The Effectiveness of Student-Driven Pro Bono Physical Therapy Services on Self-Reported Outcomes of Community-Dwelling Adults with Musculoskeletal Conditions

Purpose: Student-driven pro bono clinics provide a profound clinical education experience for health professional students while serving members of the community. Currently, there is little research on how the pro-bono clinic impacts the community members involved. The purpose of this study was to examine outcomes following discharge from a pro bono clinic held through an entry-level physical therapy program. Methods: Forty-one volunteer community members, 19 males (M) (46.3%) and 22 females (F) (53.6%), participated in this study. Ages ranged from 20-90 years, with a mean age of 41(17) years. Each community member completed the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBFS), Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) during the initial evaluation and discharge sessions. Community members were seen for 60 minutes once per week for a total of 2-5 visits. Descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, and means of the pre-test data and the post-test data were performed. Results: Wilcoxon Signed Rank test revealed significance at Z=-4.37, pConclusion: Community members who participated in the student-driven pro bono clinic achieved statistically significant improvement in pain and physical function. In addition to the established benefit of experiential learning received by the student, our study supports a received benefit to the community member

DDT-RELATED PROTEIN4-IMITATION SWITCH alters nucleosome distribution to relieve transcriptional silencing in Arabidopsis

DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic modification that is typically associated with silencing of transposable elements and promoter methylated genes. However, some DNA-methylated loci are protected from silencing, allowing transcriptional flexibility in response to environmental and developmental cues. Through a genetic screen in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), we uncovered an antagonistic relationship between the MICRORCHIDIA (MORC) protein and the IMITATION SWITCH (ISWI) complex in regulating the DNA-methylated SUPPRESSOR OF DRM1 DRM2 CMT3 (SDC) reporter. We demonstrate that components of the plant-specific ISWI complex, including CHROMATIN REMODELING PROTEIN11 (CHR11), CHR17, DDT-RELATED PROTEIN4 (DDR4), and DDR5, function to partially de-repress silenced genes and transposable elements (TEs), through their function in regulating nucleosome distribution. This action also requires the known transcriptional activator DNAJ proteins, providing a mechanistic link between nucleosome remodeling and transcriptional activation. Genome-wide studies revealed that DDR4 causes changes in nucleosome distribution at numerous loci, a subset of which is associated with changes in DNA methylation and/or transcription. Our work reveals a mechanism for balancing transcriptional flexibility and faithful silencing of DNA-methylated loci. As both ISWI and MORC family genes are widely distributed across plant and animal species, our findings may represent a conserved eukaryotic mechanism for fine-tuning gene expression under epigenetic regulation

Genome-wide Association Study of Saturated, Mono- and Polyunsaturated Red Blood Cell Fatty Acids in the Framingham Heart Offspring Study

Most genome-wide association studies have explored relationships between genetic variants and plasma phospholipid fatty acid proportions, but few have examined apparent genetic influences on the membrane fatty acid profile of red blood cells (RBC). Using RBC fatty acid data from the Framingham Offspring Study, we analyzed over 2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for association with 14 RBC fatty acids identifying 191 different SNPs associated with at least 1 fatty acid. Significant associations (p\u3c1×10−8) were located within five distinct 1 MB regions. Of particular interest were novel associations between (1) arachidonic acid and PCOLCE2 (regulates apoA-I maturation and modulates apoA-I levels), and (2) oleic and linoleic acid and LPCAT3 (mediates the transfer of fatty acids between glycerolipids). We also replicated previously identified strong associations between SNPs in the FADS (chromosome 11) and ELOVL (chromosome 6) regions. Multiple SNPs explained 8–14% of the variation in 3 high abundance (\u3e11%) fatty acids, but only 1–3% in 4 low abundance (\u3c3%) fatty acids, with the notable exception of dihomo-gamma linolenic acid with 53% of variance explained by SNPs. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which variations in these genes influence tissue fatty acid content and pathways modulated by fatty acids

Concert recording 2013-12-04

[Track 01]. Omaggio / Manuel de Falla -- [Track 02]. Bossa cancao / Frank Basan -- [Track 03]. Spanish study / Frederick Noad -- [Track 04]. Adelita / Francisco Tarrega -- [Track 05]. Everything happens to me / Dennis & Adair -- [Track 06]. 4 on 6 / Wes Montgomery -- [Track 07]. All of me / Simons and Marks -- [Track 08]. Exactly like you / McHugh & Fields -- [Track 09]. Pent up house / Sonny Rollins -- [Track 10]. Ornithology / Charlie Parker -- [Track 11]. Black Orpheus / Luiz Bonfa -- [Track 12]. Bluesette / Toots Thielemans -- [Track 13]. Asturias / Isaac Albeniz

Arabidopsis MORC proteins function in the efficient establishment of RNA directed DNA methylation.

The Microrchidia (MORC) family of ATPases are required for transposable element (TE) silencing and heterochromatin condensation in plants and animals, and C. elegans MORC-1 has been shown to topologically entrap and condense DNA. In Arabidopsis thaliana, mutation of MORCs has been shown to reactivate silent methylated genes and transposons and to decondense heterochromatic chromocenters, despite only minor changes in the maintenance of DNA methylation. Here we provide the first evidence localizing Arabidopsis MORC proteins to specific regions of chromatin and find that MORC4 and MORC7 are closely co-localized with sites of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). We further show that MORC7, when tethered to DNA by an artificial zinc finger, can facilitate the establishment of RdDM. Finally, we show that MORCs are required for the efficient RdDM mediated establishment of DNA methylation and silencing of a newly integrated FWA transgene, even though morc mutations have no effect on the maintenance of preexisting methylation at the endogenous FWA gene. We propose that MORCs function as a molecular tether in RdDM complexes to reinforce RdDM activity for methylation establishment. These findings have implications for MORC protein function in a variety of other eukaryotic organisms

Use of logging roads by terrestrial mammals in a responsibly managed neotropical rainforest in Guyana

Selective logging is the most widespread use of tropical forests. Building logging roads facilitates access to previously remote rainforests, and so proper management is essential for ensuring biodiversity retention in logged landscapes. Terrestrial mammals often directly use logging roads (via movement corridors, hunting or foraging), making them vulnerable to poorly managed roads. Here we explore how the presence, arrangement and use of logging roads influence terrestrial mammal occupancy and detection within a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified logged forest in Guyana. We compared camera trap data from20 natural ‘game’ trails in an unlogged area, with camera trap data from 23 sites set near to or on logging roads within the Iwokrama forest. Our findings showed high occupancy within logged areas with no statistically significant difference to unlogged areas. Higher detections were noted along secondary and feeder roads compared to skid trails and the natural trails in control areas. Additionally, our data showed a negative correlation between occupancy and distance to village for a scatter hoarding rodent, most likely driven by subsistence hunting by local communities. Our results indicate that proper road management geared towards the monitoring and guarded access of logging roads, can have a positive effect on terrestrial mammal occurrence within responsibly managed rainforests

Variable shifts in bird and bat assemblages as a result of reduced-impact logging revealed after 10 years

1. Selective logging is the most widespread driver of land-use change in biodiverse and carbon-rich tropical forests. However, the effects of selective logging on bio-diversity are less than those associated with other drivers of forest degradation. A suite of recent research has shown that reduced-impact logging (RIL) results in few or no changes to biological assemblages. But because this logging technique is relatively new, most studies have only considered short-term impacts. 2. We address this research gap by quantifying changes in biodiversity assemblage as a result of RIL over the longer term. We comprehensively sampled bird and bat assemblages pre-logged, 1 year after, and 10 years after RIL in Guyana, using a before-after control-impact (BACI) sampling design. We compared bird and bat assemblages in each timeframe, and additionally appraised the impact of time since logging, and the number of trees harvested across the suite of species which we further divided between different feeding guilds, disturbance sensitivity and vertical stratification of forest use. 3. We found that 1 year after logging only minor changes could be detected, but 10 years later richness had slightly declined in some groups, while others had shown complete recovery. Nectivorous and insectivorous birds, and carnivorous bats declined in richness, while carnivorous birds, showed a clear recovery to a state akin to pre-logging. This indicates that for some niches a subtle, but long-term relaxation effect may be occurring, whereby extinction debts are realized long after the initial disturbance, while other groups have either recovered or not changed after logging. 4. Assemblage changes were also predicted by vertical stratification of forest use, with avian species using the understorey and mid–upper levels of the forest being most affected. 5. Synthesis and applications: Our study demonstrates how best practice forestry and logging can maintain healthy vertebrate populations over the long term. Forestry concessions that adopt techniques of low-harvest RIL and are managed for their long-term timber provision through extension of regeneration times beyond 10 years after harvest, are likely to benefit from the ecosystem services provided by biodiversity, while also making a valuable contribution to the global conservation estate

A DNA methylation reader complex that enhances gene transcription

[EN] DNA methylation generally functions as a repressive transcriptional signal, but it is also known to activate gene expression. In either case, the downstream factors remain largely unknown. By using comparative interactomics, we isolated proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana that associate with methylated DNA. Two SU(VAR)3-9 homologs, the transcriptional antisilencing factor SUVH1, and SUVH3, were among the methyl reader candidates. SUVH1 and SUVH3 bound methylated DNA in vitro, were associated with euchromatic methylation in vivo, and formed a complex with two DNAJ domain-containing homologs, DNAJ1 and DNAJ2. Ectopic recruitment of DNAJ1 enhanced gene transcription in plants, yeast, and mammals. Thus, the SUVH proteins bind to methylated DNA and recruit the DNAJ proteins to enhance proximal gene expression, thereby counteracting the repressive effects of transposon insertion near genes.This work was supported by grants NIH R01 GM60398 (to S.E.J.), NIH R01G M089778 (to J.A.W.) and NIH R35 GM124736 (to S.B.R), by an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship (ALTF 1138-2014) (to C.J.H), and by a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (GM007185) (to L.Y.). S.E.J. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.Harris, CJ.; Scheibe, M.; Wongpalee, SP.; Liu, W.; Cornett, EM.; Vaughan, RM.; Li, X.... (2018). A DNA methylation reader complex that enhances gene transcription. Science. 362(6419):1182-1186. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aar785411821186362641

Reply to Garcia et al.: Common mistakes in measuring frequency-dependent word characteristics

We demonstrate that the concerns expressed by Garcia et al. are misplaced, due to (1) a misreading of our findings in [1]; (2) a widespread failure to examine and present words in support of asserted summary quantities based on word usage frequencies; and (3) a range of misconceptions about word usage frequency, word rank, and expert-constructed word lists. In particular, we show that the English component of our study compares well statistically with two related surveys, that no survey design influence is apparent, and that estimates of measurement error do not explain the positivity biases reported in our work and that of others. We further demonstrate that for the frequency dependence of positivity---of which we explored the nuances in great detail in [1]---Garcia et al. did not perform a reanalysis of our data---they instead carried out an analysis of a different, statistically improper data set and introduced a nonlinearity before performing linear regression.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. Expanded version of reply appearing in PNAS 201

Human language reveals a universal positivity bias

Using human evaluation of 100,000 words spread across 24 corpora in 10 languages diverse in origin and culture, we present evidence of a deep imprint of human sociality in language, observing that (i ) the words of natural human language possess a universal positivity bias, (ii ) the estimated emotional content of words is consistent between languages under translation, and (iii ) this positivity bias is strongly independent of frequency of word use. Alongside these general regularities, we describe interlanguage variations in the emotional spectrum of languages that allow us to rank corpora. We also show how our word evaluations can be used to construct physical-like instruments for both real-time and offline measurement of the emotional content of large-scale texts