22689 research outputs found
Sort by
Abstraction and Collectivity among the Suprematists
No full text“Abstraction and Collectivity among the Suprematists,” offers a contextualist reassessment of Suprematism, a theory and style of geometrical abstraction first formulated by Kazimir Malevich in 1915. By examining artists active in late Imperial Russia, the revolutionary Soviet state and interwar Poland who claimed an affiliation with Malevich’s project, I demonstrate that these figures’ artistic and theoretical explorations of abstraction developed in direct dialogue with philosophical debates concerning the nature of social collectivity. Furthermore, I surface the Suprematists’ prolific and sustained collaborations with peasant labor collectives to recover the movement’s international and interclass reach, as well as an unacknowledged material collectivist political aspect to its project. My first chapter sites the conceptual foundations of Suprematism in religious art. Through an analysis of his theoretical writings and a series of self-portraits undertaken between 1910 and 1913, I demonstrate Malevich’s intellectual debt to social theorists in his milieu who claimed an aesthetic basis for collective experience in the encounter with the face of God in religious icons. The second chapter illuminates Suprematism’s little-known debut in an exhibition of textiles produced through a collaboration between avant-garde artists and peasant collective workshops. One month before the exhibition of his landmark Suprematist Composition: Black Square, Malevich submitted Suprematist designs to be executed by women-run collective embroidery workshops in what is present-day Ukraine. Chapter three charts how Suprematism was widely adopted in newly founded art schools throughout Soviet Russia under the auspices of UNOVIS, a collective of art students and teachers first founded in 1920 at the People’s Art School in Vitebsk (present-day Belarus). I marshal archival materials and publications of the group to reveal UNOVIS’s mediating role between collective structures of peasant labor and rural administration and emerging Soviet cultural infrastructure. The final fourth chapter turns to the artistic, pedagogical and theoretical work of Władysław Strzemiński, a member of UNOVIS’s branch in Smolensk who would leave Soviet Russia to work and teach in Poland. Drawing on theoretical tracts, lectures and student notes, I reveal the lasting influence of Strzemiński’s work with UNOVIS in developing a collectively oriented aesthetic epistemology to undergird his multidisciplinary practice
DECODING NEUROGENESIS IN THE MAMMALIAN HYPOTHALAMUS
No full textThe hypothalamus is a central homeostatic regulator of various physiological processes, including appetite, metabolism, and sleep. During embryonic forebrain development, the anterior diencephalon forms the hypothalamus and prethalamus, two regions critical for diverse neurophysiological functions. Despite their critical roles in coordinating bodily functions, the developmental processes of the hypothalamus and prethalamus, particularly the specification of their diverse neurons, are poorly understood.
In chapter 2, we investigated the gene regulatory networks controlling the development of the mouse hypothalamus and prethalamus. By integrating single-cell RNA and ATAC-Seq, spatial transcriptomics, and conditional mutant analyses, we reconstructed the mechanisms governing regional identity, neurogenesis, and cell fate. We found that cross-repressive gene networks regulate cell fate and neurotransmitter expression, validated through mutant analyses. Notably, Dlx1/2 loss-of-function disrupted GABAergic neuron specification in the thalamic reticular nucleus and zona incerta, leading to hyperactivity and sensory hypersensitivity, resembling neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. This work provides a valuable resource for understanding hypothalamic and prethalamic development and its implications for neurological disorders.
In the mediobasal hypothalamus, tanycytes, possess a diverse range of physiological functions, such as regulating metabolic homeostasis, serving as a substrate for radial migration of newly postmitotic neurons, and participating in the release of hormones. While diet can stimulate tanycyte-derived neurogenesis, the overall levels of tanycyte-derived neurogenesis are nearly undetectable under baseline conditions and are even low when stimulated. This has posed a serious obstacle in efforts to characterize the identities and functions of tanycyte-derived neurons (TDNs).
In chapter 3, we generated a comprehensive spatio-temporal spatial transcriptomics atlas and integrated immunofluorescence-based lineage tracing with spatial transcriptomics to spatially resolved tanycyte-derived neurons across the tuberal and premammillary hypothalamus. Transcriptomic analysis revealed subtype-specific gene expression differences between TDNs and embryonic-derived neurons, notably a reduction or loss of expression of markers in TDNs important for neurotransmission. Moreover, electrophysiological recordings of wild-type TDNs in the adult hypothalamus showed a decline in neuronal-like properties, altered membrane potentials, and reduced synaptic activity, suggesting age-dependent maturation differences. This work provides valuable resources for understanding TDNs neuronal diversity, spatial organization and neuronal properties and their implications on regulating core hypothalamic circuitry
Extension of Chvátal-Gomory Closure via K-Halfspace closure
Get PDFWe propose further generalizations of Chvátal-Gomory closure, extending on previous works where the two-halfspace closure is analyzed. Here, we analyze the method of computing the convex hull of integer points by using the intersection of k-halfspaces as cutting planes. We prove that there exists examples where there is a significant improvement between the number of three-halfspace closure operations and two-halfspace closure. We also provide simulations on a potential approach to extend this to four-halfspaces, and potentially even higher numbers, along with a conjecture on the relationship between these operations
OPTIMIZATION OF METHODS FOR MHC-IG SYNTHESIS, PURIFICATION, AND EVALUATION FOR T CELL IMMUNOENGINEERING
Get PDFCytotoxic CD8+ T cells are integral to the adaptive immune response towards pathogens and
cancer, yet these cells require many external signals to activate and form memory cells. Efficient
activation and persistence of these lymphocytes is hindered by immunodominance, immunosuppression,
and immunoediting. For optimized and specific anti-pathogenic or anti-tumor activity against a chosen
antigen, CD8+ T cells must be carefully enriched, expanded, and monitored in-vitro using artificial
signals. In-vivo, the primary signal, MHC I, is provided by antigen-presenting cells (APCs), which are
difficult to culture and select for proper antigen presentation in-vitro. Instead, the in-vitro signal 1 is
provided by the soluble MHC-Ig dimer: a genetically fused protein consisting of a Kb, Db, or A2 domain
fused to an IgG1 antibody. The MHC-Ig dimer allows for improved avidity of CD8+ T cell stimulation
without the use of APCs, provides access to biotinylating and labeling using the Fc portion of the IgG
domain, and provides a platform for MHC I function in solution.
This manuscript details the current methods utilized to produce and purify this dimer from mouse
B-cell/myeloma hybridoma cells; using both the pre-existing method of sepharose beads containing
nitrophenol specific to the IgG1 antibody – followed by competitive displacement of NP by NIP-eaminocaproic
acid, and experimental S. aureus surface Protein G with pH-based elution. We produced 21
functional samples of MHC-Ig from all three MHC alleles, using a combination of lengthy sepharose-NIP
extraction and multiple rounds of overnight Protein G incubation. We then analyzed the protein for yield,
structural stability, and function on CD8+ cells using ELISA, HPLC, and flow cytometry staining. We
found that Protein G, while a faster and cheaper method for MHC-Ig extraction than NIP, faced
challenges of protein denaturation. However, we theorize that with subtle changes to elution methods and
perhaps a change to the structure of the MHC-Ig molecule itself, we can optimize the protocol for MHCIg
production combining sepharose/NIP and Protein G to yield as much functional MHC-Ig as possible,
minimizing time and material cost
OPTIMIZING HOSPITAL PATIENT FLOW: AN EVALUATION OF INPATIENT OCCUPANCY MEASUREMENTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BOARDING TIME AND HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY
Get PDFHospital capacity constraint has been a growing challenge in US healthcare systems, particularly in academic medical centers where high inpatient occupancy levels contribute to inefficiencies in patient flow. This dissertation examines the influence of hospital occupancy on Emergency Department (ED) boarding time and inpatient length of stay (LOS), by evaluating different occupancy measures and their association with ED boarding time and LOS.
This study comprises three interconnected analyses:
First, I compared the association between different inpatient occupancy measures and ED boarding time to determine which best predicts boarding delays. This study employs a retrospective observational study using quantile regression models with adjustment on hospital operational factors. These findings indicate that occupancy at the boarding start provides the best explanatory power for ED boarding time, outperforming one-measure-per-24-hour occupancy measures used in prior research. The second analysis expands on the findings of the first study by incorporating patient-specific factors to evaluate their influence on ED boarding time. I compared the predictive power of different variables using risk-adjusted quantile regression models and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) scores. Results show that hospital occupancy and time of day have an interaction effect and together significantly impact ED boarding time. The findings suggest that quality metrics used to evaluate ED throughput should be adjusted for hospital occupancy to ensure appropriate assessments across institutions and over time. The third analysis aimed to investigate the dynamic effects of hospital unit occupancy on inpatient LOS. I explored the time varying effect of occupancy levels on LOS. Results suggested that patients admitted through inpatient units with high occupancy levels at the beginning experienced prolonged stays and the effect reverses as the hospital is consistently under pressure. However, the effect size is relatively modest comparing to other contributing variables which are known to contribute to longer LOS, including discharge disposition.
This research highlights the occupancy and hospital capacity constraints on patient throughput. The findings suggest that hospitals and regulatory agencies should incorporate occupancy adjustments when assessing ED throughput. Strategies to reduce LOS should focus more on resolving patient progression and discharge barriers than efforts to lower occupancy
Weyl formula improvement for product of Zoll manifolds
Get PDFIosevich and Wyman have proved that the remainder term in classical Weyl law can be improved from to in the case of product manifold by using a famous result of Duistermaat and Guillemin. They also showed that we could have polynomial improvement in the special case of Cartesian product of round spheres by reducing the problem to the study of the distribution of weighted integer lattice points. In this paper, we show that we can extend this result to the case of Cartesian product of Zoll manifolds by investigating the eigenvalue clusters of Zoll manifold and reducing the problem to the study of the distribution of weighted integer lattice points too
VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM PREVENTION PRACTICES IN HOSPITALS: OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY MEASURES
No full textVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common, largely preventable condition among hospitalized patients. Effective VTE prevention requires: 1) clinicians to assess patients’ VTE risk; 2) prescribers must prescribe therapy matched to patient risks and potential contraindications; and 3) patients must accept and nurses must administer the therapy as prescribed. Current quality measures used to assess VTE prevention and outcomes in hospitals do not evaluate all practices to prevent VTE, nor are all prevention practices assessed to determine potentially preventable harm (Paper 1). Clinicians completing VTE risk assessment tools frequently fail to identify well-established risk factors resulting in inaccurate determination of VTE risk (Paper 2). While historic focus has been on increasing the prescription of VTE prophylaxis medication, the increase in prescription of VTE prophylaxis is associated with an increase in non-administration of VTE prophylaxis. However, nurse- and patient-focused education interventions reduce non-administration (Paper 3). Contributing to non-administration of prescribed VTE prophylaxis, it is a common misconception that ambulation is effective an effective form of VTE prevention for hospitalized patients. A systematic review found no evidence to support the belief that ambulation is effective for VTE prevention among hospitalized patients (Paper 4). Assessing patient mobility status and VTE prophylaxis administration, data show that mobile patients miss and refuse significantly more doses of prescribed VTE prophylaxis, quantitatively confirming previous qualitative studies that nurses are less likely to administer prescribed VTE prophylaxis for patients who are ambulating (Paper 5). To facilitate evaluation and ongoing monitoring, we established a comprehensive registry of VTE prevention practices and outcomes (Paper 6). Across a 5-hospital health system, the steps to effective VTE prevention vary significantly. Measuring VTE prevention practice enables hospital systems to focus on and deploy limited quality improvement resources where the greatest opportunity exists based on the individual hospitals quantified need (Paper 7). Quality measures that evaluate only VTE outcomes, without accounting for prevention practices, often misclassify high quality care as low quality care and fail to provide hospitals with actionable information to improve care quality (Paper 8)
COMPARISON OF ENERGY STORAGE MARKET RETURN VALUE THROUGH RULE-BASED SYSTEM AND MACHINE LEARNING BASED METHODS IN CALIFORNIA NP-15 HUB
Get PDFHypothesis: Optimizing charge schedules using machine learning enhances wholesale market returns for energy storage over traditional methods.
This research aims to provide guidance for shareholders and researchers in targeting the market value of energy storage and benchmarking various methods for planning storage operation schedules in the wholesale electricity market. Methods are critical to improving the economic performance of energy storage, as the study found that energy storage optimized using the specific methods can boost market revenue by nearly 50% compared to industry common practices. The study examined different methods, including ordinary (rule-based) and machine learning-based methods, to produce the price guidance, which was either transformed from the demand, past price, or predicted price, and then optimized energy storage charge schedules in the wholesale electricity market. For the predicted price methods, machine learning base methods have a mean absolute error (MAE) range from 10.63/MWh while the Common Statistics methods have a MAE range from 26.47/MWh. It reveals the advantage of Machine learning based methods in predicting the wholesale electricity market price change. However, analysis has shown that more accurate market price prediction does not inherently correlate to higher market returns for energy storage. The results show that Quantile Regression-Based methods can capture over 95% of the theoretical maximum market return, which is slightly lower than the best machine learning based approach - Lightgbm. So, some common statistics maintain competitiveness in the energy storage charging schedule optimization, even though it lacks accuracy in predicting the market price change. In conclusion, the research results confirm the hypothesis that machine learning-based energy storage charge optimization enhances wholesale market returns over traditional methods
BETWEEN DOCTRINE AND DUTY: DEFENDING PHYSICIANS’ RIGHT TO EXTERNAL REFERRALS FOR MEDICAL AID IN DYING
No full textCatholic hospitals in the United States, governed by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs), prohibit physicians from discussing, referring, or participating in Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD), even in jurisdictions where the practice is legal.
These restrictions prioritize religious doctrine over secular bioethical principles such as patient autonomy and informed consent. As a result, physicians face moral distress when institutional
policies prevent them from fulfilling their ethical duties, and patients are often denied access to legal and compassionate end-of-life care. Catholic hospitals engage in moral censorship when they restrict the communication of legally sanctioned medical options. While concerns about scandal and doctrinal fidelity persist, the categorical prohibition of information-sharing compromises both patient rights and professional integrity. A pragmatic solution involves protecting physicians who provide factual information about MAiD and refer patients to external coordination services. This form of informal referral already practiced in other morally
contested areas of care does not require institutional participation but ensures patients are not abandoned. Drawing on models from Canada and nonprofit MAiD networks in the U.S., this proposal outlines a path forward that maintains the religious identity of Catholic hospitals while honoring the legal and ethical obligations of clinicians. Such an approach reaffirms the core values of medicine, while promoting compassionate, patient-centered care within pluralistic healthcare settings
ASSOCIATION OF BULLYING PERPETRATION, BULLYING VICTIMIZATION, AND BYSTANDER BEHAVIORS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN CHINA
No full textStudy objective: Mental health of adolescents is a global concern, with school bullying recognized as a significant contributing risk factor. Although extensive research has documented the psychological effects of bullying victimization and perpetration, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the correlates of positive and negative bystander behaviors, as well as the underlying mechanisms influencing these roles, particularly within the Chinese context. The present study seeks to make an original contribution by systematically comparing the relationships between mental health and both positive and negative bystander behaviors, alongside victimization and perpetration. Additionally, the study aims to examine whether self-efficacy and coping styles mediate, and whether teachers' roles moderate, these relationships.
Methods: A total of 12,354 students from 18 secondary schools in Suzhou, China (Meanage = 15.00, SDage = 1.47; 53.8% boys) participated in the study. Data on bullying victimization/perpetration, positive/negative bystander behaviors, self-efficacy, positive/negative coping styles, teachers' responses, and mental health factors were all gathered, including depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and suicide risk.
Results: The findings indicated that the prevalence rates for perpetration, victimization, positive bystander behavior, and negative bystander behavior were 16.3%, 7.7%, 52.3%, and 8.2%, respectively. Bullying perpetration, victimization, and negative bystander behaviors were all found to positively predict mental health problems, while positive bystander behavior had a protective effect, reducing suicidal risk. Self-efficacy, negative coping styles, and positive coping styles served as mediators in the relationship between bullying behaviors and mental health outcomes. Meanwhile, positive teacher responses significantly reduced the association between bullying victimization and suicide risk, as well as the relationship between bullying perpetration and suicide risk.
Conclusion: The present study was a valuable addition to the body of literature in terms of offering a thorough examination of the bullying bystanders, their mental health correlates, the mediating role of self-efficacy and coping strategies, and the moderating influence of positive or negative teachers' responses. Policy makers could take into account the importance of promoting adaptive coping styles, self-efficacy, and active responses from teachers which buffered the deleterious psychological consequences of bullying behavior in adolescents