Catalyzing Change Through Engaged Department Cohorts: Overcoming the One-and-Done Model

This article examines the merits and challenges of catalyzing institution-wide community engagement through onboarding successive engaged department cohorts. Building upon previous findings, it tests the hypothesis that deep and integrated community engagement within departments can be leveraged into pervasive engagement across an institution, exploring critical challenges to fostering collaborative, scaffolded, and sustained community engagement and offering recommendations. Such initiatives have been designed and piloted across the United States as a possible starting point for shifting often temporary, fragmented, and isolated community engagement efforts to collaborative and sustainable engagement opportunities that span programs of study. This cross-institutional and multi-departmental case study analyzes these claims, documenting the lessons learned from two successive initiatives encompassing 10 engaged departments across three institutions of higher education in the Midwest. Research harnesses traditional surveys, faculty, community, and leadership interviews, initiative reporting documents, as well as systemic action research practices. Through a cross-departmental and institutional comparison analysis, the researchers highlight the most challenging barriers and promising interventions to overcome the one-and-done model of previous engagement efforts

Quantifying the Hydrophobic Effect per CF2 Moiety from Adsorption of Fluorinated Alcohols at the Water/Oil Interface

Amphiphilic fluorocarbon substances are a trending topic of research due to their wide range of applications accompanied by an alarming environmental and health impact. In order to predict their fate in the environment, use them more economically, develop new water treatment methods, etc., a better understanding of their physicochemical behavior is required. Their hydrophobicity in water/oil systems is particularly sensitive to one key thermodynamic parameter: the free energy of transfer of a perfluoromethylene group from oil to water. However, for the –CF2– moiety, the transfer energy values reported in the literature vary by more than ±25%. Due to the exponential relationship between this energy and the adsorption constants or the partition coefficients, such an uncertainty can lead to orders of magnitude error in the predicted distribution of fluorinated species. We address this problem by presenting an experimental determination of the hydrophobic effect of a –CF2– moiety with a greater certainty than currently available. The transfer energy is determined by measuring the interfacial tension of water|hexane for aqueous solutions of short-chained fluorotelomer alcohols. The obtained results for the free energy of transfer of a –CF2– moiety from oil to water are 1.68±0.02×0 , 1.75±0.02×0 , and 1.88±0.02×0 at 288.15 K, 293.15 K, and 303.15 K, respectively

A Dual-Beam Irradiation Facility for a Novel Hybrid Cancer Therapy

In this paper we present the main ideas and discuss both the feasibility and the conceptual design of a novel hybrid technique and equipment for an experimental cancer therapy based on the simultaneous and/or sequential application of two beams, namely a beam of neutrons and a CW (continuous wave) or intermittent sub-terahertz wave beam produced by a gyrotron for treatment of cancerous tumors. The main simulation tools for the development of the computer aided design (CAD) of the prospective experimental facility for clinical trials and study of such new medical technology are briefly reviewed. Some tasks for a further continuation of this feasibility analysis are formulated as well.Comment: 18 pages, 3 tables, 8 figures, 50 reference

Infarct size, inflammatory burden, and admission hyperglycemia in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with SGLT2-inhibitors: a multicenter international registry

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory response occurring in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been proposed as a potential pharmacological target. Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-I) currently receive intense clinical interest in patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) for their pleiotropic beneficial effects. We tested the hypothesis that SGLT2-I have anti-inflammatory effects along with glucose-lowering properties. Therefore, we investigated the link between stress hyperglycemia, inflammatory burden, and infarct size in a cohort of type 2 diabetic patients presenting with AMI treated with SGLT2-I versus other oral anti-diabetic (OAD) agents. METHODS: In this multicenter international observational registry, consecutive diabetic AMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled. Based on the presence of anti-diabetic therapy at the admission, patients were divided into those receiving SGLT2-I (SGLT-I users) versus other OAD agents (non-SGLT2-I users). The following inflammatory markers were evaluated at different time points: white-blood-cell count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-to-platelet ratio (NPR), and C-reactive protein. Infarct size was assessed by echocardiography and by peak troponin levels. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 583 AMI patients (with or without ST-segment elevation): 98 SGLT2-I users and 485 non-SGLT-I users. Hyperglycemia at admission was less prevalent in the SGLT2-I group. Smaller infarct size was observed in patients treated with SGLT2-I compared to non-SGLT2-I group. On admission and at 24 h, inflammatory indices were significantly higher in non-SGLT2-I users compared to SGLT2-I patients, with a significant increase in neutrophil levels at 24 h. At multivariable analysis, the use of SGLT2-I was a significant predictor of reduced inflammatory response (OR 0.457, 95% CI 0.275-0.758, p = 0.002), independently of age, admission creatinine values, and admission glycemia. Conversely, peak troponin values and NSTEMI occurrence were independent predictors of a higher inflammatory status. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetic AMI patients receiving SGLT2-I exhibited significantly reduced inflammatory response and smaller infarct size compared to those receiving other OAD agents, independently of glucose-metabolic control. Our findings are hypothesis generating and provide new insights on the cardioprotective effects of SGLT2-I in the setting of coronary artery disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Data are part of the ongoing observational registry: SGLT2-I AMI PROTECT. CLINICALTRIALS: gov Identifier: NCT05261867

Outcomes in diabetic patients treated with SGLT2-Inhibitors with acute myocardial infarction undergoing PCI: The SGLT2-I AMI PROTECT Registry

Aims: To investigate in-hospital and long-term prognosis in T2DM patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) treated with SGLT2-I versus other oral anti-diabetic agents (non-SGLT2-I users). Methods: In this multicenter international registry all consecutive diabetic AMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled and, based on the admission anti-diabetic therapy, divided into SGLT-I users versus non-SGLT2-I users. The primary endpoint was defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, recurrent AMI, and hospitalization for HF (MACE). Secondary outcomes included i) in-hospital cardiovascular death, recurrent AMI, occurrence of arrhythmias, and contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI); ii) long-term cardiovascular mortality, recurrent AMI, heart failure (HF) hospitalization. Results: The study population consisted of 646 AMI patients (with or without ST-segment elevation): 111 SGLT2-I users and 535 non-SGLT-I users. The use of SGLT2-I was associated with a significantly lower in-hospital cardiovascular death, arrhythmic burden, and occurrence of CI-AKI (all p < 0.05). During a median follow-up of 24 ± 13 months, the primary composite endpoint, as well as cardiovascular mortality and HF hospitalization were lower for SGLT2-I users compared to non-SGLT2-I patients (p < 0.04 for all). After adjusting for confounding factors, the use of SGLT2-I was identified as independent predictor of reduced MACE occurrence (HR=0.57; 95%CI:0.33–0.99; p = 0.039) and HF hospitalization (HR=0.46; 95%CI:0.21–0.98; p = 0.041). Conclusions: In T2DM AMI patients, the use of SGLT2-I was associated with a lower risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes during index hospitalization and long-term follow-up. Our findings provide new insights into the cardioprotective effects of SGLT2-I in the setting of AMI. Registration: Data are part of the observational international registry: SGLT2-I AMI PROTECT. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05261867

Quantification of structural changes in the corpus callosumin children with profound hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury

Background Birth-related acute profound hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury has specific patterns of damage including the paracentral lobules. Objective To test the hypothesis that there is anatomically coherent regional volume loss of the corpus callosum as a result of this hemispheric abnormality. Materials and methods Study subjects included 13 children with proven acute profound hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury and 13 children with developmental delay but no brain abnormalities. A computerised system divided the corpus callosum into 100 segments, measuring each width. Principal component analysis grouped the widths into contiguous anatomical regions. We conducted analysis of variance of corpus callosum widths as well as support vector machine stratification into patient groups. Results There was statistically significant narrowing of the mid–posterior body and genu of the corpus callosum in children with hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury. Support vector machine analysis yielded over 95% accuracy in patient group stratification using the corpus callosum centile widths. Conclusion Focal volume loss is seen in the corpus callosum of children with hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury secondary to loss of commissural fibres arising in the paracentral lobules. Support vector machine stratification into the hypoxic–ischaemic brain injury group or the control group on the basis of corpus callosum width is highly accurate and points towards rapid clinical translation of this technique as a potential biomarker of hypoxic–ischaemic brain injur

On the dispersion of solid particles in a liquid agitated by a bubble swarm

This article deals with the dispersion of solid particles in a liquid agitated by a homogeneous swarm of bubbles. The scale of interest lies between the plant scale (of the order of the tank) and the microscale (less than the bubble diameter). The strategy consists in simulating both the twophase flow of deforming bubbles and the motion of solid particles. The evolution of the spatial distribution of particles together with the encounter and entrainment phenomena is studied as a function of the void fraction and the relative size and mass of particles. The influence of the shape of the bubble and of the model of forces that govern the motion of particles is also considered

Maternal bonding styles in smokers and non-smokers: a comparative study

BACKGROUND: Parental bonding has been implicated in smoking behavior, and the quality of maternal bonding (MB) has been associated with poor mental health and substance use. However, little is known about the association of MB and the smoking of the offspring. METHODS: In our study, 129 smokers and 610 non-smoker medical students completed the parental bonding instrument, which measures MB along two dimensions: care and overprotection. Four categories can be created by high and low scores on care and overprotection: optimal parenting (OP; high care/low overprotection); affectionless control (ALC; low care/high overprotection); affectionate constraint (AC; high care/high overprotection), and neglectful parenting (NP; low care/low overprotection). Nicotine dependence was assessed by the Fagerstrom Nicotine Dependence Test, exhaled CO level, and daily cigarette consumption (CPD). RESULTS: Higher CPD was significantly associated with lower overprotection (p = 0.016) and higher care (p = 0.023) scores. The odds for being a smoker were significantly higher in the neglectful maternal bonding style compared to the other rearing styles (p = 0.022). Besides, smokers showed significantly higher care and lower overprotection scores with the Mann-Whitney U-test than non-smokers, although these associations did not remain significant in multiple regression models. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that focusing on early life relationship between patient and mother can be important in psychotherapeutic interventions for smoking. Registration trials retrospectively registered

Mechanochemical basis of protein degradation by a double-ring AAA+ machine

Molecular machines containing double or single AAA+ rings power energy-dependent protein degradation and other critical cellular processes, including disaggregation and remodeling of macromolecular complexes. How the mechanical activities of double-ring and single-ring AAA+ enzymes differ is unknown. Using single-molecule optical trapping, we determine how the double-ring ​ClpA enzyme from Escherichia coli, in complex with the ​ClpP peptidase, mechanically degrades proteins. We demonstrate that ​ClpA unfolds some protein substrates substantially faster than does the single-ring ​ClpX enzyme, which also degrades substrates in collaboration with ​ClpP. We find that ​ClpA is a slower polypeptide translocase and that it moves in physical steps that are smaller and more regular than steps taken by ​ClpX. These direct measurements of protein unfolding and translocation define the core mechanochemical behavior of a double-ring AAA+ machine and provide insight into the degradation of proteins that unfold via metastable intermediates.Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant AI-16892