297 research outputs found

    Trading institutions and price discovery: the cash and futures markets for crude oil

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    We provide substantial evidence that the futures market for West Texas Intermediate crude oil increased the short-term volatility of the cash price of crude oil. We show that the variability of prices increased using both published posted prices and transaction prices for producers. This increased volatility in the price of crude oil may reflect information aggregated into the price, an increase the variance of shocks to the price of crude oil, or noise in the futures price that affects the cash price. We present evidence from experiments consistent with the interpretation that information aggregation not feasible in a posted-price market can explain at least part of the increase in variance. This evidence supports the proposition that information not previously aggregated into the cash price for crude oil is at least part of the reason for the greater variability of the cash price after the opening of the futures market and provides at least one example in which a futures market increased the volatility of the cash market, and prices became more efficient.

    Fusion

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    Fusion is a dance for five dancers. The central idea explores the anxious, uncertain moments experienced by people when confronted with new personalities and new situations. The dance is in three sections. The first section begins with a solo dancer moving alone on stage in a free, expansive movement pattern. Group I enters causing uncertainty on the part of the solo dancer. This conflict is eventually resolved and Section I ends with the entrance of Group II. Section II explores the same basic idea but here the uncertainty exists on the part of Group I and the solo dancer and is resolved by Group II. In Section III a property which has been center stage throughout the dance is illuminated, the dancers are attracted to it and join together in an exploration involving the property. Fusion climaxes with the disappearance of the dancers behind the property. General lighting is used throughout the dance and the intensity of the lights varies as the intensity of the relationships develop. The dance concludes with a single light illuminating the stage property. The costume for the solo dancer is a lavendar leotard and tights with a beaded purple belt. Group I is costumed in black leotards and tights with a black and white sash tied at the waist. Group II is costumed in yellow leotards and tights with a yellow and white sash tied at the waist. The accompaniment for the dance is Sergei Prokofiev's Sonata for Violin and Piano, Op. 80

    Behavioural abnormalities in a novel mouse model for Silver Russell Syndrome

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    Silver Russell Syndrome (SRS) syndrome is an imprinting disorder involving low birth weight with complex genetics and diagnostics. Some rare SRS patients carry maternally inherited microduplications spanning the imprinted genes CDKN1C, PHLDA2, SLC22A18 and KCNQ1, suggesting that overexpression of one of more of these genes contributes to the SRS phenotype. While this molecular alteration is very rare, feeding difficulties are a very common feature of this condition. Given that SRS children also have very low body mass index, understanding the underpinning biology of the eating disorder is important, as well as potential co-occurring behavioural alterations. Here, we report that a mouse model of this microduplication exhibits a number of behavioural deficits. The mice had a blunted perception of the palatability of a given foodstuff. This perception may underpin the fussiness with food. We additionally report hypoactivity, unrelated to anxiety or motoric function, and a deficit in appropriate integration of incoming sensory information. Importantly, using a second genetic model, we were able to attribute all altered behaviours to elevated expression of a single gene, Cdkn1c. This is the first report linking elevated Cdkn1c to altered behaviour in mice. Importantly, the findings from our study may have relevance for SRS and highlight a potentially underreported aspect of this disorder

    Inpatient Outcomes Initiative

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    The Inpatient Outcomes Initiative is designed to look at medical necessity and treatment process for a selected group of Medicaid beneficiaries being served in either Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities or Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals. The initiative has two components: Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities and Inpatient Psychiatric Hospitals. The two components have similarities in scope but are distinct in methodology

    Alternatively activated macrophages promotes necrosis resolution following acute liver injury

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    Background & Aim Following acetaminophen (APAP) overdose, acute liver injury (ALI) can occur in patients that present too late for N-acetylcysteine treatment, potentially leading to acute liver failure, systemic inflammation, and death. Macrophages influence the progression and resolution of ALI due to their innate immunological function and paracrine activity. Syngeneic primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were tested as a cell-based therapy in a mouse model of APAP-induced ALI (APAP-ALI). Methods Several phenotypically distinct BMDM populations were delivered intravenously to APAP-ALI mice when hepatic necrosis was established, and then evaluated based on their effects on injury, inflammation, immunity, and regeneration. In vivo phagocytosis assays were used to interrogate the phenotype and function of alternatively activated BMDMs (AAMs) post-injection. Finally, primary human AAMs sourced from healthy volunteers were evaluated in immunocompetent APAP-ALI mice. Results BMDMs rapidly localised to the liver and spleen within 4 h of administration. Injection of AAMs specifically reduced hepatocellular necrosis, HMGB1 translocation, and infiltrating neutrophils following APAP-ALI. AAM delivery also stimulated proliferation in hepatocytes and endothelium, and reduced levels of several circulating proinflammatory cytokines within 24 h. AAMs displayed a high phagocytic activity both in vitro and in injured liver tissue post-injection. Crosstalk with the host innate immune system was demonstrated by reduced infiltrating host Ly6Chi macrophages in AAM-treated mice. Importantly, therapeutic efficacy was partially recapitulated using clinical-grade primary human AAMs in immunocompetent APAP-ALI mice, underscoring the translational potential of these findings. Conclusion We identify that AAMs have value as a cell-based therapy in an experimental model of APAP-ALI. Human AAMs warrant further evaluation as a potential cell-based therapy for APAP overdose patients with established liver injury. Lay summary After an overdose of acetaminophen (paracetamol), some patients present to hospital too late for the current antidote (N-acetylcysteine) to be effective. We tested whether macrophages, an injury-responsive leukocyte that can scavenge dead/dying cells, could serve as a cell-based therapy in an experimental model of acetaminophen overdose. Injection of alternatively activated macrophages rapidly reduced liver injury and reduced several mediators of inflammation. Macrophages show promise to serve as a potential cell-based therapy for acute liver injury

    UNBOUND

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    Featured here, are the extraordinary works of our graduating Fashion Design class. This accomplishment is truly a celebration of the tree years of passion, hard work, and dedication of our students. It\u27s our hope that the fashion industry will partake in the creative endeavors of the emerging designers from the Fashion Design program at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario.https://first.fanshawec.ca/famd_design_fashiondesign_unbound/1002/thumbnail.jp

    The impact of the rising colorectal cancer incidence in young adults on the optimal age to start screening

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    BACKGROUND: In 2016, the Microsimulation Screening Analysis-Colon (MISCAN-Colon) model was used to inform the US Preventive Services Task Force colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines. In this study, 1 of 2 microsimulation analyses to inform the update of the American Cancer Society CRC screening guideline, the authors re-evaluated the optimal screening strategies in light of the increase in CRC diagnosed in young adults. METHODS: The authors adjusted the MISCAN-Colon model to reflect the higher CRC incidence in young adults, who were assumed to carry forward escalated disease risk as they age. Life-years gained (LYG; benefit), the number of colonoscopies (COL; burden) and the ratios of incremental burden to benefit (efficiency ratio [ER] = ΔCOL/ΔLYG) were projected for different screening strategies. Strategies differed with respect to test modality, ages to start (40 years, 45 years, and 50 years) and ages to stop (75 years, 80 years, and 85 years) screening, and screening intervals (depending on screening modality). The authors then determined the model-recommended strategies in a similar way as was done for the US Preventive Services Task Force, using ER thresholds in accordance with the previously accepted ER of 39. RESULTS: Because of the higher CRC incidence, model-predicted LYG from screening increased compared with the previous analyses. Consequently, the balance of burden to benefit of screening improved and now 10-yearly colonoscopy screening starting at age 4

    Biological dosimetry after radiosynoviorthesis with rhenium-186 sulphide and erbium-169 citrate

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    Zur AbschĂ€tzung der radiobiologischen Sicherheit des Verfahrens wird in dieser Arbeit die Radiosynoviorthese (RSO) mit Re-186 und Er-169 hinsichtlich biologischer Strahleneffekte untersucht. Bei 23 Patienten wurde eine RSO mit Rhenium-186-Sulfid- (10 Patienten) oder Erbium-169-Zitratkolloid (13 Patienten) durchgefĂŒhrt. Das behandelte Gelenk wurde anschließend ruhig gestellt. Bei allen Patienten erfolgte vor und 17–19 Tage (Re-186) bzw. 45–50 Tage (Er-169) nach der RSO eine venöse Blutentnahme. Zur Analyse der Strahlenexposition wurde die HĂ€ufigkeit von dizentrischen Chromosomen in Lymphozyten der ersten Zellteilung in vitro bestimmt. Pro Patient wurden mindestens 1000 Zellen vor und nach der RSO untersucht, was nach lĂ€ngerer Einwirkung niederenergetischer Strahlung ausreichend ist, um im bestrahlten Kollektiv die im Rahmen der RSO erwarteten Strahlendosen nachzuweisen. ErgĂ€nzend wurde bei den mit Re-186 behandelten Patienten der AktivitĂ€tsabtransport aus dem Gelenk mittels Ganzkörperszintigraphie bestimmt. In der Untersuchung von insgesamt 47017 Zellen fanden sich vor RSO mit Re-186 bzw. Er-169 40 bzw. 88, danach 59 bzw. 105 dizentrische Chromosomen in Lymphozyten des peripheren Blutes. Eine signifikante Zunahme der dizentrischen Chromosomen nach der RSO zeigte sich nicht. Der AktivitĂ€tsabtransport nach RSO mit Re-186 lag durchschnittlich unter 5 % (unter 3 MBq) und ist damit als gering einzustufen. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchung von Chromosomenaberrationen und des AktivitĂ€tsabtransports nach Radiosynoviorthese mit Rhenium-186 und Erbium-169 sprechen fĂŒr eine geringe Strahlenexposition der Patienten und damit fĂŒr die Sicherheit des Verfahrens.The aim of the present studies was to investigate the biological radiation effect of radiosynoviorthesis (RSO) with Re-186 and Er-169 in order to evaluate the safety of this procedure. RSO with rhenium-186 sulfide colloid (10 patients) or erbium-169 citrate colloid (13 patients) was carried out in a total of 23 patients. Afterwards, the treated joint was immobilised for three days using splints. From all patients, blood was drawn immediately before and 17 to 19 days (Re-186) or 45 to 50 days (Er-169) after RSO. To evaluate the radiation dose, the yield of dicentric chromosomes in lymphocytes was determined exclusively in metaphases of the first cell cycle in vitro. At least 1000 cells per patient have been analysed before and after RSO which is sufficient to find potential radiation effects after long-term exposure to low energy radiation such as to expect after RSO. In addition, for Re-186 the activity leakage from the treated joint was measured by whole-body scintigraphy. In a total of 47017 cells analysed from 46 blood samples, 40 and 88 before and 59 and 105 dicentrics after RSO with Re-186 and Er-169 were found. This showed no statistically significant increase in the number of dicentric chromosomes. The measured average activity leakage of less than 5 % (less than 3 MBq) was considered to be low. The results of chromosome analysis and activity measurement after RSO prove that this procedure is associated with a low effective dose in treated patients and thus can be considered a safe treatment
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