Impressions of Ebru and Turkishness in the 21st Century

On June 18th, 2007, Ebru: Reflections of Cultural Diversity in Turkey began its ten-city tour of Turkey with a debut exhibit in Istanbul, and ended on March 31st, 2009 with the closing of the exhibit in Ankara. The mixed media project, a combination of text, music, visual images, essays and panel discussions, is dominated by Attila Durak\u27s large-format documentary ethnographic photographs of 44 ethnic groups he encountered during seven consecutive summers of fieldwork throughout Turkey. Durak, who is from Turkey and studied photography in the US, began this project with the initial intention of learning about the cultural diversity of his own country and ultimately, wanting to share what he learned with those same people in the form of a book and an exhibition that would open in New York and Istanbul (Durak 2006). The project\u27s reach has grown considerably since those early days of planning more than seven years ago. This paper explores exhibit goers\u27 responses during Ebru\u27s ten-city tour of Turkey. After a thorough description of the project, I attempt to situate the Turkish public\u27s responses to Ebru by exploring the nature of visual representation as well as evolving attitudes toward cultural diversity in Turkey

Teach Your Children Well: (How and) Why Design Anthropology Speaks to Our Students

This paper explores design anthropology as a topic of study among university students.  After establishing a working definition of design anthropology, I will use a case study from class to illustrate several aspects of the discipline that appeal to students: holism in research, understanding before action, and stakeholder engagement. I conclude with a discussion of the importance of informed intervention as an appealing outcome for students

Effect of atrioventricular optimization on circulating N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide following cardiac resynchronization therapy.

AIMS: Following CRT, atrioventricular (AV) optimization is not routinely practised. To evaluate its clinical utility, we examined the effect of AV delay optimization on the prognostic biomarker NT-proBNP. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively studied 72 patients (mean age 73 ± 12.5 years, 70.8% male, 55.6% ischaemic) undergoing iterative AV optimization. Patients were divided into those whose nominal setting appeared ideal and not changed (Group 1, n = 22) and those whose AV delay was optimized (Group 2, n = 50). All patients underwent NT-proBNP assessment prior to CRT, and pre- and a median 5 days post-optimization. Compared with Group 1, NT-proBNP fell significantly in Group 2 patients (median 474 pg/mL) following optimization (P = 0.00001). A significant change in filling pattern (defined as a change in AV delay >50 ms) was required in 30% of patients, and it was this subgroup that derived the greater reduction in NT-proBNP levels [-1407 pg/mL, interquartile range (IQR) -3042 to -346 pg/mL] compared with those requiring <50 ms AV delay change (-125 pg/mL, IQR -1038 to 6 pg/mL), P = 0.0011. The benefit of AV optimization was principally observed in reverse remodelling non-responders (median -2167 pg/mL, IQR -3042 to -305 pg/mL) and in patients with a pseudonormal or restrictive filling pattern (median -1407 pg/mL, IQR -2809 to -342 pg/mL), compared with those with more benign diastolic filling (median - 264 pg/mL, IQR -1038 to -21 pg/mL), P = 0.033. CONCLUSIONS: In one-third of patients, major filling pattern changes are achieved with AV optimization, associated with subsequent rapid falls in NT-proBNP. The greater the AV delay change, the larger the NT-proBNP fall, and non-responders and those with restrictive or pseudonormal filling despite CRT are most likely to benefit

Corrigendum to "Overview: oxidant and particle photochemical processes above a south-east Asian tropical rainforest (the OP3 project): introduction, rationale, location characteristics and tools" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 169–199, 2010

Author(s): Hewitt, CN; Lee, JD; MacKenzie, AR; Barkley, MP; Carslaw, N; Carver, GD; Chappell, NA; Coe, H; Collier, C; Commane, R; Davies, F; Davison, B; DiCarlo, P; Di Marco, CF; Dorsey, JR; Edwards, PM; Evans, MJ; Fowler, D; Furneaux, KL; Gallagher, M; Guenther, A; Heard, DE; Helfter, C; Hopkins, J; Ingham, T; Irwin, M; Jones, C; Karunaharan, A; Langford, B; Lewis, AC; Lim, SF; MacDonald, SM; Mahajan, AS; Malpass, S; McFiggans, G; Mills, G; Misztal, P; Moller, S; Monks, PS; Nemitz, E; Nicolas-Perea, V; Oetjen, H; Oram, DE; Palmer, PI; Phillips, GJ; Pike, R; Plane, JMC; Pugh, T; Pyle, JA; Reeves, CE; Robinson, NH; Stewart, D; Stone, D; Whalley, LK; Yang,

An Examination of Dynamic Gene Expression Changes in the Mouse Brain During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

The developmental transition to motherhood requires gene expression changes that alter the brain to drive the female to perform maternal behaviors. We broadly examined the global transcriptional response in the mouse maternal brain, by examining four brain regions: hypothalamus, hippocampus, neocortex, and cerebellum, in virgin females, two pregnancy time points, and three postpartum time points. We find that overall there are hundreds of differentially expressed genes, but each brain region and time point shows a unique molecular signature, with only 49 genes differentially expressed in all four regions. Interestingly, a set of “early-response genes” is repressed in all brain regions during pregnancy and postpartum stages. Several genes previously implicated in underlying postpartum depression change expression. This study serves as an atlas of gene expression changes in the maternal brain, with the results demonstrating that pregnancy, parturition, and postpartum maternal experience substantially impact diverse brain regions

High-Resolution Mapping of a Genetic Locus Regulating Preferential Carbohydrate Intake, Total Kilocalories, and Food Volume on Mouse Chromosome 17

<div><p>The specific genes regulating the quantitative variation in macronutrient preference and food intake are virtually unknown. We fine mapped a previously identified mouse chromosome 17 region harboring quantitative trait loci (QTL) with large effects on preferential macronutrient intake-carbohydrate (<i>Mnic1</i>), total kilcalories (<i>Kcal2</i>), and total food volume (<i>Tfv1</i>) using interval-specific strains. These loci were isolated in the [C57BL/6J.CAST/EiJ-17.1<i>-(D17Mit19</i>-<i>D17Mit50)</i>; B6.CAST-17.1] strain, possessing a ∼40.1 Mb region of CAST DNA on the B6 genome. In a macronutrient selection paradigm, the B6.CAST-17.1 subcongenic mice eat 30% more calories from the carbohydrate-rich diet, ∼10% more total calories, and ∼9% more total food volume per body weight. In the current study, a cross between carbohydrate-preferring B6.CAST-17.1 and fat-preferring, inbred B6 mice was used to generate a subcongenic-derived F₂ mapping population; genotypes were determined using a high-density, custom SNP panel. Genetic linkage analysis substantially reduced the 95% confidence interval for <i>Mnic1</i> (encompassing <i>Kcal2</i> and <i>Tfv1</i>) from 40.1 to 29.5 Mb and more precisely established its boundaries. Notably, no genetic linkage for self-selected fat intake was detected, underscoring the carbohydrate-specific effect of this locus. A second key finding was the separation of two energy balance QTLs: <i>Mnic1/Kcal2/Tfv1</i> for food intake and a newly discovered locus regulating short term body weight gain. The <i>Mnic1/Kcal2/Tfv1</i> QTL was further de-limited to 19.0 Mb, based on the absence of nutrient intake phenotypes in subcongenic HQ17IIa mice. Analyses of available sequence data and gene ontologies, along with comprehensive expression profiling in the hypothalamus of non-recombinant, <i>cast/cast</i> and <i>b6/b6</i> F₂ controls, focused our attention on candidates within the QTL interval. <i>Zfp811</i>, <i>Zfp870</i>, and <i>Btnl6</i> showed differential expression and also contain stop codons, but have no known biology related to food intake regulation. The genes <i>Decr2</i>, <i>Ppard</i> and <i>Agapt1</i> are more appealing candidates because of their involvement in lipid metabolism and down-regulation in carbohydrate-preferring animals.</p></div

Hierarchical clustering of differential gene expression in the hypothalamus of non-recombinant B6.CAST-17.1-derived F₂ mice.

<p>Legend: Gene expression was measured in hypothalamus on day 2 of macronutrient selection diet using tag-based transcriptome sequencing (n = 12 individual libraries per genotype). Animals used in this experiment were either <i>cast/cast</i> (carbohydrate-preferring) or <i>b6/b6</i> (fat-preferring) within the subcongenic segment, and <i>b6/b6</i> across the rest of the genome. Genes were filtered based on ≥1.5-fold change and <i>P</i> value≤0.01 using the DESeq method. The resulting 55 differentially expressed genes are displayed on the vertical axis; individual animals are clustered by genotype on the horizontal axis. Genes whose expression changed significantly in animals with the <i>cast/cast</i> genotype (higher carbohydrate consumption), relative to <i>b6/b6</i> (higher fat consumption), cluster together as increased (red) or decreased (blue) cells, with gray representing no change. Brighter shades of red and blue reflect higher degrees of up- and down-regulation.</p

The critical <i>Mnic1/Kcal1</i>/<i>Tfv1</i> QTL region on mouse chromosome 17 was reduced to 19.0 Mb.

<p>Legend: Congenic and subcongenic strains with CAST/EiJ alleles introgressed on the wild type C57BL/6J (B6) or mutant C57BL/6J-<i>^hg/hg</i> genome are illustrated. Solid bars indicate CAST donor regions, open bars indicate B6 genotype, and hatched bars designate intervals of undetermined genotype, as defined by SNP or Mit markers (top). The fine-mapped interval encompassing carbohydrate-specific macronutrient intake (<i>Mnic1</i>; peak at 32.49 Mb), total kilocalories (<i>Kcal1</i>; peak at 27.19 Mb) and total food volume (<i>Tfv1</i>; peak at 27.10) is specified by the bar outlined in red.</p

Non-recombinant B6.CAST-17.1 F₂ mice exhibit increased intake of carbohydrate kcal, total kcal and total food volume.

<p>Legend: Daily consumption of (A) carbohydrate/protein kcal (C/P) versus (B) fat/protein kcal (F/P), total kcal (C) and total food volume (D) in non-recombinant B6.CAST-17.1 F₂ mice. Values are mean ± SE. Relative to <i>b6/b6</i> F₂, both <i>cast/cast</i> (<i>P</i><0.005, Tukey-Kramer) and <i>b6/cast</i> (<i>P</i><0.001) F₂ mice consumed more C/P kcal (A), with the exception of <i>day 1</i> when <i>b6/cast</i>><i>b6/b6</i> F₂ mice = <i>cast/cast</i> F₂ [genotype by day: <i>F</i> (18, 1187) = 2.16, <i>P</i><0.003]. By contrast, the <i>b6/b6</i> F₂ ate more F/P kcal when compared to <i>cast/cast</i> F₂ (<i>P</i><0.008) but not <i>b6/cast</i> F₂ (<i>P</i> = 0.10) (B), during the 10 d study. With respect to total kcal, all genotypes displayed a pronounced hyperphagic response to the diets at the beginning of the study, which subsided gradually over time [day: <i>F</i> (9, 938) = 21.10, <i>P</i><0.0001], independent of genotype [genotype×day: <i>F</i> (18, 938) = 0.94, <i>P</i> = 0.53]. Relative to <i>b6/b6</i> F₂, both <i>cast/cast</i> (<i>P</i><0.005) and <i>b6/cast</i> (<i>P</i><0.0001) F₂ mice consumed more total g over 10 d.</p

Differentially expressed genes in the hypothalamus of homozygous <i>cast/cast</i> vs. <i>b6/b6</i> subcongenic-derived F₂ mice, located within the fine mapped QTL interval of 26.08–45.12 Mb.

<p>Positive fold change indicates increased expression, negative value indicates decreased expression in homozygous <i>cast/cast</i> (CC) subcongenic-derived F₂ mice (n = 12) relative to <i>b6/b6</i> (BB) subcongenic-derived F₂ (n = 12). Genes were selected based on a significance value of <i>P</i><0.01 and an expression change of ≥1.5-fold, based on sequence tag counts.</p><p>Differentially expressed genes in the hypothalamus of homozygous <i>cast/cast</i> vs. <i>b6/b6</i> subcongenic-derived F₂ mice, located within the fine mapped QTL interval of 26.08–45.12 Mb.</p