Maternal mitochondrial DNA copy number and methylation as possible predictors of pregnancy outcomes in a Michigan pregnancy cohort.

Little is understood about the roles of mitochondria in pregnancy-related adaptations. Therefore, we evaluated associations of maternal early-to-mid pregnancy mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and mtDNA methylation with birth size and gestational length. Michigan women ( = 396) provided venous bloodspots at median 11 weeks gestation to quantify mtDNAcn marker NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 1 () using real-time quantitative PCR and mtDNA methylation at several regions within four mitochondria-specific genes using pyrosequencing: (mitochondrially encoded tRNA phenylalanine), (D-loop promoter region, heavy strand), (cytochrome b), and (D-loop promoter region, light strand).

Medicaid Waivers to Address Homelessness: Political Development and Policy Trajectories.

This article reviews the role of Medicaid Waivers in homeless policy, and their emerging role as a mechanism to address homelessness. We evaluate the political development of Waivers in housing and homeless policy over the past thirty years, and investigate the status of current and approved Waivers targeting homelessness. We then consider how Waivers may shape homeless policy governance going forward, including the success of existing systems, and ethical questions related to the role of healthcare payers in solutions to homelessness.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, epigenetic age and DNA methylation: a cross-sectional study of firefighters.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent chemicals that firefighters encounter. Epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation, could serve as PFASs toxicity biomarkers. With a sample size of 197 firefighters, we quantified the serum concentrations of nine PFASs, blood leukocyte DNA methylation and epigenetic age indicators via the EPIC array.

Early Life Exposure to Aflatoxin B1 in Rats: Alterations in Lipids, Hormones, and DNA Methylation among the Offspring.

Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by molds of the species that contaminate food primarily in tropical countries. The most toxic aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), is a major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in these countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, aflatoxin contamination is common, and perinatal AFB1 exposure has been linked to the early onset of HCC.