Interaction of gases with lunar materials

The surface properties of lunar fines were investigated. Results indicate that, for the most part, these properties are independent of the chemical composition and location of the samples on the lunar surface. The leaching of channels and pores by adsorbed water vapor is a distinguishing feature of their surface chemistry. The elements of air, if adsorbed in conjunction with water vapor or liquid water, severely impedes the leaching process. In the absence of air, liquid water is more effective than water vapor in attacking the grains. The characteristics of Apollo 17 orange fines were evaluated and compared with those of other samples. The interconnecting channels produced by water vapor adsorption were found to be wider than usual for other types of fines. Damage tracks caused by heavy cosmic ray nuclei and an unusually high halogen content might provide for stronger etching conditions upon exposure to water vapor

Interaction of gases with lunar materials

The surface chemistry of Apollo 17 lunar fines samples 74220 (the orange soil) and 74241 (the gray control soil) has been studied by measuring the adsorption of nitrogen, argon, and oxygen (all at 77 K) and also water vapor (at 20 or 22 C). In agreement with results for samples from other missions, both samples had low initial specific surface areas, consisted of nonporous particles, and were attacked by water vapor at high relative pressure to give an increased specific surface area and create a pore system which gave rise to a capillary condensation hysteresis loop in the adsorption isotherms. In contrast to previous samples, both of the Apollo 17 soils were partially hydrophobic in their initial interaction with water vapor (both samples were completely hydrophilic after the reaction with water). The results are consistent with formation at high temperatures without subsequent exposure to significant amounts of water

Research on stimulated exoelectron emission from lunar materials Technical progress report

Preliminary results on thermally stimulated exoelectron emission from Apollo 12 lunar material

Interaction of gases with lunar materials

Quantitative efforts to assess the surface properties of lunar fines, particularly water induced porosity are discussed. Data show that: (1) changes induced in lunar fines are not visible in high energy electron micrographs, (2) scanning micrographs show no change in particle size distribution as a result of reaction with water, (3) water induced changes are internal to the particles themselves, (4) normal laboratory atmosphere blocks alteration reaction with water, and (5) surface properties of mature lunar soils appear to be almost independent of chemical composition and mineralogy, but there are some variations in their reactivity toward water

Talking and Making Meaning About Parental Mental Health Problems: the Role of Children's Family Caregivers

When parents with severe and enduring mental health problems (MHP) are less able to meet their children’s needs, other family members often help with childcare. Research with children and parents with MHP has pointed to the vital role family caregivers play in helping children make meaning and communicate about their parents’ MHP. The caregiver’s perspective on this, however, is barely known. The purpose of this study was to examine how children’s family caregivers contribute to children’s meaning-making about parental MHP. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 adults living in England and Wales who supported at least one related child aged 4-17 who had a parent with MHP. A substantive theory was developed using constructivist Grounded Theory. It was found that participants engaged in a core social process of providing protection in uncertainty, through which they sought to protect the child, the parent, the self, and the wider family. In making meaning and communicating with children, participants were concerned with shaping the interactional space, communicating through the developmental process, and engendering a sense of safety. Participants appeared to position themselves to the childcare role by assessing the child’s needs, the parent’s needs and their own needs. This was conceptualised as developing a caregiver identity, and seen to shape their contributions to children’s meaning-making. A large amount of communication was found to occur nonverbally, and seemingly without caregiver intent or awareness. The findings support the agenda for family-focused provision of mental health and social care. Clinical recommendations are made for better psychoeducation for caregivers and their inclusion in interventions with children and parents with MHP

Therapeutic Manipulation of mtDNA Heteroplasmy : A Shifting Perspective

Mutations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) often underlie mitochondrial disease, one of the most common inherited metabolic disorders. Since the sequencing of the human mitochondrial genome and the discovery of pathogenic mutations in mtDNA more than 30 years ago, a movement towards generating methods for robust manipulation of mtDNA has ensued, although with relatively few advances and some controversy. While developments in the transformation of mammalian mtDNA have stood still for some time, recent demonstrations of programmable nuclease-based technology suggest that clinical manipulation of mtDNA heteroplasmy may be on the horizon for these largely untreatable disorders. Here we review historical and recent developments in mitochondrially targeted nuclease technology and the clinical outlook for treatment of hereditary mitochondrial disease.Peer reviewe

Intergenerational mobility of housework time in the United Kingdom

This paper analyzes the relationship between parents’ time devoted to housework and the time devoted to housework by their children. Using data from the Multinational Time Use Study for the UK, we find positive intergenerational correlations in housework for both parents, indicating that the more time parents devote to housework, the more time their children will devote to housework. Using data from the British Household Panel Survey, we find that a higher father–mother housework ratio is positively related to a higher child–mother housework ratio, even after allowing for individual fixed-effects. In order to address the potential exacerbation of errors-in-variables arising from the fixed-effects specification, we instrument the father–mother ratio of housework using father’s and mother’s lagged weekly working hours. The Instrumental-Variable estimates fully support the fixed-effects estimates, and suggest that the latter should be regarded as a lower bound. We also present evidence of the link between housework during adolescence and duringadulthood, which may indicate that housework time during adulthood depends on the housework time during childhood, which may also be affected by parents’ housework time. Our results contribute to the field of the intergenerational mobility of behaviors

Impact of financial inclusion in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review of reviews

Financial inclusion programmes seek to increase access to financial services such as credit, savings, insurance and money transfers and so allow poor and low-income households in low- and middle-income countries to enhance their welfare, grasp opportunities, mitigate shocks, and ultimately escape poverty. This systematic review of reviews assesses the evidence on economic, social, behavioural and gender-related outcomes from financial inclusion. It collects and appraises all of the existing meta-studies - that is systematic reviews and meta-analyses - of the impact of financial inclusion. The authors first analyse the strength of the methods used in those meta-studies, then synthesise the findings from those that are of a sufficient quality, and finally, report the implications for policy, programming, practice and further research arising from the evidence. Eleven studies are included in the analysis

Genome editing in mitochondria corrects a pathogenic mtDNA mutation in vivo.

Mutations of the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) underlie a substantial portion of mitochondrial disease burden. These disorders are currently incurable and effectively untreatable, with heterogeneous penetrance, presentation and prognosis. To address the lack of effective treatment for these disorders, we exploited a recently developed mouse model that recapitulates common molecular features of heteroplasmic mtDNA disease in cardiac tissue: the m.5024C>T tRNAAla mouse. Through application of a programmable nuclease therapy approach, using systemically administered, mitochondrially targeted zinc-finger nucleases (mtZFN) delivered by adeno-associated virus, we induced specific elimination of mutant mtDNA across the heart, coupled to a reversion of molecular and biochemical phenotypes. These findings constitute proof of principle that mtDNA heteroplasmy correction using programmable nucleases could provide a therapeutic route for heteroplasmic mitochondrial diseases of diverse genetic origin