From the Yellow Springs to the Land of Immortality

The Yellow Springs is a vivid metaphorical reference to the final destination of a mortal being and the dwelling place of a departed one in ancient China. In the writings of philosophers, historians, and poets during the long period of Chinese history, the Yellow Springs is not only considered as an underground physical locus where a grave is situated, but also an emotionally charged space invoke grieving, longing, and memory for the departed loved ones. The subterranean dwelling at the Yellow Springs is both a destination for a departed mortal being and an intermediary place to an ideal and imaginative realm, the land of immortality where the soul would enjoy eternity. From the Yellow Springs to the Land of Immortality is an exhibition that highlights sixteen carefully selected artworks from Gettysburg College’s Special Collections; each object embodies the perceptions and ritual practices of the rich funerary culture in the historical period in China, ranging from the late second millennium BCE to the beginning of the early twentieth century. These artifacts represent various artistic traditions and fabrication techniques — including jade carving, bronze casting, glazed pottery making — and most importantly, offer a glimpse of how art and artifacts are employed as a means to connect the living with the soul of the departed one in the Yellow Springs. Archaeo- logical discoveries in the past four decades in China have provided rich information that helps contextualize the sixteen artworks, as well as intimate knowledge about how the objects might “perform” in the life and afterlife of the individuals in the past. The practice of burying goods alongside departed loved ones has had a long tradition in China. The artworks included in this exhibition catalogue, encompassing the major dynasties in Chinese history, epitomize such a practice from a historical point of view. The bronze jue of the Shang dynasty (mid-16th c.-1046 BCE), and the miniature bell, a replica of yong bronze bell of the Zhou dynasty (1045-256 BCE), are not only ceremonial paraphernalia used by elites in ancestral sacrifices during the Bronze Age, but also material manifestations of ritual and music, the very foundations of ancient Chinese civilization. Comparable examples found in Bronze Age tombs illustrate the idea to connect the deceased, often the owner of these ritual objects, to the ancestors in the netherworld as they themselves were transitioned into the role of ancestors through a series of funerary ceremonies. [excerpt]https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/artcatalogs/1034/thumbnail.jp

Acyl-ghrelin attenuates neurochemical and motor deficits in the 6-OHDA model of Parkinson’s Disease

The feeding-related hormone, acyl-ghrelin, protects dopamine neurones in murine 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-based models of experimental Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the potential protective effect of acyl-ghrelin on substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) dopaminergic neurones and consequent behavioural correlates in the more widely used 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat medial forebrain bundle (MFB) lesion model of PD are unknown. To address this question, acyl-ghrelin levels were raised directly by mini-pump infusion for 7 days prior to unilateral injection of 6-OHDA into the MFB with assessment of amphetamine-induced rotations on days 27 and 35, and immunohistochemical analysis of dopaminergic neurone survival. Whilst acyl-ghrelin treatment was insufficient to elevate food intake or body weight, it attenuated amphetamine-induced circling behaviour and SNpc dopamine neurone loss induced by 6-OHDA. These data support the notion that elevating circulating acyl-ghrelin may be a valuable approach to slow or impair progression of neurone loss in PD

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Ictal vocalizations in the Scn1a+/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Ictal vocalizations have shown diagnostic utility in epilepsy patients. Audio recordings of seizures have also been used for seizure detection. The present study aimed to determine whether generalized tonic-clonic seizures in the Scn1a+/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome are associated with either audible mouse squeaks or ultrasonic vocalizations. METHODS: Acoustic recordings were captured from group-housed Scn1a+/- mice undergoing video-monitoring to quantify spontaneous seizure frequency. We generated audio clips (n = 129) during a generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) that included 30 seconds immediately prior to the GTCS (preictal) and 30 seconds following the conclusion of the seizure (postictal). Nonseizure clips (n = 129) were also exported from the acoustic recordings. A blinded reviewer manually reviewed the audio clips, and vocalizations were identified as either an audible (<20 kHz) mouse squeak or ultrasonic (>20 kHz). RESULTS: Spontaneous GTCS in Scn1a+/- mice were associated with a significantly higher number of total vocalizations. The number of audible mouse squeaks was significantly greater with GTCS activity. Nearly all (98%) the seizure clips contained ultrasonic vocalizations, whereas ultrasonic vocalizations were present in only 57% of nonseizure clips. The ultrasonic vocalizations emitted in the seizure clips were at a significantly higher frequency and were nearly twice as long in duration as those emitted in the nonseizure clips. Audible mouse squeaks were primarily emitted during the preictal phase. The greatest number of ultrasonic vocalizations was detected during the ictal phase. SIGNIFICANCE: Our study shows that ictal vocalizations are exhibited by Scn1a+/- mice. Quantitative audio analysis could be developed as a seizure detection tool for the Scn1a+/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome

Personal non-commercial use only. The Journal of Rheumatology erosive damage

ABSTRACT. Objective. To investigate the interrelationships among smoking, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) R620W (rs2476601) genotype, and anticitrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) status; and among smoking, PTPN22 R620W genotype, and presence of bone erosions overall and separately by ACPA status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Six studies totaling 2680 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating ACPA status and up to 8 studies totaling 3172 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating presence of erosive damage. Results. Evidence was found for an increase in the odds of ACPA positivity for ever smoking (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.28-1.90, p = 8.5 × 10 -6 ), carriage of at least 1 of the PTPN22 risk alleles (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.13-2.00, p = 5.5 × 10 -3 ) and both ever smoking and carriage of at least 1 of the PTPN22 risk alleles (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.69-2.91, p = 8.3 × 10 -9 ). There was no evidence of an association between presence of erosive damage and smoking status or carriage of PTPN22 risk alleles when analyzed overall or separately by ACPA status. Conclusion. This metaanalysis indicates that both smoking and the PTPN22 risk allele are associated with the risk of ACPA positivity. There was insufficient evidence to establish a relationship in either direction between PTPN22 and smoking with erosive damage, despite evidence that ACPA positivity is associated wit

Metaanalysis of the association of smoking and PTPN22 R620W genotype on autoantibody status and radiological erosions in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective.To investigate the interrelationships among smoking, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) R620W (rs2476601) genotype, and anticitrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) status; and among smoking,PTPN22R620W genotype, and presence of bone erosions overall and separately by ACPA status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods.Six studies totaling 2680 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating ACPA status and up to 8 studies totaling 3172 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating presence of erosive damage.Results.Evidence was found for an increase in the odds of ACPA positivity for ever smoking (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.28–1.90, p = 8.5 × 10−6), carriage of at least 1 of thePTPN22risk alleles (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.13–2.00, p = 5.5 × 10−3) and both ever smoking and carriage of at least 1 of thePTPN22risk alleles (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.69–2.91, p = 8.3 × 10−9). There was no evidence of an association between presence of erosive damage and smoking status or carriage ofPTPN22risk alleles when analyzed overall or separately by ACPA status.Conclusion.This metaanalysis indicates that both smoking and thePTPN22risk allele are associated with the risk of ACPA positivity. There was insufficient evidence to establish a relationship in either direction betweenPTPN22and smoking with erosive damage, despite evidence that ACPA positivity is associated with erosive damage.</jats:sec

40:7; Personal non-commercial use only

ABSTRACT. Objective. To investigate the interrelationships among smoking, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor 22 (PTPN22) R620W (rs2476601) genotype, and anticitrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) status; and among smoking, PTPN22 R620W genotype, and presence of bone erosions overall and separately by ACPA status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Six studies totaling 2680 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating ACPA status and up to 8 studies totaling 3172 patients with RA were included in a Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effects metaanalysis investigating presence of erosive damage. Results. Evidence was found for an increase in the odds of ACPA positivity for ever smoking (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.28-1.90, p = 8.5 × 10 -6 ), carriage of at least 1 of the PTPN22 risk alleles (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.13-2.00, p = 5.5 × 10 -3 ) and both ever smoking and carriage of at least 1 of the PTPN22 risk alleles (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.69-2.91, p = 8.3 × 10 -9 ). There was no evidence of an association between presence of erosive damage and smoking status or carriage of PTPN22 risk alleles when analyzed overall or separately by ACPA status. Conclusion. This metaanalysis indicates that both smoking and the PTPN22 risk allele are associated with the risk of ACPA positivity. There was insufficient evidence to establish a relationship in either direction between PTPN22 and smoking with erosive damage, despite evidence that ACPA positivity is associated with erosive damage. (First Release May 1 2013