BACKGROUND We analyzed serial data in patients with clinically stable monoclonal gammopathy to determine the total variation of serum M-spikes [measured with serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP)], urine M-spikes [measured with urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP)], and monoclonal serum free light chain (FLC) concentrations measured with immunoassay. METHODS Patients to be studied were identif...

A major determinant of flowering time in natural Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) variants is FRIGIDA (FRI). FRI up-regulates expression of the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), thereby conferring a vernalization requirement and a winter annual habit. FRI encodes a novel nuclear protein with no conserved domains except for two coiled-coil regions. A mutation in the large subunit of th...

Flowering time relies on the integration of intrinsic developmental cues and environmental signals. FLC and its downstream target FT are key players in the floral transition in Arabidopsis. Here, we characterized the expression pattern and function of JMJ18, a novel JmjC domain-containing histone H3K4 demethylase gene in Arabidopsis. JMJ18 was dominantly expressed in companion cells; its tempor...

Intracellular lipid binding proteins, including fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) 1 and 2, are highly expressed in tissues involved in the active lipid metabolism. A zebrafish model was used to demonstrate differential expression levels of fabp1b.1, fabp1b.2, and fabp2 transcripts in liver, anterior intestine, and brain. Transcription levels of fabp1b.1 and fabp2 in the anterior intestine wer...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Multiple myeloma (MM)-associated cardiac damage, particularly according to the type of monoclonal (M) protein has not been elucidated. We sought to investigate relationship between elevated serum M protein levels and echocardiographic indices of cardiac structure and function in patients with MM. METHODS We evaluated a total of 184 consecutive MM patients who underwent echocar...

In this paper, precise control of the end‐point position of a planar single‐link elastic manipulator robot is discussed. The Timoshenko beam theory (TBT) has been used to characterize the structural link elasticity including important damping mechanisms. A suitable nonlinear model is derived based on the Lagrangian assumed modes method. Elastic link manipulato...

This paper proposes a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) based variable resistive bridge type fault current limiter (VR-BFCL) to minimize the impact of faults on voltage source converter high direct (VSC-HVDC) systems. FLC for VR-BFCL is developed dynamically insert appropriate limiting resistance during contingencies maintain currents within acceptable limit. The proposed effectively provides duties...

BACKGROUND Monoclonal free light chains (FLCs) frequently cause rapidly progressive renal failure in patients with multiple myeloma. Immunoassays which provide quantitative measurement of FLCs in serum, have now been adopted into screening algorithms for multiple myeloma and other lymphoproliferative disorders. The assays indicate monoclonal FLC production by the presence of an abnormal kappa t...

BACKGROUND Fluconazole (FLC) resistance is common in C. glabrata and echinocandins are often used as first-line therapy. Resistance to echinocandin therapy has been associated with FKS1 and FKS2 gene alterations. METHODS We reviewed records of all patients with C. glabrata bloodstream infection at Duke Hospital over the past decade (2001-2010) and correlated treatment outcome with minimum inh...

The strict safety regulations for nuclear reactor control make it difficult to implement new control techniques such as fuzzy logic control (FLC). FLC however, can provide very desirable advantages over classical control, like robustness, adaptation and the capability to include human experience into the controller. Simple fuzzy logic controllers have been implemented for a few nuclear research...