Proposed direct test of a certain type of noncontextuality in quantum mechanics

The noncontextuality of quantum mechanics can be directly tested by measuring two entangled particles with more than two outcomes per particle. The two associated contexts are "interlinked" by common observables.Comment: 9 pages 2 figure

Determination of islet cell antibodies using an ELISA system with a preparation of rat insulinoma (RIN A2) cells

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established for the detection of islet cell antibodies in human sera. The antigen was prepared from rat insulinoma (RIN A2) cells. Cells were dissociated in lysis buffer and the lysate was centrifuged at 100,000 x g. The supernatant was used to coat microtiter ELISA plates (10 micrograms protein/ml in PBS pH 7.2). Non-specific binding sites on the plates were blocked with 2% PBS-BSA. Human test sera were preabsorbed on separate plates using 2% PBS-BSA and incubated on precoated plates at an optimal dilution of 1/10 in 60 mM PBS for 60 min at 37 degrees C. Phosphatase-labeled anti-human IgG serum and phosphatase substrate were applied and the reaction was stopped by adding 3 M NaOH. Out of 90 sera from type I diabetic patients, 47 (52.2%) reacted in the new ELISA whereas none of 15 type II diabetics, 50 sera containing non-islet specific antibodies or 100 normal controls were positive. In the same group of patients, ICA were positive in 63.3%. When both, the ELISA and conventional ICA testing were applied, the number of positives was increased to 83%. The ICA-ELISA with the above described antigen preparation provides a well standardized and reproducible test method which is highly specific for type I diabetes. It may therefore be useful for large screening procedures

Can a brief interaction with online, digital art improve wellbeing? A comparative study of the impact of online art and culture presentations on mood, state-anxiety, subjective wellbeing, and loneliness

When experienced in-person, engagement with art has been associated—in a growing body of evidence—with positive outcomes in wellbeing and mental health. This represents an exciting new field for psychology, curation, and health interventions, suggesting a widely-accessible, cost-effective, and non-pharmaceutical means of regulating factors such as mood or anxiety. However, can similar impacts be found with online presentations? If so, this would open up positive outcomes to an even-wider population—a trend accelerating due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its promise, this question, and the underlying mechanisms of art interventions and impacts, has largely not been explored. Participants (N = 84) were asked to engage with one of two online exhibitions from Google Arts and Culture (a Monet painting or a similarly-formatted display of Japanese culinary traditions). With just 1–2 min exposure, both improved negative mood, state-anxiety, loneliness, and wellbeing. Stepdown analysis suggested the changes can be explained primarily via negative mood, while improvements in mood correlated with aesthetic appraisals and cognitive-emotional experience of the exhibition. However, no difference was found between exhibitions. We discuss the findings in terms of applications and targets for future research

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association between Glycemic Status and Body Composition in Men: A Population-Based Study

This study sought to evaluate the associations between changes in glycemic status and changes in total body (TB), trunk, and appendicular fat (FM) and lean mass (LM) in men. A population-based study of men aged 20–66 years at baseline were included in cross-sectional (n = 430) and three-year longitudinal (n = 411) analyses. Prediabetes was defined as fasting glucose 100–125 mg/dL. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was determined by: self-reported diabetes, current anti-diabetic drug use (insulin/oral hypoglycemic agents), fasting glucose (≥126 mg/dL), or non-fasting glucose (≥200 mg/dL). Body composition was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Longitudinal analyses showed that changes in TB FM and LM, and appendicular LM differed among glycemic groups. Normoglycemic men who converted to prediabetes lost more TB and appendicular LM than men who remained normoglycemic (all, p \u3c 0.05). Normoglycemic or prediabetic men who developed T2D had a greater loss of TB and appendicular LM than men who remained normoglycemic (both, p \u3c 0.05). T2D men had greater gains in TB FM and greater losses in TB and appendicular LM than men who remained normoglycemic (all, p \u3c 0.05). Dysglycemia is associated with adverse changes in TB and appendicular LM

Kochen-Specker theorem for a single qubit using positive operator-valued measures

A proof of the Kochen-Specker theorem for a single two-level system is presented. It employs five eight-element positive operator-valued measures and a simple algebraic reasoning based on the geometry of the dodecahedron.Comment: REVTeX4, 4 pages, 2 figure

Effect of Different Collegiate Sports on Cortical Bone in the Tibia

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sports participation on cortical bone in the tibia. Methods: 53 female collegiate athletes (25 cross-country, 16 soccer, and 12 volleyball) and 20 inactive controls had the left distal 20% tibia scanned by pQCT. Cortical volumetric BMD (vBMD) was measured within the cortical shell at the anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral regions and standard deviations were calculated. Results: Total vBMD was greater in the control group (1161±5 mg/mm3) than each of the sports (p\u3c0.05). Soccer players (1147±5 mg/mm3) had greater vBMD than volleyball players (1136±7 mg/mm3) (p\u3c0.05), but similar to cross-country runners (1145±5 mg/mm3). Cortical thickness was greatest in soccer players (4.1±0.1 mm), while cross-country and control subjects (3.8±0.1 mm) had greater thickness than volleyball players (3.4±0.1 mm)(p\u3c0.05). Periosteal circumference was greater in volleyball players (71±1.4 mm) than soccer, cross-country, and control subjects (68±0.9, 69±0.8, and 66±1 mm, respectively; all, p\u3c0.05). vBMD variation within the cortical shell was greater among control subjects (70±6 mg/cm3) than each of the athlete groups, with soccer players having lower variation than cross country runners (within-in person SD 36±6 mg/cm3 and 54±5 mg/cm3 respectively; p\u3c0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate bone geometry and distribution within the cortical shell of the tibia varies depending upon sporting activities of young women

Non-Contextual Hidden Variables and Physical Measurements

For a hidden variable theory to be indistinguishable from quantum theory for finite precision measurements, it is enough that its predictions agree for some measurement within the range of precision. Meyer has recently pointed out that the Kochen-Specker theorem, which demonstrates the impossibility of a deterministic hidden variable description of ideal spin measurements on a spin 1 particle, can thus be effectively nullified if only finite precision measurements are considered. We generalise this result: it is possible to ascribe consistent outcomes to a dense subset of the set of projection valued measurements, or to a dense subset of the set of positive operator valued measurements, on any finite dimensional system. Hence no Kochen-Specker like contradiction can rule out hidden variable theories indistinguishable from quantum theory by finite precision measurements in either class.Comment: Typo corrected. Final version: to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

A feasible "Kochen-Specker" experiment with single particles

We present a simple experimental scheme which can be used to demonstrate an all-or-nothing type contradiction between non-contextual hidden variables and quantum mechanics. The scheme, which is inspired by recent ideas by Cabello and Garcia-Alcaine, shows that even for a single particle, path and spin information cannot be predetermined in a non-contextual way.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Small-molecule lysophosphatidic acid receptor 5 (LPAR5) antagonists: versatile pharmacological tools to regulate inflammatory signaling in BV-2 microglia cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) species in the extracellular environment induce downstream signaling via six different G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1-6). These signaling cascades are essential for normal brain development and function of the nervous system. However, in response to acute or chronic central nervous system (CNS) damage, LPA levels increase and aberrant signaling events can counteract brain function. Under neuro-inflammatory conditions signaling along the LPA/LPAR5 axis induces a potentially neurotoxic microglia phenotype indicating the need for new pharmacological intervention strategies. Therefore, we compared the effects of two novel small-molecule LPAR5 antagonists on LPA-induced polarization parameters of the BV-2 microglia cell line. AS2717638 is a selective piperidine-based LPAR5 antagonist (IC(50) 0.038 μM) while compound 3 is a diphenylpyrazole derivative with an IC(50) concentration of 0.7 μM in BV-2 cells. Both antagonists compromised cell viability, however, at concentrations above their IC(50) concentrations. Both inhibitors blunted LPA-induced phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT3, p65, and c-Jun and consequently reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cyto-/chemokines (IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β, CXCL10, CXCL2, and CCL5) at non-toxic concentrations. Both compounds modulated the expression of intracellular (COX-2 and Arg1) and plasma membrane-located (CD40, CD86, and CD206) polarization markers yet only AS2717638 attenuated the neurotoxic potential of LPA-activated BV-2 cell-conditioned medium towards CATH.a neurons. Our findings from the present in vitro study suggest that the two LPAR5 antagonists represent valuable pharmacological tools to interfere with LPA-induced pro-inflammatory signaling cascades in microglia

Identification of a novel benzimidazole pyrazolone scaffold that inhibits KDM4 lysine demethylases and reduces proliferation of prostate cancer cells

Human lysine demethylase (KDM) enzymes (KDM1-7) constitute an emerging class of therapeutic targets, with activities that support growth and development of metastatic disease. By interacting with and co-activating the androgen receptor, the KDM4 subfamily (KDM4A-E) promotes aggressive phenotypes of prostate cancer (PCa). Knockdown of KDM4 expression or inhibition of KDM4 enzyme activity reduces the proliferation of PCa cell lines and highlights inhibition of lysine demethylation as a possible therapeutic method for PCa treatment. To address this possibility, we screened the ChemBioNet small molecule library for inhibitors of the human KDM4E isoform and identified several compounds with IC50 values in the low micromolar range. Two hits, validated as active by an orthogonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, displayed moderate selectivity toward the KDM4 subfamily and exhibited antiproliferative effects in cellular models of PCa. These compounds were further characterized by their ability to maintain the transcriptionally silent histone H3 tri-methyl K9 epigenetic mark at subcytotoxic concentrations. Taken together, these efforts identify and validate a hydroxyquinoline scaffold and a novel benzimidazole pyrazolone scaffold as tractable for entry into hit-to-lead chemical optimization campaigns