Magic wavelengths for the np-ns transitions in alkali-metal atoms

Extensive calculations of the electric-dipole matrix elements in alkali-metal atoms are conducted using the relativistic all-order method. This approach is a linearized version of the coupled-cluster method, which sums infinite sets of many-body perturbation theory terms. All allowed transitions between the lowest ns, np_1/2, np_3/2 states and a large number of excited states are considered in these calculations and their accuracy is evaluated. The resulting electric-dipole matrix elements are used for the high-precision calculation of frequency-dependent polarizabilities of the excited states of alkali-metal atoms. We find magic wavelengths in alkali-metal atoms for which the ns and np_1/2 and np_3/2 atomic levels have the same ac Stark shifts, which facilitates state-insensitive optical cooling and trapping.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Inactivation of LATS1/2 Drives Luminal-Basal Plasticity To Initiate Basal-Like Mammary Carcinomas

Basal-like breast cancers, an aggressive breast cancer subtype that has poor treatment options, are thought to arise from luminal mammary epithelial cells that undergo basal plasticity through poorly understood mechanisms. Using genetic mouse models and ex vivo primary organoid cultures, we show that conditional co-deletion of the LATS1 and LATS2 kinases, key effectors of Hippo pathway signaling, in mature mammary luminal epithelial cells promotes the development of Krt14 and Sox9-expressing basal-like carcinomas that metastasize over time. Genetic co-deletion experiments revealed that phenotypes resulting from the loss of LATS1/2 activity are dependent on the transcriptional regulators YAP/TAZ. Gene expression analyses of LATS1/2-deleted mammary epithelial cells notably revealed a transcriptional program that associates with human basal-like breast cancers. Our study demonstrates in vivo roles for the LATS1/2 kinases in mammary epithelial homeostasis and luminal-basal fate control and implicates signaling networks induced upon the loss of LATS1/2 activity in the development of basal-like breast cancer

Design and formative evaluation of a virtual voice-based coach for problem-solving treatment: Observational study

BACKGROUND: Artificial intelligence has provided new opportunities for human interactions with technology for the practice of medicine. Among the recent artificial intelligence innovations, personal voice assistants have been broadly adopted. This highlights their potential for health care-related applications such as behavioral counseling to promote healthy lifestyle habits and emotional well-being. However, the use of voice-based applications for behavioral therapy has not been previously evaluated. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to conduct a formative user evaluation of Lumen, a virtual voice-based coach developed as an Alexa skill that delivers evidence-based, problem-solving treatment for patients with mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety. METHODS: A total of 26 participants completed 2 therapy sessions-an introductory (session 1) and a problem-solving (session 2)-with Lumen. Following each session with Lumen, participants completed user experience, task-related workload, and work alliance surveys. They also participated in semistructured interviews addressing the benefits, challenges and barriers to Lumen use, and design recommendations. We evaluated the differences in user experience, task load, and work alliance between sessions using 2-tailed paired t tests. Interview transcripts were coded using an inductive thematic analysis to characterize the participants\u27 perspectives regarding Lumen use. RESULTS: Participants found Lumen to provide high pragmatic usability and favorable user experience, with marginal task load during interactions for both Lumen sessions. However, participants experienced a higher temporal workload during the problem-solving session, suggesting a feeling of being rushed during their communicative interactions. On the basis of the qualitative analysis, the following themes were identified: Lumen\u27s on-demand accessibility and the delivery of a complex problem-solving treatment task with a simplistic structure for achieving therapy goals; themes related to Lumen improvements included streamlining and improved personalization of conversations, slower pacing of conversations, and providing additional context during therapy sessions. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of an in-depth formative evaluation, we found that Lumen supported the ability to conduct cognitively plausible interactions for the delivery of behavioral therapy. Several design suggestions identified from the study including reducing temporal and cognitive load during conversational interactions, developing more natural conversations, and expanding privacy and security features were incorporated in the revised version of Lumen. Although further research is needed, the promising findings from this study highlight the potential for using Lumen to deliver personalized and accessible mental health care, filling a gap in traditional mental health services

Rosiglitazone Induces Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Differentiated Murine 3T3-L1 and C3H/10T1/2 Adipocytes

Growing evidence indicates that PPARγ agonists, including rosiglitazone (RSG), induce adipose mitochondrial biogenesis. By systematically analyzing mitochondrial gene expression in two common murine adipocyte models, the current study aimed to further establish the direct role of RSG and capture temporal changes in gene transcription. Microarray profiling revealed that in fully differentiated 3T3-L1 and C3H/10T1/2 adipocytes treated with RSG or DMSO vehicle for 1, 2, 4, 7, 24, and 48 hrs, RSG overwhelmingly increased mitochondrial gene transcripts time dependently. The timing of the increases was consistent with the cascade of organelle biogenesis, that is, initiated by induction of transcription factor(s), followed by increases in the biosynthesis machinery, and then by increases in functional components. The transcriptional increases were further validated by increased mitochondrial staining, citrate synthase activity, and O2 consumption, and were found to be associated with increased adiponectin secretion. The work provided further insight on the mechanism of PPARγ-induced mitochondrial biogenesis in differentiated adipocytes

Family and Gender Values in China

Previous research has reported on structural changes in Chinese families. However, questions remain as to whether/how social change has influenced family and gender values and how this differs across generations, regions, and gender in China. Drawing on 2006 data from the China General Social Survey, we find that values pertaining to filial piety are traditional, whereas patrilineal and gender values are less traditional. Historic events/policies provide the context for how social change can shape differential generational, geographic, and gender perspectives. Our hypothesis that generation, region, and gender associations will differ across the various ideational domains is confirmed. We find significant interaction effects in how generation and geography differ by gender in patrilineal, filial piety, and gender values; and higher education erodes patrilineal and traditional gender values but enhances filial piety. Such findings indicate that family values should be understood in the specific sociocultural contexts governing Chinese families across time and place.</jats:p

Mitochondrial cardiomyopathies: how to identify candidate pathogenic mutations by mitochondrial DNA sequencing, MITOMASTER and phylogeny

Pathogenic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations leading to mitochondrial dysfunction can cause cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Owing to a high mutation rate, mtDNA defects may occur at any nucleotide in its 16 569 bp sequence. Complete mtDNA sequencing may detect pathogenic mutations, which can be difficult to interpret because of normal ethnic/geographic-associated haplogroup variation. Our goal is to show how to identify candidate mtDNA mutations by sorting out polymorphisms using readily available online tools. The purpose of this approach is to help investigators in prioritizing mtDNA variants for functional analysis to establish pathogenicity. We analyzed complete mtDNA sequences from 29 Italian patients with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy or suspected disease. Using MITOMASTER and PhyloTree, we characterized 593 substitution variants by haplogroup and allele frequencies to identify all novel, non-haplogroup-associated variants. MITOMASTER permitted determination of each variant's location, amino acid change and evolutionary conservation. We found that 98% of variants were common or rare, haplogroup-associated variants, and thus unlikely to be primary cause in 80% of cases. Six variants were novel, non-haplogroup variants and thus possible contributors to disease etiology. Two with the greatest pathogenic potential were heteroplasmic, nonsynonymous variants: m.15132T>C in MT-CYB for a patient with hypertrophic dilated cardiomyopathy and m.6570G>T in MT-CO1 for a patient with myopathy. In summary, we have used our automated information system, MITOMASTER, to make a preliminary distinction between normal mtDNA variation and pathogenic mutations in patient samples; this fast and easy approach allowed us to select the variants for traditional analysis to establish pathogenicity