Grief, Glory, and Political Capital in the Capitol: Presidents Eulogizing Presidents

Abstract OnlyKunkel and Dennis (2003) established a framework for the examination of contemporary eulogia drawn from the comforting and social support paradigms found in psychology and communication literatures. Dennis and Kunkel (2004) applied the framework to eulogies for fallen national heroes (e.g., victims of terrorism and space shuttle astronauts) delivered by American presidents, and both illustrated its utility and noted several minor variations (e.g., presidents did not establish credibility early in speeches or portray emotion as individual experiences). The current study illuminates the nature of eulogies for past presidents by sitting presidents, and examines the eulogies of Presidents John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan by Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Nixon, William Clinton, and George W. Bush, respectively. As highlighted by Kunkel and Dennis' framework, these eulogists accomplish many of the recognized comforting and consolation responsibilities. The presidents sometimes further their own causes and agendas when considered in hindsight, in ironic and prophetic fashion; thus, also meeting Jamieson and Campbell' (1982) definition of the rhetorical hybrid. Finally, the destiny and glory of the eulogized are often noted by eulogists, continuing the legacy that started with the death of George Washington, America' first president (Berens, 1977)

A quantum algorithm for minimising the effective graph resistance upon edge addition

In this work, we consider the following problem: given a graph, the addition of which single edge minimises the effective graph resistance of the resulting (or, augmented) graph. A graph’s effective graph resistance is inversely proportional to its robustness, which means the graph augmentation problem is relevant to, in particular, applications involving the robustness and augmentation of complex networks. On a classical computer, the best known algorithm for a graph with N vertices has time complexity (Formula Presented). We show that it is possible to do better: Dürr and Høyer’s quantum algorithm solves the problem in time (Formula Presented). We conclude with a simulation of the algorithm and solve ten small instances of the graph augmentation problem on the Quantum Inspire quantum computing platform

Drivers of land use change and household determinants of sustainability in smallholder farming systems of Eastern Uganda

Smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa have undergone changes in land use, productivity and sustainability. Understanding of the drivers that have led to changes in land use in these systems and factors that influence the systems’ sustainability is useful to guide appropriate targeting of intervention strategies for improvement. We studied low input Teso farming systems in eastern Uganda from 1960 to 2001 in a place-based analysis combined with a comparative analysis of similar low input systems in southern Mali. This study showed that policy-institutional factors next to population growth have driven land use changes in the Teso systems, and that nutrient balances of farm households are useful indicators to identify their sustainability. During the period of analysis, the fraction of land under cultivation increased from 46 to 78%, and communal grazing lands nearly completely disappeared. Cropping diversified over time; cassava overtook cotton and millet in importance, and rice emerged as an alternative cash crop. Impacts of political instability, such as the collapse of cotton marketing and land management institutions, of communal labour arrangements and aggravation of cattle rustling were linked to the changes. Crop productivity in the farming systems is poor and nutrient balances differed between farm types. Balances of N, P and K were all positive for larger farms (LF) that had more cattle and derived a larger proportion of their income from off-farm activities, whereas on the medium farms (MF), small farms with cattle (SF1) and without cattle (SF2) balances were mostly negative. Sustainability of the farming system is driven by livestock, crop production, labour and access to off-farm income. Building private public partnerships around market-oriented crops can be an entry point for encouraging investment in use of external nutrient inputs to boost productivity in such African farming systems. However, intervention strategies should recognise the diversity and heterogeneity between farms to ensure efficient use of these external inputs

3,5,5,6,8,8-Hexamethyl-5,6,7,8-tetra­hydro-2-naphthoic acid (AHTN–COOH)

The title compound, C17H24O2, is the product of a haloform reaction of 6-acetyl-1,1,2,4,4,7-hexa­methyl­tetra­line (AHTN). The compound is a racemic mixture with a disorder in its aliphatic ring [occupany ratio 0.683 (4):0.317 (4)] due to two possible half-chair forms. The carb­oxy­lic acid unit is slightly twisted out of coplanarity with the aromatic system [dihedral angle = 29.26 (6)°]. In the crystal, pairs of short classical inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link pairs of mol­ecules around a center of symmetry

Association of recent exposure to ambient metals on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in 9–11 year old inner-city children

Exposure to ambient metals in urban environments has been associated with wheeze, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory illness. However, the effect of ambient metals exposure on airway inflammation, and how these associations may be modified by seroatopy, has not been determined. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a reliable proxy marker of airway inflammation. We hypothesized that recent ambient concentrations of Ni, V, Zn and Fe would be associated differentially with proximal and distal fractions of exhaled NO, and that these associations would be modified by seroatopy. As part of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) birth cohort study, 9–11 year old children (n = 192) were evaluated. Ambient measures of Ni, V, Zn and Fe were obtained from a local central monitoring site and averaged over 9 days based on three 24 h measures every third day. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) samples were obtained at constant flows of 50 (FENO50), 83 and 100 mL/s, and used to determine surrogate measures for proximal (JNO) and alveolar (Calv) inflammation. Seroatopy was determined by specific IgE at age 7. Data were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. Ambient V and Fe concentrations were associated positively with FENO50 (p = 0.018, p = 0.027). Ambient Fe was associated positively with JNO (p = 0.017). Ambient Ni and V concentrations were associated positively with Calv (p = 0.004, p = 0.018, respectively). A stronger association of Ni concentrations with Calv was observed among the children with seroatopy. These results suggest that ambient metals are associated differentially with different fractions of FENO production, and this relationship may be modified by seroatopy

Association of recent exposure to ambient metals on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in 9–11 year old inner-city children

Exposure to ambient metals in urban environments has been associated with wheeze, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory illness. However, the effect of ambient metals exposure on airway inflammation, and how these associations may be modified by seroatopy, has not been determined. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a reliable proxy marker of airway inflammation. We hypothesized that recent ambient concentrations of Ni, V, Zn and Fe would be associated differentially with proximal and distal fractions of exhaled NO, and that these associations would be modified by seroatopy. As part of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) birth cohort study, 9–11 year old children (n = 192) were evaluated. Ambient measures of Ni, V, Zn and Fe were obtained from a local central monitoring site and averaged over 9 days based on three 24 h measures every third day. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) samples were obtained at constant flows of 50 (FENO50), 83 and 100 mL/s, and used to determine surrogate measures for proximal (JNO) and alveolar (Calv) inflammation. Seroatopy was determined by specific IgE at age 7. Data were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. Ambient V and Fe concentrations were associated positively with FENO50 (p = 0.018, p = 0.027). Ambient Fe was associated positively with JNO (p = 0.017). Ambient Ni and V concentrations were associated positively with Calv (p = 0.004, p = 0.018, respectively). A stronger association of Ni concentrations with Calv was observed among the children with seroatopy. These results suggest that ambient metals are associated differentially with different fractions of FENO production, and this relationship may be modified by seroatopy

Nudging towards sustainable dining: Exploring menu nudges to promote vegetarian meal choices in restaurants

Food choice behavior plays a large role in achieving sustainability goals. Meat in particular has a negative environmental impact as compared with plant-based food – and is more frequently chosen in restaurant contexts. To increase plant-based meal choices in restaurants, we tested three nudges for menus that are likely to be implemented by restaurant owners: a hedonic label (e.g., artisanal vegetable burger), a chef's recommendation (specifying the vegetarian option as the chef's favorite), and a salience nudge (a box around the vegetarian option). In an online experiment, we showed participants (n = 513) in four conditions (no nudge, hedonic label, chef's recommendation, and salience nudge) five menus with four meal options each, one of which was vegetarian. We asked participants to choose a meal and subsequently to rate these meals on how tasty and indulgent they were (taste and indulgence attributions). We then revealed which nudge was used to the participants and asked how participants received it. Results show that the hedonic label and chef's recommendation nudge (but not the salience nudge) both increase vegetarian meal choices. The hedonic label increased participants' attributions of indulgence of the meal, but not of tastiness. This finding fits with restaurants' gastronomic, pleasure-seeking context and shapes future directions of labeling interventions, namely that indulgence attributions can be increased in vegetarian foods. Furthermore, the nudges were generally well accepted and participants' intention to return to the (virtual) restaurant was high. Finally, customers expected the hedonic label nudge to be more effective in promoting vegetarian food choices than the other two nudges, partially corresponding with our findings of actual effectiveness

DNA methylation of the allergy regulatory gene interferon gamma varies by age, sex, and tissue type in asthmatics

Background Asthma is associated with allergic sensitization in about half of all cases, and asthma phenotypes can vary by age and sex. DNA methylation in the promoter of the allergy regulatory gene interferon gamma (IFNγ) has been linked to the maintenance of allergic immune function in human cell and mouse models. We hypothesized that IFNγ promoter methylation at two well-studied, key cytosine phosphate guanine (CpG) sites (-186 and -54), may differ by age, sex, and airway versus systemic tissue in a cohort of 74 allergic asthmatics. Results After sampling buccal cells, a surrogate for airway epithelial cells, and CD4+ lymphocytes, we found that CD4+ lymphocyte methylation was significantly higher in children compared to adults at both CpG sites (P <0.01). Buccal cell methylation was significantly higher in children at CpG -186 (P = 0.03) but not CpG -54 (P = 0.66). Methylation was higher in males compared to females at both CpG sites in CD4+ lymphocytes (-186: P <0.01, -54: P = 0.02) but not buccal cells (-186: P = 0.14, -54: P = 0.60). In addition, methylation was lower in CD4+ lymphocytes compared to buccal cells (P <0.01) and neighboring CpG sites were strongly correlated in CD4+ lymphocytes (r = 0.84, P <0.01) and weakly correlated in buccal cells (r = 0.24, P = 0.04). At CpG -186, there was significant correlation between CD4+ lymphocytes and buccal cells (r = 0.24, P = 0.04) but not at CpG -54 (r = -0.03, P = 0.78). Conclusions These findings highlight significant age, sex, and tissue-related differences in IFNγ promoter methylation that further our understanding of methylation in the allergic asthma pathway and in the application of biomarkers in clinical research

Clinical Relevance of Resection Margins in Patients with Total Laryngectomy or Laryngopharyngectomy

Background: Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer is complex and resection margins are therefore constrained. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of resection margins in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal surgery. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed for patients treated with a total laryngectomy (TL) or laryngopharyngectomy (TLP) for laryngeal or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC and HSCC, respectively). Within the groups primary LSCC, recurrent LSCC, primary HSCC, and recurrent HSCC the relationship between the status of the resection margin according to the Royal Collage of Pathology and the recurrence and survival rates were investigated. Results: Positive resection margins were found in 54% for primary LSCC, 29% for recurrent LSCC, 62% for primary HSCC, and 44% for recurrent HSCC. For primary and recurrent LSCC, there was a linear association between total recurrence and narrowing margins (p = 0.007 resp. p = 0.008). Multivariate survival analysis for primary and recurrent LSCC showed a significantly worse disease free and disease-specific survival in case of positive margins compared to clear margins. Conclusion: Similar survival rates were recorded for close and clear margins for primary and recurrent LSCC. This may suggest that a margin &gt; 5 mm is not clinically relevant in terms of survival. Therefore, a margin of 1–5 mm should be accepted in certain subsites. Margins &lt; 1 mm are related to significantly worse outcomes and should be avoided.</p

Evaluating Baculovirus as a Vector for Human Prostate Cancer Gene Therapy

Gene therapy represents an attractive strategy for the non-invasive treatment of prostate cancer, where current clinical interventions show limited efficacy. Here, we evaluate the use of the insect virus, baculovirus (BV), as a novel vector for human prostate cancer gene therapy. Since prostate tumours represent a heterogeneous environment, a therapeutic approach that achieves long-term regression must be capable of targeting multiple transformed cell populations. Furthermore, discrimination in the targeting of malignant compared to non-malignant cells would have value in minimising side effects. We employed a number of prostate cancer models to analyse the potential for BV to achieve these goals. In vitro, both traditional prostate cell lines as well as primary epithelial or stromal cells derived from patient prostate biopsies, in two- or three-dimensional cultures, were used. We also evaluated BV in vivo in murine prostate cancer xenograft models. BV was capable of preferentially transducing invasive malignant prostate cancer cell lines compared to early stage cancers and non-malignant samples, a restriction that was not a function of nuclear import. Of more clinical relevance, primary patient-derived prostate cancer cells were also efficiently transduced by BV, with robust rates observed in epithelial cells of basal phenotype, which expressed BV-encoded transgenes faster than epithelial cells of a more differentiated, luminal phenotype. Maximum transduction capacity was observed in stromal cells. BV was able to penetrate through three-dimensional structures, including in vitro spheroids and in vivo orthotopic xenografts. BV vectors containing a nitroreductase transgene in a gene-directed enzyme pro-drug therapy approach were capable of efficiently killing malignant prostate targets following administration of the pro-drug, CB1954. Thus, BV is capable of transducing a large proportion of prostate cell types within a heterogeneous 3-D prostate tumour, can facilitate cell death using a pro-drug approach, and shows promise as a vector for the treatment of prostate cancer