Yielded to Christ or conformed to this world? Postwar Mennonite responses to labour activism

This is the accepted version of the manuscript.The urbanization of North American Mennonites after the Second World War necessitated a reconsideration of Mennonite religious beliefs. Post-war concerns for social justice led to a greater emphasis on non-violence and agape at the expense of Gelassenheit. The tenor of Mennonite church conference resolutions regarding labour union membership changed; while skepticism remained regarding the wisdom of union involvement, the door was left open for participation in unions. The labour militancy of the 1970s led Manitoba Mennonites to re-examine their engagement with the labour movement, a process that has continued to the present day. Without further research on Mennonite workplaces, it cannot be known exactly how the change in religious emphases has affected Mennonite identity.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00084298070360020

Differential expression of genes mapping to recurrently abnormal chromosomal regions characterize neuroblastic tumours with distinct ploidy status

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuroblastic tumours (NBTs) represent a heterogeneous spectrum of neoplastic diseases associated with multiple genetic alterations. Structural and numerical chromosomal changes are frequent and are predictive parameters of NBTs outcome. We performed a comparative analysis of the biological entities constituted by NBTs with different ploidy status.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Gene expression profiling of 49 diagnostic primary NBTs with ploidy data was performed using oligonucleotide microarray. Further analyses using Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Q-PCR); array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH); and Fluorescent <it>in situ </it>Hybridization (FISH) were performed to investigate the correlation between aneuploidy, chromosomal changes and gene expression profiles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Gene expression profiling of 49 primary near-triploid and near-diploid/tetraploid NBTs revealed distinct expression profiles associated with each NBT subgroup. A statistically significant portion of genes mapped to 1p36 (<it>P </it>= 0.01) and 17p13-q21 (<it>P </it>< 0.0001), described as recurrently altered in NBTs. Over 90% of these genes showed higher expression in near-triploid NBTs and the majority are involved in cell differentiation pathways. Specific chromosomal abnormalities observed in NBTs, 1p loss, 17q and whole chromosome 17 gains, were reflected in the gene expression profiles. Comparison between gene copy number and expression levels suggests that differential expression might be only partly dependent on gene copy number. Intratumoural clonal heterogeneity was observed in all NBTs, with marked interclonal variability in near-diploid/tetraploid tumours.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>NBTs with different cellular DNA content display distinct transcriptional profiles with a significant portion of differentially expressed genes mapping to specific chromosomal regions known to be associated with outcome. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that these specific genetic abnormalities are highly heterogeneous in all NBTs, and suggest that NBTs with different ploidy status may result from different mechanisms of aneuploidy driving tumourigenesis.</p

Differential expression of genes mapping to recurrently abnormal chromosomal regions characterize neuroblastic tumours with distinct ploidy status

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neuroblastic tumours (NBTs) represent a heterogeneous spectrum of neoplastic diseases associated with multiple genetic alterations. Structural and numerical chromosomal changes are frequent and are predictive parameters of NBTs outcome. We performed a comparative analysis of the biological entities constituted by NBTs with different ploidy status.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Gene expression profiling of 49 diagnostic primary NBTs with ploidy data was performed using oligonucleotide microarray. Further analyses using Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Q-PCR); array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH); and Fluorescent <it>in situ </it>Hybridization (FISH) were performed to investigate the correlation between aneuploidy, chromosomal changes and gene expression profiles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Gene expression profiling of 49 primary near-triploid and near-diploid/tetraploid NBTs revealed distinct expression profiles associated with each NBT subgroup. A statistically significant portion of genes mapped to 1p36 (<it>P </it>= 0.01) and 17p13-q21 (<it>P </it>< 0.0001), described as recurrently altered in NBTs. Over 90% of these genes showed higher expression in near-triploid NBTs and the majority are involved in cell differentiation pathways. Specific chromosomal abnormalities observed in NBTs, 1p loss, 17q and whole chromosome 17 gains, were reflected in the gene expression profiles. Comparison between gene copy number and expression levels suggests that differential expression might be only partly dependent on gene copy number. Intratumoural clonal heterogeneity was observed in all NBTs, with marked interclonal variability in near-diploid/tetraploid tumours.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>NBTs with different cellular DNA content display distinct transcriptional profiles with a significant portion of differentially expressed genes mapping to specific chromosomal regions known to be associated with outcome. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that these specific genetic abnormalities are highly heterogeneous in all NBTs, and suggest that NBTs with different ploidy status may result from different mechanisms of aneuploidy driving tumourigenesis.</p

Combined Forward-Backward Asymmetry Measurements in Top-Antitop Quark Production at the Tevatron

The CDF and D0 experiments at the Fermilab Tevatron have measured the asymmetry between yields of forward- and backward-produced top and antitop quarks based on their rapidity difference and the asymmetry between their decay leptons. These measurements use the full data sets collected in proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt s =1.96$ TeV. We report the results of combinations of the inclusive asymmetries and their differential dependencies on relevant kinematic quantities. The combined inclusive asymmetry is $A_{\mathrm{FB}}^{t\bar{t}} = 0.128 \pm 0.025$. The combined inclusive and differential asymmetries are consistent with recent standard model predictions

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years