Comparing the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with an acute bout of interactive mental and physical exercise on electrophysiology and executive functioning in younger and older adults

Background Physical exercise has been shown to improve cognitive and neural functioning in older adults. Aims and methods The current study compared the effects of an acute bout of physical exercise with a bout of interactive mental and physical exercise (i.e., “exergaming”) on executive (Stroop) task performance and event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes in younger and older adults. Results Results revealed enhanced executive task performance in younger and older adults after exercise, with no differences in performance between exercise conditions. Stroop (RT) performance in older adults improved more than in younger adults from pre- to post-exercise. A significant increase in EEG amplitude from pre- to post-exercise was found at the Cz site from 320 to 700 ms post-stimulus for both younger and older adults, with older adults demonstrating a larger Stroop interference effect. While younger adults exhibited overall greater EEG amplitudes than older adults, they showed no differences between congruent and incongruent trials (i.e., minimal interference). Compared to peers with higher BMI (body mass index), older adults with lower BMI showed a greater reduction in Stroop interference effects from pre- to post-exercise. Discussion and conclusions The beneficial effects of an acute bout of physical exercise on cognitive and neural functioning in younger and older adults were confirmed, with no difference between standard exercise and exergaming. Findings suggest that BMI, sometimes used as a proxy for fitness level, may modulate benefits that older adults derive from an acute bout of exercise. Findings have implications for future research that seeks to investigate unique effects of exergaming when compared to standard physical exercise

TP53-inducible Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) Metabolically Reprograms Carcinoma and Stromal Cells in Breast Cancer.

A subgroup of breast cancers has several metabolic compartments. The mechanisms by which metabolic compartmentalization develop in tumors are poorly characterized. TP53 inducible glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) is a bisphosphatase that reduces glycolysis and is highly expressed in carcinoma cells in the majority of human breast cancers. Hence we set out to determine the effects of TIGAR expression on breast carcinoma and fibroblast glycolytic phenotype and tumor growth. The overexpression of this bisphosphatase in carcinoma cells induces expression of enzymes and transporters involved in the catabolism of lactate and glutamine. Carcinoma cells overexpressing TIGAR have higher oxygen consumption rates and ATP levels when exposed to glutamine, lactate, or the combination of glutamine and lactate. Coculture of TIGAR overexpressing carcinoma cells and fibroblasts compared with control cocultures induce more pronounced glycolytic differences between carcinoma and fibroblast cells. Carcinoma cells overexpressing TIGAR have reduced glucose uptake and lactate production. Conversely, fibroblasts in coculture with TIGAR overexpressing carcinoma cells induce HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) activation with increased glucose uptake, increased 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase-3 (PFKFB3), and lactate dehydrogenase-A expression. We also studied the effect of this enzyme on tumor growth. TIGAR overexpression in carcinoma cells increases tumor growth in vivo with increased proliferation rates. However, a catalytically inactive variant of TIGAR did not induce tumor growth. Therefore, TIGAR expression in breast carcinoma cells promotes metabolic compartmentalization and tumor growth with a mitochondrial metabolic phenotype with lactate and glutamine catabolism. Targeting TIGAR warrants consideration as a potential therapy for breast cancer

Quasar Candidates in the Hubble Deep Field

We focus on the search for unresolved faint quasars and AGN in the crude combine images using a multicolor imaging analysis that has proven very successful in recent years. Quasar selection was carried out both in multicolor space and in "profile space," defined as the multi-parameter space formed by the radial profiles of the objects in the different images. By combining the dither frames available for each filter, we were able to obtain well-sampled radial profiles of the objects and measure their deviation from that of a stellar source. We also generated synthetic quasar spectra in the range 1.0 < z < 5.5 and computed expected quasar colors. We determined that the data are 90% complete for point sources at 26.2, 28.0, 27.8, 26.8 in the F300W, F450W, F606W and F814W filters, respectively. We find 41 compact objects in the HDF: 8 pointlike objects with colors consistent with quasars or stars, 18 stars, and 15 slightly resolved objects, 12 of which have colors consistent with quasars or stars. We estimate the upper limit of unresolved and slightly resolved quasars/AGNs with V < 27.0 and z < 3.5 to be 20 objects (16,200 per deg^2). We find good agreement among authors on the number of stars and the lack of quasar candidates with z > 3.5. We find more quasar candidates than previous work because of our more extensive modeling and use of all of the available color information. (abridged)Comment: We have clarified our discussion and conclusions, added some references and removed the appendix, which is now available from the first author. 37 pages including 10 embedded postscript figures and 6 tables. To appear in the Feb. 99 issue of A

Aromatic Features in AGN: Star-Forming Infrared Luminosity Function of AGN Host Galaxies

We describe observations of aromatic features at 7.7 and 11.3 um in AGN of three types including PG, 2MASS and 3CR objects. The feature has been demonstrated to originate predominantly from star formation. Based on the aromatic-derived star forming luminosity, we find that the far-IR emission of AGN can be dominated by either star formation or nuclear emission; the average contribution from star formation is around 25% at 70 and 160 um. The star-forming infrared luminosity functions of the three types of AGN are flatter than that of field galaxies, implying nuclear activity and star formation tend to be enhanced together. The star-forming luminosity function is also a function of the strength of nuclear activity from normal galaxies to the bright quasars, with luminosity functions becoming flatter for more intense nuclear activity. Different types of AGN show different distributions in the level of star formation activity, with 2MASS> PG> 3CR star formation rates.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 24 pages, 13 figure

Effects of urease and nitrification inhibitors on yields and emissions in grassland and spring barley

We thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Grant No. 11/S/138), the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Initiative for Ireland (Grant No. 10/RD/SC/716), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland and the Walsh Fellowship Scheme for the funding provide to Ms Mary Harty and Ms Leanne Roche.Conference paper presented to the International Fertiliser Society at a Conference in Cambridge, United Kingdom, on 9th December 2016.In trials conducted in the temperate maritime climate of Ireland on a range of acidic soils, calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) and urea gave comparable yield performance. There was little evidence of reduced yields by using urea for grassland or spring barley. Our finding that urea produced annual yields that were not significantly different from CAN differs from previous studies which found that yields from urea were lower than those from ammonium nitrate or nitrate based fertiliser in the UK. However, there are also published results from trials conducted in temperate Irish grassland showing equal yield performance of CAN and urea in the 1970s. Based on yield performance and the cost of fertiliser there is scope to dramatically increase the level of urea usage in straight and blended fertilisers in the temperate maritime climate of Ireland in both grassland and spring barley. Such an increase will bring substantial benefits in terms of reducing direct nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from fertiliser applied to soil, particularly in poorly draining soils subject to high levels of precipitation. Nitrogen recovery by plants tends to be more sensitive to differences in fertiliser efficiency than is yield. Although yields did not differ between urea and CAN; urea had a lower nitrogen recovery indicating that urea usage will also result in a reduced level of fertiliser use efficiency. Reduced efficiency is less tangible to farmers who tend to be primarily concerned with dependable yield results. Reduced efficiency is a problem nonetheless, particularly as it is closely linked to NH3 emissions in urea usage. European countries including Ireland have committed to reduce national NH3 emissions to comply with the revised National Emission Ceilings Directive (2001/81/EC) in Europe. Increased urea usage, which looks attractive from a yield, cost and direct N2O perspective in Ireland, runs counter to meeting these commitments. Additionally, NH3 is a source of indirect N2O emissions that will negate some of the N2O savings from urea. Due to the issues of yield dependability, fertiliser efficiency, N2O and NH3 emissions the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) is a particularly attractive option for making urea use more efficient by addressing its key weakness in the area of variable NH3 loss and efficiency. The urease inhibitor NBPT along with the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) were tested with urea in comparison with calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). The nitrification inhibitor DCD was very effective in reducing fertiliser N associated N2O emissions. Indeed, its usage allowed N2O levels to be reduced to levels comparable to where no application of N fertiliser was made at some site-years. However, at the DCD incorporation rate tested, DCD contributed to variability in NH3 loss from urea and suppressed both yield response and fertiliser efficiency. Use of the urease inhibitor NBPT in addition to DCD went a substantial way to resolving these shortcomings. Continuing work is needed to tailor the rate of existing and new urease and nitrification inhibitors to optimise the balance between suppression of gaseous N emissions, agronomic performance and economic considerations.We thank the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Grant No. 11/S/138), the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Initiative for Ireland (Grant No. 10/RD/SC/716), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland and the Walsh Fellowship Scheme for the funding provide to Ms Mary Harty and Ms Leanne Roche

TP53-inducible Glycolysis and Apoptosis Regulator (TIGAR) Metabolically Reprograms Carcinoma and Stromal Cells in Breast Cancer

A subgroup of breast cancers has several metabolic compartments. The mechanisms by which metabolic compartmentalization develop in tumors are poorly characterized. TP53 inducible glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) is a bisphosphatase that reduces glycolysis and is highly expressed in carcinoma cells in the majority of human breast cancers. Hence we set out to determine the effects of TIGAR expression on breast carcinoma and fibroblast glycolytic phenotype and tumor growth. The overexpression of this bisphosphatase in carcinoma cells induces expression of enzymes and transporters involved in the catabolism of lactate and glutamine. Carcinoma cells overexpressing TIGAR have higher oxygen consumption rates and ATP levels when exposed to glutamine, lactate, or the combination of glutamine and lactate. Coculture of TIGAR overexpressing carcinoma cells and fibroblasts compared with control cocultures induce more pronounced glycolytic differences between carcinoma and fibroblast cells. Carcinoma cells overexpressing TIGAR have reduced glucose uptake and lactate production. Conversely, fibroblasts in coculture with TIGAR overexpressing carcinoma cells induce HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) activation with increased glucose uptake, increased 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase-3 (PFKFB3), and lactate dehydrogenase-A expression. We also studied the effect of this enzyme on tumor growth. TIGAR overexpression in carcinoma cells increases tumor growth in vivo with increased proliferation rates. However, a catalytically inactive variant of TIGAR did not induce tumor growth. Therefore, TIGAR expression in breast carcinoma cells promotes metabolic compartmentalization and tumor growth with a mitochondrial metabolic phenotype with lactate and glutamine catabolism. Targeting TIGAR warrants consideration as a potential therapy for breast cancer

A Nearby Old Halo White Dwarf Candidate from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We report the discovery of a nearby, old, halo white dwarf candidate from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. SDSS J110217.48+411315.4 has a proper motion of 1.75 arcsec/year and redder optical colors than all other known featureless (type DC) white dwarfs. We present SDSS imaging and spectroscopy of this object, along with near-infrared photometry obtained at the United Kingdom Infra-Red Telescope. Fitting its photometry with up-to-date model atmospheres, we find that its overall spectral energy distribution is fit reasonably well with a pure hydrogen composition and T_eff~3800 K (assuming log g=8). That temperature and gravity would place this white dwarf at 35 pc from the Sun with a tangential velocity of 290 km/s and space velocities consistent with halo membership; furthermore, its combined main sequence and white dwarf cooling age would be ~11 Gyr. However, if this object is a massive white dwarf, it could be a younger object with a thick disk origin. Whatever its origin, the optical colors of this object are redder than predicted by any current pure hydrogen, pure helium or mixed hydrogen-helium atmospheric model, indicating that there remain problems in our understanding of the complicated physics of the dense atmospheres of cool white dwarfs.Comment: AJ in press. 10 pages emulateapj format; 5 figure

A holistic and comprensive data approach validates the distribution of the critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius)

Morphological similarities between skates of the genus Dipturus in the north-eastern Atlantic and mediterranean have resulted in longstanding confusion, misidentification and misreporting. Current evidence indicates that the common skate is best explained as two species, the flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) and the common blue skate (D. batis). However, some management and conservation initiatives developed prior to the separation continue to refer to common skate (as ‘D. batis’). This taxonomic uncertainty can lead to errors in estimating population viability, distribution range, and impact on fisheries management and conservation status. Here, we demonstrate how a concerted taxonomic approach, using molecular data and a combination of survey, angler and fisheries data, in addition to expert witness statements, can be used to build a higher resolution picture of the current distribution of D. intermedius. Collated data indicate that flapper skate has a more constrained distribution compared to the perceived distribution of the ‘common skate’, with most observations recorded from Norway and the western and northern seaboards of Ireland and Scotland, with occasional specimens from Portugal and the Azores. Overall, the revised spatial distribution of D. intermedius has significantly reduced the extant range of the species, indicating a possibly fragmented distribution range.acceptedVersio

Submicroscopic Deletions at 13q32.1 Cause Congenital Microcoria.

International audienceCongenital microcoria (MCOR) is a rare autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by inability of the iris to dilate owing to absence of dilator pupillae muscle. So far, a dozen MCOR-affected families have been reported worldwide. By using whole-genome oligonucleotide array CGH, we have identified deletions at 13q32.1 segregating with MCOR in six families originating from France, Japan, and Mexico. Breakpoint sequence analyses showed nonrecurrent deletions in 5/6 families. The deletions varied from 35 kbp to 80 kbp in size, but invariably encompassed or interrupted only two genes: TGDS encoding the TDP-glucose 4,6-dehydratase and GPR180 encoding the G protein-coupled receptor 180, also known as intimal thickness-related receptor (ITR). Unlike TGDS which has no known function in muscle cells, GPR180 is involved in the regulation of smooth muscle cell growth. The identification of a null GPR180 mutation segregating over two generations with iridocorneal angle dysgenesis, which can be regarded as a MCOR endophenotype, is consistent with the view that deletions of this gene, with or without the loss of elements regulating the expression of neighboring genes, are the cause of MCOR