WTF is #Modelminoritymutiny?: Solidarity, Embodiment, and Practice in Subverting Ascribed Asian American Racial Positioning

In 2014, in the wake of #BlackLivesMatter, a call to action was made for Asian Americans to actively engage with and unlearn the age old model minority myth and join the movement for racial justice. This thesis seeks to understand and complicate what it means to subvert this ideology in the way of #modelminoritymutiny. It is divided into three primary sections: first, a theoretical framework and of the model minority myth throughout time as a tool for positioning Asian Americans; second, an application of this framework into the recent Peter Liang and Akai Gurley case this past year; and third, a course syllabus for an Asian American studies course here at the Claremont Colleges. This trajectory showcases what it means for Asian Americans to actively resist ascribed narratives, and to propose methods for learning and unlearning

Institutional Ownership and Return Predictability Across Economically Unrelated Stocks

We document strong weekly lead-lag return predictability across stocks from different industries with no customer-supplier linkages (economically unrelated stocks). Between 1980 and 2010, the industry-neutral long-short hedge portfolio earns an average of over 19 basis points per week. This return predictability arises exclusively from pairs of stocks in which there are common institutional owners. This predictability is a new phenomenon which does not originate from the slow information diffusion underlying previously documented lead-lag effects, weekly reversals, momentum, nonsynchronous trading, or other known factors. Our findings suggest that institutional portfolio reallocations can induce return predictability among otherwise unrelated stocks

Ballroom Dance for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: a Pilot Feasibility Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the exercise intensity and feasibility of recreational ballroom dance for persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Seven persons with MS participated in 2 one-hour dance sessions per week for 6 weeks. Dance types included rumba, foxtrot, waltz, and push-pull. Six other persons with MS comprised a control group that did not dance. Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were monitored during the sessions. Outcomes included: quality of life, fatigue, depression, self-efficacy, timed up and go, Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index and the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite comprising 9-hole peg test, 25-ft walk test, and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), a cognitive test. Results: Heart rates and RPE indicated that ballroom dance for persons with MS can provide a light to moderate exercise intensity. After the dance program, quality of life and PASAT improved as did the MS Functional Composite Score. No changes were noted in the control group. Conclusions: Recreational ballroom dance is feasible and can provide an exercise stimulus sufficient to help meet exercise recommendations for persons with multiple sclerosis as well as improve quality of life and cognition in persons with MS

Male contraception

En los últimos cincuenta años la anticoncepción se ha centralizado en la investigación y desarrollo de métodos anticonceptivos femeninos. Sin embargo, dado el aumento sin precedente de la población mundial y la alta tasa de embarazos no planificados surge la necesidad de buscar nuevos métodos que demuestren ser efectivos y seguros a largo plazo para los hombres. En el mercado actual, los métodos anticonceptivos disponibles para la población masculina se limitan a métodos de barrera y vasectomía. En el presente se encuentran en investigación métodos no hormonales los cuales aún permanecen en estadios iniciales y métodos hormonales que brindan la posibilidad de suprimir la espermatogénesis de manera efectiva y reversible. No obstante, pese a que los métodos hormonales se encuentran en etapas más avanzadas de investigación, aún no se encuentran disponibles en el mercado debido a que no cuentan con evidencia científica que respalde su comercialización.In the past fifty years, contraception has been focused in the research and development of female contraceptive methods. However, given the unprecedented increase in world population and the high rate of unplanned pregnancies, the need to search for new methods for male that prove effectiveness and long term safety have arisen. Currently the methods of male contraception available in the market are male condoms and vasectomy. Nowadays non hormonal methods are under investigation but still remain in premature stages. Additionally there are investigations in course for hormonal methods that suppress spermatogenesis in a secure and reversible way; even though hormonal methods are in more advanced phases of investigation, these methods are not yet available for popular use because they do not have scientific evidence to support their commercialization

Drepanocitosis en embarazo

Sickle cell disease or sickle cell anemia corresponds to a structural hemoglobinopathy common in the world. The clinic is summarized in a series of events triggered in the first instance by vascular occlusion and tissue ischemia. Sickle cell disease or sickle cell anemia corresponds to a structural hemoglobinopathy common in the world. The clinic is summarized in a series of events triggered in the first instance by vascular occlusion and tissue ischemia. Today, with improved healthcare facilities, access to blood transfusions, antibiotic prophylaxis, vaccination, and the availability of medications such as hydroxyurea, the life expectancy of sickle cell patients has improved. More and more women with sickle cell disease reach reproductive age and express the desire to conceive. Sickle cell disease negatively affects pregnancy, leading to a higher incidence of maternal and perinatal complications such as pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, intrauterine growth restriction and abortions. Proper care during pregnancy guarantees a better outcome. In addition, recent advances in the fields of prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis help sickle cell couples to have a healthy baby in a context of security for the mother-son binomial.La drepanocitosis o anemia de células falciformes, corresponde a una hemoglobinopatía estructural común en el mundo. La clínica se resume en una serie de eventos desencadenados en primera instancia por oclusión vascular e isquemia tisular. Hoy en día, con instalaciones de atención médica mejoradas, acceso a transfusiones sanguíneas, profilaxis antibiótica, vacunación y disponibilidad de medicamentos como la hidroxiurea, es que la esperanza de vida de los pacientes con drepanocitosis ha mejorado. Cada vez son más las mujeres con drepanocitosis que alcanzan la edad reproductiva y externa el deseo de concebir. La drepanocitosis afecta negativamente el embarazo, lo que lleva a una mayor incidencia de complicaciones maternas y perinatales como preeclampsia, parto prematuro, restricción de crecimiento intrauterino y abortos. La atención adecuada durante el embarazo garantiza un mejor resultado. Además, los avances recientes en los campos del diagnóstico prenatal y el diagnóstico genético previo a la implantación ayudan a las parejas que padecen de drepanocitosis a tener un bebé sano en un contexto de seguridad para el binomio madre e hijo

Clinical evaluation of the FreeStyle Precision Pro system

AbstractBackgroundA new version of international standard (ISO 15197) and CLSI Guideline (POCT12) with more stringent accuracy criteria are near publication. We evaluated the glucose test performance of the FreeStyle Precision Pro system, a new blood glucose monitoring system (BGMS) designed to enhance accuracy for point-of-care testing (POCT).MethodsPrecision, interference and system accuracy with 503 blood samples from capillary, venous and arterial sources were evaluated in a multicenter study. Study results were analyzed and presented in accordance with the specifications and recommendations of the final draft ISO 15197 and the new POCT12.ResultsThe FreeStyle Precision Pro system demonstrated acceptable precision (CV <5%), no interference across a hematocrit range of 15–65%, and, except for xylose, no interference from 24 of 25 potentially interfering substances. It also met all accuracy criteria specified in the final draft ISO 15197 and POCT12, with 97.3–98.9% of the individual results of various blood sample types agreeing within ±12mg/dl of the laboratory analyzer values at glucose concentrations <100mg/dl and within ±12.5% of the laboratory analyzer values at glucose concentrations ≥100mg/dl.ConclusionsThe FreeStyle Precision Pro system met the tighter accuracy requirements, providing a means for enhancing accuracy for point-of-care blood glucose monitoring

Arginine dependence of acute myeloid leukaemia blast proliferation: a novel therapeutic target

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common acute leukemias in adults and children, yet significant numbers of patients relapse and die of disease. In this study, we identify the dependence of AML blasts on arginine for proliferation. We show that AML blasts constitutively express the arginine transporters CAT-1 and CAT-2B, and that the majority of newly diagnosed patients' blasts have deficiencies in the arginine-recycling pathway enzymes argininosuccinate synthase and ornithine transcarbamylase, making them arginine auxotrophic. BCT-100, a pegylated human recombinant arginase, leads to a rapid depletion in extracellular and intracellular arginine concentrations, resulting in arrest of AML blast proliferation and a reduction in AML engraftment in vivo. BCT-100 as a single agent causes significant death of AML blasts from adults and children, and acts synergistically in combination with cytarabine. Using RNA sequencing, 20 further candidate genes which correlated with resistance have been identified. Thus, AML blasts are dependent on arginine for survival and proliferation, as well as depletion of arginine with BCT-100 of clinical value in the treatment of AML