Acting the Part: How Audience Problematizes Butlerian Performativity in the Films of Darren Aronofsky Kathryn Bigelow and Lars Van Trier

Feminist and gender studies critics laud Judith Butler’s theory of the performative construction of identity because of its capacity to liberate gender from the biological essentialism entailed by previous identity theories. In this thesis, I show how six twenty-first century films demonstrate the importance and problematic nature of ‘audience’ in the performative construction of identity. Each film employs a dialectic model between their protagonists and the reception they receive from diegetic audiences within the film to describe performativity. Black Swan (2010) and The Wrestler (2008) demonstrate how performative identities require an audience to legitimize them. Antichrist (2009) and The Hurt Locker (2008) show how society functions as an audience that legitimizes flawed performative identities. Melancholia (2011) and The Fountain (2006) illustrate how the death of the audience destroys the performative identity. Butler’s theory doesn’t adequately acknowledge the power of the relationship between performativity and audience because she doesn’t entirely consider the audience’s influence on the performative construction of identity. Each of the films examined in this thesis show how either an explicit or implicit diegetic audience is largely responsible for a given character\u27s performative construction of identity. In doing so, they establish that performative identities cannot be separated from the audiences because the performative process is inherently a dialectic construct between performers and their diegetic audiences. Therefore, scholars who engage with Butlerian performativity must more thoroughly consider the audience\u27s role in authenticating performatively constructed identities

Role of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Readmissions for Congestive Heart Failure

Background: Patients with type II diabetes are at major risk for cardiovascular disease. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2 inhibitors) have demonstrated benefit for these patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether SGLT-2 inhibitors significantly reduce heart failure readmission rates and improve outcomes in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Methods: Patient data was pulled on CHF patients with an active prescription for an SGLT-2 inhibitor, and it was analyzed using Fischer’s Exact tests and two-tailed t-tests. The primary outcome was a 6-month hospital readmission rate due to CHF while taking SGLT-2 inhibitors. Secondary outcomes included 6-month all-cause hospital readmissions, renal function as measured by an estimated glomerular filtration rate change between admissions, mortality rates, and ejection fraction. Results: Of the 138 patients that met inclusion criteria for the first admission, the 6-month all-cause readmission rate for CHF patients still taking SGLT-2 inhibitors at readmission was 21 percent vs 16 percent (p=0.6) for the control group not taking SGLT-2 inhibitors. The 6-month CHF readmission rate in patients taking SGLT-2 inhibitors was 7.2 percent, and a CHF specific readmission rate was not collected for the control group. In patients with an eGFR less than 90, the average eGFR for the SGLT-2 group declined slightly but was not significant between patients at first admission and those with readmission (p=0.21). Conclusion: The use of SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with CHF did not change the overall hospital readmission rate; however, larger randomized controlled trials are needed for further evaluation of the potential benefit

Neural crest migration is driven by a few trailblazer cells with a unique molecular signature narrowly confined to the invasive front

Neural crest (NC) cell migration is crucial to the formation of peripheral tissues during vertebrate development. However, how NC cells respond to different microenvironments to maintain persistence of direction and cohesion in multicellular streams remains unclear. To address this, we profiled eight subregions of a typical cranial NC cell migratory stream. Hierarchical clustering showed significant differences in the expression profiles of the lead three subregions compared with newly emerged cells. Multiplexed imaging of mRNA expression using fluorescent hybridization chain reaction (HCR) quantitatively confirmed the expression profiles of lead cells. Computational modeling predicted that a small fraction of lead cells that detect directional information is optimal for successful stream migration. Single-cell profiling then revealed a unique molecular signature that is consistent and stable over time in a subset of lead cells within the most advanced portion of the migratory front, which we term trailblazers. Model simulations that forced a lead cell behavior in the trailing subpopulation predicted cell bunching near the migratory domain entrance. Misexpression of the trailblazer molecular signature by perturbation of two upstream transcription factors agreed with the in silico prediction and showed alterations to NC cell migration distance and stream shape. These data are the first to characterize the molecular diversity within an NC cell migratory stream and offer insights into how molecular patterns are transduced into cell behaviors

YBCO-buffered NdBCO film with higher thermal stability in seeding REBCO Growth

In this work, we report a strengthened superheating effect caused by a buffering YBa2Cu3Oy (Y123 or YBCO) layer in the Nd1+xBa2-xCu3O7-y (Nd123 or NdBCO) thin film with MgO substrate (i.e., NdBCO/YBCO/MgO thin film). In the cold-seeding melt-textured (MT) growth, the NdBCO/YBCO/MgO film presented an even higher superheating level, about 20 {\deg}C higher than that of non-buffered NdBCO film (i.e., NdBCO/MgO film). Using this NdBCO/YBCO/MgO film as seeds and undergoing a maximum processing temperature (Tmax) up to 1120 {\deg}C, we succeeded in growing various RE1+xBa2-xCu3O7-y (REBCO, RE=rare elements) bulk superconductors, including Gd1+xBa2-xCu3O7-y (GdBCO), Sm1+xBa2-xCu3O7-y (SmBCO) and NdBCO that have high peritectic temperatures (Tp). The pole figure (X-Ray \phi-scan) measurement reveals that the NdBCO/YBCO/MgO film has better in-plane alignment than the NdBCO/MgO film, indicating that the induced intermediate layer improves the crystallinity of the NdBCO film, which could be the main origin of the enhanced thermal stability. In short, possessing higher thermal stability and enduring a higher Tmax in the MT process, the NdBCO/YBCO/MgO film is beneficial to the growth of bulk superconductors in two aspects: (1) broad application for high-Tp REBCO materials; (2) effective suppression against heterogeneous nucleation, which is of great assistance in growing large and high-performance REBCO crystals.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Duffy (Fy), DARC, and neutropenia among women from the United States, Europe and the Caribbean

Neutropenia associated with race/ethnicity has essentially been unexplained and, although thought to be benign, may affect therapy for cancer or other illnesses. A recent study linked a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs2814778) in the Duffy antigen/receptor chemokine gene (DARC) with white blood cell count. We therefore analysed the association of the rs2814778 CC, TC and TT genotypes with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) among asymptomatic women from the Caribbean, Europe and the United States. Among 261 study participants, 33/47 women from Barbados/Trinidad-Tobago, 34/49 from Haiti, 26/37 from Jamaica, and 29/38 US-born black women, but only 4/50 from the Dominican Republic and 0/40 US- or European-born whites (P = 0·0001) had the CC genotype. In a linear regression model that included percentage African ancestry, national origin, cytokines, socio-economic factors and the ELA2 rs57834246 SNP, only the DARC rs2814778 genotype and C-reactive protein were associated with ANC (P < 0·0001). Women with the CC genotype had lower ANC than other women. Further research is needed on the associations of rs2814778 genotype with neutropenia and treatment delay in the setting of cancer. A better understanding of these associations may help to improve cancer outcomes among individuals of African ancestry

The novel CXCR4 antagonist POL5551 mobilizes hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with greater efficiency than Plerixafor

Mobilized blood has supplanted bone marrow (BM) as the primary source of hematopoietic stem cells for autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Pharmacologically enforced egress of hematopoietic stem cells from BM, or mobilization, has been achieved by directly or indirectly targeting the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis. Shortcomings of the standard mobilizing agent, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), administered alone or in combination with the only approved CXCR4 antagonist, Plerixafor, continue to fuel the quest for new mobilizing agents. Using Protein Epitope Mimetics technology, a novel peptidic CXCR4 antagonist, POL5551, was developed. In vitro data presented herein indicate high affinity to and specificity for CXCR4. POL5551 exhibited rapid mobilization kinetics and unprecedented efficiency in C57BL/6 mice, exceeding that of Plerixafor and at higher doses also of G-CSF. POL5551-mobilized stem cells demonstrated adequate transplantation properties. In contrast to G-CSF, POL5551 did not induce major morphological changes in the BM of mice. Moreover, we provide evidence of direct POL5551 binding to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in vivo, strengthening the hypothesis that CXCR4 antagonists mediate mobilization by direct targeting of HSPCs. In summary, POL5551 is a potent mobilizing agent for HSPCs in mice with promising therapeutic potential if these data can be orroborated in humans

Progress and Prospects in the Development of Metal Supported Proton Conducting Ceramics for Steam Electrolysis and Other Electrochemical Energy Conversion Devices

Technological development of proton conducting ceramic cell (PCC) manufacturing is in progress. Both high electrochemical performance and robustness in long term operation are crucial for practical devices. The metal-supported (MS) architecture is one of the promising alternatives to the state-of-the-art ceramic supported SOCs, due to its high tolerance towards thermal/redox cycling that are key features for flexible and reliable operation in high temperature fuel cell and electrolysis applications. Relying on the perovskite-type PCC electrolyte, whose refractory nature requires high sintering temperatures in the conventional chemical processing route, the challenge in MS-PCC manufacturing is to achieve a gas-tight electrolyte layer without degradation of the metal substrate. Our strategy is the multilayer implementation combining wet chemical processing of the functional fuel electrode in air below 1000°C and Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) techniques below 800 °C for the gas-tight electrolyte coating. PCCs are suitable for MS architecture, that can provide potentially high performances and high mechanical stability for a wide range of electrochemical applications. We are working on the MS-PCC development in different projects. In the project DAICHI (EIG CONCERT-Japan, BMBF/01DR18002), we started with Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) to manufacture the gas tight electrolyte layer and obtained the first working MS-PCC in steam electrolysis application [1]. The concept is transferred to scalable techniques in projects ARCADE (BMBF/03SF0580A) and 112CO2 (Horizon 2020/952219). We will present our progress in the development of MS-PCC and discuss on the prospects to manufacture large-scale robust PCC cells at reasonable costs for different electrochemical applications. [1] Haoyu Zheng, Feng Han, Noriko Sata, Matthias Riegraf, Amir Masoud Dayaghi, Truls Norby, Rémi Costa, Metal Supported Proton Conducting Ceramic Cell with Thin Film Electrolyte for Electrolysis Application, ECS Transactions, 103 (1), 693-700 (2021

Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more

Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that tumours manipulate neutrophils, sometimes early in their differentiation process, to create diverse phenotypic and functional polarization states able to alter tumour behaviour. In this Review, we discuss the involvement of neutrophils in cancer initiation and progression, and their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets