935 research outputs found
Statins and bone: myth or reality?
No full textIn the space of a few weeks, four articles appeared in The Lancet and JAMA suggesting that using 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) is associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD) [1] and a reduced fracture risk [2, 3, 4][2-4]. The stimulus for these case-control studies came from reports that the statins have unexpected effects on bone, increasing bone formation in rodents [5]. These observations offered a new insight into the potential importance of the cholesterol synthesis pathway in bone turnover and future therapeutic opportunities
Research Designs
No full textAuthor Paul E. Spector provides a clear introduction to the principles of experimental and non-experimental design, including single group design, pre-test, post-test designs, and factorial designs. Spector also covers hierarchical designs, multivariate designs, the Solomon four group design, panel designs, and designs with concomitant variables
Mixing omics: combining genetics and metabolomics to study rheumatic diseases
No full textMetabolomics is an exciting field in systems biology that provides a direct readout of the biochemical activities taking place within an individual at a particular point in time. Metabolite levels are influenced by many factors, including disease status, environment, medications, diet and, importantly, genetics. Thanks to their dynamic nature, metabolites are useful for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as for predicting and monitoring the efficacy of treatments. At the same time, the strong links between an individual's metabolic and genetic profiles enable the investigation of pathways that underlie changes in metabolite levels. Thus, for the field of metabolomics to yield its full potential, researchers need to take into account the genetic factors underlying the production of metabolites, and the potential role of these metabolites in disease processes. In this Review, the methodological aspects related to metabolomic profiling and any potential links between metabolomics and the genetics of some of the most common rheumatic diseases are described. Links between metabolomics, genetics and emerging fields such as the gut microbiome and proteomics are also discussed.</p
E-Spector: Online Energy Inspection for Android Applications
No full textEnergy consumption is one of the most important aspects of mobile apps. During energy testing, it is important for developers to understand not only the energy consumption rate of an app, but also why energy is consumed. However, existing energy testing tools are more concerned about the accuracy of energy estimation, while typically not providing explanations on why and how exactly energy has been consumed. This paper presents E-Spector, an online energy inspection method for Android apps, which can not only visualize the energy consumption of an app in an instant online manner, but also can tell what happened behind each energy hotspot on the energy curve. E-Spector relies on static analysis and app instrumentation to collect the activities from an app execution in real-time. Then it presents the activities on an instant energy curve, such that the user can easily tell what happened behind each energy spike. Experimental result shows that the energy estimation error of E-Spector is less than 10% and its overhead on energy consumption is about 4%. We also show case studies to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of E-Spector in energy monitoring, analysis and bug inspection.National Key Research and Development Program [2016YFB1000105]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [61421091]CPCI-S(ISTP
Critique [of Asians, Jews, and the Legacy of Midas by Alan Spector]
No full textThe author of Asians, Jews, and the Legacy of Midas presents a provocative comparative analysis of Asians and Jews. Spector utilizes both a cultural and economic basis for understanding the function of Asian stereotyping and applies his analysis to the Jewish situation. While the American context provides the locus of his research, he does present his argument in an international context. Spector illustrates how the categorization of Asians and Jews as the model for economic success is dehumanizing as such a perception drain(s) the life out of human beings and concretizes them into non-human statues. The conclusion of this author\u27s work in dealing with oppression based in stereotype is actually a starting point which scholars should begin addressing. To be sure, the model minority, as applied to Asians and Jews, has generated numerous articles and papers, and yet scholars have failed to develop analyses which reflect an interdisciplinary and historical approach to the reasons for propagating such stereotypes
Job Satisfaction: Applications, Assessment, Causes and Consequences
No full textDistilling the vast literature on this frequently studied variable in organizational behaviour research, Paul E Spector provides the student and professional with a pithy overview of the application, assessment, causes and consequences of job satisfaction. In addition to discussing the nature of and techniques for assessing job satisfaction, the author summarizes the findings concerning how people feel towards work, including: cultural and gender differences in job satisfaction and personal and organizational causes; and potential consequences of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Students and researchers will particularly appreciate the extensive list of references and the Job Satisfaction Survey included in the Appendix
Spector, L. Covalent catalysis by enzymes
No full textLeonard B. Spector. Covalent catalysis by enzymes
As long as enzymes continue to catalyze, the analytical chemist will use them as components of a sensitive, highly selective, analytically useful reaction. For him, the details of the mechanistic aspects of enzyme catalysis are usually of secondary importance to the occurrence of the catalyzed reaction. Yet the advance of science, including analytical chemistry, ultimately depends on an understanding of all aspects of a subject, and this book provides an unconventional look at the mechanisms of enzyme catalysis. Its thesis is that enzymes, like many other catalysts, function by removing a molecular fragment from a substrate (reactant) to form a compound between that fragment and the enzyme. That fragment is subsequently transferred to a second reactant.
This contrasts with the popular view that the enzyme merely provides a favorable configuration and environment for direct transfer of the fragment between reactants. This “covalent” mechanism is supported by information concerning 465 enzymes, which contrast with a complete lack of information in favor of the “popular” interpretation. To the non-biochemist, at least, the arguments seem very persuasive and do not need the extra lessons in logic, which the author throws in for good measure. The book itself is well prepared and produced, with an abundance of formulas and references, and with a combined author and subject index.https://digitalcommons.rockefeller.edu/ru-authors/1163/thumbnail.jp
Multivariate QTL analysis using structural equation modeling: A look at power under simple conditions
No full textMechanisms of top-down facilitation in perception of visual objects studied by fMRI
No full textPrior knowledge regarding the possible identity of an object facilitates its recognition from a degraded visual input, though the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Previous work implicated ventral visual cortex but did not disambiguate whether activity-changes in these regions are causal to or merely reflect an effect of facilitated recognition. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to study top-down influences on processing of gradually revealed objects, by preceding each object with a name that was congruent or incongruent with the object. Congruently primed objects were recognized earlier than incongruently primed, and this was paralleled by shifts in activation profiles for ventral visual, parietal, and prefrontal cortices. Prior to recognition, defined on a trial-by-trial basis, activity in ventral visual cortex rose gradually but equivalently for congruently and incongruently primed objects. In contrast, prerecognition activity was greater with congruent priming in lateral parietal, retrosplenial, and lateral prefrontal cortices, whereas functional coupling between parietal and ventral visual (and also left lateral prefrontal and parietal) cortices was enhanced in the same context. Thus, when controlling for recognition point and stimulus information, activity in ventral visual cortex mirrors recognition success, independent of condition. Facilitation by top-down cues involves lateral parietal cortex interacting with ventral visual areas, potentially explaining why parietal lesions can lead to deficits in recognizing degraded objects even in the context of top-down knowledge
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