami of mice at different ages. Results: We identified four novel heterozygous mutations in MKRN3, the gene encoding makorin RING-finger protein 3, in 5 of the 15 families; both sexes were affected. The mutations included three frameshift mutations, predicted to encode truncated proteins, and one missense mutation, predicted to disrupt protein function. MKRN3 is a paternally expressed, imprinted gene located in the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region (chromosome 15q11-q13). All affected persons inherited the mutations from their fathers, a finding that indicates perfect segregation with the mode of inheritance expected for an imprinted gene. Levels of Mkrn3 mRNA were high in the arcuate nucleus of prepubertal mice, decreased immediately before puberty, and remained low after puberty. Conclusions: Deficiency of MKRN3 causes central precocious puberty in humans. Copyright © 2013 Massachusetts Medical Society