HACKETTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY, USA, November 21, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Although we have come a long way in recognizing sexual orientation and gender identity around the world, LGBTQ people continue to face ridiculously harsh discrimination that negatively affects every aspect of their lives. life. Instead of unnecessary judgments, we all need to fully accept ourselves and recognize how worthy of respect and fair treatment we are. We all have the right to live authentically. Queer people should not just live their truth, but on their own terms. However, with the fear of ostracism, prejudice and hate crimes still rampant, it remains an ongoing battle. That’s why having a healthy support system to create healthy thought patterns so LGBTQ people can move forward with positivity, move beyond stereotypes and ignorance, and look forward to a bright future.

Lori Sweetman is a highly sought after life coach, speaker, and founder of LGBTQ Education and Consulting LLC.

“Through my coaching work, I empower queer people to live their lives authentically and with self-acceptance by wholeheartedly embracing all facets of themselves so they can live freely and without fear. Whether they’re questioning their place on the LGBTQ spectrum or need encouragement to come out, I offer the tools, resources, and support so they can discover their inner strengths and feel literally so empowered, that they find the courage to live without excuse and seek fulfilling and meaningful lives.

Unlike a counselor or therapist who helps someone with mental illness or trauma, Lori’s unique coaching style uses positive psychology interventions to help us move from feeling “just fine, but things are not all right”. just not well”, to excel and live the life we ​​have. to dream of. It is a liberating, life-affirming process, but also challenging and difficult. That’s why his coaching is all about asking the right questions to help us dig deep and go at our own pace and comfort level.

Through her empathetic, hands-on, hands-on approach, Lori is skillfully able to bring clients real world interventions so they can resonate deeply with and focus on their core values ​​and what enlightens them and affirms their need to acceptance and security.

“Whether you are just beginning your journey of self-discovery as a closed individual or struggling with your identity or relationships, my goals are to help you navigate life in an open and purposeful way. To live aligned with your core values, the truth and understanding of your desires so that you can move forward fearlessly in your own skin without fear of rejection and shame.

Lori’s deep personal struggles are what inspired her to become a coach. Growing up with the idea that she was “meant” to marry and be a stay-at-home mom was the path she followed, but even as a married woman with beautiful young children, at the inside, she felt dissociated, not recognizing her. true self. She realized that identifying as non-binary and lesbian was her truth, and she needed to shift her perspective to align with her true self.

“Growing up, it was extremely difficult for me to admit that I am a lesbian without feeling shrouded in shame because I heard people use the words homo and gay in a very negative way. Now I help my clients communicate and to express themselves by exploring their identity with optimism and loving who they are because there is no shame in being sexually fluid or gender different, but it is something to be celebrated.

Not only were Lori’s struggles internal, but as a teacher she noticed there was a complete lack of support for LGBTQ children which had far-reaching implications within her own community. These experiences led her to follow her true purpose and she returned to school and earned her Master of Arts in Psychology specializing in Gender and Sexual Fluidity. Today, as a coach and educator, her mission is to bring about positive change through educational programs and public speaking so that children grow up knowing who they are is not taboo and we must continue to fight for equality.

“Queer people need to understand that there is nothing wrong with who they are, that they are loved, and that they don’t need to follow society’s expectations. That’s the key to an abundant and amazing life.With my coaching, I help them embrace their authenticity as the wonderful people they truly are.

Lori says that apart from stigma and stereotyping, there is also an internalized shame that hinders a person’s growth into their full authentic identity.

She encourages us to surround ourselves with positivity and hope. Through our difficulties, we find resilience and never let oppression weigh us down.

Currently, she works on LGBTQ affirmation support groups and group life coaching programs so that queer communities can socialize and build a peer support system and help each other overcome their feelings of shame and stigma. internalized fear.

“If you want to live authentically and remove all these harmful mental blocks, we must embrace our struggles to find ourselves and regain our self-esteem. Know that many people are going through the same difficulties and we are not alone. In this perspective, we can move forward and follow our ambitions and objectives. I am here not only to support you on your journey, but also to help you grow positively.

Close Up Radio will feature Lori Sweetman in an interview with Jim Masters on Wednesday, November 23 at 3:00 p.m. EST

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio.

If you have any questions for our guests, please call (347) 996-3389.

For more information, visit www.includelgbtq.com

Written by: Beatrice Maria Centeno

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Earlier this week at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) headquarters in Missoula, Governor Greg Gianforte announced the pillars of his Public Lands Program to improve access and better manage Montana’s public lands. Amanda Kaster, director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Hank Worsech, director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), joined the RMEF governor.

“Protecting our way of life means protecting the things that make Montana, Montana. Our rich outdoor heritage, our vast public lands and our abundant natural resources are just a few of them, and we have an obligation to protect them for generations to come. are following us,” Governor Gianforte said at a press conference. “I look forward to working with our partners, in the legislature and across the state, to increase access to and better manage our public lands.”

The governor recalled his inaugural speech in January 2021, when he laid out four fundamental principles to guide the work of his administration. Among the four is protecting Montana’s way of life, including its public lands.

“How do we do that? Well, we have to be good stewards of the lands that we have,” the governor said. “Montanese people don’t want to climb over and around dying, dead, and fallen woods when hiking or hunting. Unfortunately, on too many acres of land people have to.”

The governor described his administration’s emphasis on active forest management. Last year, the state more than doubled the number of wooded acres under treatment.

“However, we cannot do it alone. We need our partners around the table,” insisted the governor. “Over the coming year, we will continue to work with our partners to bring more state, federal, tribal and private woodlot acres under active management.”

Beyond the woodlands, the governor also provided an update on modernizing the state’s 27-year-old drought management plan. The overhaul, which will help Montana better meet the challenges of the drought, will be completed next spring.

“As we better manage our public lands for the 21st century, we are also increasing Montananese access to them,” the governor said.

“The benefits of public access cannot be overstated,” he continued. “Improving public access helps drive long-term, sustainable economic growth, especially in our rural communities.”

The governor has touted several successes in office to increase public access, including on the lower Yellowstone River.

Working with the Legislature last year, Governor Gianforte secured $4 million in funding to invest in improving access to the Lower Yellowstone River Corridor (LYRC). The LYRC Advisory Committee, a citizen group sponsored by the Governor and convened by the FWP, provided recommendations on how best to use the funds to increase access.

“The best part of this project was its bottom-up and grassroots approach,” the governor said. “The more affected local communities are involved, the better the results.”

Work identifying access deserts on Lower Yellowstone has inspired a new statewide effort the governor announced today.

“If we can identify access deserts on lower Yellowstone, why can’t we do it on every navigable river in the state? There’s no reason we can’t, so we we are,” the governor said.

Under the direction of the director of FWP Worsech, the agency maps access deserts on every navigable river in Montana. The results will inform state strategies to increase access to waterways.

The governor also celebrated a recent victory on public lands, with the state’s purchase of a 5,677-acre ranch in Golden Valley County from Shodair Children’s Hospital. The acquisition will create the Big Snowy Mountains Wildlife Management Area and provide Montana residents with access to more than 100,000 acres of state and federal land that was largely inaccessible to the public.

“Not only does this land provide exceptional hunting opportunities, with excellent habitat and access to heard Big Snowies elk, but it will also remain available for cattle grazing,” noted the governor, emphasizing the importance of keeping ranchers in the landscape.

Kyle Weaver, president and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, praised the purchase saying, “When we talk about access, as the governor said, we’re not just talking about any access, we’re talking about security, truly accessible access, and that’s the key to this project. This is a huge win for all of us here.

The governor’s press conference was the fifth in a series of events to unveil priorities ahead of the next legislative session which will convene in January.

Beloved son, brother and mental wellness advocate Garrett Austin Szeto of Scotch Plains died suddenly on Wednesday November 2 at the age of 26.

Garrett had countless hobbies, skills and interests. More recently, he received a professional life coaching certificate from the Gestalt Institute in Cleveland, his obituary said.

He also liked to laugh and had practiced improvisation with the Steel City Improv Theater in Pittsburgh. Pair that with his passion for food, and you have the perfect table companion.

Always working to improve himself, Garrett prioritized activities that enhanced his personal well-being, such as reading and meditation. He also cared about everyone he met and often volunteered around Pittsburgh to promote social justice, his memorial states.

Garrett loved sports, especially the Indianapolis Colts and Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League. He also ran the Philadelphia Marathon in 2019 and more recently joined a pickleball and volleyball league, where meeting and connecting with others quickly became the highlight of his weeks.

Garrett attended the College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh, where he received a BS in Business Administration and Finance and graduated with honors in 2019. He most recently completed the three-year training program from the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center before earning his award, which was his decision to become a business analyst in Pittsburgh’s Business Services Division.

Garrett is survived by his loving parents, Richard and Mindy; his brothers, Rory and Geoffrey; his girlfriend and partner, Bella Dougherty; his grandmother, Julie Szeto; uncles and aunts, Andrew and Sherrie, Jonathan and Ivy, Amy and Alan and Michael and Nanci; many loving cousins; and his loyal canine companion, Milo, as well as several extended family members and close friends.

Garrett’s funeral was held at Bradley, Haeberle & Barth Funeral Home in Union on Tuesday, November 8.

Donations may be made in Garrett’s memory for Steel City Improv, Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburghand Attentive contact.

“Garrett’s gift to all he loved was immeasurable,” read Garrett’s obituary. “His sociability, sharp intellect, abundant empathy and compassion will forever improve our lives.”

Click here to view Garrett Austin Szeto’s full obituary.

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I recently spent a few weekends exploring around Big Bartons Creek in Charlotte, Tennessee with other biologists and nature lovers to see what kinds of plants and animals the area is home to. I was amazed at all the diversity we found, and truly understood how special this part of Tennessee is.

During a stream study conducted by the Center of Excellence for Field Biology at Austin Peay State University, we found many species of fish: smallmouth bass, chub, lollipops, minnows, madtoms and darters, to name a few. We also found four species of crayfish, including one that we believe is new to science! We are awaiting the results of a DNA analysis before it becomes official and we can give a name to the new species of crayfish.

All of the abundant natural beauty and wildlife we ​​saw could be at risk if gas giant Kinder Morgan has its way. The company wants to build a 32-mile pipeline to transport fractured gas through three counties in central Tennessee. The proposed project would trace a path through more than 130 wetlands and waterways. The bedrock along the route is karst limestone, which is highly erodible and contains many cracks and fissures. Disturbances from pipeline construction could cause streams to be diverted or even buried, making them inaccessible to the public, wildlife and livestock that currently rely on this water.

This beautiful creek would be crossed twice by the proposed pipeline. With its karst bedrock, drilling or blasting could cause the creek to be buried, making it inaccessible to anyone. Photo by Angela Mummaw

The proposed pipeline project could also pose threats to drinking water, recreation and aquatic life in the area. Immediate construction disruption, resulting sedimentation or a spill could affect access to clean water in an area where many rural residents depend on well or spring water and cannot switch to a alternate supply in case of contamination.

Pipeline construction also threatens several watersheds and aquatic ecosystems that are habitats, water resources and hunting grounds for hundreds of plant and animal species, including endangered freshwater mussels. which are very sensitive to sedimentation and poor water quality as they are filter feeders that lay motionless at the bottom of the water and randomly filter food particles or small organisms through their specialized feeding structures . Disturbances that cause turbidity, pollution, or reduced light greatly impair their ability to feed through filtration.

The proposed pipeline would threaten more than 130 wetlands and waterways, like this serene swamp in Dickson County, Tennessee, home to a huge diversity of plant and animal species. Photo by Angela Mummaw

Most of the proposed 32-mile pipeline would pass through Dickson County, Tennessee, where, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, there are 26 rare or endangered species of plants and animals. The department also lists seven endangered species for Houston County and 36 for Stewart County. Some of them include golden eagle, little blue heron, gray bat, Indiana bat, Price’s bean, master of hell, and alligator snapping turtle.

The pipeline threatens more than Tennessee’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife

There are many other reasons why we should protect this land from gas buildup. The proposed pipeline would be only about one mile from our region’s cultural sites like the Promise Land Heritage Area and the historic community of Cumberland Furnace – areas that are home to more than 20 historic sites, including churches, schools , cabins, a commissary and even a train depot. There are also several Century Farms that are directly on the pipeline route. Kinder Morgan’s plans would place many historic lots and homes in the impact zone or vent zone of the methane gas pipeline, leaving them vulnerable to leaks and deadly explosions.

One of many historic properties near the pipeline route in Dickson County, Tennessee. Photo by Angela Mummaw

Many residents and businesses along the pipeline route, such as Highland Rim Headstart Preschool and the Houston County Jail, would be at risk from leaks, explosions and pollution because they are located in the area. impact of the methane gas pipeline. The pipeline will pass through rural areas far removed from local fire departments, leaving many people more vulnerable in the event of an explosion.

The proposed pipeline will only be needed if the Tennessee Valley Authority decides to replace the coal-fired Cumberland City Fossil Plant with two methane-fired units – a gas build that would force the community of Cumberland City to put up with more pollutants from the coal. water and air, while only providing a fraction of long-term jobs that clean energy alternatives could provide. Additionally, the reliance on fracked gas could further increase the energy burden of low-income residents, not just in Cumberland City, but throughout the Tennessee Valley. TVA has already significantly increased its electricity bills this year — this trend would continue if gas accumulation were approvedleaving the community burdened with increased pollution, fewer jobs and higher electricity bills.

The pipeline project would only supply gas to the Cumberland City Fossil Plant, which TVA wants to replace with gas-fired units, even though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency raised serious concerns on the VAT proposal. The installation of a methane gas pipeline and the construction of two gas units is a step in the wrong direction when we should be making considerable progress in tackling the climate crisis. Trading one fossil fuel for another doesn’t make sense, especially when methane is a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

There are other clean, renewable options to consider that are sustainable, safer, and more environmentally friendly. With clean energy replacements readily available for the City of Cumberland plant, a new pipeline is not needed.

If you would like to get involved in stopping this harmful pipeline proposal, contact Angie Mummaw at angie@appvoices.org.

Animals

F344 and WKY/NCr1 rats were obtained from Charles River Laboratories Japan, Inc. (Kanagawa, Japan). Rats were maintained in a 12 h light/dark cycle (light on at 08:00) at room temperature (23 ± 2°C) with food and water provided ad libitum. Animal experiments have been approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Okayama University (permission number: # OKU-2017523, OKU-2017592, OKU-2020016, OKU-2020144, OKU-2020536, OKU-2020840 ) and the Shigei Medical Research Institute (authorization number: #17007, #20005), and were performed in accordance with the Guidelines for Animal Experimentation at Okayama University and the Shigei Medical Research Institute. During study and care, the housing and use of animals was strictly carried out in accordance with appropriate guidelines and regulations. Every effort has been made to minimize animal suffering and to reduce the number of animals used in experiments. Reporting of animal data in this study followed the recommendations outlined in the ARRIVE guidelines.

Generation of NMU KO rats

NMU KO rats were generated by the rGONAD method as previously described^31.32. Pre-oestrus female F344 rats were mated with male rats overnight, then the mating plugs were visually inspected the next morning and used for electroporation experiments. Electroporation experiments were carried out on anesthetized female rats (intraperitoneal injection of an anesthetic agent: mixture of Midazolam, Vetorphale and Domitor). Single-stranded DNA containing three stop codons (5ʹ-TAGCTAGCTAGAATTCCCGG-3ʹ), Cas9 guide RNA against the first exon of nmu (5ʹ-CGAGCAGCTAATCGCCGCCCAGG-3ʹ) (Fig. 1A) and Cas9 protein were injected into the oviductal lumen of pregnant female rats (E0.75) with the Alt-RTM CRISPR-Cas9 system (Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, IA) and subsequent electroporation by NEPA21 (Neppa Gene. Co., Ltd. Chiba, Japan). The guide RNA was designed using CHOPCHOP (http://chopchop.cbu.uib.no/). Genetic alterations were verified by PCR and then DNA sequencing. Genomic DNA was isolated from a piece of ear. Sequencing was performed using PCR products. PCR products were purified and directly sequenced and analyzed on an Applied Biosystems 3500 DNA Sequencer (Thermo Fisher Scientific) using the BigDye Terminator v3.1 Cycle Sequencing Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The selected founder generation rat was crossed with a wild-type rat to generate the F1 generation nmu+ /- rats. WT and NMU KO rats were generated by crossing nmu+ /- rats. Genotyping was performed by PCR with genomic DNA isolated from an ear tip. PCR amplification was performed using EmeraldAmp MAX PCR Master Mix (Takara Bio Inc., Shiga, Japan) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Oligonucleotide-specific primers for the WT and KO alleles were Nmu- Fw (5′-GATTTAAAAGTTGGTGCGCG-3′) and nmu -Rv (5′-GACAGGAGAGGGAGATGCAGTT-3′). Amplicon sizes were confirmed by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis (product sizes: WT allele, 222 bp; KO allele, 242 bp) (Fig. 1D).

Body weight measurement

The rats were kept at a rate of two animals per cage after weaning. Body weight was measured weekly from 4 to 24 weeks during the normal diet (MF, Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd, Shiga, Japan) and from 4 to 15 weeks during the high fat diet (D12451, Research diet , Inc., NJ, USA).

Food and water consumption

Rats were kept in an individual cage from 8 weeks of age with food and water provided ad libitum. The amounts of food and water ingested were measured weekly from 9 to 24 weeks to calculate average daily amounts. To analyze circadian patterns of food and water intake, we assessed the light and dark phases of food intake for 4 continuous days and calculated the average amounts.

Home cage locomotor activity and body temperature

Locomotor activity and body temperature were measured using the E-mitter telemetry system (Starr Life Sciences Corp., PA, USA). Rats were implanted subcutaneously with G2E transmitters under isoflurane anesthesia. Rats were kept individually in plastic home cages [276 × 445 × 204 (H) mm; CLEA Japan, Inc., Tokyo, Japan] with food and water provided ad libitum. Data was collected for 4 continuous days from 5 days postoperatively to calculate average activity volumes and average body temperature.

Preparation of an anti-NMU monoclonal antibody

We produced a rat monoclonal antibody against rNMU as previously described.⁴⁴. Briefly, a synthetic peptide of 19 amino acid residues with the sequence YKVNEYQGPVAPSGGFFLF-Cys, which corresponds to part of the C-terminal side of mature rat NMU, was conjugated to limpet hemocyanin and an emulsion of The antigen was injected into WKY/NCrl rats anesthetized with sevoflurane. Treated rats were euthanized 17 days after injection and lymphocytes were fused with SP2/0-Ag14 myeloma cells. After cell fusion, culture supernatants were screened to confirm positive clones by solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (ELISA).

Specificity for the newly produced antibody was confirmed by Western blot analysis to recognize the synthetic rat NMU peptide (Cat. No. 350285, Abbiotec, Escondido, CA). Synthetic rat NMU peptide (3 ng) was subjected to 16% SDS-PAGE and transferred to PVDF blotting membranes. The membranes were blocked with 5% skimmed milk powder in Tris-buffered saline solution containing 0.1% Tween-20 for 1 h. The immunoblot was performed with the anti-NMU antibody, followed by a secondary antibody conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (1:5000 dilution). Immune complexes were visualized by enhanced chemiluminescence (Thermo Fisher Scientific) using an ImageQuant 800 (Cytiva). The single bands corresponded to the expected sizes (Supplementary Figure S1). Immunoreactivities disappeared completely with a synthetic antibody absorbed by a peptide.

Immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemical detection of NMU was performed by the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method. Male WT and NMU KO rats were sacrificed by decapitation under isoflurane anesthesia and the brains were rapidly removed. Brain tissues fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde were dehydrated in an ascending series of ethanol, immersed in xylene, embedded in paraffin (Palaplast, Sakura Finetek USA, Inc., CA, USA) and sectioned at a thickness of 10 µm. Sections were deparaffinized, incubated for 2 h with 10 mM sodium citrate (pH 6.0) for antigen retrieval, treated with 0.5% sodium metaperiodate to block endogenous peroxidases for 15 min , then incubated with TNBS (1% normal horse serum and 0.4% Triton X-100 in PBS) for 1 h. After washing with PBS, the sections were incubated overnight in a humid chamber with the anti-NMU antibody diluted 1:10 in TNBS. The ABC method was performed with a staining kit (VECTASTAIN Elite ABC Kit Peroxidase; VECTOR Laboratories, CA, USA). Reactions were visualized with 0.02% 3ʹ3-diaminobenzidine tetrachloride in 0.006% H₂O₂ in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6. Stained sections were visualized under an optical microscope (BX60; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) and photographed with a digital camera (DP70; Olympus).

Hematoxylin and eosin staining

Male WT and NMU KO rats were sacrificed by decapitation under isoflurane anesthesia. Liver and adipose tissues were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, dehydrated in an ascending series of ethanol, immersed in xylene, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned at a thickness of 10 μm. Sections were deparaffinized, washed with DW, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (3 min for each stain). The stained sections were washed in running tap water, dehydrated with a series of alcohols and with xylene, then mounted for observation under a light microscope and imaging with a digital camera. For adipose tissue analysis, three regions were randomly selected from each section and photographed, and the number of cells was counted to calculate the average cell number.

On the spot hybridization (ISH)

Male F344 rats were sacrificed by decapitation under isoflurane anesthesia and the brains were rapidly removed. ISH was performed on 8 μm thick frozen frontal sections as previously described.^30.45. Rat antisense and digoxigenin-labeled sense nmu cRNA probes (GenBank accession number NM_022239; positions 231-625) and rat Nmur2cRNA probes (GenBank accession number NM_022275; positions 473 to 1270) were synthesized using a labeling kit (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) with SP6 or T7 RNA polymerase.

Laser microdissection (LMD) and cDNA sample preparation

Male F344 rats were sacrificed by decapitation under isoflurane anesthesia and the brains were rapidly removed. Samples of the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), PVN, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), VMH, arcuate nucleus (ARC), PT, and third ventricle (3V) ependymal cell layer were taken from serial frontal sections of rat brains (30 µm thick) using an LMD system (LMD 7000; Leica Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany) as previously described^30.46. Briefly, sections were fixed with ice-cold acetone for 2 min, rehydrated with an ethanol series, and stained with 0.1% toluidine blue. Representative micrographic images of the dissections are shown in Supplementary Figure S3. Total RNA from samples was extracted using an RNeasy Micro Kit (QIAGEN GmbH, Hilden, Germany). cDNA was synthesized from total RNA using Prime Script RT Master Mix (Takara Bio).

Quantitative RT-PCR (qPCR)

RT-qPCR was performed using the LightCycler 96 system (Roche Diagnostics) with SYBR Premix Ex Taq (Takara Bio). Primers used for RT-qPCR are shown in Supplementary Table S1. Rat Rpl19expression was evaluated as an internal control. Amplicon size and specificity were confirmed by melting curve analysis and 2% agarose gel electrophoresis.

Blood tests

Plasma glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglycerides (TG) were analyzed using a Hitachi 7180 automatic analyzer (Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Japan) with Wako commercial kits ( FUJIFILM Wako Shibayagi Corp., Gunma, Japan). The analysis was carried out by Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd. Insulin levels were measured using a Rebis Insulin-rat T ELISA kit (FUJIFILM Wako Shibayagi). Leptin levels were measured using a leptin ELISA kit (Morinaga Institute of Biological Science, Yokohama, Japan).

statistical analyzes

Data are presented as means ± SEM. Comparisons between the two groups were made using Student’s t test. All statistical analyzes were performed using GraphPad Prism 6 software (GraphPad Software, La Jolla, CA). P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Seawater may have provided the phosphorus necessary for emergent life.

Researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Cape Town may have solved the mystery of how phosphorus became an essential component of life on Earth by recreating prehistoric seawater containing the element in a lab .

Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communicationsuggest that seawater could be the missing source of phosphate, suggesting that it could have been present in sufficient quantities to sustain life without the need for special environmental conditions.

“It could really change the way we think about the environments in which life originated,” said Professor Nick Tosca from the University of Cambridge, who was one of the study’s authors.

The research, led by University of Cambridge Ph.D. student Matthew Brady, finds that seawater in the early years could contain 1,000 to 10,000 times more phosphate than previously thought, provided that the water contains a lot of iron.

Phosphate is an essential element of DNA and RNA, which are the building blocks of life, despite being one of the least common elements in the universe relative to its biological significance. Phosphate is also relatively inaccessible in its mineral form – it can be difficult to dissolve in water for life to use.

Scientists have long suspected that phosphorus is part of biology from the start, but they have only recently begun to recognize phosphate’s role in directing the synthesis of molecules necessary for life on Earth. biomolecules if there’s a lot of phosphate in solution,” said Tosca, professor of mineralogy and petrology in Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences.

However, there has been some debate over the precise circumstances required to create phosphate. According to some research, phosphate should actually be even less accessible to life when iron is abundant. However, this is disputed as early Earth’s atmosphere was low in oxygen and iron would have been widespread.

They used geochemical modeling to simulate early Earth conditions to understand how life came to depend on phosphate and the type of environment in which this element would have evolved.

“It’s exciting to see how simple experiments in a bottle can disrupt our thinking about the conditions that were present on early Earth,” Brady said.

In the lab, they made seawater with the same chemistry that was thought to have existed early in Earth’s history. They also conducted their experiments in an oxygen-deprived atmosphere, just like on ancient Earth.

The team’s results suggest that seawater itself could have been a major source of this essential element.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean that life on Earth began in seawater,” Tosca said, “it opens up a lot of possibilities for how seawater could have provided phosphate to different environments – for example, lakes, lagoons or shores where sea spray could have transported phosphate to land.

Previously, scientists had proposed a range of ways to generate phosphate, with some theories involving special environments such as acidic volcanic springs or alkaline lakes, and rare minerals found only in meteorites.

“We had a hunch that iron was the key to phosphate solubility, but there just wasn’t enough data,” Tosca said. The idea for the team’s experiments came when they examined the waters that bathe the sediments deposited in the modern Baltic Sea. “It’s unusual because it’s high in phosphate and iron – we started to wonder what was so different about those particular waters.”

In their experiments, the researchers added different amounts of iron to a range of synthetic seawater samples and tested how much phosphorus it could hold before crystals formed and the minerals separated from the liquid. They then incorporated these data points into a model that could predict how much phosphate ancient seawater might contain.

The pore waters of the Baltic Sea provided a set of modern samples with which they tested their model. “We could replicate this unusual water chemistry perfectly,” Tosca said. From there, they continued to explore seawater chemistry before any biology.

The findings also have implications for scientists trying to understand the possibilities of life beyond Earth. “If iron helps put more phosphate into solution, that might be relevant for early March“, said Tosca.

Evidence of water on ancient Mars is abundant, including ancient riverbeds and flood deposits, and we also know that there was a lot of iron on the surface and the atmosphere was sometimes low in oxygen, Tosca said.

Their simulations of surface water filtering through rocks on the Martian surface suggest that iron-rich water may have provided phosphates in this environment as well.

“It’s going to be fascinating to see how the community uses our findings to explore new, alternative pathways for the evolution of life on our planet and beyond,” Brady said.

Reference: “Marine Phosphate Availability and the Chemical Origins of Life on Earth” by Matthew P. Brady, Rosalie Tostevin and Nicholas J. Tosca, September 2, 2022, Nature Communication.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32815-x

The following is a press release from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

HENRYS LAKE – Congratulations to Hailey Thomas of Rigby for setting a new state catch and release record at Henrys Lake.

Hailey snagged the 36-inch-long rainbow monster/cutthroat hybrid on Oct. 4 while fishing with her family on the famous eastern Idaho lake. Hailey’s fish comfortably exceeds the previous record – an already impressive 30-inch rainbow/cutthroat hybrid set by Snake River’s Ryan Ivy in 2018.

Hailey and her husband, Shane, hit the lake with their two children, hoping to enjoy a warm fall afternoon and hopefully catch some nice trout. Despite the nice weather, the water was a little discolored and the fishing was slow.

By mid-afternoon they were having trouble locating fish with only a few trout to hand. As they weighed anchor to move spots, Hailey snagged a large fish.

“Hailey did a phenomenal job fighting the fish and keeping them out of the heavy weeds which have been known to knock big trout off the line. After about a stressful minute, I reached out and picked up the fish. The net I usually use to hunt carp looked so small because the fish barely fit in it!” Shane said.

After scooping up the fish, Shane – a seasoned angler and former state record holder – yelled excitedly,

“It’s the biggest trout I’ve seen in my life!”

Knowing they had landed something special, they used the boat’s livewell to help the fish recover. Suspecting they might have caught a record, the fishing couple obtained the measurement and photos needed to document the catch. At 36 inches long, with a circumference of 21 inches, the fish could have weighed between 17 and 20 pounds!

After a quick shot, Hailey released the lunker trout back into the lake to fight another day.

Lake Henrys in eastern Idaho is famous for its blue trout fishing and is home to native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, as well as hybrid rainbow/cutthroat and brook trout. Trout grow rapidly in this productive lake and often reach trophy size.

Spring and fall are the preferred seasons for anglers to hunt the lake’s abundant trout, although weather conditions can often be ‘challenging’.

Learn more about Lake Henrys and the science used to manage the fishery:

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Moving is a drag for a myriad of reasons, one of them being the headache that sets in in a new place. Spending hours on the phone waiting for someone to come and set up your Wi-Fi or find a new groomer for your dog near you is usually just plain miserable. That’s why many buildings around Boston are trying to offer some of these services in-house, the latest being 212 Stuart Street in Back Bay.

This new development by real estate giant Greystar, scheduled to officially open on October 20, offers the basics that many expect from high-end buildings: 24-hour concierge service, parcel and newspaper delivery, as well as than common areas such as top floor residents. ‘, a dining and entertainment terrace, a library, and a state-of-the-art yoga and fitness studio. But they also try to go above and beyond to make a tenant’s new home actually move-in ready. “Our intention here was to provide effortless living for residents in a place where you can plug in…and be ready to go on day one,” says Ryan Souls, Development Director at Greystar.

Occupants of the 126-unit, 19-story building will be able to access many luxury amenities. They can have their bike repaired, send their pooch to a dog spa and grooming station, and use a fully equipped conference room, all without leaving the building. Plus, a concierge is on staff to coordinate anything they might need, from getting their dry cleaning delivered to renting a bike or scooter, or even helping them figure out where. dinner and what to do that evening.

But life is still easy for anyone who likes to do their own research. Every unit in the building comes with free Wi-Fi, so residents don’t have to fight with a local provider to create an account. It’s also WiredScore certified with Platinum status, which means it has incredible infrastructure and puts an end to all those pixelated Zoom meetings.

Greystar is also adding a potential sushi restaurant on the ground floor, rounding out its perks. “It’s well positioned for a general mix of Back Bay residents,” says Gary Kerr, general manager of development, Northeast, for GreyStar. “You have an international population of people here for work or education (and) people who have lived and owned in Back Bay for several years and are looking for the best caliber experience.”

Images courtesy of Greystar

Located on the border of Back Bay and Bay Village, part of the appeal of this site was its proximity to both areas, Souls says. Once a parking lot, the space now offers new accommodations in a location that straddles the line between the bustle of Back Bay and the more residential vibe of Bay Village. It also presented a rare chance to bring new development to Back Bay. “It was really a unique site and it was really the intersection of Back Bay and Bay Village,” says Kerr. “That’s what made it a special opportunity. While the site itself was small, we were building a skyscraper and recognized the opportunity to build something special. »

Souls says the building is already open and taking tenants, but they’re still putting the finishing touches on the place. About 23% of the units have been rented so far. 212 Stuart Street starts renting for $4,000 a month for some studios, while one- and two-bedroom units range from $4,300 to $9,100 a month, depending on size (they range from 500 square feet to 2,100 square feet) and layout. There are also several two- and three-bedroom penthouses and townhouses for those looking for a more spacious rental.

Regardless of size, all units feature high-end features including custom Italian cabinetry, panel-mounted Bosch appliances, smart home technology, Caesarstone quartz countertops, and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the adjacent neighborhood.

Images courtesy of Greystar

Images courtesy of Greystar

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