Abstract: A foot-pedal switch for electrically connecting two conductors includes a conductive base plate connected to one of the two conductors and having a bottom surface for resting on a horizontal surface, a rear end having a first portion of a hinge assembly, at least one non-conductive spring, and a first conductive contact point at a front end thereof. A conductive top plate is connected to the other conductor, a rear end having a second portion of the hinge assembly, and a second conductive contact point at a front end thereof. A non-conductive hinge pin assembly pivotally connects the first and second portions of the hinge assembly mutually and non-conductively together. The top plate rests on the springs such that the first and second contact points are electrically and mechanically separated until pressure is applied to the top plate to deform the springs until the contact points electrically connect.

Abstract: Pluripotency determining factors are described which act intracellularly and maintain a pluripotent cell in a pluripotent state in the absence of gp130 activation, which maintain or confer pluripotency of a human stem cell, which maintain or confer pluripotency of a mouse ES cell, and which maintain or confer pluripotency of a stem cell from a non-permissive strain of mice. The factors and vectors encoding or activating the factors are used to maintain and derive pluripotent cells, especially of higher mammals, including humans.