Non-Verbal Reasoning Ability and Academic Achievement as Moderators of the Relation between Adverse Life Events and Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Early Adolescence: The Importance of Moderator and Outcome Specificity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flouri, Eirini; Tzavidis, Nikos

2011-01-01

This study was carried out to model the functional form of the effect of contextual risk (number of adverse life events) on emotional and behavioural problems in early adolescence, and to test how intelligence and academic achievement compare as moderators of this effect. The effect of number of adverse life events on emotional and behavioural…

Compatibility of the Relationship of Early Recollections and Life Style with Parent Schemas Obtained through Adlerian Interviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canel, Azize Nilgün

2016-01-01

In this study, the Adlerian Interview Form has been used as a semi-structured, in-depth interview method to identify the experiences of six participants regarding Adler's concepts of early recollections and life style. Subsequent to transcribing the obtained information, recollections to be included in the analysis were subjected to the criterion…

An ESA Robotic Package to Search for Life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westall, F.; Brack, A.; Clancy, P.; Hofmann, B.; Horneck, G.; Kurat, G.; Maxwell, J.; Ori, G. G.; Pillinger, C.; Raulin, F.

1999-01-01

Similarities in the early histories of Mars and Earth suggest that life may have arisen on Mars as it did on Earth. The early life forms on Mars were probably simple organisms, similar to terrestrial prokaryotes. In fact, given the early deterioration of the Martian climate, it is unlikely that life on Mars could ever have reached more sophisticated evolution. Based on the present knowledge of Mars, the possibility of extant life at the surface is small. However, given the adaptability of terrestrial prokaryotes under adverse conditions, it is not excluded. Any extant life is hypothesized to reside in the permafrost in a dormant state until "reanimated" by impact-caused hydrothermal activity. Using this rationale, a group of European scientists worked together to conceive a hypothetical strategy to search for life on Mars. A possible configuration for a lander/rover is outlined.

Epistemological issues in the study of microbial life: alternative terran biospheres?

PubMed

Cleland, Carol E

2007-12-01

The assumption that all life on Earth today shares the same basic molecular architecture and biochemistry is part of the paradigm of modern biology. This paper argues that there is little theoretical or empirical support for this widely held assumption. Scientists know that life could have been at least modestly different at the molecular level and it is clear that alternative molecular building blocks for life were available on the early Earth. If the emergence of life is, like other natural phenomena, highly probable given the right chemical and physical conditions then it seems likely that the early Earth hosted multiple origins of life, some of which produced chemical variations on life as we know it. While these points are often conceded, it is nevertheless maintained that any primitive alternatives to familiar life would have been eliminated long ago, either amalgamated into a single form of life through lateral gene transfer (LGT) or alternatively out-competed by our putatively more evolutionarily robust form of life. Besides, the argument continues, if such life forms still existed, we surely would have encountered telling signs of them by now. These arguments do not hold up well under close scrutiny. They reflect a host of assumptions that are grounded in our experience with large multicellular organisms and, most importantly, do not apply to microbial forms of life, which cannot be easily studied without the aid of sophisticated technologies. Significantly, the most powerful molecular biology techniques available-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of rRNA genes augmented by metagenomic analysis-could not detect such microbes if they existed. Given the profound philosophical and scientific importance that such a discovery would represent, a dedicated search for 'shadow microbes' (heretofore unrecognized 'alien' forms of terran microbial life) seems in order. The best place to start such a search is with puzzling (anomalous) phenomena, such as desert varnish, that resist classification as 'biological' or 'nonbiological'.

New Concepts of Play and the Problem of Technology, Digital Media and Popular-Culture Integration with Play-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Susan

2016-01-01

Technology, digital media and popular culture form an important aspect of young children's life-worlds in contemporary post-industrial societies. A problem for early childhood educators is how to most effectively integrate these aspects of children's life-worlds into the provision of play-based learning. Traditionally, research has considered…

Early Life on Earth: the Ancient Fossil Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westall, F.

2004-07-01

The evidence for early life and its initial evolution on Earth is lin= ked intimately with the geological evolution of the early Earth. The environment of the early Earth would be considered extreme by modern standards: hot (50-80=B0C), volcanically and hydrothermally active, a= noxic, high UV flux, and a high flux of extraterrestrial impacts. Habitats = for life were more limited until continent-building processes resulted in= the formation of stable cratons with wide, shallow, continental platforms= in the Mid-Late Archaean. Unfortunately there are no records of the first appearance of life and the earliest isotopic indications of the exist= ence of organisms fractionating carbon in ~3.8 Ga rocks from the Isua greenst= one belt in Greenland are tenuous. Well-preserved microfossils and micro= bial mats (in the form of tabular and domical stromatolites) occur in 3.5-= 3.3 Ga, Early Archaean, sedimentary formations from the Barberton (South Afri= ca) and Pilbara (Australia) greenstone belts. They document life forms that = show a relatively advanced level of evolution. Microfossil morphology inclu= des filamentous, coccoid, rod and vibroid shapes. Colonial microorganism= s formed biofilms and microbial mats at the surfaces of volcaniclastic = and chemical sediments, some of which created (small) macroscopic microbi= alites such as stromatolites. Anoxygenic photosynthesis may already have developed. Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotopes ratios are in the r= ange of those for organisms with anaerobic metabolisms, such as methanogenesi= s, sulphate reduction and photosynthesis. Life was apparently distribute= d widely in shallow-water to littoral environments, including exposed, evaporitic basins and regions of hydrothermal activity. Biomass in t= he early Archaean was restricted owing to the limited amount of energy t= hat could be produced by anaerobic metabolisms. Microfossils resembling o= xygenic photosynthesisers, such as cyanobacteria, probably first occurred in = the later part of the Mid Archaean (~2.9 Ga), concurrent with the tectoni= c development of suitable shallow shelf environments.The development of= an oxygenic metabolism allowed a considerable increase in biomass and in= creased interaction with the geological environment.

Urey Prize Lecture - Planetary evolution and the origin of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, Christopher P.

1991-01-01

One of the principal questions concerning planetary evolution and life's origins relates to the early-earth organic material's origination in situ, outer solar system importation, or simple irrelevance to the emergence of organisms. Additional considerations encompass the character of interstellar organic material and its relationship to outer solar system organic compounds, and the possibility of life's emergence in the early Mars. Attention is given to the essentiality of liquid water for life-forms, in the role not only of a reaction medium among molecules but that of a basis for hydrophylic and hydrophobic groups' bonding.

Serotonin-related pathways and developmental plasticity: relevance for psychiatric disorders

PubMed Central

Dayer, Alexandre

2014-01-01

Risk for adult psychiatric disorders is partially determined by early-life alterations occurring during neural circuit formation and maturation. In this perspective, recent data show that the serotonin system regulates key cellular processes involved in the construction of cortical circuits. Translational data for rodents indicate that early-life serotonin dysregulation leads to a wide range of behavioral alterations, ranging from stress-related phenotypes to social deficits. Studies in humans have revealed that serotonin-related genetic variants interact with early-life stress to regulate stress-induced cortisol responsiveness and activate the neural circuits involved in mood and anxiety disorders. Emerging data demonstrate that early-life adversity induces epigenetic modifications in serotonin-related genes. Finally, recent findings reveal that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can reinstate juvenile-like forms of neural plasticity, thus allowing the erasure of long-lasting fear memories. These approaches are providing new insights on the biological mechanisms and clinical application of antidepressants. PMID:24733969

Reassessing the Evidence for the Earliest Traces of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

vanZullen, Mark A.; Lepland, Alve; Arrhenlus, Gustaf

2002-01-01

The isotopic composition of graphite is commonly used as a biomarker in the oldest (>3.5 Gyr ago) highly metamorphosed terrestrial rocks. Earlier studies on isotopic characteristics of graphite occurring in rocks of the approximately 3.8-Gyr-old Isua supracrustal belt (ISB) in southern West Greenland have suggested the presence of a vast microbial ecosystem in the early Archean. This interpretation, however, has to be approached with extreme care. Here we show that graphite occurs abundantly in secondary carbonate veins in the ISB that are formed at depth in the crust by injection of hot fluids reacting with older crustal rocks (metasomatism). During these reactions, graphite forms from the disproportionation of Fe(II)-bearing carbonates at high temperature. These metasomatic rocks, which clearly lack biological relevance, were earlier thought to be of sedimentary origin and their graphite association provided the basis for inferences about early life. The new observations thus call for a reassessment of previously presented evidence for ancient traces of life in the highly metamorphosed Early Archaean rock record.

Life Course Associations between Victimization and Aggression: Distinctive and Cumulative Contributions

PubMed Central

Logan-Greene, Patricia; Nurius, Paula S.; Hooven, Carole; Thompson, Elaine Adams

2014-01-01

The connections between early maltreatment and later aggression are well established in the literature, however gaps remain in our understanding of developmental processes. This study investigates the cascading life course linkages between victimization experiences from childhood through early adulthood and later aggressive behavior. The diverse, at-risk sample is of particular importance to child and adolescent specialists, as it represents highly vulnerable youth accessible through conventional school settings. In addition to direct pathways from proximal life periods, path analysis revealed significant indirect mediated pathways through which earlier life victimization contributes to aggressive behaviors in later life periods as well as revictimization. Multivariate regressions support theorized cumulative effects of multi-form victimization as well as distinct contributions of victimization domains (emotional, witnessing, physical, property, and sexual) in explaining aggressive behavior. Consistent with theorizing about the developmental impact of early maltreatment, results bolster the importance of interrupting pathways from victimization to revictimization and later aggression. Findings are evaluated in light of implications for early identification and prevention programming. PMID:26190900

Early evolution without a tree of life

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Life is a chemical reaction. Three major transitions in early evolution are considered without recourse to a tree of life. The origin of prokaryotes required a steady supply of energy and electrons, probably in the form of molecular hydrogen stemming from serpentinization. Microbial genome evolution is not a treelike process because of lateral gene transfer and the endosymbiotic origins of organelles. The lack of true intermediates in the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition has a bioenergetic cause. This article was reviewed by Dan Graur, W. Ford Doolittle, Eugene V. Koonin and Christophe Malaterre. PMID:21714942

The Importance of Water for Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westall, Frances; Brack, André

2018-03-01

Liquid water is essential for life as we know it, i.e. carbon-based life. Although other compound-solvent pairs that could exist in very specific physical environments could be envisaged, the elements essential to carbon and water-based life are among the most common in the universe. Carbon molecules and liquid water have physical and chemical properties that make them optimised compound-solvent pairs. Liquid water is essential for important prebiotic reactions. But equally important for the emergence of life is the contact of carbon molecules in liquid water with hot rocks and minerals. We here review the environmental conditions of the early Earth, as soon as it had liquid water at its surface and was habitable. Basing our approach to life as a "cosmic phenomenon" (de Duve 1995), i.e. a chemical continuum, we briefly address the various hypotheses for the origin of life, noting their relevance with respect to early environmental conditions. It appears that hydrothermal environments were important in this respect. We continue with the record of early life noting that, by 3.5 Ga, when the sedimentary environment started being well-preserved, anaerobic life forms had colonised all habitable microenvironments from the sea floor to exposed beach environments and, possibly, in the photic planktonic zone of the sea. Life on Earth had also evolved to the relatively sophisticated stage of anoxygenic photosynthesis. We conclude with an evaluation of the potential for habitability and colonisation of other planets and satellites in the Solar System, noting that the most common life forms in the Solar System and probably in the Universe would be similar to terrestrial chemotrophs whose carbon source is either reduced carbon or CO2 dissolved in water and whose energy would be sourced from oxidized carbon, H2, or other transition elements.

Early social networks predict survival in wild bottlenose dolphins.

PubMed

Stanton, Margaret A; Mann, Janet

2012-01-01

A fundamental question concerning group-living species is what factors influence the evolution of sociality. Although several studies link adult social bonds to fitness, social patterns and relationships are often formed early in life and are also likely to have fitness consequences, particularly in species with lengthy developmental periods, extensive social learning, and early social bond-formation. In a longitudinal study of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.), calf social network structure, specifically the metric eigenvector centrality, predicted juvenile survival in males. Additionally, male calves that died post-weaning had stronger ties to juvenile males than surviving male calves, suggesting that juvenile males impose fitness costs on their younger counterparts. Our study indicates that selection is acting on social traits early in life and highlights the need to examine the costs and benefits of social bonds during formative life history stages.

Parents' education and the risk of major depression in early adulthood.

PubMed

Park, Alison L; Fuhrer, Rebecca; Quesnel-Vallée, Amélie

2013-11-01

Early-life low socioeconomic position (SEP) increases the risk of adult major depression; however, associations vary according to the measure of SEP and adults' life stage. Although maternal education often predicts offspring health better than other SEP indicators, including paternal education, it is unclear how maternal and paternal education differentially influence early-adult depression, and how early-life and adult risk factors may mediate the association. Longitudinal data come from the Canadian National Population Health Survey from 1994/1995 to 2006/2007, restricted to a sample (N = 1,267) that was aged 12-24 years in 1994/1995. Past-year major depressive episode (MDE) was assessed in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form for Major Depression. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for the association between both maternal and paternal education and MDE, adjusting for respondent's demographics, early-life adversities, adult SEP, psychosocial factors, and physical health. Offsprings of mothers with less than secondary school education had higher odds of MDE (adjusted OR 2.04, 95 % CI 1.25-3.32) relative to those whose mothers had more education. Paternal education was not associated with MDE. Although adult income, student status, psychosocial stress, and several early-life adversities remained associated with MDE in the fully adjusted model, the estimate for maternal education was not reduced. Maternal education was associated with MDE in early adulthood, independent of paternal education and other early-life and early-adult risk factors.

An Application-Oriented Periodic Table of the Elements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouma, J.

1989-01-01

A brief history of several of the early forms of the periodic table of the elements are discussed including those of Mendeleev, Meyer, Hubbard, Gmelin, Von Antropoff, and Strong. A more every-day-life form of the table is presented. (CW)

Life Course Associations between Victimization and Aggression: Distinct and Cumulative Contributions

PubMed Central

Logan-Greene, Patricia; Nurius, Paula S.; Hooven, Carole; Thompson, Elaine Adams

2014-01-01

The connections between early maltreatment and later aggression are well established in the literature, however gaps remain in our understanding of developmental processes. This study investigates the cascading lifecourse linkages between victimization experiences from childhood through early adulthood andlater aggressive behavior. The diverse, at-risk sample is of particular importance to child and adolescent specialists, as it represents highly vulnerable youth accessible through conventional school settings. In addition to direct pathways from proximal life periods, path analysis revealed significant indirect mediated pathways through which earlier life victimizationcontributes to aggressive behaviors in later life periods as well as revictimization. Multivariateregressions support theorized cumulative effects of multi-form victimization as well as distinct contributions of victimization domains (emotional, witnessing, physical, property, and sexual) in explaining aggressive behavior.Consistent with theorizing about the developmental impact of early maltreatment, results bolster the importance of interrupting pathways from victimization to revictimization and later aggression. Findings are evaluated in light of implications for early identification and prevention programming. PMID:26190899

Associations of different phenotypes of wheezing illness in early childhood with environmental variables implicated in the aetiology of asthma.

PubMed

Granell, Raquel; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Henderson, John

2012-01-01

Asthma is a complex heterogeneous disease that has increased in prevalence in many industrialised countries. However, the causes of asthma inception remain elusive. Consideration of sub-phenotypes of wheezing may reveal important clues to aetiological risk factors. Longitudinal phenotypes capturing population heterogeneity in wheezing reports from birth to 7 years were derived using latent class analysis in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Probability of class membership was used to examine the association between five wheezing phenotypes (transient early, prolonged early, intermediate-onset, late-onset, persistent) and early life risk factors for asthma. Phenotypes had similar patterns and strengths of associations with early environmental factors. Comparing transient early with prolonged early wheezing showed a similar pattern of association with most exposure variables considered in terms of the direction of the effect estimates but with prolonged early wheezing tending to have stronger associations than transient early wheezing except for parity and day care attendance. Associations with early life risk factors suggested that prolonged early wheeze might be a severe form of transient early wheezing. Although differences were found in the associations of early life risk factors with individual phenotypes, these did not point to novel aetiological pathways. Persistent wheezing phenotype has features suggesting overlap of early and late-onset phenotypes.

The composition of the gut microbiota throughout life, with an emphasis on early life

PubMed Central

Rodríguez, Juan Miguel; Murphy, Kiera; Stanton, Catherine; Ross, R. Paul; Kober, Olivia I.; Juge, Nathalie; Avershina, Ekaterina; Rudi, Knut; Narbad, Arjan; Jenmalm, Maria C.; Marchesi, Julian R.; Collado, Maria Carmen

2015-01-01

The intestinal microbiota has become a relevant aspect of human health. Microbial colonization runs in parallel with immune system maturation and plays a role in intestinal physiology and regulation. Increasing evidence on early microbial contact suggest that human intestinal microbiota is seeded before birth. Maternal microbiota forms the first microbial inoculum, and from birth, the microbial diversity increases and converges toward an adult-like microbiota by the end of the first 3–5 years of life. Perinatal factors such as mode of delivery, diet, genetics, and intestinal mucin glycosylation all contribute to influence microbial colonization. Once established, the composition of the gut microbiota is relatively stable throughout adult life, but can be altered as a result of bacterial infections, antibiotic treatment, lifestyle, surgical, and a long-term change in diet. Shifts in this complex microbial system have been reported to increase the risk of disease. Therefore, an adequate establishment of microbiota and its maintenance throughout life would reduce the risk of disease in early and late life. This review discusses recent studies on the early colonization and factors influencing this process which impact on health. PMID:25651996

Infantile Amnesia: Forgotten but Not Gone

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Stella; Callaghan, Bridget L.; Richardson, Rick

2014-01-01

Unlike adult memories that can be remembered for many years, memories that are formed early in life are more fragile and susceptible to being forgotten (a phenomenon known as "infantile" or "childhood" amnesia). Nonetheless, decades of research in both humans and nonhuman animals demonstrate the importance of early life…

Early deprivation disruption of associative learning is a developmental pathway to depression and social problems.

PubMed

Sheridan, Margaret A; McLaughlin, Katie A; Winter, Warren; Fox, Nathan; Zeanah, Charles; Nelson, Charles A

2018-06-07

Exposure to psychosocial deprivation is associated with elevations in numerous forms of impairment throughout the life-course. Disruptions in associative learning may be a key mechanism through which adversity, particularly psychosocial deprivation, increases risk for impairment. Existing data consistent with this claim come entirely from correlational studies. Here, we present the first experimental evidence relating psychosocial deprivation and disruptions in multiple forms of associative learning. Using data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, we demonstrate that randomized placement into a family caregiving environment during the infant/toddler period as compared to prolonged institutional care normalizes two forms of associative learning in early adolescence: reward responsivity and implicit motor learning. These forms of associative learning significantly mediate the effect of institutional rearing on depressive symptoms and peer relationships. In sum, we provide evidence for a novel pathway linking early experience to psychopathology and peer relationships through basic associative learning mechanisms.

Permeation of membranes by the neutral form of amino acids and peptides: relevance to the origin of peptide translocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chakrabarti, A. C.; Deamer, D. W.; Miller, S. L. (Principal Investigator)

1994-01-01

The flux of amino acids and other nutrient solutes such as phosphate across lipid bilayers (liposomes) is 10(5) slower than facilitated inward transport across biological membranes. This suggest that primitive cells lacking highly evolved transport systems would have difficulty transporting sufficient nutrients for cell growth to occur. There are two possible ways by which early life may have overcome this difficulty: (1) The membranes of the earliest cellular life-forms may have been intrinsically more permeable to solutes; or (2) some transport mechanism may have been available to facilitate transbilayer movement of solutes essential for cell survival and growth prior to the evolution of membrane transport proteins. Translocation of neutral species represents one such mechanism. The neutral forms of amino acids modified by methylation (creating protonated weak bases) permeate membranes up to 10(10) times faster than charged forms. This increased permeability when coupled to a transmembrane pH gradient can result in significantly increased rates of net unidirectional transport. Such pH gradients can be generated in vesicles used to model protocells that preceded and were presumably ancestral to early forms of life. This transport mechanism may still play a role in some protein translocation processes (e.g. for certain signal sequences, toxins and thylakoid proteins) in vivo.

Simple mechanisms of early life - simulation model on the origin of semi-cells.

PubMed

Klein, Adrian; Bock, Martin; Alt, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

The development of first cellular structures played an important role in the early evolution of life. Early evolution of life probably took place on a molecular level in a reactive environment. The iron-sulfur theory postulates the formation of cell-like structures on catalytic surfaces. Experiments show that H 2 S together with FeS and other metallic centers drive auto-catalytic surface reactions, in which organic molecules such as pyruvic and amino acids occur. It is questionable which mechanisms are needed to form cell-like structures under these conditions. To address this question, we implemented a model system featuring the fundamentals of molecular dynamics: heat, attraction, repulsion and formation of covalent bonds. Our basic model exhibits a series of essential processes: self-organization of lipid micelles and bilayers, formation of fluid filled cavities, flux of molecules along membranes, transport of energized groups towards sinks and whole colonies of cell-like structures on a larger scale. The results demonstrate that only a few features are sufficient for discovering hitherto non described phenomena of self-assembly and dynamics of cell-like structures as candidates for early evolving proto-cells. Significance statement The quest for a possible origin of life continues to be one of the most fascinating problems in biology. In one theoretical scenario, early life originated from a solution of reactive chemicals in the ancient deep sea, similar to conditions as to be found in thermal vents. Experiments have shown that a variety of organic molecules, the building blocks of life, form under these conditions. Based on such experiments, the iron-sulfur theory postulates the growth of cell-like structures at certain catalytic surfaces. For an explanation and proof of such a process we have developed a computer model simulating molecular assembly of lipid bilayers and formation of semi-cell cavities. The results demonstrate the possibility of cell-like self-organization under appropriate physico-chemical conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive efficiency and shade avoidance plasticity under simulated competition.

PubMed

Fazlioglu, Fatih; Al-Namazi, Ali; Bonser, Stephen P

2016-07-01

Plant strategy and life-history theories make different predictions about reproductive efficiency under competition. While strategy theory suggests under intense competition iteroparous perennial plants delay reproduction and semelparous annuals reproduce quickly, life-history theory predicts both annual and perennial plants increase resource allocation to reproduction under intense competition. We tested (1) how simulated competition influences reproductive efficiency and competitive ability (CA) of different plant life histories and growth forms; (2) whether life history or growth form is associated with CA; (3) whether shade avoidance plasticity is connected to reproductive efficiency under simulated competition. We examined plastic responses of 11 herbaceous species representing different life histories and growth forms to simulated competition (spectral shade). We found that both annual and perennial plants invested more to reproduction under simulated competition in accordance with life-history theory predictions. There was no significant difference between competitive abilities of different life histories, but across growth forms, erect species expressed greater CA (in terms of leaf number) than other growth forms. We also found that shade avoidance plasticity can increase the reproductive efficiency by capitalizing on the early life resource acquisition and conversion of these resources into reproduction. Therefore, we suggest that a reassessment of the interpretation of shade avoidance plasticity is necessary by revealing its role in reproduction, not only in competition of plants.

There's an Elephant in the Room: The Impact of Early Poverty and Neglect on Intelligence and Common Learning Disorders in Children, Adolescents, and Their Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Brian J.

2006-01-01

Recognition of poverty and neglect is very important in formulating a practical diagnosis of children's and adolescent's learning disorders. Early brain development forms the basis of learning, behavior and health over the entire life span. Through accumulated stressors and lack of supports, early poverty undermines competent parenting which then…

The geological record of life 3500 Ma ago: Coping with the rigors of a young earth during late accretion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lowe, Donald R.

1989-01-01

Thin cherty sedimentary layers within the volcanic portions of the 3,500 to 3,300 Ma-old Onverwacht and Fig Tree Groups, Barberton Greenstone belt, South Africa, and Warrawoona Group, eastern Pilbara Block, Western Australia, contain an abundant record of early Archean life. Five principal types of organic and probably biogenic remains and or structures can be identifed: stromatolites, stromatolite detritus, carbonaceous laminite or flat stromalite, carbonaceous detrital particles, and microfossils. Early Archean stromatolites were reported from both the Barberton and eastern Pilbara greenstone belts. Systematic studies are lacking, but two main morphological types of stromatolites appear to be represented by these occurrences. Morphology of the stromalites is described. Preserved early Archean stromatolites and carbonaceous matter appear to reflect communities of photosynthetic cyanobacteria inhabiting shallow, probably marine environments developed over the surfaces of low-relief, rapidly subsiding, simatic volcanic platforms. The overall environmental and tectonic conditions were those that probably prevailed at Earth's surface since the simatic crust and oceans formed sometime before 3,800 Ma. Recent studies also suggest that these early Archean sequences contain layers of debris formed by large-body impacts on early Earth. If so, then these early bacterial communities had developed strategies for coping with the disruptive effects of possibly globe-encircling high-temperature impact vapor clouds, dust blankets, and impact-generated tsunamis. It is probable that these early Archean biogenic materials represent organic communities that evolved long before the beginning of the preserved geological record and were well adapted to the rigors of life on a young, volcanically active Earth during late bombardment. These conditions may have had parallels on Mars during its early evolution.

The human early-life exposome (HELIX): project rationale and design.

PubMed

Vrijheid, Martine; Slama, Rémy; Robinson, Oliver; Chatzi, Leda; Coen, Muireann; van den Hazel, Peter; Thomsen, Cathrine; Wright, John; Athersuch, Toby J; Avellana, Narcis; Basagaña, Xavier; Brochot, Celine; Bucchini, Luca; Bustamante, Mariona; Carracedo, Angel; Casas, Maribel; Estivill, Xavier; Fairley, Lesley; van Gent, Diana; Gonzalez, Juan R; Granum, Berit; Gražulevičienė, Regina; Gutzkow, Kristine B; Julvez, Jordi; Keun, Hector C; Kogevinas, Manolis; McEachan, Rosemary R C; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Sabidó, Eduard; Schwarze, Per E; Siroux, Valérie; Sunyer, Jordi; Want, Elizabeth J; Zeman, Florence; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J

2014-06-01

Developmental periods in early life may be particularly vulnerable to impacts of environmental exposures. Human research on this topic has generally focused on single exposure-health effect relationships. The "exposome" concept encompasses the totality of exposures from conception onward, complementing the genome. The Human Early-Life Exposome (HELIX) project is a new collaborative research project that aims to implement novel exposure assessment and biomarker methods to characterize early-life exposure to multiple environmental factors and associate these with omics biomarkers and child health outcomes, thus characterizing the "early-life exposome." Here we describe the general design of the project. In six existing birth cohort studies in Europe, HELIX will estimate prenatal and postnatal exposure to a broad range of chemical and physical exposures. Exposure models will be developed for the full cohorts totaling 32,000 mother-child pairs, and biomarkers will be measured in a subset of 1,200 mother-child pairs. Nested repeat-sampling panel studies (n = 150) will collect data on biomarker variability, use smartphones to assess mobility and physical activity, and perform personal exposure monitoring. Omics techniques will determine molecular profiles (metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome) associated with exposures. Statistical methods for multiple exposures will provide exposure-response estimates for fetal and child growth, obesity, neurodevelopment, and respiratory outcomes. A health impact assessment exercise will evaluate risks and benefits of combined exposures. HELIX is one of the first attempts to describe the early-life exposome of European populations and unravel its relation to omics markers and health in childhood. As proof of concept, it will form an important first step toward the life-course exposome.

Effects of early life stress on amygdala and striatal development

PubMed Central

Fareri, Dominic S.; Tottenham, Nim

2016-01-01

Species-expected caregiving early in life is critical for the normative development and regulation of emotional behavior, the ability to effectively evaluate affective stimuli in the environment, and the ability to sustain social relationships. Severe psychosocial stressors early in life (early life stress; ELS) in the form of the absence of species expected caregiving (i.e., caregiver deprivation), can drastically impact one’s social and emotional success, leading to the onset of internalizing illness later in life. Development of the amygdala and striatum, two key regions supporting affective valuation and learning, is significantly affected by ELS, and their altered developmental trajectories have important implications for cognitive, behavioral and socioemotional development. However, an understanding of the impact of ELS on the development of functional interactions between these regions and subsequent behavioral effects is lacking. In this review, we highlight the roles of the amygdala and striatum in affective valuation and learning in maturity and across development. We discuss their function separately as well as their interaction. We highlight evidence across species characterizing how ELS induced changes in the development of the amygdala and striatum mediate subsequent behavioral changes associated with internalizing illness, positing a particular import of the effect of ELS on their interaction. PMID:27174149

Psychoneuroimmunology of Early-Life Stress: The Hidden Wounds of Childhood Trauma?

PubMed Central

Danese, Andrea; J Lewis, Stephanie

2017-01-01

The brain and the immune system are not fully formed at birth, but rather continue to mature in response to the postnatal environment. The two-way interaction between the brain and the immune system makes it possible for childhood psychosocial stressors to affect immune system development, which in turn can affect brain development and its long-term functioning. Drawing from experimental animal models and observational human studies, we propose that the psychoneuroimmunology of early-life stress can offer an innovative framework to understand and treat psychopathology linked to childhood trauma. Early-life stress predicts later inflammation, and there are striking analogies between the neurobiological correlates of early-life stress and of inflammation. Furthermore, there are overlapping trans-diagnostic patterns of association of childhood trauma and inflammation with clinical outcomes. These findings suggest new strategies to remediate the effect of childhood trauma before the onset of clinical symptoms, such as anti-inflammatory interventions and potentiation of adaptive immunity. Similar strategies might be used to ameliorate the unfavorable treatment response described in psychiatric patients with a history of childhood trauma. PMID:27629365

THE EFFECT OF EARLY ENVIRONMENTAL MANIPULATION ON LOCOMOTOR SENSITIVITY AND METHAMPHETAMINE CONDITIONED PLACE PREFERENCE REWARD

PubMed Central

Hensleigh, E.; Pritchard, L. M.

2014-01-01

Early life stress leads to several effects on neurological development, affecting health and well-being later in life. Instances of child abuse and neglect are associated with higher rates of depression, risk taking behavior, and an increased risk of drug abuse later in life. This study used repeated neonatal separation of rat pups as a model of early life stress. Rat pups were either handled and weighed as controls or separated for 180 minutes per day during postnatal days 2-8. In adulthood, male and female rats were tested for methamphetamine conditioned place preference reward and methamphetamine induced locomotor activity. Tissue samples were collected and mRNA was quantified for the norepinephrine transporter in the prefrontal cortex and the dopamine transporter in the nucleus accumbens. Results indicated rats given methamphetamine formed a conditioned place preference, but there was no effect of early separation or sex. Separated males showed heightened methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity, but there was no effect of early separation for females. Overall females were more active than males in response to both saline and methamphetamine. No differences in mRNA levels were observed across any conditions. These results suggest early neonatal separation affects methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity in a sex-dependent manner but has no effects on methamphetamine conditioned place preference. PMID:24713150

The effect of early-life education on later-life mortality.

PubMed

Black, Dan A; Hsu, Yu-Chieh; Taylor, Lowell J

2015-12-01

Many studies link cross-state variation in compulsory schooling laws to early-life educational attainment, thereby providing a plausible way to investigate the causal impact of education on various lifetime outcomes. We use this strategy to estimate the effect of education on older-age mortality of individuals born in the early twentieth century U.S. Our key innovation is to combine U.S. Census data and the complete Vital Statistics records to form precise mortality estimates by sex, birth cohort, and birth state. In turn we find that virtually all of the variation in these mortality rates is captured by cohort effects and state effects alone, making it impossible to reliably tease out any additional impact due to changing educational attainment induced by state-level changes in compulsory schooling. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Behavioral problems after early life stress: contributions of the hippocampus and amygdala.

PubMed

Hanson, Jamie L; Nacewicz, Brendon M; Sutterer, Matthew J; Cayo, Amelia A; Schaefer, Stacey M; Rudolph, Karen D; Shirtcliff, Elizabeth A; Pollak, Seth D; Davidson, Richard J

2015-02-15

Early life stress (ELS) can compromise development, with higher amounts of adversity linked to behavioral problems. To understand this linkage, a growing body of research has examined two brain regions involved with socioemotional functioning-amygdala and hippocampus. Yet empirical studies have reported increases, decreases, and no differences within human and nonhuman animal samples exposed to different forms of ELS. This divergence in findings may stem from methodological factors, nonlinear effects of ELS, or both. We completed rigorous hand-tracing of the amygdala and hippocampus in three samples of children who experienced different forms of ELS (i.e., physical abuse, early neglect, or low socioeconomic status). Interviews were also conducted with children and their parents or guardians to collect data about cumulative life stress. The same data were also collected in a fourth sample of comparison children who had not experienced any of these forms of ELS. Smaller amygdala volumes were found for children exposed to these different forms of ELS. Smaller hippocampal volumes were also noted for children who were physically abused or from low socioeconomic status households. Smaller amygdala and hippocampal volumes were also associated with greater cumulative stress exposure and behavioral problems. Hippocampal volumes partially mediated the relationship between ELS and greater behavioral problems. This study suggests ELS may shape the development of brain areas involved with emotion processing and regulation in similar ways. Differences in the amygdala and hippocampus may be a shared diathesis for later negative outcomes related to ELS. Copyright © 2015 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Relations Between Maternal Prenatal Anxiety or Stress and Child's Early Negative Reactivity or Self-Regulation: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Korja, Riikka; Nolvi, Saara; Grant, Kerry Ann; McMahon, Cathy

2017-12-01

In the present review, we examine the association between maternal prenatal stress or anxiety and children's early negative reactivity or self-regulation. The review includes 32 studies that focus on pregnancy-related anxiety, state or trait anxiety, perceived stress, and stressful life events in relation to child's crying, temperament, or behavior during the first 2 years of life. We searched four electronic databases and 32 studies were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Twenty-three studies found an association between maternal prenatal anxiety or stress and a child's negative reactivity or self-regulation, and typically the effect sizes varied from low to moderate. The association was found regardless of the form of prenatal stress or anxiety and the trimester in which the prenatal stress or anxiety was measured. In conclusion, several forms of prenatal anxiety and stress may increase the risk of emotional and self-regulatory difficulties during the first 2 years of life.

Psychometric properties of the existence subscale of the purpose in life questionnaire for Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Law, Ben M F

2012-01-01

The current study aims to test the psychometric properties of the Existence Subscale of the Purpose in Life Questionnaire (EPIL) for early adolescence. The Purpose in Life Questionnaire (PIL), originally created by Craumbaugh and Maholick, is a 20-item scale measuring different dimensions of life purposes. The current study selected seven items representative of the existence dimension to form another scale, the EPIL. The analysis was based on 2842 early adolescents, ranging from 11 to 14 years old. Principal axis factoring found one factor, with 60% variance being explained. Cronbach's alpha for the EPIL was 0.89, which was high. The factor structure was stable across genders. Criterion-related validity was determined when the scale was used to differentiate volunteers and nonvolunteers. Construct validity was found when the scale was associated with life satisfaction. The results give support to the fact that the EPIL could be used alone to measure the psychological well-being of early adolescents and the appropriateness of the EPIL in adolescent research.

Two different sources of water for the early solar nebula.

PubMed

Kupper, Stefan; Tornow, Carmen; Gast, Philipp

2012-06-01

Water is essential for life. This is a trivial fact but has profound implications since the forming of life on the early Earth required water. The sources of water and the related amount of delivery depend not only on the conditions on the early Earth itself but also on the evolutionary history of the solar system. Thus we ask where and when water formed in the solar nebula-the precursor of the solar system. In this paper we explore the chemical mechanics for water formation and its expected abundance. This is achieved by studying the parental cloud core of the solar nebula and its gravitational collapse. We have identified two different sources of water for the region of Earth's accretion. The first being the sublimation of the icy mantles of dust grains formed in the parental cloud. The second source is located in the inner region of the collapsing cloud core - the so-called hot corino with a temperature of several hundred Kelvin. There, water is produced efficiently in the gas phase by reactions between neutral molecules. Additionally, we analyse the dependence of the production of water on the initial abundance ratio between carbon and oxygen.

Nutrition: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. New Horizons in Nutrition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Justine; Grogan, Jane, Ed.

This instructional handbook is one of a series of ten packets designed to form a comprehensive course in nutrition for secondary students. This unit considers the fact that eating habits developed early in life have a lifetime effect on health. Special emphasis is placed on the effect of these early habits on pregnancy, adolescence, infancy and…

Influence of Life Cycle Stage on Family Social Climate and Attitudes Toward the Residential Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inman, Marjorie

The existing physical forms of housing are not always compatible with prevalent social patterns. To investigate the relationship between family system characteristics and attitudes about residential space, 64 Indiana families in 4 stages of the family life cycle (early years with no children, crowded years with at least one preschool child, peak…

Experiments of the Essential Amino Acids at high temperature and high pressure using DAC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubo, K.; Okamoto, K.

2017-12-01

Amino acids are organic compounds that form the fundamental part of life. Proteins are formed by peptide binding and polymerization of amino acids. Amino acids are polymerized in the ridge hydrothermal field, formed proteins, and might be evolved into life. Experimental studies on the polymerization of amino acids in hydrothermal environments have been conducted. However, they were hydrothermal experiments and after the experiments. All run products (amid-acids) were observed at ambient condition. Few in-situ observations of amino acids were done in experiments in hydrothermal condition. In order to perform in-situ observation of the polymerization of amino acids, we have conducted the DAC experiments. Amino acids were filled in the DAC, pressures were applied, then heated to high temperature with Raman analysis. In preliminary experiment using glycine, polymerization forming diglycine, were completed. Investigation amino acids polymerization under hydrothermal condition would shed light for new view of early life science.

Effects of early life stress on amygdala and striatal development.

PubMed

Fareri, Dominic S; Tottenham, Nim

2016-06-01

Species-expected caregiving early in life is critical for the normative development and regulation of emotional behavior, the ability to effectively evaluate affective stimuli in the environment, and the ability to sustain social relationships. Severe psychosocial stressors early in life (early life stress; ELS) in the form of the absence of species expected caregiving (i.e., caregiver deprivation), can drastically impact one's social and emotional success, leading to the onset of internalizing illness later in life. Development of the amygdala and striatum, two key regions supporting affective valuation and learning, is significantly affected by ELS, and their altered developmental trajectories have important implications for cognitive, behavioral and socioemotional development. However, an understanding of the impact of ELS on the development of functional interactions between these regions and subsequent behavioral effects is lacking. In this review, we highlight the roles of the amygdala and striatum in affective valuation and learning in maturity and across development. We discuss their function separately as well as their interaction. We highlight evidence across species characterizing how ELS induced changes in the development of the amygdala and striatum mediate subsequent behavioral changes associated with internalizing illness, positing a particular import of the effect of ELS on their interaction. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Early Life Stress: Effects on the Regulation of Anxiety Expression in Children and Adolescents.

PubMed

Burkholder, Amanda R; Koss, Kalsea J; Hostinar, Camelia E; Johnson, Anna E; Gunnar, Megan R

2016-11-01

This study examined children's ( N = 79; 9-10 years) and adolescents' ( N = 82; 15-16 years) ability to regulate their emotion expressions of anxiety as they completed a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Approximately half in each age group were internationally adopted from institutional care ( N = 79) and half were non-adopted, age-matched peers ( N = 82). Institutional care was viewed as a form of early life stress. Coders who were reliable and blind to group status watched videos of the session to assess anxiety expressions using the Child and Adolescent Stress and Emotion Scale developed for this study. Children exhibited more expressions of anxiety than adolescents, and youth adopted from institutions showed more expressions of anxiety than their non-adopted counterparts. The role of early life stress on observed anxiety expressions remained significant after controlling for differences in age, physiological stress responses measured through salivary cortisol reactivity, and self-reports of stress during the TSST-C. This suggests possible deficits in the regulation of expressive behavior for youth with early life stress histories, which cannot be explained by experiencing the task as more stressful.

Early Life Stress: Effects on the Regulation of Anxiety Expression in Children and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Burkholder, Amanda R; Koss, Kalsea J.; Hostinar, Camelia E; Johnson, Anna E.; Gunnar, Megan R

2017-01-01

This study examined children’s (N = 79; 9–10 years) and adolescents’ (N = 82; 15–16 years) ability to regulate their emotion expressions of anxiety as they completed a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Approximately half in each age group were internationally adopted from institutional care (N = 79) and half were non-adopted, age-matched peers (N = 82). Institutional care was viewed as a form of early life stress. Coders who were reliable and blind to group status watched videos of the session to assess anxiety expressions using the Child and Adolescent Stress and Emotion Scale developed for this study. Children exhibited more expressions of anxiety than adolescents, and youth adopted from institutions showed more expressions of anxiety than their non-adopted counterparts. The role of early life stress on observed anxiety expressions remained significant after controlling for differences in age, physiological stress responses measured through salivary cortisol reactivity, and self-reports of stress during the TSST-C. This suggests possible deficits in the regulation of expressive behavior for youth with early life stress histories, which cannot be explained by experiencing the task as more stressful. PMID:28584408

Volcaniclastic habitats for early life on Earth and Mars: A case study from ˜3.5 Ga-old rocks from the Pilbara, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westall, Frances; Foucher, Frédéric; Cavalazzi, Barbara; de Vries, Sjoukje T.; Nijman, Wouter; Pearson, Victoria; Watson, Jon; Verchovsky, Alexander; Wright, Ian; Rouzaud, Jean-Noel; Marchesini, Daniele; Anne, Severine

2011-08-01

Within the context of present and future in situ missions to Mars to investigate its habitability and to search for traces of life, we studied the habitability and traces of past life in ˜3.5 Ga-old volcanic sands deposited in littoral environments an analogue to Noachian environments on Mars. The environmental conditions on Noachian Mars (4.1-3.7 Ga) and the Early Archaean (4.0-3.3 Ga) Earth were, in many respects, similar: presence of liquid water, dense CO 2 atmosphere, availability of carbon and bio-essential elements, and availability of energy. For this reason, information contained in Early Archaean terrestrial rocks concerning habitable conditions (on a microbial scale) and traces of past life are of relevance in defining strategies to be used to identify past habitats and past life on Mars. One such example is the 3.446 Ga-old Kitty's Gap Chert in the Pilbara Craton, NW. Australia. This formation consists of volcanic sediments deposited in a coastal mudflat environment and is thus a relevant analogue for sediments deposited in shallow water environments on Noachian Mars. Two main types of habitat are represented, a volcanic (lithic) habitat and planar stabilized sediment surfaces in sunlit shallow waters. The sediments hosted small (<1 μm in size) microorganisms that formed colonies on volcanic particle surfaces and in pore waters within the volcanic sediments, as well as biofilms on stabilised sediment surfaces. The microorganisms included coccoids, filaments and rare rod-shaped organisms associated with microbial polymer (EPS). The preserved microbial community was apparently dominated by chemotrophic organisms but some locally transported filaments and filamentous mat fragments indicate that possibly photosynthetic mats formed nearby. Both microorganisms and sediments were silicified during very early diagenesis. There are no macroscopic traces of fossilised life in these volcanic sediments and sophisticated instrumentation and specialized sample preparation techniques are required to establish the biogenicity and syngenicity of the traces of past life. The fact that the traces of life are cryptic, and the necessity of using sophisticated instrumentation, reinforces the challenges and difficulties of in situ robotic missions to identify past life on Mars. We therefore recommend the return of samples from Mars to Earth for a definitive search for traces of life.

Disease activity in and quality of life of patients with psoriatic arthritis mutilans: the Nordic PAM Study.

PubMed

Lindqvist, U; Gudbjornsson, B; Iversen, L; Laasonen, L; Ejstrup, L; Ternowitz, T; Ståhle, M

2017-11-01

To describe the social status and health-related quality of life of patients with psoriatic arthritis mutilans (PAM) in the Nordic countries. Patients with at least one mutilated joint confirmed by radiology were studied. Disease activity involving joints and skin, physician-assessed disease activity, and patient's education and work status were recorded. Data from the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, Health Assessment Questionnaire and Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire were gathered and correlated with disease duration, pain, and general well-being (visual analogue scale). The controls were 58 Swedish patients with long-standing psoriatic arthritis sine PAM. Sixty-seven patients were included. Patients with PAM had a protracted disease history (33 ± 14 years) and disease onset at a relatively early age (30 ± 12 years). Overall inflammatory activity at inclusion was mild to moderate. The mean number of mutilated joints was 8.2 and gross deformity was found in 16% of patients. Forty per cent were treated with biological and 32% with conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Forty-two per cent had retired early or were on sick leave. Impaired functional capacity with little or no ability to perform self-care or everyday tasks was reported by 21% of the patients. Patients between 45 and 60 years of age reported the most impaired quality of life in comparison to the control group. PAM seriously affects social functioning. Whether early recognition of PAM and new forms of therapy can improve disease outcome and quality of life remains to be studied.

Fossil Microorganisms in Archaean deposits of Northern Karelia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Astafieva, M. M.; Hoover, R. B.; Rozanov, A. Y.; Vrevskiy, A. B.

2005-01-01

Newly found biomorphic microstructures from the Upper Archaean (lopian) rocks from Northern Karelia are described. The presence of various microorganisms of bacterial nature and even cyanobacteria (and possibly eukaryotic forms) is suggested. The necessity of employing methods of electron microscopy, as well as traditional methods, while studying the very early manifestations of life in Archaean and Early Proterozoic is noted.

Incorporating Character Education into the Early Childhood Degree Program: The Need, and One Department's Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Priest, Cheryl

2007-01-01

Several major goals of early childhood professionals are to help children learn to work with others, care for others, verbalize feelings, support friends, show kindness and exhibit other character skills and traits. When these life skills are lacking, it affects the ways in which children interact with one another and form relationships with peers…

Haze aerosols in the atmosphere of early Earth: manna from heaven.

PubMed

Trainer, Melissa G; Pavlov, Alexander A; Curtis, Daniel B; McKay, Christopher P; Worsnop, Douglas R; Delia, Alice E; Toohey, Darin W; Toon, Owen B; Tolbert, Margaret A

2004-01-01

An organic haze layer in the upper atmosphere of Titan plays a crucial role in the atmospheric composition and climate of that moon. Such a haze layer may also have existed on the early Earth, providing an ultraviolet shield for greenhouse gases needed to warm the planet enough for life to arise and evolve. Despite the implications of such a haze layer, little is known about the organic material produced under early Earth conditions when both CO(2) and CH(4) may have been abundant in the atmosphere. For the first time, we experimentally demonstrate that organic haze can be generated in different CH(4)/CO(2) ratios. Here, we show that haze aerosols are able to form at CH(4) mixing ratios of 1,000 ppmv, a level likely to be present on early Earth. In addition, we find that organic hazes will form at C/O ratios as low as 0.6, which is lower than the predicted value of unity. We also show that as the C/O ratio decreases, the organic particles produced are more oxidized and contain biologically labile compounds. After life arose, the haze may thus have provided food for biota.

Occupational dream, relation to parents and depression in the early adult transition.

PubMed

Gooden, W; Toye, R

1984-07-01

Assessed the impact of difficulty forming an occupational dream and relating to parents on depression among college students in their late teens and early twenties. Becoming independent of parents and forming an occupational dream are seen as two central issues during this period of life. Results from 64 students suggest that having to give up a valued dream, viewing one's relation to mother as authority-obeyer, and doing little exploring of occupational choices are related significantly to depression (p less than .0004). The significance of these results is discussed in light of theories of depression and the possible importance of different parenting styles for young adults who are facing the early adult transition.

Loss and Transitions: A 30-Year Perspective on Life with a Child Who Has Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riesz, Elizabeth Dunkman

2004-01-01

With the birth of a child with a disability, parents experience loss, mourning, and chronic grief. They confront difficult questions about their unexpected child's future and their own. At transition times in the child's life, the parents' early feelings and questions resurface in a somewhat altered, but often intense, form. The author discusses…

Early-life supplementation of vitamins A and D, in water-soluble form or in peanut oil, and allergic diseases during childhood.

PubMed

Kull, Inger; Bergström, Anna; Melén, Erik; Lilja, Gunnar; van Hage, Marianne; Pershagen, Göran; Wickman, Magnus

2006-12-01

Early vitamin supplementation is given routinely to infants in many countries, but it is unclear whether this affects the risk of allergic diseases. We sought to study the association between early-life supplementation of vitamins A and D in water-soluble form or in peanut oil and allergic diseases up to 4 years of age. A prospective birth cohort of 4089 newborn infants was followed for 4 years using parental questionnaires repeatedly to collect information on exposure and health. At 4 years, the response rate was 90%, and allergen-specific IgE levels to food and airborne allergens were measured in 2614 of the participating children. Vitamins A and D were given to 98% of the children in infancy, and vitamins based in peanut oil dominated (90%). Children supplemented with vitamins A and D in water-soluble form during the first year of life had an almost 2-fold increased risk of asthma (adjusted odds ratio [OD], 2.18; 95% CI, 1.45-3.28), food hypersensitivity (adjusted OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.33-2.65), and sensitization to common food and airborne allergens (adjusted OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.34-2.64) at age 4 years compared with those receiving vitamins in peanut oil. No increased risk of IgE antibodies to peanut was seen in children receiving vitamins in peanut oil. Supplementation of vitamins A and D in water-soluble form seems to increase the risk of allergic disease up to the age of 4 years compared with supplementation with the same vitamins given in peanut oil. Vitamins A and D in oil does not seem to increase the risk of allergic disease during childhood.

No Nd-142 Excess in the Early Archean Isua Gneiss IE 715-28

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papanastassiou, D. A.; Sharma, M.; Ngo, H. H.; Wasserburg, G. J.; Dymek, R. F.

2003-01-01

There is abundant evidence for the existence of 146Sm in the early solar system and for preservation of effects in the 146Sm-142Nd system in differentiated meteorites ([1]; see recent discussion in Stewart et al. 1994). Information from the 182Hf-182W system, as revised by new careful work [2-3] also indicates that the Earth s core formed relatively early. It is in principle possible for early-formed crust and mantle reservoirs on Earth to have preserved evidence for 146Sm if such reservoirs were produced with high Sm/Nd fractionation and if they have remained isolated and closed since 4.3 Ga. The mean life of 146Sm of 149 Ma is sufficiently long to make this an intriguing possibility.

Pillow lavas volcanic glasses (ancient and recent) and traces of life in them

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Astafieva, Marina; Rozanov, Alexei; Eugene, Sharkov; Alexei, Chistyakov; Maria, Bogina

2010-05-01

Pillow lavas volcanic glasses (ancient and recent) and traces of life in them. Astafieva* M.M., Rozanov* A.Yu., Sharkov** E.V., Chistyakov** A.V., Bogina** M.M. * Paleontological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Profsoyusnaya 123, Moscow, Russia; ** Institute of Geology of Ore deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy, and Geochemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119017 Staromonetny 35, Moscow, Russia; Microbial complexes from volcanogenic rocks both ancient (Early Paleoproterozoic (2.41 GA) basalt pillow-lavas with inclusions of volcanic glass from Karelia) and recent (fresh volcanic glass from pillow-lavas of underwater Middle-Atlantic Ridge were revealed, studied and compared. Our studies confirmed that basaltic glass of the Early Precambrian submarine eruptions was inhabited by microbes in a similar way as it had been done for volcanic glass of modern eruptions. So, well preserved pillow-lavas, that are the main component of Arkhaean and Early Paleoproterozoic greenstone belts, could be the most perspective for searching of traces of ancient life on the Earth. Consequently, it is possible to say, that volcanogenic rocks are not the obstacle for finding traces of life in them. The assumption that volcanic rocks served as habitats for the early microbial life was not unexpected. Some of the most primitive organisms close to the base of the phylogenetic tree are thermophilic microbes. Some data indicates that early life could be restricted to the hydrothermal vents in volcanic settings1. For instance, filamentous bacteria described from the massive sulfide deposits (age ~3.235 Ga) are interpreted as formed under black smoker conditions2, which provide the temperature tolerant for the growth of thermophilic bacteria (about 70oC). It was additionally proposed that life can be present immediately after volcanic eruptions, when the temperature of rock surface decreases below 113oC3,4 and bacteria penetrate the glass-like material of pillow lavas together with seawater. Of interest also is the development of life at the igneous rock-water boundary5,6,7, when microbial colonization spans not only surface but also penetrates deep into the rock. As a result of bacterial-paleontological investigations diverse and numerous remains of microorganisms were found. Studying and comparison of them permitted us to speak about presence of rather diverse fossil microbial complex in basalt pillow-lavas and their glasses both in Early Paleoproterozoic and Recent. This notes that well preserved pillow lavas of the Archaean and Early Paleoproterozoic greenstone belts are promising for the discovery of traces of ancient life on Earth. It is necessary to note that in both complexes filament forms predominate and that presumably eukaryotic forms were met. The study was executed within the framework of the complex program of basic research of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Origin of Biosphere and Evolution of Geo-biological Systems" (subprogram II) and was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, projects 08-04-00484 and SS-4207.2008.5. REFERENCES 1. Furnes, H., Banerjee, N.R., Muehlenbachs, K, et al., "Early life recorded in Archean pillow lavas", Science, 304, 578-581 (2004). 2. Rasmussen, B., "Filamentous microfossils in a 3,235-million-year-old volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit", Nature, 405, 676-679 (2000). 3. Stetter, K.O., "Hyperthermofiles in the history of life", Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. B 361, 1837-1843 (2006). 4. Stetter, K.O., Fiala, G., Huber, G., Segerer, A., "Hyperthermofilic microorganisms", FEMS Microbiol. Rev., 75, 117-124 (1990). 5. Fisk, M.R., Storrie-Lombardi, M.C., Josef, J.A., "Aqueous Biotic and Abiotic Alteration of Silicate Rock: Evaluation of Landing Sites on Mars for Their Potential of Revealing Evidence for Life", Proc. SPIE. 6309, 630903-1 - 630903-9 (2006). 6. Astafieva, M.M., Rozanov, A.Yu., Sadovnikov, G.N., Sapova, E.V., "Fossil Bacteria from the Permotriassic Trappean Strata of Siberia", Paleontol. Journ. 43(8), 46-54 (2009). 7. Rozanov, A. Yu., Astafieva, M. M., "The Evolution of the Early Precambrian Geobiological Systems", Paleontol. Journ., 43(8), 61-77 (2009).

Genetics Home Reference: malignant migrating partial seizures of infancy

MedlinePlus

... of infancy (MMPSI) is a severe form of epilepsy that begins very early in life. Recurrent seizures ... infantile epileptic encephalopathy 14 EIEE14 malignant migrating partial epilepsy of infancy migrating partial epilepsy of infancy migrating ...

Earth's earliest biosphere-a proposal to develop a collection of curated archean geologic reference materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsay, John F.; McKay, David S.; Allen, Carlton C.

2003-01-01

The discovery of evidence indicative of life in a Martian meteorite has led to an increase in interest in astrobiology. As a result of this discovery, and the ensuing controversy, it has become apparent that our knowledge of the early development of life on Earth is limited. Archean stratigraphic successions containing evidence of Earth's early biosphere are well preserved in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia. The craton includes part of a protocontinent consisting of granitoid complexes that were emplaced into, and overlain by, a 3.51-2.94 Ga volcanigenic carapace - the Pilbara Supergroup. The craton is overlain by younger supracrustal basins that form a time series recording Earth history from approximately 2.8 Ga to approximately 1.9 Ga. It is proposed that a well-documented suite of these ancient rocks be collected as reference material for Archean and astrobiological research. All samples would be collected in a well-defined geological context in order to build a framework to test models for the early evolution of life on Earth and to develop protocols for the search for life on other planets.

Toward the Darwinian transition: Switching between distributed and speciated states in a simple model of early life.

PubMed

Arnoldt, Hinrich; Strogatz, Steven H; Timme, Marc

2015-01-01

It has been hypothesized that in the era just before the last universal common ancestor emerged, life on earth was fundamentally collective. Ancient life forms shared their genetic material freely through massive horizontal gene transfer (HGT). At a certain point, however, life made a transition to the modern era of individuality and vertical descent. Here we present a minimal model for stochastic processes potentially contributing to this hypothesized "Darwinian transition." The model suggests that HGT-dominated dynamics may have been intermittently interrupted by selection-driven processes during which genotypes became fitter and decreased their inclination toward HGT. Stochastic switching in the population dynamics with three-point (hypernetwork) interactions may have destabilized the HGT-dominated collective state and essentially contributed to the emergence of vertical descent and the first well-defined species in early evolution. A systematic nonlinear analysis of the stochastic model dynamics covering key features of evolutionary processes (such as selection, mutation, drift and HGT) supports this view. Our findings thus suggest a viable direction out of early collective evolution, potentially enabling the start of individuality and vertical Darwinian evolution.

Diatom life cycles and ecology in the Cretaceous.

PubMed

Jewson, David H; Harwood, David M

2017-06-01

The earliest known diatom fossils with well-preserved siliceous frustules are from Lower Cretaceous neritic marine deposits in Antarctica. In this study, we analyzed the cell wall structure to establish whether their cell and life cycles were similar to modern forms. At least two filamentous species (Basilicostephanus ornatus and Archepyrgus melosiroides) had girdle band structures that functioned during cell division in a similar way to present day Aulacoseira species. Also, size analyses of cell diameter indicated that the cyclic process of size decline and size restoration used to time modern diatom life cycles was present in five species from the Lower Cretaceous (B. ornatus, A. melosiroides, Gladius antiquus, Ancylopyrgus reticulatus, Kreagra forfex) as well as two species from Upper Cretaceous deposits (Trinacria anissimowii and Eunotogramma fueloepi) from the Southwest Pacific. The results indicate that the "Diatom Sex Clock" was present from an early evolutionary stage. Other ecological adaptations included changes in mantle height and coiling. Overall, the results suggest that at least some of the species in these early assemblages are on a direct ancestral line to modern forms. © 2017 Phycological Society of America.

A Radical Pathway for Organic Phosphorylation during Schreibersite Corrosion with Implications for the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasek, Matthew A.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Lauretta, Dante S.

2007-01-01

Phosphorylated compounds (e.g. DNA, RNA, phospholipids, and many coenzymes) are critical to biochemistry. Thus, their origin is of prime interest to origin of life studies. The corrosion of the meteoritic mineral schreibersite ((Fe,Ni)3P) may have significantly contributed to the origin of phosphorylated biomolecules. Corrosion of synthetic schreibersite in a variety of solutions was analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. These methods suggest a radical reaction pathway for the corrosion of schreibersite to form phosphite radicals (raised dot PO3 sup 2-)) aqueous solution. These radicals can form activated polyphosphates and can phosphorylate organic compounds such as acetate (3% yield). Phosphonates (O3P-C) are found in the organic P inventory of the carbonaceous meteorite Murchison. While phosphonates are rare in biochemistry, the ubiquity of corroding iron meteorites on the early Earth could have provided an accessible source of organophosphorous for the origin of life allowing the invention of the organophosphates in modern biology as a product of early evolution.

The Significance of the Poetic in Early Childhood Education: Stanley Cavell and Lucy Sprague Mitchell on Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Jeff

2012-01-01

This paper begins with a discussion of Stanley Cavell's philosophy of language learning. Young people learn more than the meaning of words when acquiring language: they learn about (the quality of) our form of life. If we--as early childhood educators--see language teaching as something like handing some inert thing to a child, then we unduly…

Hydrothermal systems as environments for the emergence of life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shock, E. L.

1996-01-01

Analysis of the chemical disequilibrium provided by the mixing of hydrothermal fluids and seawater in present-day systems indicates that organic synthesis from CO2 or carbonic acid is thermodynamically favoured in the conditions in which hyperthermophilic microorganisms are known to live. These organisms lower the Gibbs free energy of the chemical mixture by synthesizing many of the components of their cells. Primary productivity is enormous in hydrothermal systems because it depends only on catalysis of thermodynamically favourable, exergonic reactions. It follows that hydrothermal systems may be the most favourable environments for life on Earth. This fact makes hydrothermal systems logical candidates for the location of the emergence of life, a speculation that is supported by genetic evidence that modern hyperthermophilic organisms are closer to a common ancestor than any other forms of life. The presence of hydrothermal systems on the early Earth would correspond to the presence of liquid water. Evidence that hydrothermal systems existed early in the history of Mars raises the possibility that life may have emerged on Mars as well. Redox reactions between water and rock establish the potential for organic synthesis in and around hydrothermal systems. Therefore, the single most important parameter for modelling the geochemical emergence of life on the early Earth or Mars is the composition of the rock which hosts the hydrothermal system.

Short-term and long-term associations between household wealth and physical growth: a cross-comparative analysis of children from four low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Krishna, Aditi; Oh, Juhwan; Lee, Jong-koo; Lee, Hwa-Young; Perkins, Jessica M; Heo, Jongho; Ro, Young Sun; Subramanian, S V

2015-01-01

Stunting, a form of anthropometric failure, disproportionately affects children in developing countries with a higher burden on children living in poverty. How early life deprivation affects physical growth over various life stages is less well-known. We investigate the short- and long-run associations between household wealth in early life with physical growth in childhood in four low- and middle-income countries to understand the persistent implications of early life conditions of poverty and resource constraints on physical growth. Longitudinal study of eight cohorts of children in four countries - Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam (n=10,016) - ages 6 months to 15 years, using data from the Young Lives project, 2002-2009. Physical growth outcomes are standardized height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) and stunting. The key exposure is household wealth measured at baseline using a wealth index, an asset-based indicator. Covariates include child's age and sex, caregiver's educational status, household size, and place of residence. Baseline wealth index is significantly associated with higher physical growth rates as suggested by higher HAZ and lower odds of stunting. We found these associations in all four countries, for younger and older cohorts and for children who experienced changes in living standards. For the older cohort, despite the timing of the first survey at age 7-8 years, which is beyond the critical period of 1,000 days, there are lasting influences of early poverty, even for those who experienced changes in wealth. Household wealth in early life matters for physical growth with conditions of poverty and deprivation influencing growth faltering even beyond the 1,000 days window. The influences of early childhood poverty, so prevalent among children in low- and middle-income countries, must be addressed by policies and programs targeting early life but also focusing on older children experiencing growth faltering.

Short-term and long-term associations between household wealth and physical growth: a cross-comparative analysis of children from four low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Krishna, Aditi; Oh, Juhwan; Lee, Jong-koo; Lee, Hwa-Young; Perkins, Jessica M.; Heo, Jongho; Ro, Young Sun; Subramanian, S.V.

2015-01-01

Background Stunting, a form of anthropometric failure, disproportionately affects children in developing countries with a higher burden on children living in poverty. How early life deprivation affects physical growth over various life stages is less well-known. Objective We investigate the short- and long-run associations between household wealth in early life with physical growth in childhood in four low- and middle-income countries to understand the persistent implications of early life conditions of poverty and resource constraints on physical growth. Design Longitudinal study of eight cohorts of children in four countries – Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam (n=10,016) – ages 6 months to 15 years, using data from the Young Lives project, 2002–2009. Physical growth outcomes are standardized height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) and stunting. The key exposure is household wealth measured at baseline using a wealth index, an asset-based indicator. Covariates include child's age and sex, caregiver's educational status, household size, and place of residence. Results Baseline wealth index is significantly associated with higher physical growth rates as suggested by higher HAZ and lower odds of stunting. We found these associations in all four countries, for younger and older cohorts and for children who experienced changes in living standards. For the older cohort, despite the timing of the first survey at age 7–8 years, which is beyond the critical period of 1,000 days, there are lasting influences of early poverty, even for those who experienced changes in wealth. Conclusions Household wealth in early life matters for physical growth with conditions of poverty and deprivation influencing growth faltering even beyond the 1,000 days window. The influences of early childhood poverty, so prevalent among children in low- and middle-income countries, must be addressed by policies and programs targeting early life but also focusing on older children experiencing growth faltering. PMID:25660535

Effects of Offshore Wind Farms on the Early Life Stages of Dicentrarchus labrax.

PubMed

Debusschere, Elisabeth; De Coensel, Bert; Vandendriessche, Sofie; Botteldooren, Dick; Hostens, Kris; Vincx, Magda; Degraer, Steven

2016-01-01

Anthropogenically generated underwater noise in the marine environment is ubiquitous, comprising both intense impulse and continuous noise. The installation of offshore wind farms across the North Sea has triggered a range of ecological questions regarding the impact of anthropogenically produced underwater noise on marine wildlife. Our interest is on the impact on the "passive drifters," i.e., the early life stages of fish that form the basis of fish populations and are an important prey for pelagic predators. This study deals with the impact of pile driving and operational noise generated at offshore wind farms on Dicentrarchus labrax (sea bass) larvae.

Hypotheses on the appearance of life on Earth (review).

PubMed

Dose, K

1986-01-01

It is generally accepted within the natural sciences that life emerged on Earth by a kind of proto-Darwinian evolution from molecular assemblies that were predominantly formed from the various constituents of the primitive atmosphere and hydrosphere. Evolutionary stages under discussion are: the self-organization of spontaneously formed biomolecules into early precursors of life (protobionts), their stepwise evolution via (postulated) protocells to (postulated) progenotes and the Darwinian evolution from progenotes to the three kingdoms of contemporary organisms (archaebacteria, eubacteria and eukaryotes). Considerable discrepancies between scientists have arisen because all evolutionary stages from prebiotic molecules to progenotes are entirely hypothetical and so are the postulated environmental conditions. We can only theorize that all those environmental conditions that allow the existence of the various forms of contemporary life might have allowed also the development of their precursors. Because of all these difficulties the hypothesis that life came to our planet from a remote place of our universe (panspermia) has been revived. But experimental evidence only supports the view that spores can--under favorable circumstances--survive a relatively short journey within our solar system (interplanetary transfer of life). It is extremely unlikely that spores can survive a journey of hundreds or thousands of years through interstellar space.

The development of the temporal macrostructure of life narratives across adolescence: beginnings, linear narrative form, and endings.

PubMed

Habermas, Tilmann; Ehlert-Lerche, Silvia; de Silveira, Cybèle

2009-04-01

The ontogeny of the ability to describe people culminates in adolescence in the development of the life story. An overarching temporal macrostructure and framing by a prehistory and a future-oriented global evaluation of life helps integrate disparate autobiographical memories into a coherent story. Two life narratives each of 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-year-olds (N=102) were analyzed in terms of how well-formed their beginnings and endings are and how much they follow a linear temporal order. By age 12, the majority of life narratives began with birth, ended in the present, and followed a chronological order. In late adolescence and early adulthood, more elaborate birth narratives and retrospective evaluations of life and outlooks into the future were added. These formal characteristics were related to biographical practices, biographical knowledge, and fluid intelligence. Text-analytical methods are proposed as a method for the analysis of biographical and autobiographical reasoning and understanding.

Early life history pelagic exposure profiles of selected commercially important fish species in the Gulf of Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyle, Miriam J.; Mier, Kathryn L.

2016-10-01

A synthesis of nearly four decades of ichthyoplankton survey data from the Gulf of Alaska was undertaken to provide the most comprehensive information available on the early life history ecology of five focal species: Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus), Walleye Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), Pacific Ocean Perch (Sebastes alutus), Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), and Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias). This analysis of historical data, along with information from published studies, is presented here in the form of ecological reviews of the species during their planktonic phase. The reviews include descriptions of temporal and spatial patterns of exposure to the environment, and interpretation regarding associated sensitivities to environmental forcing. On a temporal scale, patterns in abundance of eggs and larvae are synthesized that characterize seasonal exposure to the pelagic environment, and interannual variation that is presumed to incorporate responses to long-term environmental forcing. Spatial patterns are synthesized to identify horizontal and vertical extent of egg and larval distributions, delineate areas of primary larval habitat, and illuminate egg and larval drift pathways. The observed patterns are discussed with respect to characterizing species early life history strategies, identifying long-term adaptations to the Gulf of Alaska environment, and associated resilience and vulnerability factors that may modulate early life responses to environmental forcing in this region. For each species, gaps in knowledge are identified and are concerned primarily with the period of transition between the larval and juvenile stage, and feeding habits and ecology across seasons, habitats and sub-intervals of early ontogeny. These early life history reviews advance our ecological understanding of the pelagic phase, and fine-tune our focus for the investigation of potential response mechanisms to environmental forcing at appropriate, species-specific temporal and spatial scales.

Assessment of visual perception in adolescents with a history of central coordination disorder in early life – 15-year follow-up study

PubMed Central

Kowalski, Ireneusz M.; Domagalska, Małgorzata; Szopa, Andrzej; Dwornik, Michał; Kujawa, Jolanta; Stępień, Agnieszka; Śliwiński, Zbigniew

2012-01-01

Introduction Central nervous system damage in early life results in both quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of psychomotor development. Late sequelae of these disturbances may include visual perception disorders which not only affect the ability to read and write but also generally influence the child's intellectual development. This study sought to determine whether a central coordination disorder (CCD) in early life treated according to Vojta's method with elements of the sensory integration (S-I) and neuro-developmental treatment (NDT)/Bobath approaches affects development of visual perception later in life. Material and methods The study involved 44 participants aged 15-16 years, including 19 diagnosed with moderate or severe CCD in the neonatal period, i.e. during the first 2-3 months of life, with diagnosed mild degree neonatal encephalopathy due to perinatal anoxia, and 25 healthy people without a history of developmental psychomotor disturbances in the neonatal period. The study tool was a visual perception IQ test comprising 96 graphic tasks. Results The study revealed equal proportions of participants (p < 0.05) defined as very skilled (94-96), skilled (91-94), aerage (71-91), poor (67-71), and very poor (0-67) in both groups. These results mean that adolescents with a history of CCD in the neonatal period did not differ with regard to the level of visual perception from their peers who had not demonstrated psychomotor development disorders in the neonatal period. Conclusions Early treatment of children with CCD affords a possibility of normalising their psychomotor development early enough to prevent consequences in the form of cognitive impairments in later life. PMID:23185199

Early Life Stress and Inflammatory Mechanisms of Fatigue in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

PubMed Central

Cho, Hyong Jin; Bower, Julienne E.; Kiefe, Catarina I.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Irwin, Michael R.

2012-01-01

Fatigue is highly prevalent and causes serious disruption in quality of life. Although cross-sectional studies suggest childhood adversity is associated with adulthood fatigue, longitudinal evidence of this relationship and its specific biological mechanisms have not been established. This longitudinal study examined the association between early life stress and adulthood fatigue and tested whether this association was mediated by low-grade systemic inflammation as indexed by circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a population-based longitudinal study conducted in 4 US cities, early life stress was retrospectively assessed in 2716 African-American and white adults using the Risky Families Questionnaire at Year 15 examination (2000–2001, ages 33–45 years). Fatigue as indexed by a loss of subjective vitality using the Vitality Subscale of the 12-item Short Form Health Survey was assessed at both Years 15 and 20. While CRP was measured at both Years 15 and 20, IL-6 was measured only at Year 20. Early life stress assessed at Year 15 was associated with adulthood fatigue at Year 20 after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, body-mass index, medication use, medical comorbidity, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, current stress, pain, sleep disturbance as well as Year 15 fatigue (adjusted beta 0.047, P=0.007). However, neither CRP nor IL-6 was a significant mediator of this association. In summary, early life stress assessed in adulthood was associated with fatigue 5 years later, but this association was not mediated by low-grade systemic inflammation. PMID:22554493

Early life stress and inflammatory mechanisms of fatigue in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.

PubMed

Cho, Hyong Jin; Bower, Julienne E; Kiefe, Catarina I; Seeman, Teresa E; Irwin, Michael R

2012-08-01

Fatigue is highly prevalent and causes serious disruption in quality of life. Although cross-sectional studies suggest childhood adversity is associated with adulthood fatigue, longitudinal evidence of this relationship and its specific biological mechanisms have not been established. This longitudinal study examined the association between early life stress and adulthood fatigue and tested whether this association was mediated by low-grade systemic inflammation as indexed by circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a population-based longitudinal study conducted in 4 US cities, early life stress was retrospectively assessed in 2716 African-American and white adults using the Risky Families Questionnaire at Year 15 examination (2000-2001, ages 33-45 years). Fatigue as indexed by a loss of subjective vitality using the Vitality Subscale of the 12-item Short Form Health Survey was assessed at both Years 15 and 20. While CRP was measured at both Years 15 and 20, IL-6 was measured only at Year 20. Early life stress assessed at Year 15 was associated with adulthood fatigue at Year 20 after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, body-mass index, medication use, medical comorbidity, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, current stress, pain, sleep disturbance as well as Year 15 fatigue (adjusted beta 0.047, P=0.007). However, neither CRP nor IL-6 was a significant mediator of this association. In summary, early life stress assessed in adulthood was associated with fatigue 5 years later, but this association was not mediated by low-grade systemic inflammation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Domestication affects the structure, development and stability of biobehavioural profiles.

PubMed

Kaiser, Sylvia; Hennessy, Michael B; Sachser, Norbert

2015-01-01

Domestication is an evolutionary process during which the biobehavioural profile (comprising e.g. social and emotional behaviour, cognitive abilities, as well as hormonal stress responses) is substantially reshaped. Using a comparative approach, and focusing mainly on the domestic and wild guinea pig, an established model system for the study of domestication, we review (a) how wild and domestic animals of the same species differ in behaviour, emotion, cognition, and hormonal stress responses, (b) during which phases of life differences in biobehavioural profiles emerge and (c) whether or not animal personalities exist in both the wild and domestic form. Concerning (a), typical changes with domestication include increased courtship, sociopositive and maternal behaviours as well as decreased aggression and attentive behaviour. In addition, domestic animals display more anxiety-like and less risk-taking and exploratory behaviour than the wild form and they show distinctly lower endocrine stress responsiveness. There are no indications, however, that domestic animals have diminished cognitive abilities relative to the wild form. The different biobehavioural profiles of the wild and domestic animals can be regarded as adaptations to the different environmental conditions under which they live, i.e., the natural habitat and artificial man-made housing conditions, respectively. Concerning (b), the comparison of infantile, adolescent and adult wild and domestic guinea pigs shows that the typical biobehavioural profile of the domestic form is already present during early phases of life, that is, during early adolescence and weaning. Thus, differences between the domestic and the wild form can be attributed to genetic alterations resulting from artificial selection, and likely to environmental influences during the pre- and perinatal phase. Interestingly, the frequency of play behaviour does not differ between the domestic and wild form early in life, but is significantly higher in domesticated guinea pigs at later ages. Concerning (c), there is some evidence that personalities occur in both wild and domestic animals. However, there may be differences in which behavioural domains - social and sexual behaviour, emotionality, stress-responsiveness - are consistent over time. These differences are probably due to changing selection pressures during domestication.

The Antarctic dry valley lakes: Relevance to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wharton, R. A., Jr.; Mckay, Christopher P.; Mancinelli, Rocco L.; Clow, G. D.; Simmons, G. M., Jr.

1989-01-01

The similarity of the early environments of Mars and Earth, and the biological evolution which occurred on early Earth, motivates exobiologists to seriously consider the possiblity of an early Martian biota. Environments are being identified which could contain Martian life and areas which may presently contain evidence of this former life. Sediments which were thought to be deposited in large ice-covered lakes are present on Mars. Such localities were identified within some of the canyons of the Valles Marineris and more recently in the ancient terrain in the Southern Hemisphere. Perennially ice-covered Antarctic lakes are being studied in order to develop quantitative models that relate environmental factors to the nature of the biological community and sediment forming processes. These models will be applied to the Martian paleolakes to establish the scientific rationale for the exobiological study of ancient Martian sediments.

Non-verbal reasoning ability and academic achievement as moderators of the relation between adverse life events and emotional and behavioural problems in early adolescence: the importance of moderator and outcome specificity.

PubMed

Flouri, Eirini; Tzavidis, Nikos

2011-02-01

This study was carried out to model the functional form of the effect of contextual risk (number of adverse life events) on emotional and behavioural problems in early adolescence, and to test how intelligence and academic achievement compare as moderators of this effect. The effect of number of adverse life events on emotional and behavioural problems was non-quadratic. Intelligence rather than academic achievement moderated the association between contextual risk and children's emotional and behavioural problems. However, the interaction effect was significant only on peer problems. These findings suggest that both moderator and outcome specificity should be considered when evaluating the role of intellectual competence in the association between contextual risk and children's emotional and behavioural problems.

Sibling cooperation in earwig families provides insights into the early evolution of social life.

PubMed

Falk, Joachim; Wong, Janine W Y; Kölliker, Mathias; Meunier, Joël

2014-04-01

The evolutionary transition from solitary to social life is driven by direct and indirect fitness benefits of social interactions. Understanding the conditions promoting the early evolution of social life therefore requires identification of these benefits in nonderived social systems, such as animal families where offspring are mobile and able to disperse and will survive independently. Family life is well known to provide benefits to offspring through parental care, but research on sibling interactions generally focused on fitness costs to offspring due to competitive behaviors. Here we show experimentally that sibling interactions also reflect cooperative behaviors in the form of food sharing in nonderived families of the European earwig, Forficula auricularia. Food ingested by individual offspring was transferred to their siblings through mouth-to-anus contacts and active allo-coprophagy. These transfers occurred in both the presence and the absence of the tending mothers, even though the direct contact with the mothers limited sibling food sharing. Neither food deprivation or relatedness influenced the total amount of transferred food, but relatedness affected frass release and the behavioral mechanisms mediating food sharing. Related offspring obtained food predominately through allo-coprophagy, whereas unrelated offspring obtained food through mouth-to-anus contacts. Overall, this study emphasizes that sibling cooperation may be a key process promoting the early evolution of social life.

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development.

PubMed

Hanson, Jamie L; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J; Rudolph, Karen D; Davidson, Richard J; Pollak, Seth D

2017-07-01

Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent's behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral development. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development

PubMed Central

Hanson, Jamie L.; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J.; Rudolph, Karen D.; Davidson, Richard J.; Pollak, Seth D.

2017-01-01

Background Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Methods Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent’s behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. Results We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Conclusions Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral development. PMID:28158896

Sex-Specific and Strain-Dependent Effects of Early Life Adversity on Behavioral and Epigenetic Outcomes

PubMed Central

Kundakovic, Marija; Lim, Sean; Gudsnuk, Kathryn; Champagne, Frances A.

2013-01-01

Early life adversity can have a significant long-term impact with implications for the emergence of psychopathology. Disruption to mother-infant interactions is a form of early life adversity that may, in particular, have profound programing effects on the developing brain. However, despite converging evidence from human and animal studies, the precise mechanistic pathways underlying adversity-associated neurobehavioral changes have yet to be elucidated. One approach to the study of mechanism is exploration of epigenetic changes associated with early life experience. In the current study, we examined the effects of postnatal maternal separation (MS) in mice and assessed the behavioral, brain gene expression, and epigenetic effects of this manipulation in offspring. Importantly, we included two different mouse strains (C57BL/6J and Balb/cJ) and both male and female offspring to determine strain- and/or sex-associated differential response to MS. We found both strain-specific and sex-dependent effects of MS in early adolescent offspring on measures of open-field exploration, sucrose preference, and social behavior. Analyses of cortical and hippocampal mRNA levels of the glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) genes revealed decreased hippocampal Bdnf expression in maternally separated C57BL/6J females and increased cortical Bdnf expression in maternally separated male and female Balb/cJ offspring. Analyses of Nr3c1and Bdnf (IV and IX) CpG methylation indicated increased hippocampal Nr3c1 methylation in maternally separated C57BL/6J males and increased hippocampal Bdnf IX methylation in male and female maternally separated Balb/c mice. Overall, though effect sizes were modest, these findings suggest a complex interaction between early life adversity, genetic background, and sex in the determination of neurobehavioral and epigenetic outcomes that may account for differential vulnerability to later-life disorder. PMID:23914177

The First Cell Membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deamer, David; Dworkin, Jason P.; Sandford, Scott A.; Bernstein, Max P.; Allamandola, Louis J.

2004-01-01

Organic compounds are synthesized in the interstellar medium and can be delivered to planetary surfaces such as the early Earth, where they mix with endogenous organic mixtures. Some of these compounds are amphiphilic, having polar and non-polar groups on the same molecule. Amphiphilic compounds spontaneously self-assembly into more complex structures such as bimolecular layers, which in turn form closed membranous vesicles. The first forms of cellular life required self-assembled membranes that were likely to be available on the prebiotic Earth. Laboratory simulations show that such vesicles readily encapsulate functional macromolecules, including nucleic acids and polymerases. A goal of future investigations is to fabricate artificial cells as models of the origin of life.

RNA as an Astrophysical or Geophysical Document?? Correlated issues in nebular and planetary astronomy, geology and biology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, L. C.

1999-12-01

The emergence of the largely silicate earth from a presumably cosmically normal, H-rich solar nebula 4.5 eons ago is an obviously important issue relevant to many disciplines of the physical sciences. The emergence of terrestrial life is an equally important issue for biological sciences. Recent discoveries of isotopically light carbon (i.e. putative chemical fossils) in 3.85+ Ga Issua, Greenland sediments have reopened the issue of whether terrestrial life may have emerged prior to the earliest known rocks so that one might use biological records to deduce early terrestrial environments. In addition, recent advances in molecular genetics have suggested that all known ancestral life forms passed through an early hydrogen-rich environment which is more consistent with the now rejected Urey hypothesis of a early jovian atmosphere than with contemporary geological and planetological paradigms. In this essay, then, we examine possible limitations of contemporary paradigms of planetary science since a prima facie case will be made that life could not emerge in those environments which those paradigms now allow. Of necessity, the discussion will also address some hidden conflicts embedded in various disciplinary methodologies (e.g. astronomy, biology, geology).

Peroxy defects in Rocks and H2O2 formation on the early Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gray, A.; Balk, M.; Mason, P.; Freund, F.; Rothschild, L.

2013-12-01

An oxygen-rich atmosphere appears to have been a prerequisite for complex life to evolve on Earth and possibly elsewhere in the Universe. The question is still shrouded in uncertainty how free oxygen became available on the early Earth. Here we study processes of peroxy defects in silicate minerals which, upon weathering, generate mobilized electronic charge carriers resulting in oxygen formation in an initially anoxic subsurface environment. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are precursors to molecular oxygen during this process. Due to their toxicity they may have strongly influenced the evolution of life. ROS are generated during hydrolysis of peroxy defects, which consist of pairs of oxygen anions. A second pathway for formation occurs during (bio) transformations of iron sulphide minerals. ROS are produced and consumed by intracellular and extracellular reactions of Fe, Mn, C, N, and S species. We propose that despite an overall reducing or neutral oxidation state of the macroenvironment and the absence of free O2 in the atmosphere, microorganisms on the early Earth had to cope with ROS in their microenvironments. They were thus under evolutionary pressure to develop enzymatic and other defenses against the potentially dangerous, even lethal effects of ROS and oxygen. We have investigated how oxygen might be released through weathering and test microorganisms in contact with rock surfaces. Our results show how early Life might have adapted to oxygen. Early microorganisms must have "trained" to detoxify ROS prior to the evolution of aerobic metabolism and oxygenic photosynthesis. A possible way out of this dilemma comes from a study of igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks, whose minerals contain a small but significant fraction of oxygen anions in the valence state 1- , forming peroxy links of the type O3Si-OO-SiO3 [1, 2]. As water hydrolyzes the peroxy links hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, forms. Continued experimental discovery of H2O2 formation at rock-water interfaces as part of stress-activated currents on the tectonically active Earth may help us better understand the oxidation of the early Earth and the evolution of early Life. [1] Balk et al. (2009) Earth and Planetary Science Letters 283, 87-92. [2] Grant, R. A. et al. (2011) Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 8, 1936-1956.

Functional Uncoupling NMDAR NR2A Subunit from PSD-95 in the Prefrontal Cortex: Effects on Behavioral Dysfunction and Parvalbumin Loss after Early-Life Stress

PubMed Central

Ganguly, Prabarna; Holland, Freedom H; Brenhouse, Heather C

2015-01-01

Exposure to early-life stress increases vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, including depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety. Growing evidence implicates aberrant development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the effects of early-life stress, which often emerge in adolescence or young adulthood. Specifically, early-life stress in the form of maternal separation (MS) in rodents has been shown to decrease parvalbumin (PVB)-positive interneurons in the adolescent PFC; however, the mechanism underpinning behavioral dysfunction and PVB loss is not yet known. We recently reported that MS causes overexpression of the NMDA subunit NR2A in the PFC of adolescent rats. Elevated PFC NR2A is also found in developmental models of schizophrenia and is correlated with behavioral deficits, acting largely through its association with the postsynaptic protein PSD-95. In addition, adolescent maturation of PVB-positive interneurons relies on NR2A-driven NMDA activity. Therefore, it is possible that the NR2A/PSD-95 signaling complex has a role in adolescent MS effects. Here, we aimed to determine whether a discrete manipulation of PFC NR2A could prevent MS effects on PFC-controlled behaviors, including cognition, anxiety, and novelty-induced hyperlocomotion, as well as PVB loss in adolescence. We intracranially infused the NR2A-specific blocking peptide TAT2A in order to uncouple NR2A from PSD-95 in the early-adolescent PFC, without antagonizing the NMDA receptor. We demonstrated that MS rats treated with TAT2A during early adolescence were protected from MS-induced PVB loss and exhibited less anxious behavior than those infused with control peptide. These data implicate NR2A-related N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor development in adolescent behavioral and neural consequences of early-life stress. PMID:25953359

EAG Eminent Speaker: Two types of Archean continental crust: plume and plate tectonics on early Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Kranendonk, M. J.

2012-04-01

Over 4.5 billion years, Earth has evolved from a molten ball to a cooler planet with large continental plates, but how and when continents grew and plate tectonics started remain poorly understood. In this paper, I review the evidence that 3.5-3.2 Ga continental nuclei of the Pilbara (Australia) and Kaapvaal (southern Africa) cratons formed as thick volcanic plateaux over hot, upwelling mantle and survived due to contemporaneous development of highly depleted, buoyant, unsubductable mantle roots. This type of crust is distinct from, but complimentary to, high-grade gneiss terranes, as exemplified by the North Atlantic Craton of West Greenland, which formed through subduction-accretion tectonics on what is envisaged as a vigorously convecting early Earth with small plates. Thus, it is proposed that two types of crust formed on early Earth, in much the same way as in modern Earth, but with distinct differences resulting from a hotter Archean mantle. Volcanic plateaux provided a variety of stable habitats for early life, including chemical nutrient rich, shallow-water hydrothermal systems and shallow marine carbonate platforms.

Are There Really Animals Like That? The Larvae That Never Develop.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwelder, R. E.; Garoian, George S.

1984-01-01

Discusses the life cycle of a fluke to illustrate a form of larval reproduction which occurs in many trematode flatworms. Polyembryony, production of many embryos by the breakup of the one early embryo that resulted from sexual reproduction, is considered. (JN)

Characterization of inclusions in terrestrial impact formed zircon: Constraining the formation conditions of Hadean zircon from Jack Hills, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faltys, J. P.; Wielicki, M. M.; Sizemore, T. M.

2017-12-01

Due to the discovery and subsequent geochemical analysis of Hadean terrestrial material (e.g. detrital zircon from Jack Hills, Western Australia), a dramatic paradigm shift has occurred in the hypothesized near surface conditions of the first 500 million years of Earth's evolution. From a hellish setting riddled with impactors and not fit for life to a much milder environment that may have been uniquely suitable for the origin of life. Geochemical analyses of these ancient materials have been used to suggest the presence of water at or near the surface as well as the existence of continental crust during the Hadean, both of which have been suggested as necessary for the origin of life. However, the intensity of extraterrestrial bombardment during the Hadean and the effects of such events on the origin of life remains poorly understood. Clearly, as evidenced by Phanerozoic impact events, extraterrestrial impactors have the potential to dramatically effect the environment, particularly the biosphere. Early Earth likely experienced multiple large impact events, as evidenced by the lunar record, however whether those impacts were sufficient to frustrate the origin of life remains an open question. Although multiple lines of evidence, including the inclusion population, suggest the formation of Hadean zircon from Jack Hills as crystallizing in an under-thrust environment from S-type magmas, a recent study has suggested their formation in an impact melt environment analogous to a portion of the Sudbury Igneous Complex at the Sudbury impact structure. To determine between these two formation scenarios we have under-taken an inclusion study of terrestrial impact formed zircon from four of the largest terrestrial impact structures (Sudbury, Canada; Manicouagan, Canada; Vredefort, South Africa; Morokweng, South Africa), to compare to the vast inclusion dataset that exists for Jack Hills zircon. Preliminary data suggests a different inclusion population, from Hadean zircon, associated with impact formed zircon; however, if certain populations of the Jack Hills record appear to share inclusion assemblages with impact formed zircon, this could provide a tool to constrain the frequency and timing of large impactors on early Earth and their possible effects on conditions conducive for the origin of life.

Early life disruption to the ghrelin system with over-eating is resolved in adulthood in male rats.

PubMed

Sominsky, Luba; Ziko, Ilvana; Nguyen, Thai-Xinh; Andrews, Zane B; Spencer, Sarah J

2017-02-01

Early life overweight is a significant risk factor for developmental programming of adult obesity due to changes in the availability of metabolic factors crucial for the maturation of brain appetite-regulatory circuitry. The appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, has been recently identified as a major regulator of the establishment of hypothalamic feeding pathways. Ghrelin exists in circulation in two major forms, as acylated and des-acylated ghrelin. While most research has focused on acyl ghrelin, the role of neonatal des-acyl ghrelin in metabolic programming is currently unknown. Here we assessed the influences of early life overfeeding on the ghrelin system, including acyl and des-acyl ghrelin's ability to access the hypothalamus in male rats. Our data show that early life overfeeding influences the ghrelin system short-term, leading to an acute reduction in circulating des-acyl ghrelin and increased expression of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC). These changes are associated with increased neuronal activation in response to exogenous acyl, but not des-acyl, ghrelin in the ARC and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Interestingly, while we observed no differences in the accessibility of the ARC to acyl or des-acyl ghrelin, less exogenous acyl ghrelin reaches the PVN in the neonatally overfed. Importantly, the influences of neonatal overfeeding on the ghrelin system were not maintained into adulthood. Therefore, while early life overfeeding results in excess body weight and stimulates acute changes in the brain's sensitivity to metabolic signals, this developmental mal-programming is at least partially alleviated in adulthood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutritional influences over the life course on lean body mass of individuals in developing countries.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Bharati; Hills, Andrew P; Byrne, Nuala M

2014-03-01

The double burden of childhood undernutrition and adult-onset adiposity in transitioning societies poses a significant public health challenge. The development of suboptimal lean body mass (LBM) could partly explain the link between these two forms of malnutrition. This review examines the evidence on both the role of nutrition in “developmental programming” of LBM and the nutritional influences that affect LBM throughout the life course. Studies from developing countries assessing the relationship of early nutrition with later LBM provide important insights. Overall, the evidence is consistent in suggesting a positive association of early nutritional status (indicated by birth weight and growth during first 2 years) with LBM in later life. Evidence on the impact of maternal nutritional supplementation during pregnancy on later LBM is inconsistent. In addition, the role of nutrients (protein, zinc, calcium, vitamin D) that can affect LBM throughout the life course is described. Promoting optimal intakes of these important nutrients throughout the life course is important for reducing childhood undernutrition as well as for improving the LBM of adults.

Improved protocol and data analysis for accelerated shelf-life estimation of solid dosage forms.

PubMed

Waterman, Kenneth C; Carella, Anthony J; Gumkowski, Michael J; Lukulay, Patrick; MacDonald, Bruce C; Roy, Michael C; Shamblin, Sheri L

2007-04-01

To propose and test a new accelerated aging protocol for solid-state, small molecule pharmaceuticals which provides faster predictions for drug substance and drug product shelf-life. The concept of an isoconversion paradigm, where times in different temperature and humidity-controlled stability chambers are set to provide a critical degradant level, is introduced for solid-state pharmaceuticals. Reliable estimates for temperature and relative humidity effects are handled using a humidity-corrected Arrhenius equation, where temperature and relative humidity are assumed to be orthogonal. Imprecision is incorporated into a Monte-Carlo simulation to propagate the variations inherent in the experiment. In early development phases, greater imprecision in predictions is tolerated to allow faster screening with reduced sampling. Early development data are then used to design appropriate test conditions for more reliable later stability estimations. Examples are reported showing that predicted shelf-life values for lower temperatures and different relative humidities are consistent with the measured shelf-life values at those conditions. The new protocols and analyses provide accurate and precise shelf-life estimations in a reduced time from current state of the art.

Paleolakes and lacustrine basins on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, David H.; Rice, James W., Jr.; Dohm, James M.

1991-01-01

The problems of how warm and wet Mars once was and when climate transitions may have occurred are not well understood. Mars may have had an early environment similar to Earth's that was conducive to the emergence of life. In addition, increasing geologic evidence indicates that water, upon which terrestrial life depends, has been present on Mars throughout its history. This evidence does not detract from the possibility that life may have originated on early Mars, but rather suggests that life could have developed over longer periods of time in longer lasting, more clement local environments than previously envisioned. It is suggested herein that such environments may have been provided by paleolakes, located mostly in the northern lowlands and probably ice covered. Such lakes probably would have had diverse origins. Glacial lakes may have occupied ice eroded hollows or formed in valleys obstructed by moraines or ice barriers. Unlike Earth, the Martian record of the origin and evolution of possible life may have not been erased by extensive deformation of the surface. Thus the basins that may have contained the paleolakes are potential sites for future biological, geological, and climatological study.

Evaluation of quality of life and description of the sociodemographic state in adolescent and young adult patients with phenylketonuria (PKU).

PubMed

Simon, Eva; Schwarz, Martin; Roos, Judith; Dragano, Nico; Geraedts, Max; Siegrist, Johannes; Kamp, Gudrun; Wendel, Udo

2008-03-26

Normal intellectual and personal development can be expected in early-diagnosed and treated PKU patients. Aim of the study was to analyse quality of life and social status, which are important parameters for an overall estimation of success of treatment apart from intellectual outcome in adult PKU patients. 67 patients completed a questionnaire on quality of life and social status. Data was compared to the German census on an age matched control collective. Quality of life measured with the Profile of Quality of Life in the Chronically Ill (PLC) revealed mean values for capacity of performance in the patient group in the same range as in the control collective. The analysis of the social state of PKU patients revealed a tendency towards lower or delayed autonomy, and a low rate of forming normal adult relationships in which to have children. Schooling and professional career corresponded approximately to the control collective. Though every chronic disorder must be regarded as restraining, it shows that PKU does not preclude healthy emotional adjustment when the disease is diagnosed early and treated well.

Early life stress is associated with default system integrity and emotionality during infancy.

PubMed

Graham, Alice M; Pfeifer, Jennifer H; Fisher, Philip A; Carpenter, Samuel; Fair, Damien A

2015-11-01

Extensive animal research has demonstrated the vulnerability of the brain to early life stress (ELS) with consequences for emotional development and mental health. However, the influence of moderate and common forms of stress on early human brain development is less well-understood and precisely characterized. To date, most work has focused on severe forms of stress, and/or on brain functioning years after stress exposure. In this report we focused on conflict between parents (interparental conflict), a common and relatively moderate form of ELS that is highly relevant for children's mental health outcomes. We used resting state functional connectivity MRI to examine the coordinated functioning of the infant brain (N = 23; 6-12-months-of-age) in the context of interparental conflict. We focused on the default mode network (DMN) due to its well-characterized developmental trajectory and implications for mental health. We further examined DMN strength as a mediator between conflict and infants' negative emotionality. Higher interparental conflict since birth was associated with infants showing stronger connectivity between two core DMN regions, the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC). PCC to amygdala connectivity was also increased. Stronger PCC-aMPFC connectivity mediated between higher conflict and higher negative infant emotionality. The developing DMN may be an important marker for effects of ELS with relevance for emotional development and subsequent mental health. Increasing understanding of the associations between common forms of family stress and emerging functional brain networks has potential to inform intervention efforts to improve mental health outcomes. © 2015 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Early life stress is associated with default system integrity and emotionality during infancy

PubMed Central

Graham, Alice M.; Pfeifer, Jennifer H.; Fisher, Philip A.; Carpenter, Samuel; Fair, Damien A.

2015-01-01

Background Extensive animal research has demonstrated the vulnerability of the brain to early life stress (ELS) with consequences for emotional development and mental health. However, the influence of moderate and common forms of stress on early human brain development is less well understood and precisely characterized. To date, most work has focused on severe forms of stress, and/or on brain functioning years after stress exposure. Methods In this report we focused on conflict between parents (interparental conflict), a common and relatively moderate form of ELS that is highly relevant for children's mental health outcomes. We used resting state functional connectivity MRI to examine the coordinated functioning of the infant brain (N=23; 6–12-months-of-age) in the context of interparental conflict. We focused on the default mode network (DMN) due to its well characterized developmental trajectory and implications for mental health. We further examined DMN strength as a mediator between conflict and infants’ negative emotionality. Results Higher interparental conflict since birth was associated with infants showing stronger connectivity between two core DMN regions, the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC). PCC to amygdala connectivity was also increased. Stronger PCC-aMPFC connectivity mediated between higher conflict and higher negative infant emotionality. Conclusions The developing DMN may be an important marker for effects of ELS with relevance for emotional development and subsequent mental health. Increasing understanding of the associations between common forms of family stress and emerging functional brain networks has potential to inform intervention efforts to improve mental health outcomes. PMID:25809052

Ancient Hydrothermal Springs in Arabia Terra, Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Allen, Carlton C.

2008-01-01

Hydrothermal springs are important astrobiological sites for several reasons: 1) On Earth, molecular phylogeny suggests that many of the most primitive organisms are hyperthermophiles, implying that life on this planet may have arisen in hydrothermal settings; 2) on Mars, similar settings would have supplied energy- and nutrient-rich waters in which early martian life may have evolved; 3) such regions on Mars would have constituted oases of continued habitability providing warm, liquid water to primitive life forms as the planet became colder and drier; and 4) mineralization associated with hydrothermal settings could have preserved biosignatures from those martian life forms. Accordingly, if life ever developed on Mars, then hydrothermal spring deposits would be excellent localities in which to search for morphological or chemical remnants of that life. Previous attempts to identify martian spring deposits from orbit have been general or limited by resolution of available data. However, new satellite imagery from HiRISE has a resolution of 28 cm/pixel which allows detailed analysis of geologic structure and geomorphology. Based on these new data, we report several features in Vernal Crater, Arabia Terra that we interpret as ancient hydrothermal springs.

Extraterrestrial flux of potentially prebiotic C, N, and P to the early Earth.

PubMed

Pasek, Matthew; Lauretta, Dante

2008-02-01

With growing evidence for a heavy bombardment period ending 4-3.8 billion years ago, meteorites and comets may have been an important source of prebiotic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus on the early Earth. Life may have originated shortly after the late-heavy bombardment, when concentrations of organic compounds and reactive phosphorus were enough to "kick life into gear". This work quantifies the sources of potentially prebiotic, extraterrestrial C, N, and P and correlates these fluxes with a comparison to total Ir fluxes, and estimates the effect of atmosphere on the survival of material. We find (1) that carbonaceous chondrites were not a good source of organic compounds, but interplanetary dust particles provided a constant, steady flux of organic compounds to the surface of the Earth, (2) extraterrestrial metallic material was much more abundant on the early Earth, and delivered reactive P in the form of phosphide minerals to the Earth's surface, and (3) large impacts provided substantial local enrichments of potentially prebiotic reagents. These results help elucidate the potential role of extraterrestrial matter in the origin of life.

Community living long before man: fossil and living microbial mats and early life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margulis, L.; Lopez Baluja, L.; Awramik, S. M.; Sagan, D.

1986-01-01

Microbial mats are layered communities of bacteria that form cohesive structures, some of which are preserved in sedimentary rocks as stromatolites. Certain rocks, approximately three and a half thousand million years old and representing the oldest known fossils, are interpreted to derive from microbial mats and to contain fossils of microorganisms. Modern microbial mats (such as the one described here from Matanzas, Cuba) and their fossil counterparts are of great interest in the interpretation of early life on Earth. Since examination of microbial mats and stromatolites increases our understanding of long-term stability and change, within the global environment, such structures should be protected wherever possible as natural science preserves. Furthermore, since they have existed virtually from the time of life's origin, microbial mats have developed exemplary mechanisms of local community persistence and may even play roles in the larger global environment that we do not understand.

Polar Lakes and Springs as Analogs for Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, C. P.

1995-01-01

If we accept the fluvial features as evidence of liquid water on Mars we conclude that early in Martian history there was an extensive period during which liquid water was prevalent and stable. The duration of this epoch and the environmental conditions that allowed for water flow are uncertain but because liquid water is the most critical environmental requirement for life on Earth, the observation that there was liquid water on Mars during on early epoch is a strong motivation for considering the possibility of past life. Microbial ecosystems can thrive in polar lakes and springs on Earth, such as those in the Antarctic dry valleys, even when the mean temperatures are well below freezing. Mars need not have ever been above freezing for life to persist. These microbial ecosystems provide specific models for possible past martian ecosystems and can be used in the development of methods to locate and identify analogous Martian fossil forms, if they exist.

Dietary habits and nutritional status of school aged children in Spain.

PubMed

Fernández San Juan, P M

2006-01-01

The different dietary habits and nutritional status of Spanish schoolchildren have been analyzed. Nutrition affects health throughout the life cycle, and it is best to begin to prevent harm early on. Habits are formed early in life, and habits are a major determinant of food choice in later life. Two trends in particular are worthy of mention in this regard: the progressive globalisation of the food supply and the increase of food intake such as snacks, soft drinks and fast food, wich tipically apport a significant part of daily diet. In Spain, young people are abandoning the "Mediterranean Diet" in favour of industrial products, full of calories and saturated fatty acids but low in nutritional components, wich is contributing to obesity and rising cholesterol levels. Also, breakfast consumption has been identified as an important factor in the nutritional status of children and in Spain we are observing that an increasing percentage of children are omitting breakfast.

Factors affecting plant diversity during post-fire recovery and succession of mediterranean-climate shrublands in California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keeley, J.E.; Fotheringham, C.J.; Baer-Keeley, M.

2005-01-01

Plant community diversity, measured as species richness, is typically highest in the early post-fire years in California shrublands. However, this generalization is overly simplistic and the present study demonstrates that diversity is determined by a complex of temporal and spatial effects. Ninety sites distributed across southern California were studied for 5 years after a series of fires. Characteristics of the disturbance event, in this case fire severity, can alter post-fire diversity, both decreasing and increasing diversity, depending on life form. Spatial variability in resource availability is an important factor explaining patterns of diversity, and there is a complex interaction between landscape features and life form. Temporal variability in resource availability affects diversity, and the diversity peak in the immediate post-fire year (or two) appears to be driven by factors different from subsequent diversity peaks. Early post-fire diversity is influenced by life-history specialization, illustrated by species that spend the bulk of their life cycle as a dormant seed bank, which is then triggered to germinate by fire. Resource fluctuations, precipitation in particular, may be associated with subsequent post-fire diversity peaks. These later peaks in diversity comprise a flora that is compositionally different from the immediate post-fire flora, and their presence may be due to mass effects from population expansion of local populations in adjacent burned areas. ?? 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Early establishment of trees at the alpine treeline: idiosyncratic species responses to temperature-moisture interactions

PubMed Central

Loranger, Hannah; Zotz, Gerhard; Bader, Maaike Y.

2016-01-01

On a global scale, temperature is the main determinant of arctic and alpine treeline position. However on a local scale, treeline form and position vary considerably due to other climatic factors, tree species ecology and life-stage-dependent responses. For treelines to advance poleward or uphill, the first steps are germination and seedling establishment. These earliest life stages may be major bottlenecks for treeline tree populations and will depend differently on climatic conditions than adult trees. We investigated the effect of soil temperature and moisture on germination and early seedling survival in a field experiment in the French Alps near the local treeline (2100 m a.s.l.) using passive temperature manipulations and two watering regimes. Five European treeline tree species were studied: Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus cembra, Pinus uncinata and Sorbus aucuparia. In addition, we monitored the germination response of three of these species to low temperatures under controlled conditions in growth chambers. The early establishment of these trees at the alpine treeline was limited either by temperature or by moisture, the sensitivity to one factor often depending on the intensity of the other. The results showed that the relative importance of the two factors and the direction of the effects are highly species-specific, while both factors tend to have consistent effects on both germination and early seedling survival within each species. We show that temperature and water availability are both important contributors to establishment patterns of treeline trees and hence to species-specific forms and positions of alpine treelines. The observed idiosyncratic species responses highlight the need for studies including several species and life-stages to create predictive power concerning future treeline dynamics. PMID:27402618

Early establishment of trees at the alpine treeline: idiosyncratic species responses to temperature-moisture interactions.

PubMed

Loranger, Hannah; Zotz, Gerhard; Bader, Maaike Y

2016-01-01

On a global scale, temperature is the main determinant of arctic and alpine treeline position. However on a local scale, treeline form and position vary considerably due to other climatic factors, tree species ecology and life-stage-dependent responses. For treelines to advance poleward or uphill, the first steps are germination and seedling establishment. These earliest life stages may be major bottlenecks for treeline tree populations and will depend differently on climatic conditions than adult trees. We investigated the effect of soil temperature and moisture on germination and early seedling survival in a field experiment in the French Alps near the local treeline (2100 m a.s.l.) using passive temperature manipulations and two watering regimes. Five European treeline tree species were studied: Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus cembra, Pinus uncinata and Sorbus aucuparia In addition, we monitored the germination response of three of these species to low temperatures under controlled conditions in growth chambers. The early establishment of these trees at the alpine treeline was limited either by temperature or by moisture, the sensitivity to one factor often depending on the intensity of the other. The results showed that the relative importance of the two factors and the direction of the effects are highly species-specific, while both factors tend to have consistent effects on both germination and early seedling survival within each species. We show that temperature and water availability are both important contributors to establishment patterns of treeline trees and hence to species-specific forms and positions of alpine treelines. The observed idiosyncratic species responses highlight the need for studies including several species and life-stages to create predictive power concerning future treeline dynamics. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Early-Life Parent-Child Relationships and Adult Children's Support of Unpartnered Parents in Later Life.

PubMed

Lin, I-Fen; Wu, Hsueh-Sheng

2018-02-08

The proportion of older adults who are unpartnered has increased significantly over the past 25 years. Unpartnered older adults often rely on their adult children for support. Most previous studies have focused on proximal factors associated with adult children's support of their parents, while few have examined distal factors, such as parent-child relationships formed during childhood. This study fills the gap by investigating the direct and indirect associations between early-life parent-child relationships and adult children's upward transfers to unpartnered parents. Data came from two supplements to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, in which respondents were asked about their relationships with mothers and fathers before age 17 and their transfers of time and money to parents in 2013. Path models were estimated for unpartnered mother-adult child dyads and father-adult child dyads separately. For adult children of unpartnered mothers, psychological closeness has a direct, positive association with time transfer, while physical violence has an indirect association with time transfer through adult children's marital status. For adult children of unpartnered fathers, psychological closeness has neither a direct nor an indirect association with time or money transfer, but physical violence has a direct, negative association with time transfer. Early-life parent-child relationships play a pivotal role in influencing adult children's caregiving behavior, both directly and indirectly. Our findings suggest that by improving their relationships with children early in life, parents may be able to increase the amount of time transfer that they receive in late life. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Can Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Preserve Oral Health-Related Quality of Life of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pow, Edmond H.N., E-mail: ehnpow@hku.hk; Kwong, Dora L.W.; Sham, Jonathan S.T.

Purpose: To investigate the changes in salivary function and oral health-related quality of life for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials: A total of 57 patients with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma received IMRT. The parotid and whole saliva flow was measured, and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire-C30, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire 35-item head-and-neck module, and Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaires were completed at baseline and 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months aftermore » IMRT. Results: Parotid saliva flow recovered fully after 1 year and maintained. Whole saliva flow recovered partially to 40% of baseline. A general trend of deterioration in most quality of life scales was observed after IMRT, followed by gradual recovery. Persistent oral-related symptoms were found 2 years after treatment. Conclusion: IMRT for early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma could only partially preserve the whole salivary function and oral health-related quality of life.« less

Microbial Diversity in Surface Iron-Rich Aqueous Environments: Implications for Seeking Signs of Life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, I. I.; Allen, C. C.; Tringe, S. G.; Klatt, C. G.; Bryant, D. A.; Sarkisova, S. A.; Garrison, D. H.; McKay, D. S.

2010-01-01

The success of selecting future landing sites on Mars to discover extinct and/or extant extraterrestrial life is dependent on the correct approximation of available knowledge about terrestrial paleogeochemistry and life evolution to Martian (paleo) geology and geochemistry. It is well known that both Earth and Mars are Fe rich. This widespread occurrence suggests that Fe may have played a key role in early life forms, where it probably served as a key constituent in early prosthetic moieties in many proteins of ancient microbes on Earth and likely Mars. The second critical idea is the premise that Life on Mars could most likely have developed when Mars experienced tectonic activity [1] which dramatically decreased around 1 bin years after Martian creation. After that Martian life could have gone extinct or hibernated in the deep subsurface, which would be expensive to reach in contrast to the successful work of Martian surface rovers. Here we analyze the diversity of microbes in several terrestrial Fe rich surface environments in conjunction with the phylogeny and molecular timing of emergence of those microbes on Earth. Anticipated results should help evaluate future landing sites on Mars in searches for biosignatures.

Microbial metabolism of Tholin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoker, C. R.; Mancinelli, R. L.; Boston, P. J.; Segal, W.; Khare, B. N.

1990-01-01

Tholin, a class of complex organic heteropolymers hypothesized to possess wide solar system distribution, is shown to furnish the carbon and energy requirements of a wide variety of common soil bacteria which encompasses aerobic, anaerobic, and facultatively anaerobic bacteria. Some of these bacteria are able to derive not merely their carbon but also their nitrogen requirements from tholin. The palatability of tholins to modern microbes is speculated to have implications for the early evolution of microbial life on earth; tholins may have formed the base of the food chain for an early heterotrophic biosphere, prior to the evolution of autotrophy on the early earth.

Mars resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, Michael B.

1986-01-01

The most important resources of Mars for the early exploration phase will be oxygen and water, derived from the Martian atmosphere and regolith, which will be used for propellant and life support. Rocks and soils may be used in unprocessed form as shielding materials for habitats, or in minimally processed form to expand habitable living and work space. Resources necessary to conduct manufacturing and agricultural projects are potentially available, but will await advanced stages of Mars habitation before they are utilized.

Behaviorism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, J.

2011-01-01

Early forms of psychology assumed that mental life was the appropriate subject matter for psychology, and introspection was an appropriate method to engage that subject matter. In 1913, John B. Watson proposed an alternative: classical S-R behaviorism. According to Watson, behavior was a subject matter in its own right, to be studied by the…

Why Preschoolers Need Physical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pica, Rae

2011-01-01

NAEYC, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, and the US Department of Health and Human Services all recommend that preschool programs offer physical education. There are many reasons why. First, young children form healthy habits early in life. Before entering elementary school they learn to brush their teeth, bathe…

Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Early Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedrich, William; And Others

1982-01-01

A sample of 132 junior high school students completed a biographical data sheet, short forms of the Beck Depression Inventory, a Sensation-Seeking Scale, the Family Environment Scale, a social support index, and a life stress inventory, to determine to what extent depression in young adolescents could be predicted. (Author/PN)

Gene transcription ontogeny of thyroid-axis development in early-life stage fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

EPA Science Inventory

Disruption of thyroid hormone signaling is a form of endocrine disruption that is of concern to both human health and ecosystems. Research is being conducted to define the biological targets chemicals may interact with to disrupt thyroid hormone signaling and the stages in develo...

Discipline for Life: Getting It Right with Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swift, Madelyn

Based on the view that how parents discipline their children in the early years plays a significant role in determining their child's future behavior and relationships, this book offers advice for helping parents teach their children to accept responsibility for their own behavior, to form healthy relationships, develop sound and helpful…

Can Population Topics Form the Subject of Educational Action? Le point de vue du demographe (The Demographer's Point of View).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arias de Blois, Jorge

1993-01-01

Contends that population education must address social, religious, and political issues. Early family planning programs have been widened to include migration, life expectancy, and public health, but large sections of the population remain ill-informed on demographic questions. (DMM)

Maturation of the Infant Respiratory Microbiota, Environmental Drivers, and Health Consequences. A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Bosch, Astrid A T M; de Steenhuijsen Piters, Wouter A A; van Houten, Marlies A; Chu, Mei Ling J N; Biesbroek, Giske; Kool, Jolanda; Pernet, Paula; de Groot, Pieter-Kees C M; Eijkemans, Marinus J C; Keijser, Bart J F; Sanders, Elisabeth A M; Bogaert, Debby

2017-12-15

Perinatal and postnatal influences are presumed important drivers of the early-life respiratory microbiota composition. We hypothesized that the respiratory microbiota composition and development in infancy is affecting microbiota stability and thereby resistance against respiratory tract infections (RTIs) over time. To investigate common environmental drivers, including birth mode, feeding type, antibiotic exposure, and crowding conditions, in relation to respiratory tract microbiota maturation and stability, and consecutive risk of RTIs over the first year of life. In a prospectively followed cohort of 112 infants, we characterized the nasopharyngeal microbiota longitudinally from birth on (11 consecutive sample moments and the maximum three RTI samples per subject; in total, n = 1,121 samples) by 16S-rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Using a microbiota-based machine-learning algorithm, we found that children experiencing a higher number of RTIs in the first year of life already demonstrate an aberrant microbial developmental trajectory from the first month of life on as compared with the reference group (0-2 RTIs/yr). The altered microbiota maturation process coincided with decreased microbial community stability, prolonged reduction of Corynebacterium and Dolosigranulum, enrichment of Moraxella very early in life, followed by later enrichment of Neisseria and Prevotella spp. Independent drivers of these aberrant developmental trajectories of respiratory microbiota members were mode of delivery, infant feeding, crowding, and recent antibiotic use. Our results suggest that environmental drivers impact microbiota development and, consequently, resistance against development of RTIs. This supports the idea that microbiota form the mediator between early-life environmental risk factors for and susceptibility to RTIs over the first year of life.

Demographic patterns of postfire regeneration in Mediterranean-climate shrublands of California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keeley, J.E.; Fotheringham, C.J.; Baer-Keeley, M.

2006-01-01

This study uses detailed demographic data to determine the extent to which functional groupings, based on seedling recruitment and resprouting response to fire, capture the dynamics of postfire responses and early successional change in fire-prone ecosystems. Following massive wildfires in southern California, USA, we sampled chaparral and sage scrub vegetation in nested 0.1-ha plots from 90 sites for five postfire years. Prefire density of woody skeletons and cover and density of all postfire species were recorded. Functional types of postfire obligate seeder, facultative seeder, and obligate resprouter are broadly useful but fail to capture much of the dynamics of postfire succession in these shrublands. For the woody flora, stratifying these three regeneration modes by life-form captures important differences. Postfire obligate-seeding shrubs exhibit a single postfire seedling cohort whereas the faster growing suffrutescent species reach reproductive maturity by the second year and produce multiple seedling cohorts. Postfire obligate-resprouting shrubs reach reproductive maturity early but have very limited seedling recruitment in the early postfire years, whereas obligate-resprouting subshrubs flower the first year from resprouts and have seedling recruitment pulses in the second and subsequent postfire years. For the rich herbaceous flora, further subdivisions are needed to capture the range of variation. Herbaceous perennials are nearly all postfire obligate resprouters, and there are important demographic differences during early succession in different growth forms such as geophytes and rhizomatous grasses. Annuals lack resprouting ability and are postfire obligate seeders. Some exhibit extreme life-history specialization and are present only in the immediate postfire year(s). Others are highly specialized on fire but persist during early succession, and still others are opportunistic species widely distributed on open sites but can expand their populations during early succession. ?? 2006 by the Ecological Society of America.

Interactions between Early Life Stress, Nucleus Accumbens MeCP2 Expression, and Methamphetamine Self-Administration in Male Rats

PubMed Central

Lewis, Candace R; Bastle, Ryan M; Manning, Tawny B; Himes, Sarah M; Fennig, Paulette; Conrad, Phoebe R; Colwell, Jenna; Pagni, Broc A; Hess, Lyndsay A; Matekel, Caitlin G; Newbern, Jason M; Olive, M Foster

2016-01-01

Early life stress (ELS) is highly related to the development of psychiatric illnesses in adulthood, including substance use disorders. A recent body of literature suggests that long-lasting changes in the epigenome may be a mechanism by which experiences early in life can alter neurobiological and behavioral phenotypes in adulthood. In this study, we replicate our previous findings that ELS, in the form of prolonged maternal separation, increases adult methamphetamine self-administration (SA) in male rats as compared with handled controls. In addition, we show new evidence that both ELS and methamphetamine SA alter the expression of the epigenetic regulator methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in key brain reward regions, particularly in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core. In turn, viral-mediated knockdown of MeCP2 expression in the NAc core reduces methamphetamine SA, as well as saccharin intake. Furthermore, NAc core MeCP2 knockdown reduces methamphetamine, but not saccharin, SA on a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. These data suggest that NAc core MeCP2 may be recruited by both ELS and methamphetamine SA and promote the development of certain aspects of drug abuse-related behavior. Taken together, functional interactions between ELS, methamphetamine SA, and the expression of MeCP2 in the NAc may represent novel mechanisms that can ultimately be targeted for intervention in individuals with adverse early life experiences who are at risk for developing substance use disorders. PMID:27312406

A Phylogenomic Census of Molecular Functions Identifies Modern Thermophilic Archaea as the Most Ancient Form of Cellular Life

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyung Mo; Caetano-Anollés, Gustavo

2014-01-01

The origins of diversified life remain mysterious despite considerable efforts devoted to untangling the roots of the universal tree of life. Here we reconstructed phylogenies that described the evolution of molecular functions and the evolution of species directly from a genomic census of gene ontology (GO) definitions. We sampled 249 free-living genomes spanning organisms in the three superkingdoms of life, Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya, and used the abundance of GO terms as molecular characters to produce rooted phylogenetic trees. Results revealed an early thermophilic origin of Archaea that was followed by genome reduction events in microbial superkingdoms. Eukaryal genomes displayed extraordinary functional diversity and were enriched with hundreds of novel molecular activities not detected in the akaryotic microbial cells. Remarkably, the majority of these novel functions appeared quite late in evolution, synchronized with the diversification of the eukaryal superkingdom. The distribution of GO terms in superkingdoms confirms that Archaea appears to be the simplest and most ancient form of cellular life, while Eukarya is the most diverse and recent. PMID:25249790

Energy transduction inside vesicles, photocatalysis by titanium dioxide and formation of NADH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, David; Noveron, Juan; Rodoni, David; Basa, Ranor

A number of theories on the origin and early evolution of life have focused on the role of lipid bilayer membrane structures (vesicles). These vesicles are similar to modern cellular membranes , and have been postulated to have been abiotically formed and spontaneously assemble on the prebiotic Earth to provide compartments for early cellular life. They can contain water-soluble species, concentrate species, and have the potential to catalyze reactions. The origin of the use of photochemical energy to drive metabolism (ie. energy transduction) is also one of the central issues in our attempts to understand the origin and evolution of life. When did energy transduction and photosynthesis begin? What was the original system for capturing photochemical energy? How simple can such a system be? It has been postulated that vesicle structures developed the ability to capture and transduce light, providing energy for reactions. It has been shown that pH gradients can be photo-chemically created, but it has been found difficult to couple these to drive chemical reactions. Minerals can introduce a number of properties to a vesicle system. The incorporation of clay particles into vesicles can provide catalytic activity that mediates both vesicle assembly and RNA oligomerization. It is known that colloidal semiconducting mineral particles can act as photocatalysts and drive redox chemistry. We show that encapsulation of these particles has the potential to provide a source of energy transduction inside vesicles, and thereby drive protocellular chemistry and represent a model system for early photosynthesis. TiO2 particles can be incorporated into vesicles and retain their photoactivity through the dehydration/rehydration cycles that have been shown to be able concentrate species inside a vesicle. It is shown that these can be used to produce biochemical species such as enzymatically active NADH in such structures. This system demonstrates a simple energy source inside vesicles/protocells suitable either for simple prebiotic systems and/or for more complex "protobiochemical" systems. It could act as a precursor to metabolic systems and provide a model of how metabolism could have developed prebiotically in a vesicle based "protocell origin of life". It can provide a source of prebiotic compounds inside vesicles, an environment considered to be of great importance for the origin of life. An energy transduction system that is simple enough to have formed at an early stage of the origin of life (even before the formation of enzymatic or ribozymal activity) makes an autotrophic origin of life easier to envision.

Origins of life: a comparison of theories and application to Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, W. L.; McKay, C. P.

1996-01-01

The field of study that deals with the origins of life does not have a consensus for a theory of life's origin. An analysis of the range of theories offered shows that they share some common features that may be reliable predictors when considering the possible origins of life on another planet. The fundamental datum dealing with the origins of life is that life appeared early in the history of the Earth, probably before 3.5 Ga and possibly before 3.8 Ga. What might be called the standard theory (the Oparin-Haldane theory) posits the production of organic molecules on the early Earth followed by chemical reactions that produced increased organic complexity leading eventually to organic life capable of reproduction, mutation, and selection using organic material as nutrients. A distinct class of other theories (panspermia theories) suggests that life was carried to Earth from elsewhere--these theories receive some support from recent work on planetary impact processes. Other alternatives to the standard model suggest that life arose as an inorganic (clay) form and/or that the initial energy source was not organic material but chemical energy or sunlight. We find that the entire range of current theories suggests that liquid water is the quintessential environmental criterion for both the origin and sustenance of life. It is therefore of interest that during the time that life appeared on Earth we have evidence for liquid water present on the surface of Mars.

The Material-Independent Signatures of Life.Forensic Tools of Astrobiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radu, Popa

Biological life is intimately related to the geochemical conditions on Earth and is fit for this planet's energy flux. It has often been suggested that life was also built in accordance with the particular local conditions offered by the early Earth. Common sense dictates that the constructive details of life on another planet should also be a reflection of the particular local conditions. Moreover, the collective activity of all life forms on a planet should have some measurable consequences on the global geochemistry. Comparison with the Earth-bound type of life is certainly inspirational but only up to a point. One central rule in astrobiology is: life can be made of many things and can have many forms. The search for extraterrestrial life cannot be limited to the search for Earth-like examples. Despite the common sense of this guideline, a manifest tendency exists today to judge the geochemical conditions from other planets through Earth-colored glasses. Much too often we hear expressions such as conditions too hostile to harbor life', or the search for Earth-like planets as potential hosts of life', or chemistry appropriate for life', or water as the fluid of life', or terra-formation of another planet to make it appropriate for life'. Irrespectively of how hostile another planet might appear to our Earth-based metabolism, we cannot state with certainty that life cannot be present before a comprehensive investigation is performed which includes the search for life's material-independent signatures.

Isotopic and elemental chemistry of sedimentary pyrite: A combined analytical and statistical approach to a novel planetary biosignature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figueroa, M. C.; Gregory, D. D.; Lyons, T. W.; Williford, K. H.

2017-12-01

Life processes affect trace element abundances in pyrite such that sedimentary and hydrothermal pyrite have significantly different trace element signatures. Thus, we propose that these biogeochemical data could be used to identify pyrite that formed biogenetically either early in our planet's history or on other planets, particularly Mars. The potential for this approach is elevated because pyrite is common in diverse sedimentary settings, and its trace element content can be preserved despite secondary overprints up to greenschist facies, thus minimizing the concerns about remobilization that can plague traditional whole rock studies. We are also including in-situ sulfur isotope analysis to further refine our understanding of the complex signatures of ancient pyrite. Sulfur isotope data can point straightforwardly to the involvement of life, because pyrite in sediments is inextricably linked to bacterial sulfate reduction and its diagnostic isotopic expressions. In addition to analyzing pyrite of known biological origin formed in the modern and ancient oceans under a range of conditions, we are building a data set for pyrite formed by hydrothermal and metamorphic processes to minimize the risk of false positives in life detection. We have used Random Forests (RF), a machine learning statistical technique with proven efficiency for classifying large geological datasets, to classify pyrite into biotic and abiotic end members. Coupling the trace element and sulfur isotope data from our analyses with a large existing dataset from diverse settings has yielded 4500 analyses with 18 different variables. Our initial results reveal the promise of the RF approach, correctly identifying biogenic pyrite 97 percent of the time. We will continue to couple new in-situ S-isotope and trace element analyses of biogenic pyrite grains from modern and ancient environments, using cutting-edge microanalytical techniques, with new data from high temperature settings. Our ultimately goal is a refined search tool with straightforward application in the search for early life on Earth and distant life recorded in meteorites, returned samples, and in situ measurements.

Prebiotic Lipidic Amphiphiles and Condensing Agents on the Early Earth

PubMed Central

Fiore, Michele; Strazewski, Peter

2016-01-01

It is still uncertain how the first minimal cellular systems evolved to the complexity required for life to begin, but it is obvious that the role of amphiphilic compounds in the origin of life is one of huge relevance. Over the last four decades a number of studies have demonstrated how amphiphilic molecules can be synthesized under plausibly prebiotic conditions. The majority of these experiments also gave evidence for the ability of so formed amphiphiles to assemble in closed membranes of vesicles that, in principle, could have compartmented first biological processes on early Earth, including the emergence of self-replicating systems. For a competitive selection of the best performing molecular replicators to become operative, some kind of bounded units capable of harboring them are indispensable. Without the competition between dynamic populations of different compartments, life itself could not be distinguished from an otherwise disparate array or network of molecular interactions. In this review, we describe experiments that demonstrate how different prebiotically-available building blocks can become precursors of phospholipids that form vesicles. We discuss the experimental conditions that resemble plausibly those of the early Earth (or elsewhere) and consider the analytical methods that were used to characterize synthetic products. Two brief sections focus on phosphorylating agents, catalysts and coupling agents with particular attention given to their geochemical context. In Section 5, we describe how condensing agents such as cyanamide and urea can promote the abiotic synthesis of phospholipids. We conclude the review by reflecting on future studies of phospholipid compartments, particularly, on evolvable chemical systems that include giant vesicles composed of different lipidic amphiphiles. PMID:27043635

The production and use of wood chips from Virginia pine thinnings

Treesearch

Richard H. Fenton

1956-01-01

In most forest-management plans, attention is usually directed to certain cultural treatments early in the life of a stand. These are generally some form of weeding or thinning to favor the ultimate crop trees by cutting out a proportion of the young stand that seems least desirable to retain.

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid (article)

EPA Science Inventory

The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4) to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior chamber of the swim bladder, processes previously ...

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4) to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posterior and/or anterior chamber of the swim bladder, processes previously ...

Drawing in Preschools: A Didactic Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frisch, Nina Scott

2006-01-01

To be understood, visually, often depends on how skilled one is in catching form and translating it into a two-dimensional surface. This is a challenge we are confronted with early in life. Children's learning strategies in drawing are not always understood or encouraged. This article presents a socio-cultural analysis from Norway of a pedagogical…

Portable Life Support System: PLSS 101

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Gretchen A.

2011-01-01

This presentation reviewed basic interfaces and considerations necessary for prototype suit hardware integration from an advanced spacesuit engineer perspective during the early design and test phases. The discussion included such topics such as the human interface, suit pass-throughs, keep-out zones, hardware form factors, subjective feedback from suit tests, and electricity in the suit.

Wittgenstein's Contextualist Approach to Judging "Sound" Teaching: Escaping Enthrallment in Criteria-Based Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickney, Jeff Alan

2009-01-01

Comparing the early, analytic attempt to define "sound" teaching with the current use of criteria-based rating schemes, Jeff Stickney turns to Wittgenstein's holistic, contextualist approach to judging teaching against its complex "background" within our "form of life." To exemplify this approach, Stickney presents cases of classroom practice…

Impaired swim bladder inflation in early-life stage fathead minnows exposed to a deiodinase inhibitor, iopanoic acid

EPA Science Inventory

The thyroid axis plays a critical role in teleost fish development. The present study investigated whether inhibition of deiodinase, the enzyme which converts thyroxine (T4), to the more biologically-active form, 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), would impact inflation of the posteri...

The microbial world: can we really culture what we cannot see?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The existence of microorganisms was postulated as early as the 6th century BC. In 1675 using a microscope he designed, Antonj van Leewenoek described his ‘animalcules’ which confirmed the presence of life forms which were not visible to the naked eye. Subsequent observations by Spallanzani that boi...

Gene transcription ontogeny of hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid-axis development in early-life stage fathead minnow and zebrafish

EPA Science Inventory

Disruption of thyroid hormone signaling is a form of endocrine disruption that is of concern to both human health and ecosystems. Research is being conducted to define the biological targets chemicals may interact with to disrupt thyroid hormone signaling and the stages in develo...

Enhancing Early Emotional Development: Guiding Parents of Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gowen, Jean Wixson; Nebrig, Judith Brennan

Noting that during the first 2 years of life, children form attachments with caregivers that profoundly affect their emotional lives, this book presents a relationship-based reflective approach to help professionals who work with families of young children to nurture those crucial bonds, giving parents the support and guidance they need. The book…

Nonmarine stromatolites and the search for early life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Awramik, S. M.

1991-01-01

The available evidence permits one to conclude that streams flowed and lakes developed on Mars sometime in the remote past. The lessons learned from the Earth's earliest fossil record suggest that stromatolites might have formed on Mars, speculating that: (1) biopoesis occurred on Mars during its earliest history; (2) life evolved and diversified; (3) life inhabited aqueous environments; and (4) sunlight was an important environmental resource. The most likely place to find stromatolites and possibly microbial fossils on Mars would be in ancient lake and stream deposits. If thermal spring deposits can be identified, then they too are sites for biogeological investigations. Other aspects of this study are presented.

Associations between Nausea, Vomiting, Fatigue and Health-Related Quality of Life of Women in Early Pregnancy: The Generation R Study.

PubMed

Bai, Guannan; Korfage, Ida J; Groen, Esther Hafkamp-de; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Mautner, Eva; Raat, Hein

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the independent associations between nausea, vomiting, fatigue and health-related quality of life of women in early pregnancy in the Generation R study, which is a prospective mother and child cohort. Analyses were based on 5079 women in early pregnancy in the Rotterdam area, the Netherlands. The information on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in the previous three months was measured in the questionnaire at enrollment, as well as potential confounders (i.e., maternal/gestational age, ethnic background, educational level, parity, marital status, body mass index, tobacco and alcohol use, chronic/infectious conditions, uro-genital conditions/symptoms, sleep quality, headache, anxiety, and depression). Health-related quality of life was assessed by the 12-item Short Form Health Survey and physical and mental component summary scores were calculated. Multivariate regression models were performed to evaluate the independent associations of the presence of nausea, vomiting and fatigue with health-related quality of life, adjusting for potential confounders. 33.6% of women experienced daily presence of nausea, 9.6% for vomiting and 44.4% for fatigue. Comparing with women who never reported nausea, vomiting and fatigue, women with daily presence of at least one of these symptoms had significantly lower scores of physical component summary and mental component summary, after adjusting for potential confounders. Our study shows how common nausea, vomiting and fatigue are among women in early pregnancy and how much each of these symptoms negatively impact on health-related quality of life. We call for awareness of this issue from health care professionals, pregnant women and their families.

Research review: evaluating and reformulating the developmental taxonomic theory of antisocial behaviour.

PubMed

Fairchild, Graeme; van Goozen, Stephanie H M; Calder, Andrew J; Goodyer, Ian M

2013-09-01

The developmental taxonomic theory proposes that there are two subtypes of antisocial behaviour. The first is a neurodevelopmental disorder which emerges in early childhood and follows a life-course persistent course, whereas the second emerges in adolescence, remits in early adulthood and reflects peer processes such as mimicry of antisocial peers. The aim of this review was to evaluate the developmental taxonomic theory in the light of recent empirical research. We conducted a comprehensive literature review comparing these subtypes of antisocial behaviour based on searches on PubMed and other scientific databases covering the period from 1993 to 2013. We focused on research encompassing psychiatric epidemiology, personality assessment, neuropsychology, neuroendocrinology, genetics, and structural and functional neuroimaging. Sixty one empirical studies were identified that investigated one of these forms of antisocial behaviour separately or explicitly compared childhood-onset and adolescence-onset forms of antisocial behaviour. Empirical research provides support for the hypothesis that life-course persistent antisocial behaviour is a neurodevelopmental disorder which emerges in the transactions between individual vulnerabilities and environmental adversity. In contrast to the developmental taxonomic theory, however, empirical findings suggest that severe antisocial behaviour that emerges in adolescence frequently has a negative prognosis and is rarely limited to the adolescent period. In addition, both forms of antisocial behaviour are associated with emotion processing deficits, changes in brain structure and function, alterations in cortisol secretion, and atypical personality traits (such as increased callous-unemotional traits). We conclude that the developmental taxonomic theory is in need of revision, as differences between life-course persistent and adolescence-onset forms of antisocial behaviour appear to be quantitative, rather than qualitative, in nature. In addition, evidence is accumulating that adolescence-onset antisocial behaviour may also be a neurodevelopmental disorder. To account for the similarities between these groups, despite the differences in their age-of-onset, we propose that the quality of the child's early environment moderates the relationship between individual vulnerabilities and the age-of-onset of antisocial behaviour. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Research Review: Evaluating and reformulating the developmental taxonomic theory of antisocial behaviour

PubMed Central

Fairchild, Graeme; Goozen, Stephanie HM; Calder, Andrew J; Goodyer, Ian M

2013-01-01

BackgroundThe developmental taxonomic theory proposes that there are two subtypes of antisocial behaviour. The first is a neurodevelopmental disorder which emerges in early childhood and follows a life-course persistent course, whereas the second emerges in adolescence, remits in early adulthood and reflects peer processes such as mimicry of antisocial peers. The aim of this review was to evaluate the developmental taxonomic theory in the light of recent empirical research. MethodsWe conducted a comprehensive literature review comparing these subtypes of antisocial behaviour based on searches on PubMed and other scientific databases covering the period from 1993 to 2013. We focused on research encompassing psychiatric epidemiology, personality assessment, neuropsychology, neuroendocrinology, genetics, and structural and functional neuroimaging. Sixty one empirical studies were identified that investigated one of these forms of antisocial behaviour separately or explicitly compared childhood-onset and adolescence-onset forms of antisocial behaviour. ResultsEmpirical research provides support for the hypothesis that life-course persistent antisocial behaviour is a neurodevelopmental disorder which emerges in the transactions between individual vulnerabilities and environmental adversity. In contrast to the developmental taxonomic theory, however, empirical findings suggest that severe antisocial behaviour that emerges in adolescence frequently has a negative prognosis and is rarely limited to the adolescent period. In addition, both forms of antisocial behaviour are associated with emotion processing deficits, changes in brain structure and function, alterations in cortisol secretion, and atypical personality traits (such as increased callous-unemotional traits). ConclusionsWe conclude that the developmental taxonomic theory is in need of revision, as differences between life-course persistent and adolescence-onset forms of antisocial behaviour appear to be quantitative, rather than qualitative, in nature. In addition, evidence is accumulating that adolescence-onset antisocial behaviour may also be a neurodevelopmental disorder. To account for the similarities between these groups, despite the differences in their age-of-onset, we propose that the quality of the child's early environment moderates the relationship between individual vulnerabilities and the age-of-onset of antisocial behaviour. PMID:23826820

A morphogram for silica-witherite biomorphs and its application to microfossil identification in the early earth rock record.

PubMed

Rouillard, J; García-Ruiz, J-M; Gong, J; van Zuilen, M A

2018-05-01

Archean hydrothermal environments formed a likely site for the origin and early evolution of life. These are also the settings, however, were complex abiologic structures can form. Low-temperature serpentinization of ultramafic crust can generate alkaline, silica-saturated fluids in which carbonate-silica crystalline aggregates with life-like morphologies can self-assemble. These "biomorphs" could have adsorbed hydrocarbons from Fischer-Tropsch type synthesis processes, leading to metamorphosed structures that resemble carbonaceous microfossils. Although this abiogenic process has been extensively cited in the literature and has generated important controversy, so far only one specific biomorph type with a filamentous shape has been discussed for the interpretation of Archean microfossils. It is therefore critical to precisely determine the full distribution in morphology and size of these biomorphs, and to study the range of plausible geochemical conditions under which these microstructures can form. Here, a set of witherite-silica biomorph synthesis experiments in silica-saturated solutions is presented, for a range of pH values (from 9 to 11.5) and barium ion concentrations (from 0.6 to 40 mmol/L BaCl 2 ). Under these varying conditions, a wide range of life-like structures is found, from fractal dendrites to complex shapes with continuous curvature. The size, spatial concentration, and morphology of the biomorphs are strongly controlled by environmental parameters, among which pH is the most important. This potentially limits the diversity of environments in which the growth of biomorphs could have occurred on Early Earth. Given the variety of the observed biomorph morphologies, our results show that the morphology of an individual microstructure is a poor criterion for biogenicity. However, biomorphs may be distinguished from actual populations of cellular microfossils by their wide, unimodal size distribution. Biomorphs grown by diffusion in silica gel can be differentiated by their continuous gradient in size, spatial density, and morphology along the direction of diffusion. © 2018 The Authors. Geobiology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chapter 8: Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Duggal, Praveen; Wise, Sarah K

2013-01-01

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) is a disease of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity that typically affects immunocompromised patients in the acute fulminant form. Early symptoms can often mimic rhinosinusitis, while late symptoms can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Swelling and mucosal thickening can quickly progress to pale or necrotic tissue in the nasal cavity and sinuses, and the disease can rapidly spread and invade the palate, orbit, cavernous sinus, cranial nerves, skull base, carotid artery, and brain. IFRS can be life threatening if left undiagnosed or untreated. While the acute fulminant form of IFRS is the most rapidly progressive and destructive, granulomatous and chronic forms also exist. Diagnosis of IFRS often mandates imaging studies in conjunction with clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological examination. Treatment of IFRS consists of reversing the underlying immunosuppression, antifungal therapy, and aggressive surgical debridement. With early diagnosis and treatment, IFRS can be treated and increase patient survival.

Chapter 8: Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Duggal, Praveen; Wise, Sarah K

2013-05-01

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFRS) is a disease of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity that typically affects immunocompromised patients in the acute fulminant form. Early symptoms can often mimic rhinosinusitis, while late symptoms can cause significant morbidity and mortality. Swelling and mucosal thickening can quickly progress to pale or necrotic tissue in the nasal cavity and sinuses, and the disease can rapidly spread and invade the palate, orbit, cavernous sinus, cranial nerves, skull base, carotid artery, and brain. IFRS can be life threatening if left undiagnosed or untreated. While the acute fulminant form of IFRS is the most rapidly progressive and destructive, granulomatous and chronic forms also exist. Diagnosis of IFRS often mandates imaging studies in conjunction with clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological examination. Treatment of IFRS consists of reversing the underlying immunosuppression, antifungal therapy, and aggressive surgical debridement. With early diagnosis and treatment, IFRS can be treated and increase patient survival.

Until the sun dies. [Book on origin of universe, life and intelligence on earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jastrow, R.

1977-01-01

This book gives a popular account of the forces that have shaped human beings into their present form and created the power of human intelligence, and considers the prospects for intelligent life on other planets in the solar system and elsewhere in the universe. The chain of events leading from the big bang to the origin of life on earth is reviewed together with the observations that established the expansion of the universe. Philosophical difficulties with the concept of a universe that has both a beginning and an end are pondered, steady-state cosmology is briefly explained, and the discovery of the relict microwave background is discussed. The formation of the solar system is recounted along with the scientific view of the origin of terrestrial life. Attention is given to the origin of cells and the evolution of oxygen-breathing life, multicelled creatures, armored animals, fishes, amphibians, early reptiles, dinosaurs, and mammals. The development of mammalian intelligence is traced from the early tree dwellers through monkeys, apes, ape men, humanoid tool makers, and primitive members of the genus Homo, to Homo sapiens. Possible evidence for the existence of life on Mars is evaluated together with prospects for communication or other contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.

How Amino Acids and Peptides Shaped the RNA World

PubMed Central

van der Gulik, Peter T.S.; Speijer, Dave

2015-01-01

The “RNA world” hypothesis is seen as one of the main contenders for a viable theory on the origin of life. Relatively small RNAs have catalytic power, RNA is everywhere in present-day life, the ribosome is seen as a ribozyme, and rRNA and tRNA are crucial for modern protein synthesis. However, this view is incomplete at best. The modern protein-RNA ribosome most probably is not a distorted form of a “pure RNA ribosome” evolution started out with. Though the oldest center of the ribosome seems “RNA only”, we cannot conclude from this that it ever functioned in an environment without amino acids and/or peptides. Very small RNAs (versatile and stable due to basepairing) and amino acids, as well as dipeptides, coevolved. Remember, it is the amino group of aminoacylated tRNA that attacks peptidyl-tRNA, destroying the bond between peptide and tRNA. This activity of the amino acid part of aminoacyl-tRNA illustrates the centrality of amino acids in life. With the rise of the “RNA world” view of early life, the pendulum seems to have swung too much towards the ribozymatic part of early biochemistry. The necessary presence and activity of amino acids and peptides is in need of highlighting. In this article, we try to bring the role of the peptide component of early life back into focus. We argue that an RNA world completely independent of amino acids never existed. PMID:25607813

A Rare Case of FAP in Kashmir Valley.

PubMed

Sameer, A Syed; Pandith, Arshad A; Syeed, Nidda; Siddiqi, Mushtaq A; Chowdri, Nissar A

2011-06-01

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is the commonest form of inherited form of CRC. It comprises of about 5% of all the colorectal cancers (CRCs). FAP patients have a family history of CRC that suggests a genetic contribution, common exposures among family members, or a combination of both. This case report gives a glimpse of the phenotypic manifestation of FAP and the underlying molecular mechanism which leads to FAP, in addition it also sheds a light on the management of FAP in early stages of life.

Noncanonical RNA Nucleosides as Molecular Fossils of an Early Earth-Generation by Prebiotic Methylations and Carbamoylations.

PubMed

Schneider, Christina; Becker, Sidney; Okamura, Hidenori; Crisp, Antony; Amatov, Tynchtyk; Stadlmeier, Michael; Carell, Thomas

2018-05-14

The RNA-world hypothesis assumes that life on Earth started with small RNA molecules that catalyzed their own formation. Vital to this hypothesis is the need for prebiotic routes towards RNA. Contemporary RNA, however, is not only constructed from the four canonical nucleobases (A, C, G, and U), it also contains many chemically modified (noncanonical) bases. A still open question is whether these noncanonical bases were formed in parallel to the canonical bases (chemical origin) or later, when life demanded higher functional diversity (biological origin). Here we show that isocyanates in combination with sodium nitrite establish methylating and carbamoylating reactivity compatible with early Earth conditions. These reactions lead to the formation of methylated and amino acid modified nucleosides that are still extant. Our data provide a plausible scenario for the chemical origin of certain noncanonical bases, which suggests that they are fossils of an early Earth. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Young Solar Analogs Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lambert, Ryan; Gray, Richard, , Dr.

2014-03-01

The ultimate goal of the Young Solar Analogs Project is to give insight into the conditions in the early solar system when life was first forming on the earth and to assess the challenges the young, active sun presented to that early life. To achieve this, we have been monitoring since 2007 the stellar activity of 31 young solar-type stars with ages between 0.3 and 1.5 Gyrs. Many of these stars exhibit star spot cycles like the sun, but in a few cases we are seeing evidence for a previously unknown type of star spot cycle. Some vary chaotically. We have detected the presence of differential rotation in several stars. We have also detected a number of powerful flares both photometrically and spectroscopically. Optical irradiance changes in these stars can be as high as 10% in a single year; such solar variability would have led to catastropic climate change on the early earth. We would like to thank NSF for their generous donations to this project.

Early-life nutritional effects on the female reproductive system.

PubMed

Chan, K A; Tsoulis, M W; Sloboda, D M

2015-02-01

There is now considerable epidemiological and experimental evidence indicating that early-life environmental conditions, including nutrition, affect subsequent development in later life. These conditions induce highly integrated responses in endocrine-related homeostasis, resulting in persistent changes in the developmental trajectory producing an altered adult phenotype. Early-life events trigger processes that prepare the individual for particular circumstances that are anticipated in the postnatal environment. However, where the intrauterine and postnatal environments differ markedly, such modifications to the developmental trajectory may prove maladaptive in later life. Reproductive maturation and function are similarly influenced by early-life events. This should not be surprising, because the primordial follicle pool is established early in life and is thus vulnerable to early-life events. Results of clinical and experimental studies have indicated that early-life adversity is associated with a decline in ovarian follicular reserve, changes in ovulation rates, and altered age at onset of puberty. However, the underlying mechanisms regulating the relationship between the early-life developmental environment and postnatal reproductive development and function are unclear. This review examines the evidence linking early-life nutrition and effects on the female reproductive system, bringing together clinical observations in humans and experimental data from targeted animal models. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

"Soft-shelled" monothalamid foraminifers as a modern analogue of early life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitazato, Hiroshi; Ohkawara, Nina; Gooday, Andrew

2017-04-01

According to the fossil record, the earliest undoubted foraminifers are found in the Early Cambrian, where they are represented by tubular agglutinated forms, thought to be the most primitive foraminiferal morphotypes. The numerous foraminifers with single-chambered, organic-walled tests (i.e. 'soft-shelled' monothalamids) exist in the deep sea and are difficult to preserve as fossils. Molecular phylogenetic data tell us that these 'primitive' taxa include the deepest foraminiferal clades, originating around 600 - 900 Ma. We found many soft-shelled monothalamids in sediment samples from deep trenches, including the Challenger Deep (Marianas Trench) and the Horizon Deep (Tonga Trench). Both deeps exceed 10,000 m water depth, well below the carbonate compensation depth, which represents an environmental barrier for calcareous foraminifera. The foraminifera at these extreme hadal sites include tubular and globular forms with organic walls, among which species of the genera Nodellum and Resigella are particularly abundant. Some forms selectively agglutinate minute flakes of clay minerals on the surface of the organic test. Many soft-shelled monothalamids, including most of those in deep tranches, contain stercomata, the function of which is currently unknown. Gromiids (a rhizarian group related to foraminifera) also accumulate stercomata in their sack-shaped tests. This suggests the possibility that the function of these waste particles is to add bulk, like the filling of soft bags or pillows. We suggest that the monothalamid foraminifera that dominate small-sized eukaryotes in extreme hadal settings may provide clues to understanding the biology and ecology of early life in Neoproterozoic sedimented habitats.

Early Life Exposures and Cancer

Cancer.gov

Early-life events and exposures have important consequences for cancer development later in life, however, epidemiological studies of early-life factors and cancer development later in life have had significant methodological challenges.

Preventing Obesity Across Generations: Evidence for Early Life Intervention.

PubMed

Haire-Joshu, Debra; Tabak, Rachel

2016-01-01

To prevent the intergenerational transfer of obesity and end the current epidemic, interventions are needed across the early life stages, from preconception to prenatal to infancy through the age of 2 years. The foundation for obesity is laid in early life by actions and interactions passed from parent to child that have long-lasting biologic and behavioral consequences. The purpose of this paper is to examine the best evidence about (a) factors in parents and offspring that promote obesity during the early life stages, (b) the social determinants and dimensions of obesity in early life, (c) promising and effective interventions for preventing obesity in early life, and (d) opportunities for future research into strategies to disrupt the intergenerational cycle of obesity that begins early in life. The pathway for halting the intergenerational obesity epidemic requires the discovery and development of evidence-based interventions that can act across multiple dimensions of influence on early life.

Preventing Obesity Across Generations: Evidence for Early Life Intervention

PubMed Central

Haire-Joshu, Debra; Tabak, Rachel

2017-01-01

To prevent the intergenerational transfer of obesity and end the current epidemic, interventions are needed across the early life stages, from preconception to prenatal to infancy through the age of 2 years. The foundation for obesity is laid in early life by actions and interactions passed from parent to child that have long-lasting biologic and behavioral consequences. The purpose of this paper is to examine the best evidence about (a) factors in parents and offspring that promote obesity during the early life stages, (b) the social determinants and dimensions of obesity in early life, (c) promising and effective interventions for preventing obesity in early life, and (d) opportunities for future research into strategies to disrupt the intergenerational cycle of obesity that begins early in life. The pathway for halting the intergenerational obesity epidemic requires the discovery and development of evidence-based interventions that can act across multiple dimensions of influence on early life. PMID:26989828

[Risky life, risky business: AIDS risk of female prostitutes in the context of early abuse and well-being].

PubMed

Vanwesenbeeck, I; De Graaf, R; Van Zessen, G; Straver, C J; Visser, J H

1993-10-01

Between July 1990 and March 1991, in the Netherlands, data were gathered by means of a semistructured questionnaire on condom use to assess the AIDS risk faced by 127 female prostitutes within the context of experiences with violence and abuse, well-being, physical and psychosocial problems, coping behavior, professional attitude, and financial need. 92 women had completed data on abuse. About 1 in 20 (4.3%) had experienced abuse both in their youth and adulthood. Only 1 in 5 women (22.8%) had not experienced any abuse, not even in their work. 57% of the respondents had experienced violence of one form or another in their work (physical or sexual violence). 45% of the women escaped abuse in private life (from being forced into prostitution, physical or sexual violence), while about 50% of them also experienced abuse in private life, in most cases associated with their work in prostitution. 48% and 8% of the women, respectively, experienced one or both forms of abuse in their youth and adult private life. The relationship between early experience and violence in private life was significant, as was that between violence in private life and violence in work (p .01). The relationship between violence in private life and complaints as well as coping strategies was less significant. However, there was a significant relationship between problem solving and other variables. Discrimination analysis was based on the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The strongest relationship was found between violence and protective behavior (condom use in intercourse) and the weakest between violence and age. Financial pressure and attitude to work also carried a relatively strong effect. The mean group values of discrimination functions were 3.29 for risk takers, -.23 for those with consistent protective behavior, and -.87 for women who exercised selective protective behavior.

Early bioenergetic evolution

PubMed Central

Sousa, Filipa L.; Thiergart, Thorsten; Landan, Giddy; Nelson-Sathi, Shijulal; Pereira, Inês A. C.; Allen, John F.; Lane, Nick; Martin, William F.

2013-01-01

Life is the harnessing of chemical energy in such a way that the energy-harnessing device makes a copy of itself. This paper outlines an energetically feasible path from a particular inorganic setting for the origin of life to the first free-living cells. The sources of energy available to early organic synthesis, early evolving systems and early cells stand in the foreground, as do the possible mechanisms of their conversion into harnessable chemical energy for synthetic reactions. With regard to the possible temporal sequence of events, we focus on: (i) alkaline hydrothermal vents as the far-from-equilibrium setting, (ii) the Wood–Ljungdahl (acetyl-CoA) pathway as the route that could have underpinned carbon assimilation for these processes, (iii) biochemical divergence, within the naturally formed inorganic compartments at a hydrothermal mound, of geochemically confined replicating entities with a complexity below that of free-living prokaryotes, and (iv) acetogenesis and methanogenesis as the ancestral forms of carbon and energy metabolism in the first free-living ancestors of the eubacteria and archaebacteria, respectively. In terms of the main evolutionary transitions in early bioenergetic evolution, we focus on: (i) thioester-dependent substrate-level phosphorylations, (ii) harnessing of naturally existing proton gradients at the vent–ocean interface via the ATP synthase, (iii) harnessing of Na+ gradients generated by H+/Na+ antiporters, (iv) flavin-based bifurcation-dependent gradient generation, and finally (v) quinone-based (and Q-cycle-dependent) proton gradient generation. Of those five transitions, the first four are posited to have taken place at the vent. Ultimately, all of these bioenergetic processes depend, even today, upon CO2 reduction with low-potential ferredoxin (Fd), generated either chemosynthetically or photosynthetically, suggesting a reaction of the type ‘reduced iron → reduced carbon’ at the beginning of bioenergetic evolution. PMID:23754820

Preventing Injury: A Safety Curriculum. Grades 5 and 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, J. Scott; And Others

The focus of this curriculum is on prevention of spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). The program is aimed at children because it is early in life that behavioral patterns are formed which become increasingly more difficult to modify as the child enters adolescence. The curriculum is based on principles of child development,…

Addressing Parenting and Child Stress: Three Workshops for Parents of Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tone, Danielle M.; McBride, Dawn Lorraine

2013-01-01

The intent of this manuscript is to inform others about stress, parental stress, and highlight the negative consequences of stress on children by directly providing information to parents of infant and preschool children in the form of a psychoeducational workshop. Given that the early years of life have many critical periods of development and…

Sickle Cell Disease as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Jeffrey; McClellan, Catherine B.

2006-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a blood disorder; however, the central nervous system (CNS) is one of the organs frequently affected by the disease. Brain disease can begin early in life and often leads to neurocognitive dysfunction. Approximately one-fourth to one-third of children with SCD have some form of CNS effects from the disease, which…

Examining Executive Function in the Second Year of Life: Coherence, Stability, and Relations to Joint Attention and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Stephanie E.; Marcovitch, Stuart

2015-01-01

Several theories of executive function (EF) propose that EF development corresponds to children's ability to form representations and reflect on represented stimuli in the environment. However, research on early EF is primarily conducted with preschoolers, despite the fact that important developments in representation (e.g., language, gesture,…

Is It Life or Is It Memorex? Video as a Representation of Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Troseth, Georgene L.

2010-01-01

This paper offers an overview of research on infants' early behavior toward televised images, followed by an account of the development of "representational competence" with video. Several aspects of representation are involved in young children's understanding and use of video. From a very young age, children form mental representations of the…

Chronotopoi of the Good Life and Utopia: Bakhtin on Goethe's "Bildungsroman Wilhelm Meister" and the Carnivalesque

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franke, Norman

2017-01-01

This paper explores Bakhtin's reception of Goethe's "Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre" with a view to assess how Bakhtin's interest in this early chronotopical masterpiece can be understood in the wider context of his utopian thinking and his political eschatologies. Bakhtin reads Goethe's novel as a critique of totalitarian forms of Socialist…

The New GI Bill: It's a Win-Win Proposition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, James

2008-01-01

The idea of providing returning veterans with benefits as both a reward for their service and as a means of enabling them to reintegrate into civilian life dates to the early history of the United States. Revolutionary War soldiers received military pensions, land grants, and other forms of care, depending on their service and its location. After…

Mentoring from the Outside: The Role of a Peer Mentoring Community in the Development of Early Career Education Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottoms, SueAnn; Pegg, Jerine; Adams, Anne; Wu, Ke; Smith Risser, H.; Kern, Anne L.

2013-01-01

Developing an identity as a researcher and negotiating the expectations and responsibilities of academic life are challenges that many beginning education faculty face. Mentoring can provide support for this transition; however, traditional forms of mentoring may be unavailable, limited, or lack the specific components that individual mentees…

A Review of Ideas Concerning Life Origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gindilis, L. M.

2014-10-01

Since the times of Antiquity the and for a long time the idea of self-origination of life was the dominant one. It reappeared again after microorganisms were discovered (XVII century). The possibility of abiogenesis at microbial level was discussed for more than a century. Pateur demonstrated that spontaneous origination of microorganisms in sterile broth was due to those same microorganisms transported by dust particles. Thus proving that every form of life originates from the parental life form. So the question arises: how did the first microorganisms appear on the Earth. There are three possible versions: 1) accidental origination of a viable form; 2) primal organisms were transported to the Earth from outer space; 3) they were formed on the Earth in the process of prebiotic chemical evolution. We discuss the problems of prebiotic evolution from simple monomers up to living cells. An important item of nowadays conceptions of life origination is the hypothesis of the ancient world of RNA as possible precursor of life on Earth. The discovery in carbonaceous chondrites of traces of bacterial life evidences the existence of life in the Solar System even before the formation of the Earth. The idea of life as brought to the Earth out of Cosmos originated under the impression of self-origination hypothesis downfall. It went through several stages (Helmholtz, W. Thompson, XIX century; Arrhenius, early XX century; Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, second half of XX century) and presently evokes constantly growing interest. The panspermia theory does not solve the problem of origination of life, only moves it onto other planets. According to V.A. Mazur, the probability of accidental formation of RNA molecule is negligible not only on the Earth, but in the whole Universe over all the time span of its existence. But it is practically equal to unit in the domain formed at the inflation stage of the evolution of the Universe. A.D.Panov considered panspermia in the Galaxy at the level of prebiotic evolution products. The quantitative model he has brought forward increases life origination probability by many orders of magnitude in comparison with any isolated planet. In this model the life to originates simultaneously on all the planets with proper conditions on the same molecular basis, one and the same genetic code and the same chirality.

Wet, Carbonaceous Asteroids: Altering Minerals, Changing Amino Acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, G. J.

2011-04-01

Many carbonaceous chondrites contain alteration products from water-rock interactions at low temperature and organic compounds. A fascinating fact known for decades is the presence in some of them of an assortment of organic compounds, including amino acids, sometimes called the building blocks of life. Murchison and other CM carbonaceous chondrites contain hundreds of amino acids. Early measurements indicated that the amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites had equal proportions of L- and D-structures, a situation called racemic. This was in sharp contrast to life on Earth, which heavily favors L- forms. However, beginning in 1997, John Cronin and Sandra Pizzarello (Arizona State University) found L- excesses in isovaline and several other amino acids in the Murchison carbonaceous chondrite. In 2009, Daniel Glavin and Jason Dworkin (Astrobiology Analytical Lab, Goddard Space Flight Center) reported the first independent confirmation of L-isovaline excesses in Murchison using a different analytical technique than employed by Cronin and Pizzarello. Inspired by this work, Daniel Glavin, Michael Callahan, Jason Dworkin, and Jamie Elsila (Astrobiology Analytical Lab, Goddard Space Flight Center), have done an extensive study of the abundance and symmetry of amino acids in carbonaceous chondrites that experienced a range of alteration by water in their parent asteroids. The results show that amino acids are more abundant in the less altered meteorites, implying that aqueous processing changes the mix of amino acids. They also confirmed the enrichment in L-structures of some amino acids, especially isovaline, confirming earlier work. The authors suggest that aqueously-altered planetesimals might have seeded the early Earth with nonracemic amino acids, perhaps explaining why life from microorganisms to people use only L- forms to make proteins. The initial imbalance caused by non-biologic processes in wet asteroids might have been amplified by life on Earth. Alternatively, the same processes that produced the L-amino acid excesses in carbonaceous asteroids also operated on the early Earth.

Thermodynamics of Strecker synthesis in hydrothermal systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulte, Mitchell; Shock, Everett

1995-01-01

Submarine hydrothermal systems on the early Earth may have been the sites from which life emerged. The potential for Strecker synthesis to produce biomolecules (amino and hydroxy acids) from starting compounds (ketones, aldehydes, HCN and ammonia) in such environments is evaluated quantitatively using thermodynamic data and parameters for the revised Helgeson-Kirkham-Flowers (HKF) equation of state. Although there is an overwhelming thermodynamic drive to form biomolecules by the Strecker synthesis at hydrothermal conditions, the availability and concentration of starting compounds limit the efficiency and productivity of Strecker reactions. Mechanisms for concentrating reactant compounds could help overcome this problem, but other mechanisms for production of biomolecules may have been required to produce the required compounds on the early Earth. Geochemical constraints imposed by hydrothermal systems provide important clues for determining the potential of these and other systems as sites for the emergence of life.

Exposure to interparental violence and psychosocial maladjustment in the adult life course: advocacy for early prevention.

PubMed

Roustit, C; Renahy, E; Guernec, G; Lesieur, S; Parizot, I; Chauvin, P

2009-07-01

Early family-level and social-level stressors are both assumed to be the components of two main path models explaining the association between exposure to interparental violence in childhood and its long-term consequences on mental health explored through life-course epidemiological studies. To investigate the association between exposure to interparental violence in childhood and mental health outcomes in adulthood when taking into account early family and social stressors. A retrospective French cohort study of 3023 adults representative of the general population in the Paris metropolitan area was conducted in 2005 through at-home, face-to-face interviews. The outcomes measures were current depression and lifetime suicide attempt, intimate partner violence, violence against children and alcohol dependence. The adults exposed to interparental violence during childhood had a higher risk of psychosocial maladjustment. After adjusting for family- and social-level stressors in childhood, this risk was, respectively, 1.44 (95% CI 1.03 to 2.00) for depression, 3.17 (1.75 to 5.73) for conjugal violence, 4.75 (1.60 to 14.14) for child maltreatment and 1.75 (1.19 to 2.57) for alcohol dependence. The adult consequences of parental violence in childhood-and this independently of the other forms of domestic violence and the related psychosocial risks-should lead to intensifying the prevention of and screening for this form of maltreatment of children.

Early post-fire succession in California chaparral: changes in diversity, density, cover, and biomass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guo, Q.

2001-01-01

For four consecutive years, following the fires in November 1993, temporal variations in species richness, cover and biomass of component plant groups in early post-fire chaparral succession were monitored on different aspects at the Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve, southern California. Plant groups were categorized based on growth form, life form, ability to fix nitrogen, geographic origin and regeneration strategies. North-facing slopes exhibited higher species richness, higher species turnover rate over time and faster vegetation recovery in terms of biomass accumulation and return to pre-fire species composition. This was probably due to higher species richness and biomass of nitrogen-fixing species found on north-facing slopes in comparison to south-facing slopes. On both north- and south-facing slopes, annuals had the highest species turnover rate, followed by herbaceous perennials and shrubs. In the first four post-fire years, annual species were the largest floristic group, but herbaceous perennials and shrubs were the major contributors to community biomass. Nitrogen-fixing species and exotics contributed significantly to early post-fire community structure. Although the general trends in post-fire succession are clear in terms of temporal changes in the relative proportions of different plant groups, environmental variation and the nature of plant life histories of component species, especially dominant species, could alter such trends significantly.

Early post-fire succession in California chaparral: Changes in diversity, density, cover and biomass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guo, Q.

2001-01-01

For four consecutive years, following the fires in November 1993, temporal variations in species richness, cover and biomass of component plant groups in early post-fire chaparral succession were monitored on different aspects at the Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve, southern California. Plant groups were categorized based on growth form, life form, ability to fix nitrogen, geographic origin and regeneration strategies. North-facing slopes exhibited higher species richness, higher species turnover rate over time and faster vegetation recovery in terms of biomass accumulation and return to pre-fire species composition. This was probably due to higher species richness and biomass of nitrogen-fixing species found on north-facing slopes in comparison to south-facing slopes. On both north- and south-facing slopes, annuals had the highest species turnover rate, followed by herbaceous perennials and shrubs. In the first four post-fire years, annual species were the largest floristic group, but herbaceous perennials and shrubs were the major contributors to community biomass. Nitrogen-fixing species and exotics contributed significantly to early post-fire community structure. Although the general trends in post-fire succession are clear in terms of temporal changes in the relative proportions of different plant groups, environmental variation and the nature of plant life histories of component species, especially dominant species, could alter such trends significantly.

Charles Darwin and the origin of life.

PubMed

Peretó, Juli; Bada, Jeffrey L; Lazcano, Antonio

2009-10-01

When Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species 150 years ago he consciously avoided discussing the origin of life. However, analysis of some other texts written by Darwin, and of the correspondence he exchanged with friends and colleagues demonstrates that he took for granted the possibility of a natural emergence of the first life forms. As shown by notes from the pages he excised from his private notebooks, as early as 1837 Darwin was convinced that "the intimate relation of Life with laws of chemical combination, & the universality of latter render spontaneous generation not improbable". Like many of his contemporaries, Darwin rejected the idea that putrefaction of preexisting organic compounds could lead to the appearance of organisms. Although he favored the possibility that life could appear by natural processes from simple inorganic compounds, his reluctance to discuss the issue resulted from his recognition that at the time it was possible to undertake the experimental study of the emergence of life.

Darwin's warm little pond revisited: from molecules to the origin of life.

PubMed

Follmann, Hartmut; Brownson, Carol

2009-11-01

All known cosmic and geological conditions and laws of chemistry and thermodynamics allow that complex organic matter could have formed spontaneously on pristine planet Earth about 4,000 mya. Simple gasses and minerals on the surface and in oceans of the early Earth reacted and were eventually organized in supramolecular aggregates and enveloped cells that evolved into primitive forms of life. Chemical evolution, which preceded all species of extant organisms, is a fact. In this review, we have concentrated on experimental and theoretical research published over the last two decades, which has added a wealth of new details and helped to close gaps in our previous understanding of this multifaceted field. Recent exciting progress in the molecular and genetic analyses of existing life, in particular microorganisms of ancient origin, even supports the possibility that a cellular, self-reproducing common ancestor might be assembled and resurrected in anaerobic cultures at some time in the future. Charles Darwin did not, and indeed, could not, address and specify the earliest phases of life which preceded the Origin of Species. However, in a famous letter, he sketched "a warm little pond with all sorts of... (chemicals, in which) ...a protein was chemically formed." We try to trace the impact of his charming clear-sighted metaphor up to the present time.

Darwin's warm little pond revisited: from molecules to the origin of life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Follmann, Hartmut; Brownson, Carol

2009-11-01

All known cosmic and geological conditions and laws of chemistry and thermodynamics allow that complex organic matter could have formed spontaneously on pristine planet Earth about 4,000 mya. Simple gasses and minerals on the surface and in oceans of the early Earth reacted and were eventually organized in supramolecular aggregates and enveloped cells that evolved into primitive forms of life. Chemical evolution, which preceded all species of extant organisms, is a fact. In this review, we have concentrated on experimental and theoretical research published over the last two decades, which has added a wealth of new details and helped to close gaps in our previous understanding of this multifaceted field. Recent exciting progress in the molecular and genetic analyses of existing life, in particular microorganisms of ancient origin, even supports the possibility that a cellular, self-reproducing common ancestor might be assembled and resurrected in anaerobic cultures at some time in the future. Charles Darwin did not, and indeed, could not, address and specify the earliest phases of life which preceded the Origin of Species. However, in a famous letter, he sketched “a warm little pond with all sorts of… (chemicals, in which) …a protein was chemically formed.” We try to trace the impact of his charming clear-sighted metaphor up to the present time.

Comparison of risk estimates using life-table methods.

PubMed

Sullivan, R E; Weng, P S

1987-08-01

Risk estimates promulgated by various radiation protection authorities in recent years have become increasingly more complex. Early "integral" estimates in the form of health effects per 0.01 person-Gy (per person-rad) or per 10(4) person-Gy (per 10(6) person-rad) have tended to be replaced by "differential" estimates which are age- and sex-dependent and specify both minimum induction (latency) and duration of risk expression (plateau) periods. These latter types of risk estimate must be used in conjunction with a life table in order to reduce them to integral form. In this paper, the life table has been used to effect a comparison of the organ and tissue risk estimates derived in several recent reports. In addition, a brief review of life-table methodology is presented and some features of the models used in deriving differential coefficients are discussed. While the great number of permutations possible with dose-response models, detailed risk estimates and proposed projection models precludes any unique result, the reduced integral coefficients are required to conform to the linear, absolute-risk model recommended for use with the integral risk estimates reviewed.

Early-Life Stress, HPA Axis Adaptation, and Mechanisms Contributing to Later Health Outcomes

PubMed Central

Maniam, Jayanthi; Antoniadis, Christopher; Morris, Margaret J.

2014-01-01

Stress activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, which then modulates the degree of adaptation and response to a later stressor. It is known that early-life stress can impact on later health but less is known about how early-life stress impairs HPA axis activity, contributing to maladaptation of the stress–response system. Early-life stress exposure (either prenatally or in the early postnatal period) can impact developmental pathways resulting in lasting structural and regulatory changes that predispose to adulthood disease. Epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies have demonstrated that early-life stress produces long term hyper-responsiveness to stress with exaggerated circulating glucocorticoids, and enhanced anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Recently, evidence has emerged on early-life stress-induced metabolic derangements, for example hyperinsulinemia and altered insulin sensitivity on exposure to a high energy diet later in life. This draws our attention to the contribution of later environment to disease vulnerability. Early-life stress can alter the expression of genes in peripheral tissues, such as the glucocorticoid receptor and 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD1). We propose that interactions between altered HPA axis activity and liver 11β-HSD1 modulates both tissue and circulating glucocorticoid availability, with adverse metabolic consequences. This review discusses the potential mechanisms underlying early-life stress-induced maladaptation of the HPA axis, and its subsequent effects on energy utilization and expenditure. The effects of positive later environments as a means of ameliorating early-life stress-induced health deficits, and proposed mechanisms underpinning the interaction between early-life stress and subsequent detrimental environmental exposures on metabolic risk will be outlined. Limitations in current methodology linking early-life stress and later health outcomes will also be addressed. PMID:24860550

Analysis of DNA Methylation in Young People: Limited Evidence for an Association Between Victimization Stress and Epigenetic Variation in Blood.

PubMed

Marzi, Sarah J; Sugden, Karen; Arseneault, Louise; Belsky, Daniel W; Burrage, Joe; Corcoran, David L; Danese, Andrea; Fisher, Helen L; Hannon, Eilis; Moffitt, Terrie E; Odgers, Candice L; Pariante, Carmine; Poulton, Richie; Williams, Benjamin S; Wong, Chloe C Y; Mill, Jonathan; Caspi, Avshalom

2018-06-01

DNA methylation has been proposed as an epigenetic mechanism by which early-life experiences become "embedded" in the genome and alter transcriptional processes to compromise health. The authors sought to investigate whether early-life victimization stress is associated with genome-wide DNA methylation. The authors tested the hypothesis that victimization is associated with DNA methylation in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 birth cohort of 2,232 twins born in England and Wales and assessed at ages 5, 7, 10, 12, and 18 years. Multiple forms of victimization were ascertained in childhood and adolescence (including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; neglect; exposure to intimate-partner violence; bullying; cyber-victimization; and crime). Epigenome-wide analyses of polyvictimization across childhood and adolescence revealed few significant associations with DNA methylation in peripheral blood at age 18, but these analyses were confounded by tobacco smoking and/or did not survive co-twin control tests. Secondary analyses of specific forms of victimization revealed sparse associations with DNA methylation that did not replicate across different operationalizations of the same putative victimization experience. Hypothesis-driven analyses of six candidate genes in the stress response (NR3C1, FKBP5, BDNF, AVP, CRHR1, SLC6A4) did not reveal predicted associations with DNA methylation in probes annotated to these genes. Findings from this epidemiological analysis of the epigenetic effects of early-life stress do not support the hypothesis of robust changes in DNA methylation in victimized young people. We need to come to terms with the possibility that epigenetic epidemiology is not yet well matched to experimental, nonhuman models in uncovering the biological embedding of stress.

The response of Bacillus subtilis to simulated Martian conditions and to the space environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rettberg, P.; Rabbow, E.; Panitz, C.; Horneck, G.; Reitz, G.

The early histories of Mars and Earth show similarities during the period when life emerged on Earth Thus a comparable early biological evolution might have taken place also on Mars Several ongoing international space missions are especially designed to search for past or present life on Mars In order to develop adequate instruments and methods for in situ life detection analysis and to avoid the contamination of Mars by terrestrial life forms introduced to it s surface unintentionally it is necessary to understand the potential and limits of life on Earth The determination of the survival of microorganisms under the physical and chemical extremes of Mars will provide detailed insights into the potential for contamination that will allow the development and improvement of planetary protection measures Our knowledge about the occurrence of life especially microbial life on Earth has increased enormously in the last decades Archaea bacteria and protista have been found living in many newly discovered extremely hostile habitats which were regarded up to now as too harsh to harbor life Whereas many newly discovered extremophile species are specialized to cope with one extreme environmental parameter like high or low temperature high or low pH high salt concentration desiccation high flux of ionizing or non-ionizing radiation there are also long-known dormant stages of certain bacteria such as the Bacillus endospores that are capable to withstand most of the environmental parameters on the surface of Mars like low

The Antarctic cryptoendolithic ecosystem: relevance to exobiology.

PubMed

Friedmann, E I; Ocampo-Friedmann, R

1984-01-01

Cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert live inside porous sandstone rocks, protected by a thin rock crust. While the rock surface is abiotic, the microclimate inside the rock is comparatively mild. These organisms may have descended from early, pre-glaciation Antarctic life forms and thus may represent the last outpost of life in a gradually deteriorating environment. Assuming that life once arose on Mars, it is conceivable that, following the loss of water, the last of surviving organisms withdrew to similar insulated microenvironments. Because such microscopic pockets have little connection with the outside environment, their detection may be difficult. The chances that the Viking lander could sample cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert would be infinitesimal.

The Antarctic cryptoendolithic ecosystem - Relevance to exobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedmann, E. I.; Ocampo-Friedmann, R.

1984-01-01

Cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert live inside porous sandstone rocks, protected by a thin rock crust. While the rock surface is abiotic, the microclimate inside the rock is comparatively mild. These organisms may have descended from early, pre-glaciation Antarctic life forms and thus may represent the last outpost of life in a gradually deteriorating environment. Assuming that life once arose on Mars, it is conceivable that, following the loss of water, the last of surviving organisms withdrew to similar insulated microenvironments. Because such microscopic pockets have little connection with the outside environment, their detection may be difficult. The chances that the Viking lander could sample cryptoendolithic microorganisms in the Antarctic desert would be infinitesimal.

The protein folds as platonic forms: new support for the pre-Darwinian conception of evolution by natural law.

PubMed

Denton, Michael J; Marshall, Craig J; Legge, Michael

2002-12-07

Before the Darwinian revolution many biologists considered organic forms to be determined by natural law like atoms or crystals and therefore necessary, intrinsic and immutable features of the world order, which will occur throughout the cosmos wherever there is life. The search for the natural determinants of organic form-the celebrated "Laws of Form"-was seen as one of the major tasks of biology. After Darwin, this Platonic conception of form was abandoned and natural selection, not natural law, was increasingly seen to be the main, if not the exclusive, determinant of organic form. However, in the case of one class of very important organic forms-the basic protein folds-advances in protein chemistry since the early 1970s have revealed that they represent a finite set of natural forms, determined by a number of generative constructional rules, like those which govern the formation of atoms or crystals, in which functional adaptations are clearly secondary modifications of primary "givens of physics." The folds are evidently determined by natural law, not natural selection, and are "lawful forms" in the Platonic and pre-Darwinian sense of the word, which are bound to occur everywhere in the universe where the same 20 amino acids are used for their construction. We argue that this is a major discovery which has many important implications regarding the origin of proteins, the origin of life and the fundamental nature of organic form. We speculate that it is unlikely that the folds will prove to be the only case in nature where a set of complex organic forms is determined by natural law, and suggest that natural law may have played a far greater role in the origin and evolution of life than is currently assumed.

Consonant and Vowel Processing in Word Form Segmentation: An Infant ERP Study.

PubMed

Von Holzen, Katie; Nishibayashi, Leo-Lyuki; Nazzi, Thierry

2018-01-31

Segmentation skill and the preferential processing of consonants (C-bias) develop during the second half of the first year of life and it has been proposed that these facilitate language acquisition. We used Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) to investigate the neural bases of early word form segmentation, and of the early processing of onset consonants, medial vowels, and coda consonants, exploring how differences in these early skills might be related to later language outcomes. Our results with French-learning eight-month-old infants primarily support previous studies that found that the word familiarity effect in segmentation is developing from a positive to a negative polarity at this age. Although as a group infants exhibited an anterior-localized negative effect, inspection of individual results revealed that a majority of infants showed a negative-going response (Negative Responders), while a minority showed a positive-going response (Positive Responders). Furthermore, all infants demonstrated sensitivity to onset consonant mispronunciations, while Negative Responders demonstrated a lack of sensitivity to vowel mispronunciations, a developmental pattern similar to previous literature. Responses to coda consonant mispronunciations revealed neither sensitivity nor lack of sensitivity. We found that infants showing a more mature, negative response to newly segmented words compared to control words (evaluating segmentation skill) and mispronunciations (evaluating phonological processing) at test also had greater growth in word production over the second year of life than infants showing a more positive response. These results establish a relationship between early segmentation skills and phonological processing (not modulated by the type of mispronunciation) and later lexical skills.

A developmental perspective on early-life exposure to neurotoxicants.

PubMed

Bellinger, David C; Matthews-Bellinger, Julia A; Kordas, Katarzyna

2016-09-01

Studies of early-life neurotoxicant exposure have not been designed, analyzed, or interpreted in the context of a fully developmental perspective. The goal of this paper is to describe the key principles of a developmental perspective and to use examples from the literature to illustrate the relevance of these principles to early-life neurotoxicant exposures. Four principles are discussed: 1) the effects of early-life neurotoxicant exposure depend on a child's developmental context; 2) deficits caused by early-life exposure initiate developmental cascades that can lead to pathologies that differ from those observed initially; 3) early-life neurotoxicant exposure has intra-familial and intergenerational impacts; 4) the impacts of early-life neurotoxicant exposure influence a child's ability to respond to future insults. The first principle is supported by considerable evidence, but the other three have received much less attention. Incorporating a developmental perspective in studies of early-life neurotoxicant exposures requires prospective collection of data on a larger array of covariates than usually considered, using analytical approaches that acknowledge the transactional processes between a child and the environment and the phenomenon of developmental cascades. Consideration of early-life neurotoxicant exposure within a developmental perspective reveals that many issues remain to be explicated if we are to achieve a deep understanding of the societal health burden associated with early-life neurotoxicant exposures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

From the Primitive Soup to Cyanobacteria: It May have Taken Less Than 10 Million Years

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Stanley L.; Lazcano, Antonio

1996-01-01

Most scientific discussions on the likelihood of extraterrestrial life have been constrained by the characteristics of life on our planet and the environmental conditions under which it may have emerged. Although it has been generally assumed that this process must have been extremely slow, involving hundreds of millions or even billions of years, a number of recent discoveries have led to a considerable compression of the time believed necessary for life to appear. It is now recognized that during its early history the Earth and other bodies of the inner Solar System went through a stage of intense collisions. Some of these impacts by large asteroids or comets may have raised the terrestrial surface to sterilizing temperatures and may have evaporated the oceans and killed off life as late as 3.8 x 10(exp 9) years ago. However, there is also ample paleontological evidence derived from the 3.5 x 10(exp 9) year old Warrawoona sediments showing that only 300 million years after the period of intense impacts ended, our planet was populated by phototactic, stromatolite-forming microorganisms. Although these discoveries are now generally interpreted to imply that the origin and early evolution of life were rapid, no attempts have been made to estimate the actual time required for these processes to occur.

Association of early- and adult-life socioeconomic circumstances with muscle strength in older age.

PubMed

Cheval, Boris; Boisgontier, Matthieu P; Orsholits, Dan; Sieber, Stefan; Guessous, Idris; Gabriel, Rainer; Stringhini, Silvia; Blane, David; van der Linden, Bernadette W A; Kliegel, Matthias; Burton-Jeangros, Claudine; Courvoisier, Delphine S; Cullati, Stéphane

2018-05-01

socioeconomic circumstances (SEC) during a person's lifespan influence a wide range of health outcomes. However, solid evidence of the association of early- and adult-life SEC with health trajectories in ageing is still lacking. This study assessed whether early-life SEC are associated with muscle strength in later life-a biomarker of health-and whether this relationship is caused by adult-life SEC and health behaviours. we used data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe, a 12-year population-based cohort study with repeated measurement in six waves (2004-15) and retrospective collection of life-course data. Participants' grip strength was assessed by using a handheld dynamometer. Confounder-adjusted logistic mixed-effect models were used to examine the associations of early- and adult-life SEC with the risk of low muscle strength (LMS) in older age. a total of 24,179 participants (96,375 observations) aged 50-96 living in 14 European countries were included in the analyses. Risk of LMS was increased with disadvantaged relative to advantaged early-life SEC. The association between risk of LMS and disadvantaged early-life SEC gradually decreased when adjusting for adult-life SEC for both sexes and with unhealthy behaviours for women. After adjusting for these factors, all associations between risk of LMS and early-life SEC remained significant for women. early-life SEC are associated with muscle strength after adjusting for adult-life SEC and behavioural lifestyle factors, especially in women, which suggests that early life may represent a sensitive period for future health.

Effects of early and late cheiloplasty on anterior part of maxillary dental arch development in infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate.

PubMed

Valentová-Strenáčiková, Silvia; Malina, Radovan

2016-01-01

Objectives. The objective of this study is to compare the impact of early and late reconstruction of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate on the growth and development of the front of the dentoalveolar arch. Methods. This study was carried out in the years 2012-2015 at the Clinic of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in Banska Bystrica. Infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate were divided into 2 groups according to the timing of lip reconstruction. Group A consisted of infants with early lip reconstruction-realised in the first 14 days of life. Group B consisted of infants with later lip reconstruction-realised in the third month of age. Maxillary dental casts were obtained for each child in four periods-in the first 14 days of life, in the third month, in the sixth month and in the age of one year. These were followed by the identification, measurement and evaluation of anthropometric parameters. Results. Significant differences were occurred after the reconstruction of the lips in linear and angle measurements between infants in the A and B groups. Conclusion. The early surgical reconstruction of the lips in the first 14 days of life has a positive effect on the growth and development of the anterior segment of the dentoalveolar arch. Early lip reconstruction forms a continuous pressure on the frontal segment, resulting in the earlier remedy of anatomical properties and creates appropriate conditions for the best development of this area.

Effects of early and late cheiloplasty on anterior part of maxillary dental arch development in infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Objectives. The objective of this study is to compare the impact of early and late reconstruction of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate on the growth and development of the front of the dentoalveolar arch. Methods. This study was carried out in the years 2012–2015 at the Clinic of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in Banska Bystrica. Infants with unilateral complete cleft lip and palate were divided into 2 groups according to the timing of lip reconstruction. Group A consisted of infants with early lip reconstruction–realised in the first 14 days of life. Group B consisted of infants with later lip reconstruction–realised in the third month of age. Maxillary dental casts were obtained for each child in four periods–in the first 14 days of life, in the third month, in the sixth month and in the age of one year. These were followed by the identification, measurement and evaluation of anthropometric parameters. Results. Significant differences were occurred after the reconstruction of the lips in linear and angle measurements between infants in the A and B groups. Conclusion. The early surgical reconstruction of the lips in the first 14 days of life has a positive effect on the growth and development of the anterior segment of the dentoalveolar arch. Early lip reconstruction forms a continuous pressure on the frontal segment, resulting in the earlier remedy of anatomical properties and creates appropriate conditions for the best development of this area. PMID:26893957

Attentional avoidance of fearful facial expressions following early life stress is associated with impaired social functioning.

PubMed

Humphreys, Kathryn L; Kircanski, Katharina; Colich, Natalie L; Gotlib, Ian H

2016-10-01

Early life stress is associated with poorer social functioning. Attentional biases in response to threat-related cues, linked to both early experience and psychopathology, may explain this association. To date, however, no study has examined attentional biases to fearful facial expressions as a function of early life stress or examined these biases as a potential mediator of the relation between early life stress and social problems. In a sample of 154 children (ages 9-13 years) we examined the associations among interpersonal early life stressors (i.e., birth through age 6 years), attentional biases to emotional facial expressions using a dot-probe task, and social functioning on the Child Behavior Checklist. High levels of early life stress were associated with both greater levels of social problems and an attentional bias away from fearful facial expressions, even after accounting for stressors occurring in later childhood. No biases were found for happy or sad facial expressions as a function of early life stress. Finally, attentional biases to fearful faces mediated the association between early life stress and social problems. Attentional avoidance of fearful facial expressions, evidenced by a bias away from these stimuli, may be a developmental response to early adversity and link the experience of early life stress to poorer social functioning. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Maternal separation with early weaning: A rodent model providing novel insights into neglect associated developmental deficits

PubMed Central

CARLYLE, BECKY C.; DUQUE, ALVARO; KITCHEN, ROBERT R.; BORDNER, KELLY A.; COMAN, DANIEL; DOOLITTLE, ELIZA; PAPADEMETRIS, XENOPHONIOS; HYDER, FAHMEED; TAYLOR, JANE R.; SIMEN, ARTHUR A.

2013-01-01

Child neglect is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment in the United States, and poses a serious public health concern. Children who survive such episodes go on to experience long-lasting psychological and behavioral problems, including higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and cognitive deficits. To date, most research into the causes of these life-long problems has focused on well-established targets such as stress responsive systems, including the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis. Using the maternal separation and early weaning model, we have attempted to provide comprehensive molecular profiling of a model of early-life neglect in an organism amenable to genomic manipulation: the mouse. In this article, we report new findings generated with this model using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, diffuse tensor magnetic resonance imaging, and behavioral analyses. We also review the validity of the maternal separation and early weaning model, which reflects behavioral deficits observed in neglected humans including hyperactivity, anxiety, and attentional deficits. Finally, we summarize the molecular characterization of these animals, including RNA profiling and label-free proteomics, which highlight protein translation and myelination as novel pathways of interest. PMID:23062306

EARLY ONSET OF DELINQUENCY AND THE TRAJECTORY OF ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING AMONG YOUNG MALES*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lening; Wieczorek, William F.; Welte, John W.

2011-01-01

Building upon the literature in developmental and life-course criminology, the present study assesses the possible association of age onset of delinquency with the trajectory of alcohol-impaired driving using data collected from the three waves of the Buffalo Longitudinal Survey of Young Men (BLSYM). It is argued that as a unique form of delinquency, alcohol-impaired driving among adolescents may be better understood in a broad context of adolescent delinquency involvement. The study adopts the general approach for the analysis of early onset of delinquency and criminal careers in developmental and life-course criminology and hypothesizes that early onset of delinquency is associated with a higher growth of alcohol-impaired driving over time among adolescents when age onsets of alcohol-impaired driving, drinking, and drug use are controlled. Our analysis with the HLM growth modeling method provides support for the hypothesis. Respondents who had an early start in delinquency were likely to have a faster growth of alcohol-impaired driving over the three waves of BLSYM, which implies that these respondents were likely to have a longer path of alcohol-impaired driving in their transition to adulthood. The implication of this finding is discussed. PMID:21831528

Chronic and Episodic Interpersonal Stress as Statistically Unique Predictors of Depression in Two Samples of Emerging Adults

PubMed Central

Vrshek-Schallhorn, Suzanne; Stroud, Catherine B.; Mineka, Susan; Hammen, Constance; Zinbarg, Richard; Wolitzky-Taylor, Kate; Craske, Michelle G.

2016-01-01

Few studies comprehensively evaluate which types of life stress are most strongly associated with depressive episode onsets, over and above other forms of stress, and comparisons between acute and chronic stress are particularly lacking. Past research implicates major (moderate to severe) stressful life events (SLEs), and to a lesser extent, interpersonal forms of stress; research conflicts on whether dependent or independent SLEs are more potent, but theory favors dependent SLEs. The present study used five years of annual diagnostic and life stress interviews of chronic stress and SLEs from two separate samples (Sample 1 N = 432; Sample 2 N = 146) transitioning into emerging adulthood; one sample also collected early adversity interviews. Multivariate analyses simultaneously examined multiple forms of life stress to test hypotheses that all major SLEs, then particularly interpersonal forms of stress, and then dependent SLEs would contribute unique variance to major depressive episode (MDE) onsets. Person-month survival analysis consistently implicated chronic interpersonal stress and major interpersonal SLEs as statistically unique predictors of risk for MDE onset. In addition, follow-up analyses demonstrated temporal precedence for chronic stress; tested differences by gender; showed that recent chronic stress mediates the relationship between adolescent adversity and later MDE onsets; and revealed interactions of several forms of stress with socioeconomic status (SES). Specifically, as SES declined, there was an increasing role for non-interpersonal chronic stress and non-interpersonal major SLEs, coupled with a decreasing role for interpersonal chronic stress. Implications for future etiological research were discussed. PMID:26301973

Small Science: Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Science in Everyday Family Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikder, Shukla; Fleer, Marilyn

2015-06-01

Vygotsky (1987) stated that the restructured form of everyday concepts learned at home and in the community interact with scientific concepts introduced in formal school settings, leading to a higher level of scientific thinking for school-aged children. But, what does this mean for the scientific learning of infants and toddlers? What kinds of science learning are afforded at home during this early period of life? The study reported in this paper sought to investigate the scientific development of infants-toddlers (10 to 36 months) growing up in Bangladeshi families living in Australia and Singapore. Four families were studied over 2 years. Digital video observations were made of everyday family life and analysed using Vygotsky's theoretical framework of everyday concepts and scientific concepts (51 h of digital observations). While there are many possibilities for developing scientific concepts in infants-toddlers' everyday life, our study found four categories of what we have called small science: multiple possibilities for science; discrete science; embedded science and counter intuitive science. The findings of this study contribute to the almost non-existent literature into infants and toddlers' scientific development and advance new understandings of early childhood science education.

The evolution of photosynthesis...again?

PubMed

Rothschild, Lynn J

2008-08-27

'Replaying the tape' is an intriguing 'would it happen again?' exercise. With respect to broad evolutionary innovations, such as photosynthesis, the answers are central to our search for life elsewhere. Photosynthesis permits a large planetary biomass on Earth. Specifically, oxygenic photosynthesis has allowed an oxygenated atmosphere and the evolution of large metabolically demanding creatures, including ourselves. There are at least six prerequisites for the evolution of biological carbon fixation: a carbon-based life form; the presence of inorganic carbon; the availability of reductants; the presence of light; a light-harvesting mechanism to convert the light energy into chemical energy; and carboxylating enzymes. All were present on the early Earth. To provide the evolutionary pressure, organic carbon must be a scarce resource in contrast to inorganic carbon. The probability of evolving a carboxylase is approached by creating an inventory of carbon-fixation enzymes and comparing them, leading to the conclusion that carbon fixation in general is basic to life and has arisen multiple times. Certainly, the evolutionary pressure to evolve new pathways for carbon fixation would have been present early in evolution. From knowledge about planetary systems and extraterrestrial chemistry, if organic carbon-based life occurs elsewhere, photosynthesis -- although perhaps not oxygenic photosynthesis -- would also have evolved.

Association of Intrauterine and Early-Life Exposures With Age at Menopause in the Sister Study

PubMed Central

Steiner, Anne Z.; D'Aloisio, Aimee A.; DeRoo, Lisa A.; Sandler, Dale P.; Baird, Donna D.

2010-01-01

Oocytes are formed in utero; menopause occurs when the oocyte pool is depleted. The authors hypothesized that early-life events could affect the number of a woman's oocytes and determine age at menopause. To test their hypothesis, the authors conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from 22,165 participants in the Sister Study (2003–2007) who were aged 35–59 years at enrollment. To estimate the association between early-life events and age at natural menopause, the authors used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for current age, race/ethnicity, education, childhood family income, and smoking history. Earlier menopause was associated with in-utero diethylstilbestrol exposure (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27, 1.65). Suggestive associations included maternal prepregnancy diabetes (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.98) and low birth weight (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.20). Having a mother aged 35 years or older at birth appeared to be associated with a later age at menopause (HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.01). Birth order, in-utero smoke exposure, and having been breastfed were not related to age at menopause. In-utero and perinatal events may subsequently influence age at menopause. PMID:20534821

Short Time Scale Evolution of Microbiolites in Rapidly Receding Altiplanic Lakes: Learning How to Recognize Changing Signatures of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabrol, N. A.; Grin, E. A.; Borics, G.; Kiss, A.; Fike, D.; Kovacs, G.; Hock, A.; Kiss, K.; Acs, E.; Sivila, R.

2004-01-01

As part of the exploration of high altitude lakes as analogs to Martian paleolakes environment, we are investigating a remarkably large and diverse field of lacustrine stromatolites located at 4,365m in the Bolivian Altiplano (22 deg 47 00 min S and 67 deg 47.00 min W).The field is composed of both early Holocene fossil structures located on paleoshorelines and present-day active cyanobacterial communities on the shore and at the bottom of the current Laguna Blanca and Verde. Its physical environment, broad diversity of morphologies, and their associated spatial heterogeneity, origin, and scale offer a unique opportunity to explore microbiolites in conditions reminiscent of early Earth and Mars. At this altitude and latitude, UV radiation levels are enhanced (40% higher than sea level) and harmful to microorganisms living in shallow waters which provide only minimal protection from UV. Similar conditions prevailed on early Earth when the ozone layer had yet to be formed in the atmosphere. Compared to those studied at sea levels, these stromatolites could yield new insights about the earliest terrestrial forms of life. Moreover, the combination of physical and geological environment of this site is exceptionally analogous to conditions believed to be prevalent on Mars at the end of the Noachian (3.5 Ga ago), allowing to test the potential for forming stromatolites in martian paleolakes and learn how to identify their fossil record remotely. Our overarching goal is to generate new astrobiological information on high-altitude stromatolites as clues to early biospheres with implications for Earth and Mars. Our two central objectives are: (1) characterize the biological, geological, and mineralogical features and significance of this field, and to identify geo-signatures such as morphology, geology, chronostratigraphy, mineralogy and biosignatures, and (2) to facilitate remote-sensing and ground robotic detection capabilities for future astrobiological missions to Mars.

A Coloring Book of Contributions from the Original People of the Americas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fadden, Ray (Aren Akweks); And Others

Contributions made by Indians from North, South, and Central America are presented in the form of a coloring book. The scenes depict early agricultural, social, recreational, artistic, and medicinal practices of various Indian tribes which have since become a part of the life of peoples around the world. The coloring book, which can be used as a…

Neglecting Neglect: Some Thoughts about Children Who Have Lacked Good Input, and Are "Undrawn" and "Unenjoyed"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Music, Graham

2009-01-01

This paper looks at emotional neglect in the early years of life, and postulates some probable long-term sequelae of such neglect. It argues that there is a continuum of neglect; ranging from the severest form, as seen in institutional orphanages, to milder variations. A range of theoretical and research traditions, including developmental…

Paying Dearly for Privilege: Conceptions, Experiences and Temporalities of Vocation in Academic Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barcan, Ruth

2018-01-01

This paper explores the forms of lived time that characterise a vocational relationship to academic work. Drawing on interviews and surveys with over 30 academics who have left the profession early or have given up looking for ongoing academic work, it paints a portrait of vocationalism as a double-edged sword. The research found that despite…

Evolution of Epiphytism and Fruit Traits Act Unevenly on the Diversification of the Species-Rich Genus Peperomia (Piperaceae).

PubMed

Frenzke, Lena; Goetghebeur, Paul; Neinhuis, Christoph; Samain, Marie-Stéphanie; Wanke, Stefan

2016-01-01

The species-rich genus Peperomia (Black Pepper relatives) is the only genus among early diverging angiosperms where epiphytism evolved. The majority of fruits of Peperomia release sticky secretions or exhibit hook-shaped appendages indicative of epizoochorous dispersal, which is in contrast to other flowering plants, where epiphytes are generally characterized by fruit morphological adaptations for anemochory or endozoochory. We investigate fruit characters using Cryo-SEM. Comparative phylogenetic analyses are applied for the first time to include life form and fruit character information to study diversification in Peperomia. Likelihood ratio tests uncover correlated character evolution. We demonstrate that diversification within Peperomia is not homogenous across its phylogeny, and that net diversification rates increase by twofold within the most species-rich subgenus. In contrast to former land plant studies that provide general evidence for increased diversification in epiphytic lineages, we demonstrate that the evolution of epiphytism within Peperomia predates the diversification shift. An epiphytic-dependent diversification is only observed for the background phylogeny. An elevated frequency of life form transitions between epiphytes and terrestrials and thus evolutionary flexibility of life forms is uncovered to coincide with the diversification shift. The evolution of fruits showing dispersal related structures is key to diversification in the foreground region of the phylogeny and postdates the evolution of epiphytism. We conclude that the success of Peperomia, measured in species numbers, is likely the result of enhanced vertical and horizontal dispersal ability and life form flexibility but not the evolution of epiphytism itself.

The Relationship Between Early Life Events, Parental Attachment, and Psychopathic Tendencies in Adolescent Detainees.

PubMed

Christian, Erica J; Meltzer, Christine L; Thede, Linda L; Kosson, David S

2017-04-01

Despite increasing interest in understanding psychopathic traits in youth, the role of early environmental factors in the development of psychopathic traits is not well understood. No prior studies have directly examined the relationship between early life events and psychopathic traits. We examined links between life events in the first 4 years of life and indices of the core affective and interpersonal components of psychopathy. Additionally, we examined relationships between early life events, psychopathic traits, and attachment to parents among 206 adjudicated adolescents. Results indicated that the total number of early life events was positively correlated with indices of the affective component of psychopathy. Moreover, psychopathic traits moderated the relationship between the number of early life events and later reports of attachment to parents. Findings suggest that early environmental factors could have important implications for the development of psychopathic traits and may impact attachment to parents for youth with psychopathic traits.

Early-life stress origins of gastrointestinal disease: animal models, intestinal pathophysiology, and translational implications

PubMed Central

Pohl, Calvin S.; Medland, Julia E.

2015-01-01

Early-life stress and adversity are major risk factors in the onset and severity of gastrointestinal (GI) disease in humans later in life. The mechanisms by which early-life stress leads to increased GI disease susceptibility in adult life remain poorly understood. Animal models of early-life stress have provided a foundation from which to gain a more fundamental understanding of this important GI disease paradigm. This review focuses on animal models of early-life stress-induced GI disease, with a specific emphasis on translational aspects of each model to specific human GI disease states. Early postnatal development of major GI systems and the consequences of stress on their development are discussed in detail. Relevant translational differences between species and models are highlighted. PMID:26451004

Mechanisms for the Formation of Thymine Under Astrophysical Conditions and Implications for the Origin of Life

PubMed Central

Bera, Partha P.; Nuevo, Michel; Materese, Christopher K.; Sandford, Scott A.; Lee, Timothy J.

2018-01-01

Nucleobases are the carriers of the genetic information in RNA and DNA for all life on Earth. Their presence in meteorites clearly indicates that compounds of biological importance can form via non-biological processes in extraterrestrial environments. Recent experimental studies have shown that the pyrimidine-based nucleobases uracil and cytosine can be easily formed from the ultraviolet irradiation of pyrimidine in H2O-rich ice mixtures that simulate astrophysical processes. In contrast, thymine, which is found only in DNA, is more difficult to form under the same experimental conditions, as its formation usually requires a higher photon dose. Earlier quantum chemical studies confirmed that the reaction pathways were favorable provided that several H2O molecules surrounded the reactants. However, the present quantum chemical study shows that the formation of thymine is limited because of the inefficiency of the methylation of pyrimidine and its oxidized derivatives in an H2O ice, as supported by the laboratory studies. Our results constrain the formation of thymine in astrophysical environments and thus the inventory of organic molecules delivered to the early Earth, and have implications for the role of thymine and DNA in the origin of life. PMID:27083722

Mechanisms for the formation of thymine under astrophysical conditions and implications for the origin of life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bera, Partha P.; Nuevo, Michel; Materese, Christopher K.; Sandford, Scott A.; Lee, Timothy J.

2016-04-01

Nucleobases are the carriers of the genetic information in ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for all life on Earth. Their presence in meteorites clearly indicates that compounds of biological importance can form via non-biological processes in extraterrestrial environments. Recent experimental studies have shown that the pyrimidine-based nucleobases uracil and cytosine can be easily formed from the ultraviolet irradiation of pyrimidine in H2O-rich ice mixtures that simulate astrophysical processes. In contrast, thymine, which is found only in DNA, is more difficult to form under the same experimental conditions, as its formation usually requires a higher photon dose. Earlier quantum chemical studies confirmed that the reaction pathways were favorable provided that several H2O molecules surrounded the reactants. However, the present quantum chemical study shows that the formation of thymine is limited because of the inefficiency of the methylation of pyrimidine and its oxidized derivatives in an H2O ice, as supported by the laboratory studies. Our results constrain the formation of thymine in astrophysical environments and thus the inventory of organic molecules delivered to the early Earth and have implications for the role of thymine and DNA in the origin of life.

The initiation of metabolic inflammation in childhood obesity.

PubMed

Singer, Kanakadurga; Lumeng, Carey N

2017-01-03

An understanding of the events that initiate metabolic inflammation (metainflammation) can support the identification of targets for preventing metabolic disease and its negative effects on health. There is ample evidence demonstrating that the initiating events in obesity-induced inflammation start early in childhood. This has significant implications on our understanding of how early life events in childhood influence adult disease. In this Review we frame the initiating events of metainflammation in the context of child development and discuss what this reveals about the mechanisms by which this unique form of chronic inflammation is initiated and sustained into adulthood.

The initiation of metabolic inflammation in childhood obesity

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

An understanding of the events that initiate metabolic inflammation (metainflammation) can support the identification of targets for preventing metabolic disease and its negative effects on health. There is ample evidence demonstrating that the initiating events in obesity-induced inflammation start early in childhood. This has significant implications on our understanding of how early life events in childhood influence adult disease. In this Review we frame the initiating events of metainflammation in the context of child development and discuss what this reveals about the mechanisms by which this unique form of chronic inflammation is initiated and sustained into adulthood. PMID:28045405

[Advances in the research of scar stricture after esophageal burn].

PubMed

Zhao, Shi-lei; Gu, Chun-dong

2013-10-01

Caustic esophageal burn is a common ailment in clinical practice. In some patients, scar stricture was formed in the late stage of injury, and it seriously undermined quality of life of the patients. We adopted various clinical interventions at an early stage in order to relieve and alleviate the formation and development of corrosive esophageal stricture as a result of chemical injury as well as to avoid invasive operations to make it more acceptable for the patients. This article summarized the progress in etiology, pathological changes, identification, early prevention, and surgical management of corrosive esophageal stricture.

The Drake Equation in an astrobiological context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konesky, Gregory A.

2010-09-01

The Drake Equation was originally composed as an attempt to quantify the potential number of extraterrestrial civilizations in our Galaxy which we might be able to detect using a radio telescope. Since this equation was first formulated, nearly 50 years ago, we have discovered that life on Earth arose very early in its history, and has filled virtually every habitable, potentially extreme, niche available. This suggests that simple forms of life might be plentiful where possible, and can be observed remotely by atmospheric biosignatures in the host planet. We consider modifications to the Drake Equation to reflect this new understanding.

Early-life origins of life-cycle well-being: research and policy implications.

PubMed

Currie, Janet; Rossin-Slater, Maya

2015-01-01

Mounting evidence across different disciplines suggests that early-life conditions can have consequences on individual outcomes throughout the life cycle. Relative to other developed countries, the United States fares poorly on standard indicators of early-life health, and this disadvantage may have profound consequences not only for population well-being, but also for economic growth and competitiveness in a global economy. In this paper, we first discuss the research on the strength of the link between early-life health and adult outcomes, and then provide an evidence-based review of the effectiveness of existing U.S. policies targeting the early-life environment. We conclude that there is a robust and economically meaningful relationship between early-life conditions and well-being throughout the life cycle, as measured by adult health, educational attainment, labor market attachment, and other indicators of socioeconomic status. However, there is some variation in the degree to which current policies in the United States are effective in improving early-life conditions. Among existing programs, some of the most effective are the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), home visiting with nurse practitioners, and high-quality, center-based early-childhood care and education. In contrast, the evidence on other policies such as prenatal care and family leave is more mixed and limited.

Linking quality of healthcare and health-related quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes: an evaluative study in Mexican family practice.

PubMed

Doubova, Svetlana V; Mino-León, Dolores; Pérez-Cuevas, Ricardo

2013-12-01

To assess the association between quality of care and health-related quality of life among type 2 diabetes patients. A cross-sectional study assessing the association between quality of care and quality of life using multiple linear regression analysis. Family medicine clinics (FMC) (n = 39) of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Mexico City. Type 2 diabetes patients (n = 312), older than 19 years. Health-related quality of life was measured using the MOS Short-Form-12 (SF-12); quality of healthcare was measured as the percentage of recommended care received under each of four domains: early detection of diabetes complications, non-pharmacological treatment, pharmacological treatment and health outcomes. The average quality of life score was 41.4 points on the physical component and 47.9 points on the mental component. Assessment of the quality of care revealed deficiencies. The average percentages of recommended care received were 21.9 for health outcomes and 56.6 for early detection of diabetes complications and pharmacological treatment; for every 10 percent additional points on the pharmacological treatment component, quality of life improved by 0.4 points on the physical component (coefficient 0.04, 95% confidence intervals 0.01-0.07). There was a positive association between the quality of pharmacological care and the physical component of quality of life. The quality of healthcare for type 2 diabetes patients in FMC of the IMSS in Mexico City is not optimal.

The case for a Martian origin for Earth life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benner, Steven A.; Kim, Hyo-Joong

2015-09-01

Classical prebiotic chemistry, which has for the last half century explored the reactivity of small organic molecules in glassware environments under the control of chemists, has left unanswered multiple paradoxes with respect to the origins of life. Many of these can be approached, and possibly solved, by placing organic molecular reactivity within the context of the rocks, minerals, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of a prebiotic earth. This new direction in prebiotic chemistry is discussed here, with special emphasis on the role of minerals in constraining the inherent propensity of carbohydrates to devolve to form unproductively complex mixtures of materials. We focus in particular on minerals containing the elements boron and molybdenum, which is produced in discontinuous synthesis model for the emergence of RNA as the first Darwinian molecule. Further, the role of desert environments to manage the "water paradox" is discussed in the context of many classes of processes that have been proposed to deliver RNA under prebiotic conditions. If current models are correct to suggest that early Earth may have been largely flooded at the time when life originated, Then those desert environments may not have been available. However, the inventory of water on Mars has always been less than on Earth and, as Kirschvink has pointed out, intercourse between the two planets was frequent during the time when life is emerging on either planets. This suggests that desert like environments may have been present on early Mars, if they were not present on early Earth.

Early-life adversity programs emotional functions and the neuroendocrine stress system: the contribution of nutrition, metabolic hormones and epigenetic mechanisms.

PubMed

Yam, Kit-Yi; Naninck, Eva F G; Schmidt, Mathias V; Lucassen, Paul J; Korosi, Aniko

2015-01-01

Clinical and pre-clinical studies have shown that early-life adversities, such as abuse or neglect, can increase the vulnerability to develop psychopathologies and cognitive decline later in life. Remarkably, the lasting consequences of stress during this sensitive period on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and emotional function closely resemble the long-term effects of early malnutrition and suggest a possible common pathway mediating these effects. During early-life, brain development is affected by both exogenous factors, like nutrition and maternal care as well as by endogenous modulators including stress hormones. These elements, while mostly considered for their independent actions, clearly do not act alone but rather in a synergistic manner. In order to better understand how the programming by early-life stress takes place, it is important to gain further insight into the exact interplay of these key elements, the possible common pathways as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms that mediate their effects. We here review evidence that exposure to both early-life stress and early-life under-/malnutrition similarly lead to life-long alterations on the neuroendocrine stress system and modify emotional functions. We further discuss how the different key elements of the early-life environment interact and affect one another and next suggest a possible role for the early-life adversity induced alterations in metabolic hormones and nutrient availability in shaping later stress responses and emotional function throughout life, possibly via epigenetic mechanisms. Such knowledge will help to develop intervention strategies, which gives the advantage of viewing the synergistic action of a more complete set of changes induced by early-life adversity.

Early life programming as a target for prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This paper concerns future policy development and programs of research for the prevention of mental disorders based on research emerging from fetal and early life programming. The current review offers an overview of findings on pregnancy exposures such as maternal mental health, lifestyle factors, and potential teratogenic and neurotoxic exposures on child outcomes. Outcomes of interest are common child and adolescent mental disorders including hyperactive, behavioral and emotional disorders. This literature suggests that the preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of deleterious fetal exposures. As such, the perinatal period is a critical period where future mental health prevention efforts should be focused and prevention models developed. Interventions grounded in evidence-based recommendations for the perinatal period could take the form of public health, universal and more targeted interventions. If successful, such interventions are likely to have lifelong effects on (mental) health. PMID:24559477

Ingredients for Life (Artist's Concept)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Figure 1: Artist's Conception Symbolically Represents Complex Organic Molecules

This artist's conception symbolically represents complex organic molecules, known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, seen in the early universe. These large molecules, comprised of carbon and hydrogen, are considered among the building blocks of life.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope is the first telescope to see polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons so early -- 10 billion years further back in time than seen previously. Spitzer detected these molecules in galaxies when our universe was one-fourth of its current age of about 14 billion years.

These complex molecules are very common on Earth. They form any time carbon-based materials are not burned completely. They can be found in sooty exhaust from cars and airplanes, and in charcoal broiled hamburgers and burnt toast.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are pervasive in galaxies like our own Milky Way, and play a significant role in star and planet formation.

Correlates of midlife career achievement among women physicians.

PubMed

Graves, P L; Thomas, C B

1985-08-09

In the context of a longitudinal study, we explored factors contributing to midlife career achievement among 108 women physicians. Three groups were formed, based on medical specialty, specialty board certification, and professorial appointment. Using analysis of variance procedures, the career groups were compared on measures obtained during medical school and on marital status, family size, and three health measures in midlife. Of the youthful measures, academic standing, father's socioeconomic status, and early family (specifically father-daughter) relationships were found to be associated with midlife achievement. Furthermore, a clear association was observed between success and good health in midlife. Married women formed the majority in all groups; no differences in family size were found. We conclude that career achievement among women physicians is influenced less by marriage and family size than by motivational and personality factors shaped in early life.

Early-Life Origins of the Race Gap in Men's Mortality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, David F.; Hayward, Mark D.

2006-01-01

Using a life course framework, we examine the early life origins of the race gap in men's all-cause mortality. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Older Men (1966-1990), we evaluate major social pathways by which early life conditions differentiate the mortality experiences of blacks and whites. Our findings indicate that early life…

Early life history of the yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), in the Red Lakes, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pycha, Richard L.; Smith, Lloyd L.

1955-01-01

The early life history of the yellow perch, an important commercial species in the Red Lakes, Minnesota, has been studied with special reference to length at scale formation, growth rate during first season of life, and food habits as they relate to growth and survival. Scales are fully imbricated in the area of 12th to 14th lateral line scales at 24 millimeters total length. There is a wide annual varition in first season's growth which is not correlated with growth in older fish. Body-scale relationship is rectilinear from 24 to 280 millimeters. Length-weight relationship during the first year is expressed by the equation W = 0.6198 × 10−5 L3.1251 which is very similar to that describing the relationship in later years. Stomach analysis indicates food is primarily plankton but in some seasons fish may be strongly dependent on bottom forms. Variations in food availability appear to be associated with changes in growth and may have a major influence on survival.

Early-life stress origins of gastrointestinal disease: animal models, intestinal pathophysiology, and translational implications.

PubMed

Pohl, Calvin S; Medland, Julia E; Moeser, Adam J

2015-12-15

Early-life stress and adversity are major risk factors in the onset and severity of gastrointestinal (GI) disease in humans later in life. The mechanisms by which early-life stress leads to increased GI disease susceptibility in adult life remain poorly understood. Animal models of early-life stress have provided a foundation from which to gain a more fundamental understanding of this important GI disease paradigm. This review focuses on animal models of early-life stress-induced GI disease, with a specific emphasis on translational aspects of each model to specific human GI disease states. Early postnatal development of major GI systems and the consequences of stress on their development are discussed in detail. Relevant translational differences between species and models are highlighted. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Development of the Human Mycobiome over the First Month of Life and across Body Sites.

PubMed

Ward, Tonya L; Dominguez-Bello, Maria Gloria; Heisel, Tim; Al-Ghalith, Gabriel; Knights, Dan; Gale, Cheryl A

2018-01-01

With the advent of next-generation sequencing and microbial community characterization, we are beginning to understand the key factors that shape early-life microbial colonization and associated health outcomes. Studies characterizing infant microbial colonization have focused mostly on bacteria in the microbiome and have largely neglected fungi (the mycobiome), despite their relevance to mucosal infections in healthy infants. In this pilot study, we characterized the skin, oral, and anal mycobiomes of infants over the first month of life ( n = 17) and the anal and vaginal mycobiomes of mothers ( n = 16) by internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) amplicon sequencing. We found that infant mycobiomes differed by body site, with the infant mycobiomes at the anal sites being different from those at the skin and oral sites. The relative abundances of body site-specific taxa differed by birth mode, with significantly more Candida albicans fungi present on the skin of vaginally born infants on day 30 and significantly more Candida orthopsilosis fungi present in the oral cavity of caesarean section-born infants throughout the first month of life. We found the mycobiomes within individual infants to be variable over the first month of life, and vaginal birth did not result in infant mycobiomes that were more similar to the mother's vaginal mycobiome. Therefore, although vertical transmission of specific fungal isolates from mother to infant has been reported, it is likely that other sources (environment, other caregivers) also contribute to early-life mycobiome establishment. Thus, future longitudinal studies of mycobiome and bacterial microbiome codevelopment, with dense sampling from birth to beyond the first month of life, are warranted. IMPORTANCE Humans are colonized by diverse fungi (mycobiome), which have received much less study to date than colonizing bacteria. We know very little about the succession of fungal colonization in early life and whether it may relate to long-term health. To better understand fungal colonization and its sources, we studied the skin, oral, and anal mycobiomes of healthy term infants and the vaginal and anal mycobiomes of their mothers. Generally, infants were colonized by few fungal taxa, and fungal alpha diversity did not increase over the first month of life. There was no clear community maturation over the first month of life, regardless of body site. Key body-site-specific taxa, but not overall fungal community structures, were impacted by birth mode. Thus, additional studies to characterize mycobiome acquisition and succession throughout early life are needed to form a foundation for research into the relationship between mycobiome development and human disease.

Staging Life in an Early Warm ‘Seltzer’ Ocean

DOE PAGES

Schoonen, Martin; Smirnov, Alexander

2016-12-01

A period as short as 20 million years within the first 100 million years after the formation of the Moon may have set the stage for the origin of life. This atmosphere contained more carbon dioxide than any other period afterwards. The carbon dioxide sustained greenhouse conditions, accelerated the weathering of a primitive crust and may have led to conditions conducive to the formation of the building blocks of life. The conversion of CO 2 as well as N 2 may have been facilitated by clays, zeolites, sulfides and metal alloys formed as the crust reacted with a warm ‘seltzer’more » ocean. We used geochemical modeling to constrain the conditions favorable for the formation of these potential mineral catalysts.« less

Staging Life in an Early Warm ‘Seltzer’ Ocean

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoonen, Martin; Smirnov, Alexander

A period as short as 20 million years within the first 100 million years after the formation of the Moon may have set the stage for the origin of life. This atmosphere contained more carbon dioxide than any other period afterwards. The carbon dioxide sustained greenhouse conditions, accelerated the weathering of a primitive crust and may have led to conditions conducive to the formation of the building blocks of life. The conversion of CO 2 as well as N 2 may have been facilitated by clays, zeolites, sulfides and metal alloys formed as the crust reacted with a warm ‘seltzer’more » ocean. We used geochemical modeling to constrain the conditions favorable for the formation of these potential mineral catalysts.« less

Martian channels and the search for extraterrestrial life.

PubMed

Masursky, H; Strobell, M E; Dial, A L

1979-12-01

The origin of the channels on Mars has been a subject of intense interest since they were first recognized on early Mariner 9 images (Driscoll, 1972; Masursky, 1973). Their presence on the planet, and their striking resemblance to terrestrial flood channels related to glacial outbursts or to dendritic river systems has suggested to most investigators (Baker, 1974, 1977; Nummedal, 1978; Carr, 1979; Masursky et al., 1977) that they were formed by running water. Because life as we know it is dependent on water, the discovery by the 'Mariner cameras', of watercut channels and volcanoes as a source for water, and water ice in the residual north polar cap by Viking, has reaffirmed the choice of Mars as the best target for the search for extraterrestrial life.

Early-Life Origins of Life-Cycle Well-Being: Research and Policy Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie, Janet; Rossin-Slater, Maya

2015-01-01

Mounting evidence across different disciplines suggests that early-life conditions can have consequences on individual outcomes throughout the life cycle. Relative to other developed countries, the United States fares poorly on standard indicators of early-life health, and this disadvantage may have profound consequences not only for population…

Early Archaean collapse basins, a habitat for early bacterial life.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nijman, W.

For a better definition of the sedimentary environment in which early life may have flourished during the early Archaean, understanding of the basin geometry in terms of shape, depth, and fill is a prerequisite. The basin fill is the easiest to approach, namely from the well exposed, low-grade metamorphic 3.4 - 3.5 Ga rock successions in the greenstone belts of the east Pilbara (Coppin Gap Greenstone Belt and North Pole Dome) in West Australia and of the Barberton Greenstone Belt (Buck Ridge volcano-sedimentary complex) in South Africa. They consist of mafic to ultramafic volcanic rocks, largely pillow basalts, with distinct intercalations of intermediate to felsic intrusive and volcanic rocks and of silicious sediments. The, partly volcaniclastic, silicious sediments of the Buck Ridge and North Pole volcano-sedimentary complexes form a regressive-transgressive sequence. They were deposited close to base level, and experienced occasional emersion. Both North Pole Chert and the chert of the Kittys Gap volcano-sedimentary complex in the Coppin Gap Greenstone Belt preserve the flat-and-channel architecture of a shallow tidal environment. Thickness and facies distribution appear to be genetically linked to systems, i.e. arrays, of syn-depositionally active, extensional faults. Structures at the rear, front and bottoms of these fault arrays, and the fault vergence from the basin margin towards the centre characterize the basins as due to surficial crustal collapse. Observations in the Pilbara craton point to a non-linear plan view and persistence for the basin-defining fault patterns over up to 50 Ma, during which several of these fault arrays became superposed. The faults linked high-crustal level felsic intrusions within the overall mafic rock suite via porphyry pipes, black chert veins and inferred hydrothermal circulations with the overlying felsic lavas, and more importantly, with the cherty sediments. Where such veins surfaced, high-energy breccias, and in the case of the North Pole Chert huge barite growths, are juxtaposed with the otherwise generally low-energy sediments. Such localities are interpreted as sites of hydrothermal vents. Within this large-scale geological context, many environments on the micro-scale were habitable for life, such as hydrothermal vents and their vicinities, volcanic rock surfaces, subsurface sediments and sediment surfaces. These early collapse basins, hosting this bacterial life, are only partially comparable to Earthly analogues. A resemblance with Venus' coronae and the chaos terranes on Mars is suggested. This study forms part of an international project on Earth's Earliest Sedimentary Basins, supported by the Dutch Foundation Dr. Schürmannfonds. 2

Exposure to interparental violence and psychosocial maladjustment in the adult life course: advocacy for early prevention

PubMed Central

Roustit, C; Renahy, E; Guernec, G; Lesieur, S; Parizot, I; Chauvin, P

2009-01-01

Background: Early family-level and social-level stressors are both assumed to be the components of two main path models explaining the association between exposure to interparental violence in childhood and its long-term consequences on mental health explored through life-course epidemiological studies. Aims: To investigate the association between exposure to interparental violence in childhood and mental health outcomes in adulthood when taking into account early family and social stressors. Methods: A retrospective French cohort study of 3023 adults representative of the general population in the Paris metropolitan area was conducted in 2005 through at-home, face-to-face interviews. The outcomes measures were current depression and lifetime suicide attempt, intimate partner violence, violence against children and alcohol dependence. Results: The adults exposed to interparental violence during childhood had a higher risk of psychosocial maladjustment. After adjusting for family- and social-level stressors in childhood, this risk was, respectively, 1.44 (95% CI 1.03 to 2.00) for depression, 3.17 (1.75 to 5.73) for conjugal violence, 4.75 (1.60 to 14.14) for child maltreatment and 1.75 (1.19 to 2.57) for alcohol dependence. Conclusions: The adult consequences of parental violence in childhood—and this independently of the other forms of domestic violence and the related psychosocial risks—should lead to intensifying the prevention of and screening for this form of maltreatment of children. PMID:19477880

[Treatment with human recombinant erythropoietin and frequency of retinopathy of prematurity].

PubMed

Rudzińska, Iwona M; Kornacka, Maria K; Pawluch, Robert

2002-01-01

The aim of our study was to assess frequency of ROP in VLBW and ELBW treated with rhEPO in preventing anemia. In 36 newborns with birth weight 480 to 1490 g (median 1032 g) and 24 to 32 weeks of gestational age (median 28.0 weeks) we have estimated concentration of cord erythropoietin. According this concentration we have divided our material into two groups. In first group of 22 newborns with cord concentration of EPO < 10 mU/ml we started early erythropoietin (rhEPO) therapy which was continued by 6 weeks. Second group of 14 no early usage newborns had cord EPO concentration > 10 mU/ml. In second group the control level of serum EPO was measured in 15th day of life. In newborns from second group in which the EPO concentration during two weeks decreased below 10 mU/ml we started to use rhEPO as a late usage. First oculistic consultation took place in the 5th week of life according to the screening performed in our country. In the first group (n = 22) with early EPO treatment retinopathy was recognized in 15 preterm newborns (68.2%). Eight of them (53.3%) had advanced form of retinopathy ROP (III lub III+) and were undergone a laserotherapy. In the group of late usage of rhEPO (n = 14) 8 newborns (57.1%) had signs of retinopathy, but only 3 of them (37.5%) required laserotherapy because of advanced form of ROP (III lub III+).

Development of concept for detecting of nanoveziculus and viruses in astromaterials and defining their biosecurity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozyrovska, N. O.; Vidmachenko, A. P.

2018-05-01

Microorganisms combine archaebacteria (or archaea), bacteria and eukaryote. The first two are characterized by prokaryotic cell structure. They lack a cell nucleus, and nuclear DNA has the form of a molecule enclosed in a ring, and is localized directly in the cytoplasm. In the cells of the eukaryote there is a nucleus and other organelles that are separated from the cytoplasm by membranes. This difference in the structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is one of the most important characteristics in describing the diversity of the entire organic world. Prokaryotes may have been the first inhabitants of the Earth and due to their life activities-a biosphere on the Earth was created, which determined the development of all other organisms. It is archaebacteria that is the oldest representatives of living organisms, which at the early stages of the Earth began to receive energy by converting inorganic elements. They are considered as non-cellular forms of life, which are deposited to the biosphere of the Earth from outer space. Such nanoscale structures can be used as markers of life or forms that are associated with life in the universe. We have developed and used during 2013-2017 special device systems for recording traces of space invasions into the sky above Kiev within the framework of the "Unified network of Churyumov."

Early life socioeconomic position and immune response to persistent infections among elderly Latinos.

PubMed

Meier, Helen C S; Haan, Mary N; Mendes de Leon, Carlos F; Simanek, Amanda M; Dowd, Jennifer B; Aiello, Allison E

2016-10-01

Persistent infections, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), are common in the U.S. but their prevalence varies by socioeconomic status. It is unclear if early or later life socioeconomic position (SEP) is a more salient driver of disparities in immune control of these infections. Using data from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging, we examined whether early or later life SEP was the strongest predictor of immune control later in life by contrasting two life course models, the critical period model and the chain of risk model. Early life SEP was measured as a latent variable, derived from parental education and occupation, and food availability. Indicators for SEP in later life included education level and occupation. Individuals were categorized by immune response to each pathogen (seronegative, low, medium and high) with increasing immune response representing poorer immune control. Cumulative immune response was estimated using a latent profile analysis with higher total immune response representing poorer immune control. Structural equation models were used to examine direct, indirect and total effects of early life SEP on each infection and cumulative immune response, controlling for age and gender. The direct effect of early life SEP on immune response was not statistically significant for the infections or cumulative immune response. Higher early life SEP was associated with lower immune response for T. gondii, H. pylori and cumulative immune response through pathways mediated by later life SEP. For CMV, higher early life SEP was both directly associated and partially mediated by later life SEP. No association was found between SEP and HSV-1. Findings from this study support a chain of risk model, whereby early life SEP acts through later life SEP to affect immune response to persistent infections in older age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The RNA–Protein World

PubMed Central

Altman, Sidney

2013-01-01

Following the naming of the RNA World for the hypothetical biochemical world during very early life forms, the current world was named the Protein World. However, the astonishing high level of transcripts from virtually all chromosomes in an organism now found in eucaryotes, as well as their extensive roles in regulating gene expression, suggests that today’s world should be labeled as the RNA–Protein World. PMID:23592800

Norway's New Culture Policy and the Arts: Values in Conflict.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klausen, Arne Martin

The basis for the New Norwegian Culture policy (NCC) is discussed in terms of the political attempt to extend the fundamental values of equality and social security into art and cultural life. The NCC is a result of a series of reports presented in the early 1970s which reflected a desire to see a broader welfare policy in Norway. The old form of…

Job demand and control in mid-life and physical and mental functioning in early old age: do childhood factors explain these associations in a British birth cohort?

PubMed Central

von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Cooper, Rachel; Kuh, Diana

2014-01-01

Objectives Adverse work-related exposures have been linked with decreased physical and mental functioning in later life, however, whether childhood factors explain the associations between work exposures and functioning is unknown. Our aim was to investigate if job demand and control in mid-life were related to self-reported physical and mental functioning in early old age and whether childhood factors explained these associations. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting England, Scotland and Wales. Participants and outcome measures Data come from the UK Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, a cohort with follow-up since birth in 1946. 1485 occupationally active study members had data available on job demand and control in mid-life and on physical and mental functioning assessed using the Short Form-36 questionnaire at 60–64 years. Results Those with higher job control in mid-life had better physical functioning than those who reported lower job control (β 0.51, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.01, p=0.04 adjusted for adult confounders). Those with higher job demand in mid-life had poorer mental functioning (β −0.82, 95% CI −1.14 to −0.51, p<0.001). Associations between job control and mental functioning were similar but less pronounced. Adjustment for childhood factors (father's and mother's educational attainment, parents’ interest in school at age 7 and cognitive ability at age 8) partially explained the association between job control and physical functioning, but did not explain the association between job demand and mental functioning. Conclusions Job demand and control in mid-life are differentially associated with mental and physical functioning in early old age and some of these associations may be partially explained by childhood factors. PMID:25319998

Neurobiological consequences of childhood trauma.

PubMed

Nemeroff, Charles B

2004-01-01

There is considerable evidence to suggest that adverse early-life experiences have a profound effect on the developing brain. Neurobiological changes that occur in response to untoward early-life stress can lead to lifelong psychiatric sequelae. Children who are exposed to sexual or physical abuse or the death of a parent are at higher risk for development of depressive and anxiety disorders later in life. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that repeated early-life stress leads to alterations in central neurobiological systems, particularly in the corticotropin-releasing factor system, leading to increased responsiveness to stress. Clearly, exposure to early-life stressors leads to neurobiological changes that increase the risk of psychopathology in both children and adults. Identification of the neurobiological substrates that are affected by adverse experiences in early life should lead to the development of more effective treatments for these disorders. The preclinical and clinical studies evaluating the consequences of early-life stress are reviewed.

The early atmosphere: a new picture.

PubMed

Levine, J S

1986-01-01

Over the last several years, many of the fundamental ideas concerning the composition and chemical evolution of the Earth's early atmosphere have changed. While many aspects of this subject are clouded--either uncertain or unknown, a new picture is emerging. We are just beginning to understand how astronomical, geochemical, and atmospheric processes each contributed to the development of the gaseous envelope around the third planet from the sun some 4.6 billion years ago and how that envelope chemically evolved over the history of our planet. Simple compounds in that gaseous envelope, energized by atmospheric lightning and/or solar ultraviolet radiation, formed molecules of increasing complexity that eventually evolved into the first living systems on our planet. This process is called "chemical evolution" and immediately preceded biological evolution; once life developed and evolved, it began to alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere that provided the very essence of its creation. Photosynthetic organisms which have the ability to biochemically transform carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, which they use for food, produce large amounts of molecular oxygen (O2) as a by-product of the reaction. Atmospheric oxygen photochemically formed ozone, which absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun and shields the Earth's surface from this biologically lethal radiation. Once atmospheric ozone levels increased sufficiently, life could leave the safety of the oceans and go ashore for the first time. Throughout the history of our planet, there has been strong interaction between life and the atmosphere. Understanding our cosmic roots is particularly relevant as we embark on a search for life outside the Earth. At this very moment, several radio telescopes around the world are searching for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).

The Possible Emergence of Life and Differentiation of a Shallow Biosphere on Irradiated Icy Worlds: The Example of Europa.

PubMed

Russell, Michael J; Murray, Alison E; Hand, Kevin P

2017-12-01

Irradiated ice-covered ocean worlds with rocky mafic mantles may provide the conditions needed to drive the emergence and maintenance of life. Alkaline hydrothermal springs-relieving the geophysical, thermal, and chemical disequilibria between oceans and tidally stressed crusts-could generate inorganic barriers to the otherwise uncontrolled and kinetically disfavored oxidation of hydrothermal hydrogen and methane. Ionic gradients imposed across these inorganic barriers, comprising iron oxyhydroxides and sulfides, could drive the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and the oxidation of methane through thermodynamically favorable metabolic pathways leading to early life-forms. In such chemostatic environments, fuels may eventually outweigh oxidants. Ice-covered oceans are primarily heated from below, creating convection that could transport putative microbial cells and cellular cooperatives upward to congregate beneath an ice shell, potentially giving rise to a highly focused shallow biosphere. It is here where electron acceptors, ultimately derived from the irradiated surface, could be delivered to such life-forms through exchange with the icy surface. Such zones would act as "electron disposal units" for the biosphere, and occupants might be transferred toward the surface by buoyant diapirs and even entrained into plumes. Key Words: Biofilms-Europa-Extraterrestrial life-Hydrothermal systems. Astrobiology 17, 1265-1273.

Multiplication of microbes below 0.690 water activity: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial life.

PubMed

Stevenson, Andrew; Burkhardt, Jürgen; Cockell, Charles S; Cray, Jonathan A; Dijksterhuis, Jan; Fox-Powell, Mark; Kee, Terence P; Kminek, Gerhard; McGenity, Terry J; Timmis, Kenneth N; Timson, David J; Voytek, Mary A; Westall, Frances; Yakimov, Michail M; Hallsworth, John E

2015-02-01

Since a key requirement of known life forms is available water (water activity; aw ), recent searches for signatures of past life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial environments have targeted places known to have contained significant quantities of biologically available water. However, early life on Earth inhabited high-salt environments, suggesting an ability to withstand low water-activity. The lower limit of water activity that enables cell division appears to be ∼ 0.605 which, until now, was only known to be exhibited by a single eukaryote, the sugar-tolerant, fungal xerophile Xeromyces bisporus. The first forms of life on Earth were, though, prokaryotic. Recent evidence now indicates that some halophilic Archaea and Bacteria have water-activity limits more or less equal to those of X. bisporus. We discuss water activity in relation to the limits of Earth's present-day biosphere; the possibility of microbial multiplication by utilizing water from thin, aqueous films or non-liquid sources; whether prokaryotes were the first organisms able to multiply close to the 0.605-aw limit; and whether extraterrestrial aqueous milieux of ≥ 0.605 aw can resemble fertile microbial habitats found on Earth. © 2014 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Possible Emergence of Life and Differentiation of a Shallow Biosphere on Irradiated Icy Worlds: The Example of Europa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Michael J.; Murray, Alison E.; Hand, Kevin P.

2017-12-01

Irradiated ice-covered ocean worlds with rocky mafic mantles may provide the conditions needed to drive the emergence and maintenance of life. Alkaline hydrothermal springs - relieving the geophysical, thermal, and chemical disequilibria between oceans and tidally stressed crusts - could generate inorganic barriers to the otherwise uncontrolled and kinetically disfavored oxidation of hydrothermal hydrogen and methane. Ionic gradients imposed across these inorganic barriers, comprising iron oxyhydroxides and sulfides, could drive the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and the oxidation of methane through thermodynamically favorable metabolic pathways leading to early life-forms. In such chemostatic environments, fuels may eventually outweigh oxidants. Ice-covered oceans are primarily heated from below, creating convection that could transport putative microbial cells and cellular cooperatives upward to congregate beneath an ice shell, potentially giving rise to a highly focused shallow biosphere. It is here where electron acceptors, ultimately derived from the irradiated surface, could be delivered to such life-forms through exchange with the icy surface. Such zones would act as "electron disposal units" for the biosphere, and occupants might be transferred toward the surface by buoyant diapirs and even entrained into plumes.

Late Life Employment Histories and Their Association With Work and Family Formation During Adulthood: A Sequence Analysis Based on ELSA.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Zaninotto, Paola; Hoven, Hanno; Head, Jenny; Carr, Ewan

2017-05-31

To extend research on workforce participation beyond age 50 by describing entire employment histories in later life and testing their links to prior life course conditions. We use data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with retrospective information on employment histories between age 50 and 70 for 1,103 men and 1,195 women (n = 2,298). We apply sequence analysis and group respondents into eight clusters with similar histories. Using multinomial regressions, we then test their links to labor market participation, partnership, and parenthood histories during early (age 20-34) and mid-adulthood (age 35-49). Three clusters include histories dominated by full-time employees but with varying age of retirement (before, at, and after age 60). One cluster is dominated by self-employment with comparatively later retirement. Remaining clusters include part-time work (retirement around age 60 or no retirement), continuous domestic work (mostly women), or other forms of nonemployment. Those who had strong attachments to the labor market during adulthood are more likely to have histories of full-time work up until and beyond age 60, especially men. Parenthood in early adulthood is related to later retirement (for men only). Continued domestic work was not linked to parenthood. Partnered women tend to work part-time or do domestic work. The findings remain consistent after adjusting for birth cohort, childhood adversity, life course health, and occupational position. Policies aimed at increasing the proportion of older workers not only need to address later stages of the life course but also early and mid-adulthood. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

Impact of early childhood caries and its treatment under general anesthesia on orofacial function and quality of life : A prospective comparative study.

PubMed

Collado, V; Pichot, H; Delfosse, C; Eschevins, C; Nicolas, E; Hennequin, M

2017-05-01

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) has become a major public health concern worldwide, mostly affecting children from disadvantaged families in increasingly severe forms. This condition has been frequently reported to alter children's nutrition, growth and general development. It negatively impacts their quality of life, through painful episodes and severe eating difficulties. While this period is crucial for oral praxes development, the impact of dental state on oro-facial functions is poorly documented. This study evaluated the impact of ECC and its treatment under general anesthesia on oro-facial functions and quality of life in pre-school children. The dysfunction and quality of life scores from 25 children with ECC were evaluated before treatment (T0), one month (T1) and three months after treatment (T2), using the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S) and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS), respectively, in comparison with 16 caries-free children. The number and extent of inter-arch dental contacts were also observed. The pre-operative higher NOT-S score observed in children with ECC decreased to reach the control level at T2. The mastication item was the most affected in the ECC group throughout the study. Their mean ECOHIS score also significantly decreased post-operatively and differences remaining between both groups were no longer clinically relevant. In addition, in children with ECC, values of functional inter-arch surfaces tended to increase over the follow-up period. Oro-facial functions and quality of life, altered by ECC, could be restored through a conservative treatment approach. Relations between dental state, orofacial functions and particularly chewing, and nutrition should be investigated further.

Origins and Evolution of Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gargaud, Muriel; López-García, Purificación; Martin, Hervé

2011-01-01

Part I. What Is Life?: 1. Problems raised by a definition of life M. Morange; 2. Some remarks about uses of cosmological anthropic 'principles' D. Lambert; 3. Minimal cell: the biologist point of view C. Brochier-Armanet; 4. Minimal cell: the computer scientist point of view H. Bersini; 5. Origins of life: computing and simulation approaches B. Billoud; Part II. Astronomical and Geophysical Context of the Emergence of Life: 6. Organic molecules in interstellar medium C. Ceccarelli and C. Cernicharo; 7. Cosmochemical evolution and the origin of life: insights from meteorites S. Pizzarello; 8. Astronomical constraints on the emergence of life M. Gounelle and T. Montmerle; 9. Formation of habitable planets J. Chambers; 10. The concept of galactic habitable zone N. Prantzos; 11. The young Sun and its influence on planetary atmospheres M. Güdel and J. Kasting; 12. Climates of the Earth G. Ramstein; Part III. Role of Water in the Emergence of Life: 13. Liquid water: a necessary condition to all forms of life K. Bartik, G. Bruylants, E. Locci and J. Reisse; 14. The role of water in the formation and evolution of planets T. Encrenaz; 15. Water on Mars J. P. Bibring; Part IV. From Non-Living Systems to Life: 16. Energetic constraints on prebiotic pathways: application to the emergence of translation R. Pascal and L. Boiteau; 17. Comparative genomics and early cell evolution A. Lazcano; 18. Origin and evolution of metabolisms J. Peretó; Part V. Mechanisms for Life Evolution: 19. Molecular phylogeny: inferring the patterns of evolution E. Douzery; 20. Horizontal gene transfer: mechanisms and evolutionary consequences D. Moreira; 21. The role of symbiosis in eukaryotic evolution A. Latorre, A. Durbán, A. Moya and J. Peretó; Part VI. Life in Extreme Conditions: 22. Life in extreme conditions: Deinococcus radiodurans, an organism able to survive prolonged desiccation and high doses of ionising radiation S. Sommer and M. Toueille; 23. Molecular effects of UV and ionizing radiations on DNA J. Cadet and T. Douki; 24. Molecular adaptations to life at high salt: lessons from Haloarcula marismortui G. Zaccai; Part VII. Traces of Life and Biosignatures: 25. Early life: nature, distribution and evolution F. Westall; 26. Early eukaryotes in precambrian oceans E. Javaux; 27. Biomineralisation mechanisms K. Benzerara and J. Miot; 28. Limits of life and biosphere: lesson from detection of microorganisms in deep sea and deep subsurface in the Earth K. Takai; Part VIII. Life Elsewhere?: 29. Titan and the Cassini-Huygens mission J. Lunine and F. Raulin; 30. The role of terrestrial analogue environments in astrobiology R. Léveillé; Index.

The influence of living conditions in early life on life satisfaction in old age.

PubMed

Deindl, Christian

2013-03-01

This article examines the influence of living conditions in early life on life satisfaction in old age in eleven Western European countries. It combines the influence of individual conditions, for example housing and family background, with country characteristics in the decade of birth. Using pooled data from the second and third wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, multilevel models show that early life living conditions have an influence on life satisfaction in old age. Furthermore, interaction effects between current and past living conditions show that adverse living conditions strengthen the effect of early life on life satisfaction in later life and therefore are an indication of cumulative inequality over the life course. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Children of Misfortune: Early Adversity and Cumulative Inequality in Perceived Life Trajectories1

PubMed Central

Schafer, Markus H.; Ferraro, Kenneth F.; Mustillo, Sarah A.

2011-01-01

Adversity early in life may alter pathways of aging, but what interpretive processes can soften the blow of early insults? Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, the authors analyze trajectories of life evaluations and then consider whether early adversity offsets favorable expectations for the future. Results reveal that early adversity contributes to more negative views of the past but rising expectations for the future. Early adversity also has enduring effects on life evaluations, offsetting the influence of buoyant expectations. The findings draw attention to the limits of human agency under the constraints of early adversity—a process described as biographical structuration. PMID:21648247

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life.

PubMed

Kohyama, Jun

2016-01-01

This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Locus of control, quality of life, anxiety, and depression among Malaysian breast cancer patients: The mediating role of uncertainty.

PubMed

Pahlevan Sharif, Saeed

2017-04-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the mediating role of uncertainty in the relationship between locus of control with quality of life, anxiety, and depression. A descriptive and correlational survey was conducted in a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A convenience sample of 118 Malaysian breast cancer patients voluntarily participated in the study and responded to a set of questionnaires including: socio-demographic questionnaire, the short form of Locus of Control Scale, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Short-Form Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (SF-MUIS). The results revealed that breast cancer patients with higher internal locus of control and lower external locus of control experience a higher quality of life, lower anxiety, and lower depression. Also, uncertainty mediated the relationship between locus of control with quality of life and depression (quasi-significant). The findings indicated the need for early, targeted psychological interventions seeking to gradually shift cancer patients' locus of control from external to internal in order to improve their quality of life and reduce their depression and anxiety. Moreover, health care providers by providing relevant information to cancer patients, especially for externally oriented patients, can reduce their uncertainty which in turn would improve their quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of myxomatosis in relation to local persistence in wild rabbit populations: the role of waning immunity and the reproductive period.

PubMed

Fouchet, David; Guitton, Jean-Sébastien; Marchandeau, Stéphane; Pontier, Dominique

2008-02-21

Many diseases are less severe when they are contracted in early life. For highly lethal diseases, such as myxomatosis in rabbits, getting infected early in life can represent the best chance for an individual to survive the disease. For myxomatosis, early infections are attenuated by maternal antibodies. This may lead to the immunisation of the host, preventing the subsequent development of the lethal form of the disease. But early infection of young individuals requires specific demographic and epidemiological contexts, such as a high transmission rate of the pathogen agent. To investigate other factors involved in the impact of such diseases, we have built a stochastic model of a rabbit metapopulation infected by myxomatosis. We show that the impact of the pathogen agent can be reduced by early infections only when the agent has a long local persistence time and/or when the host subpopulations are highly connected. The length of the reproductive period and the duration of acquired immunity are also important factors influencing the persistence of the pathogen and thus, the impact of the disease. Besides confirming the role of classical factors in the persistence of a pathogen agent, such as the size of the subpopulation or the degree of connectivity, our results highlight novel factors that can modulate the impact of diseases whose severity increase with age.

Linguistic ability in early life and cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life. Findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Snowdon, D A; Kemper, S J; Mortimer, J A; Greiner, L H; Wekstein, D R; Markesbery, W R

1996-02-21

To determine if linguistic ability in early life is associated with cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life. Two measures of linguistic ability in early life, idea density and grammatical complexity, were derived from autobiographies written at a mean age of 22 years. Approximately 58 years later, the women who wrote these autobiographies participated in an assessment of cognitive function, and those who subsequently died were evaluated neuropathologically. Convents in the United States participating in the Nun Study; primarily convents in the Milwaukee, Wis, area. Cognitive function was investigated in 93 participants who were aged 75 to 95 years at the time of their assessments, and Alzheimer's disease was investigated in the 14 participants who died at 79 to 96 years of age. Seven neuropsychological tests and neuropathologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease. Low idea density and low grammatical complexity in autobiographies written in early life were associated with low cognitive test scores in late life. Low idea density in early life had stronger and more consistent associations with poor cognitive function than did low grammatical complexity. Among the 14 sisters who died, neuropathologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease was present in all of those with low idea density in early life and in none of those with high idea density. Low linguistic ability in early life was a strong predictor of poor cognitive function and Alzheimer's disease in late life.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents in Upper Egypt on gender-based violence, with a focus on early girls' marriage.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Alaa El Dine H

2015-09-01

A large proportion of the female population all over the world, particularly in developing countries, experience some form of gender-based violence (GBV) during their life. Early marriage, a form of GBV, is particularly highly prevalent in rural Upper Egypt. The aim of the current study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of adolescents in Upper Egypt on domestic GBV, with a focus on early girls' marriage. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive household survey targeting 400 randomly selected adolescent boys and girls aged 11-16 years from five villages of Minya Governorate in Upper Egypt. The proportion of interviewed adolescents who could identify certain practices as forms of GBV was relatively low: the identified practices were mainly deprivation of work (9.0%), deprivation of inheritance (3.3%), arbitrary neglect and desertion (2.8%), and preventing from visiting relatives (0.5%). Abusive sexual behavior was not identified by any of the study participants as a form of domestic GBV. A total of 112 boys (56.0%) reported that they have been perpetrators in domestic GBV events at least once and 118 girls (59.0%) reported that they have been actual victims of domestic GBV. An overall 65.6% of study participants could correctly identify the legal age of marriage as 18 years, yet only 22.0% identified earlier ages of marriage as a form of domestic GBV. The vast majority of girls and boys reported that they would not agree to get married before the age of 18 years (91.0 and 87.0%, respectively). Adolescents in Upper Egypt demonstrated a less than satisfactory knowledge about the forms of GBV. Although early girls' marriage was not universally recognized by adolescents as a form of domestic GBV, they demonstrated satisfactory knowledge about the legal age of marriage, as well as a tendency to abandon the practice. Establishing a community-based awareness program for adolescents of both sexes about GBV with a focus on early girls' marriage is highly recommended.

Original Research: Metabolic alterations from early life thyroxine replacement therapy in male Ames dwarf mice are transient.

PubMed

Darcy, Justin; Fang, Yimin; Hill, Cristal M; McFadden, Sam; Sun, Liou Y; Bartke, Andrzej

2016-10-01

Ames dwarf mice are exceptionally long-lived due to a Prop1 loss of function mutation resulting in deficiency of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin. Deficiency in thyroid-stimulating hormone and growth hormone leads to greatly reduced levels of circulating thyroid hormones and insulin-like growth factor 1, as well as a reduction in insulin secretion. Early life growth hormone replacement therapy in Ames dwarf mice significantly shortens their longevity, while early life thyroxine (T4) replacement therapy does not. Possible mechanisms by which early life growth hormone replacement therapy shortens longevity include deleterious effects on glucose homeostasis and energy metabolism, which are long lasting. A mechanism explaining why early life T4 replacement therapy does not shorten longevity remains elusive. Here, we look for a possible explanation as to why early life T4 replacement therapy does not impact longevity of Ames dwarf mice. We found that early life T4 replacement therapy increased body weight and advanced the age of sexual maturation. We also find that early life T4 replacement therapy does not impact glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity, and any deleterious effects on oxygen consumption, respiratory quotient and heat production are transient. Lastly, we find that early life T4 replacement therapy has long-lasting effects on bone mineral density and bone mineral content. We suggest that the transient effects on energy metabolism and lack of effects on glucose homeostasis are the reasons why there is no shortening of longevity after early life T4 replacement therapy in Ames dwarf mice. © 2016 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Early life family conflict, Social interactions and Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood

PubMed Central

John-Henderson, Neha A.; Kamarck, Thomas W.; Muldoon, Matthew F.; Manuck, Stephen B.

2015-01-01

Objective Conflict in early life family environments is known to affect psychosocial functioning and coping styles into adulthood and is reported to negatively affect access to psychosocial resources that are critical to the management of stress. However, it remains unknown whether early life family conflict similarly affects subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. We predicted that family conflict in early life would be associated with greater mean Intima-Media thickness (IMT), a subclinical marker of CVD risk, in adulthood. Methods Data were collected in a community sample of 503 adults (47.4 % male, mean age: 42.8 years [SD=7.3]). Associations between family conflict in early life with IMT (assessed using B-mode ultrasound) in adulthood were examined using regression analysis. We also tested for indirect effects of early life family conflict on mean IMT through ecological momentary assessment (EMA) reports of social interactions, diversity of social roles, and perceived social support. Results Linear regression analyses adjusted for demographics and physiological risk factors showed conflict in early life associated with greater mean IMT (β=0.08, t(447)=2.13, p=0.034, R2=0.46). Early life conflict was significantly related to diversity of social roles, perceived social support, and EMA reports of pleasant and social conflict interactions. Significant indirect effects of early life conflict on mean IMT were observed through fewer pleasant social interactions and more frequent social conflict interactions in adulthood (β = 0.001, 95% CI, 0.0001–0.0014 and β=0.001, 95% CI, 0.0002–0.0015, respectively). Conclusions These findings provide initial evidence that family conflict in early life heightens CVD risk in adulthood, in part by shaping the quality of adulthood social interactions. PMID:26809109

Early Life Family Conflict, Social Interactions, and Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood.

PubMed

John-Henderson, Neha A; Kamarck, Thomas W; Muldoon, Matthew F; Manuck, Stephen B

2016-04-01

Conflict in early life family environments is known to affect psychosocial functioning and coping styles into adulthood and is reported to negatively affect access to psychosocial resources that are critical to the management of stress. However, it remains unknown whether early life family conflict similarly affects subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. We predicted that family conflict in early life would be associated with greater mean intima-media thickness (IMT), a subclinical marker of CVD risk, in adulthood. Data were collected in a community sample of 503 adults (47.4 % male, mean [standard deviation] age = 42.8 [7.3] years). Associations between family conflict in early life with IMT (assessed using B-mode ultrasound) in adulthood were examined using regression analysis. We also tested for indirect effects of early life family conflict on mean IMT through ecological momentary assessment reports of social interactions, diversity of social roles, and perceived social support. Linear regression analyses adjusted for demographics and physiological risk factors showed conflict in early life associated with greater mean IMT (β = 0.08, t(447) = 2.13, p = .034, R = 0.46). Early life conflict was significantly related to diversity of social roles, perceived social support, and ecological momentary assessment reports of pleasant and social conflict interactions. Significant indirect effects of early life conflict on mean IMT were observed through fewer pleasant social interactions and more frequent social conflict interactions in adulthood (β = 0.001 [95% confidence interval = 0.0001-0.0014] and β = 0.001 [95% confidence interval = 0.0002-0.0015], respectively). These findings provide initial evidence that family conflict in early life heightens CVD risk in adulthood, in part by shaping the quality of adulthood social interactions.

Inversion Concept of the Origin of Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kompanichenko, V. N.

2012-06-01

The essence of the inversion concept of the origin of life can be narrowed down to the following theses: 1) thermodynamic inversion is the key transformation of prebiotic microsystems leading to their transition into primary forms of life; 2) this transformation might occur only in the microsystems oscillating around the bifurcation point under far-from-equilibrium conditions. The transformation consists in the inversion of the balance "free energy contribution / entropy contribution", from negative to positive values. At the inversion moment the microsystem radically reorganizes in accordance with the new negentropy (i.e. biological) way of organization. According to this approach, the origin-of-life process on the early Earth took place in the fluctuating hydrothermal medium. The process occurred in two successive stages: a) spontaneous self-assembly of initial three-dimensional prebiotic microsystems composed mainly of hydrocarbons, lipids and simple amino acids, or their precursors, within the temperature interval of 100-300°C (prebiotic stage); b) non-spontaneous synthesis of sugars, ATP and nucleic acids started at the inversion moment under the temperature 70-100°C (biotic stage). Macro- and microfluctuations of thermodynamic and physico-chemical parameters able to sustain this way of chemical conversion have been detected in several contemporary hydrothermal systems. A minimal self-sufficient unit of life on the early Earth was a community of simplest microorganisms (not a separate microorganism).

Astrobiology: The Search for Life in the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pacchioli, David

2003-01-01

Each of the 11 lead members of NASA's Astrobiology Institute has a specific mission. According to Hiroshi Ohmoto, director of Penn State s Astrobiology Research Center, Here we are mainly concerned with the origin of life and the evolution and extinction of important organisms. These include bacteria that live on methane, cyanobacteria (the inventors of photosynthesis), eukaryotes (a big category, covering anything with a nucleus, from single-celled organisms to humans), land-dwelling organisms, and early animals. Penn State astrobiologists are studying the environment before there was life on Earth, the origin of oxygen in the atmosphere, the chemical and thermal structures of oceans, and the role of metals in the evolution of life. Overall, they want to understand the connection between changes in environment and changes in life forms in the early Earth. PSARC offers research assistantships for graduate and undergraduate students, fellowships for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, and an undergraduate minor in astrobiology. The minor covers 18 credits in earth sciences, geochemistry, geophysics, astronomy, biology, biochemistry, meteorology, and microbiology. The goal, says Ohmoto, is to teach students to critically evaluate claims related to this field that they encounter well after their college education has ended. Under a scanning electron microscope, Martian meteorite ALH84001 yields tube-like structures that look a lot like remnants of Earthly bacteria except smaller by a factor of ten.

Effects of early-life adversity on immune function are mediated by prenatal environment: Role of prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed

Raineki, Charlis; Bodnar, Tamara S; Holman, Parker J; Baglot, Samantha L; Lan, Ni; Weinberg, Joanne

2017-11-01

The contribution of the early postnatal environment to the pervasive effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is poorly understood. Moreover, PAE often carries increased risk of exposure to adversity/stress during early life. Dysregulation of immune function may play a role in how pre- and/or postnatal adversity/stress alters brain development. Here, we combine two animal models to examine whether PAE differentially increases vulnerability to immune dysregulation in response to early-life adversity. PAE and control litters were exposed to either limited bedding (postnatal day [PN] 8-12) to model early-life adversity or normal bedding, and maternal behavior and pup vocalizations were recorded. Peripheral (serum) and central (amygdala) immune (cytokines and C-reactive protein - CRP) responses of PAE animals to early-life adversity were evaluated at PN12. Insufficient bedding increased negative maternal behavior in both groups. Early-life adversity increased vocalization in all animals; however, PAE pups vocalized less than controls. Early-life adversity reduced serum TNF-α, KC/GRO, and IL-10 levels in control but not PAE animals. PAE increased serum CRP, and levels were even higher in pups exposed to adversity. Finally, PAE reduced KC/GRO and increased IL-10 levels in the amygdala. Our results indicate that PAE alters immune system development and both behavioral and immune responses to early-life adversity, which could have subsequent consequences for brain development and later life health. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FKBP5 genotype interacts with early life trauma to predict heavy drinking in college students.

PubMed

Lieberman, Richard; Armeli, Stephen; Scott, Denise M; Kranzler, Henry R; Tennen, Howard; Covault, Jonathan

2016-09-01

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is debilitating and costly. Identification and better understanding of risk factors influencing the development of AUD remain a research priority. Although early life exposure to trauma increases the risk of adulthood psychiatric disorders, including AUD, many individuals exposed to early life trauma do not develop psychopathology. Underlying genetic factors may contribute to differential sensitivity to trauma experienced in childhood. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is susceptible to long-lasting changes in function following childhood trauma. Functional genetic variation within FKBP5, a gene encoding a modulator of HPA axis function, is associated with the development of psychiatric symptoms in adulthood, particularly among individuals exposed to trauma early in life. In the current study, we examined interactions between self-reported early life trauma, past-year life stress, past-year trauma, and a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1360780) in FKBP5 on heavy alcohol consumption in a sample of 1,845 college students from two university settings. Although we found no effect of early life trauma on heavy drinking in rs1360780*T-allele carriers, rs1360780*C homozygotes exposed to early life trauma had a lower probability of heavy drinking compared to rs1360780*C homozygotes not exposed to early life trauma (P < 0.01). The absence of an interaction between either current life stress or past-year trauma, and FKBP5 genotype on heavy drinking suggests that there exists a developmental period of susceptibility to stress that is moderated by FKBP5 genotype. These findings implicate interactive effects of early life trauma and FKBP5 genetic variation on heavy drinking. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The die is cast - Arsenic exposure in early life and disease susceptibility

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract Early life exposure to arsenic in humans and mice produces similar patterns of disease in later life. Given the long interval between exposure and effect, epigenetic effects of early life exposure to arsenic may account for development and progression of disease in bo...

Chemical defense of early life stages of benthic marine invertebrates.

PubMed

Lindquist, Niels

2002-10-01

Accurate knowledge of factors affecting the survival of early life stages of marine invertebrates is critically important for understanding their population dynamics and the evolution of their diverse reproductive and life-history characteristics. Chemical defense is an important determinant of survival for adult stages of many sessile benthic invertebrates, yet relatively little consideration has been given to chemical defenses at the early life stages. This review examines the taxonomic breadth of early life-stage chemical defense in relation to various life-history and reproductive characteristics, as well as possible constraints on the expression of chemical defense at certain life stages. Data on the localization of defensive secondary metabolites in larvae and the fitness-related consequences of consuming even a small amount of toxic secondary metabolites underpin proposals regarding the potential for Müllerian and Batesian mimicry to occur among marine larvae. The involvement of microbial symbionts in the chemical defense of early life stages illustrates its complexity for some species. As our knowledge of chemical defenses in early life stages grows, we will be able to more rigorously examine connections among phylogeny, chemical defenses, and the evolution of reproductive and life-history characteristics among marine invertebrates.

Trait shifts associated with the subshrub life-history strategy in a tropical savanna.

PubMed

Giroldo, A B; Scariot, A; Hoffmann, W A

2017-10-01

Over the past 10 million years, tropical savanna environments have selected for small growth forms within woody plant lineages. The result has been the evolution of subshrubs (geoxyles), presumably as an adaptation to frequent fire. To evaluate the traits associated with the shift from tree to subshrub growth forms, we compared seed biomass, germination, survival, resprouting, biomass allocation, and photosynthesis between congeneric trees and subshrubs, and quantified phylogenetic conservatism. Despite large differences in adult morphology between trees and subshrub species, the differences are modest in seedlings, and most of the variation in traits was explained by genus, indicating considerable phylogenic conservatism. Regardless, tree seedlings invested more heavily in aboveground growth, compared to subshrubs, which is consistent with the adult strategy of savanna trees, which depend on a large resistant-fire stem. Subshrub seedlings also invest in greater non-structural carbohydrate reserves, likely as an adaptation to the high fire frequencies typical of tropical savannas. The modest differences as seedlings suggest that selective pressures during early development may not have contributed substantially to the evolution of the subshrub growth form and that the distinct allocation and life history must arise later in life. This is consistent with the interpretation that the subshrub growth form arose as a life-history strategy in which maturity is reached at a small stem size, allowing them to reproduce despite repeated fire-induced topkill. The convergent evolution of subshrubs within multiple tree lineages reaffirms the importance of fire in the origin and diversification of the flora of mesic savannas.

Evolution of Epiphytism and Fruit Traits Act Unevenly on the Diversification of the Species-Rich Genus Peperomia (Piperaceae)

PubMed Central

Frenzke, Lena; Goetghebeur, Paul; Neinhuis, Christoph; Samain, Marie-Stéphanie; Wanke, Stefan

2016-01-01

The species-rich genus Peperomia (Black Pepper relatives) is the only genus among early diverging angiosperms where epiphytism evolved. The majority of fruits of Peperomia release sticky secretions or exhibit hook-shaped appendages indicative of epizoochorous dispersal, which is in contrast to other flowering plants, where epiphytes are generally characterized by fruit morphological adaptations for anemochory or endozoochory. We investigate fruit characters using Cryo-SEM. Comparative phylogenetic analyses are applied for the first time to include life form and fruit character information to study diversification in Peperomia. Likelihood ratio tests uncover correlated character evolution. We demonstrate that diversification within Peperomia is not homogenous across its phylogeny, and that net diversification rates increase by twofold within the most species-rich subgenus. In contrast to former land plant studies that provide general evidence for increased diversification in epiphytic lineages, we demonstrate that the evolution of epiphytism within Peperomia predates the diversification shift. An epiphytic-dependent diversification is only observed for the background phylogeny. An elevated frequency of life form transitions between epiphytes and terrestrials and thus evolutionary flexibility of life forms is uncovered to coincide with the diversification shift. The evolution of fruits showing dispersal related structures is key to diversification in the foreground region of the phylogeny and postdates the evolution of epiphytism. We conclude that the success of Peperomia, measured in species numbers, is likely the result of enhanced vertical and horizontal dispersal ability and life form flexibility but not the evolution of epiphytism itself. PMID:27555851

Early onset of delinquency and the trajectory of alcohol-impaired driving among young males.

PubMed

Zhang, Lening; Wieczorek, William F; Welte, John W

2011-12-01

Building upon the literature in developmental and life-course criminology, the present study assesses the possible association of age onset of delinquency with the trajectory of alcohol-impaired driving using data collected from the three waves of the Buffalo Longitudinal Survey of Young Men (BLSYM). It is argued that as a unique form of delinquency, alcohol-impaired driving among adolescents may be better understood in a broad context of adolescent delinquency involvement. The study adopts the general approach for the analysis of early onset of delinquency and criminal careers in developmental and life-course criminology and hypothesizes that early onset of delinquency is associated with a higher growth of alcohol-impaired driving over time among adolescents when age onsets of alcohol-impaired driving, drinking, and drug use are controlled. Our analysis with the HLM growth modeling method provides support for the hypothesis. Respondents who had an early start in delinquency were likely to have a faster growth of alcohol-impaired driving over the three waves of BLSYM, which implies that these respondents were likely to have a longer path of alcohol-impaired driving in their transition to adulthood. The implication of this finding is discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The window of opportunity: decision theory and the timing of prognostic tests for newborn infants.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Dominic

2009-11-01

In many forms of severe acute brain injury there is an early phase when prognosis is uncertain, followed later by physiological recovery and the possibility of more certain predictions of future impairment. There may be a window of opportunity for withdrawal of life support early, but if decisions are delayed there is the risk that the patient will survive with severe impairment. In this paper I focus on the example of neonatal encephalopathy and the question of the timing of prognostic tests and decisions to continue or to withdraw life-sustaining treatment. Should testing be performed early or later; and how should parents decide what to do given the conflicting values at stake? I apply decision theory to the problem, using sensitivity analysis to assess how different features of the tests or different values would affect a decision to perform early or late prognostic testing. I draw some general conclusions from this model for decisions about the timing of testing in neonatal encephalopathy. Finally I consider possible solutions to the problem posed by the window of opportunity. Decision theory highlights the costs of uncertainty. This may prompt further research into improving prognostic tests. But it may also prompt us to reconsider our current attitudes towards the palliative care of newborn infants predicted to be severely impaired.

Exploring Oral Cancer Patients' Preference in Medical Decision Making and Quality of Life.

PubMed

Cheng, Sun-Long; Liao, Hsien-Hua; Shueng, Pei-Wei; Lee, Hsi-Chieh; Cheewakriangkrai, Chalong; Chang, Chi-Chang

2017-01-01

Little is known about the clinical effects of shared medical decision making (SMDM) associated with quality of life about oral cancer? To understand patients who occurred potential cause of SMDM and extended to explore the interrelated components of quality of life for providing patients with potential adaptation of early assessment. All consenting patients completed the SMDM questionnaire and 36-Item Short Form (SF-36). Regression analyses were conducted to find predictors of quality of life among oral cancer patients. The proposed model predicted 57.4% of the variance in patients' SF-36 Mental Component scores. Patient mental component summary scores were associated with smoking habit (β=-0.3449, p=0.022), autonomy (β=-0.226, p=0.018) and Control preference (β=-0.388, p=0.007). The proposed model predicted 42.6% of the variance in patients' SF-36 Physical component scores. Patient physical component summary scores were associated with higher education (β=0.288, p=0.007), employment status (β=-0.225, p=0.033), involvement perceived (β=-0.606, p=0.011) and Risk communication (β=-0.558, p=0.019). Future research is necessary to determine whether oral cancer patients would benefit from early screening and intervention to address shared medical decision making.

Contributions of Planetary Science to Studies of Early Biosphere Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farmer, Jack D.; Chang, Sherwood (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The history of impact cratering on the Moon, and extrapolations of crater chronologies to the inner planets, suggests that the late accretionary history of the Earth overlapped with other crucial events in the its history, including the origin of terrestrial life. This evidence, acquired from studies of other planetary bodies in the inner solar system, has profoundly affected how we view the early history of the Earth and evolution of the biosphere. Pre-biotic chemical evolution and the origin of life would have been delayed by the probable existence of a global magma ocean until -4.2 Ga. The early crust was largely destroyed by recycling, thus accounting for the sparse Archean record on Earth. Once life had developed, large impacts may have extinguished it several times before it finally gained a foothold. Potentially sterilizing impacts could have occurred as late as 3.7 Ga. At the very least, large impacts would have forced the biosphere through major environmental "bottlenecks" thereby canalizing its subsequent evolution. One legacy of these early events may be the structure of the present RNA-tree which indicates that extreme thermophiles are primitive within the Archaea, and may be the last common ancestors of life. By 3.5 Ga, marine sedimentary sequences contain unequivocal microbial fossils that attest to the presence of a terrestrial biosphere. The diversity of microbial forms present in these earliest fossil assemblages implies a preceding interval of evolution during which major evolutionary advances (e.g. photosynthesis) could have taken place. Evidence cited above places the origin of life within the interval 3.5 and 4.2 Ga, a period of 700 Ma. Thus, it appears that terrestrial life not only evolved rapidly, but perhaps more than once. This expands the possibilities that life may have also developed elsewhere. Of the other planets in our solar system, Mars holds the greatest chance of having developed life. But, the present surface of Mars is hostile to life. Liquid water, regarded as essential for living systems, is unstable on the surface of Mars due to the low atmospheric pressure. The results of the Viking Lander biology experiments established that organic molecules are not present in the regolith of Mars, forcing the exobiological community to consider new ways of exploring for Martian life. Older, heavily cratered terranes on Mars show geomorphic evidence for abundant water between 3.0- 4.0 Ga. It is quite possible that life developed on Mars during this time, as it did on the Earth. The present focus for Mars Exobiology lies in the search for a fossil record. Archean-aged crust, while mostly missing on Earth, appears to be widespread in ancient cratered highlands of Mars, and aqueous mineral deposits within such sequences may hold crucial fossil evidence for an early Martian biosphere.

Early-life adversity-induced long-term epigenetic programming associated with early onset of chronic physical aggression: Studies in humans and animals.

PubMed

Chistiakov, Dimitry A; Chekhonin, Vladimir P

2017-06-05

To examine whether chronic physical aggression (CPA) in adulthood can be epigenetically programmed early in life due to exposure to early-life adversity. Literature search of public databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. Children/adolescents susceptible for CPA and exposed to early-life abuse fail to efficiently cope with stress that in turn results in the development of CPA later in life. This phenomenon was observed in humans and animal models of aggression. The susceptibility to aggression is a complex trait that is regulated by the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetic mechanisms mediate this interaction. Subjects exposed to stress early in life exhibited long-term epigenetic programming that can influence their behaviour in adulthood. This programming affects expression of many genes not only in the brain but also in other systems such as neuroendocrine and immune. The propensity to adult CPA behaviour in subjects experienced to early-life adversity is mediated by epigenetic programming that involves long-term systemic epigenetic alterations in a whole genome.

Stress exposure in early post-natal life reduces telomere length: an experimental demonstration in a long-lived seabird

PubMed Central

Herborn, Katherine A.; Heidinger, Britt J.; Boner, Winnie; Noguera, Jose C.; Adam, Aileen; Daunt, Francis; Monaghan, Pat

2014-01-01

Exposure to stressors early in life is associated with faster ageing and reduced longevity. One important mechanism that could underlie these late life effects is increased telomere loss. Telomere length in early post-natal life is an important predictor of subsequent lifespan, but the factors underpinning its variability are poorly understood. Recent human studies have linked stress exposure to increased telomere loss. These studies have of necessity been non-experimental and are consequently subjected to several confounding factors; also, being based on leucocyte populations, where cell composition is variable and some telomere restoration can occur, the extent to which these effects extend beyond the immune system has been questioned. In this study, we experimentally manipulated stress exposure early in post-natal life in nestling European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in the wild and examined the effect on telomere length in erythrocytes. Our results show that greater stress exposure during early post-natal life increases telomere loss at this life-history stage, and that such an effect is not confined to immune cells. The delayed effects of increased telomere attrition in early life could therefore give rise to a ‘time bomb’ that reduces longevity in the absence of any obvious phenotypic consequences early in life. PMID:24648221

Early-life disruption of amphibian microbiota decreases later-life resistance to parasites.

PubMed

Knutie, Sarah A; Wilkinson, Christina L; Kohl, Kevin D; Rohr, Jason R

2017-07-20

Changes in the early-life microbiota of hosts might affect infectious disease risk throughout life, if such disruptions during formative times alter immune system development. Here, we test whether an early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota affects later-life resistance to infections by manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles and challenging them with parasitic gut worms as adults. We find that tadpole bacterial diversity is negatively correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs: adult frogs that had reduced bacterial diversity as tadpoles have three times more worms than adults without their microbiota manipulated as tadpoles. In contrast, adult bacterial diversity during parasite exposure is not correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs. Thus, in this experimental setup, an early-life disruption of the microbiota has lasting reductions on host resistance to infections, which is possibly mediated by its effects on immune system development. Our results support the idea that preventing early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota might confer protection against diseases later in life.Early-life microbiota alterations can affect infection susceptibility later in life, in animal models. Here, Knutie et al. show that manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles leads to increased susceptibility to parasitic infection in adult frogs, in the absence of substantial changes in the adults' microbiota.

Towards an Archaeology of Early Islamic Ports on the Western Red Sea Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breen, Colin

2013-12-01

Against a background of developing research on Red Sea ports, a hypothetical model of the morphology of port towns during the early Islamic period is presented here. These places went through constant cycles of change as economic and political frameworks fluctuated. While their physical shape and form was strongly influenced by architectural features of the Islamic world their functionality was more aligned to commercial interaction. These were dynamic spaces where the daily life of their inhabitants was guided by trade, religion, weather and politics. The ports were intrinsically tied to the trade networks that connected Africa with Arabia and the broader Indian Ocean world.

Early-life stress and reproductive cost: A two-hit developmental model of accelerated aging?

PubMed

Shalev, Idan; Belsky, Jay

2016-05-01

Two seemingly independent bodies of research suggest a two-hit model of accelerated aging, one highlighting early-life stress and the other reproduction. The first, informed by developmental models of early-life stress, highlights reduced longevity effects of early adversity on telomere erosion, whereas the second, informed by evolutionary theories of aging, highlights such effects with regard to reproductive cost (in females). The fact that both early-life adversity and reproductive effort are associated with shorter telomeres and increased oxidative stress raises the prospect, consistent with life-history theory, that these two theoretical frameworks currently informing much research are tapping into the same evolutionary-developmental process of increased senescence and reduced longevity. Here we propose a mechanistic view of a two-hit model of accelerated aging in human females through (a) early-life adversity and (b) early reproduction, via a process of telomere erosion, while highlighting mediating biological embedding mechanisms that might link these two developmental aging processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental rodent models of fear and anxiety: from neurobiology to pharmacology.

PubMed

Ganella, Despina E; Kim, Jee Hyun

2014-10-01

Anxiety disorders pose one of the biggest threats to mental health in the world, and they predominantly emerge early in life. However, research of anxiety disorders and fear-related memories during development has been largely neglected, and existing treatments have been developed based on adult models of anxiety. The present review describes animal models of anxiety disorders across development and what is currently known of their pharmacology. To summarize, the underlying mechanisms of intrinsic 'unlearned' fear are poorly understood, especially beyond the period of infancy. Models using 'learned' fear reveal that through development, rats exhibit a stress hyporesponsive period before postnatal day 10, where they paradoxically form odour-shock preferences, and then switch to more adult-like conditioned fear responses. Juvenile rats appear to forget these aversive associations more easily, as is observed with the phenomenon of infantile amnesia. Juvenile rats also undergo more robust extinction, until adolescence where they display increased resistance to extinction. Maturation of brain structures, such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, along with the different temporal recruitment and involvement of various neurotransmitter systems (including NMDA, GABA, corticosterone and opioids) are responsible for these developmental changes. Taken together, the studies described in this review highlight that there is a period early in development where rats appear to be more robust in overcoming adverse early life experience. We need to understand the fundamental pharmacological processes underlying anxiety early in life in order to take advantage of this period for the treatment of anxiety disorders. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

Inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis dampens the neuroendocrine response to stress in neonatal rats subjected to suboptimal rearing conditions.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Ryan Joseph; Verlezza, Silvanna; Gray, Jennifer Megan; Hill, Matthew Nicholas; Walker, Claire-Dominique

2016-01-01

Exposure to stress during early development can exert profound effects on the maturation of the neuroendocrine stress axis. The endocannabinoid (ECB) system has recently surfaced as a fundamental component of the neuroendocrine stress response; however, the effect of early-life stress on neonatal ECB signaling and the capacity to which ECB enhancement may modulate neonatal stress responses is relatively unknown. The present study assessed whether exposure to early-life stress in the form of limited access to nesting/bedding material (LB) from postnatal (PND) day 2 to 9 alters neuroendocrine activity and hypothalamic ECB content in neonatal rats challenged with a novel immobilization stressor. Furthermore, we examined whether inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for the degradation of anandamide (AEA) affects neuroendocrine responses in PND10 pups as a function of rearing conditions. Neonatal rats showed a robust increase in corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) secretion in response to immobilization stress, which was significantly blunted in pups reared in LB conditions. Accordingly, LB pups exhibited reduced stress-induced Fos immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, with no significant differences in hypothalamic ECB content. Administration of the FAAH inhibitor URB597 (0.3 mg/kg, ip) 90 min prior to immobilization stress significantly dampened stress-induced CORT release, but only in pups reared in LB conditions. These results suggest that rearing in restricted bedding conditions dampens the neuroendocrine response to stress, while augmenting AEA mitigates stress-induced alterations in glucocorticoid secretion preferentially in pups subjected to early-life stress.

Mother’s voice and heartbeat sounds elicit auditory plasticity in the human brain before full gestation

PubMed Central

Webb, Alexandra R.; Heller, Howard T.; Benson, Carol B.; Lahav, Amir

2015-01-01

Brain development is largely shaped by early sensory experience. However, it is currently unknown whether, how early, and to what extent the newborn’s brain is shaped by exposure to maternal sounds when the brain is most sensitive to early life programming. The present study examined this question in 40 infants born extremely prematurely (between 25- and 32-wk gestation) in the first month of life. Newborns were randomized to receive auditory enrichment in the form of audio recordings of maternal sounds (including their mother’s voice and heartbeat) or routine exposure to hospital environmental noise. The groups were otherwise medically and demographically comparable. Cranial ultrasonography measurements were obtained at 30 ± 3 d of life. Results show that newborns exposed to maternal sounds had a significantly larger auditory cortex (AC) bilaterally compared with control newborns receiving standard care. The magnitude of the right and left AC thickness was significantly correlated with gestational age but not with the duration of sound exposure. Measurements of head circumference and the widths of the frontal horn (FH) and the corpus callosum (CC) were not significantly different between the two groups. This study provides evidence for experience-dependent plasticity in the primary AC before the brain has reached full-term maturation. Our results demonstrate that despite the immaturity of the auditory pathways, the AC is more adaptive to maternal sounds than environmental noise. Further studies are needed to better understand the neural processes underlying this early brain plasticity and its functional implications for future hearing and language development. PMID:25713382

Interpersonal violence, early life adversity, and suicidal behavior in hypersexual men.

PubMed

Chatzittofis, Andreas; Savard, Josephine; Arver, Stefan; Öberg, Katarina Görts; Hallberg, Jonas; Nordström, Peter; Jokinen, Jussi

2017-06-01

Background and aims There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the role of childhood adversity, interpersonal violence, and suicidal behavior in hypersexual disorder (HD). The aim of this study was to investigate interpersonal violence in hypersexual men compared with healthy volunteers and the experience of violence in relation to suicidal behavior. Methods This case-control study includes 67 male patients with HD and 40 healthy male volunteers. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire - Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (KIVS) were used for assessing early life adversity and interpersonal violence in childhood and in adult life. Suicidal behavior (attempts and ideation) was assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (version 6.0) and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale - Self-rating. Results Hypersexual men reported more exposure to violence in childhood and more violent behavior as adults compared with healthy volunteers. Suicide attempters (n = 8, 12%) reported higher KIVS total score, more used violence as a child, more exposure to violence as an adult as well as higher score on CTQ-SF subscale measuring sexual abuse (SA) compared with hypersexual men without suicide attempt. Discussion Hypersexuality was associated with interpersonal violence with higher total scores in patients with a history of suicide attempt. The KIVS subscale exposure to interpersonal violence as a child was validated using the CTQ-SF but can be complemented with questions focusing on SA for full assessment of early life adversity. Conclusion Childhood adversity is an important factor in HD and interpersonal violence might be related to suicidal behavior in hypersexual men.

Interpersonal violence, early life adversity, and suicidal behavior in hypersexual men

PubMed Central

Chatzittofis, Andreas; Savard, Josephine; Arver, Stefan; Öberg, Katarina Görts; Hallberg, Jonas; Nordström, Peter; Jokinen, Jussi

2017-01-01

Background and aims There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding the role of childhood adversity, interpersonal violence, and suicidal behavior in hypersexual disorder (HD). The aim of this study was to investigate interpersonal violence in hypersexual men compared with healthy volunteers and the experience of violence in relation to suicidal behavior. Methods This case–control study includes 67 male patients with HD and 40 healthy male volunteers. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire – Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the Karolinska Interpersonal Violence Scale (KIVS) were used for assessing early life adversity and interpersonal violence in childhood and in adult life. Suicidal behavior (attempts and ideation) was assessed with the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (version 6.0) and the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale – Self-rating. Results Hypersexual men reported more exposure to violence in childhood and more violent behavior as adults compared with healthy volunteers. Suicide attempters (n = 8, 12%) reported higher KIVS total score, more used violence as a child, more exposure to violence as an adult as well as higher score on CTQ-SF subscale measuring sexual abuse (SA) compared with hypersexual men without suicide attempt. Discussion Hypersexuality was associated with interpersonal violence with higher total scores in patients with a history of suicide attempt. The KIVS subscale exposure to interpersonal violence as a child was validated using the CTQ-SF but can be complemented with questions focusing on SA for full assessment of early life adversity. Conclusion Childhood adversity is an important factor in HD and interpersonal violence might be related to suicidal behavior in hypersexual men. PMID:28467102

Expression of glucocorticoid receptor and early growth response gene 1 during postnatal development of two inbred strains of mice exposed to early life stress.

PubMed

Navailles, Sylvia; Zimnisky, Ross; Schmauss, Claudia

2010-07-01

Early life stress can elicit profound changes in adult gene expression and behavior. One consequence of early life stress is a decreased expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. However, neither the time of onset nor the mechanism(s) leading to decreased GR expression during postnatal development are known. The present study used two inbred strains of mice that differ in their behavioral responsiveness to stress (Balb/c and C57Bl/6), exposed them to an established paradigm of early life stress (infant maternal separation), and measured their expression of frontal cortical and hippocampal GRs and the putative transcriptional activator of the GR gene, early growth response gene (egr)-1, at defined stages of postnatal development. In both strains, real-time RT-PCR experiments revealed that decreased expression of GR in adolescence and adulthood is, in fact, preceded by increased GR expression during early life stress exposure. Thus, the early life stress-induced disruption of the normal stress-hyporesponsive period during infancy is accompanied by increased GR expression. Moreover, chronic treatment with the antidepressant drug fluoxetine during adolescence or adulthood reversed the effect of early life stress on adult GR mRNA expression. In contrast to the strain-independent effect of early life stress on GR expression, however, changes in egr-1 expression occurred only in Balb/c mice, and unlike the biphasic developmental changes in GR mRNA expression, egr-1 mRNA was decreased throughout postnatal development. Moreover, there was no consistent overlap of anatomic regions affected by decreased GR and egr-1 protein expression. Thus, in Balb/c mice, changes in GR and egr-1 expression can independently contribute to the phenotypes resulting from early life stress exposure. These findings illustrate that the impact of early life stress on gene expression changes is modulated by the genetic background and that the persistent changes in GR and egr-1 expression that arise early during postnatal developmental are reversible by chronic fluoxetine treatment during adolescence and adulthood. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Role of Extraterrestrial Materials in the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.

2016-01-01

It has been well established for some time now that C-rich organic materials are relatively common in a number of environments in space. This is known through the telescopic detection of these materials using spectroscopy techniques in the infrared and sub-millimeter wavelength ranges and through the identification of organics in extraterrestrial materials. Extraterrestrial materials in which organics have been found include collected meteorites and interplanetary dust particles, and samples returned by NASA spacecraft from comets. These organics are produced by a variety of astrochemical processes. Despite their abiotic origins, these organic materials of are considerable interest to astrobiology for several reasons. First, organic materials of any composition are important as a means of delivering the elements C, H, O, and N to the surfaces of newly formed planets, and these elements are likely critical to the origin and subsequent evolution of life (certainly for life as we know it). In addition, it is clear that at least a portion of the organics found in space are in the form of molecules that play important roles in modern biology - for example, molecules like amino acids, amphiphiles, quinones, etc. Thus, the delivery of extraterrestrial organics to planetary surfaces brings not only bulk C, H, O, and N, but also molecular complexity in forms that are potentially useful for the origin and early evolution of life. This suggests that the production and delivery of cosmic organic compounds may have played key roles in the origin of life on Earth and, by extension, on other planets in the universe.

Supersonic gas streams enhance the formation of massive black holes in the early universe.

PubMed

Hirano, Shingo; Hosokawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Naoki; Kuiper, Rolf

2017-09-29

The origin of super-massive black holes in the early universe remains poorly understood. Gravitational collapse of a massive primordial gas cloud is a promising initial process, but theoretical studies have difficulty growing the black hole fast enough. We report numerical simulations of early black hole formation starting from realistic cosmological conditions. Supersonic gas motions left over from the Big Bang prevent early gas cloud formation until rapid gas condensation is triggered in a protogalactic halo. A protostar is formed in the dense, turbulent gas cloud, and it grows by sporadic mass accretion until it acquires 34,000 solar masses. The massive star ends its life with a catastrophic collapse to leave a black hole-a promising seed for the formation of a monstrous black hole. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Healthy Eating Index Is a Predictor of Early Childhood Caries

PubMed Central

Nunn, M.E.; Braunstein, N.S.; Krall Kaye, E.A.; Dietrich, T.; Garcia, R.I.; Henshaw, M.M.

2009-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable form of dental caries that affects very young children, particularly among low-income families and certain racial/ethnic minorities. The current study examined the relationship of dietary quality, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), to the prevalence of ECC in 2- to 5-year-old children. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used for the study. We used logistic regression to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR) for ECC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Children with the best dietary practices (uppermost tertile of the HEI) were 44% less likely to exhibit severe ECC compared with children with the worst dietary practices (lowest tertile of the HEI). A healthy eating pattern geared for promotion of optimal child development and prevention of chronic disease in later life may also reduce the risk of early childhood caries, particularly severe early childhood caries. PMID:19407158

The Origin(s) of Whales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uhen, Mark D.

2010-05-01

Whales are first found in the fossil record approximately 52.5 million years ago (Mya) during the early Eocene in Indo-Pakistan. Our knowledge of early and middle Eocene whales has increased dramatically during the past three decades to the point where hypotheses of whale origins can be supported with a great deal of evidence from paleontology, anatomy, stratigraphy, and molecular biology. Fossils also provide preserved evidence of behavior and habitats, allowing the reconstruction of the modes of life of these semiaquatic animals during their transition from land to sea. Modern whales originated from ancient whales at or near the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, approximately 33.7 Mya. During the Oligocene, ancient whales coexisted with early baleen whales and early toothed whales. By the end of the Miocene, most modern families had originated, and most archaic forms had gone extinct. Whale diversity peaked in the late middle Miocene and fell thereafter toward the Recent, yielding our depauperate modern whale fauna.

Early-Life Socioeconomic Status and Adult Physiological Functioning: A Life Course Examination of Biosocial Mechanisms.

PubMed

Yang, Yang Claire; Gerken, Karen; Schorpp, Kristen; Boen, Courtney; Harris, Kathleen Mullan

2017-01-01

A growing literature has demonstrated a link between early-life socioeconomic conditions and adult health at a singular point in life. No research exists, however, that specifies the life course patterns of socioeconomic status (SES) in relation to the underlying biological processes that determine health. Using an innovative life course research design consisting of four nationally representative longitudinal datasets that collectively cover the human life span from early adolescence to old age (Add Health, MIDUS, NSHAP, and HRS), we address this scientific gap and assess how SES pathways from childhood into adulthood are associated with biophysiological outcomes in different adult life stages. For each dataset, we constructed standardized composite measures of early-life SES and adult SES and harmonized biophysiological measurements of immune and metabolic functioning. We found that the relative importance of early-life SES and adult SES varied across young, mid, and late adulthood, such that early-life SES sets a life course trajectory of socioeconomic well-being and operates through adult SES to influence health as adults age. We also documented evidence of the detrimental health effects of downward mobility and persistent socioeconomic disadvantage. These findings are the first to specify the life course patterns of SES that matter for underlying biophysiological functioning in different stages of adulthood. The study thus contributes new knowledge critical for improving population health by identifying the particular points in the life course at which interventions might be most effective in preventing disease and premature mortality.

The evolution of predictive adaptive responses in human life history

PubMed Central

Nettle, Daniel; Frankenhuis, Willem E.; Rickard, Ian J.

2013-01-01

Many studies in humans have shown that adverse experience in early life is associated with accelerated reproductive timing, and there is comparative evidence for similar effects in other animals. There are two different classes of adaptive explanation for associations between early-life adversity and accelerated reproduction, both based on the idea of predictive adaptive responses (PARs). According to external PAR hypotheses, early-life adversity provides a ‘weather forecast’ of the environmental conditions into which the individual will mature, and it is adaptive for the individual to develop an appropriate phenotype for this anticipated environment. In internal PAR hypotheses, early-life adversity has a lasting negative impact on the individual's somatic state, such that her health is likely to fail more rapidly as she gets older, and there is an advantage to adjusting her reproductive schedule accordingly. We use a model of fluctuating environments to derive evolveability conditions for acceleration of reproductive timing in response to early-life adversity in a long-lived organism. For acceleration to evolve via the external PAR process, early-life cues must have a high degree of validity and the level of annual autocorrelation in the individual's environment must be almost perfect. For acceleration to evolve via the internal PAR process requires that early-life experience must determine a significant fraction of the variance in survival prospects in adulthood. The two processes are not mutually exclusive, and mechanisms for calibrating reproductive timing on the basis of early experience could evolve through a combination of the predictive value of early-life adversity for the later environment and its negative impact on somatic state. PMID:23843395

Martian channels and the search for extraterrestrial life

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masursky, H.; Strobell, M.E.; Dial, A.L.

1979-01-01

The origin of the channels on Mars has been a subject of intense interest since they were first recognized on early Mariner 9 images (Driscoll, 1972; Masursky, 1973). Their presence on the planet, and their striking resemblance to terrestrial flood channels related to glacial outbursts or to dendritic river systems has suggested to most investigators (Baker, 1974, 1977; Nummedal, 1978; Carr, 1979; Masursky et al., 1977) that they were formed by running water. Because life as we know it is dependent on water, the discovery by the 'Mariner cameras', of watercut channels and volcanoes as a source for water, and water ice in the residual north polar cap by Viking, has reaffirmed the choice of Mars as the best target for the search for extraterrestrial life. ?? 1979 Springer-Verlag.

Mechanisms for the formation of thymine under astrophysical conditions and implications for the origin of life

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bera, Partha P., E-mail: Partha.P.Bera@nasa.gov, E-mail: Timothy.J.Lee@nasa.gov; Nuevo, Michel; Materese, Christopher K.

Nucleobases are the carriers of the genetic information in ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for all life on Earth. Their presence in meteorites clearly indicates that compounds of biological importance can form via non-biological processes in extraterrestrial environments. Recent experimental studies have shown that the pyrimidine-based nucleobases uracil and cytosine can be easily formed from the ultraviolet irradiation of pyrimidine in H{sub 2}O-rich ice mixtures that simulate astrophysical processes. In contrast, thymine, which is found only in DNA, is more difficult to form under the same experimental conditions, as its formation usually requires a higher photon dose. Earlier quantummore » chemical studies confirmed that the reaction pathways were favorable provided that several H{sub 2}O molecules surrounded the reactants. However, the present quantum chemical study shows that the formation of thymine is limited because of the inefficiency of the methylation of pyrimidine and its oxidized derivatives in an H{sub 2}O ice, as supported by the laboratory studies. Our results constrain the formation of thymine in astrophysical environments and thus the inventory of organic molecules delivered to the early Earth and have implications for the role of thymine and DNA in the origin of life.« less

Mechanisms for the Formations of the Thymine Under Astrophysical Conditions and Implications for the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bera, Partha P.; Nuevo, Michel; Materese, Christopher K.; Sandford, Scott A.; Lee, Timothy J.

2016-01-01

Nucleobases are the carriers of the genetic information in ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for all life on Earth. Their presence in meteorites clearly indicates that compounds of biological importance can form via non-biological processes in extraterrestrial environments. Recent experimental studies have shown that the pyrimidine-based nucleobases uracil and cytosine can be easily formed from the ultraviolet irradiation of pyrimidine in H2O-rich ice mixtures that simulate astrophysical processes. In contrast, thymine, which is found only in DNA, is more difficult to form under the same experimental conditions, as its formation usually requires a higher photon dose. Earlier quantum chemical studies confirmed that the reaction pathways were favorable provided that several H2O molecules surrounded the reactants. However, the present quantum chemical study shows that the formation of thymine is limited because of the inefficiency of the methylation of pyrimidine and its oxidized derivatives in an H2O ice, as supported by the laboratory studies. Our results constrain the formation of thymine in astrophysical environments and thus the inventory of organic molecules delivered to the early Earth and have implications for the role of thymine and DNA in the origin of life.

Early life stress determines the effects of glucocorticoids and stress on hippocampal function: Electrophysiological and behavioral evidence respectively.

PubMed

Pillai, Anup G; Arp, Marit; Velzing, Els; Lesuis, Sylvie L; Schmidt, Mathias V; Holsboer, Florian; Joëls, Marian; Krugers, Harm J

2018-05-01

Exposure to early-life adversity may program brain function to prepare individuals for adaptation to matching environmental contexts. In this study we tested this hypothesis in more detail by examining the effects of early-life stress - induced by raising offspring with limited nesting and bedding material from postnatal days 2-9 - in various behavioral tasks and on synaptic function in adult mice. Early-life stress impaired adult performance in the hippocampal dependent low-arousing object-in-context recognition memory task. This effect was absent when animals were exposed to a single stressor before training. Early-life stress did not alter high-arousing context and auditory fear conditioning. Early-life stress-induced behavioral modifications were not associated with alterations in the dendritic architecture of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons or principal neurons of the basolateral amygdala. However, early-life stress reduced the ratio of NMDA to AMPA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents and glutamate release probability specifically in hippocampal CA1 neurons, but not in the basolateral amygdala. These ex vivo effects in the hippocampus were abolished by acute glucocorticoid treatment. Our findings support that early-life stress can hamper object-in-context learning via pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms that affect hippocampal function but these effects are counteracted by acute stress or elevated glucocorticoid levels. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Predicting Later-Life Outcomes of Early-Life Exposures

EPA Science Inventory

Background: In utero exposure of the fetus to a stressor can lead to disease in later life. Epigenetic mechanisms are likely mediators of later-life expression of early-life events.Objectives: We examined the current state of understanding of later-life diseases resulting from ea...

Trans-Agency Early-Life Exposures and Cancer Working Group

Cancer.gov

The Trans-Agency Early-Life Exposures and Cancer Working Group promotes integration of early-life events and exposures into public health cancer research, control, prevention, and policy strategies to reduce the cancer burden in the United States and globally.

Early-Life State-of-Residence Characteristics and Later Life Hypertension, Diabetes, and Ischemic Heart Disease.

PubMed

Rehkopf, David H; Eisen, Ellen A; Modrek, Sepideh; Mokyr Horner, Elizabeth; Goldstein, Benjamin; Costello, Sadie; Cantley, Linda F; Slade, Martin D; Cullen, Mark R

2015-08-01

We examined how state characteristics in early life are associated with individual chronic disease later in life. We assessed early-life state of residence using the first 3 digits of social security numbers from blue- and white-collar workers from a US manufacturing company. Longitudinal data were available from 1997 to 2012, with 305 936 person-years of observation. Disease was assessed using medical claims. We modeled associations using pooled logistic regression with inverse probability of censoring weights. We found small but statistically significant associations between early-state-of-residence characteristics and later life hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease. The most consistent associations were with income inequality, percentage non-White, and education. These associations were similar after statistically controlling for individual socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and current state characteristics. Characteristics of the state in which an individual lives early in life are associated with prevalence of chronic disease later in life, with a strength of association equivalent to genetic associations found for these same health outcomes.

Early-life Origins of Lifecycle Well-being: Research and Policy Implications

PubMed Central

Currie, Janet; Rossin-Slater, Maya

2016-01-01

Mounting evidence across different disciplines suggests that early-life conditions can have consequences on individual outcomes throughout the lifecycle. Relative to other developed countries, the United States fares poorly on standard indicators of early-life health, and this disadvantage may have profound consequences not only for population well-being, but also for economic growth and competitiveness in a global economy. In this paper, we first discuss the research on the strength of the link between early-life health and adult outcomes, and then provide an evidence-based review of the effectiveness of existing U.S. policies targeting the early-life environment. We conclude that there is a robust and economically meaningful relationship between early-life conditions and well-being throughout the lifecycle, as measured by adult health, educational attainment, labor market attachment, and other indicators of socio-economic status. However, there is some variation in the degree to which current policies in the U.S. are effective in improving early-life conditions. Among existing programs, some of the most effective are the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), home visiting with nurse practitioners, and high-quality, center-based early childhood care and education. In contrast, the evidence on other policies such as prenatal care and family leave is more mixed and limited. PMID:25558491

Predicting Adult Criminal Behavior from Juvenile Delinquency: Ex-Ante vs. Ex-Post Benefits of Early Intervention

PubMed Central

White, Barry A. B.; Temple, Judy A.; Reynolds, Arthur J.

2016-01-01

Recent analyses of the long-term societal benefits from early intervention (prenatal care, home visitation, and high quality preschool) for at-risk children commonly include significant savings to society in the form of reduced juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behavior. However, a nontrivial proportion of the reported benefits of several early intervention programs are based on forecasts of criminal behavior throughout adulthood conditional on intervention effects on delinquency in adolescence. Data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), an investigation of the life course of 1,539 children from low-income families born in 1979–1980, are used to investigate the bias resulting from predicting the effect of early intervention on adult criminal behavior from the effect on delinquency in adolescence. The investigation concludes that the general method used to predict adult criminal behavior results in a conservative estimate of the reduction in the cost of adult criminal behavior attributed to early intervention. PMID:27867324

Predicting Adult Criminal Behavior from Juvenile Delinquency: Ex-Ante vs. Ex-Post Benefits of Early Intervention.

PubMed

White, Barry A B; Temple, Judy A; Reynolds, Arthur J

2010-12-01

Recent analyses of the long-term societal benefits from early intervention (prenatal care, home visitation, and high quality preschool) for at-risk children commonly include significant savings to society in the form of reduced juvenile delinquency and adult criminal behavior. However, a nontrivial proportion of the reported benefits of several early intervention programs are based on forecasts of criminal behavior throughout adulthood conditional on intervention effects on delinquency in adolescence. Data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), an investigation of the life course of 1,539 children from low-income families born in 1979-1980, are used to investigate the bias resulting from predicting the effect of early intervention on adult criminal behavior from the effect on delinquency in adolescence. The investigation concludes that the general method used to predict adult criminal behavior results in a conservative estimate of the reduction in the cost of adult criminal behavior attributed to early intervention.

Feces production as a form of social immunity in an insect with facultative maternal care.

PubMed

Diehl, Janina M C; Körner, Maximilian; Pietsch, Michael; Meunier, Joël

2015-03-12

Social animals have the unique capability of mounting social defenses against pathogens. Over the last decades, social immunity has been extensively studied in species with obligatory and permanent forms of social life. However, its occurrence in less derived social systems and thus its role in the early evolution of group-living remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether lining nests with feces is a form of social immunity against microbial growth in the European earwig Forficula auricularia, an insect with temporary family life and facultative maternal care. Using a total of 415 inhibition zone assays, we showed that earwig feces inhibit the growth of two GRAM+ bacteria, two fungi, but not of a GRAM- bacteria. These inhibitions did not result from the consumed food or the nesting environment. We then demonstrated that the antimicrobial activity against fungus was higher in offspring than maternal feces, but that this difference was absent against bacteria. Finally, we showed that family interactions inhibited the antibacterial activity of maternal feces against one of the two GRAM+ bacteria, whereas it had no effect on the one of nymphal feces. By contrast, antifungal activities of the feces were independent of mother-offspring interactions. These results demonstrate that social immunity occurs in a species with simple and facultative social life, and thus shed light on the general importance of this process in the evolution of group-living. These results also emphasize that defecation can be under selection for other life-history traits than simple waste disposal.

Predicting children's media use in the USA: differences in cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Sook-Jung; Bartolic, Silvia; Vandewater, Elizabeth A

2009-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the predictors of children's media use in the USA, comparing cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Data come from Waves I and 2 of the Child Development Supplement (CDS-I; CDS-II), a nationally representative sample of American children aged 0-12 in 1997 and 5-18 in 2002. Twenty-four hour time use diaries are used to assess children's time spent with media (television, video games, computers, and reading). Predictors examined include socio-demographics, neighbourhood quality, family factors, and other media use. Ordinary least square (OLS) multiple regressions were performed by three age groups (preschoolers, early school age, and preadolescence). The findings suggest that neighbourhood quality, parental limits and family conflict are significant predictors of children's media use within time or over time, but the significance depends on the type of media and child's developmental stage. In addition, children's television viewing and reading habits are formed early in life and reinforced over time. This study is among the first to provide empirical evidence for the effect of early contextual factors on the life course of children's media use from a developmental perspective.

Predicting children’s media use in the USA: Differences in cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis

PubMed Central

Lee, Sook-Jung; Bartolic, Silvia; Vandewater, Elizabeth A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the predictors of children’s media use in the USA, comparing cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Data come from Waves 1 and 2 of the Child Development Supplement (CDS-I; CDS-II), a nationally representative sample of American children aged 0–12 in 1997 and 5–18 in 2002. Twenty-four hour time use diaries are used to assess children’s time spent with media (television, video games, computers, and reading). Predictors examined include socio-demographics, neighbourhood quality, family factors, and other media use. Ordinary least square (OLS) multiple regressions were performed by three age groups (preschoolers, early school age, and preadolescence). The findings suggest that neighbourhood quality, parental limits and family conflict are significant predictors of children’s media use within time or over time, but the significance depends on the type of media and child’s developmental stage. In addition, children’s television viewing and reading habits are formed early in life and reinforced over time. This study is among the first to provide empirical evidence for the effect of early contextual factors on the life course of children’s media use from a developmental perspective. PMID:19829761

Influence of the Casserius Tables on fetal anatomy illustration and how we envision the unborn.

PubMed

Heilemann, Heidi A

2011-01-01

The paper demonstrates how visual representation of the fetus in early anatomy texts influenced the reader's perception of the unborn child as an autonomous being. The health, art, and history literatures were used as sources. Original texts and illustrations, with particular attention paid to the Casserius Tables, published by Andreas Spigelius in 1627, are discussed. A review of the literature was conducted to identify and analyze published renderings, reproductions, and discussion of images of the unborn child. Original anatomy atlases were consulted. Artists' renderings of a particularly vulnerable state of human life influenced early perceptions of the status of the unborn child. The images show fetuses as highly independent, providing a visual cue that life is fully formed in utero. The legacy of the Casserius Tables is that they are still able to capture our attention because they portray the idea of a fetus and newborn even more clearly than our modern representations of this charged topic. The use of deceptive realism provides the viewer with an accessible visual representation of the unborn child. These early anatomy illustrations continue to influence modern-day perception of the unborn child as a separate being, completely autonomous from the mother.

Carbonaceous meteorites as a source of sugar-related organic compounds for the early Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, G.; Kimmich, N.; Belisle, W.; Sarinana, J.; Brabham, K.; Garrel, L.

2001-01-01

The much-studied Murchison meteorite is generally used as the standard reference for organic compounds in extraterrestrial material. Amino acids and other organic compounds important in contemporary biochemistry are thought to have been delivered to the early Earth by asteroids and comets, where they may have played a role in the origin of life. Polyhydroxylated compounds (polyols) such as sugars, sugar alcohols and sugar acids are vital to all known lifeforms-they are components of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA), cell membranes and also act as energy sources. But there has hitherto been no conclusive evidence for the existence of polyols in meteorites, leaving a gap in our understanding of the origins of biologically important organic compounds on Earth. Here we report that a variety of polyols are present in, and indigenous to, the Murchison and Murray meteorites in amounts comparable to amino acids. Analyses of water extracts indicate that extraterrestrial processes including photolysis and formaldehyde chemistry could account for the observed compounds. We conclude from this that polyols were present on the early Earth and therefore at least available for incorporation into the first forms of life.

Natural environments, ancestral diets, and microbial ecology: is there a modern "paleo-deficit disorder"? Part I.

PubMed

Logan, Alan C; Katzman, Martin A; Balanzá-Martínez, Vicent

2015-01-31

Famed microbiologist René J. Dubos (1901-1982) was an early pioneer in the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) construct. In the 1960s, he conducted groundbreaking experimental research concerning the ways in which early-life experience with nutrition, microbiota, stress, and other environmental variables could influence later-life health outcomes. He also wrote extensively on potential health consequences of a progressive loss of contact with natural environments (now referred to as green or blue space), arguing that Paleolithic experiences have created needs, particularly in the mental realm, that might not be met in the context of rapid global urbanization. He posited that humans would certainly adapt to modern urban landscapes and high technology, but there might be a toll to be paid in the form of higher psychological distress (symptoms of anxiety and depression) and diminished quality of life. In particular, there might be an erosion of humanness, exemplified by declines in altruism/empathy. Here in the first of a two-part review, we examine contemporary research related to natural environments and question to what extent Dubos might have been correct in some of his 50-year-old assertions.

Epigenomic profiling of men exposed to early-life stress reveals DNA methylation differences in association with current mental state.

PubMed

Khulan, B; Manning, J R; Dunbar, D R; Seckl, J R; Raikkonen, K; Eriksson, J G; Drake, A J

2014-09-23

Early-life stress (ELS) is known to be associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric and cardiometabolic disease in later life. One of the potential mechanisms underpinning this is through effects on the epigenome, particularly changes in DNA methylation. Using a well-phenotyped cohort of 83 men from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, who experienced ELS in the form of separation from their parents during childhood, and a group of 83 matched controls, we performed a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in peripheral blood. We found no differences in DNA methylation between men who were separated from their families and non-separated men; however, we did identify differences in DNA methylation in association with the development of at least mild depressive symptoms over the subsequent 5-10 years. Notably, hypomethylation was identified at a number of genes with roles in brain development and/or function in association with depressive symptoms. Pathway analysis revealed an enrichment of DNA methylation changes in pathways associated with development and morphogenesis, DNA and transcription factor binding and programmed cell death. Our results support the concept that DNA methylation differences may be important in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disease.

Geological and Chemical Factors that Impacted the Biological Utilization of Cobalt in the Archean Eon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Eli K.; Hao, Jihua; Prabhu, Anirudh; Zhong, Hao; Jelen, Ben I.; Meyer, Mike; Hazen, Robert M.; Falkowski, Paul G.

2018-03-01

The geosphere and biosphere coevolved and influenced Earth's biological and mineralogical diversity. Changing redox conditions influenced the availability of different transition metals, which are essential components in the active sites of oxidoreductases, proteins that catalyze electron transfer reactions across the tree of life. Despite its relatively low abundance in the environment, cobalt (Co) is a unique metal in biology due to its importance to a wide range of organisms as the metal center of vitamin B12 (aka cobalamin, Cbl). Cbl is vital to multiple methyltransferase enzymes involved in energetically favorable metabolic pathways. It is unclear how Co availability is linked to mineral evolution and weathering processes. Here we examine important biological functions of Co, as well as chemical and geological factors that may have influenced the utilization of Co early in the evolution of life. Only 66 natural minerals are known to contain Co as an essential element. However, Co is incorporated as a minor element in abundant rock-forming minerals, potentially representing a reliable source of Co as a trace element in marine systems due to weathering processes. We developed a mineral weathering model that indicates that dissolved Co was potentially more bioavailable in the Archean ocean under low S conditions than it is today. Mineral weathering, redox chemistry, Co complexation with nitrogen-containing organics, and hydrothermal environments were crucial in the incorporation of Co in primitive metabolic pathways. These chemical and geological characteristics of Co can inform the biological utilization of other trace metals in early forms of life.

Application of the Life Cycle Analysis and the Building Information Modelling Software in the Architectural Climate Change-Oriented Design Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gradziński, Piotr

2017-10-01

Whereas World’s climate is changing (inter alia, under the influence of architecture activity), the author attempts to reorientations design practice primarily in a direction the use and adapt to the climatic conditions. Architectural Design using in early stages of the architectural Design Process of the building, among other Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and digital analytical tools BIM (Building Information Modelling) defines the overriding requirements which the designer/architect should meet. The first part, the text characterized the architecture activity influences (by consumption, pollution, waste, etc.) and the use of building materials (embodied energy, embodied carbon, Global Warming Potential, etc.) within the meaning of the direct negative environmental impact. The second part, the paper presents the revision of the methods and analytical techniques prevent negative influences. Firstly, showing the study of the building by using the Life Cycle Analysis of the structure (e.g. materials) and functioning (e.g. energy consumptions) of the architectural object (stages: before use, use, after use). Secondly, the use of digital analytical tools for determining the benefits of running multi-faceted simulations in terms of environmental factors (exposure to light, shade, wind) directly affecting shaping the form of the building. The conclusion, author’s research results highlight the fact that indicates the possibility of building design using the above-mentioned elements (LCA, BIM) causes correction, early designs decisions in the design process of architectural form, minimizing the impact on nature, environment. The work refers directly to the architectural-environmental dimensions, orienting the design process of buildings in respect of widely comprehended climatic changes.

Fragmentation and Unpredictability of Early-Life Experience in Mental Disorders

PubMed Central

Baram, Tallie Z.; Solodkin, Ana; Davis, Elysia P.; Stern, Hal; Obenaus, Andre; Sandman, Curt A.; Small, Steven L.

2012-01-01

Maternal sensory signals in early life play a crucial role in programming the structure and function of the developing brain, promoting vulnerability or resilience to emotional and cognitive disorders. In rodent models of early-life stress, fragmentation and unpredictability of maternally derived sensory signals provoke persistent cognitive and emotional dysfunction in offspring. Similar variability and inconsistency of maternal signals during both gestation and early postnatal human life may influence development of emotional and cognitive functions, including those that underlie later depression and anxiety. PMID:22885631

Sex differences in the consequences of early-life exposure to epidemiological stress--a life-history approach.

PubMed

Störmer, Charlotte

2011-01-01

Exposure to infectious disease in early life has been suggested to have a negative effect on later-life survival,possibly through the induction of inflammatory responses. Although a life-course perspective emphasizes the importance of both survival and reproduction for individual fitness, to date, no studies have investigated whether early-life exposure to infectious disease has an impact on reproduction as it has been suggested for later survival. To address this question, I have used family reconstitution data from a historical (18th and 19th century) human population in the Krummhörn (Germany) comparing survival and reproduction between an exposed and a non-exposed group. The exposed group comprised those exposed to a high-infectious disease load during prenatal and early postnatal development. The results show a marked sex difference in the impact of early-life exposure to infectious disease. Exposed females show no effect on their life expectancy but significantly reduced fertility (number of children). For exposed males, however, the effect on survival is opponent over time: mortality is increased during childhood but decreased in late adulthood. Above that, exposed males reproduce earlier and have a smaller proportion of surviving children. This study does not support former studies indicating a negative association between early-life disease load and later survival. I argue that due to differences in male and female life strategies, males in general are more vulnerable especially early in life. Hence, adverse environmental conditions may have a stronger effect on male survivability and reproductive performance.

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach

PubMed Central

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-01-01

Abstract Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). PMID:27681097

Prebiotic hydrocarbon synthesis in impacting reduced astrophysical icy mixtures

DOE PAGES

Koziol, Lucas; Goldman, Nir

2015-04-21

We present results of prebiotic organic synthesis in shock-compressed reducing mixtures of simple ices from quantum molecular dynamics simulations extended to close to chemical equilibrium timescales. Given the relative abundance of carbon in reduced forms in astrophysical ices as well as the tendency of these mixtures to form complex hydrocarbons under the presence of external stimuli, it is possible that cometary impacts on a planetary surface could have yielded a larger array of prebiotic organic compounds than previously investigated. We find that the high pressures and temperatures due to shock compression yield a large assortment of carbon- and nitrogen-bonded extendedmore » structures that are highly reactive with short molecular lifetimes. Expansion and cooling causes these materials to break apart and form a wide variety of stable, potentially life-building compounds, including long-chain linear and branched hydrocarbons, large heterocyclic compounds, and a variety of different amines and exotic amino acids. Lastly, our results help provide a bottom-up understanding of hydrocarbon impact synthesis on the early Earth and its role in producing life-building molecules from simple starting materials.« less

Prebiotic hydrocarbon synthesis in impacting reduced astrophysical icy mixtures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koziol, Lucas; Goldman, Nir

We present results of prebiotic organic synthesis in shock-compressed reducing mixtures of simple ices from quantum molecular dynamics simulations extended to close to chemical equilibrium timescales. Given the relative abundance of carbon in reduced forms in astrophysical ices as well as the tendency of these mixtures to form complex hydrocarbons under the presence of external stimuli, it is possible that cometary impacts on a planetary surface could have yielded a larger array of prebiotic organic compounds than previously investigated. We find that the high pressures and temperatures due to shock compression yield a large assortment of carbon- and nitrogen-bonded extendedmore » structures that are highly reactive with short molecular lifetimes. Expansion and cooling causes these materials to break apart and form a wide variety of stable, potentially life-building compounds, including long-chain linear and branched hydrocarbons, large heterocyclic compounds, and a variety of different amines and exotic amino acids. Lastly, our results help provide a bottom-up understanding of hydrocarbon impact synthesis on the early Earth and its role in producing life-building molecules from simple starting materials.« less

The influence of negative life events on hippocampal and amygdala volumes in old age: a life-course perspective.

PubMed

Gerritsen, L; Kalpouzos, G; Westman, E; Simmons, A; Wahlund, L O; Bäckman, L; Fratiglioni, L; Wang, H X

2015-04-01

Psychosocial stress has been related to changes in the nervous system, with both adaptive and maladaptive consequences. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of negative events experienced throughout the entire lifespan and hippocampal and amygdala volumes in older adults. In 466 non-demented old adults (age range 60-96 years, 58% female), hippocampal and amygdala volumes were segmented using Freesurfer. Negative life events and the age at which these events occurred were assessed by means of a structured questionnaire. Using generalized linear models, hippocampal and amygdala volumes were estimated with life events as independent variables. The statistical analyses were adjusted for age, gender, intracranial volume, lifestyle factors, cardiovascular risk factors, depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning. Total number of negative life events and of late-life events, but not of early-life, early-adulthood, or middle-adulthood events, was related to larger amygdala volume. There were interactions of early-life events with age and gender. Participants who reported two or more early-life events had significantly smaller amygdala and hippocampal volumes with increasing age. Furthermore, smaller hippocampal volume was found in men who reported two or more early-life events, but not in women. These results suggest that the effect of negative life events on the brain depends on the time when the events occurred, with the strongest effects observed during the critical time periods of early and late life.

Life satisfaction in early adolescence: personal, neighborhood, school, family, and peer influences.

PubMed

Oberle, Eva; Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A; Zumbo, Bruno D

2011-07-01

Drawing from an ecological assets framework as well as research and theory on positive youth development, this study examined the relationship of early adolescents' satisfaction with life to trait optimism and assets representing the social contexts in which early adolescents spend most of their time. Self-reports of satisfaction with life, optimism, and ecological assets in the school (school connectedness), neighborhood (perceived neighborhood support), family (perceived parental support), and peer group (positive peer relationships) were assessed in a sample of 1,402 4th to 7th graders (47% female) from 25 public elementary schools. Multilevel modeling (MLM) was conducted to analyze the variability in life satisfaction both at the individual and the school level. As hypothesized, adding optimism and the dimensions representing the ecology of early adolescence to the model significantly reduced the variability in life satisfaction at both levels of analysis. Both personal (optimism) and all of the ecological assets significantly and positively predicted early adolescents' life satisfaction. The results suggest the theoretical and practical utility of an assets approach for understanding life satisfaction in early adolescence.

Accounting Early for Life Long Learning: The AcE Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University Coll. Worcester (England). Centre for Research in Early Childhood Education.

Building upon the work of the Effective Early Learning (EEL) Project in raising the quality of early learning for young children in the United Kingdom, the 3-year Accounting Early for Life Long Learning Project (AcE Project) focuses on enhancing in 3- to 6-year-olds those attitudes and dispositions that are important to life-long learning. This…

Experimental evolution of an alternating uni- and multicellular life cycle in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

PubMed Central

Ratcliff, William C.; Herron, Matthew D.; Howell, Kathryn; Pentz, Jennifer T.; Rosenzweig, Frank; Travisano, Michael

2013-01-01

The transition to multicellularity enabled the evolution of large, complex organisms, but early steps in this transition remain poorly understood. Here we show that multicellular complexity, including development from a single cell, can evolve rapidly in a unicellular organism that has never had a multicellular ancestor. We subject the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to conditions that favour multicellularity, resulting in the evolution of a multicellular life cycle in which clusters reproduce via motile unicellular propagules. While a single-cell genetic bottleneck during ontogeny is widely regarded as an adaptation to limit among-cell conflict, its appearance very early in this transition suggests that it did not evolve for this purpose. Instead, we find that unicellular propagules are adaptive even in the absence of intercellular conflict, maximizing cluster-level fecundity. These results demonstrate that the unicellular bottleneck, a trait essential for evolving multicellular complexity, can arise rapidly via co-option of the ancestral unicellular form. PMID:24193369

Effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Fikriye; N Tekin, Rukiye

2018-01-01

Few studies on the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of adults have been conducted in Turkey. We aimed to investigate the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults. We administered a questionnaire to 350 adults, aged 50-89 years, living in Cankaya, Ankara. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, early life characteristics, health status, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Ageing scale. Data were analyzed using χ 2 tests, independent samples t-tests, one-way anova, and binary logistic regression analysis. The analyses showed that the most important risk factors for chronic disease were being ≥65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.34), having a chronic health problem before 18 years of age (OR = 2.48), experiencing prolonged hospitalization or bed rest before 18 years of age (OR = 2.65), and experiencing parental unconcern during early life (OR = 2.13) (P < 0.05). In addition, having a high school education or less includes people who have primary or secondary or high school diploma (OR = 1.65), having lived in a village (OR = 1.65), having a low family economic status (OR = 2.40), and having experienced one negative event (OR = 1.41) or two or more negative events (OR = 1.39) during their early lives were identified as important risk factors for low quality of life (P < 0.05). Early life factors are among the important determinants of the health and quality of life of older adults in Turkey. © 2017 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Effect of Early- and Adult-Life Socioeconomic Circumstances on Physical Inactivity.

PubMed

Cheval, Boris; Sieber, Stefan; Guessous, Idris; Orsholits, Dan; Courvoisier, Delphine S; Kliegel, Matthias; Stringhini, Silvia; Swinnen, Stephan P; Burton-Jeangros, Claudine; Cullati, Stéphane; Boisgontier, Matthieu P

2018-03-01

This study aimed to investigate the associations between early- and adult-life socioeconomic circumstances and physical inactivity (level and evolution) in aging using large-scale longitudinal data. This study used the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe, a 10-yr population-based cohort study with repeated measurements in five waves, every 2 yr between 2004 and 2013. Self-reported physical inactivity (waves 1, 2, 4, and 5), household income (waves 1, 2, 4, and 5), educational attainment (wave of the first measurement occasion), and early-life socioeconomic circumstance (wave 3) were collected in 22,846 individuals 50 to 95 yr of age. Risk of physical inactivity was increased for women with the most disadvantaged early-life socioeconomic circumstances (odds ratio [OR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-1.86). With aging, the risk of physical inactivity increased for both sexes and was strongest for those with the most disadvantaged early-life socioeconomic circumstances (OR, 1.04 (95% CI, 1.02-1.06) for women; OR, 1.02 (95% CI, 1.00-1.05) for men), with the former effect being more robust than the latter one. The association between early-life socioeconomic circumstances and physical inactivity was mediated by adult-life socioeconomic circumstances, with education being the strongest mediator. Early-life socioeconomic circumstances predicted high levels of physical inactivity at older ages, but this effect was mediated by socioeconomic indicators in adult life. This finding has implications for public health policies, which should continue to promote education to reduce physical inactivity in people at older ages and to ensure optimal healthy aging trajectories, especially among women with disadvantaged early-life socioeconomic circumstances.

"Peek-a-Boo. How "Can" You Be There?" Analytic Work with a Severely Traumatised Two-and-a-Half-Year-Old Girl

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strati, Katerina

2010-01-01

This paper traces the analytic work with a severely traumatised two-and-a-half-year-old girl Phoebe, whose early life was marked by chronic abuse and a violent murder she witnessed a few months prior to the beginning of treatment. Bringing the trauma in the room in a dissociative form, in line with post-traumatic stress disorder presentation, was…

Intermittent Drug Dosing Intervals Guided by the Operational Multiple Dosing Half Lives for Predictable Plasma Accumulation and Fluctuation

PubMed Central

Grover, Anita; Benet, Leslie Z.

2013-01-01

Intermittent drug dosing intervals are usually initially guided by the terminal pharmacokinetic half life and are dependent on drug formulation. For chronic multiple dosing and for extended release dosage forms, the terminal half life often does not predict the plasma drug accumulation or fluctuation observed. We define and advance applications for the operational multiple dosing half lives for drug accumulation and fluctuation after multiple oral dosing at steady-state. Using Monte Carlo simulation, our results predict a way to maximize the operational multiple dosing half lives relative to the terminal half life by using a first-order absorption rate constant close to the terminal elimination rate constant in the design of extended release dosage forms. In this way, drugs that may be eliminated early in the development pipeline due to a relatively short half life can be formulated to be dosed at intervals three times the terminal half life, maximizing compliance, while maintaining tight plasma concentration accumulation and fluctuation ranges. We also present situations in which the operational multiple dosing half lives will be especially relevant in the determination of dosing intervals, including for drugs that follow a direct PKPD model and have a narrow therapeutic index, as the rate of concentration decrease after chronic multiple dosing (that is not the terminal half life) can be determined via simulation. These principles are illustrated with case studies on valproic acid, diazepam, and anti-hypertensives. PMID:21499748

Microbes, Mineral Evolution, and the Rise of Microcontinents-Origin and Coevolution of Life with Early Earth.

PubMed

Grosch, Eugene G; Hazen, Robert M

2015-10-01

Earth is the most mineralogically diverse planet in our solar system, the direct consequence of a coevolving geosphere and biosphere. We consider the possibility that a microbial biosphere originated and thrived in the early Hadean-Archean Earth subseafloor environment, with fundamental consequences for the complex evolution and habitability of our planet. In this hypothesis paper, we explore possible venues for the origin of life and the direct consequences of microbially mediated, low-temperature hydrothermal alteration of the early oceanic lithosphere. We hypothesize that subsurface fluid-rock-microbe interactions resulted in more efficient hydration of the early oceanic crust, which in turn promoted bulk melting to produce the first evolved fragments of felsic crust. These evolved magmas most likely included sialic or tonalitic sheets, felsic volcaniclastics, and minor rhyolitic intrusions emplaced in an Iceland-type extensional setting as the earliest microcontinents. With the further development of proto-tectonic processes, these buoyant felsic crustal fragments formed the nucleus of intra-oceanic tonalite-trondhjemite-granitoid (TTG) island arcs. Thus microbes, by facilitating extensive hydrothermal alteration of the earliest oceanic crust through bioalteration, promoted mineral diversification and may have been early architects of surface environments and microcontinents on young Earth. We explore how the possible onset of subseafloor fluid-rock-microbe interactions on early Earth accelerated metavolcanic clay mineral formation, crustal melting, and subsequent metamorphic mineral evolution. We also consider environmental factors supporting this earliest step in geosphere-biosphere coevolution and the implications for habitability and mineral evolution on other rocky planets, such as Mars.

The origin of multicellularity in cyanobacteria

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Cyanobacteria are one of the oldest and morphologically most diverse prokaryotic phyla on our planet. The early development of an oxygen-containing atmosphere approximately 2.45 - 2.22 billion years ago is attributed to the photosynthetic activity of cyanobacteria. Furthermore, they are one of the few prokaryotic phyla where multicellularity has evolved. Understanding when and how multicellularity evolved in these ancient organisms would provide fundamental information on the early history of life and further our knowledge of complex life forms. Results We conducted and compared phylogenetic analyses of 16S rDNA sequences from a large sample of taxa representing the morphological and genetic diversity of cyanobacteria. We reconstructed ancestral character states on 10,000 phylogenetic trees. The results suggest that the majority of extant cyanobacteria descend from multicellular ancestors. Reversals to unicellularity occurred at least 5 times. Multicellularity was established again at least once within a single-celled clade. Comparison to the fossil record supports an early origin of multicellularity, possibly as early as the "Great Oxygenation Event" that occurred 2.45 - 2.22 billion years ago. Conclusions The results indicate that a multicellular morphotype evolved early in the cyanobacterial lineage and was regained at least once after a previous loss. Most of the morphological diversity exhibited in cyanobacteria today —including the majority of single-celled species— arose from ancient multicellular lineages. Multicellularity could have conferred a considerable advantage for exploring new niches and hence facilitated the diversification of new lineages. PMID:21320320

ISG15 Functions as an Interferon-Mediated Antiviral Effector Early in the Murine Norovirus Life Cycle

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Marisela R.; Monte, Kristen; Thackray, Larissa B.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Human noroviruses (HuNoV) are the leading cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Similar to HuNoV, murine noroviruses (MNV) are enteric pathogens spread via the fecal-oral route and have been isolated from numerous mouse facilities worldwide. Type I and type II interferons (IFN) restrict MNV-1 replication; however, the antiviral effectors impacting MNV-1 downstream of IFN signaling are largely unknown. Studies using dendritic cells, macrophages, and mice deficient in free and conjugated forms of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) revealed that ISG15 conjugation contributes to protection against MNV-1 both in vitro and in vivo. ISG15 inhibited a step early in the viral life cycle upstream of viral genome transcription. Directly transfecting MNV-1 RNA into IFN-stimulated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDC) lacking ISG15 conjugates bypassed the antiviral activity of ISG15, further suggesting that ISG15 conjugates restrict the MNV-1 life cycle at the viral entry/uncoating step. These results identify ISG15 as the first type I IFN effector regulating MNV-1 infection both in vitro and in vivo and for the first time implicate the ISG15 pathway in the regulation of early stages of MNV-1 replication. IMPORTANCE Type I IFNs are important in controlling murine norovirus 1 (MNV-1) infections; however, the proteins induced by IFNs that restrict viral growth are largely unknown. This report reveals that interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) mitigates MNV-1 replication both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, it shows that ISG15 inhibits MNV-1 replication by targeting an early step in the viral life cycle, MNV-1 entry and/or uncoating. These results identify ISG15 as the first type I IFN effector regulating MNV-1 infection both in vitro and in vivo and for the first time implicate the ISG15 pathway in the regulation of viral entry/uncoating. PMID:24899198

Toxicity and accumulation of silver nanoparticles during development of the marine polychaete Platynereis dumerilii

USGS Publications Warehouse

García-Alonso, Javier; Rodriguez-Sanchez, Neus; Misra, Superb K.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Croteau, Marie-Noële; Luoma, Samuel N.; Rainbow, Philip S.

2014-01-01

Pollutants affecting species at the population level generate ecological instability in natural systems. The success of early life stages, such as those of aquatic invertebrates, is highly affected by adverse environmental conditions. Silver released into the environment from emerging nanotechnology represents such a threat. Sediments are sinks for numerous pollutants, which aggregate and/or associate with depositing suspended particles. Deposit feeder such as the annelid Platynereis dumerilii, which has a large associated literature on its development, is an excellent model organism for exposure studies in coastal environments. We exposed eggs, larvae, juveniles and adults of P. dumerilii to various concentrations of citrate (cit-Ag NPs) or humic acid (HA-Ag NPs) capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as well to dissolved Ag (added as AgNO3). We showed that mortality and abnormal development rate increased with younger life stages. While adults and juvenile were the most tolerant life stages, fertilized eggs were highly sensitive to AgNO3, cit-Ag NPs and HA-Ag NPs. Exposures to HA-Ag NPs triggered the highest cute toxicity responses in P. dumerilii and in most cases both Ag NPs were more toxic than AgNO3. Uptake rate of HA-Ag NPs in adult worms was also higher than from other Ag forms, consistent with toxicity to other life stages. The early stages of the life cycle of marine coastal organisms are more affected by Ag NPs than the juvenile or adult life stages, indicating that exposure experiments at the larval level contribute to realistic eco-toxicological studies in aquatic environments.

Effects of primitive photosynthesis on Earth's early climate system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozaki, Kazumi; Tajika, Eiichi; Hong, Peng K.; Nakagawa, Yusuke; Reinhard, Christopher T.

2018-01-01

The evolution of different forms of photosynthetic life has profoundly altered the activity level of the biosphere, radically reshaping the composition of Earth's oceans and atmosphere over time. However, the mechanistic impacts of a primitive photosynthetic biosphere on Earth's early atmospheric chemistry and climate are poorly understood. Here, we use a global redox balance model to explore the biogeochemical and climatological effects of different forms of primitive photosynthesis. We find that a hybrid ecosystem of H2-based and Fe2+-based anoxygenic photoautotrophs—organisms that perform photosynthesis without producing oxygen—gives rise to a strong nonlinear amplification of Earth's methane (CH4) cycle, and would thus have represented a critical component of Earth's early climate system before the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis. Using a Monte Carlo approach, we find that a hybrid photosynthetic biosphere widens the range of geochemical conditions that allow for warm climate states well beyond either of these metabolic processes acting in isolation. Our results imply that the Earth's early climate was governed by a novel and poorly explored set of regulatory feedbacks linking the anoxic biosphere and the coupled H, C and Fe cycles. We suggest that similar processes should be considered when assessing the potential for sustained habitability on Earth-like planets with reducing atmospheres.

Impact of Attention Biases to Threat and Effortful Control on Individual Variations in Negative Affect and Social Withdrawal in Very Young Children

PubMed Central

Zapp, Daniel J.; Fettig, Nicole B.; Pérez-Edgar, Koraly

2015-01-01

Early temperamental sensitivity may form the basis for the later development of socioemotional maladjustment. In particular, temperamental negative affect places children at risk for the development of anxiety. However, not all children who show negative affect go on to develop anxiety or extreme social withdrawal. Recent research indicates that reactive control, in the form of attention to threat, may serve as a bridge between early temperament and the development of later social difficulties. In addition, variation in effortful control may also modulate this trajectory. Children (MeanAge=5.57 years) were assessed for attention bias to threatening and pleasant faces using a dot-probe paradigm. Attention bias to threatening (but not happy) faces moderated the direct positive relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Children with threat biases showed a significant link between negative affect and social withdrawal, while children who avoided threat did not. In contrast, effortful control did not moderate the relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Rather, there was a direct negative relation between effortful control and social withdrawal. The findings from this short report indicate that the relation amongst temperament, attention bias, and social withdrawal appears early in life and point to early emerging specificity in reactive and regulatory functioning. PMID:26477597

Early-Life Persistent Vitamin D Deficiency Alters Cardiopulmonary Responses to Particulate Matter-Enhanced Atmospheric Smog in Adult Mice

EPA Science Inventory

This study demonstrates that early-life persistent vitamin D deficiency alters the cardiopulmonary response to smog in mice and may increase risk of adverse effects. Early life nutritional deficiencies can lead to increased cardiovascular susceptibility to environme...

The Possible Emergence of Life and Differentiation of a Shallow Biosphere on Irradiated Icy Worlds: The Example of Europa

PubMed Central

Murray, Alison E.; Hand, Kevin P.

2017-01-01

Abstract Irradiated ice-covered ocean worlds with rocky mafic mantles may provide the conditions needed to drive the emergence and maintenance of life. Alkaline hydrothermal springs—relieving the geophysical, thermal, and chemical disequilibria between oceans and tidally stressed crusts—could generate inorganic barriers to the otherwise uncontrolled and kinetically disfavored oxidation of hydrothermal hydrogen and methane. Ionic gradients imposed across these inorganic barriers, comprising iron oxyhydroxides and sulfides, could drive the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide and the oxidation of methane through thermodynamically favorable metabolic pathways leading to early life-forms. In such chemostatic environments, fuels may eventually outweigh oxidants. Ice-covered oceans are primarily heated from below, creating convection that could transport putative microbial cells and cellular cooperatives upward to congregate beneath an ice shell, potentially giving rise to a highly focused shallow biosphere. It is here where electron acceptors, ultimately derived from the irradiated surface, could be delivered to such life-forms through exchange with the icy surface. Such zones would act as “electron disposal units” for the biosphere, and occupants might be transferred toward the surface by buoyant diapirs and even entrained into plumes. Key Words: Biofilms—Europa—Extraterrestrial life—Hydrothermal systems. Astrobiology 17, 1265–1273. PMID:29016193

Meteoritic material on the moon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, J. W.; Ganapathy, R.; Higuchi, H.; Anders, E.

1974-01-01

Micrometeorites, ancient planetesimal debris from the early intense bombardment, and debris of recent, crater-forming projectiles are discussed and their amounts and compositions have been determined from trace element studies. The micrometeorite component is uniformly distrubuted over the entire lunar surface, but is seen most clearly in mare soils whereas, the ancient component is seen in highland breccias and soils. A few properties of the basin-forming objects are inferred from the trace element data. An attempt is made to reconstruct the bombardment history of the moon from the observation that only basin-forming objects fell on the moon after crustal differentiation. The apparent half-life of basin-forming bodies is close to the calculated value for earth-crossing planetesimals. It is shown that a gap in radiometric ages is expected between the Imbrium and Nectaris impacts, because all 7 basins formed in this interval lie on the farside or east limb.

Mouse prenatal platelet-forming lineages share a core transcriptional program but divergent dependence on MPL.

PubMed

Potts, Kathryn S; Sargeant, Tobias J; Dawson, Caleb A; Josefsson, Emma C; Hilton, Douglas J; Alexander, Warren S; Taoudi, Samir

2015-08-06

The thrombopoietic environment of the neonate is established during prenatal life; therefore, a comprehensive understanding of platelet-forming cell development during embryogenesis is critical to understanding the etiology of early-onset thrombocytopenia. The recent discovery that the first platelet-forming cells of the conceptus are not megakaryocytes (MKs) but diploid platelet-forming cells (DPFCs) revealed a previously unappreciated complexity in thrombopoiesis. This raises important questions, including the following. When do conventional MKs appear? Do pathogenic genetic lesions of adult MKs affect DPFCs? What role does myeloproliferative leukemia virus (MPL), a key regulator of adult megakaryopoiesis, play in prenatal platelet-forming lineages? We performed a comprehensive study to determine the spatial and temporal appearance of prenatal platelet-forming lineages. We demonstrate that DPFCs originate in the yolk sac and then rapidly migrate to other extra- and intraembryonic tissues. Using gene disruption models of Gata1 and Nfe2, we demonstrate that perturbing essential adult MK genes causes an analogous phenotype in the early embryo before the onset of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell-driven (definitive) hematopoiesis. Finally, we present the surprising finding that DPFC and MK commitment from their respective precursors is MPL independent in vivo but that completion of MK differentiation and establishment of the prenatal platelet mass is dependent on MPL expression. © 2015 by The American Society of Hematology.

Early-life conditions and health at older ages: The mediating role of educational attainment, family and employment trajectories

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Objectives We examine to what extent the effect of early-life conditions (health and socioeconomic status) on health in later life is mediated by educational attainment and life-course trajectories (fertility, partnership, employment). Methods Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (N = 12,034), we apply, separately by gender, multichannel sequence analysis and cluster analysis to obtain groups of similar family and employment histories. The KHB method is used to disentangle direct and indirect effects of early-life conditions on health. Results Early-life-conditions indirectly impact on health in later life as result of their influence on education and family and employment trajectories. For example, between 22% and 42% of the effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Even higher percentages are found for men (35% - 57%). On the contrary, the positive effect of poor health at childhood on poor health at older ages is not significantly mediated by education and life-course trajectories. Education captures most of the mediating effect of parental socio-economic status. More specifically, between 66% and 75% of the indirect effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Again, higher percentages are found for men (86% - 93%). Early-life conditions, especially socioeconomic status, influence family and employment trajectories indirectly through their impact on education. We also find a persistent direct impact of early-life conditions on health at older ages. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that early-life experiences influence education and life-course trajectories and health in later life, suggesting that public investments in children are expected to produce long lasting effects on people’s lives throughout the different phases of their life-course. PMID:29621290

Early-life conditions and health at older ages: The mediating role of educational attainment, family and employment trajectories.

PubMed

Arpino, Bruno; Gumà, Jordi; Julià, Albert

2018-01-01

We examine to what extent the effect of early-life conditions (health and socioeconomic status) on health in later life is mediated by educational attainment and life-course trajectories (fertility, partnership, employment). Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (N = 12,034), we apply, separately by gender, multichannel sequence analysis and cluster analysis to obtain groups of similar family and employment histories. The KHB method is used to disentangle direct and indirect effects of early-life conditions on health. Early-life-conditions indirectly impact on health in later life as result of their influence on education and family and employment trajectories. For example, between 22% and 42% of the effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Even higher percentages are found for men (35% - 57%). On the contrary, the positive effect of poor health at childhood on poor health at older ages is not significantly mediated by education and life-course trajectories. Education captures most of the mediating effect of parental socio-economic status. More specifically, between 66% and 75% of the indirect effect of low parental socio-economic status at childhood on the three considered health outcomes at older age is explained by educational attainment for women. Again, higher percentages are found for men (86% - 93%). Early-life conditions, especially socioeconomic status, influence family and employment trajectories indirectly through their impact on education. We also find a persistent direct impact of early-life conditions on health at older ages. Our findings demonstrate that early-life experiences influence education and life-course trajectories and health in later life, suggesting that public investments in children are expected to produce long lasting effects on people's lives throughout the different phases of their life-course.

The emergence and early evolution of biological carbon-fixation.

PubMed

Braakman, Rogier; Smith, Eric

2012-01-01

The fixation of CO₂ into living matter sustains all life on Earth, and embeds the biosphere within geochemistry. The six known chemical pathways used by extant organisms for this function are recognized to have overlaps, but their evolution is incompletely understood. Here we reconstruct the complete early evolutionary history of biological carbon-fixation, relating all modern pathways to a single ancestral form. We find that innovations in carbon-fixation were the foundation for most major early divergences in the tree of life. These findings are based on a novel method that fully integrates metabolic and phylogenetic constraints. Comparing gene-profiles across the metabolic cores of deep-branching organisms and requiring that they are capable of synthesizing all their biomass components leads to the surprising conclusion that the most common form for deep-branching autotrophic carbon-fixation combines two disconnected sub-networks, each supplying carbon to distinct biomass components. One of these is a linear folate-based pathway of CO₂ reduction previously only recognized as a fixation route in the complete Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, but which more generally may exclude the final step of synthesizing acetyl-CoA. Using metabolic constraints we then reconstruct a "phylometabolic" tree with a high degree of parsimony that traces the evolution of complete carbon-fixation pathways, and has a clear structure down to the root. This tree requires few instances of lateral gene transfer or convergence, and instead suggests a simple evolutionary dynamic in which all divergences have primary environmental causes. Energy optimization and oxygen toxicity are the two strongest forces of selection. The root of this tree combines the reductive citric acid cycle and the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway into a single connected network. This linked network lacks the selective optimization of modern fixation pathways but its redundancy leads to a more robust topology, making it more plausible than any modern pathway as a primitive universal ancestral form.

Impact of Life History on Fear Memory and Extinction

PubMed Central

Remmes, Jasmin; Bodden, Carina; Richter, S. Helene; Lesting, Jörg; Sachser, Norbert; Pape, Hans-Christian; Seidenbecher, Thomas

2016-01-01

Behavioral profiles are strongly shaped by an individual's whole life experience. The accumulation of negative experiences over lifetime is thought to promote anxiety-like behavior in adulthood (“allostatic load hypothesis”). In contrast, the “mismatch hypothesis” of psychiatric disease suggests that high levels of anxiety-like behavior are the result of a discrepancy between early and late environment. The aim of the present study was to investigate how different life histories shape the expression of anxiety-like behavior and modulate fear memory. In addition, we aimed to clarify which of the two hypotheses can better explain the modulation of anxiety and fear. For this purpose, male mice grew up under either adverse or beneficial conditions during early phase of life. In adulthood they were further subdivided in groups that either matched or mismatched the condition experienced before, resulting in four different life histories. The main results were: (i) Early life benefit followed by late life adversity caused decreased levels of anxiety-like behavior. (ii) Accumulation of adversity throughout life history led to impaired fear extinction learning. Late life adversity as compared to late life benefit mainly affected extinction training, while early life adversity as compared to early life benefit interfered with extinction recall. Concerning anxiety-like behavior, the results do neither support the allostatic load nor the mismatch hypothesis, but rather indicate an anxiolytic effect of a mismatched early beneficial and later adverse life history. In contrast, fear memory was strongly affected by the accumulation of adverse experiences over the lifetime, therefore supporting allostatic load hypothesis. In summary, this study highlights that anxiety-like behavior and fear memory are differently affected by specific combinations of adverse or beneficial events experienced throughout life. PMID:27757077

Dietary factors during early life program bone formation in female rats

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutritional status during intrauterine and early postnatal life impacts the risk of chronic diseases; however, evidence for an association between early life dietary factors and bone health in adults is limited. Soy protein isolate (SPI) may be one such dietary factor that promotes bone accretion du...

Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Health and Disease in The Gambia.

PubMed

Moore, Sophie E

2017-01-01

Exposures during early life are increasingly being recognised as factors that play an important role in the aetiology of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The "Developmental Origins of Health and Disease" (DOHaD) hypothesis asserts that adverse early-life exposures - most notably unbalanced nutrition - leads to an increased risk for a range of NCDs and that disease risk is highest when there is a "mismatch" between the early- and later-life environments. Thus, the DOHaD hypothesis would predict highest risk in settings undergoing a rapid nutrition transition. We investigated the link between early-life nutritional exposures and long-term health in rural Gambia, West Africa. Using demographic data dating back to the 1940s, the follow-up of randomised controlled trials of nutritional supplementation in pregnancy, and the "experiment of nature" that seasonality in this region provides, we investigated the DOHaD hypothesis in a population with high rates of maternal and infant under-nutrition, a high burden from infectious disease, and an emerging risk of NCDs. Key Messages: Our work in rural Gambia suggests that in populations with high rates of under-nutrition in early life, the immune system may be sensitive to nutritional deficiencies early in life, resulting in a greater susceptibility to infection-related morbidity and mortality. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

An organismal concept for Sengelia radicans gen. et sp. nov. – morphology and natural history of an Early Devonian lycophyte

PubMed Central

Tomescu, Alexandru M. F.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background and Aims Fossil plants are found as fragmentary remains and understanding them as natural species requires assembly of whole-organism concepts that integrate different plant parts. Such concepts are essential for incorporating fossils in hypotheses of plant evolution and phylogeny. Plants of the Early Devonian are crucial to reconstructing the initial radiation of tracheophytes, yet few are understood as whole organisms. Methods This study assembles a whole-plant concept for the Early Devonian lycophyte Sengelia radicans gen. et sp. nov., based on morphometric data and taphonomic observations from >1000 specimens collected in the Beartooth Butte Formation (Wyoming, USA). Key Results Sengelia radicans occupies a key position between stem-group and derived lycophyte lineages. Sengelia had a rooting system of downward-growing root-bearing stems, formed dense monotypic mats of prostrate shoots in areas that experienced periodic flooding, and was characterized by a life-history strategy adapted for survival after floods, dominated by clonality, and featuring infrequent sexual reproduction. Conclusions Sengelia radicans is the oldest among the very few early tracheophytes for which a detailed, rigorous whole-plant concept integrates morphology, growth habit, life history and growth environment. This plant adds to the diversity of body plans documented among lycophytes and may help elucidate patterns of morphological evolution in the clade. PMID:28334100

Early life adversity increases foraging and information gathering in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris

PubMed Central

Andrews, Clare; Viviani, Jérémie; Egan, Emily; Bedford, Thomas; Brilot, Ben; Nettle, Daniel; Bateson, Melissa

2015-01-01

Animals can insure themselves against the risk of starvation associated with unpredictable food availability by storing energy reserves or gathering information about alternative food sources. The former strategy carries costs in terms of mass-dependent predation risk, while the latter trades off against foraging for food; both trade-offs may be influenced by an individual's developmental history. Here, we consider a possible role of early developmental experience in inducing different mass regulation and foraging strategies in European starlings. We measured the body mass, body condition, foraging effort, food consumption and contrafreeloading (foraging for food hidden in sand when equivalent food is freely available) of adult birds (≥10 months old) that had previously undergone a subtle early life manipulation of food competition (cross-fostering into the highest or lowest ranks in the brood size hierarchy when 2–12 days of age). We found that developmentally disadvantaged birds were fatter in adulthood and differed in foraging behaviour compared with their advantaged siblings. Disadvantaged birds were hyperphagic compared with advantaged birds, but only following a period of food deprivation, and also spent more time contrafreeloading. Advantaged birds experienced a trade-off between foraging success and time spent contrafreeloading, whereas disadvantaged birds faced no such trade-off, owing to their greater foraging efficiency. Thus, developmentally disadvantaged birds appeared to retain a phenotypic memory of increased nestling food competition, employing both energy storage and information-gathering insurance strategies to a greater extent than their advantaged siblings. Our results suggest that subtle early life disadvantage in the form of psychosocial stress and/or food insecurity can leave a lasting legacy on foraging behaviour and mass regulation even in the absence of food insufficiency during development or adulthood. PMID:26566292

Maternal verbally aggressive behavior in early infancy is associated with blood pressure at age 5-6.

PubMed

Smarius, L J C A; Strieder, T G A; Doreleijers, T A H; Vrijkotte, T G M; de Rooij, S R

2018-06-01

Early life stress has been shown to contribute to alterations in biobehavioral regulation. Whereas many different forms of childhood adversities have been studied in relation to cardiovascular outcomes, very little is known about potential associations between caregivers' verbally aggressive behavior and heart rate and blood pressure in the child. This prospective study examined whether maternal verbally aggressive behavior in early infancy is associated with heart rate or blood pressure at age 5-6. In the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development study, a large prospective, population-based birth cohort, maternal verbally aggressive behavior was assessed by questionnaire in the 13th week after birth. The child's blood pressure and heart rate were measured during rest at age 5-6 (n=2553 included). Maternal verbally aggressive behavior in infancy was associated with a higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) both in supine and sitting position after adjustment for sex, height and age (SBP supine B=1.01 mmHg; 95% CI [0.06; 1.95] and SPB sitting B=1.29 mmHg; 95% CI [0.12; 2.46]). Adjustment for potential confounding variables, such as other mother-infant dyad aspects, family hypertension and child's BMI, only slightly attenuated the associations (SBP supine B=0.99 mmHg; 95% CI [0.06; 1.93] and SPB sitting B=1.11 mmHg; 95% CI [-0.06; 2.27]). Maternal verbally aggressive behavior was not associated with diastolic blood pressure or heart rate at age 5-6. Maternal verbally aggressive behavior might be an important early life stressor with negative impact on blood pressure later in life, which should be further investigated. Possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Age Group Differences in Perceived Age Discrimination: Associations With Self-Perceptions of Aging.

PubMed

Giasson, Hannah L; Queen, Tara L; Larkina, Marina; Smith, Jacqui

2017-08-01

From midlife onwards, age stereotypes increasingly underlie social judgments and contribute to age-based discrimination. Whereas many studies compare differences between young and older adults in reports of age discrimination or sensitivity to age stereotypes, few consider age group differences among adults over 50. We form subgroups corresponding to social age group membership (early midlife, late midlife, young old, oldest old) and examine differences in reported experiences of everyday age discrimination and associations with self-perceptions of aging. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS: N = 15,071; M Age = 68, range 50-101), multivariate logistic regression was used to examine experiences of everyday discrimination attributed to age, and associations between age discrimination and self-perceptions of aging, in four age groups: early midlife, late midlife, young old, oldest old. People in the early midlife group (aged 50-59) reported more experiences of unfair treatment than the older age groups but were less likely to attribute their experiences to age discrimination. After controlling for covariates, individuals in all age groups who perceived their own aging positively were less likely to report experiences of age discrimination. The magnitude of this effect, however, was greatest in the early midlife group. Findings support proposals that midlife is a pivotal life period when individuals adjust to life events and social role transitions. Future longitudinal studies will provide further insight into whether positive self-perceptions of aging are especially important in this phase of the life course. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Developmental rodent models of fear and anxiety: from neurobiology to pharmacology

PubMed Central

Ganella, Despina E; Kim, Jee Hyun

2014-01-01

Anxiety disorders pose one of the biggest threats to mental health in the world, and they predominantly emerge early in life. However, research of anxiety disorders and fear-related memories during development has been largely neglected, and existing treatments have been developed based on adult models of anxiety. The present review describes animal models of anxiety disorders across development and what is currently known of their pharmacology. To summarize, the underlying mechanisms of intrinsic ‘unlearned’ fear are poorly understood, especially beyond the period of infancy. Models using ‘learned’ fear reveal that through development, rats exhibit a stress hyporesponsive period before postnatal day 10, where they paradoxically form odour-shock preferences, and then switch to more adult-like conditioned fear responses. Juvenile rats appear to forget these aversive associations more easily, as is observed with the phenomenon of infantile amnesia. Juvenile rats also undergo more robust extinction, until adolescence where they display increased resistance to extinction. Maturation of brain structures, such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, along with the different temporal recruitment and involvement of various neurotransmitter systems (including NMDA, GABA, corticosterone and opioids) are responsible for these developmental changes. Taken together, the studies described in this review highlight that there is a period early in development where rats appear to be more robust in overcoming adverse early life experience. We need to understand the fundamental pharmacological processes underlying anxiety early in life in order to take advantage of this period for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Animal Models in Psychiatry Research. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2014.171.issue-20 PMID:24527726

Polygenic Risk Score for Alzheimer's Disease: Implications for Memory Performance and Hippocampal Volumes in Early Life.

PubMed

Axelrud, Luiza K; Santoro, Marcos L; Pine, Daniel S; Talarico, Fernanda; Gadelha, Ary; Manfro, Gisele G; Pan, Pedro M; Jackowski, Andrea; Picon, Felipe; Brietzke, Elisa; Grassi-Oliveira, Rodrigo; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Miguel, Eurípedes C; Rohde, Luis A; Hakonarson, Hakon; Pausova, Zdenka; Belangero, Sintia; Paus, Tomas; Salum, Giovanni A

2018-06-01

Alzheimer's disease is a heritable neurodegenerative disorder in which early-life precursors may manifest in cognition and brain structure. The authors evaluate this possibility by examining, in youths, associations among polygenic risk score for Alzheimer's disease, cognitive abilities, and hippocampal volume. Participants were children 6-14 years of age in two Brazilian cities, constituting the discovery (N=364) and replication samples (N=352). As an additional replication, data from a Canadian sample (N=1,029), with distinct tasks, MRI protocol, and genetic risk, were included. Cognitive tests quantified memory and executive function. Reading and writing abilities were assessed by standardized tests. Hippocampal volumes were derived from the Multiple Automatically Generated Templates (MAGeT) multi-atlas segmentation brain algorithm. Genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease was quantified using summary statistics from the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project. Analyses showed that for the Brazilian discovery sample, each one-unit increase in z-score for Alzheimer's polygenic risk score significantly predicted a 0.185 decrement in z-score for immediate recall and a 0.282 decrement for delayed recall. Findings were similar for the Brazilian replication sample (immediate and delayed recall, β=-0.259 and β=-0.232, both significant). Quantile regressions showed lower hippocampal volumes bilaterally for individuals with high polygenic risk scores. Associations fell short of significance for the Canadian sample. Genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease may affect early-life cognition and hippocampal volumes, as shown in two independent samples. These data support previous evidence that some forms of late-life dementia may represent developmental conditions with roots in childhood. This result may vary depending on a sample's genetic risk and may be specific to some types of memory tasks.

Comparative Analysis of Fecal Microbiota in Infants with and without Eczema

PubMed Central

Hong, Pei-Ying; Lee, Bee Wah; Aw, Marion; Shek, Lynette Pei Chi; Yap, Gaik Chin; Chua, Kaw Yan; Liu, Wen-Tso

2010-01-01

Eczema is a chronic form of childhood disorder that is gaining in prevalence in affluent societies. Previous studies hypothesized that the development of eczema is correlated with changes in microbial profile and composition of early life endemic microbiota, but contradictory conclusions were obtained, possibly due to the lack of minimization of apparent non-health related confounders (e.g., age, antibiotic consumption, diet and mode of delivery). In this study, we recruited seven caesarean-delivered and total formula-fed infants, and comparatively examined the early-life endemic microbiota in these infants with and without eczema. Using 16S pyrosequencing, infants' fecal microbiota were observed to comprise Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes as the four main phyla, and the presence and absence of specific populations within these four phyla are primarily mediated by ageing. Quantitative analysis of bacterial targets on a larger sample size (n = 36 at 1, 3, and 12 months of age) revealed that the abundances of Bifidobacterium and Enterobacteriaceae were different among caesarean-delivered infants with and without eczema, and the bacterial targets may be potential biomarkers that can correlate to the health status of these infants. Our overall findings suggest that the minimization of possible confounders is essential prior to comparative evaluation and correlation of fecal microbiota to health status, and that stool samples collected from caesarean-delivered infants at less than 1 year of age may represent a good cohort to study for potential biomarkers that can distinguish infants with eczema from those without. These findings would greatly facilitate future efforts in understanding the possible pathogenesis behind certain bacterial targets, and may lead to a timely intervention that reduces the occurrence of early life eczema and possibly allergic disorders in later life. PMID:20376357

The Emerging Life Era: A Cosmological Imperative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaisson, Eric

Cosmic evolution is the study of the many varied changes in the assembly and composition of radiation, matter and life throughout the Universe. At one and the same time, cosmic evolution represents a search for our cosmic heritage, for a principle of cosmic selection that transcends neo-Darwinism, indeed for a holistic cosmology wherein life plays an integral role. This paper sketches the grand scenario of cosmic evolution by mathematically examining the temporal dependence of various energy densities in current cosmological models. The early Universe is shown to have been flooded with radiation whose energy density was so severe as to preclude the existence of any appreciable structures. As the Universe cooled and thinned, a preeminent phase change occurred about 100,000 years after creation, at which time matter's energy density overthrew the early primacy of radiation. Only with the emergence of technologically manipulative beings (on Earth and perhaps elsewhere) has the energy density contained within matter become locally exceeded by the flux of free energy density flowing through open organic structures. Using aspects of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, we argued that it is the contrasting temporal behavior of various energy densities that have given rise to galaxies, stars, planets, and life forms. We furthermore argue that a necessary (though perhaps not sufficient) condition--a veritable prime mover--for the emergence of such ordered structures is the expansion of the Universe itself.

Exposure to dim light at night during early development increases adult anxiety-like responses.

PubMed

Borniger, Jeremy C; McHenry, Zachary D; Abi Salloum, Bachir A; Nelson, Randy J

2014-06-22

Early experiences produce effects that may persist throughout life. Therefore, to understand adult phenotype, it is important to investigate the role of early environmental stimuli in adult behavior and health. Artificial light at night (LAN) is an increasingly common phenomenon throughout the world. However, animals, including humans, evolved under dark night conditions. Many studies have revealed affective, immune, and metabolic alterations provoked by aberrant light exposure and subsequent circadian disruption. Pups are receptive to entraining cues from the mother and then light early during development, raising the possibility that the early life light environment may influence subsequent behavior. Thus, to investigate potential influences of early life exposure to LAN on adult phenotype, we exposed mice to dim (~5 lux; full spectrum white light) or dark (~0 lux) nights pre- and/or postnatally. After weaning at 3 weeks of age, all mice were maintained in dark nights until adulthood (9 weeks of age) when behavior was assessed. Mice exposed to dim light in early life increased anxiety-like behavior and fearful responses on the elevated plus maze and passive avoidance tests. These mice also displayed reduced growth rates, which ultimately normalized during adolescence. mRNA expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a neurotrophin previously linked to early life environment and adult phenotype, was not altered in the prefrontal cortex or hippocampus by early life LAN exposure. Serum corticosterone concentrations were similar between groups at weaning, suggesting that early life LAN does not elicit a long-term physiologic stress response. Dim light exposure did not influence behavior on the open field, novel object, sucrose anhedonia, or forced swim tests. Our data highlight the potential deleterious consequences of low levels of light during early life to development and subsequent behavior. Whether these changes are due to altered maternal behavior or persistent circadian abnormalities incurred by LAN remains to be determined. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Life Adversity Is Associated With Elevated Levels of Circulating Leptin, Irisin, and Decreased Levels of Adiponectin in Midlife Adults

PubMed Central

Joung, Kyoung Eun; Park, Kyung-Hee; Zaichenko, Lesya; Sahin-Efe, Ayse; Thakkar, Bindiya; Brinkoetter, Mary; Usher, Nicole; Warner, Dorothy; Davis, Cynthia R.; Crowell, Judith A.

2014-01-01

Context: Early-life adversity, defined as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse and neglect before 18 years of age, is associated with metabolic syndrome, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult life. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood, and whether adipomyokines are associated with early-life adversity independent of other factors such as body mass index, psychosocial risks, and health behaviors is not known. Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between early-life adversity and circulating the levels of the adipomyokines such as leptin, adiponectin, and irisin and the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP). Design/Subjects/Setting: This study was a cross-sectional study of 95 adults at a university-based research center. We collected venous blood from participants and analyzed serum for leptin, adiponectin, irisin, and CRP. Results: Circulating leptin, irisin, and CRP levels were significantly higher in the highest adversity tertile group compared with low and middle tertile groups (P < .001 for leptin, P = .01 for irisin, and P = .02 for CRP). Adiponectin levels were lower in the highest tertile group compared with the low and middle tertile groups (P = .03). After adjusting for demographic variables, physical activity, diet, current mental health, and body mass index, the associations between early-life adversity leptin, irisin, and did not change. However, adiponectin and CRP levels were no longer significantly related to early life adversity. Conclusion: Early-life adversity is directly associated with elevated circulating leptin and irisin, and indirectly associated with elevated CRP and decreased adiponectin. These findings suggest that these adipomyokines may play a role in the pathogenesis of metabolic abnormality in a population with significant early life adversity. PMID:24650014

Early-Life Effects on Adult Physical Activity: Concepts, Relevance, and Experimental Approaches.

PubMed

Garland, Theodore; Cadney, Marcell D; Waterland, Robert A

Locomotion is a defining characteristic of animal life and plays a crucial role in most behaviors. Locomotion involves physical activity, which can have far-reaching effects on physiology and neurobiology, both acutely and chronically. In human populations and in laboratory rodents, higher levels of physical activity are generally associated with positive health outcomes, although excessive exercise can have adverse consequences. Whether and how such relationships occur in wild animals is unknown. Behavioral variation among individuals arises from genetic and environmental factors and their interactions as well as from developmental programming (persistent effects of early-life environment). Although tremendous progress has been made in identifying genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in behavior, early-life effects are not well understood. Early-life effects can in some cases persist across multiple generations following a single exposure and, in principle, may constrain or facilitate the rate of evolution at multiple levels of biological organization. Understanding the mechanisms of such transgenerational effects (e.g., exposure to stress hormones in utero, inherited epigenetic alterations) may prove crucial to explaining unexpected and/or sex-specific responses to selection as well as limits to adaptation. One area receiving increased attention is early-life effects on adult physical activity. Correlational data from epidemiological studies suggest that early-life nutritional stress can (adversely) affect adult human activity levels and associated physiological traits (e.g., body composition, metabolic health). The few existing studies of laboratory rodents demonstrate that both maternal and early-life exercise can affect adult levels of physical activity and related phenotypes. Going forward, rodents offer many opportunities for experimental studies of (multigenerational) early-life effects, including studies that use maternal exposures and cross-fostering designs.

Positive and negative early life experiences differentially modulate long term survival and amyloid protein levels in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Lesuis, Sylvie L; Maurin, Herve; Borghgraef, Peter; Lucassen, Paul J; Van Leuven, Fred; Krugers, Harm J

2016-06-28

Stress has been implicated as a risk factor for the severity and progression of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Early life experiences determine stress responsivity in later life, and modulate age-dependent cognitive decline. Therefore, we examined whether early life experiences influence AD outcome in a bigenic mouse model which progressively develops combined tau and amyloid pathology (biAT mice).Mice were subjected to either early life stress (ELS) or to 'positive' early handling (EH) postnatally (from day 2 to 9). In biAT mice, ELS significantly compromised long term survival, in contrast to EH which increased life expectancy. In 4 month old mice, ELS-reared biAT mice displayed increased hippocampal Aβ levels, while these levels were reduced in EH-reared biAT mice. No effects of ELS or EH were observed on the brain levels of APP, protein tau, or PSD-95. Dendritic morphology was moderately affected after ELS and EH in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex, while object recognition memory and open field performance were not affected. We conclude that despite the strong transgenic background, early life experiences significantly modulate the life expectancy of biAT mice. Parallel changes in hippocampal Aβ levels were evident, without affecting cognition of young adult biAT mice.

Maternal and Early-Life Circadian Disruption Have Long-Lasting Negative Consequences on Offspring Development and Adult Behavior in Mice.

PubMed

Smarr, Benjamin L; Grant, Azure D; Perez, Luz; Zucker, Irving; Kriegsfeld, Lance J

2017-06-12

Modern life involves chronic circadian disruption through artificial light and these disruptions are associated with numerous mental and physical health maladies. Because the developing nervous system is particularly vulnerable to perturbation, we hypothesized that early-life circadian disruption would negatively impact offspring development and adult function. Pregnant mice were subjected to chronic circadian disruption from the time of uterine implantation through weaning. To dissociate in utero from postnatal effects, a subset of litters was cross-fostered at birth from disrupted dams to control dams and vice versa. Postnatal circadian disruption was associated with reduced adult body mass, social avoidance, and hyperactivity. In utero disruption resulted in more pronounced social avoidance and hyperactivity, phenotypes not abrogated by cross-fostering to control mothers. To examine whether circadian disruption affects development by acting as an early life stressor, we examined birthweight, litter size, maternal cannibalism, and epigenetic modifications. None of these variables differed between control and disrupted dams, or resembled patterns seen following early-life stress. Our findings indicate that developmental chronic circadian disruption permanently affects somatic and behavioral development in a stage-of-life-dependent manner, independent of early life stress mechanisms, underscoring the importance of temporal structure during development, both in utero and early postnatal life.

Early life stress paradigms in rodents: potential animal models of depression?

PubMed

Schmidt, Mathias V; Wang, Xiao-Dong; Meijer, Onno C

2011-03-01

While human depressive illness is indeed uniquely human, many of its symptoms may be modeled in rodents. Based on human etiology, the assumption has been made that depression-like behavior in rats and mice can be modulated by some of the powerful early life programming effects that are known to occur after manipulations in the first weeks of life. Here we review the evidence that is available in literature for early life manipulation as risk factors for the development of depression-like symptoms such as anhedonia, passive coping strategies, and neuroendocrine changes. Early life paradigms that were evaluated include early handling, separation, and deprivation protocols, as well as enriched and impoverished environments. We have also included a small number of stress-related pharmacological models. We find that for most early life paradigms per se, the actual validity for depression is limited. A number of models have not been tested with respect to classical depression-like behaviors, while in many cases, the outcome of such experiments is variable and depends on strain and additional factors. Because programming effects confer vulnerability rather than disease, a number of paradigms hold promise for usefulness in depression research, in combination with the proper genetic background and adult life challenges.

Developmental Origins of Chronic Kidney Disease: Should We Focus on Early Life?

PubMed Central

Tain, You-Lin; Hsu, Chien-Ning

2017-01-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is becoming a global burden, despite recent advances in management. CKD can begin in early life by so-called “developmental programming” or “developmental origins of health and disease” (DOHaD). Early-life insults cause structural and functional changes in the developing kidney, which is called renal programming. Epidemiological and experimental evidence supports the proposition that early-life adverse events lead to renal programming and make subjects vulnerable to developing CKD and its comorbidities in later life. In addition to low nephron endowment, several mechanisms have been proposed for renal programming. The DOHaD concept opens a new window to offset the programming process in early life to prevent the development of adult kidney disease, namely reprogramming. Here, we review the key themes on the developmental origins of CKD. We have particularly focused on the following areas: evidence from human studies support fetal programming of kidney disease; insight from animal models of renal programming; hypothetical mechanisms of renal programming; alterations of renal transcriptome in response to early-life insults; and the application of reprogramming interventions to prevent the programming of kidney disease. PMID:28208659

Relationship between mediation analysis and the structured life course approach.

PubMed

Howe, Laura D; Smith, Andrew D; Macdonald-Wallis, Corrie; Anderson, Emma L; Galobardes, Bruna; Lawlor, Debbie A; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Hardy, Rebecca; Cooper, Rachel; Tilling, Kate; Fraser, Abigail

2016-08-01

Many questions in life course epidemiology involve mediation and/or interaction because of the long latency period between exposures and outcomes. In this paper, we explore how mediation analysis (based on counterfactual theory and implemented using conventional regression approaches) links with a structured approach to selecting life course hypotheses. Using theory and simulated data, we show how the alternative life course hypotheses assessed in the structured life course approach correspond to different combinations of mediation and interaction parameters. For example, an early life critical period model corresponds to a direct effect of the early life exposure, but no indirect effect via the mediator and no interaction between the early life exposure and the mediator. We also compare these methods using an illustrative real-data example using data on parental occupational social class (early life exposure), own adult occupational social class (mediator) and physical capability (outcome). © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Exogenous determinants of early-life conditions, and mortality later in life.

PubMed

van den Berg, Gerard J; Doblhammer, Gabriele; Christensen, Kaare

2009-05-01

We analyze causal effects of conditions early in life on the individual mortality rate later in life. Conditions early in life are captured by transitory features of the macro-environment around birth, notably the state of the business cycle around birth, but also food price deviations, weather indicators, and demographic indicators. We argue that these features can only affect high-age mortality by way of the individual early-life conditions. Moreover, they are exogenous from the individual point of view, which is a methodological advantage compared to the use of unique characteristics of the newborn individual or his or her family or household as early-life indicators. We collected national annual time-series data on the above-mentioned indicators, and we combine these to the individual data records from the Danish Twin Registry covering births in 1873-1906. The empirical analyses (mostly based on the estimation of duration models) indicate a significant negative causal effect of economic conditions early in life on individual mortality rates at higher ages. If the national economic performance in the year of birth exceeds its trend value (i.e., if the business cycle is favorable) then the mortality rate later in life is lower. The implied effect on the median lifetime of those who survive until age 35 is about 10 months. A systematic empirical exploration of all macro-indicators reveals that economic conditions in the first years after birth also affect mortality rates later in life.

Vitalism and the resistance to experimentation on life in the eighteenth century.

PubMed

Wolfe, Charles T

2013-01-01

There is a familiar opposition between a 'Scientific Revolution' ethos and practice of experimentation, including experimentation on life, and a 'vitalist' reaction to this outlook. The former is often allied with different forms of mechanism - if all of Nature obeys mechanical laws, including living bodies, 'iatromechanism' should encounter no obstructions in investigating the particularities of animal-machines - or with more chimiatric theories of life and matter, as in the 'Oxford Physiologists'. The latter reaction also comes in different, perhaps irreducibly heterogeneous forms, ranging from metaphysical and ethical objections to the destruction of life, as in Margaret Cavendish, to more epistemological objections against the usage of instruments, the 'anatomical' outlook and experimentation, e.g. in Locke and Sydenham. But I will mainly focus on a third anti-interventionist argument, which I call 'vitalist' since it is often articulated in the writings of the so-called Montpellier Vitalists, including their medical articles for the Encyclopédie. The vitalist argument against experimentation on life is subtly different from the metaphysical, ethical and epistemological arguments, although at times it may borrow from any of them. It expresses a Hippocratic sensibility - understood as an artifact of early modernity, not as some atemporal trait of medical thought - in which Life resists the experimenter, or conversely, for the experimenter to grasp something about Life, it will have to be without torturing or radically intervening in it. I suggest that this view does not have to imply that Nature is something mysterious or sacred; nor does the vitalist have to attack experimentation on life in the name of some 'vital force' - which makes it less surprising to find a vivisectionist like Claude Bernard sounding so close to the vitalists.

Evaluation of whole mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research in early-life stage fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than mature, adult fish. Therefore, defining adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) relevant to early-life stages is critical for linking perturbations of key events during fish development to potential adverse outcomes of...

40 CFR 797.1600 - Fish early life stage toxicity test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the test solution concentrations. The test terminates following 60 days of post-hatch exposure (for an... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Fish early life stage toxicity test... Fish early life stage toxicity test. (a) Purpose. This guideline is intended to be used for assessing...

40 CFR 797.1600 - Fish early life stage toxicity test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the test solution concentrations. The test terminates following 60 days of post-hatch exposure (for an... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fish early life stage toxicity test... Fish early life stage toxicity test. (a) Purpose. This guideline is intended to be used for assessing...

Disproportionate Exposure to Early-Life Adversity and Sexual Orientation Disparities in Psychiatric Morbidity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Katie A.; Hatzenbuehler, Mark L.; Xuan, Ziming; Conron, Kerith J.

2012-01-01

Objectives: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations exhibit elevated rates of psychiatric disorders compared to heterosexuals, and these disparities emerge early in the life course. We examined the role of exposure to early-life victimization and adversity--including physical and sexual abuse, homelessness, and intimate partner violence--in…

Astrobiology and Venus exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grinspoon, David H.; Bullock, Mark A.

For hundreds of years prior to the space age, Venus was considered among the most likely homes for extraterrestrial life. Since planetary exploration began, Venus has not been considered a promising target for Astrobiological exploration. However, Venus should be central to such an exploration program for several reasons. At present Venus is the only other Earth-sized terrestrial planet that we know of, and certainly the only one we will have the opportunity to explore in the foreseeable future. Understanding the divergence of Earth and Venus is central to understanding the limits of habitability in the inner regions of habitable zones around solar-type stars. Thus Venus presents us with a unique opportunity for putting the bulk properties, evolution and ongoing geochemical processes of Earth in a wider context. Many geological and meteorological processes otherwise active only on Earth at present are currently active on Venus. Active volcanism most likely affects the climate and chemical equilibrium state of the atmosphere and surface, and maintains the global cloud cover. Further, if we think beyond the specifics of a particular chemical system required to build complexity and heredity, we can ask what general properties a planet must possess in order to be considered a possible candidate for life. The answers might include an atmosphere with signs of flagrant chemical disequilibrium and active, internally driven cycling of volatile elements between the surface, atmosphere and interior. At present, the two planets we know of which possess these characteristics are Earth and Venus. Venus almost surely once had warm, habitable oceans. The evaporation of these oceans, and subsequent escape of hydrogen, most likely resulted in an oxygenated atmosphere. The duration of this phase is poorly understood, but during this time the terrestrial planets were not isolated. Rather, due to frequent impact transport, they represented a continuous environment for early microbial life. Life, once established in the early oceans of Venus, may have migrated to the clouds which, on present day Venus, may represent a habitable niche. Though highly acidic, this aqueous environment enjoys moderate temperatures, surroundings far from chemical equilibrium, and potentially useful radiation fluxes. Observations of unusual chemistry in the clouds, and particle populations that are not well characterized, suggest that this environment must be explored much more fully before biology can be ruled out. A sulfur-based metabolism for cloud-based life on Venus has recently been proposed (Schulze-Makuch et al., 2004). While speculative, these arguments, along with the discovery of terrestrial extremophile organisms that point toward the plausibility of survival in the Venusian clouds, establish the credibility of astrobiological exploration of Venus. Arguments for the possible existence of life on Mars or Europa are, by convention and repetition, seen as more mainstream than arguments for life elsewhere, but their logical status is similar to plausibility arguments for life on Venus. With the launch of COROT in 2006 and Kepler in 2008 the demographics of Earth-sized planets in our galaxy should finally become known. Future plans for a Terrestrial Planet Finder or Darwin-type space-based spectrograph should provide the capability of studying the atmospheric composition and other properties of terrestrial planets. One of the prime rationales for building such instruments is the possibility of identifying habitable planets or providing more generalized observational constraints on the habitable zones of stellar systems. Given the prevalence of CO2 dominated atmospheres in our own solar system, it is quite likely that a large fraction of these will be Venus-like in composition and evolutionary history. We will be observing these planets at random times in their evolution. In analogy with our own solar system, it is just as likely that we will find representatives of early Venus and early Earth type planets from the first 2 billion years of their evolution as it is that we will find "mature Venus" and "mature Earth"type planets that are roughly 4.5 billion years old. Therefore, in order to be poised to use the results of these future observations of extrasolar planets to make valid, generalized inferences about the size, shape and evolution of stellar habitable zones it is vital that we obtain a much deeper understanding of the evolutionary histories and divergence of Earth and Venus. The Mars Exploration Rover findings of evidence for aqueous conditions on early Mars have intensified interest in the possible origin and evolution of life on early Mars. Yet the evidence suggests that these deposits were formed in a highly acidic and sulfur-rich environment. During this phase, Mars may well have had sulfuric acid clouds sustained by vigorous, sulfur-rich volcanism. This suggests that a greater understanding of the chemistry of the Venusian atmosphere and clouds, and surface/atmosphere interactions, may help to characterize the environment of Mars when life may have formed there. In turn, if signs of early life are found on Mars during the upcoming decades of intensive astrobiological exploration planned for that planet, it will strengthen arguments for the plausibility of life in an early and gradually acidifying Venusian environment. Of our two neighboring planets, Venus and Mars, it is not yet known which held on to its surface oceans, and early habitable conditions, for longer.

Early Life Growth Predictors of Childhood Adiposity Trajectories and Future Risk for Obesity: Birth to Twenty Cohort.

PubMed

Munthali, Richard J; Kagura, Juliana; Lombard, Zané; Norris, Shane A

2017-10-01

There is growing evidence of variations in adiposity trajectories among individuals, but the influence of early life growth patterns on these trajectories is underresearched in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, our aim was to examine the association between early life conditional weight gain and childhood adiposity trajectories. We previously identified distinct adiposity trajectories (four for girls and three for boys) in black South African children (boys = 877; girls = 947). The association between the trajectories and early life growth patterns, and future obesity risk was assessed by multivariate linear and multinomial logistic and logistic regressions. Conditional weight gain independent of height was computed for infancy (0-2 years) and early childhood (2-4 years). Conditional weight gain before 5 years of age was significantly associated with early onset of obesity or overweight (excess weight) BMI trajectories in both boys and girls. In girls, greater conditional weight gain in infancy was associated with increased relative risk of being in the early-onset obese to morbid obese trajectory, with relative risk ratios of 2.03 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-3.52) compared to belonging to a BMI trajectory in the normal range. Boys and girls in the early-onset obesity or overweight BMI trajectories were more likely to be overweight or obese in early adulthood. Excessive weight gain in infancy and early childhood, independent of linear growth, predicts childhood and adolescent BMI trajectories toward obesity. These results underscore the importance of early life factors in the development of obesity and other NCDs in later life.

Humic First Theory: A New Theory on the Origin of Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daei, Mohammad Ali; Daei, Manijeh; Daei, Bijan

2017-04-01

In 1953, Miller & Urey through a brilliant experiment demonstrated that the building blocks of life could evolve in primitive earth conditions [1]. During the recent years scientists revealed that organic matters are not very rare compounds in comets, asteroids, and meteorites which have bombarded the ancient earth repeatedly [2]. So simple organic molecules on early earth could be quite enough to start chemical evolution and steadily, proceeded to the very simple form of life. Many theories have tried to explain how life emerged from non life, but failed, largely due to the lack of a distinct methodology. There is a huge gap between the simple building blocks, like amino acid, sugar, and lipid molecules, to a living cell with a very sophisticated structure and organization. It is unacceptable to fill this great distance, only by accidental reactions in a passive media (primitive soap) even, over a very long time. Obviously, manufacturing of a primitive cell required a natural factory with rather firm and resistant basement, plenty of organic and inorganic raw materials and qualified production line, plus some sources of energy. There were plenty of solar energy and water in the early Earth, but what about the other factors? Availability of essential minerals was not guaranteed at all, in primitive earth which covered with bare, dead rocks. While we are not able today, to multiply any microorganisms in ideal conditions of modern laboratory in the absence of only one of essential nutrients or elements, how can we expect primitive cells appear on early earth conditions without the support of soluble minerals and organic matters? Ideal production line must be active and protective, have catalyzing ability, could provide numerous opportunities for interaction between basic bio molecules (mainly RNA and proteins) and above all, have capability to react with different sources of energy. There are strong evidences that show only some form of stable, rich and active organic matter like modern "humic substances" could perform this great and complicated duty. A mass of warm, wet clay mixed with enough humic substances (HS) in suitable PH, could provide all above requirements, and promote biochemical evolution step by step toward a functional primitive cell. HS are fluorescent compounds and could transform UV radiation to usable light. In addition these protective materials could provide chemical energy plus balanced minerals and organic molecules. While everything in non living world is reducing energy, HS can collect more and more material and energy like a living organism. Fortunately, there are reliable evidences that HS could be accessible on ancient Earth. In fact Ziechman et al [7], in 1994 by finding humic material in Miller's experimental vessels proved that humic substances could be generated on early Earth conditions by polymerizing simple organic molecules. Our investigations show elemental selection and also chairal selection for life are proportionately tailored to Humic materials. For example nearly all heavy metals make insoluble compounds with HS, hence omitted from life processes. In contrast all essential elements have appropriate affinity and workability with HS. There is reliable evidence that shows HS prefer left amino acids and right sugars. As you see many signs and symptoms are referring to "humic substances" as the mother of life, at least on this planet.

Mechanisms Underlying Latent Disease Risk Associated with Early-Life Arsenic Exposure: Current Research Trends and Scientific Gaps

PubMed Central

Bailey, Kathryn A.; Smith, Allan H.; Tokar, Erik J.; Graziano, Joseph H.; Kim, Kyoung-Woong; Navasumrit, Panida; Ruchirawat, Mathuros; Thiantanawat, Apinya; Suk, William A.; Fry, Rebecca C.

2015-01-01

Background Millions of individuals worldwide, particularly those living in rural and developing areas, are exposed to harmful levels of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in their drinking water. Inorganic As exposure during key developmental periods is associated with a variety of adverse health effects, including those that are evident in adulthood. There is considerable interest in identifying the molecular mechanisms that relate early-life iAs exposure to the development of these latent diseases, particularly in relationship to cancer. Objectives This work summarizes research on the molecular mechanisms that underlie the increased risk of cancer development in adulthood that is associated with early-life iAs exposure. Discussion Epigenetic reprogramming that imparts functional changes in gene expression, the development of cancer stem cells, and immunomodulation are plausible underlying mechanisms by which early-life iAs exposure elicits latent carcinogenic effects. Conclusions Evidence is mounting that relates early-life iAs exposure and cancer development later in life. Future research should include animal studies that address mechanistic hypotheses and studies of human populations that integrate early-life exposure, molecular alterations, and latent disease outcomes. Citation Bailey KA, Smith AH, Tokar EJ, Graziano JH, Kim KW, Navasumrit P, Ruchirawat M, Thiantanawat A, Suk WA, Fry RC. 2016. Mechanisms underlying latent disease risk associated with early-life arsenic exposure: current research trends and scientific gaps. Environ Health Perspect 124:170–175; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409360 PMID:26115410

Scientific objectives of human exploration of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carr, M.H.

1996-01-01

While human exploration of Mars is unlikely to be undertaken for science reasons alone, science will be the main beneficiary. A wide range of science problems can be addressed at Mars. The planet formed in a different part of the solar system from the Earth and retains clues concerning compositional and environmental conditions in that part of the solar system when the planets formed. Mars has had a long and complex history that has involved almost as wide a range of processes as occurred on Earth. Elucidation of this history will require a comprehensive program of field mapping, geophysical sounding, in situ analyses, and return of samples to Earth that are representative of the planet's diversity. The origin and evolution of the Mars' atmosphere are very different from the Earth's, Mars having experienced major secular and cyclical changes in climate. Clues as to precisely how the atmosphere has evolved are embedded in its present chemistry, possibly in surface sinks of former atmosphere-forming volatiles, and in the various products of interaction between the atmosphere and surface. The present atmosphere also provides a means of testing general circulation models applicable to all planets. Although life is unlikely to be still extant on Mars, life may have started early in the planet's history. A major goal of any future exploration will, therefore, be to search for evidence of indigenous life.

Could the early environment of Mars have supported the development of life?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, Christopher P.; Stoker, Carol R.

1990-01-01

The environment of Mars and its correlation to the origin of life on earth are examined. Evidence of liquid water and nitrogen on early Mars is discussed. The similarities between the early Mars and early earth environments are described.

Low Birth Weight due to Intrauterine Growth Restriction and/or Preterm Birth: Effects on Nephron Number and Long-Term Renal Health

PubMed Central

Zohdi, Vladislava; Sutherland, Megan R.; Lim, Kyungjoon; Gubhaju, Lina; Zimanyi, Monika A.; Black, M. Jane

2012-01-01

Epidemiological studies have clearly demonstrated a strong association between low birth weight and long-term renal disease. A potential mediator of this long-term risk is a reduction in nephron endowment in the low birth weight infant at the beginning of life. Importantly, nephrons are only formed early in life; during normal gestation, nephrogenesis is complete by about 32–36 weeks, with no new nephrons formed after this time during the lifetime of the individual. Hence, given that a loss of a critical number of nephrons is the hallmark of renal disease, an increased severity and acceleration of renal disease is likely when the number of nephrons is already reduced prior to disease onset. Low birth weight can result from intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) or preterm birth; a high proportion of babies born prematurely also exhibit IUGR. In this paper, we describe how IUGR and preterm birth adversely impact on nephrogenesis and how a subsequent reduced nephron endowment at the beginning of life may lead to long-term risk of renal disease, but not necessarily hypertension. PMID:22970368

Food as exposure: Nutritional epigenetics and the new metabolism

PubMed Central

Landecker, Hannah

2011-01-01

Nutritional epigenetics seeks to explain the effects of nutrition on gene expression. For social science, it is an area of life science whose analysis reveals a concentrated form of a wider shift in the understanding of food and metabolism. Rather than the chemical conversion of food to energy and body matter of classic metabolism, food is now also a conditioning environment that shapes the activity of the genome and the physiology of the body. It is thought that food in prenatal and early postnatal life impacts adult-onset diseases such as diabetes and heart disease; exposure to food is seen as a point of potential intervention in long-term health of individuals and populations. This article analyzes how food has become environment in nutritional epigenetics, with a focus on the experimental formalization of food. The experimental image of human life generated in rodent models, it is argued, generates concepts of food as a form of molecular exposure. This scientific discourse has profound implications for how food is perceived, manufactured and regulated, as well as for social theories and analyses of the social body that have a long history of imbrication with scientific models of metabolism. PMID:23227106

Early life adversity potentiates the effects of later life stress on cumulative physiological dysregulation.

PubMed

Dich, Nadya; Hansen, Åse Marie; Avlund, Kirsten; Lund, Rikke; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Bruunsgaard, Helle; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2015-01-01

Previous research indicates that early life adversity may heighten stress reactivity and impair mechanisms for adaptive coping, suggesting that experience of stress in early life may also potentiate adults' physiological vulnerability to stress in later life. The study tested this hypothesis by investigating whether the experience of stressful events and circumstances (SEC) in childhood or adolescence amplified the effect of adulthood SEC on physiological dysregulation (allostatic load, AL) in later midlife. Observational data were used in the present study. Physiological functioning was measured in later midlife (participants' age ranged from 49 to 63 years). Both childhood/adolescence and adulthood SEC were reported retrospectively on the same occasion. Participants were 5309 Danish men and women from Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB). SEC included socioeconomic and family factors. The AL index was based on nine cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune biomarkers. Experience of SEC in both early life and adulthood independently predicted higher AL. In men, experience of SEC in early life also potentiated the effect of SEC in adulthood on AL. The results provide further insight into the mechanisms behind the "biological embedding" of childhood stress.

Astrobiology: A Roadmap for Charting Life in the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DesMarais, David J.; DeVincezi, D. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. It provides a biological perspective to many areas of NASA research. It links such endeavors as the search for habitable planets, exploration missions to Mars and the outer Solar System, efforts to understand the origins and early evolution of life, and charting the potential of life to adapt to future challenges, both on Earth and in space. Astrobiology addresses the following three basic questions, which have been asked in some form for generations. How does life begin and evolve? Does life exist elsewhere in the universe? What is future of life on Earth and beyond? The NASA Astrobiology Roadmap provides guidance for research and technology development across several NASA Enterprises: Space Science, Earth Science, and the Human Exploration and Development of Space. The Roadmap is formulated in terms of eight Science Goals that outline key domains of investigation that might require perhaps decades of effort to consolidate. For each of these goals, Science Objectives outline more specific high priority near-term efforts for the next three to five years. These twenty objectives will be integrated with NASA strategic planning.

Molecules from Space and the Origin of Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernstein Max P.; Sandford, Scott A.; Allamandola, Louis J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

There is a growing concensus among space scientists that frozen molecules from space helped to make the Earth the pleasant place that it is today, and helped Life start on Earth, and perhaps elsewhere. The chain of logic that led scientists to posit a connection between extraterrestrial molecules and the origin of life is as follows. 1) The rapidity with which life arose demands that conditions on Earth were conducive to the formation of life very early on. 2) There is reason to believe that comets and meteorites fell oil the Earth from its inception. 3) We now know that comets and meteorites are replete with complex organic compounds, some of which resemble those in living systems. 4) Perhaps the input of molecules from comets and meteorites provided crucial constituents to the primordial soup and Jump started life on Earth. 5) These molecules formed out in deep space long before the Earth ever existed, by processes that we can reproduce in the laboratory. 6) The fact that organic molecules are seen by astronomers throughout our galaxy and in others makes it seem likely that they were (and are) available to help start life in other planetary systems.

Early life permethrin exposure leads to hypervitaminosis D, nitric oxide and catecholamines impairment.

PubMed

Fedeli, Donatella; Carloni, Manuel; Nasuti, Cinzia; Gambini, Anna; Scocco, Vitangelo; Gabbianelli, Rosita

2013-09-01

The aim of this study is to gain more knowledge on the impact of early life pesticide exposure on premature aging. The effect of a low dose of the insecticide permethrin administered to rats during early life (1/50 LD50, from 6th to 21st day of life) was analyzed by measuring some metabolites in plasma and urine of 500-day-old animals. Significant differences in early life treated rats compared to the control group were found in the plasma levels of Ca(++), Na(+), 25-hydroxy-vitamin D, adrenaline, noradrenaline, nitric oxide, cholesterol and urea while in urine only Na(+) content was different. These results add information on the impact of permethrin during the neonatal period, supporting the evidence that early life environmental exposure to xenobiotics has long-term effects, inducing modifications in adulthood that can be revealed by the analysis of some macroelements, metabolites and catecholamines in plasma, when rats are 500 days old. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distinct circuits for the formation and retrieval of an imprinted olfactory memory

PubMed Central

Jin, Xin; Pokala, Navin; Bargmann, Cornelia I.

2016-01-01

Summary Memories formed early in life are particularly stable and influential, representing privileged experiences that shape enduring behaviors. Here we show that exposing newly-hatched C. elegans to pathogenic bacteria results in persistent aversion to those bacterial odors, whereas adult exposure generates only transient aversive memory. Long-lasting imprinted aversion has a critical period in the first larval stage, and is specific to the experienced pathogen. Distinct groups of neurons are required during formation (AIB, RIM) and retrieval (AIY, RIA) of the imprinted memory. RIM synthesizes the neuromodulator tyramine, which is required in the L1 stage for learning. AIY memory retrieval neurons sense tyramine via the SER-2 receptor, which is essential for imprinted but not for adult-learned aversion. Odor responses in several neurons, most notably RIA, are altered in imprinted animals. These findings provide insight into neuronal substrates of different forms of memory, and lay a foundation for further understanding of early learning. PMID:26871629

UV-light-driven prebiotic synthesis of iron-sulfur clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonfio, Claudia; Valer, Luca; Scintilla, Simone; Shah, Sachin; Evans, David J.; Jin, Lin; Szostak, Jack W.; Sasselov, Dimitar D.; Sutherland, John D.; Mansy, Sheref S.

2017-12-01

Iron-sulfur clusters are ancient cofactors that play a fundamental role in metabolism and may have impacted the prebiotic chemistry that led to life. However, it is unclear whether iron-sulfur clusters could have been synthesized on prebiotic Earth. Dissolved iron on early Earth was predominantly in the reduced ferrous state, but ferrous ions alone cannot form polynuclear iron-sulfur clusters. Similarly, free sulfide may not have been readily available. Here we show that UV light drives the synthesis of [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters through the photooxidation of ferrous ions and the photolysis of organic thiols. Iron-sulfur clusters coordinate to and are stabilized by a wide range of cysteine-containing peptides and the assembly of iron-sulfur cluster-peptide complexes can take place within model protocells in a process that parallels extant pathways. Our experiments suggest that iron-sulfur clusters may have formed easily on early Earth, facilitating the emergence of an iron-sulfur-cluster-dependent metabolism.

Technological advances in renal replacement therapy: five years and beyond.

PubMed

Rastogi, Anjay; Nissenson, Allen R

2009-12-01

The worldwide epidemic of chronic kidney disease shows no signs of abating in the near future. Current dialysis forms of renal replacement therapy (RRT), even though successful in sustaining life and improving quality of life somewhat for patients with ESRD, have many limitations that result in still unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. Transplantation is an excellent option but is limited by the scarcity of organs. An ideal form of RRT would mimic the functions of natural kidneys and be transparent to the patient, as well as affordable to society. Recent advances in technology, although generally in early stages of development, might achieve these goals. The application of nanotechnology, microfluidics, bioreactors with kidney cells, and miniaturized sorbent systems to regenerate dialysate makes clinical reality seem closer than ever before. Finally, stem cells hold much promise, both for kidney disease and as a source of tissues and organs. In summary, nephrology is at an exciting crossroad with the application of innovative and novel technologies to RRT that hold considerable promise for the near future.

Models of protocellular structures, functions and evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pohorille, Andrew; New, Michael H.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The central step in the origin of life was the emergence of organized structures from organic molecules available on the early earth. These predecessors to modern cells, called 'proto-cells,' were simple, membrane bounded structures able to maintain themselves, grow, divide, and evolve. Since there is no fossil record of these earliest of life forms, it is a scientific challenge to discover plausible mechanisms for how these entities formed and functioned. To meet this challenge, it is essential to create laboratory models of protocells that capture the main attributes associated with living systems, while remaining consistent with known, or inferred, protobiological conditions. This report provides an overview of a project which has focused on protocellular metabolism and the coupling of metabolism to energy transduction. We have assumed that the emergence of systems endowed with genomes and capable of Darwinian evolution was preceded by a pre-genomic phase, in which protocells functioned and evolved using mostly proteins, without self-replicating nucleic acids such as RNA.

Application of Diversity Indices to Quantify Early Life-History Diversity for Chinook Salmon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Gary E.; Sather, Nichole K.; Skalski, John R.

2014-03-01

We developed an index of early life history diversity (ELHD) for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) Early life history diversity is the variation in morphological and behavioral traits expressed within and among populations by individual juvenile salmon during their downstream migration. A standard quantitative method does not exist for this prominent concept in salmon biology.

Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescence: Personal, Neighborhood, School, Family, and Peer Influences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberle, Eva; Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A.; Zumbo, Bruno D.

2011-01-01

Drawing from an ecological assets framework as well as research and theory on positive youth development, this study examined the relationship of early adolescents' satisfaction with life to trait optimism and assets representing the social contexts in which early adolescents spend most of their time. Self-reports of satisfaction with life,…

Evaluation of whole mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research in early-life stage fathead minnows (poster)

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than mature, adult fish. Therefore, defining adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) relevant to early-life stages is critical for linking perturbations of key events during fish development to potential adverse outcomes of...

Evaluation of whole-mount in situ hybridization as a tool for pathway-based toxicological research with early-life stage fathead minnows

EPA Science Inventory

Early-life stage fish can be more sensitive to chemical exposure than adult fish. Therefore, determining possible adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for early-life stages is crucial. To determine chemical effects and/or mechanisms of action in exposed fish embryos and larvae, whole-...

Interplay between oxygen and Fe-S cluster biogenesis: insights from the Suf pathway.

PubMed

Boyd, Eric S; Thomas, Khaleh M; Dai, Yuyuan; Boyd, Jeff M; Outten, F Wayne

2014-09-23

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster metalloproteins conduct essential functions in nearly all contemporary forms of life. The nearly ubiquitous presence of Fe-S clusters and the fundamental requirement for Fe-S clusters in both aerobic and anaerobic Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya suggest that these clusters were likely integrated into central metabolic pathways early in the evolution of life prior to the widespread oxidation of Earth's atmosphere. Intriguingly, Fe-S cluster-dependent metabolism is sensitive to disruption by oxygen because of the decreased bioavailability of ferric iron as well as direct oxidation of sulfur trafficking intermediates and Fe-S clusters by reactive oxygen species. This fact, coupled with the ubiquity of Fe-S clusters in aerobic organisms, suggests that organisms evolved with mechanisms that facilitate the biogenesis and use of these essential cofactors in the presence of oxygen, which gradually began to accumulate around 2.5 billion years ago as oxygenic photosynthesis proliferated and reduced minerals that buffered against oxidation were depleted. This review highlights the most ancient of the Fe-S cluster biogenesis pathways, the Suf system, which likely was present in early anaerobic forms of life. Herein, we use the evolution of the Suf pathway to assess the relationships between the biochemical functions and physiological roles of Suf proteins, with an emphasis on the selective pressure of oxygen toxicity. Our analysis suggests that diversification into oxygen-containing environments disrupted iron and sulfur metabolism and was a main driving force in the acquisition of accessory Suf proteins (such as SufD, SufE, and SufS) by the core SufB-SufC scaffold complex. This analysis provides a new framework for the study of Fe-S cluster biogenesis pathways and Fe-S cluster-containing metalloenzymes and their complicated patterns of divergence in response to oxygen.

The impact of nausea and vomiting on women: a burden of early pregnancy.

PubMed

Smith, C; Crowther, C; Beilby, J; Dandeaux, J

2000-11-01

Nausea and vomiting are troublesome symptoms occurring in the first trimester of pregnancy. The aim of this study was to describe the impact these symptoms have on women in early pregnancy by interviewing, using a structured questionnaire, 593 pregnant women presenting with nausea and vomiting in the first trimester of pregnancy. The women were asked to complete the Rhodes index of nausea and vomiting and the MOS 36 Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Symptoms of nausea and vomiting started early in pregnancy. Nausea was the most troublesome symptom experienced by women, both in its duration and intensity. Low scores for the SF-36 were found for all items, particularly physical functioning, energy and social functioning. The women described substantial effects on working, household duties and parenting activities. Findings from this study suggest nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy has a profound impact on women's general sense of well-being and day to day life activities.

Early Mars was wet but not warm: Erosion, fluvial features, liquid water habitats, and life below freezing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, C. P.; Davis, W. L.

1993-01-01

There is considerable evidence that Mars had liquid water early in its history and possibly at recurrent interval. It has generally been assumed that this implied that the climate was warmer as a result of a thicker CO2 atmosphere than at the present. However, recent models suggest that Mars may have had a thick atmosphere but may not have experienced mean annual temperatures above freezing. In this paper we report on models of liquid water formation and maintenance under temperatures well below freezing. Our studies are based on work in the north and south polar regions of Earth. Our results suggest that early Mars did have a thick atmosphere but precipitation and hence erosion was rare. Transient liquid water, formed under temperature extremes and maintained under thick ice covers, could account for the observed fluvial features. The main difference between the present climate and the early climate was that the total surface pressure was well above the triple point of water.

Sex-specific impact of early-life adversity on chronic pain: a large population-based study in Japan.

PubMed

Yamada, Keiko; Matsudaira, Ko; Tanaka, Eizaburo; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Iso, Hiroyasu

2017-01-01

Responses to early-life adversity may differ by sex. We investigated the sex-specific impact of early-life adversity on chronic pain, chronic multisite pain, and somatizing tendency with chronic pain. We examined 4229 respondents aged 20-79 years who participated in the Pain Associated Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Survey in Japan. Outcomes were: 1) chronic pain prevalence, 2) multisite pain (≥3 sites) prevalence, and 3) multiple somatic symptoms (≥3 symptoms) among respondents with chronic pain related to the presence or absence of early-life adversity. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals using a logistic regression model including age, smoking status, exercise routine, sleep time, body mass index, household expenditure, and the full distribution of scores on the Mental Health Inventory-5. We further adjusted for pain intensity when we analyzed the data for respondents with chronic pain. The prevalence of chronic pain was higher among respondents reporting the presence of early-life adversity compared with those reporting its absence, with multivariable ORs of 1.62 (1.22-2.15, p <0.01) in men and 1.47 (1.13-1.90, p <0.01) in women. Among women with chronic pain, early-life adversity was associated with multisite pain and multiple somatic symptoms; multivariable ORs were 1.78 (1.22-2.60, p <0.01) for multisite pain and 1.89 (1.27-2.83, p <0.01) for ≥3 somatic symptoms. No associations were observed between early-life adversity and chronic multisite pain or multiple somatic symptoms among men with chronic pain. Early-life adversity may be linked to a higher prevalence of chronic pain among both sexes and to multisite pain and somatizing tendency among women with chronic pain.

Paradoxical Neurobehavioral Rescue by Memories of Early-Life Abuse: The Safety Signal Value of Odors Learned during Abusive Attachment

PubMed Central

Raineki, Charlis; Sarro, Emma; Rincón-Cortés, Millie; Perry, Rosemarie; Boggs, Joy; Holman, Colin J; Wilson, Donald A; Sullivan, Regina M

2015-01-01

Caregiver-associated cues, including those learned in abusive attachment, provide a sense of safety and security to the child. Here, we explore how cues associated with abusive attachment, such as maternal odor, can modify the enduring neurobehavioral effects of early-life abuse. Two early-life abuse models were used: a naturalistic paradigm, where rat pups were reared by an abusive mother; and a more controlled paradigm, where pups underwent peppermint odor-shock conditioning that produces an artificial maternal odor through engagement of the attachment circuit. Animals were tested for maternal odor preference in infancy, forced swim test (FST), social behavior, and sexual motivation in adulthood—in the presence or absence of maternal odors (natural or peppermint). Amygdala odor-evoked local field potentials (LFPs) via wireless electrodes were also examined in response to the maternal odors in adulthood. Both early-life abuse models induced preference for the maternal odors in infancy. In adulthood, these early-life abuse models produced FST deficits and decreased social behavior, but did not change sexual motivation. Presentation of the maternal odors rescued FST and social behavior deficits induced by early-life abuse and enhanced sexual motivation in all animals. In addition, amygdala LFPs from both abuse animal models showed unique activation within the gamma frequency (70–90 Hz) bands in response to the specific maternal odor present during early-life abuse. These results suggest that attachment-related cues learned during infancy have a profound ability to rescue neurobehavioral dysregulation caused by early-life abuse. Paradoxically, abuse-associated cues seem to acquire powerful and enduring antidepressive properties and alter amygdala modulation. PMID:25284320

Paradoxical neurobehavioral rescue by memories of early-life abuse: the safety signal value of odors learned during abusive attachment.

PubMed

Raineki, Charlis; Sarro, Emma; Rincón-Cortés, Millie; Perry, Rosemarie; Boggs, Joy; Holman, Colin J; Wilson, Donald A; Sullivan, Regina M

2015-03-01

Caregiver-associated cues, including those learned in abusive attachment, provide a sense of safety and security to the child. Here, we explore how cues associated with abusive attachment, such as maternal odor, can modify the enduring neurobehavioral effects of early-life abuse. Two early-life abuse models were used: a naturalistic paradigm, where rat pups were reared by an abusive mother; and a more controlled paradigm, where pups underwent peppermint odor-shock conditioning that produces an artificial maternal odor through engagement of the attachment circuit. Animals were tested for maternal odor preference in infancy, forced swim test (FST), social behavior, and sexual motivation in adulthood-in the presence or absence of maternal odors (natural or peppermint). Amygdala odor-evoked local field potentials (LFPs) via wireless electrodes were also examined in response to the maternal odors in adulthood. Both early-life abuse models induced preference for the maternal odors in infancy. In adulthood, these early-life abuse models produced FST deficits and decreased social behavior, but did not change sexual motivation. Presentation of the maternal odors rescued FST and social behavior deficits induced by early-life abuse and enhanced sexual motivation in all animals. In addition, amygdala LFPs from both abuse animal models showed unique activation within the gamma frequency (70-90 Hz) bands in response to the specific maternal odor present during early-life abuse. These results suggest that attachment-related cues learned during infancy have a profound ability to rescue neurobehavioral dysregulation caused by early-life abuse. Paradoxically, abuse-associated cues seem to acquire powerful and enduring antidepressive properties and alter amygdala modulation.

A history of early life parental loss or separation is associated with successful cognitive-behavioral therapy in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Niciu, Mark J; Abdallah, Chadi G; Fenton, Lisa R; Fasula, Madonna K; Black, Anne; Anderson, George M; Sanacora, Gerard

2015-11-15

There is a clinical need for evidence-based psychotherapy response biomarkers in major depressive disorder (MDD). Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that lower 24-h urinary cortisol levels and a history of early life stress/trauma would predict an improved antidepressant response to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). 50 currently depressed MDD subjects were enrolled. 24-h urine was collected and measured for cortisol levels by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Subjects were also administered early life stress/trauma measures at baseline: Global Perceived Early-Life Stress (GPELS), The Early Life Trauma Inventory (ELTI) and Klein Loss Scale (KLS). The efficacy of a twelve-week course of once-weekly CBT was evaluated by the primary outcome measure, the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS24), at baseline and every four weeks, and the Beck Depression Inventory at baseline and weekly thereafter. 42 subjects had at least one complete follow-up visit (≥4 weeks of CBT), and 30 subjects completed the full 12-week course. Baseline 24-h urinary cortisol levels did not correlate with CBT's antidepressant response. Higher KLS scores, a measure of early life parental loss or separation, correlated with delta HDRS24 (rs=-0.39, padjusted=0.05). Complementary general linear model analysis revealed enhanced CBT efficacy in patients with a history of early life parental loss or separation [F(1,35)=6.65, p=0.01]. Small sample size, Treatment-naïve population. Early life parental separation or loss positively correlated with CBT's antidepressant efficacy in our sample and may warrant further study in larger clinical samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From inanimate matter to living systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.

1981-01-01

Current understandings of the origin and evolution of life on earth from inaminate matter are reviewed. Approaches to the study of early life and its origin are considered, and it is noted that whereas the inference of origins from knowledge at hand is the approach favored by most theoreticians, only the laboratory simulation of the assembly of precellular polymers to protocells under geologically relevant conditions is capable of indicating the way in which life began. Progress in simulating the step-by-step emergence of a protocell composed of ordered macromolecules and having numerous protobiological activities through stages characterized by primordial matter, amino acids, proteinoids, protocells, light-active protocells and nucleic-acid instructed cells is discussed, with particular emphasis on experiments with proteinoid microspheres formed from self-ordered copolyamino acids. The subsequent development of ordered, protometabolic, infrastructured protoreproductive protocells is examined noting the importance of the formation of lysine-rich proteinoids with catalytic activities. Attention is also given to questions of the point of the actual emergence of life and scientific and creationist objections to the theory developed.

Stone-Ice Bodies as Possible Incubators of a Primary Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Busarev, V. V.

2014-10-01

Widespread in the interstellar medium three-atomic molecules of HCN and H2O and derivative formamid (NH2COH) are the basis for the origin of life. It is shown that irradiation of formamid by protons in the presence of terrestrial mineral and meteoritic catalysts in conditions compatible with terrestrial leads to simultaneous synthesis of a wide range of compounds (amino acids, heterocycles, alcohols, amides, sugars, etc.) having potential to develop as genetics (based on RNA and DNA), and metabolism underlying terrestrial life forms [1, 2]. However, the intended path of extraterrestrial origin of life in the open interstellar medium could not reach its logical end. The subsequent stages of the assumed biological synthesis needed protection from the harsh cosmic factors and presence of liquid water, catalysts, etc. (e.g., [3]). Such conditions could be realized only on planetary bodies and/or in their interiors. On the basis of observations and calculations, the author sug! gested that the objects were in the early Solar system. Such could be stone-ice bodies.

Seeding life on the moons of the outer planets via lithopanspermia.

PubMed

Worth, R J; Sigurdsson, Steinn; House, Christopher H

2013-12-01

Material from the surface of a planet can be ejected into space by a large impact and could carry primitive life-forms with it. We performed n-body simulations of such ejecta to determine where in the Solar System rock from Earth and Mars may end up. We found that, in addition to frequent transfer of material among the terrestrial planets, transfer of material from Earth and Mars to the moons of Jupiter and Saturn is also possible, but rare. We expect that such transfers were most likely to occur during the Late Heavy Bombardment or during the ensuing 1-2 billion years. At this time, the icy moons were warmer and likely had little or no ice shell to prevent meteorites from reaching their liquid interiors. We also note significant rates of re-impact in the first million years after ejection. This could re-seed life on a planet after partial or complete sterilization by a large impact, which would aid the survival of early life during the Late Heavy Bombardment.

Early-late life trade-offs and the evolution of ageing in the wild.

PubMed

Lemaître, Jean-François; Berger, Vérane; Bonenfant, Christophe; Douhard, Mathieu; Gamelon, Marlène; Plard, Floriane; Gaillard, Jean-Michel

2015-05-07

Empirical evidence for declines in fitness components (survival and reproductive performance) with age has recently accumulated in wild populations, highlighting that the process of senescence is nearly ubiquitous in the living world. Senescence patterns are highly variable among species and current evolutionary theories of ageing propose that such variation can be accounted for by differences in allocation to growth and reproduction during early life. Here, we compiled 26 studies of free-ranging vertebrate populations that explicitly tested for a trade-off between performance in early and late life. Our review brings overall support for the presence of early-late life trade-offs, suggesting that the limitation of available resources leads individuals to trade somatic maintenance later in life for high allocation to reproduction early in life. We discuss our results in the light of two closely related theories of ageing-the disposable soma and the antagonistic pleiotropy theories-and propose that the principle of energy allocation roots the ageing process in the evolution of life-history strategies. Finally, we outline research topics that should be investigated in future studies, including the importance of natal environmental conditions in the study of trade-offs between early- and late-life performance and the evolution of sex-differences in ageing patterns. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The OBELIX project: early life exposure to endocrine disruptors and obesity.

PubMed

Legler, Juliette; Hamers, Timo; van Eck van der Sluijs-van de Bor, Margot; Schoeters, Greet; van der Ven, Leo; Eggesbo, Merete; Koppe, Janna; Feinberg, Max; Trnovec, Tomas

2011-12-01

The hypothesis of whether early life exposure (both pre- and early postnatal) to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may be a risk factor for obesity and related metabolic diseases later in life will be tested in the European research project OBELIX (OBesogenic Endocrine disrupting chemicals: LInking prenatal eXposure to the development of obesity later in life). OBELIX is a 4-y project that started in May 2009 and which has the following 5 main objectives: 1) to assess early life exposure in humans to major classes of EDCs identified as potential inducers of obesity (ie, dioxin-like compounds, non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants, phthalates, and perfluorinated compounds) by using mother-child cohorts from 4 European regions with different food-contaminant exposure patterns; 2) to relate early life exposure to EDCs with clinical markers, novel biomarkers, and health-effect data related to obesity; 3) to perform hazard characterization of early life exposure to EDCs for the development of obesity later in life by using a mouse model; 4) to determine mechanisms of action of obesogenic EDCs on developmental programming with in vivo and in vitro genomics and epigenetic analyses; and 5) to perform risk assessments of prenatal exposure to obesogenic EDCs in food by integrating maternal exposure through food-contaminant exposure and health-effect data in children and hazard data in animal studies.

The positive and negative consequences of stressors during early life.

PubMed

Monaghan, Pat; Haussmann, Mark F

2015-11-01

We discuss the long-term effects of stress exposure in pre- and early postnal life. We present an evolutionary framework within which such effects can be viewed, and describe how the outcomes might vary with species life histories. We focus on stressors that induce increases in glucocorticoid hormones and discuss the advantages of an experimental approach. We describe a number of studies demonstrating how exposure to these hormones in early life can influence stress responsiveness and have substantial long-term, negative consequences for adult longevity. We also describe how early life exposure to mild levels of stressors can have beneficial effects on resilience to stress in later life, and discuss how the balance of costs and benefits is likely dependent on the nature of the adult environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence of an IFN-γ by early life stress interaction in the regulation of amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli.

PubMed

Redlich, Ronny; Stacey, David; Opel, Nils; Grotegerd, Dominik; Dohm, Katharina; Kugel, Harald; Heindel, Walter; Arolt, Volker; Baune, Bernhard T; Dannlowski, Udo

2015-12-01

Since numerous studies have found that exposure to early life stress leads to increased peripheral inflammation and psychiatric disease, it is thought that peripheral immune activation precedes and possibly mediates the onset of stress-associated psychiatric disease. Despite early studies, IFNγ has received little attention relative to other inflammatory cytokines in the context of the pathophysiology of affective disorders. Neuroimaging endophenotypes have emerged recently as a promising means of elucidating these types of complex relationships including the modeling of the interaction between environmental factors and genetic predisposition. Here we investigate the GxE relationship between early-life stress and genetic variants of IFNγ on emotion processing. To investigate the impact of the relationship between genetic variants of IFNγ (rs1861494, rs2069718, rs2430561) and early life stress on emotion processing, a sample of healthy adults (n=409) undergoing an emotional faces paradigm in an fMRI study were genotyped and analysed. Information on early life stress was obtained via Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). A positive association between early life stress and amygdala reactivity was found. Specifically, the main effect of genotype of rs1861494 on amygdala reactivity indicates a higher neural response in C allele carriers compared to T homozygotes, while we did not find main effects of rs2069718 and rs2430561. Importantly, interaction analyses revealed a specific interaction between IFNγ genotype (rs1861494) and early life stress affecting amygdala reactivity to emotional faces, resulting from a positive association between CTQ scores and amygdala reactivity in C allele carriers while this association was absent in T homozygotes. Our findings indicate that firstly the genetic variant of IFNγ (rs1861494) is involved with the regulation of amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli and secondly, that this genetic variant moderates effects of early life stress on emotion processing. These findings reiterate the importance that inflammatory genes play in the interaction with early life stress and the regulation of emotion processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forms of vitality play in infancy.

PubMed

Español, Silvia; Martínez, Mauricio; Bordoni, Mariana; Camarasa, Rosario; Carretero, Soledad

2014-12-01

In this paper we report a qualitative study based on the constant comparative method to initiate the systematic study of forms of vitality play. This is an unnoticed non-figurative play frame linked to early social play and temporal arts in which child and adult elaborate the dynamics of their own movements and sounds in a repetition-variation form. In the introduction we present the theoretical underpinnings and the sporadic observations we have done in previous studies. Then, by the iterative observations of the recorded material of a longitudinal case study on play during the third year of life, we generated the general category of forms of vitality play and four subcategories of display modes of forms of vitality play (improvised forms of vitality play, ritualized forms of vitality play, forms of vitality play combined with pretend play, and forms of vitality play combined with role playing) which are illustrated with descriptive narratives. We discuss the properties of the developed categories, the limits of the present study, and the need to continue systematizing the research on this playful activity.

Early life stress confers lifelong stress susceptibility in mice via ventral tegmental area OTX2.

PubMed

Peña, Catherine J; Kronman, Hope G; Walker, Deena M; Cates, Hannah M; Bagot, Rosemary C; Purushothaman, Immanuel; Issler, Orna; Loh, Yong-Hwee Eddie; Leong, Tin; Kiraly, Drew D; Goodman, Emma; Neve, Rachael L; Shen, Li; Nestler, Eric J

2017-06-16

Early life stress increases risk for depression. Here we establish a "two-hit" stress model in mice wherein stress at a specific postnatal period increases susceptibility to adult social defeat stress and causes long-lasting transcriptional alterations that prime the ventral tegmental area (VTA)-a brain reward region-to be in a depression-like state. We identify a role for the developmental transcription factor orthodenticle homeobox 2 ( Otx2 ) as an upstream mediator of these enduring effects. Transient juvenile-but not adult-knockdown of Otx2 in VTA mimics early life stress by increasing stress susceptibility, whereas its overexpression reverses the effects of early life stress. This work establishes a mechanism by which early life stress encodes lifelong susceptibility to stress via long-lasting transcriptional programming in VTA mediated by Otx2 . Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity of the trapezius muscle.

PubMed

Luijcks, Rosan; Vossen, Catherine J; Roggeveen, Suzanne; van Os, Jim; Hermens, Hermie J; Lousberg, Richel

2016-09-01

Human and animal research indicates that exposure to early life adversity increases stress sensitivity later in life. While behavioral markers of adversity-induced stress sensitivity have been suggested, physiological markers remain to be elucidated. It is known that trapezius muscle activity increases during stressful situations. The present study examined to what degree early life adverse events experienced during early childhood (0-11 years) and adolescence (12-17 years) moderate experimentally induced electromyographic (EMG) stress activity of the trapezius muscles, in an experimental setting. In a general population sample (n = 115), an anticipatory stress effect was generated by presenting a single unpredictable and uncontrollable electrical painful stimulus at t = 3 minutes. Subjects were unaware of the precise moment of stimulus delivery and its intensity level. Linear and nonlinear time courses in EMG activity were modeled using multilevel analysis. The study protocol included 2 experimental sessions (t = 0 and t = 6 months) allowing for examination of reliability.Results show that EMG stress reactivity during the stress paradigm was consistently stronger in people with higher levels of early life adverse events; early childhood adversity had a stronger moderating effect than adolescent adversity. The impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity may represent a reliable facet that can be used in both clinical and nonclinical studies.

Early life adversity and telomere length: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ridout, K K; Levandowski, M; Ridout, S J; Gantz, L; Goonan, K; Palermo, D; Price, L H; Tyrka, A R

2018-04-01

Early adversity, in the form of abuse, neglect, socioeconomic status and other adverse experiences, is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. To understand the biologic mechanisms underlying these associations, studies have evaluated the relationship between early adversity and telomere length, a marker of cellular senescence. Such results have varied in regard to the size and significance of this relationship. Using meta-analytic techniques, we aimed to clarify the relationship between early adversity and telomere length while exploring factors affecting the association, including adversity type, timing and study design. A comprehensive search in July 2016 of PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science identified 2462 studies. Multiple reviewers appraised studies for inclusion or exclusion using a priori criteria; 3.9% met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured form; the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed study quality, validity and bias. Forty-one studies (N=30 773) met inclusion criteria. Early adversity and telomere length were significantly associated (Cohen's d effect size=-0.35; 95% CI, -0.46 to -0.24; P<0.0001). Sensitivity analyses revealed no outlier effects. Adversity type and timing significantly impacted the association with telomere length (P<0.0001 and P=0.0025, respectively). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that medication use, medical or psychiatric conditions, case-control vs longitudinal study design, methodological factors, age and smoking significantly affected the relationship. Comprehensive evaluations of adversity demonstrated more extensive telomere length changes. These results suggest that early adversity may have long-lasting physiological consequences contributing to disease risk and biological aging.

Evidence for reactive reduced phosphorus species in the early Archean ocean

PubMed Central

Pasek, Matthew A.; Harnmeijer, Jelte P.; Buick, Roger; Gull, Maheen; Atlas, Zachary

2013-01-01

It has been hypothesized that before the emergence of modern DNA–RNA–protein life, biology evolved from an “RNA world.” However, synthesizing RNA and other organophosphates under plausible early Earth conditions has proved difficult, with the incorporation of phosphorus (P) causing a particular problem because phosphate, where most environmental P resides, is relatively insoluble and unreactive. Recently, it has been proposed that during the Hadean–Archean heavy bombardment by extraterrestrial impactors, meteorites would have provided reactive P in the form of the iron–nickel phosphide mineral schreibersite. This reacts in water, releasing soluble and reactive reduced P species, such as phosphite, that could then be readily incorporated into prebiotic molecules. Here, we report the occurrence of phosphite in early Archean marine carbonates at levels indicating that this was an abundant dissolved species in the ocean before 3.5 Ga. Additionally, we show that schreibersite readily reacts with an aqueous solution of glycerol to generate phosphite and the membrane biomolecule glycerol–phosphate under mild thermal conditions, with this synthesis using a mineral source of P. Phosphite derived from schreibersite was, hence, a plausible reagent in the prebiotic synthesis of phosphorylated biomolecules and was also present on the early Earth in quantities large enough to have affected the redox state of P in the ocean. Phosphorylated biomolecules like RNA may, thus, have first formed from the reaction of reduced P species with the prebiotic organic milieu on the early Earth. PMID:23733935

Inequality in oral health related to early and later life social conditions: a study of elderly in Norway and Sweden.

PubMed

Gülcan, Ferda; Ekbäck, Gunnar; Ordell, Sven; Lie, Stein Atle; Åstrøm, Anne Nordrehaug

2015-02-10

A life course perspective recognizes influences of socially patterned exposures on oral health across the life span. This study assessed the influence of early and later life social conditions on tooth loss and oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP) of people aged 65 and 70 years. Whether social inequalities in oral health changed after the usual age of retirement was also examined. In accordance with "the latent effect life course model", it was hypothesized that adverse early-life social conditions increase the risk of subsequent tooth loss and impaired OIDP, independent of later-life social conditions. Data were obtained from two cohorts studies conducted in Sweden and Norway. The 2007 and 2012 waves of the surveys were used for the present study. Early-life social conditions were measured in terms of gender, education and country of birth, and later-life social conditions were assessed by working status, marital status and size of social network. Logistic regression and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to analyse the data. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was used to adjust estimates for missing responses and loss to follow-up. Early-life social conditions contributed to tooth loss and OIDP in each survey year and both countries independent of later-life social conditions. Lower education correlated positively with tooth loss, but did not influence OIDP. Foreign country of birth correlated positively with oral impacts in Sweden only. Later-life social conditions were the strongest predictors of tooth loss and OIDP across survey years and countries. GEE revealed significant interactions between social network and survey year, and between marital status and survey year on tooth loss. The results confirmed the latent effect life course model in that early and later life social conditions had independent effects on tooth loss and OIDP among the elderly in Norway and Sweden. Between age 65 and 70, inequalities in tooth loss related to marital status declined, and inequalities related to social network increased.

Time course for memory dysfunction in early-life and late-life major depression: a longitudinal study from the Juntendo University Mood Disorder Project.

PubMed

Maeshima, Hitoshi; Baba, Hajime; Nakano, Yoshiyuki; Satomura, Emi; Namekawa, Yuki; Takebayashi, Naoko; Nomoto, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Toshihito; Mimura, Masaru; Arai, Heii

2013-10-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that patients with depression also have memory dysfunctions during depressive episodes. These dysfunctions partially remain immediately after remission from a depressive state; however, it is unclear whether these residual memory dysfunctions may disappear through long-term remission from depression. The present study compared patients during early-life (age<60) and late-life (age ≥ 60) depression while in their remitted stage with healthy controls to elucidate the impact of a long-term course on memory. Logical memory from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised was administered to 67 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) (47 patients with early-life depression and residual 20 patients with late-life depression) and 50 healthy controls. MDD patients received memory assessments at the time of their initial remission and at a follow-up three years after remission. At the time of initial remission, scores for logical memory were significantly lower in both patient groups compared to matched controls. At follow-up, memory dysfunction for early-life MDD patients disappeared, whereas scores in the late-life MDD group remained significantly lower than those of matched controls. All patients in the present study were on antidepressant medications. Our findings suggested that the progress of memory performance in late-life MDD patients may be different from early-life MDD patients. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

African ancestry, early life exposures, and respiratory morbidity in early childhood.

PubMed

Kumar, R; Tsai, H-J; Hong, X; Gignoux, C; Pearson, C; Ortiz, K; Fu, M; Pongracic, J A; Burchard, E G; Bauchner, H; Wang, X

2012-02-01

Racial disparities persist in early childhood wheezing and cannot be completely explained by known risk factors. To evaluate the associations of genetic ancestry and self-identified race with early childhood recurrent wheezing, accounting for socio-economic status (SES) and early life exposures. We studied 1034 children in an urban, multi-racial, prospective birth cohort. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of genetic ancestry as opposed to self-identified race with recurrent wheezing (>3 episodes). Sequential models accounted for demographic, socio-economic factors and early life risk factors. Genetic ancestry, estimated using 150 ancestry informative markers, was expressed in deciles. Approximately 6.1% of subjects (mean age 3.1 years) experienced recurrent wheezing. After accounting for SES and demographic factors, African ancestry (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02-1.31) was significantly associated with recurrent wheezing. By self-reported race, hispanic subjects had a borderline decrease in risk of wheeze compared with African Americans (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.19-1.00), whereas white subjects (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.14-1.57) did not have. After further adjustment for known confounders and early life exposures, both African (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05-1.34) and European ancestry (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.94) retained a significant association with recurrent wheezing, as compared with self-identified race (OR(whites) : 0.31, 95% CI: 0.09-1.14; OR(hispanic) : 0.47, 95% CI: 0.20-1.08). There were no significant interactions between ancestry and early life factors on recurrent wheezing. In contrast to self-identified race, African ancestry remained a significant, independent predictor of early childhood wheezing after accounting for early life and other known risk factors associated with lung function changes and asthma. Genetic ancestry may be a powerful way to evaluate wheezing disparities and a proxy for differentially distributed genetic and early life risk factors associated with childhood recurrent wheezing. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

ABOUT EXOBIOLOGY: THE CASE FOR DWARF K STARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cuntz, M.; Guinan, E. F., E-mail: cuntz@uta.edu, E-mail: edward.guinan@villanova.edu

2016-08-10

One of the most fundamental topics of exobiology concerns the identification of stars with environments consistent with life. Although it is believed that most types of main-sequence stars might be able to support life, particularly extremophiles, special requirements appear to be necessary for the development and sustainability of advanced life forms. From our study, orange main-sequence stars, ranging from spectral type late-G to mid-K (with a maximum at early K), are most promising. Our analysis considers a variety of aspects, including (1) the frequency of the various types of stars, (2) the speed of stellar evolution in their lifetimes, (3)more » the size of the stellar climatological habitable zones (CLI-HZs), (4) the strengths and persistence of their magnetic-dynamo-generated X-ray–UV emissions, and (5) the frequency and severity of flares, including superflares; both (4) and (5) greatly reduce the suitability of red dwarfs to host life-bearing planets. The various phenomena show pronounced dependencies on the stellar key parameters such as effective temperature and mass, permitting the assessment of the astrobiological significance of various types of stars. Thus, we developed a “Habitable-Planetary-Real-Estate Parameter” (HabPREP) that provides a measure for stars that are most suitable for planets with life. Early K stars are found to have the highest HabPREP values, indicating that they may be “Goldilocks” stars for life-hosting planets. Red dwarfs are numerous, with long lifetimes, but their narrow CLI-HZs and hazards from magnetic activity make them less suitable for hosting exolife. Moreover, we provide X-ray–far-UV irradiances for G0 V–M5 V stars over a wide range of ages.« less

Metabolism, body size and life span: a case study in evolutionarily divergent populations of the garter snake (Thamnophis elegans).

PubMed

Bronikowski, Anne; Vleck, David

2010-11-01

We present a case study of metabolism, life history and aging in the western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans). Early research in the field supported the rate-of-living hypothesis as an explanation of aging, which was based on an apparent negative relationship between mass-specific metabolic rate and lifespan in endotherms. This hypothesis in its original form has not withstood additional tests and comparisons between the two main lineages of endotherms-birds and mammals, but there is still much to be discovered of the causative links among rate of oxygen consumption, physiology and life history, particularly in ectothermic reptiles. We present data that show adult short-lived snakes, from naturally occurring ecotypes of garter snakes, have higher mass-specific resting metabolic rates at any given body mass (metabolic intensity) across a series of normal activity temperatures (15-32°C). The short-lived ecotype in this geographic region reaches a larger body size, and has life-history traits that place it at the fast end of a pace-of-life continuum (fast growth, early maturation, high reproductive output) relative to individuals of the small-bodied long-lived ecotype. The difference between ecotypes in metabolic intensity, even after acclimation to identical conditions, may reflect evolutionary divergence and genetic differences between ecotypes. The difference in metabolic intensity is not, however, present at birth, so an alternative is that developmental environment may permanently influence metabolic rate and life history. Such developmental canalization could lead to altered gene expression via environmental influences on the epigenome and result in altered metabolic trajectories in the snakes' natural habitats.

The use of health related quality of life data to produce information sheets for patients with head and neck cancer.

PubMed

Rogers, S N; Hogg, E S; Cheung, W K A; Lai, L K L; Jassal, P; Lowe, D

2015-07-01

Health related quality of life information gives patients and carers an indication of how they will be affected following treatment. Such knowledge can promote realistic expectations and help patients come to terms with their outcome. The aim of this paper is to describe the background development of patient information sheets produced at our unit. The data were compiled using a common head and neck cancer specific quality of life questionnaire (University of Washington Quality of Life [UW-QOL]). There are 12 domains comprising activity, appearance, anxiety, chewing, mood, pain, recreation, saliva, shoulder, speech, swallowing and taste. The data were collected over 19 years at our unit and focus on follow-up records at around 2 years as this gives a good indication of health related quality of life in survivorship. UW-QOL questionnaires were available from 1,511 patients treated following primary diagnosis of head and neck cancer, and there were 24 subgroups based on cancer site, stage and treatment. There were 2 other subgroups: 132 having transoral laser resection and 176 having laryngectomy. The patient and carer research forum helped to design the information sheets, which display overall quality of life, percentages with 'good' outcome and 'significant problem' by domain, and the most important domains. Three examples are included in this paper: early stage oral cancer treated by surgery alone, early laryngeal cancer treated by surgery alone, and late stage oropharyngeal cancer treated by surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. All 26 subgroup information sheets are available in booklet form and on the internet. How the surgical community best utilises this type of resource needs further research.

About Exobiology: The Case for Dwarf K Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuntz, M.; Guinan, E. F.

2016-08-01

One of the most fundamental topics of exobiology concerns the identification of stars with environments consistent with life. Although it is believed that most types of main-sequence stars might be able to support life, particularly extremophiles, special requirements appear to be necessary for the development and sustainability of advanced life forms. From our study, orange main-sequence stars, ranging from spectral type late-G to mid-K (with a maximum at early K), are most promising. Our analysis considers a variety of aspects, including (1) the frequency of the various types of stars, (2) the speed of stellar evolution in their lifetimes, (3) the size of the stellar climatological habitable zones (CLI-HZs), (4) the strengths and persistence of their magnetic-dynamo-generated X-ray-UV emissions, and (5) the frequency and severity of flares, including superflares; both (4) and (5) greatly reduce the suitability of red dwarfs to host life-bearing planets. The various phenomena show pronounced dependencies on the stellar key parameters such as effective temperature and mass, permitting the assessment of the astrobiological significance of various types of stars. Thus, we developed a “Habitable-Planetary-Real-Estate Parameter” (HabPREP) that provides a measure for stars that are most suitable for planets with life. Early K stars are found to have the highest HabPREP values, indicating that they may be “Goldilocks” stars for life-hosting planets. Red dwarfs are numerous, with long lifetimes, but their narrow CLI-HZs and hazards from magnetic activity make them less suitable for hosting exolife. Moreover, we provide X-ray-far-UV irradiances for G0 V-M5 V stars over a wide range of ages.

Early childhood caries update: A review of causes, diagnoses, and treatments

PubMed Central

Çolak, Hakan; Dülgergil, Çoruh T.; Dalli, Mehmet; Hamidi, Mehmet Mustafa

2013-01-01

Dental caries (decay) is an international public health challenge, especially amongst young children. Early childhood caries (ECC) is a serious public health problem in both developing and industrialized countries. ECC can begin early in life, progresses rapidly in those who are at high risk, and often goes untreated. Its consequences can affect the immediate and long-term quality of life of the child's family and can have significant social and economic consequences beyond the immediate family as well. ECC can be a particularly virulent form of caries, beginning soon after dental eruption, developing on smooth surfaces, progressing rapidly, and having a lasting detrimental impact on the dentition. Children experiencing caries as infants or toddlers have a much greater probability of subsequent caries in both the primary and permanent dentitions. The relationship between breastfeeding and ECC is likely to be complex and confounded by many biological variables, such as mutans streptococci, enamel hypoplasia, intake of sugars, as well as social variables, such as parental education and socioeconomic status, which may affect oral health. Unlike other infectious diseases, tooth decay is not self-limiting. Decayed teeth require professional treatment to remove infection and restore tooth function. In this review, we give detailed information about ECC, from its diagnosis to management. PMID:23633832

Influence of the Casserius Tables on fetal anatomy illustration and how we envision the unborn*

PubMed Central

Heilemann, Heidi A

2011-01-01

Objective: The paper demonstrates how visual representation of the fetus in early anatomy texts influenced the reader's perception of the unborn child as an autonomous being. Data Sources: The health, art, and history literatures were used as sources. Original texts and illustrations, with particular attention paid to the Casserius Tables, published by Andreas Spigelius in 1627, are discussed. Study Selection: A review of the literature was conducted to identify and analyze published renderings, reproductions, and discussion of images of the unborn child. Original anatomy atlases were consulted. Main Results: Artists' renderings of a particularly vulnerable state of human life influenced early perceptions of the status of the unborn child. The images show fetuses as highly independent, providing a visual cue that life is fully formed in utero. Conclusion: The legacy of the Casserius Tables is that they are still able to capture our attention because they portray the idea of a fetus and newborn even more clearly than our modern representations of this charged topic. The use of deceptive realism provides the viewer with an accessible visual representation of the unborn child. These early anatomy illustrations continue to influence modern-day perception of the unborn child as a separate being, completely autonomous from the mother. PMID:21243052

Evaluation of Quality of Life, Functioning, Disability, and Work/School Productivity Following Treatment with an Extended-Release Hydrocodone Tablet Formulated with Abuse-Deterrence Technology: A 12-month Open-label Study in Patients with Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Hale, Martin E; Zimmerman, Thomas R; Ma, Yuju; Malamut, Richard

2017-02-01

This phase 3 study evaluated quality of life, functioning, and productivity after treatment with extended-release (ER) hydrocodone formulated with CIMA ® Abuse-Deterrence Technology platform. Patients with chronic pain were rolled over from a 12-week placebo-controlled hydrocodone ER study or were newly enrolled. Hydrocodone ER doses were titrated (15 to 90 mg every 12 hours) to an analgesic dose, and patients received up to 52 weeks of open-label treatment. Assessments included Clinician Assessment of Patient Function (CAPF), Patient Assessment of Function (PAF), Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF), 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), and World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire-Short Form (HPQ-SF). Of 330 enrolled patients, 291 composed the full analysis population. By week 4, ≥ 50% of patients showed improvement from baseline in all 5 CAPF domains (general activities, walking, work/daily living, relationships, and enjoyment of life) and 6 of 7 PAF domains (work attendance, work performance, walking, exercise, socializing, and enjoying life). Mean decreases from baseline of 2 to 3 points were noted for BPI-SF pain interference questions from week 4 through endpoint. Mean improvements from baseline to endpoint in SF-36 subscales ranged from 3.3 to 22.3, and SDS scores improved from moderate (4.8 to 5.1) to mild (2.5 to 2.8) disruptions in work/school, social life, and family life. At endpoint, mean HPQ-SF absolute absenteeism scores decreased from 13.6 to 10.0 hours lost/month and absolute presenteeism scores improved from 67.0 to 77.1. Patients receiving hydrocodone ER showed early numeric improvements in functioning that continued throughout this 12-month study. © 2016 World Institute of Pain.

Understanding Treatment Burden and Quality of Life Impact of Participating in an Early-Phase Pediatric Oncology Clinical Trial: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Crane, Stacey; Backus, Lori; Stockman, Beth; Carpenter, Janet S; Lin, Li; Haase, Joan

Early-phase clinical trials (EPTs) have led to new, more effective treatment options for children with cancer. Despite the extensive use of EPTs in pediatric oncology, little is known about parent and child experiences during EPT participation. The purposes of this pilot study were to assess the feasibility and preliminary results of having children with cancer and their parents complete measures of treatment burden and quality of life (QOL) concurrent with EPT participation. In this descriptive, longitudinal, pilot study, parents and children were followed for the first 60 days of an EPT. Feasibility was assessed by participant enrollment and retention and completion of measures. Measures completed included the following: demographic form (completed at baseline); Diary of Trial Experiences to capture treatment burden (completed ongoing); and PedsQL™ Quality of Life Inventories, Cancer Modules, and Family Impact Module (completed at baseline, post-first disease evaluation, and off-study). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Feasibility goals of enrollment, retention, and measure completion were partially met. Preliminary treatment burden and QOL results are provided. While QOL assessments may provide insight into EPT experiences, future studies need to be conducted at multiple sites and enrollment goals must account for participant attrition.

Understanding Treatment Burden and Quality of Life Impact of Participating in an Early Phase Pediatric Oncology Clinical Trial: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

BACKUS, LORI; STOCKMAN, BETH; CARPENTER, JANET S.; LIN, LI; HAASE, JOAN

2017-01-01

Purpose Early phase clinical trials (EPTs) have led to new, more effective treatment options for children with cancer. Despite the extensive use of EPTs in pediatric oncology, little is known about parent and child experiences during EPT participation. The purposes of this pilot study were to assess the feasibility and preliminary results of having children with cancer and their parents complete measures of treatment burden and quality of life (QOL) concurrent with EPT participation. Methods In this descriptive, longitudinal, pilot study, parents and children were followed for the first 60 days of an EPT. Feasibility was assessed by participant enrollment and retention, and completion of measures. Measures completed included: Demographic form (completed at baseline); Diary of Trial Experiences to capture treatment burden (completed ongoing); and PedsQL™ Quality of Life Inventories, Cancer Modules, and Family Impact Module (completed at baseline, post-first disease evaluation, and off-study). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Feasibility goals of enrollment, retention, and measure completion were partially met. Preliminary treatment burden and QOL results are provided. Conclusions While QOL assessments may provide insight into EPT experiences, future studies need to be conducted at multiple sites and enrollment goals must account for participant attrition. PMID:28849701

Identification of early childhood caries in primary care settings.

PubMed

Nicolae, Alexandra; Levin, Leo; Wong, Peter D; Dave, Malini G; Taras, Jillian; Mistry, Chetna; Ford-Jones, Elizabeth L; Wong, Michele; Schroth, Robert J

2018-04-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is the most common chronic disease affecting young children in Canada. ECC may lead to pain and infection, compromised general health, decreased quality of life and increased risk for dental caries in primary and permanent teeth. A multidisciplinary approach to prevent and identify dental disease is recommended by dental and medical national organizations. Young children visit primary care providers at regular intervals from an early age. These encounters provide an ideal opportunity for primary care providers to educate clients about their children's oral health and its importance for general health. We designed an office-based oral health screening guide to help primary care providers identify ECC, a dental referral form to facilitate dental care access and an oral health education resource to raise parental awareness. These resources were reviewed and trialled with a small number of primary care providers.

Infantile Amnesia: A Critical Period of Learning to Learn and Remember

PubMed Central

Travaglia, Alessio

2017-01-01

Infantile amnesia, the inability of adults to recollect early episodic memories, is associated with the rapid forgetting that occurs in childhood. It has been suggested that infantile amnesia is due to the underdevelopment of the infant brain, which would preclude memory consolidation, or to deficits in memory retrieval. Although early memories are inaccessible to adults, early-life events, such as neglect or aversive experiences, can greatly impact adult behavior and may predispose individuals to various psychopathologies. It remains unclear how a brain that rapidly forgets, or is not yet able to form long-term memories, can exert such a long-lasting and important influence. Here, with a particular focus on the hippocampal memory system, we review the literature and discuss new evidence obtained in rats that illuminates the paradox of infantile amnesia. We propose that infantile amnesia reflects a developmental critical period during which the learning system is learning how to learn and remember. PMID:28615475

Hydrothermal Origin for Carbonate Globules in Martian Meteorite ALH84001: A Terrestrial Analogue from Spitsbergen (Norway)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Treiman, Allan H.; Amundsen, Hans E. F.; Blake, David F.; Bunch, Ted

2002-01-01

Carbonate minerals in the ancient Martian meteorite ALH84001 are the only known solid phases that bear witness to the processing of volatile and biologically critical compounds (CO2, H2O) on early Mars. Similar carbonates have been found in xenoliths and their host basalts from Quaternary volcanic centers in northern Spitsbergen (Norway). These carbonates were deposited by hot (i.e., hydrothermal) waters associated with the volcanic activity. By analogy with the Spitsbergen carbonates, the ALH84001 carbonates were probably also deposited by hot water. Hydrothermal activity was probably common and widespread on Early Mars, which featured abundant basaltic rocks, water as ice or liquid, and heat from volcanos and asteroid impacts. On Earth, descendants of the earliest life forms still prefer hydrothermal environments, which are now shown to have been present on early Mars.

Low-Fe(III) Greenalite Was a Primary Mineral From Neoarchean Oceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Jena E.; Muhling, Janet R.; Cosmidis, Julie; Rasmussen, Birger; Templeton, Alexis S.

2018-04-01

Banded iron formations (BIFs) represent chemical precipitation from Earth's early oceans and therefore contain insights into ancient marine biogeochemistry. However, BIFs have undergone multiple episodes of alteration, making it difficult to assess the primary mineral assemblage. Nanoscale mineral inclusions from 2.5 billion year old BIFs and ferruginous cherts provide new evidence that iron silicates were primary minerals deposited from the Neoarchean ocean, contrasting sharply with current models for BIF inception. Here we used multiscale imaging and spectroscopic techniques to characterize the best preserved examples of these inclusions. Our integrated results demonstrate that these early minerals were low-Fe(III) greenalite. We present potential pathways in which low-Fe(III) greenalite could have formed through changes in saturation state and/or iron oxidation and reduction. Future constraints for ancient ocean chemistry and early life's activities should include low-Fe(III) greenalite as a primary mineral in the Neoarchean ocean.

[Anxiety-phobic disorders in the early childhood stage].

PubMed

Volkova, O M; Kozlovskaia, G V; Proselkova, M O

2012-01-01

The complex of such phenomena as anxiety and fear in children of the early age and their relationship with risk factors for psychic pathology were investigated. Eighty cases of anxiety-phobic disorders in children of the first five years of life were studied. The types of behavioral and somatic reactions that allowed to reveal not only the clinically expressed phenomena of anxiety and fear but the higher readiness to them were described. The first anxiety-phobic reactions appeared at the age when emotional functions were not completely formed and might be considered as the presentations of emotional dysontogenesis. The authors assume that characteristics of fear expression in the early age allow to suspect a mental disease which might be timely diagnosed in case of its manifestation. The conclusions made in the paper may be useful for clinical practice of pediatricians, children neurologists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

The Role of Relevancy and Social Suffering in “Generativity” Among Older Post-Soviet Women Immigrants

PubMed Central

de Medeiros, Kate; Rubinstein, Robert; Ermoshkina, Polina

2015-01-01

Purpose of the Study: This paper examines generativity, social suffering, and culture change in a sample of 16 women aged 65 years or older who emigrated from the former Soviet Union. Key concerns with generativity are identity, which can be strongly rooted in one’s original cultural formation, and a stable life course, which is what ideally enables generative impulses to be cultivated in later life. Design and Methods: To better understand how early social suffering may affect later life generativity, we conducted two 90-min interviews with each of our participants on their past experiences and current views of generativity. Results: The trauma of World War II, poor quality of life in the Soviet Union, scarcity of shelter and supplies, and fear of arrest emerged as common components in social suffering, which affected their identity. Implications: Overall, the theme of broken links to the future—the sense that their current lives were irrelevant to future generations—was strong among informants in their interviews, pointing to the importance of life course stability in relation to certain forms of generativity. PMID:24184859

Microbial Fossils from Terrestrial Subsurface Hydrothermal Environments: Examples and Implications for Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hofmann, Beda A.; Farmer, Jack; Chang, Sherwood (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

The recognition of biological signatures in ancient epithermal deposits has special relevance for studies of early blaspheme evolution and in exploring for past life on Mars. Recently, proposals for the existence of an extensive subsurface blaspheme on Earth, dominated by chemoautotrophic microbial life, has gained prominence. However, reports of fossilized microbial remains, or biosedimentary structures (e.g. stromatolites) from the deposits of ancient subsurface systems, are rare. Microbial preservation is favoured where high population densities co-exist with rapid mineral precipitation. Near-surface epithetical systems with strong gradients in temperature and redox are good candidates for the abundant growth and fossilization of microorganisms, and are also favorable environments for the precipitation of ore minerals. Therefore, we might expect microbial remain, to be particularly well preserved in various kinds of hydrothermal and diagenetic mineral precipitates that formed below the upper temperature limit for life (approx. 120 C).

Understanding form and function of the stem in early flattened echinoderms (pleurocystitids) using a microstructural approach

PubMed Central

Zamora, Samuel

2016-01-01

Pleurocystitid rhombiferans are among the most unusual echinoderms whose mode of life has been long debated. These echinoderms are usually interpreted as vagile epibenthic echinoderms, moving over the sea bottom by means of a flexible stem. Although their life habits and posture are reasonably well understood, the mechanisms that control the movement of stem are highly controversial. Specifically, it is unknown whether the stem flexibility was under the control of muscles or ligamentary mutable collagenous tissues (MCTs). Here, we reconstruct palaeoanatomy of the two Ordovician pleurocystitid rhombiferans (Pleurocystites and Amecystis) based on stereom microstructure. We show that the articular facets of columnals in pleurocystitid rhombiferans are composed of fine labyrinthic stereom. Comparison with modern echinoderms suggests that this type of stereom was associated with muscles implying that their stem was a muscular locomotory organ supporting an active mode of life. PMID:27168956

Youth and young adult suicide: a study of life trajectory.

PubMed

Séguin, Monique; Renaud, Johanne; Lesage, Alain; Robert, Marie; Turecki, Gustavo

2011-07-01

Explore the unique developmental challenges and early adversity faced by youth and young adult who died of suicide. Sixty-seven suicide victims (SG) were compared with 56 living control with no suicidal ideations in the last year, matched for age, gender, and geographical region. Mixed methods were used: consensus DSM-IV diagnoses were formulated based on Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)-I and -II interviews complemented by medical charts. Life calendar method was conducted with closest third party informant. Life-history calendar served to measure life events and adversity throughout the life course and were analyzed by attributing burden of adversity score per five-year segment, which was then cluster-analyzed to define suicide victim profiles. During the last year, mood disorders, abuse and dependence disorders, and anxiety disorder were between 8 and 63 times more likely to be present in the suicide group. Between 0 and 4 years old, 50% of children in the SG were exposed to abuse, physical and/or sexual violence; 60% between 5 and 9 years old; and by the time they were 10-14 years old, 77% were exposed to these forms of violence. In the control group, the respective figures were 14%, 18% and 34%. In the suicide group, the trajectories leading to suicide are different as we observe two different subgroups, one with early-onset and one with later-onset of adversity. To a large extent, people in the suicide group were exposed to major adversity and they were more likely to present cumulative comorbid disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of early-life malnutrition on neurodevelopment and neuropsychiatric disorders and the potential mechanisms.

PubMed

Yan, Xintian; Zhao, Xinzhi; Li, Juxue; He, Lin; Xu, Mingqing

2018-04-20

Lines of evidence have demonstrated that early-life malnutrition is highly correlated with neurodevelopment and adulthood neuropsychiatric disorders, while some findings are conflicting with each other. In addition, the biological mechanisms are less investigated. We systematically reviewed the evidence linking early-life nutrition status with neurodevelopment and clinical observations in human and animal models. We summarized the effects of special nutritious on neuropsychiatric disorders and explored the underlying potential mechanisms. The further understanding of the biological regulation of early-life nutritional status on neurodevelopment might shed light on precision nutrition at an integrative systems biology framework. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Future Directions in the Study of Early-Life Stress and Physical and Emotional Health: Implications of the Neuroimmune Network Hypothesis.

PubMed

Hostinar, Camelia E; Nusslock, Robin; Miller, Gregory E

2018-01-01

Early-life stress is associated with increased vulnerability to physical and emotional health problems across the lifespan. The recently developed neuroimmune network hypothesis proposes that one of the underlying mechanisms for these associations is that early-life stress amplifies bidirectional crosstalk between the brain and the immune system, contributing to several mental and physical health conditions that have inflammatory underpinnings, such as depression and coronary heart disease. Neuroimmune crosstalk is thought to perpetuate inflammation and neural alterations linked to early-life stress exposure, and also foster behaviors that can further compromise health, such as smoking, drug abuse and consumption of high-fat diets. The goal of the present review is to briefly summarize the neuroimmune network hypothesis and use it as a starting point for generating new questions about the role of early-life stress in establishing a dysregulated relationship between neural and immune signaling, with consequences for lifespan physical and emotional health. Specifically, we aim to discuss implications and future directions for theory and empirical research on early-life stress, as well as for interventions that may improve the health and well-being of children and adolescents living in adverse conditions.

Reducing Hispanic children's obesity risk factors in the first 1000 days of life: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Woo Baidal, Jennifer A; Criss, Shaniece; Goldman, Roberta E; Perkins, Meghan; Cunningham, Courtney; Taveras, Elsie M

2015-01-01

Modifiable behaviors during the first 1000 days (conception age 24 months) mediate Hispanic children's obesity disparities. We aimed to examine underlying reasons for early life obesity risk factors and identify potential early life intervention strategies. We conducted 7 focus groups with 49 Hispanic women who were pregnant or had children < age 24 months. Domains included influences on childhood obesity risk factors and future intervention ideas. We analyzed data with immersion-crystallization methods until no new themes emerged. Themes included coping with pregnancy may trump healthy eating and physical activity; early life weight gain is unrelated to later life obesity; fear of infant hunger drives bottle and early solids introduction; beliefs about infant taste promote early solids and sugary beverage introduction; and belief that screen time promotes infant development. Mothers identified physicians, nutritionists, and relatives as important health information sources and expressed interest in mobile technology and group or home visits for interventions. Opportunities exist in the first 1000 days to improve Hispanic mothers' understanding of the role of early life weight gain in childhood obesity and other obesity risk factors. Interventions that link health care and public health systems and include extended family may prevent obesity among Hispanic children.

The Intestinal Microbiome in Early Life: Health and Disease

PubMed Central

Arrieta, Marie-Claire; Stiemsma, Leah T.; Amenyogbe, Nelly; Brown, Eric M.; Finlay, Brett

2014-01-01

Human microbial colonization begins at birth and continues to develop and modulate in species abundance for about 3 years, until the microbiota becomes adult-like. During the same time period, children experience significant developmental changes that influence their health status as well as their immune system. An ever-expanding number of articles associate several diseases with early-life imbalances of the gut microbiota, also referred to as gut microbial dysbiosis. Whether early-life dysbiosis precedes and plays a role in disease pathogenesis, or simply originates from the disease process itself is a question that is beginning to be answered in a few diseases, including IBD, obesity, and asthma. This review describes the gut microbiome structure and function during the formative first years of life, as well as the environmental factors that determine its composition. It also aims to discuss the recent advances in understanding the role of the early-life gut microbiota in the development of immune-mediated, metabolic, and neurological diseases. A greater understanding of how the early-life gut microbiota impacts our immune development could potentially lead to novel microbial-derived therapies that target disease prevention at an early age. PMID:25250028

Development of the Life Story in Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steiner, Kristina L.; Pillemer, David B.

2018-01-01

Life span developmental psychology proposes that the ability to create a coherent life narrative does not develop until early adolescence. Using a novel methodology, 10-, 12-, and 14-year-old participants were asked to tell their life stories aloud to a researcher. Later, participants separated their transcribed narratives into self-identified…

Cognitive functioning in healthy aging: the role of reserve and lifestyle factors early in life.

PubMed

Fritsch, Thomas; McClendon, McKee J; Smyth, Kathleen A; Lerner, Alan J; Friedland, Robert P; Larsen, Janet D

2007-06-01

According to the reserve perspective on cognitive aging, individuals are born with or can develop resources that help them resist normal and disease-related cognitive changes that occur in aging. The reserve perspective is becoming more sophisticated, but gaps in knowledge persist. In the present research, we considered three understudied questions about reserve: Is reserve primarily static (unchangeable) throughout the life course or dynamic (changeable, in terms of increases or decreases)? Can reserve be increased at any point in life, or are there optimal time periods--such as early life, midlife, or late life--to increase it? Does participation in different types of leisure and occupational activities in early life and midlife have different effects depending on specific domains of late-life cognitive functioning? Here we link early cognitive and activity data--gathered from archival sources--with cognitive data from older adults to examine these issues. 349 participants, all mid-1940s graduates of the same high school, underwent telephone cognitive screening. All participants provided access to adolescent IQ scores; we determined activity levels from yearbooks. We used path analysis to evaluate the complex relationships between early life, midlife, and late-life variables. Adolescent IQ had strong direct effects on global cognitive functioning, episodic memory, verbal fluency, and processing speed. Participants' high school mental activities had direct effects on verbal fluency, but physical and social activities did not predict any cognitive measure. Education had direct effects on global cognitive functioning, episodic memory, and, most strongly, processing speed, but other midlife factors (notably, occupational demands) were not significant predictors of late-life cognition. There were weak indirect effects of adolescent IQ on global cognitive functioning, episodic memory, and processing speed, working through high school mental activities and education. Verbal fluency, in contrast, was affected by adolescent IQ through links with high school mental activities, but not education. Our study suggests that reserve is dynamic, but it is most amenable to change in early life. We conclude that an active, engaged lifestyle, emphasizing mental activity and educational pursuits in early life, can have a positive impact on cognitive functioning in late life.

The die is cast: arsenic exposure in early life and disease susceptibility.

PubMed

Thomas, David J

2013-12-16

Early life exposure to arsenic in humans and mice produces similar patterns of disease in later life. Given the long interval between exposure and effect, epigenetic effects of early life exposure to arsenic may account for the development and progression of disease in both species. Mode of action and dosimetric studies in the mouse may help assess the role of age at exposure as a factor in susceptibility to the toxic and carcinogenic effects of arsenic in humans.

Detection of Apoptosis in Early Life Stages as a Tool to Evaluate Chemical Control of Invasive Species

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

ERDC/TN ANSRP-07-2 August 2007 Detection of Apoptosis in Early Life Stages as a Tool to Evaluate Chemical Control of Invasive Species by J...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Detection of Apoptosis in Early Life Stages as a Tool to Evaluate Chemical Control of Invasive Species 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...heralding apoptosis . Data analysis. An apoptotic index (API) was established by calculating the percentage of embryos in each life stage with

Family Functions and Life Quality of Parents of Children With Cleft Lip and Palate.

PubMed

Aslan, Belma I; Gülşen, Ayşe; Tirank, Şadiye B; Findikçioğlu, Kemal; Uzuner, F Deniz; Tutar, Hakan; Üçüncü, Neslihan

2018-05-15

This study was designed to identify variables affecting family functions and life quality of parents with cleft lip and/or palate children. Family Assesment Scale (FAS) and short form of World Health Organization quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF-TR) were used to measure family functions and life quality of parents. Questionnaire Forms were given to 146 parents: 74 having cleft lip and/or palate children (cleft-group), and the other 72 with healthy children (control-group). Parents were divided into 3 subgroups according to children's age as 0 to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 18 years. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to evaluate differences between the groups. Behavior of cleft patients' parents was found to be problematic in behavioral control, required attention and role areas at 0 to 6 years, required attention area at ages 7 to 12 and 13 to 18 years. When compared to control group, significant differences were detected in required attention at ages 0 to 6 years, problem-solving, and communication areas at 7 to 12 years. Findings of life quality were found to be over medium level in physical, social, psychological and environmental areas in cleft group at all age groups; however, life quality was found better in control group in physical, psychological, and social subtests at age 13 to 18 years. Cleft children influence family functions in behavioral control, required attention and role areas at early childhood, and continue to affect required attention through adolescence. Also social, physical, and psychological fields of life quality were found lower in cleft parents compared to control group at adolescence.

Health-related quality of life before and after bariatric surgery in adolescents.

PubMed

Loux, Tara J; Haricharan, Ramanath N; Clements, Ronald H; Kolotkin, Ronette L; Bledsoe, Samuel E; Haynes, Beverly; Leath, Teresa; Harmon, Carroll M

2008-07-01

Recent data reaffirm decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL) in obese adults and children. Health-related quality of life is markedly improved after bariatric surgery in adults. Little HRQL data are available in adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery. Sixteen patients (14-20 years old) underwent gastric bypass. Thirteen patients completed a general HRQL measure (Short Form 36 [SF-36]) before surgery. Of these, 9 completed the SF-36 again at various follow-up times, as well as a measure of weight-related quality of life (Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite). Three patients completed postsurgical forms only. Data were analyzed using t test and analysis of variance. Results are reported as mean +/- SD. Mean age and body mass index at operation were 18.5 +/- 1.7 years and 54 +/- 7.6 kg/m(2). Postoperatively, patients lost an average of 66% +/- 29% excess weight over a mean follow-up of 17 +/- 12 (range, 1-39) months. Mean preoperative SF-36 physical component score was 34.7 +/- 10 and mental component score was 40.6 +/- 13.5 (adult population mean = 50.0 +/- 10 for each). At last follow-up, mean physical component score had increased to 55.5 +/- 5, and mental component score, to 55.2 +/- 8.6 (P < .0001). Adolescent Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite scores after surgery did not differ from means for normal weight adults (93% +/- 7% vs 96% +/- 7%, P = .15). Health-related quality of life in adolescents and young adults undergoing bariatric surgery improves dramatically in early follow-up. Long-term data are needed to definitively study this surgical therapy for obesity in adolescents.

A problematic early tetrapod from the Mississippian of Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomson, K.S.; Shubin, N.S.; Poole, F.G.

1998-01-01

We report here the discovery of a new taxon of Paleozoic tetrapod from the Late Mississippian of Nevada (330-340 Ma). It has a unique vertebral column with principal centra having vertical anterior and posterior faces, ventrally incomplete accessory centra located antero-dorsally in each centrum, and enlarged presacral/sacral vertebrae. The head and pectoral girdle were not preserved but the large femur, robust pelvic girdle and enlarged sacral vertebrae possibly indicate a terrestrial mode of life. This new form significantly extends the western geographic range of known Mississippian tetrapods. It presents a mosaic of primitive and derived features, indicating that continued revision of traditional accounts of vertebral homology and the early diversifications of Paleozoic tetrapods will be necessary.

PubMed

Kelle, Bayram; Yıldız, Fatih; Paydas, Semra; Bagır, Emine Kılıc; Ergin, Melek; Kozanoglu, Erkan

2014-12-23

Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is a condition characterized by arthralgia/arthritis, clubbing, and periosteal reaction. Primary form of HOA is observed at early ages of life and is hereditary in nature. Secondary HOA is more frequently seen in clinical setting and occurs as a result of various disorders including inflammatory and malignant diseases. Regression in HOA may be seen after the treatment of underlying condition. In this report, we presented a case of HOA coexisted with myelofibrosis and reviewed the current literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Early Life and Risk of Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

23.6 (0.7) Calendar Period 1968* - 1979 145 (6.2) 1167.6 (36.4) 1980 - 1989 624 (26.7) 1022.8 (31.4) 1990 + 1565 (67.1) 1045.1 (32.1) Birth Cohort...mary surgical treatment, is described in detail else- formed using a large, comprehensive, population- where.17൚ In the 1980s , BCT was used only in...which ever came last, and continued until a diagnosis of 1980 -1989 624 (26.7) 1,022.8 (31.4) cancer, death, emigration or 31 August 2000, whichever

Organic Minerals in the Origin of Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benner, S.; Biondi, E.; Kim, H. J.

2017-12-01

Models for the origin of life are plagued by fundamental problems that, due to their difficulty, are called "paradoxes". One of these, known to anyone who has ever worked in a kitchen, is that organics, when given energy and left to itself, does not generate life. Rather, organics devolve to give tarry mixtures that become increasingly complex and increasingly less likely to support life (like asphalt). However, even if those mixtures escape devolution to create something useful for Darwinism, like building blocks for RNA, the water in which they must work is corrosive, leading to their destruction. Even if RNA is created, it is itself easily degraded. One current trend to manage those paradoxes turns to minerals in environments on early Earth. Inorganic minerals containing borate have now been shown to prevent the destruction of ribose (the R in RNA) and other carbohydrates essential for early Earth. Evaporite desert basins supplied with aqueous runoff from tourmaline-containing basalts are ideal environments for forming borate minerals, especially if they are made alkaline by serpentinizing peridotite. In the evaporite environments, drying cycles mitigate the destructive capability of water. Further, we have shown that phosphate is segregated from calcium (avoiding formation of relatively unreacted apatites) if magnesium and borate are present. Further, a common magnesium borophosphate (luneburgite) not only makes phosphate available for prebiotic synthesis, but selectively phosphorylates RNA building blocks as it releases borate to stabilize them against further degradation. Finally, a variety of minerals bind and stabilize RNA itself. Research in this area has also discovered organic minerals that might have been relevant to the origins of life on Earth. Such minerals are scarce on Earth today, since they are easily consumed by microbial communities. However, on a prebiotic Earth, organic minerals could have stored organic species as intermediates towards our nine, in preparation for their use in key steps on probiotic synthesis. This prevents a model from needing to do everything from start to finish at the same time. This talk will review current progress in this area, and show how it is confirmed by recent Mars exploration on Gail crater, which may resemble the environment on early Earth where life originated.

Exposure of BALB/c Mice to Diesel Engine Exhaust Origin Secondary Organic Aerosol (DE-SOA) during the Developmental Stages Impairs the Social Behavior in Adult Life of the Males.

PubMed

Win-Shwe, Tin-Tin; Kyi-Tha-Thu, Chaw; Moe, Yadanar; Fujitani, Yuji; Tsukahara, Shinji; Hirano, Seishiro

2015-01-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is a component of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of volatile organic compounds. Recently, we have reported that inhalation exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DE) originated SOA (DE-SOA) affect novel object recognition ability and impair maternal behavior in adult mice. However, it is not clear whether early life exposure to SOA during the developmental stages affect social behavior in adult life or not. In the present study, to investigate the effects of early life exposure to DE-SOA during the gestational and lactation stages on the social behavior in the adult life, BALB/c mice were exposed to clean air (control), DE, DE-SOA and gas without any PM in the inhalation chambers from gestational day 14 to postnatal day 21 for 5 h a day and 5 days per week. Then adult mice were examined for changes in their social behavior at the age of 13 week by a sociability and social novelty preference, social interaction with a juvenile mouse and light-dark transition test, hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of social behavior-related genes, estrogen receptor-alpha and oxytocin receptor as well as of the oxidative stress marker gene, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 by real-time RT-PCR method. In addition, hypothalamic level of neuronal excitatory marker, glutamate was determined by ELISA method. We observed that sociability and social novelty preference as well as social interaction were remarkably impaired, expression levels of estrogen receptor-alpha, oxytocin receptor mRNAs were significantly decreased, expression levels of HO-1 mRNAs and glutamate levels were significantly increased in adult male mice exposed to DE-SOA compared to the control ones. Findings of this study indicate early life exposure of BALB/c mice to DE-SOA may affect their late-onset hypothalamic expression of social behavior related genes, trigger neurotoxicity and impair social behavior in the males.

Exposure of BALB/c Mice to Diesel Engine Exhaust Origin Secondary Organic Aerosol (DE-SOA) during the Developmental Stages Impairs the Social Behavior in Adult Life of the Males

PubMed Central

Win-Shwe, Tin-Tin; Kyi-Tha-Thu, Chaw; Moe, Yadanar; Fujitani, Yuji; Tsukahara, Shinji; Hirano, Seishiro

2016-01-01

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is a component of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 and formed in the atmosphere by oxidation of volatile organic compounds. Recently, we have reported that inhalation exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DE) originated SOA (DE-SOA) affect novel object recognition ability and impair maternal behavior in adult mice. However, it is not clear whether early life exposure to SOA during the developmental stages affect social behavior in adult life or not. In the present study, to investigate the effects of early life exposure to DE-SOA during the gestational and lactation stages on the social behavior in the adult life, BALB/c mice were exposed to clean air (control), DE, DE-SOA and gas without any PM in the inhalation chambers from gestational day 14 to postnatal day 21 for 5 h a day and 5 days per week. Then adult mice were examined for changes in their social behavior at the age of 13 week by a sociability and social novelty preference, social interaction with a juvenile mouse and light-dark transition test, hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of social behavior-related genes, estrogen receptor-alpha and oxytocin receptor as well as of the oxidative stress marker gene, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 by real-time RT-PCR method. In addition, hypothalamic level of neuronal excitatory marker, glutamate was determined by ELISA method. We observed that sociability and social novelty preference as well as social interaction were remarkably impaired, expression levels of estrogen receptor-alpha, oxytocin receptor mRNAs were significantly decreased, expression levels of HO-1 mRNAs and glutamate levels were significantly increased in adult male mice exposed to DE-SOA compared to the control ones. Findings of this study indicate early life exposure of BALB/c mice to DE-SOA may affect their late-onset hypothalamic expression of social behavior related genes, trigger neurotoxicity and impair social behavior in the males. PMID:26834549

Finding the right rocks on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargraves, R. B.; Knudsen, J. M.; Madsen, M. B.; Bertelsen, P.

Locating a rock on the surface of Mars that bears unambiguous evidence of the existence—prior or present—of life on that planet is, understandably, the “Holy Grail” of NASAs sample return missions. Remote recognition of such a rock on Mars will not be easy. We do know, however, that present in the Martian crust—especially in the “Southern highlands”—is rock carrying strong natural remanent magnetization (NRM). Characterization of such magnetized rock has profound implications for adding to our knowledge about the origin and early evolution of the Martian interior, lithosphere, atmosphere, and possibly even Martian life forms [Ward and Brownlee, 2000]. Moreover, it should be possible to recognize such rocks by use of a simple magnetic compass mounted on a Rover.

The use of mineral crystals as bio-markers in the search for life on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, D. E.; Mancinelli, R. L.; Kaneshiro, E. S.

1992-01-01

It is proposed that minerals resulting from biologically controlled mineralization processes be utilized as biomarkers because of their favorable qualities. Universal signatures of life (biomarkers) are discussed in terms of their terrestrial forms and hypothetical Martian counterparts including organics, suites of specific inorganic and organic compounds, and isotopic ratios. It is emphasized that minerals produced under biologic control have morphological and isotopic compositions that are not found in their abiotic counterparts. Other biomarkers are not necessarily indicative of biological origin and are therefore unreliable resources for scientific study. Mineral crystals are also stable over long geological periods, and the minerals from Martian fluvial features can therefore be employed to search for fossils and biomarkers of early biological activity.

Impact of attention biases to threat and effortful control on individual variations in negative affect and social withdrawal in very young children.

PubMed

Cole, Claire E; Zapp, Daniel J; Fettig, Nicole B; Pérez-Edgar, Koraly

2016-01-01

Early temperamental sensitivity may form the basis for the later development of socioemotional maladjustment. In particular, temperamental negative affect places children at risk for the development of anxiety. However, not all children who show negative affect go on to develop anxiety or extreme social withdrawal. Recent research indicates that reactive control, in the form of attention to threat, may serve as a bridge between early temperament and the development of later social difficulties. In addition, variation in effortful control may also modulate this trajectory. Children (mean age=5.57 years) were assessed for attention bias to threatening and pleasant faces using a dot-probe paradigm. Attention bias to threatening (but not happy) faces moderated the direct positive relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Children with threat biases showed a significant link between negative affect and social withdrawal, whereas children who avoided threat did not. In contrast, effortful control did not moderate the relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Rather, there was a direct negative relation between effortful control and social withdrawal. The findings from this short report indicate that the relations among temperament, attention bias, and social withdrawal appears early in life and point to early emerging specificity in reactive and regulatory functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promoting Career Development and Life Design in the Early Years of a Person's Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maree, Jacobus G.

2018-01-01

The article discusses the changing world of work and the attendant uncertainty and loss of work-life identity. Little research has been done on career development and life design in the early years of a person's life, especially in developing countries characterized by disadvantage. The underlying theoretical models of career development are…

Predicting Negative Life Outcomes from Early Aggressive-Disruptive Behavior Trajectories: Gender Differences in Maladaptation across Life Domains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Schaeffer, Cindy M.; Petras, Hanno; Ialongo, Nicholas

2010-01-01

Transactional theories of development suggest that displaying high levels of antisocial behavior early in life and persistently over time causes disruption in multiple life domains, which in turn places individuals at risk for negative life outcomes. We used longitudinal data from 1,137 primarily African American urban youth (49.1% female) to…

Commentary: On the Importance of Early Life Cognitive Abilities in Shaping Later Life Outcomes.

PubMed

Hofer, Scott M; Clouston, Sean

2014-01-01

Early life cognitive ability is likely to be dynamically related to life course factors including educational attainment, occupational outcomes, health behaviors, activities, health, and subsequent cognitive health. Disentangling the selective and causal processes contributing to cognitive functioning across the lifespan is challenging and requires long-term investments in longitudinal data. We discuss results from several analyses using data from the Individual Development and Adaptation longitudinal research program (Bergman, 2000; Magnusson, 1988) that provide fresh insights into the relation of early life cognition, particularly high levels of cognitive capabilities, to educational achievement, emotional adjustment, and career success. These papers and the longitudinal data provide a remarkable window into the development and impacts of cognition, and high cognitive functioning, on a variety of important life outcomes that we hope will continue to inform us about additional outcomes in middle life, transition to retirement, and cognition and health in later years and to robustly examine how the early years matter across the whole lifespan.

Chronic Illness and Generativity in Late Life: A Case Study.

PubMed

Hannum, Susan M; Black, Helen K; Rubinstein, Robert L; de Medeiros, Kate

2017-04-01

This article presents a narrative-based case study about chronic illness and genetic uncertainty and their relationship to generativity throughout the life course. Our focus is a woman who experienced vision loss early in life and interpreted its impact on her generativity through present-day biographical rescripting. The case we present was chosen from the study "Generativity and Lifestyles of Older Women," which explored life history, social relations, and forms of generativity in an ethnographic interview format with 200 older women. In constructing a present-day identity, the informant used shifting and conflicted self-constructions to produce a self-image as generative. Three critical themes emerged in understanding her life course: (a) retrospective interpretations of autonomy; (b) renegotiating control in the present, and (c) generativity across the life course. This article contributes an understanding of childlessness as observed through the lenses of chronic illness, autonomy, and generativity. We conclude that a history of chronic illness, as it is co-occurring with internal debates about the meaning of key life events, may influence older adults' present-day identity. Implications for later life care needs are discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The curvilinear relationship of early-life adversity and successful aging: the mediating role of mental health.

PubMed

Höltge, Jan; Mc Gee, Shauna L; Thoma, Myriam V

2018-02-15

The steeling effect suggests that early-life adversity can have a beneficial impact later in life. However, little is known about its underlying mechanisms and long-term outcomes . The study aimed to examine the role of early-life adversity (ELA) on successful aging, and whether this relationship can be explained by mental and physical health. Socio-demographics, early-life adversity (ELA), individual quality of life (iQoL), and mental and physical health of 270 individuals (M age = 66.82 years, 71.5% female) were assessed. Polynomial regressions and mediation analyses were conducted. Significant inverse U-shaped associations were found between ELA and iQoL (β = -.59, p = .005) and between ELA and mental health (β = -.64, p = .002), but not between ELA and physical health. Furthermore, mental health significantly mediated the relationship between ELA and iQoL (b = -.84, BCa CI [-1.66, -.27]). Highest level of individual quality of life (i.e. successful aging) was related to a moderate amount of ELA. Additionally, mental health significantly mediated this relationship. These findings suggest that some amount of ELA could be beneficial for successful aging. Resource-focused interventions are needed to improve health and promote successful aging for an underdetected, at-risk subgroup with low early-life adversity.

Proteomics as a Tool for Biomarker Discovery

PubMed Central

Kohn, Elise C.; Azad, Nilofer; Annunziata, Christina; Dhamoon, Amit S.; Whiteley, Gordon

2007-01-01

Novel technologies are now being advanced for the purpose of identification and validation of new disease biomarkers. A reliable and useful clinical biomarker must a) come from a readily attainable source, such as blood or urine, b) have sufficient sensitivity to correctly identify affected individuals, c) have sufficient specificity to avoid incorrect labeling of unaffected persons, and d) result in a notable benefit for the patient through intervention, such as survival or life quality improvement. Despite these critical descriptors, the few available FDA-approved biomarkers for cancer do not completely fit this definition and their benefits are limited to a small number of cancers. Ovarian cancer exemplifies the need for a diagnostic biomarker of early stage disease. Symptoms are present but not specific to the disease, delaying diagnosis until an advanced and generally incurable stage in over 70% of affected women. As such, diagnostic intervention in the form of oopherectomy can be performed in the appropriate at-risk population if identified such as with a new accurate, sensitive, and specific biomarker. If early stage disease is identified, the requirement for survival and life quality improvement will be met. One of the new technologies applied to biomarker discovery is tour-de-force analysis of serum peptides and proteins. Optimization of mass spectrometry techniques coupled with advanced bioinformatics approaches has yielded informative biomarker signatures discriminating presence of cancer from unaffected in multiple studies from different groups. Validation and randomized outcome studies are needed to determine the true value of these new biomarkers in early diagnosis, and improved survival and quality of life. PMID:18057524

Infant obesity and severe obesity growth patterns in the first two years of life.

PubMed

Gittner, Lisaann S; Ludington-Hoe, Susan M; Haller, Harold S

2014-04-01

Distinguishing an obesity growth pattern that originates during infancy is clinically important. Infancy based obesity prevention interventions may be needed while precursors of later health are forming. Infant obesity and severe obesity growth patterns in the first 2-years are described and distinguished from a normal weight growth pattern. A retrospective chart review was conducted. Body mass index (BMI) growth patterns from birth to 2-years are described for children categorized at 5-years as normal weight (n = 61), overweight (n = 47), obese (n = 41) and severely obese (n = 72) cohorts using WHO reference standards. BMI values were calculated at birth, 1-week; 2-, 4-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, 18-months; and 2- and 5-years. Graphs of the longitudinal Analysis of Variance of Means of BMI values identified the earliest significant divergence of a cohort's average BMI pattern from other cohorts' patterns. ANOVA and Pearson Product Moment correlations were also performed. Statistically significant differences in BMI values and differences in growth patterns between cohorts were evident as early as 2-6 months post-birth. Children who were obese or severely obese at 5-years demonstrated a BMI pattern that differed within the first 2-years of life from that of children who were normal weight at 5-years. The earliest significant correlation between early BMI values and 5-year BMI value was at 4-months post-birth. The study fills an important gap by demonstrating early onset of an infant obesity growth pattern in full-term children who were healthy throughout their first 5 years of life.

Occult progression by Apc-deficient intestinal crypts as a target for chemoprevention

PubMed Central

Liskay, R.Michael

2014-01-01

Although Apc mutation is widely considered an initiating event in colorectal cancer, little is known about the earliest stages of tumorigenesis following sporadic Apc loss. Therefore, we have utilized a novel mouse model that facilitates the sporadic inactivation of Apc via frameshift reversion of Cre in single, isolated cells and subsequently tracks the fates of Apc-deficient intestinal cells. Our results suggest that consistent with Apc being a ‘gatekeeper’, loss of Apc early in life during intestinal growth leads to adenomas or increased crypt fission, manifested by fields of mutant but otherwise normal-appearing crypts. In contrast, Apc loss occurring later in life has minimal consequences, with mutant crypts being less prone to either increased crypt fission or adenoma formation. Using the stem cell-specific Lgr5-CreER mouse, we generated different sized fields of Apc-deficient crypts via independent recombination events and found that field size correlates with progression to adenoma. To evaluate this early stage prior to adenoma formation as a therapeutic target, we examined the chemopreventive effects of sulindac on Apc-deficient occult crypt fission. We found that sulindac treatment started early in life inhibits the morphologically occult spread of Apc-deficient crypts and thus reduces adenoma numbers. Taken together these results suggest that: (i) earlier Apc loss promotes increased crypt fission, (ii) a field of Apc-deficient crypts, which can form via occult crypt fission or independent neighboring events, is an important intermediate between loss of Apc and adenoma formation and (iii) normal-appearing Apc-deficient crypts are potential unappreciated targets for cancer screening and chemoprevention. PMID:23996931

Effects of Gravity, Microgravity or Microgravity Simulation on Early Mammalian Development.

PubMed

Ruden, Douglas M; Bolnick, Alan; Awonuga, Awoniyi; Abdulhasan, Mohammed; Perez, Gloria; Puscheck, Elizabeth E; Rappolee, Daniel A

2018-06-11

Plant and animal life forms evolved mechanisms for sensing and responding to gravity on Earth where homeostatic needs require responses. The lack of gravity, such as in the International Space Station (ISS), causes acute, intra-generational changes in the quality of life. These include maintaining calcium levels in bone, maintaining muscle tone, and disturbances in the vestibular apparatus in the ears. These problems decrease work efficiency and quality of life of humans not only during microgravity exposures but also after return to higher gravity on Earth or destinations such as Mars or the Moon. It has been hypothesized that lack of gravity during mammalian development may cause prenatal, postnatal and transgenerational effects that conflict with the environment, especially if the developing organism and its progeny are returned, or introduced de novo, into the varied gravity environments mentioned above. Although chicken and frog pregastrulation development, and plant root development, have profound effects due to orientation of cues by gravity-sensing mechanisms and responses, mammalian development is not typically characterized as gravity-sensing. Although no effects of microgravity simulation (MGS) on mouse fertilization were observed in two reports, negative effects of MGS on early mammalian development after fertilization and before gastrulation are presented in four reports that vary with the modality of MGS. This review will analyze the positive and negative mammalian early developmental outcomes, and enzymatic and epigenetic mechanisms known to mediate developmental responses to simulated microgravity on Earth and microgravity during spaceflight experiments. We will update experimental techniques that have already been developed or need to be developed for zero gravity molecular, cellular, and developmental biology experiments.

Social support, sense of community in school, and self-efficacy as resources during early adolescence: an integrative model.

PubMed

Vieno, Alessio; Santinello, Massimo; Pastore, Massimiliano; Perkins, Douglas D

2007-03-01

Influences of different sources of social support (from parents and friends), school sense of community, and self-efficacy on psychosocial well being (as measured by self-reported life satisfaction and psychological symptoms) in early adolescence were investigated in an integrative model. The model was tested using structural equation modeling. Multi-group comparisons were used to estimate differences between sex and age groups. The survey sample was composed of 7,097 students in Northern Italy (51.4% male) divided into three age cohorts (equivalent to 6th, 8th, and 10th grades with median ages of 11, 13, and 15). Findings obtained using SEM were consistent with self-efficacy and school sense of community mediating effects of social support on psychosocial adjustment. The multi-group comparison indicates a need for more complex developmental models and more research on how changing forms of support interact with each other as their effects also change during this important stage of the life. Implications for primary prevention and cross-cultural comparisons are discussed.

Carbon dioxide warming of the early Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arrhenius, G.

1997-01-01

Svante Arrhenius' research in atmospheric physics extended beyond the recent past and the near future states of the Earth, which today are at the center of sociopolitical attention. His plan encompassed all of the physical phenomena known at the time to relate to the formation and evolution of stars and planets. His two-volume textbook on cosmic physics is a comprehensive synopsis of the field. The inquiry into the possible cause of the ice ages and the theory of selective wavelength filter control led Arrhenius to consider the surface states of the other terrestrial planets, and of the ancient Earth before it had been modified by the emergence of life. The rapid escape of hydrogen and the equilibration with igneous rocks required that carbon in the early atmosphere prevailed mainly in oxidized form as carbon dioxide, together with other photoactive gases exerting a greenhouse effect orders of magnitude larger than in our present atmosphere. This effect, together with the ensuing chemical processes, would have set the conditions for life to evolve on our planet, seeded from spores spreading through an infinite Universe, and propelled, as Arrhenius thought, by stellar radiation pressure.

Carbon dioxide warming of the early Earth.

PubMed

Arrhenius, G

1997-02-01

Svante Arrhenius' research in atmospheric physics extended beyond the recent past and the near future states of the Earth, which today are at the center of sociopolitical attention. His plan encompassed all of the physical phenomena known at the time to relate to the formation and evolution of stars and planets. His two-volume textbook on cosmic physics is a comprehensive synopsis of the field. The inquiry into the possible cause of the ice ages and the theory of selective wavelength filter control led Arrhenius to consider the surface states of the other terrestrial planets, and of the ancient Earth before it had been modified by the emergence of life. The rapid escape of hydrogen and the equilibration with igneous rocks required that carbon in the early atmosphere prevailed mainly in oxidized form as carbon dioxide, together with other photoactive gases exerting a greenhouse effect orders of magnitude larger than in our present atmosphere. This effect, together with the ensuing chemical processes, would have set the conditions for life to evolve on our planet, seeded from spores spreading through an infinite Universe, and propelled, as Arrhenius thought, by stellar radiation pressure.

Age-related differences in memory expression during infancy: using eye-tracking to measure relational memory in 6- and 12-month-olds.

PubMed

Richmond, Jenny L; Power, Jessica

2014-09-01

Relational memory, or the ability to bind components of an event into a network of linked representations, is a primary function of the hippocampus. Here we extend eye-tracking research showing that infants are capable of forming memories for the relation between arbitrarily paired scenes and faces, by looking at age-related changes in relational memory over the first year of life. Six- and 12-month-old infants were familiarized with pairs of faces and scenes before being tested with arrays of three familiar faces that were presented on a familiar scene. Preferential looking at the face that matches the scene is typically taken as evidence of relational memory. The results showed that while 6-month-old showed very early preferential looking when face/scene pairs were tested immediately, 12-month-old did not exhibit evidence of relational memory either immediately or after a short delay. Theoretical implications for the functional development of the hippocampus and practical implications for the use of eye tracking to measure memory during early life are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Do People Who Became Blind Early in Life Develop a Better Sense of Smell? A Psychophysical Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuevas, Isabel; Plaza, Paula; Rombaux, Phillippe; Collignon, Olivier; De Volder, Anne G.; Renier, Laurent

2010-01-01

Using a set of psychophysical tests, we compared the olfactory abilities of 8 persons who became blind early in life and 16 sighted persons in a control group who were matched for age, sex, and handedness. The results indicated that those who became blind early in life developed compensatory perceptual mechanisms in the olfactory domain that…

Self assembly properties of primitive organic compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deamer, D. W.

1991-01-01

A central event in the origin of life was the self-assembly of amphiphilic, lipid-like compounds into closed microenvironments. If a primitive macromolecular replicating system could be encapsulated within a vesicular membrane, the components of the system would share the same microenvironment, and the result would be a step toward true cellular function. The goal of our research has been to determine what amphiphilic molecules might plausibly have been available on the early Earth to participate in the formation of such boundary structures. To this end, we have investigated primitive organic mixtures present in carbonaceous meteorites such as the Murchison meteorite, which contains 1-2 percent of its mass in the form of organic carbon compounds. It is likely that such compounds contributed to the inventory of organic carbon on the prebiotic earth, and were available to participate in chemical evolution leading to the emergence of the first cellular life forms. We found that Murchison components extracted into non-polar solvent systems are surface active, a clear indication of amphiphilic character. One acidic fraction self-assembles into vesicular membranes that provide permeability barriers to polar solutes. Other evidence indicates that the membranes are bimolecular layers similar to those formed by contemporary membrane lipids. We conclude that bilayer membrane formation by primitive amphiphiles on the early Earth is feasible. However, only a minor fraction of acidic amphiphiles assembles into bilayers, and the resulting membranes require narrowly defined conditions of pH and ionic composition to be stable. It seems unlikely, therefore, that meteoritic infall was a direct source of membrane amphiphiles. Instead, the hydrocarbon components and their derivatives more probably would provide an organic stock available for chemical evolution. Our current research is directed at possible reactions which would generate substantial quantities of membranogenic amphiphiles. One possibility is photochemical oxidation of hydrocarbons.

Early life stress affects mortality rate more than social behavior, gene expression or oxidative damage in honey bee workers.

PubMed

Rueppell, Olav; Yousefi, Babak; Collazo, Juan; Smith, Daniel

2017-04-01

Early life stressors can affect aging and life expectancy in positive or negative ways. Individuals can adjust their behavior and molecular physiology based on early life experiences but relatively few studies have connected such mechanisms to demographic patterns in social organisms. Sociality buffers individuals from environmental influences and it is unclear how much early life stress affects later life history. Workers of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) were exposed to two stressors, Varroa parasitism and Paraquat exposure, early in life. Consequences were measured at the molecular, behavioral, and demographic level. While treatments did not significantly affect levels of oxidative damage, expression of select genes, and titers of the common deformed wing virus, most of these measures were affected by age. Some of the age effects, such as declining levels of deformed wing virus and oxidative damage, were opposite to our predictions but may be explained by demographic selection. Further analyses suggested some influences of worker behavior on mortality and indicated weak treatment effects on behavior. The latter effects were inconsistent among the two experiments. However, mortality rate was consistently reduced by Varroa mite stress during development. Thus, mortality was more responsive to early life stress than our other response variables. The lack of treatment effects on these measures may be due to the social organization of honey bees that buffers the individual from the impact of stressful developmental conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Life Stress Affects Mortality Rate More than Social Behavior, Gene Expression or Oxidative Damage in Honey Bee Workers

PubMed Central

Rueppell, Olav; Yousefi, Babak; Collazo, Juan; Smith, Daniel

2017-01-01

Early life stressors can affect aging and life expectancy in positive or negative ways. Individuals can adjust their behavior and molecular physiology based on early life experiences but relatively few studies have connected such mechanisms to demographic patterns in social organisms. Sociality buffers individuals from environmental influences and it is unclear how much early life stress affects later life history. Workers of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) were exposed to two stressors, Varroa parasitism and paraquat exposure, early in life. Consequences were measured at the molecular, behavioral, and demographic level. While treatments did not significantly affect levels of oxidative damage, expression of select genes, and titers of the common deformed wing virus, most of these measures were affected by age. Some of the age effects, such as declining levels of deformed wing virus and oxidative damage, were opposite to our predictions but may be explained by demographic selection. Further analyses suggested some influences of worker behavior on mortality and indicated weak treatment effects on behavior. The latter effects were inconsistent among the two experiments. However, mortality rate was consistently reduced by Varroa mite stress during development. Thus, mortality was more responsive to early life stress than our other response variables. The lack of treatment effects on these measures may be due to the social organization of honey bees that buffers the individual from the impact of stressful developmental conditions. PMID:28122251

Does early-life family income influence later dental pain experience? A prospective 14-year study.

PubMed

Ghorbani, Z; Peres, M A; Liu, P; Mejia, G C; Armfield, J M; Peres, K G

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between early-life family income and dental pain experience from childhood to early adulthood. Data came from a 14-year prospective study (1991/1992-2005/2006) carried out in South Australia, which included children and adolescents aged 4-17 years (N = 9875) at baseline. The outcome was dental pain experience obtained at baseline, 14 years later in adulthood and at a middle point of time. The main explanatory variable was early-life family income collected at baseline. The prevalence of dental pain was 22.8% at baseline, 19.3% at 'middle time' and 39.3% at follow up. The proportion of people classified as 'poor' at baseline was 27.7%. Being poor early in life was significantly associated with dental pain at 14-year follow up (odds ratio = 1.45; 95% confidence interval = 1.27-1.66). Early-life relative poverty is associated with more frequent dental pain across the 14-year follow up and may be a key exposure variable for later dental conditions. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

Mineralogy, chemistry and biological contingents of an early-middle Miocene Antarctic paleosol and its relevance as a Martian analogue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahaney, William C.; Dohm, James M.; Schwartz, Stephane; Findling, Nathaniel; Hart, Kris M.; Conway, Susan J.; Allen, Christopher C. R.; Miyamoto, Hideaki; Fairén, Alberto G.

2014-12-01

Fossil mesofauna and bacteria recovered from a paleosol in a moraine situated adjacent to the inland ice, Antarctica, and dating to the earliest glacial event in the Antarctic Dry Valleys opens several questions. The most important relates to understanding of the mineralogy and chemistry of the weathered substrate habitat in which Coleoptera apparently thrived at some point in the Early/Middle Miocene and perhaps earlier. Here, Coleoptera remains are only located in one of six horizons in a paleosol formed in moraine deposited during the alpine glacial event (>15 Ma). A tendency for quartz to decrease upward in the section may be a detrital effect or a product of dissolution in the early stage of profile morphogenesis when climate was presumably milder and the depositing glacier of temperate type. Discontinuous distributions of smectite, laumontite, and hexahydrite may have provided nutrients and water to mesofauna and bacteria during the early stage of biotic colonization of the profile. Because the mesofauna were members of burrowing Coleoptera species, future work should assess the degree to which the organisms occupied other sites in the Dry Valleys in the past. Whereas there is no reasonable expectations of finding Coleoptera/insect remains on Mars, the chemistry and mineralogy of the paleosol is within a life expectancy window for the presence of microorganisms, principally bacteria and fungi. Thus, parameters discussed here within this Antarctic paleosol could provide an analogue to identifying similar fossil or life-bearing weathered regolith on Mars.

An organismal concept for Sengelia radicans gen. et sp. nov. - morphology and natural history of an Early Devonian lycophyte.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Kelly K S; Tomescu, Alexandru M F

2017-05-01

Fossil plants are found as fragmentary remains and understanding them as natural species requires assembly of whole-organism concepts that integrate different plant parts. Such concepts are essential for incorporating fossils in hypotheses of plant evolution and phylogeny. Plants of the Early Devonian are crucial to reconstructing the initial radiation of tracheophytes, yet few are understood as whole organisms. This study assembles a whole-plant concept for the Early Devonian lycophyte Sengelia radicans gen. et sp. nov., based on morphometric data and taphonomic observations from >1000 specimens collected in the Beartooth Butte Formation (Wyoming, USA). Sengelia radicans occupies a key position between stem-group and derived lycophyte lineages. Sengelia had a rooting system of downward-growing root-bearing stems, formed dense monotypic mats of prostrate shoots in areas that experienced periodic flooding, and was characterized by a life-history strategy adapted for survival after floods, dominated by clonality, and featuring infrequent sexual reproduction. Sengelia radicans is the oldest among the very few early tracheophytes for which a detailed, rigorous whole-plant concept integrates morphology, growth habit, life history and growth environment. This plant adds to the diversity of body plans documented among lycophytes and may help elucidate patterns of morphological evolution in the clade. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Knockout silkworms reveal a dispensable role for juvenile hormones in holometabolous life cycle

PubMed Central

Daimon, Takaaki; Uchibori, Miwa; Nakao, Hajime; Sezutsu, Hideki; Shinoda, Tetsuro

2015-01-01

Insect juvenile hormones (JHs) prevent precocious metamorphosis and allow larvae to undergo multiple rounds of status quo molts. However, the roles of JHs during the embryonic and very early larval stages have not been fully understood. We generated and characterized knockout silkworms (Bombyx mori) with null mutations in JH biosynthesis or JH receptor genes using genome-editing tools. We found that embryonic growth and morphogenesis are largely independent of JHs in Bombyx and that, even in the absence of JHs or JH signaling, pupal characters are not formed in first- or second-instar larvae, and precocious metamorphosis is induced after the second instar at the earliest. We also show by mosaic analysis that a pupal specifier gene broad, which is dramatically up-regulated in the late stage of the last larval instar, is essential for pupal commitment in the epidermis. Importantly, the mRNA expression level of broad, which is thought to be repressed by JHs, remained at very low basal levels during the early larval instars of JH-deficient or JH signaling-deficient knockouts. Therefore, our study suggests that the long-accepted paradigm that JHs maintain the juvenile status throughout larval life should be revised because the larval status can be maintained by a JH-independent mechanism in very early larval instars. We propose that the lack of competence for metamorphosis during the early larval stages may result from the absence of an unidentified broad-inducing factor, i.e., a competence factor. PMID:26195792

Knockout silkworms reveal a dispensable role for juvenile hormones in holometabolous life cycle.

PubMed

Daimon, Takaaki; Uchibori, Miwa; Nakao, Hajime; Sezutsu, Hideki; Shinoda, Tetsuro

2015-08-04

Insect juvenile hormones (JHs) prevent precocious metamorphosis and allow larvae to undergo multiple rounds of status quo molts. However, the roles of JHs during the embryonic and very early larval stages have not been fully understood. We generated and characterized knockout silkworms (Bombyx mori) with null mutations in JH biosynthesis or JH receptor genes using genome-editing tools. We found that embryonic growth and morphogenesis are largely independent of JHs in Bombyx and that, even in the absence of JHs or JH signaling, pupal characters are not formed in first- or second-instar larvae, and precocious metamorphosis is induced after the second instar at the earliest. We also show by mosaic analysis that a pupal specifier gene broad, which is dramatically up-regulated in the late stage of the last larval instar, is essential for pupal commitment in the epidermis. Importantly, the mRNA expression level of broad, which is thought to be repressed by JHs, remained at very low basal levels during the early larval instars of JH-deficient or JH signaling-deficient knockouts. Therefore, our study suggests that the long-accepted paradigm that JHs maintain the juvenile status throughout larval life should be revised because the larval status can be maintained by a JH-independent mechanism in very early larval instars. We propose that the lack of competence for metamorphosis during the early larval stages may result from the absence of an unidentified broad-inducing factor, i.e., a competence factor.

Associations between Macrophyte Life Forms and Environmental and Morphometric Factors in a Large Sub-tropical Floodplain

PubMed Central

Schneider, Berenice; Cunha, Eduardo R.; Marchese, Mercedes; Thomaz, Sidinei M.

2018-01-01

Macrophyte assemblages are composed of species with different life forms and various ecological functions. Our aim was to investigate the potential environmental determinants of changes in the biomass of individual life forms and of the composition of the macrophyte assemblage in terms of life forms diversity. We sampled 23 waterbodies at low and high water levels in the Middle Paraná River floodplain. Macrophyte biomass samples were collected and classified in terms of life forms. We performed a redundancy analysis using the biomass of the various life forms to assess the importance of environmental variables to the composition of macrophyte life forms. Linear regressions were applied to investigate the environmental determinants of the biomasses of individual life forms. The degree of connectivity and the combination of depth, hydrology and nitrate were the main determinants of the composition in terms of life forms. The biomass of each individual life form was explained by different combinations of environmental variables, but the connectivity was the most important one. Our study shows that groups of species with similar life forms respond to environmental factors in particular ways, which might alter the biomass composition of life forms. Given that the ecosystem functioning depends on the functional characteristics of local communities, our findings about the relation between environmental changes and the community composition in terms of life forms (or functional composition) can be a helpful tool for predicting changes on ecosystem processes (such as nutrient cycling) against possible future scenarios. PMID:29515608

Studying the Effects of Early Experiences on Women's Career Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lykes, M. Brinton; Stewart, Abigail J.

Virtually all psychological theories assume that early life experiences have an impact on later life choices. However, increasing doubts have been expressed about the universality and permanence of the relationship between women's work and family lives. To explore how early family experiences and early adult decisions affect women's later career…

Nitrogen Oxides in Early Earth's Atmosphere as Electron Acceptors for Life's Emergence.

PubMed

Wong, Michael L; Charnay, Benjamin D; Gao, Peter; Yung, Yuk L; Russell, Michael J

2017-10-01

We quantify the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) produced through lightning and photochemical processes in the Hadean atmosphere to be available in the Hadean ocean for the emergence of life. Atmospherically generated nitrate (NO 3 - ) and nitrite (NO 2 - ) are the most attractive high-potential electron acceptors for pulling and enabling crucial redox reactions of autotrophic metabolic pathways at submarine alkaline hydrothermal vents. The Hadean atmosphere, dominated by CO 2 and N 2 , will produce nitric oxide (NO) when shocked by lightning. Photochemical reactions involving NO and H 2 O vapor will then produce acids such as HNO, HNO 2 , HNO 3 , and HO 2 NO 2 that rain into the ocean. There, they dissociate into or react to form nitrate and nitrite. We present new calculations based on a novel combination of early-Earth global climate model and photochemical modeling, and we predict the flux of NOx to the Hadean ocean. In our 0.1-, 1-, and 10-bar pCO 2 models, we calculate the NOx delivery to be 2.4 × 10 5 , 6.5 × 10 8 , and 1.9 × 10 8 molecules cm -2 s -1 . After only tens of thousands to tens of millions of years, these NOx fluxes are expected to produce sufficient (micromolar) ocean concentrations of high-potential electron acceptors for the emergence of life. Key Words: Nitrogen oxides-Nitrate-Nitrite-Photochemistry-Lightning-Emergence of life. Astrobiology 17, 975-983.

Quality of life: international and domestic students studying medicine in New Zealand.

PubMed

Henning, Marcus A; Krägeloh, Christian; Moir, Fiona; Doherty, Iain; Hawken, Susan J

2012-08-01

International students form a significant proportion of students studying within universities in Western countries. The quality of life perceptions of international medical students in comparison with domestic medical students has not been well documented. There is some evidence to suggest that international medical students may have different educational and social experiences in relation to their domestic peers. This study investigates the levels of quality of life experienced by international and domestic students studying medicine. A total of 548 medical students completed the abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. The focus of the analysis was to evaluate differences between international and domestic students in their early clinical years. The responses were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance methods. International medical students are experiencing lower social and environmental quality of life compared with domestic peers. International medical students in New Zealand have expressed quality of life concerns, which likely have an impact on their academic achievement, feelings of wellness, acculturation, and social adaptation. The findings reinforce the need for creating stronger social networks and accessible accommodation, as well as developing systems to ensure safety, peer mentorship and student support.

Determination of Geochemical Bio-Signatures in Mars-Like Basaltic Environments

PubMed Central

Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearson, Victoria K.; Steer, Elisabeth D.; Schwenzer, Susanne P.

2017-01-01

Bio-signatures play a central role in determining whether life existed on early Mars. Using a terrestrial basalt as a compositional analog for the martian surface, we applied a combination of experimental microbiology and thermochemical modeling techniques to identify potential geochemical bio-signatures for life on early Mars. Laboratory experiments were used to determine the short-term effects of biota on the dissolution of terrestrial basalt, and the formation of secondary alteration minerals. The chemoorganoheterotrophic bacterium, Burkholderia sp. strain B_33, was grown in a minimal growth medium with and without terrestrial basalt as the sole nutrient source. No growth was detected in the absence of the basalt. In the presence of basalt, during exponential growth, the pH decreased rapidly from pH 7.0 to 3.6 and then gradually increased to a steady-state of equilibrium of between 6.8 and 7.1. Microbial growth coincided with an increase in key elements in the growth medium (Si, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe). Experimental results were compared with theoretical thermochemical modeling to predict growth of secondary alteration minerals, which can be used as bio-signatures, over a geological timescale. We thermochemically modeled the dissolution of the basalt (in the absence of biota) in very dilute brine at 25°C, 1 bar; the pH was buffered by the mineral dissolution and precipitation reactions. Preliminary results suggested that at the water to rock ratio of 1 × 107, zeolite, hematite, chlorite, kaolinite, and apatite formed abiotically. The biotic weathering processes were modeled by varying the pH conditions within the model to adjust for biologic influence. The results suggested that, for a basaltic system, the microbially-mediated dissolution of basalt would result in “simpler” secondary alteration, consisting of Fe-hydroxide and kaolinite, under conditions where the abiotic system would also form chlorite. The results from this study demonstrate that, by using laboratory-based experiments and thermochemical modeling, it is possible to identify secondary alteration minerals that could potentially be used to distinguish between abiotic and biotic weathering processes on early Mars. This work will contribute to the interpretation of data from past, present, and future life detection missions to Mars. PMID:28943863

Determination of Geochemical Bio-Signatures in Mars-Like Basaltic Environments.

PubMed

Olsson-Francis, Karen; Pearson, Victoria K; Steer, Elisabeth D; Schwenzer, Susanne P

2017-01-01

Bio-signatures play a central role in determining whether life existed on early Mars. Using a terrestrial basalt as a compositional analog for the martian surface, we applied a combination of experimental microbiology and thermochemical modeling techniques to identify potential geochemical bio-signatures for life on early Mars. Laboratory experiments were used to determine the short-term effects of biota on the dissolution of terrestrial basalt, and the formation of secondary alteration minerals. The chemoorganoheterotrophic bacterium, Burkholderia sp. strain B_33, was grown in a minimal growth medium with and without terrestrial basalt as the sole nutrient source. No growth was detected in the absence of the basalt. In the presence of basalt, during exponential growth, the pH decreased rapidly from pH 7.0 to 3.6 and then gradually increased to a steady-state of equilibrium of between 6.8 and 7.1. Microbial growth coincided with an increase in key elements in the growth medium (Si, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe). Experimental results were compared with theoretical thermochemical modeling to predict growth of secondary alteration minerals, which can be used as bio-signatures, over a geological timescale. We thermochemically modeled the dissolution of the basalt (in the absence of biota) in very dilute brine at 25°C, 1 bar; the pH was buffered by the mineral dissolution and precipitation reactions. Preliminary results suggested that at the water to rock ratio of 1 × 10 7 , zeolite, hematite, chlorite, kaolinite, and apatite formed abiotically. The biotic weathering processes were modeled by varying the pH conditions within the model to adjust for biologic influence. The results suggested that, for a basaltic system, the microbially-mediated dissolution of basalt would result in "simpler" secondary alteration, consisting of Fe-hydroxide and kaolinite, under conditions where the abiotic system would also form chlorite. The results from this study demonstrate that, by using laboratory-based experiments and thermochemical modeling, it is possible to identify secondary alteration minerals that could potentially be used to distinguish between abiotic and biotic weathering processes on early Mars. This work will contribute to the interpretation of data from past, present, and future life detection missions to Mars.

Early intervention for psychotic disorders: Real-life implementation in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Gloria H Y; Hui, Christy L M; Tang, Jennifer Y M; Chang, Wing-Chung; Chan, Sherry K W; Xu, Jia-Qi; Lin, Jessie J X; Lai, Dik-Chee; Tam, Wendy; Kok, Joy; Chung, Dicky; Hung, S F; Chen, Eric Y H

2012-03-01

Hong Kong is among the first few cities in Asia to have implemented early intervention for psychosis in 2001. Substantial changes in psychosis service have since taken place. We reviewed available outcome data in Hong Kong, with reference to the philosophy of early intervention in psychosis, discussing experience and lessons learned from the implementation process, and future opportunities and challenges. Data accumulated in the past decade provided evidence for the benefits and significance of early intervention programmes: patients under the care of early intervention service showed improved functioning, milder symptoms, and fewer hospitalizations and suicides. Early intervention is more cost-effective compared with standard care. Stigma and misconception remains an issue, and public awareness campaigns are underway. In recent years, a critical mass is being formed, and Hong Kong has witnessed the unfolding of public service extension, new projects and organizations, and increasing interest from the community. Several major platforms are in place for coherent efforts, including the public Early Assessment Service for Young people with psychosis (EASY) programme, the Psychosis Studies and Intervention (PSI) research unit, the independent Hong Kong Early Psychosis Intervention Society (EPISO), the Jockey Club Early Psychosis (JCEP) project, and the postgraduate Psychological Medicine (Psychosis Studies) programme. The first decade of early intervention work has been promising; consolidation and further development is needed on many fronts of research, service and education. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity of the trapezius muscle

PubMed Central

Luijcks, Rosan; Vossen, Catherine J.; Roggeveen, Suzanne; van Os, Jim; Hermens, Hermie J.; Lousberg, Richel

2016-01-01

Abstract Human and animal research indicates that exposure to early life adversity increases stress sensitivity later in life. While behavioral markers of adversity-induced stress sensitivity have been suggested, physiological markers remain to be elucidated. It is known that trapezius muscle activity increases during stressful situations. The present study examined to what degree early life adverse events experienced during early childhood (0–11 years) and adolescence (12–17 years) moderate experimentally induced electromyographic (EMG) stress activity of the trapezius muscles, in an experimental setting. In a general population sample (n = 115), an anticipatory stress effect was generated by presenting a single unpredictable and uncontrollable electrical painful stimulus at t = 3 minutes. Subjects were unaware of the precise moment of stimulus delivery and its intensity level. Linear and nonlinear time courses in EMG activity were modeled using multilevel analysis. The study protocol included 2 experimental sessions (t = 0 and t = 6 months) allowing for examination of reliability. Results show that EMG stress reactivity during the stress paradigm was consistently stronger in people with higher levels of early life adverse events; early childhood adversity had a stronger moderating effect than adolescent adversity. The impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity may represent a reliable facet that can be used in both clinical and nonclinical studies. PMID:27684800

Early life vitamin D depletion alters the postnatal response to skeletal loading in growing and mature bone

PubMed Central

Buckley, Harriet; Owen, Robert; Marin, Ana Campos; Lu, Yongtau; Eyles, Darryl; Lacroix, Damien; Reilly, Gwendolen C.; Skerry, Tim M.; Bishop, Nick J.

2018-01-01

There is increasing evidence of persistent effects of early life vitamin D exposure on later skeletal health; linking low levels in early life to smaller bone size in childhood as well as increased fracture risk later in adulthood, independently of later vitamin D status. A major determinant of bone mass acquisition across all ages is mechanical loading. We tested the hypothesis in an animal model system that early life vitamin D depletion results in abrogation of the response to mechanical loading, with consequent reduction in bone size, mass and strength during both childhood and adulthood. A murine model was created in which pregnant dams were either vitamin D deficient or replete, and their offspring moved to a vitamin D replete diet at weaning. Tibias of the offspring were mechanically loaded and bone structure, extrinsic strength and growth measured both during growth and after skeletal maturity. Offspring of vitamin D deplete mice demonstrated lower bone mass in the non loaded limb and reduced bone mass accrual in response to loading in both the growing skeleton and after skeletal maturity. Early life vitamin D depletion led to reduced bone strength and altered bone biomechanical properties. These findings suggest early life vitamin D status may, in part, determine the propensity to osteoporosis and fracture that blights later life in many individuals. PMID:29370213

Intelligence and all-cause mortality in the 6-Day Sample of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 and their siblings: testing the contribution of family background.

PubMed

Iveson, Matthew H; Cukic, Iva; Der, Geoff; Batty, G David; Deary, Ian J

2018-02-01

Higher early-life intelligence is associated with a reduced risk of mortality in adulthood, though this association is apparently hardly attenuated when accounting for early-life socio-economic status (SES). However, the use of proxy measures of SES means that residual confounding may underestimate this attenuation. In the present study, the potential confounding effect of early-life SES was instead accounted for by examining the intelligence-mortality association within families. The association between early-life intelligence and mortality in adulthood was assessed in 727 members of the 6-Day Sample of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 and, for the first time, 1580 of their younger siblings. These individuals were born between 1936 and 1958, and were followed up into later life, with deaths recorded up to 2015. Cox regression was used to estimate the relative risk of mortality associated with higher IQ scores after adjusting for shared family factors. A standard-deviation advantage in IQ score was associated with a significantly reduced mortality risk [hazard ratio = 0.76, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.68-0.84)]. This reduction in hazard was only slightly attenuated by adjusting for sex and shared family factors [hazard ratio = 0.79, p = 0.002, 95% CI (0.68-0.92)]. Although somewhat conservative, adjusting for all variance shared by a family avoids any potential residual confounding of the intelligence-mortality association arising from the use of proxy measures of early-life SES. The present study demonstrates that the longevity associated with higher early-life intelligence cannot be explained by early-life SES or within-family factors. © The Author 2017; Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Long-term alterations in vulnerability to addiction to drugs of abuse and in brain gene expression after early life ethanol exposure.

PubMed

Barbier, Estelle; Pierrefiche, Olivier; Vaudry, David; Vaudry, Hubert; Daoust, Martine; Naassila, Mickaël

2008-12-01

Exposure to ethanol early in life can have long-lasting implications on brain function and drug of abuse response later in life. The present study investigated in rats, the long-term consequences of pre- and postnatal (early life) ethanol exposure on drug consumption/reward and the molecular targets potentially associated with these behavioral alterations. Since a relationship has been demonstrated between heightened drugs intake and susceptibility to drugs-induced locomotor activity/sensitization, anxiolysis, we tested these behavioral responses, depending on the drug, in control and early life ethanol-exposed animals. Our results show that progeny exposed to early life ethanol displayed increased consumption of ethanol solutions and increased sensitivity to cocaine rewarding effects assessed in the conditioned place preference test. Offspring exposed to ethanol were more sensitive to the anxiolytic effect of ethanol and the increased sensitivity could, at least in part, explain the alteration in the consumption of ethanol for its anxiolytic effects. In addition, the sensitivity to hypothermic effects of ethanol and ethanol metabolism were not altered by early life ethanol exposure. The sensitization to cocaine (20 mg/kg) and to amphetamine (1.2 mg/kg) was increased after early life ethanol exposure and, could partly explain, an increase in the rewarding properties of psychostimulants. Gene expression analysis revealed that expression of a large number of genes was altered in brain regions involved in the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Dopaminergic receptors and transporter binding sites were also down-regulated in the striatum of ethanol-exposed offspring. Such long-term neurochemical alterations in transmitter systems and in the behavioral responses to ethanol and other drugs of abuse may confer an increased liability for addiction in exposed offspring.

Origin of life. The role of experiments, basic beliefs, and social authorities in the controversies about the spontaneous generation of life and the subsequent debates about synthesizing life in the laboratory.

PubMed

Deichmann, Ute

2012-01-01

For centuries the question of the origin of life had focused on the question of the spontaneous generation of life, at least primitive forms of life, from inanimate matter, an idea that had been promoted most prominently by Aristotle. The widespread belief in spontaneous generation, which had been adopted by the Church, too, was finally abandoned at the beginning of the twentieth century, when the question of the origin of life became related to that of the artificial generation of life in the laboratory. This paper examines the role of social authorities, researchers' basic beliefs, crucial experiments, and scientific advance in the controversies about spontaneous generation from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries and analyzes the subsequent debates about the synthesis of artificial life in the changing scientific contexts of the nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. It shows that despite the importance of social authorities, basic beliefs, and crucial experiments scientific advances, especially those in microbiology, were the single most important factor in the stepwise abandoning of the doctrine of spontaneous generation. Research on the origin of life and the artificial synthesis of life became scientifically addressed only when it got rid of the idea of constant smooth transitions between inanimate matter and life and explored possible chemical and physical mechanisms of the specificity of basic molecules and processes of life.

Precedents of perceived social support: personality and early life experiences.

PubMed

Kitamura, T; Kijima, N; Watanabe, K; Takezaki, Y; Tanaka, E

1999-12-01

In order to examine the effects of personality and early life experiences on perceived social support, a total of 97 young Japanese women were investigated. Current interpersonal relationships were measured by an interview modified from Henderson et al.'s Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI). Personality was measured by Cloninger et al.'s Temperament and Character Inventory. Early life experiences at home and outside of home were also identified in the interview. The number of sources of perceived support was correlated with self-directness, while satisfaction with perceived support was correlated with novelty seeking and with low harm avoidance. No early life experiences--early loss of a parent, perceived parenting, childhood abuse experiences, experiences of being bullied and/or other life events--showed significant correlations with the number or satisfaction of supportive people. The quantity and quality of perception of social support differ in their link to personality, and perceived social support may, to some extent, be explainable in terms of personality.

Maternal Separation Does Not Produce a Significant Behavioral Change in Mice

PubMed Central

Tan, Shawn; Ho, Hin San; Song, Anna Yoonsu; Low, Joey

2017-01-01

Early life adversities together with genetic predispositions have been associated with elevated risks of neuropsychiatric disorders during later life. In order to investigate the underlying mechanisms, many chronic, early-life stress paradigms in multiple animal models have been developed. Previously, studies reported that maternal separation (MS) in the early postnatal stages triggers depression-and/or anxiety-like behaviors in rats. However, similar studies using mice have reported inconsistent behavioral outcomes. In this study, we sought to assess behavioral outcomes from two different early-life stress paradigms; a conventional 3-hour MS and a maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) paradigm using C57BL/6J male mice with independent cohorts. Our data demonstrated that both MS and MSEW paradigms did not produce reported behavioral anomalies. Therefore, MS paradigms in mice require further validation and modification. PMID:29302206

Newly-formed emotional memories guide selective attention processes: Evidence from event-related potentials.

PubMed

Schupp, Harald T; Kirmse, Ursula; Schmälzle, Ralf; Flaisch, Tobias; Renner, Britta

2016-06-20

Emotional cues can guide selective attention processes. However, emotional stimuli can both activate long-term memory representations reflecting general world knowledge and engage newly formed memory representations representing specific knowledge from the immediate past. Here, the self-completion feature of associative memory was utilized to assess the regulation of attention processes by newly-formed emotional memory. First, new memory representations were formed by presenting pictures depicting a person either in an erotic pose or as a portrait. Afterwards, to activate newly-built memory traces, edited pictures were presented showing only the head region of the person. ERP recordings revealed the emotional regulation of attention by newly-formed memories. Specifically, edited pictures from the erotic compared to the portrait category elicited an early posterior negativity and late positive potential, similar to the findings observed for the original pictures. A control condition showed that the effect was dependent on newly-formed memory traces. Given the large number of new memories formed each day, they presumably make an important contribution to the regulation of attention in everyday life.

Newly-formed emotional memories guide selective attention processes: Evidence from event-related potentials

PubMed Central

Schupp, Harald T.; Kirmse, Ursula; Schmälzle, Ralf; Flaisch, Tobias; Renner, Britta

2016-01-01

Emotional cues can guide selective attention processes. However, emotional stimuli can both activate long-term memory representations reflecting general world knowledge and engage newly formed memory representations representing specific knowledge from the immediate past. Here, the self-completion feature of associative memory was utilized to assess the regulation of attention processes by newly-formed emotional memory. First, new memory representations were formed by presenting pictures depicting a person either in an erotic pose or as a portrait. Afterwards, to activate newly-built memory traces, edited pictures were presented showing only the head region of the person. ERP recordings revealed the emotional regulation of attention by newly-formed memories. Specifically, edited pictures from the erotic compared to the portrait category elicited an early posterior negativity and late positive potential, similar to the findings observed for the original pictures. A control condition showed that the effect was dependent on newly-formed memory traces. Given the large number of new memories formed each day, they presumably make an important contribution to the regulation of attention in everyday life. PMID:27321471

Effect of voluntary alcohol consumption on Maoa expression in the mesocorticolimbic brain of adult male rats previously exposed to prolonged maternal separation

PubMed Central

Bendre, M; Comasco, E; Nylander, I; Nilsson, K W

2015-01-01

Discordant associations between monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) genotype and high alcohol drinking have been reported in human and non-human primates. Environmental influences likely moderate genetic susceptibility. The biological basis for this interplay remains elusive, and inconsistencies call for translational studies in which conditions can be controlled and brain tissue is accessible. The present study investigated whether early life stress and subsequent adult episodic alcohol consumption affect Maoa expression in stress- and reward-related brain regions in the rat. Outbred Wistar rats were exposed to rearing conditions associated with stress (prolonged maternal separation) or no stress during early life, and given free choice between alcohol and/or water in adulthood. Transcript levels of Maoa were assessed in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens (NAc), medial prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, amygdala and dorsal striatum (DS). Blood was collected to assess corticosterone levels. After alcohol consumption, lower blood corticosterone and Maoa expression in the NAc and DS were found in rats exposed to early life stress compared with control rats. An interaction between early life stress and voluntary alcohol intake was found in the NAc. Alcohol intake before death correlated negatively with Maoa expression in DS in high alcohol-drinking rats exposed to early life stress. Maoa expression is sensitive to adulthood voluntary alcohol consumption in the presence of early life stress in outbred rats. These findings add knowledge of the molecular basis of the previously reported associations between early life stress, MAOA and susceptibility to alcohol misuse. PMID:26645625

Effect of voluntary alcohol consumption on Maoa expression in the mesocorticolimbic brain of adult male rats previously exposed to prolonged maternal separation.

PubMed

Bendre, M; Comasco, E; Nylander, I; Nilsson, K W

2015-12-08

Discordant associations between monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) genotype and high alcohol drinking have been reported in human and non-human primates. Environmental influences likely moderate genetic susceptibility. The biological basis for this interplay remains elusive, and inconsistencies call for translational studies in which conditions can be controlled and brain tissue is accessible. The present study investigated whether early life stress and subsequent adult episodic alcohol consumption affect Maoa expression in stress- and reward-related brain regions in the rat. Outbred Wistar rats were exposed to rearing conditions associated with stress (prolonged maternal separation) or no stress during early life, and given free choice between alcohol and/or water in adulthood. Transcript levels of Maoa were assessed in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens (NAc), medial prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, amygdala and dorsal striatum (DS). Blood was collected to assess corticosterone levels. After alcohol consumption, lower blood corticosterone and Maoa expression in the NAc and DS were found in rats exposed to early life stress compared with control rats. An interaction between early life stress and voluntary alcohol intake was found in the NAc. Alcohol intake before death correlated negatively with Maoa expression in DS in high alcohol-drinking rats exposed to early life stress. Maoa expression is sensitive to adulthood voluntary alcohol consumption in the presence of early life stress in outbred rats. These findings add knowledge of the molecular basis of the previously reported associations between early life stress, MAOA and susceptibility to alcohol misuse.

Emergence, development, and maturity of the gonad of two species of chitons "sea cockroach" (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) through the early life stages.

PubMed

Avila-Poveda, Omar Hernando; Abadia-Chanona, Quetzalli Yasú

2013-01-01

This study describes and recognises, using histological and microscopical examinations on a morphometrical basis, several gonad traits through the early life stages of Chiton articulatus and C. albolineatus. Gonadal ontogenesis, gonad development stages, sexual differentiation, onset of the first sexual maturity, and growth sequences or "early life stages" were determined. In addition, allometry between lengths and body weight pooled for both sexes per each chiton were calculated using equation Y = aX(b) . A total of 125 chitons (4≤TL≤40 mm, in total length "TL") were used. All allometric relations showed a strong positive correlation (r), close to 1, with b-values above three, indicating an isometric growth. Gonadal ontogenesis and gonad development stages were categorised into three periods ("Pw" without gonad, "Pe" gonad emergence, and "Pf" gonadal sac formed) and four stages ("S0" gametocytogenesis, "S1" gametogenesis, "S2" mature, and "S3" spawning), respectively. Compound digital images were attained for each process. Periods and stages are overlapped among them and between species, with the following overall confidence intervals in TL: Pw 6.13-14.32 mm, Pe 10.32-16.93 mm, Pf 12.99-25.01 mm, S0 16.08-24.34 mm (females) and 19.51-26.60 mm (males), S1 27.15-35.63 mm (females) and 23.45-32.27 mm (males), S2 24.48-40.24 mm (females) and 25.45-32.87 mm (males). Sexual differentiation (in S0) of both chitons occurs first as a female then as a male; although, males reach the onset of the first sexual maturity earlier than females, thus for C. articulatus males at 17 mm and females at 32 mm, and for C. albolineatus males at 23.5 mm and females at 28 mm, all in TL. Four early life stages (i.e., subjuvenile, juvenile, subadult, and adult) are described and proposed to distinguish growth sequences. Our results may be useful to diverse disciplines, from developmental biology to fisheries management.

Early closure of temporary ileostomy—the EASY trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

Correa-Marinez, Adiela; Angenete, Eva; Skullmann, Stefan; Haglind, Eva; Rosenberg, Jacob

2011-01-01

Objective The objective is to evaluate efficiency based on data on morbidity and mortality, health-related quality of life and healthcare-related costs after early reversal of temporary ileostomy after rectal resection for cancer compared with the standard procedure (late reversal). Background Reversal of a temporary ileostomy is generally associated with a low morbidity and mortality. However, ostomy reversal may cause complications requiring reoperation with subsequent major complications, in ranges from 0% to 7–9% and minor complications varying from 4–5% to 30%. Based on studies exploring and describing the time of closure in previous studies which are mostly of low quality, a recent review concluded that closing a temporary stoma within 2 weeks did not seem to be associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality. Design and methods Early closure of temporary ileostomy (EASY), a randomised controlled trial, is a prospective randomised controlled multicentre study which is performed within the framework of the Scandinavian Surgical Outcomes Research Group (http://www.ssorg.net/) and plans to include 200 patients from Danish and Swedish hospitals. The primary end-point of the study is the frequency of complications 0–12 months after surgery (the stoma creation operation). The secondary end-points of the study are (1) comparison of the total costs of the two groups at 6 and 12 months after surgery (stoma creation); (2) comparison of health-related quality of life in the two groups evaluated with the 36-item short-form and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-CR29/CR30 at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery (stoma creation); and (3) comparison of disease-specific quality of life in the two groups at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery (stoma creation). Discussion The aim of the EASY trial is to evaluate the efficiency of early reversal of temporary ileostomy after surgery for rectal cancer versus late reversal. The EASY trial is expected to have a huge impact on patient safety as well as an improvement in patient-reported outcome. Clinical trials identifier NCT01287637. PMID:22021780

Early life urban exposure as a risk factor for developing obesity and impaired fasting glucose in later adulthood: results from two cohorts in Thailand.

PubMed

Angkurawaranon, Chaisiri; Wisetborisut, Anawat; Rerkasem, Kittipan; Seubsman, Sam-Ang; Sleigh, Adrian; Doyle, Pat; Nitsch, Dorothea

2015-09-16

Obesity and obesity related conditions, driven by processes such as urbanization and globalization, are contributing to pronounced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in developing countries. There is limited evidence on the influence of living in an urban environment in early life on obesity and obesity related conditions later in life in developing countries such as Thailand. We used data from two cohort studies conducted in Thailand, the Thai Cohort Study (TCS) and the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Health Worker Study, to investigate the association between early life urban (vs rural) exposure and the later development of obesity. We additionally explored the association between early life urban exposure and impaired fasting glucose in adulthood using data from the CMU Health Worker Study. Among 48,490 adults from the TCS, 9.1 % developed obesity within 4 years of follow-up. Among 1,804 initially non-obese adults from CMU Health worker study, 13.6 % developed obesity within 5 years of follow-up. Early life urban exposure was associated with increased risk of developing obesity in adulthood in both cohorts. Adjusting for age and sex, those who spent their early lives in urban areas were 1.21 times more likely to develop obesity in the TCS (OR 1.21, 95 % CI 1.12 to 1.31) and 1.65 times more likely in the CMU Health Worker study (OR 1.65, 95 % CI 1.23 to 2.20). These associations remained significant despite adjustment for later life urban exposure and current household income. No evidence for an association was found for impaired fasting glucose. Early life urban exposure was associated with increased risk of developing obesity in adulthood. These findings support public health intervention programs to prevent obesity starting from early ages.

Understanding Early Decisions to Withdraw Life-Sustaining Therapy in Cardiac Arrest Survivors. A Qualitative Investigation.

PubMed

Dale, Craig M; Sinuff, Tasnim; Morrison, Laurie J; Golan, Eyal; Scales, Damon C

2016-07-01

Early withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy contributes to the majority of deaths following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), despite current recommendations for delayed neurological prognostication (≥72 h) after treatment with targeted temperature management. Little is known about clinicians' experiences of early withdrawal of life support decisions in patients with OHCA. To explore clinicians' experiences and perceptions of early withdrawal of life support decisions and barriers to guideline-concordant neurological prognostication in comatose survivors of OHCA treated with targeted temperature management. We conducted qualitative interviews with intensive care unit (ICU) physicians and nurses following withdrawal of life support in comatose patients with OHCA treated with targeted temperature management. The study was carried out across 18 academic and community hospitals participating in a multicenter, stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized controlled trial designed to improve quality-of-care processes for patients after OHCA in Ontario, Canada. We used a focused thematic analysis to capture barriers to guideline-concordant neurological prognostication and used these barriers to identify potentially modifiable issues. The core thematic finding was a high emotional burden of ICU family-team communication in which strong feelings inhibited information transfer and delayed decision making following OHCA. Four subthemes describing sources of communication strain were identified: (1) requests from family members to provide early outcome predictions, (2) incomplete family comprehension of critical care, (3) family requests for early withdrawal of life support based on their understanding of patients' preferences and values, and (4) family-team communication gaps related to prognostic uncertainty. Participants worried that gaps in timely and clear prognostic information contributed to surrogates' perceptions of a poor outcome and to inappropriately early decisions to withdraw life support. Family-team communication difficulties may be an underestimated factor leading to early withdrawal of life support in ICUs for individuals who initially survive OHCA.

Conditions for the emergence of life on the early Earth: summary and reflections

PubMed Central

Jortner, Joshua

2006-01-01

This review attempts to situate the emergence of life on the early Earth within the scientific issues of the operational and mechanistic description of life, the conditions and constraints of prebiotic chemistry, together with bottom-up molecular fabrication and biomolecular nanofabrication and top-down miniaturization approaches to the origin of terrestrial life. PMID:17008225

The Early Years: "Life" Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashbrook, Peggy

2013-01-01

Talking about death as part of a life cycle is often ignored or spoken about in hushed tones in early childhood. Books with "life cycle" in the title often do not include the death of the living organism in the information about the cycle. The concept of a complete life cycle does not appear in "A Framework for K-12 Science…

African ancestry, early life exposures, and respiratory morbidity in early childhood

PubMed Central

Kumar, R.; Tsai, H.-J.; Hong, X.; Gignoux, C.; Pearson, C.; Ortiz, K.; Fu, M.; Pongracic, J. A.; Burchard, E. G.; Bauchner, H.; Wang, X.

2012-01-01

Summary Background Racial disparities persist in early childhood wheezing and cannot be completely explained by known risk factors. Objective To evaluate the associations of genetic ancestry and self-identified race with early childhood recurrent wheezing, accounting for socio-economic status (SES) and early life exposures. Methods We studied 1034 children in an urban, multi-racial, prospective birth cohort. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of genetic ancestry as opposed to self-identified race with recurrent wheezing (>3 episodes). Sequential models accounted for demographic, socio-economic factors and early life risk factors. Genetic ancestry, estimated using 150 ancestry informative markers, was expressed in deciles. Results Approximately 6.1% of subjects (mean age 3.1 years) experienced recurrent wheezing. After accounting for SES and demographic factors, African ancestry (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.02–1.31) was significantly associated with recurrent wheezing. By self-reported race, hispanic subjects had a borderline decrease in risk of wheeze compared with African Americans (OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.19–1.00), whereas white subjects (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.14–1.57) did not have. After further adjustment for known confounders and early life exposures, both African (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.34) and European ancestry (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.94) retained a significant association with recurrent wheezing, as compared with self-identified race (ORwhites: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.09–1.14; ORhispanic: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.20–1.08). There were no significant interactions between ancestry and early life factors on recurrent wheezing. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance In contrast to self-identified race, African ancestry remained a significant, independent predictor of early childhood wheezing after accounting for early life and other known risk factors associated with lung function changes and asthma. Genetic ancestry may be a powerful way to evaluate wheezing disparities and a proxy for differentially distributed genetic and early life risk factors associated with childhood recurrent wheezing. PMID:22093077

Experimental investigation of anaerobic nitrogen fixation rates with varying pressure, temperature and metal concentration with application to the atmospheric evolution of early Earth and Mars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Prateek

2012-07-01

The atmosphere of the early Earth is thought to have been significantly different than the modern composition of 21% O2 and 78% N2, yet the planet has been clearly established as hosting microbial life as far back as 3.8 billion years ago. As such, constraining the atmospheric composition of the early Earth is fundamental to establishing a database of habitable atmospheric compositions. A similar argument can be made for the planet Mars, where nitrates have been hypothesized to exist in the subsurface. During the early period on Mars when liquid water was likely more abundant, life may have developed to take advantage of available nitrates and a biologically-driven Martian nitrogen cycle could have evolved. Early Earth atmospheric composition has been investigated numerically, but only recently has the common assumption of a pN2 different than modern been investigated. Nonetheless, these latest attempts fail to take into account a key atmospheric parameter: life. On modern Earth, nitrogen is cycled vigorously by biology. The nitrogen cycle likely operated on the early Earth, but probably differed in the metabolic processes responsible, dominantly due to the lack of abundant oxygen which stabilizes oxidized forms of N that drive de-nitrification today. Recent advances in evolutionary genomics suggest that microbial pathways that are relatively uncommon today (i.e. vanadium and iron-based nitrogen fixation) probably played important roles in the early N cycle. We quantitatively investigate in the laboratory the effects of variable pressure, temperature and metal concentration on the rates of anoxic nitrogen fixation, as possible inputs for future models investigating atmospheric evolution, and better understand the evolution of the nitrogen cycle on Earth. A common anaerobic methanogenic archaeal species with i) a fully sequenced genome, ii) all three nitrogenases (molybdenum, vanadium and iron-based) and iii) the ability to be genetically manipulated will be used as a model species. This species will be genetically modified to create knock-out mutants lacking one or more nitrogenase genes. These mutants will be used in variable pressure, temperature and metal-concentration experiments. Nitrogen fixation rate and nitrogenase gene expression will be measured using isotope dilution and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively.

Early Life Conditions, Adverse Life Events, and Chewing Ability at Middle and Later Adulthood

PubMed Central

Watt, Richard G.; Tsakos, Georgios

2014-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine the extent to which early life conditions and adverse life events impact chewing ability in middle and later adulthood. Methods. Secondary analyses were conducted based on data from waves 2 and 3 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), collected in the years 2006 to 2009 and encompassing information on current chewing ability and the life history of persons aged 50 years or older from 13 European countries. Logistic regression models were estimated with sequential inclusion of explanatory variables representing living conditions in childhood and adverse life events. Results. After controlling for current determinants of chewing ability at age 50 years or older, certain childhood and later life course socioeconomic, behavioral, and cognitive factors became evident as correlates of chewing ability at age 50 years or older. Specifically, childhood financial hardship was identified as an early life predictor of chewing ability at age 50 years or older (odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval = 1.22, 2.06). Conclusions. Findings suggest a potential enduring impact of early life conditions and adverse life events on oral health in middle and later adulthood and are relevant for public health decision-makers who design strategies for optimal oral health. PMID:24625140

Automatic segmentation of the hippocampus for preterm neonates from early-in-life to term-equivalent age.

PubMed

Guo, Ting; Winterburn, Julie L; Pipitone, Jon; Duerden, Emma G; Park, Min Tae M; Chau, Vann; Poskitt, Kenneth J; Grunau, Ruth E; Synnes, Anne; Miller, Steven P; Mallar Chakravarty, M

2015-01-01

The hippocampus, a medial temporal lobe structure central to learning and memory, is particularly vulnerable in preterm-born neonates. To date, segmentation of the hippocampus for preterm-born neonates has not yet been performed early-in-life (shortly after birth when clinically stable). The present study focuses on the development and validation of an automatic segmentation protocol that is based on the MAGeT-Brain (Multiple Automatically Generated Templates) algorithm to delineate the hippocampi of preterm neonates on their brain MRIs acquired at not only term-equivalent age but also early-in-life. First, we present a three-step manual segmentation protocol to delineate the hippocampus for preterm neonates and apply this protocol on 22 early-in-life and 22 term images. These manual segmentations are considered the gold standard in assessing the automatic segmentations. MAGeT-Brain, automatic hippocampal segmentation pipeline, requires only a small number of input atlases and reduces the registration and resampling errors by employing an intermediate template library. We assess the segmentation accuracy of MAGeT-Brain in three validation studies, evaluate the hippocampal growth from early-in-life to term-equivalent age, and study the effect of preterm birth on the hippocampal volume. The first experiment thoroughly validates MAGeT-Brain segmentation in three sets of 10-fold Monte Carlo cross-validation (MCCV) analyses with 187 different groups of input atlases and templates. The second experiment segments the neonatal hippocampi on 168 early-in-life and 154 term images and evaluates the hippocampal growth rate of 125 infants from early-in-life to term-equivalent age. The third experiment analyzes the effect of gestational age (GA) at birth on the average hippocampal volume at early-in-life and term-equivalent age using linear regression. The final segmentations demonstrate that MAGeT-Brain consistently provides accurate segmentations in comparison to manually derived gold standards (mean Dice's Kappa > 0.79 and Euclidean distance <1.3 mm between centroids). Using this method, we demonstrate that the average volume of the hippocampus is significantly different (p < 0.0001) in early-in-life (621.8 mm(3)) and term-equivalent age (958.8 mm(3)). Using these differences, we generalize the hippocampal growth rate to 38.3 ± 11.7 mm(3)/week and 40.5 ± 12.9 mm(3)/week for the left and right hippocampi respectively. Not surprisingly, younger gestational age at birth is associated with smaller volumes of the hippocampi (p = 0.001). MAGeT-Brain is capable of segmenting hippocampi accurately in preterm neonates, even at early-in-life. Hippocampal asymmetry with a larger right side is demonstrated on early-in-life images, suggesting that this phenomenon has its onset in the 3rd trimester of gestation. Hippocampal volume assessed at the time of early-in-life and term-equivalent age is linearly associated with GA at birth, whereby smaller volumes are associated with earlier birth.

Automatic segmentation of the hippocampus for preterm neonates from early-in-life to term-equivalent age

PubMed Central

Guo, Ting; Winterburn, Julie L.; Pipitone, Jon; Duerden, Emma G.; Park, Min Tae M.; Chau, Vann; Poskitt, Kenneth J.; Grunau, Ruth E.; Synnes, Anne; Miller, Steven P.; Mallar Chakravarty, M.

2015-01-01

Introduction The hippocampus, a medial temporal lobe structure central to learning and memory, is particularly vulnerable in preterm-born neonates. To date, segmentation of the hippocampus for preterm-born neonates has not yet been performed early-in-life (shortly after birth when clinically stable). The present study focuses on the development and validation of an automatic segmentation protocol that is based on the MAGeT-Brain (Multiple Automatically Generated Templates) algorithm to delineate the hippocampi of preterm neonates on their brain MRIs acquired at not only term-equivalent age but also early-in-life. Methods First, we present a three-step manual segmentation protocol to delineate the hippocampus for preterm neonates and apply this protocol on 22 early-in-life and 22 term images. These manual segmentations are considered the gold standard in assessing the automatic segmentations. MAGeT-Brain, automatic hippocampal segmentation pipeline, requires only a small number of input atlases and reduces the registration and resampling errors by employing an intermediate template library. We assess the segmentation accuracy of MAGeT-Brain in three validation studies, evaluate the hippocampal growth from early-in-life to term-equivalent age, and study the effect of preterm birth on the hippocampal volume. The first experiment thoroughly validates MAGeT-Brain segmentation in three sets of 10-fold Monte Carlo cross-validation (MCCV) analyses with 187 different groups of input atlases and templates. The second experiment segments the neonatal hippocampi on 168 early-in-life and 154 term images and evaluates the hippocampal growth rate of 125 infants from early-in-life to term-equivalent age. The third experiment analyzes the effect of gestational age (GA) at birth on the average hippocampal volume at early-in-life and term-equivalent age using linear regression. Results The final segmentations demonstrate that MAGeT-Brain consistently provides accurate segmentations in comparison to manually derived gold standards (mean Dice's Kappa > 0.79 and Euclidean distance <1.3 mm between centroids). Using this method, we demonstrate that the average volume of the hippocampus is significantly different (p < 0.0001) in early-in-life (621.8 mm3) and term-equivalent age (958.8 mm3). Using these differences, we generalize the hippocampal growth rate to 38.3 ± 11.7 mm3/week and 40.5 ± 12.9 mm3/week for the left and right hippocampi respectively. Not surprisingly, younger gestational age at birth is associated with smaller volumes of the hippocampi (p = 0.001). Conclusions MAGeT-Brain is capable of segmenting hippocampi accurately in preterm neonates, even at early-in-life. Hippocampal asymmetry with a larger right side is demonstrated on early-in-life images, suggesting that this phenomenon has its onset in the 3rd trimester of gestation. Hippocampal volume assessed at the time of early-in-life and term-equivalent age is linearly associated with GA at birth, whereby smaller volumes are associated with earlier birth. PMID:26740912

Early-Life Social Origins of Later-Life Body Weight: The Role of Socioeconomic Status and Health Behaviors over the Life Course

PubMed Central

Logan, Ellis Scott; Richman, Aliza

2014-01-01

Using the 1957-2004 data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we apply structural equation modeling to examine gender-specific effects of family socioeconomic status (SES) at age 18 on body weight at age 65. We further explore SES and health behaviors over the life course as mechanisms linking family background and later-life body weight. We find that early-life socioeconomic disadvantage is related to higher body weight at age 65 and a steeper weight increase between midlife and late life. These adverse effects are stronger among women than men. Significant mediators of the effect of parents' SES include adolescent body mass (especially among women) as well as exercise and SES in midlife. Yet, consistent with the critical period mechanism, the effect of early-life SES on late-life body weight persists net of all mediating variables. This study expands current understanding of life-course mechanisms that contribute to obesity and increase biological vulnerability to social disadvantage. PMID:24767590

Asperger syndrome and "non-verbal learning problems" in a longitudinal perspective: neuropsychological and social adaptive outcome in early adult life.

PubMed

Hagberg, Bibbi S; Nydén, Agneta; Cederlund, Mats; Gillberg, Christopher

2013-12-15

Co-existence of Asperger syndrome (AS) and non-verbal learning disability (NLD) has been proposed based on the observation that people with AS tend to have significantly higher verbal than performance IQ (VIQ > PIQ by ≥ 15 points), one of the core features of NLD. In the present study we examined neuropsychological and social adaptive profiles with "non-verbal learning problems" associated with NLD in a group of individuals with AS followed from childhood into early adult life. The group was divided into three subgroups: (i) persistent NLD (P-NLD), i.e. NLD (VIQ > PIQ) both in childhood and early adulthood occasions, (ii) childhood NLD (CO-NLD), i.e. NLD (VIQ > PIQ) only at original diagnosis, or (iii) No NLD (VIQ > PIQ) ever (NO-NLD). All three subgroups were followed prospectively from childhood into adolescence and young adult life. One in four to one in five of the whole group of males with AS had P-NLD. The P-NLD subgroup had poorer neuropsychological outcome in early adult life than did those with CO-NLD and those with NO-NLD. There were no unequivocal markers in early childhood that predicted subgroup status in early adult life, but early motor delay and a history of early speech-language problems tended to be associated with P-NLD. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blood pressure in young adulthood and residential greenness in the early-life environment of twins.

PubMed

Bijnens, Esmée M; Nawrot, Tim S; Loos, Ruth Jf; Gielen, Marij; Vlietinck, Robert; Derom, Catherine; Zeegers, Maurice P

2017-06-05

Previous research shows that, besides risk factors in adult life, the early-life environment can influence blood pressure and hypertension in adults. However, the effects of residential traffic exposure and residential greenness in the early-life on blood pressure in young adulthood are currently unknown. Ambulatory (24-h) blood pressures of 278 twins (132 pairs) of the East Flanders Prospective Twins Study were obtained at the age of 18 to 25 years. Prenatal and adulthood residential addresses were geocoded and used to assign prenatal and postnatal traffic and greenness indicators. Mixed modelling was performed to investigate blood pressure in association with greenness while adjusting for potential confounding factors. Night-time systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with greenness at the residential address in twins living at the same address their entire life (non-movers, n = 97, 34.9%). An interquartile increase in residential greenness exposure (1000 m radius) was associated with a 3.59 mmHg (95% CI: -6.0 to -1.23; p = 0.005) lower adult night systolic blood pressure. Among twins who were living at a different address than their birth address at time of the measurement (n = 181, 65.1%), night-time blood pressure was inversely associated with residential surrounding greenness at adult age as well as with residential greenness in early-life. However after additional adjustment for residential greenness exposure in adulthood, only residential greenness exposure in early-life was significantly associated with night systolic blood pressure. While no significant effect of adult residential greenness with adult blood pressure was observed, while accounting for the early-life greenness exposure. Lower residential greenness in the early-life environment was independently associated with a higher adult blood pressure. This indicates that residential greenness has persistent effects on blood pressure.

Early life traumatic stressors and the mediating role of PTSD in incident HIV infection among US men, comparisons by sexual orientation and race/ethnicity: results from the NESARC, 2004-2005.

PubMed

Reisner, Sari L; Falb, Kathryn L; Mimiaga, Matthew J

2011-08-01

Stressful life events in childhood during critical periods of development have long-term psychological and neurobiological sequelae, which may affect risk for HIV infection across the life course. Data were from a nationally representative sample of 13,274 US men (National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, 2004-2005). Weighted multivariable logistic regression models examined (1) the association of childhood violent events before age 18 on 12-month incident HIV infection and (2) whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis (clinical interview) mediated the association between early life events and HIV. Overall, the 12-month HIV incidence was <1% (0.35%); 44% of new infections were among racial/ethnic minorities and 31% among men who have sex with men). One-third of the sample (33.5%) reported one or more early life stressors (physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, verbal violence, or witnessed violence). In a weighted multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for age, education, family's socioeconomic position, and sexual behaviors, each additional early life violent event was associated with an elevated odds of HIV infection [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.32; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16 to 1.50]. Adding PTSD to this adjusted model, PTSD was highly associated with incident HIV infection (aOR = 5.75; 95% CI: 4.76 to 6.95). There was evidence that PTSD partially mediated the relationship between early life events and HIV (aOR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.28). Experiencing early life violent family stressors was associated with HIV infection among men. Early life events and HIV infection were mediated by PTSD, which has implications for understanding disparities in HIV infection. Interventions are urgently needed that address the long-term sequelae of childhood violence.

Interpreting Biosignatures in the Context of Marine Evaporitic Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Des Marais, D. J.; Vogel, M. B.

2008-12-01

A biosignature is an object, substance and/or pattern whose origin specifically requires a biological agent. The usefulness of a biosignature is determined, not only by the probability of life creating it, but also by the improbability of nonbiological processes producing it. So what sets life apart from the rest? Life as we know it is the harnessing of free energy to sustain and perpetuate, by molecular replication and evolution, a high density of information in the form of functional complex molecules and functionally-related larger structures. Accordingly, biosignatures can arise from key attributes such as converting solar to chemical energy, exploiting the versatility of organic chemistry to sustain metabolic processes and preserve information, and maintaining microenvironments that enhance these functions. The external environment affects such functions and so it must be defined in order to interpret effectively the biosignatures that emerge from them. Hypersaline benthic cyanobacterial communities at Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, Mexico provide illustrative examples of biosignatures research that is relevant to our early biosphere and to Mars. Where brines are undersaturated with respect to gypsum, filamentous cyanobacteria dominate over unicellular cyanobacteria and can trap and bind sedimentary grains more effectively, thus altering their response to sedimentary processes and creating laminated fabrics. Biofilms in gypsiferrous sediments also can alter the response of the clastic or crystal matrix to chemical and physical sedimentary processes such as erosion or precipitate accumulation. Gypsum precipitating within biofilms offers compelling evidence of biological influences on crystal textures and habits. Such gypsum exhibits dissolution textures, accessory mineral precipitation and unique crystal form aspect ratios. Irregular textures include conchoidal and globular features associated with both dissolution and nucleation that are likely affected by biofilm pore water compositions. The accessory phases forming in association with gypsum-hosted biofilms (Sº, Ca-carbonate, and Sr/Ca-sulfate) are known byproducts of bacterially mediated sulfate reduction. Light penetrates the relatively transparent gypsum to sustain discretely layered successions of orange-, green-, purple-, pink-, and black-pigmented endoevaporitic biofilms. Lipid biosignatures include carotenoids, tricyclic terpenoids, benzothiophenes, thiacycloalkanes and methylhopanoids. These represent the aggregate effects of light regimes and hypersaline conditions. Features that could be preserved over geological timescales therefore include sedimentary textures, minerals, crystal forms, and lipids. Collectively these features can serve both as biosignatures and paleoenvironmental indicators on early Earth and on Mars.

[Epigenetics and obesity].

PubMed

Casanello, Paola; Krause, Bernardo J; Castro-Rodríguez, José A; Uauy, Ricardo

Current evidence supports the notion that exposure to various environmental conditions in early life may induce permanent changes in the epigenome that persist throughout the life-course. This article focuses on early changes associated with obesity in adult life. A review is presented on the factors that induce changes in whole genome (DNA) methylation in early life that are associated with adult onset obesity and related disorders. In contrast, reversal of epigenetic changes associated with weight loss in obese subjects has not been demonstrated. This contrasts with well-established associations found between obesity related DNA methylation patterns at birth and adult onset obesity and diabetes. Epigenetic markers may serve to screen indivuals at risk for obesity and assess the effects of interventions in early life that may delay or prevent obesity in early life. This might contribute to lower the obesity-related burden of death and disability at the population level. The available evidence indicates that epigenetic marks are in fact modifiable, based on modifications in the intrauterine environment and changes in food intake, physical activity and dietary patterns patterns during pregnancy and early years of adult life. This offers the opportunity to intervene before conception, during pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and also in later life. There must be documentation on the best preventive actions in terms of diet and physical activity that will modify or revert the adverse epigenetic markers, thus preventing obesity and diabetes in suceptible individuals and populations. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Linguistic ability in early life and the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease. Findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Snowdon, D A; Greiner, L H; Markesbery, W R

2000-04-01

Findings from the Nun Study indicate that low linguistic ability in early life has a strong association with dementia and premature death in late life. In the present study, we investigated the relationship of linguistic ability in early life to the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease and cerebrovascular disease. The analyses were done on a subset of 74 participants in the Nun Study for whom we had handwritten autobiographies completed some time between the ages of 19 and 37 (mean = 23 years). An average of 62 years after writing the autobiographies, when the participants were 78 to 97 years old, they died and their brains were removed for our neuropathologic studies. Linguistic ability in early life was measured by the idea (proposition) density of the autobiographies, i.e., a standard measure of the content of ideas in text samples. Idea density scores from early life had strong inverse correlations with the severity of Alzheimer's disease pathology in the neocortex: Correlations between idea density scores and neurofibrillary tangle counts were -0.59 for the frontal lobe, -0.48 for the temporal lobe, and -0.49 for the parietal lobe (all p values < 0.0001). Idea density scores were unrelated to the severity of atherosclerosis of the major arteries at the base of the brain and to the presence of lacunar and large brain infarcts. Low linguistic ability in early life may reflect suboptimal neurological and cognitive development, which might increase susceptibility to the development of Alzheimer's disease pathology in late life.

Resilience and quality of life among Wenchuan earthquake survivors: the mediating role of social support.

PubMed

Xu, J; Ou, L

2014-05-01

To examine the extent social support mediates resilience and quality of life in Wenchuan earthquake survivors. Originals. Self-report psychological questionnaires, the standard Chinese 12-item Short Form (SF-12v2), the Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS) were used to interview a total of 2080 survivors from 19 counties in the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake area. A regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the mediating effect of social support on quality of life. Males and individuals with a higher level of education were found to have a better quality of life. The association between resilience and quality of life improved after social support was included, suggesting that at least a part of this association was mediated by the level of social support provided. This analysis highlighted that the level of resilience and quality of life after an earthquake was associated with the level of social support. This result has clear policy implications, and indicates that more focus needs to be placed on policies that aim for the provision of early mental health intervention and social support to improve the quality of life of earthquake survivors. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Natural selection and sex differences in morbidity and mortality in early life.

PubMed

Wells, J C

2000-01-07

Both morbidity and mortality are consistently reported to be higher in males than in females in early life, but no explanation for these findings has been offered. This paper argues that the sex difference in early vulnerability can be attributed to the natural selection of optimal maternal strategies for maximizing lifetime reproductive success, as modelled previously by Trivers and Willard. These authors theorized that males and females offer different returns on parental investment depending on the state of the environment. Natural selection has therefore favoured maternal ability to manipulate offspring sex in response to environmental conditions in early life, as shown in variation in the sex ratio at birth. This argument can be extended to the whole period of parental investment until weaning. Male vulnerability in response to environmental stress in early life is predicted to have been favoured by natural selection. This vulnerability is most evident in the harsh conditions resulting from pre-term birth, but can also be seen in term infants, and manifests as greater morbidity and mortality persisting into early childhood. Malnutrition, interacting with infection after birth, is suggested as the fundamental trigger mechanism. The model suggests that whatever improvements are made in medical care, any environmental stress will always affect males more severely than females in early life. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Latent carcinogenicity of early-life exposure to dichloroacetic acid in mice

EPA Science Inventory

AbstractEnvironmental exposures occurring early in life may have an important influence on cancer risk later in life. Here we investigated carryover effects of young-adult exposure to dichloroacetic acid (DCA), a small molecule analog of pyruvate and low-level environmental cont...

Early life linguistic ability, late life cognitive function, and neuropathology: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Riley, Kathryn P; Snowdon, David A; Desrosiers, Mark F; Markesbery, William R

2005-03-01

The relationships between early life variables, cognitive function, and neuropathology were examined in participants in the Nun Study who were between the ages of 75 and 95. Our early life variable was idea density, which is a measure of linguistic ability, derived from autobiographies written at a mean age of 22 years. Six discrete categories of cognitive function, including mild cognitive impairments, were evaluated, using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) battery of cognitive tests. Neuropathologic data included Braak staging, neurofibrillary tangle and senile plaque counts, brain weight, degree of cerebral atrophy, severity of atherosclerosis, and the presence of brain infarcts. Early-life idea density was significantly related to the categories of late-life cognitive function, including mild cognitive impairments: low idea density was associated with greater impairment. Low idea density also was significantly associated with lower brain weight, higher degree of cerebral atrophy, more severe neurofibrillary pathology, and the likelihood of meeting neuropathologic criteria for Alzheimer's disease.

Effects of Childhood and Middle-Adulthood Family Conditions on Later-Life Mortality: Evidence from the Utah Population Database, 1850-2002

PubMed Central

Mineau, Mineau P; Gilda, Garibotti; Kerber, Richard

2014-01-01

We examine how key early family circumstances affect mortality risks decades later. Early life conditions are measured by parental mortality, parental fertility (e.g., offspring sibship size, parental age at offspring birth), religious upbringing, and parental socioeconomic status. Prior to these early life conditions are familial and genetic factors that affect life-span. Accordingly, we consider the role of parental and familial longevity on adult mortality risks. We analyze the large Utah Population Database which contains a vast amount of genealogical and other vital/health data that contain full life histories of individuals and hundreds of their relatives. To control for unobserved heterogeneity, we analyze sib-pair data for 12,000 sib-pairs using frailty models. We found modest effects of key childhood conditions (birth order, sibship size, parental religiosity, parental SES, and parental death in childhood). Our measures of familial aggregation of longevity were large and suggest an alternative view of early life conditions. PMID:19278766

Evoecotoxicology: Environmental Changes and Life Features Development during the Evolutionary Process—the Record of the Past at Developmental Stages of Living Organisms

PubMed Central

Herkovits, Jorge

2006-01-01

For most of evolutionary history, scientific understanding of the environment and life forms is extremely limited. In this commentary I discuss the hypothesis that ontogenetic features of living organisms can be considered biomarkers of coevolution between organisms and physicochemical agents during Earth’s history. I provide a new vision of evolution based on correlations between metabolic features and stage-dependent susceptibility of organisms to physicochemical agents with well-known environmental signatures. Thus, developmental features potentially reflect environmental changes during evolution. From this perspective, early multicellular life forms would have flourished in the anoxic Earth more than 2 billion years ago, which is at least 1.2 billion years in advance of available fossil evidence. The remarkable transition to aerobic metabolism in gastrula-stage embryos potentially reflects evolution toward tridermic organisms by 2 billion years ago. Noteworthy changes in embryonic resistance to physicochemical agents at different developmental stages that can be observed in living organisms potentially reflect the influence of environmental stress conditions during different periods of evolutionary history. Evoecotoxicology, as a multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach, can enhance our understanding of evolution, including the phylogenetic significance of differences in susceptibility/resistance to physicochemical agents in different organisms. PMID:16882515

The degree of biogenicity of micrites and terrestrial Mars analogues .

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Elia, M.; Blanco, A.; Orofino, V.; Fonti, S.; Mastandrea, A.; Guido, A.; Tosti, F.; Russo, F.

A number of indications, as the past presence of water, a denser atmosphere and a mild climate on early Mars, suggest that environmental conditions favorable to the emergence of life must have been present on that planet in the first hundred million years, or even more recently. If life actually existed on Mars, biomarkers could be still preserved with some degree of degradation. In previous laboratory works we have investigated the infrared spectral modifications induced by thermal processing on different carbonate samples, in the form of recent shells and fossils of different ages, whose biogenic origin is indisputable. The goal was to develop a method able to discriminate carbonate biogenic samples from their abiogenic counterparts. The method has been successfully applied to microbialites, i.e. bio-induced carbonates deposits, and particularly to stromatolites, the laminated fabric of microbialites, some of which can be ascribed among the oldest traces of biological activity known on Earth. This result is of valuable importance since such carbonates are linked to primitive living organisms which can be considered as good analogues for putative Martian life forms. In this work we show that, studying different parts of the same carbonate rock sample, we are able to distinguish, on the base of the degree of biogenicity, the various micrite types (i.e. detrital vs autochthonous).

Early feeding and early life housing conditions influence the response towards a noninfectious lung challenge in broilers.

PubMed

Simon, K; de Vries Reilingh, G; Bolhuis, J E; Kemp, B; Lammers, A

2015-09-01

Early life conditions such as feed and water availability immediately post hatch (PH) and housing conditions may influence immune development and therefore immune reactivity later in life. The current study addressed the consequences of a combination of these 2 early life conditions for immune reactivity, i.e., the specific antibody response towards a non-infectious lung challenge. Broiler chicks received feed and water either immediately p.h. or with a 72 h delay and were either reared in a floor or a cage system. At 4 weeks of age, chicks received either an intra-tracheally administered Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/Human Serum Albumin (HUSA) challenge or a placebo, and antibody titers were measured up to day 14 after administration of the challenge. Chicks housed on the floor and which had a delayed access to feed p.h. showed the highest antibody titers against HuSA. These chicks also showed the strongest sickness response and poorest performance in response to the challenge, indicating that chicks with delayed access to feed might be more sensitive to an environment with higher antigenic pressure. In conclusion, results from the present study show that early life feeding strategy and housing conditions influence a chick's response to an immune challenge later in life. These 2 early life factors should therefore be taken into account when striving for a balance between disease resistance and performance in poultry. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

The Nun study: clinically silent AD, neuronal hypertrophy, and linguistic skills in early life.

PubMed

Iacono, D; Markesbery, W R; Gross, M; Pletnikova, O; Rudow, G; Zandi, P; Troncoso, J C

2009-09-01

It is common to find substantial Alzheimer disease (AD) lesions, i.e., neuritic beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, in the autopsied brains of elderly subjects with normal cognition assessed shortly before death. We have termed this status asymptomatic AD (ASYMAD). We assessed the morphologic substrate of ASYMAD compared to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in subjects from the Nun Study. In addition, possible correlations between linguistic abilities in early life and the presence of AD pathology with and without clinical manifestations in late life were considered. Design-based stereology was used to measure the volumes of neuronal cell bodies, nuclei, and nucleoli in the CA1 region of hippocampus (CA1). Four groups of subjects were compared: ASYMAD (n = 10), MCI (n = 5), AD (n = 10), and age-matched controls (n = 13). Linguistic ability assessed in early life was compared among all groups. A significant hypertrophy of the cell bodies (+44.9%), nuclei (+59.7%), and nucleoli (+80.2%) in the CA1 neurons was found in ASYMAD compared with MCI. Similar differences were observed with controls. Furthermore, significant higher idea density scores in early life were observed in controls and ASYMAD group compared to MCI and AD groups. 1) Neuronal hypertrophy may constitute an early cellular response to Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology or reflect compensatory mechanisms that prevent cognitive impairment despite substantial AD lesions; 2) higher idea density scores in early life are associated with intact cognition in late life despite the presence of AD lesions.