Consequences of heterogeneity in aging: parental age at death predicts midlife all-cause mortality and hospitalization in a Swedish national birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: The processes that underlie aging may advance at different rates in different individuals and an advanced biological age, relative to the chronological age, is associated with increased risk of disease and death. Here we set out to quantify the extent to which heterogeneous aging shapes health outcomes in midlife by following a Swedish birth-cohort and using parental age at death as a proxy for biological age in the offspring. METHODS: We followed a nationwide Swedish birth cohort (N = 89,688) between the ages of 39 and 66 years with respect to hospitalizations and death. Cox regressions were used to quantify the association, in the offspring, between parental age at death and all-cause mortality, as well as hospitalization for conditions belonging to the 10 most common ICD-10 chapters. RESULTS: Longer parental lifespan was consistently associated with reduced risks of hospitalization and all-cause mortality. Differences in risk were mostly evident from before the age of 50 and persisted throughout the follow-up. Each additional decade of parental survival decreased the risk of offspring all-cause mortality by 22% and risks of hospitalizations by 9 to 20% across the 10 diseases categories considered. The number of deaths and hospitalizations attributable to having parents not living until old age were 1500 (22%) and 11,000 (11%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that increased parental lifespan is consistently associated with health benefits in the offspring across multiple outcomes and suggests that heterogeneous aging processes have clinical implications already in midlife.

Through the eyes of grandparents: an in-depth exploration of the nexus between grandchild caring and the psychological well-being of older grandparents.

BACKGROUND: Grandchild caring has positive as well as negative impact on the grandparents' psychological well-being and the findings are varied by culture and country. METHODS: Present study was intended to understand the relationship between caring for grandchildren and psychological well-being of grandparents living in skipped (SGH) and multi-generational households (MGH) in Indian demographical context. The present research involved In-depth Interviews (IDI) focusing on grandparents above 60 and grandchildren below 18, where the elder played a crucial role in caregiving. The study area was Malda, a district of West Bengal in India. Purposively 24 IDIs were selected. Psychological well-being was measured using open-ended questions. Thematic and content analyses were adopted to understand the perspective of grandparents. RESULTS: Most of the grandparents from SGH reported depression word frequently, while grandparents from MGH reported happy. In the content analysis, grandparents from SGH expressed tension, mental turmoil, and worry about grandchild's future. On the contrary, grandparents from MGH expressed happy, companionship, and worry about grandchild's future. Further, full time caring, compulsive reason behind grandchild caring, and working status were linked with living in SGH and grandchild caring, which were in turn connected with deteriorate psychological health. However, in MGH, a different scenario was observed, most grandparents were partially and non-compulsively engaged in grandchild caring and had expressed positive mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The Findings provide an intervention implication, particularly in the context of India's ageing population and their well-being by acknowledging the influence of household structure, caring intensity, motive behind grandchild caring, and working status on their psychological health. Understanding the importance of these key factors may help the policy maker and the individual to incorporate the most effective intervention to achieve sustainable development goal 3 and healthy ageing.

Prenatal exposure to low-dose di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) induces potentially hepatic lipid accumulation and fibrotic changes in rat offspring.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer that is widely used to enhance the flexibility and durability of various products. As an endocrine disruptor, DEHP can interfere with normal hormonal functions, posing substantial health risks to organisms. Given the critical role of the liver in DEHP metabolism, we investigated potential liver damage in offspring induced by prenatal exposure to low doses of DEHP in Sprague Dawley rats. Pregnant rats were divided into three groups and administered 20 or 200 µg/kg/day of DEHP or corn oil vehicle control via oral gavage from gestation days 0-20. Male rat offspring were euthanized on postnatal day 84, and blood and liver specimens were collected for analysis. We observed fibrotic changes in the livers of the exposed groups, accompanied by the proliferation and activation of hepatic stellate cells and upregulated expression of TGF-B and collagen 1A1. Additionally, an inflammatory response, characterized by increased macrophage infiltration and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, was evident. Third, hepatic and serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol were notably increased, along with upregulated expression of lipid metabolism-related proteins, such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1, particularly in the low-dose group. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to DEHP can disrupt lipid metabolism, resulting in hepatic lipid accumulation in the offspring. This exposure may also induce an inflammatory response that contributes to the development of liver fibrosis. Thus, even at relatively low doses, such exposure can precipitate latent liver damage in offspring.

Aging of nanosized titanium dioxide modulates the effects of dietary copper exposure on Daphnia magna - an assessment over two generations.

Nanosized titanium dioxide (nTiO2) is widely used in products, warranting its discharge from various sources into surface water bodies. However, nTiO2 co-occurs in surface waters with other contaminants, such as metals. Studies with nTiO2 and metals have indicated that the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) can mitigate their toxicity to aquatic organisms. In addition, "aging" of nTiO2 can affect toxicity. However, it is a research challenge, particularly when addressing sublethal responses from dietary exposure over multiple generations. We, therefore exposed the alga Desmodesmus subspicatus to nTiO2 (at concentrations of 0.0, 0.6 and 3.0 mg nTiO2/L) in nutrient medium aged for 0 or 3 days with copper (Cu) at concentrations of 0 and 116 µg Cu/L and with NOM at concentrations equivalent to 0 and 8 mg total organic carbon (TOC) per litre. Subsequently, the exposed alga was fed to Daphnia magna for 23 days over two generations and survival, reproduction and body length were assessed as endpoints of toxicity. In parallel, Cu accumulation and depuration from D. magna were measured. The results indicate that the reproduction of D. magna was the most sensitive parameter in this study, being reduced by 30% (at both parental (F0) and filial (F1) generations) and 50% (at F0 but not F1) due to the dietary Cu exposure in combination with nTiO2 for 0 and 3 days aging, respectively. There was no relationship between the effects observed on reproduction and Cu body burden in D. magna. Moreover, D. magna from the F1 generation showed an adaptive response to Cu in the treatment with 3.0 mg nTiO2/L aged for 3 days, potentially due to epigenetic inheritance. Unexpectedly, the presence of NOM hardly changed the observed effects, pointing towards the function of algal exopolymeric substances or intracellular organic matter, rendering the NOM irrelevant. Ultimately, the results indicate that the transferability of the impacts observed during the F0 to the responses in the F1 generation is challenging due to opposite effect directions. Additional mechanistic studies are needed to unravel this inconsistency in the responses between generations and to support the development of reliable effect models.

Multi-generation effects of lead (Pb) on two Daphnia species.

Two monophyletic Daphnia species (Daphnia magna and D. similis) were exposed to a sub-lethal concentration of Pb (50 µg/L) for nine generations under two food regimes (usual and restricted) and analyzed for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, first reproduction delay, lifespan, and net reproductive rate (R0) at the subcellular, individual, and population levels, respectively. In the sixth generation, Pb-acclimated neonates were moved to clean media for three more generations to check for recovery. The net reproductive rate (R0) of D. magna was not affected by Pb. However, Pb stimulated reproduction, reduced lifespan, and decreased AChE activity. First reproduction delay and lifespan did not improve during the recovery process, suggesting a possible genetic adaptation. Food restriction reduced R0, lifespan, delayed hatching, and increased AChE activity; the opposite outcomes were observed for D. similis. The full recovery shown by R0 suggests the physiological acclimation of D. similis. Under food restriction, the animals exhibited a reduction of R0 and lifespan, delayed first reproduction, and increased AChE activity; however, there was no effect of Pb. The recovery process under food restriction showed that D. similis might not cope with Pb exposure, indicating a failed recovery. Such outcomes indicate that one model species' sensitivity may not represent another's sensitivity.

Work values and communication styles among Generation X, Y, and Z nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To compare and contrast nurses' work values and communication styles across Generation X, Y, and Z. BACKGROUND: Intergenerational differences in the work values of nurses are well known, but the commonalities remain largely uninvestigated. It is also unclear if there are intergenerational differences and commonalities in the rhetorical communication style of nurses. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional research design. Participants were 243 nurses of Generation X (n = 78), Y (n = 86), and Z (n = 79) working at a general hospital in Korea. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from September to October 2019. The differences in work values and communication types were measured and analyzed using the χ2 test. FINDINGS: The work values of Generation X differed from those of Generation Y and Z, who preferred extrinsic work values. There was no significant intergenerational difference in communication types, although Generation X and Y were similar to each other in communication types and different from Generation Z. CONCLUSION: Although the work values of the three generations are different, their communication styles are similar so that they may reduce the generational gap through communication. In particular, Generation Y nurses prefer extrinsic work values and share some work values with Generation Z; however, the dominant communication type of Generation Y is similar to Generation X, not Z. Therefore, Generation Y could play a key role in connecting Generation X with Z during communication. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: Nursing organizations should delegate the authority to Generation Y so that Y may have a voice in the nursing group as the mediator between X and Z.

Molecular Composition of Anthropogenic Oxygenated Organic Molecules and Their Contribution to Organic Aerosol in a Coastal City.

Organic aerosols (OA) have gained attention as a substantial component of atmospheric aerosols owing to their impact on atmospheric visibility, climate, and human health. Although oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) are essential contributors to OA formation, the sources, transformations, and fates of the OOMs are not fully understood. Herein, anthropogenic OOMs (AOOMs), anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (AVOCs), and OA were concurrently measured in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China. Our results show that the AOOMs exhibited a high nitrogen content (76%) and a low oxidation degree. Strong photochemical processes of aromatic VOCs were the predominant sources of AOOMs. Also, NOx concentrations and the occurrence of multigeneration OH radical oxidations were the critical factors that might influence the formation of AOOMs. Finally, the newly developed aerosol dynamic model's results show that more than 35% of the OA mass growth rate is attributed to the gas-particle partitioning of AOOMs. Further sensitivity testing demonstrates that the contribution of AOOMs to OA growth is significantly enhanced during high-particulate-concentration periods, especially under low-temperature conditions. This study emphasizes the vital role of photochemically produced AOOMs derived from AVOCs in OA growth in a coastal urban atmosphere.

Towards more comprehensive nationwide familial aggregation studies in Denmark: The Danish Civil Registration System versus the lite Danish Multi-Generation Register.

AIM: Linking information on family members in the Danish Civil Registration System (CRS) with information in Danish national registers provides unique possibilities for research on familial aggregation of diseases, health patterns, social factors and demography. However, the CRS is limited in the number of generations that it can identify. To allow more complete familial linkages, we introduce the lite Danish Multi-Generation Register (lite MGR) and the future full Danish MGR that is currently being developed. METHODS: We generated the lite MGR by linking the current version of the CRS with historical versions stored by the Danish National Archives in the early 1970s, which contain familial links not saved in the current CRS. We describe and compare the completeness of familial links in the lite MGR and the current version of the CRS. We also describe planned procedures for generating the full MGR by linking the current CRS with scanned archived records from Parish Registers. RESULTS: Among people born in Denmark in 1960 or later, the current CRS contains information on both parents. However, it has limited parental information for people born earlier. Among the 732,232 people born in Denmark during 1950-1959, 444,084 (60.65%) had information on both parents in the CRS. In the lite MGR, it was 560,594 (76.56%). CONCLUSIONS: The lite MGR offers more complete information on familial relationships than the current CRS. The lite and full MGR will offer an infrastructure tying together existing research infrastructures, registers and biobanks, raising their joint research value to an unparalleled level.

Maternal Effect of Polyethylene Microplastic Fragments Containing Benzophenone-3 in Different Ages and Broods of Daphnia Magna.

The maternal effect of microplastics (MPs) toxicity is likely influenced by age and brood of test species. This study investigated the maternal effect of polyethylene MP fragments (18.23 ± 8.02 µm) with benzophenone-3 (BP-3; 2.89 ± 0.20% w/w) on chronic toxicity to Daphnia magna over two generations. Neonate (< 24 h old) and adult (5 d old) daphnids in the F0 generation were exposed until 21 d old, then first and third brood neonates in the F1 generation were recovered in clean M4 medium for 21 d. Higher chronic toxicity and maternal effect of MP/BP-3 fragments were observed in the adult group compared with the neonate group, reducing growth and reproduction in both F0 and F1 generations. First brood neonates in the F1 generation showed a higher maternal effect of MP/BP-3 fragments than third brood ones, resulting in enhanced growth and reproduction relative to the control. This study provided insights into the ecological risk of MPs containing plastic additives in the natural environment.

The transmission of human mitochondrial DNA in four-generation pedigrees.

Most of the pathogenic variants in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) exist in a heteroplasmic state (coexistence of mutant and wild-type mtDNA). Understanding how mtDNA is transmitted is crucial for predicting mitochondrial disease risk. Previous studies were based mainly on two-generation pedigree data, which are limited by the randomness in a single transmission. In this study, we analyzed the transmission of heteroplasmies in 16 four-generation families. First, we found that 57.8% of the variants in the great grandmother were transmitted to the fourth generation. The direction and magnitude of the frequency change during transmission appeared to be random. Moreover, no consistent correlation was identified between the frequency changes among the continuous transmissions, suggesting that most variants were functionally neutral or mildly deleterious and thus not subject to strong natural selection. Additionally, we found that the frequency of one nonsynonymous variant (m.15773G>A) showed a consistent increase in one family, suggesting that this variant may confer a fitness advantage to the mitochondrion/cell. We also estimated the effective bottleneck size during transmission to be 21-71. In summary, our study demonstrates the advantages of multigeneration data for studying the transmission of mtDNA for shedding new light on the dynamics of the mutation frequency in successive generations.

The frequency of misattributed paternity in Sweden is low and decreasing: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of misattributed paternity has consequences throughout society with implications ranging from inheritance and royal succession to transplantation. However, its frequency in Sweden is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the contemporary frequency of misattributed paternity in Sweden. METHODS: The study was based on nationwide ABO blood group data and a nationwide register of familial relationships in Sweden. These data were analysed using both a frequentist Poisson model and the Bayesian Gibbs model. The conduct of the study was approved by the regional ethics committee in Stockholm, Sweden (reference numbers 2018/167-31 and 2019-04656). RESULTS: Nearly two million mother-father-offspring family units were included. Overall, the frequency of misattributed paternity was estimated at 1.7% in both models. Misattributed paternity was more common among parents with low educational levels, and has decreased over time to a current 1%. CONCLUSIONS: The misattributed paternity rate is similar to the rates in other West European populations. Apart from widespread societal implications, studies on heritability may consider misattributed paternity as a minor source of error.

Physiological and molecular responses of the Antarctic harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus kingsejongensis to salinity fluctuations - A multigenerational study.

Since Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean are facing global climate change, biota inhabiting those coastal regions is now challenged by environmental fluctuations including coastal freshening. In this study, the effects of salinity range of 0-75 (practical salinity unit, PSU) on the Antarctic harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus kingsejongensis was investigated by measurement of 96 h survival rate, lifespan, and sex ratio with further analysis of multigenerational growth parameters and mRNA expressions under salinity of 15-45. Different stages of the copepods (i.e., nauplius, male, and female) generally showed tolerance to hypo- and hypersalinity, wherein female copepods were more tolerant than males when exposed to salinity fluctuations. Lifespan was significantly shortened by hypo- and hypersalinity compared to control salinity (34), but there was no significant difference in the sex ratio between salinity treatments. Multigenerational experiments across five generations revealed that exposure to salinities of 15 and 45 reduced body length compared to that in control salinity and the first generation of each salinity group. Our results provide evidence regarding T. kingsejongensis on their preferred salinity ranges, physiological limit to salinity fluctuations, and population dynamics in future salinity.

Effects of Long-Term and Multigeneration Exposure of Caenorhabditis elegans to 9.4 GHz Microwaves.

A large number of studies on the biological effects of microwaves are carried out using rodents and cells, but the conditions are difficult to control, and the irradiation period is short; the results obtained have always been controversial and difficult to reproduce. In this study, we expose nematodes to an electromagnetic environment for a long-term and multigeneration period to explore the possible biological effects. Wild-type N2 strains of Caenorhabditis elegans are exposed to 9.4 GHz microwaves at a specific adsorption rate of 4 W/kg for 10 h per day from L1 larvae to adults. Then, adult worms are washed off, and the laid eggs are kept to hatch L1 larvae, which are continuously exposed to microwaves until passing through 20 generations. The worms of the 10th, 15th, and 20th generations are collected for index detection. Interestingly, we found that the fecundity of C. elegans decreased significantly in the exposed group from the 15th generation. At the same time, we found that the growth of C. elegans decreased, motility decreased, and oxidative stress occurred in the exposed group from the 10th generation, which may play roles in the decreased spawning in worms. We preliminarily believe that the microwave energy received by worms leads to oxidative stress, which causes a decrease in the spawning rate, and the underlying mechanism needs to be further studied. © 2022 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Current Psychosocial Stressors: Exploring Effects on Mental Health and Parenting Outcomes from a Mother-Baby Partial Hospital Program.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can detrimentally impact perinatal mental health, birth outcomes, and parenting behaviors. Proximal psychosocial stressors also increase risks to perinatal health and wellbeing. Additional research on effective perinatal mental health programs is needed, especially for individuals and families with historical and concurrent adversity, and those with moderate to severe symptoms. METHODS: The Mother-Baby Day Hospital at Hennepin County Medical Center provides trauma-informed, multi-generation treatment for perinatal women. Data were collected from patients between January 2016 and September 2019. Self-reported depression, anxiety, and maternal functioning assessments were administered pre- and post-treatment. Patients completed the ACE questionnaire and indicators of current psychosocial stressors (i.e., food insecurity, housing insecurity, and social support) at intake. A series of bivariate tests and hierarchical regression models examined relationships among variables, including whether distal and proximal adversity predicted post-treatment symptoms. RESULTS: 159 Perinatal patients consented to research and completed the ACEs questionnaire at first admission. High proportions of patients reported 4+ ACEs and current psychosocial stressors. Effect sizes for associations between ACEs, psychosocial stressors, and self-report symptoms were small to moderate. Individuals with food or housing insecurity entered treatment with higher anxiety. In regression models, the most robust predictors of post-treatment symptoms were pre-treatment symptoms. Effects of ACEs on post-treatment depression and food insecurity on post-treatment maternal functioning approached the adjusted significance cut-off (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Current psychosocial stressors and ACEs did not substantially limit post-treatment depression, anxiety, and maternal functioning outcomes. High prevalence of ACEs and psychosocial stressors highlight the need for trauma-informed, multi-generation treatments to improve maternal mental health and parenting capacity.

The multigenerational effects of clothianidin on Chironomus xanthus: Larvae exposed to this acetylcholine super agonist show no clear resistance.

Clothianidin (CLO) is an insecticide belonging to the second-generation class of neonicotinoids. In this study, we evaluated how CLO affects the survival and the complete life cycle of the tropical insect Chironomus xanthus, a non-target species, considering the Parental (P) and Filial (F1) generations. We found a 48 h-lethal concentration (LC50) of CLO of 3.78 µg/L. The lowest observed effect concentrations (LOECs) were: i) for body growth and head capsule width in P generation = 47.3 ng/L CLO; ii) for body growth and head capsule width in F1 generation larvae = 80 and 36.4 ng/L CLO, respectively; iii) for cumulative emergence it was 80 ng/L CLO in the P generation, while there was no significant difference in the F1 generation; iv) for total developmental time for males and females = 61.53 ng/L in P generation; v) in the F1 generation, the LOEC was determined to be 36.4 ng/L for males and 80 ng/L for females; vi) The number of total hatched eggs and total hatched eggs/female had LOECs of 36.4 ng/L CLO for both generations. Our study reveals that environmentally relevant concentrations of the CLO-based insecticide are highly toxic to C. xanthus. It also shows that the F1 generation, resulting from parents exposed to CLO was not clearly resistant to the insecticide. This fact might be explained by the different effects observed for males and females of F1 generation. Understanding the sub-types of acetylcholine receptors present on target and non-target insect species and toxicological effects of neonicotinoids seems to be desirable for the insecticide industry to deal with insect pests and the environmental protection of non-target organisms.

Multigenerational study of life history traits, bioaccumulation, and molecular responses of Pseudodiaptomus annandalei to cadmium.

Metal pollution provide a substantial challenge for environmental health. This study investigated the multigeneration effects of cadmium on populations of the copepod species Pseudodiaptomus annandalei, exposed to a sublethal concentration, 40 µg/L of cadmium (Cd), over 10 generations. At the end of each generation, copepod individuals were collected to estimate fecundity, bioaccumulation, and real time qPCR quantification of selected differentially expressed genes to evaluate Cd effects and sex-specific responses of copepods across multiple generations. Our results revealed a sex-specific accumulation of Cd integrating 10 successive generations. The concentration of Cd was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in males than in females. We also observed a generational increase in Cd accumulation. Fecundity increased, with the exception of the first generation, possibly as a compensation for a decrease of copepod population size under Cd exposure. Protein expression of copepods exposed to Cd occurred in a sex-specific manner. Hemerythrin was mostly up-regulated in both copepod sexes exposed to Cd with males having the highest expression levels, while heat shock protein 70 was mostly up-regulated in males and down-regulated in female copepods, both exposed to Cd. Although copepods are known to develop adaptive mechanisms to tolerate toxic chemicals, continuous exposure to metals could lead to the bioaccumulation of metals in their offspring through maternal transfer and direct uptake from the medium over several generations. As a consequence, increased metal concentrations in copepods could result in physiological damage, reducing their fitness, and possibly compromise copepod population structures. This study showed that mortality, life history traits and molecular responses of a copepod species provided important toxicological endpoints and bio-markers for environmental risk assessments. Environmental pressure resulting from continuous exposure to persistent pollutants like Cd, could have evolutionary significance. The tendency for copepods to selectively adapt to a toxic environment through modifications, could increase their chance of survival over a long term.

Genotoxic impact of di-n-butyl phthalate on DNA: A comparative study of three generations in the neuronal tissue of Wistar rats.

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), one of the plasticizers, is considered a ubiquitous environmental contaminant due to its widespread application in personal-care products and serves as a raw material in many industries for the generation of many plastic products. Several scientific investigations have shown that DBP caused embryotoxicity and cognitive impairments. However, there is less understanding of the genotoxic potential of DBP in neuronal tissue when exposure happens continuously for several generations. The present study was undertaken to investigate the impact of DBP on the nucleic acids of neuronal tissue in one-month-old rats by performing a comet assay and biochemical analyses. By oral gavage, the parental generation (F0) was administered DBP (500 mg/kg/day) during gestation (GD6-20) and lactation, and exposures were continued for three consecutive generations until the pups were grown to one-month-old. The oxidative stress assessments carried out in discrete brain regions isolated from one-month-old rats (F1-F3) following DBP exposure indicated significant inhibition in the levels of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) while oxidant status (malondialdehyde) was elevated significantly. The extent of DNA damage using the comet assay, as measured by the olive moment, tail DNA percentage and tail length, was greater in DBP-treated rats compared with the control group, but RNA/DNA content decreased significantly. The results of this study suggested a strong link between oxidative stress and genetic integrity in the neuronal tissue of rats exposed to DBP generationally. To summarise, DBP exposure during pregnancy caused oxidative stress, which resulted in genetic instability in specific discrete brain regions of the third generation.

Effects of intrinsic environmental predictability on intra-individual and intra-population variability of plant reproductive traits and eco-evolutionary consequences.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is widely accepted that changes in the environment affect mean trait expression, but little is known about how the environment shapes intra-individual and intra-population variance. Theory suggests that intra-individual variance might be plastic and under natural selection, rather than reflecting developmental noise, but evidence for this hypothesis is scarce. Here, we experimentally tested whether differences in intrinsic environmental predictability affect intra-individual and intra-population variability of different reproductive traits, and whether intra-individual variability is under selection. METHODS: Under field conditions, we subjected Onobrychis viciifolia to more and less predictable precipitation over 4 generations and 4 years. We analysed effects on the coefficient of intra-individual variation (CVi-i) and the coefficient of intra-population variation (CVi-p), assessed whether the coefficients of intra-individual variation (CsVi-i) are under natural selection and tested for transgenerational responses (ancestor environmental effects on offspring). KEY RESULTS: Less predictable precipitation led to higher CsVi-i and CsVi-p, consistent with plastic responses. The CsVi-i of all studied traits were under consistent stabilizing selection, and precipitation predictability affected the strength of selection and the location of the optimal CVi-i of a single trait. All CsVi-i differed from the optimal CVi-i and the maternal and offspring CsVi-i were positively correlated, showing that there was scope for change. Nevertheless, no consistent transgenerational effects were found in any of the three descendant generations, which contrasts with recent studies that detected rapid transgenerational responses in the trait means of different plant species. This suggests that changes in intra-individual variability take longer to evolve than changes in trait means, which may explain why high intra-individual variability is maintained, despite the stabilizing selection. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that plastic changes of intra-individual variability are an important determinant of whether plants will be able to cope with changes in environmental predictability induced by the currently observed climatic change.

Keeping Parent, Child, and Relationship in Mind: Clinical Effectiveness of a Trauma-informed, Multigenerational, Attachment-Based, Mother-Baby Partial Hospital Program in an Urban Safety Net Hospital.

PURPOSE: The Hennepin Healthcare Mother-Baby Day Hospital is a partial hospital program for pregnant and postpartum women with moderate to severe psychiatric illness. Based in an urban safety net hospital, the Day Hospital provides trauma-informed, multigenerational, group-based therapy and psychiatric care. This report describes the program and preliminary data regarding maternal mental health and functioning at treatment entry and discharge. METHODS: Data include information on pregnant and postpartum women who were admitted to the Day Hospital between April 2013 and September 2019 and completed at least 4 days of treatment. We describe patient demographics and changes in mental health and maternal functioning. RESULTS: 328 women consented to participation in research, representing 364 unique admissions. Primary diagnoses included major depression (55.6%; n = 202); generalized anxiety (36.4%; n = 132); bipolar spectrum (28%; n = 102); and trauma-related disorders (20.6%; n = 75). Patients reported significant improvements (p < 0.001) in self-report scales assessing depression, anxiety, and maternal functioning. CONCLUSIONS: A mother-baby day hospital based in an urban safety net hospital is effective in improving mental health and parenting functioning in perinatal women with moderate to severe psychiatric illness. The high acuity and prevalence of comorbid depression, anxiety, bipolar spectrum, and trauma-related disorders support the need for trauma-informed, multigenerational approaches that address perinatal mental health and attachment-based parenting support.

Lead stress affects the reproduction of Spodoptera litura but not by regulating the vitellogenin gene promoter.

Lead (Pb) stress affects hormone-mediated responses (e.g., reproduction) in insects. In this study, the effects of Pb stress (12.5-50 mg Pb/kg in larval artificial diets) on the reproduction of the common cutworm Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were investigated after 7 generations. The results showed that Pb stress did not reduce the longevity of adult females, but 50 mg Pb/kg significantly reduced the longevity of adult males, regardless of the generation. After 50 mg Pb/kg stress for one or 7 generations, the peak time of egg-laying was delayed, and egg production and hatchability were decreased significantly. The vitellin content in eggs was significantly inhibited by Pb stress. The S. litura vitellogenin (Vg) gene promoter was cloned and analyzed. Multiple putative transcription factors were predicted for the 2321 bp Vg promoter region, including the TATA box, GATA, basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, Broad-Complex (BR-C) binding sites, etc. The fragment from -2222 to -211 bp of the Vg promoter was the activation domain for Vg, whereas the region from -211 to -55 bp repressed the activity of the Vg promoter. The construct promoter (-782/+76) in Trichoplusia ni (Hi5) cells significantly improved Vg expression, which was not affected by Pb stress (1 or 10 mg/ml). Therefore, Pb stress significantly inhibited the reproduction of S. litura but not by regulating the Vg promoter.