Miriam Solomon: Making Medical Knowledge [Audio interview]

Miriam Solomon is interested in the scientific and social processes which come together to create medical knowledge. Patients come in all shapes and sizes and their socioeconomic backgrounds vary widely. Basic sciences and clinical practices produce vast amounts of data that are evaluated and interpreted. Often the data are contradictory. Millions of articles, reports, and conference proceedings are published. Pharmaceutical companies experiment and test drugs with an eye to the marketplace. How do doctors come to consensus on the best diagnoses and treatments? In Making Medical Knowledge (Oxford University Press, 2015) Miriam Solomon addresses this question. She explains how consensus conferences and evidence-based, translational, and narrative medicine promote differing methodologies and organizational schemas for coming to consensus on medical problems. After analyzing the advantages and limitations of each, she recommends a “developing, untidy, methodological pluralism” for “making medical knowledge.” Miriam Solomon is a professor of Philosophy at Temple University with research interests in philosophy of science, philosophy of medicine, epistemology, gender and science, and bioethics. Fred Rowland interviewed her on December 17, 2015.Temple University. College of Liberal ArtsTemple University. LibrariesPhilosophyLearning and Research ServicesAudacityAudacit

The Global Spectra-Trait Initiative: A database of paired leaf spectroscopy and functional traits associated with leaf photosynthetic capacity

Accurate assessment of leaf functional traits is crucial for a diverse range of applications from crop phenotyping to parameterizing global climate models. Leaf reflectance spectroscopy offers a promising avenue to advance ecological and agricultural research by complementing traditional, time-consuming gas exchange measurements. However, the development of robust hyperspectral models for predicting leaf photosynthetic capacity and associated traits from reflectance data has been hindered by limited data availability across species and environments. Here we introduce the Global Spectra-Trait Initiative (GSTI), a collaborative repository of paired leaf hyperspectral and gas exchange measurements from diverse ecosystems. The GSTI repository currently encompasses over 7500 observations from 397 species and 41 sites gathered from 36 published and unpublished studies, thereby offering a key resource for developing and validating hyperspectral models of leaf photosynthetic capacity. The GSTI database is developed on GitHub (https://github.com/plantphys/gsti, last access: 4 January 2026) and published to ESS-DIVE https://doi.org/10.15485/2530733, Lamour et al., 2025). It includes gas exchange data, derived photosynthetic parameters, and key leaf traits often associated with traditional gas exchange measurements such as leaf mass per area and leaf elemental composition. By providing a standardized repository for data sharing and analysis, we present a critical step towards creating hyperspectral models for predicting photosynthetic traits and associated leaf traits for terrestrial plants.Tyler School of Art and ArchitectureLandscape Architecture and Horticultur

Karen Hersch: The Roman Wedding [Audio interview]

Professor Karen Hersch is the author of The Roman Wedding: Ritual and Meaning in Antiquity, published by Cambridge University Press in 2010.. Fred Rowland interviewed her on September 20, 2010 about her book. They discuss ancient sources and modern scholarship. She explains the social, legal, and religious significance of the Roman Wedding and its similarities to the modern American wedding. The role of the Roman woman, the significance of the (mythic) Sabine women, and details of the wedding day are covered. The listener will come away with a much greater appreciation of the lives of women in the ancient world.Temple University. College of Liberal ArtsTemple University. LibrariesGreek and Roman ClassicsLearning and Research ServicesAudacityAudacit

Relativistic Rocket

Using only the postulates of special relativity, we derive the kinematic equations for a relativistic rocket undergoing constant proper acceleration, obtain closed-form expressions for velocity, position, and proper time, and analyze fuel requirements for exhaust speeds (0.05c and c) and payloads (1.4 and 100 metric tons). Numerical examples illustrate feasibility across interstellar distance between 0 and 20 LY. We conclude that interstellar travel is infeasible without far future technology.Temple University. College of Science and TechnologyMathematic

Judith Levine: Ain't No Trust [Audio interview]

The official name of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act makes the legislators’ motivations very clear: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. On signing it, President Clinton fulfilled his campaign pledge to “end welfare as we know it.” Clearly fronting personal responsibility and work, the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 came right as the country’s economy was entering an unprecedented boom. The dot.com bubble was in its most expansive stage, with employment tight and wages rising. The “new economy” offered a bright horizon as Internet entrepreneurs would transform the economy and lift all boats on a turbulent but exciting sea. The intent and the rhetoric surrounding the 1996 Welfare Reform Act was consistent with an American tradition of individualism. Looking at low-income individuals from this perspective, they simply lacked either the motivation or the personal characteristics necessary to thrive in our economy. The plan was to establish a program of carrots and sticks to encourage changes in personal behavior. Judith Levine brings a different perspective to this debate in her new book Ain’t No Trust: How Bosses, Boyfriends and Bureaucrats Fail Low-Income Mothers and Why It Matters (University of California Press, 2013). Consistent with an alternative tradition that “no man [or woman] is an island, she is interested in social factors that influence personal behaviors, in this case trust and distrust. Looking at two different cohorts of interviews with low-income women in the Chicago area, one before and one after the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, she studied how trust and distrust emerge and shape low-income mothers approach and response to life events. She feels that this is a perspective lacking from the 1996 Act. Fred Rowland interviewed Judith Levine on February 20, 2014.Temple University. College of Liberal ArtsTemple University. LibrariesSociologyLearning and Research ServicesAudacityAudacit

Exploring the Feasibility of a Mobile App-Based Mindfulness Intervention

Background: End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) can cause many health disorders, including physical and mental health ailments. Hemodialysis (HD) patients experience a range of symptoms. Studies have shown that many mental health symptoms are pronounced in HD patients, such as anxiety. Treatment for both physical and psychological health may be necessary to provide a truly holistic plan of care. Studies have shown that Mindfulness interventions are low-cost, non-invasive, and effective in alleviating some of the mental health symptom burden. Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a five-session behavioral intervention using a mobile app in a kidney dialysis setting. Method: The use of technology-assisted intervention of mindfulness delivered via a mobile app. Using the Healthy Minds App, participants listened to the program for 5 weeks. At the end of the term, participants were surveyed with pre- and post-GAD7 surveys. The feasibility of this study was measured by recruitment rates and adherence to sessions. Results: A total of seven participants completed the study. The median number of lessons completed was 2 out of 5. GAD7 scores of the pre and post -assessment were analyzed using SPSS (v.29). The Wilcoxon test revealed Z = -1.604, p =.109, R= -0.43, a small to medium negative effect size. Conclusion: Although many studies showed efficacious results from other countries, the different dynamics did not crossover, especially with a self-motivated mobile app. Since the results were limited, there needs to be a more efficient way to deliver the intervention to this population. In-person therapists showed promising results. Recommendation is for future studies to focus on enhancing those interventions.Barnett College of Public HealthNursingAccompanied by a poster presented at the Annual Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project Poster Session, which took place April 15, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA

Implementation of a BERT in the Emergency Department

Background: There is an epidemic of violence against healthcare workers, and emergency room nurses are disproportionately affected. There is a call for a structured, systematic response to WPV. A Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT) uses a team management approach, which capitalizes on the strengths of an interdisciplinary team and offloads the onus from an individual staff member to a team of clinicians caring for the patient together. Purpose: To develop, implement, and evaluate a BERT to decrease the occurrences of assaults and improve safety for emergency room nurses. Methods: Using quality improvement methodology to implement a BERT as a structured response for additional support and early intervention in managing agitated patient situations. Results: T-test analysis of pre- and post-implementation surveys showed BERT had a statistically significant effect (p <0.05) on nurses' confidence in managing agitated patient situations. There was not a statistically significant decrease in the incidence rate of assaults, but any decrease in assaults on staff is considered clinically significant. Conclusions: Implementation of a BERT has the potential to strengthen support for healthcare teams and the patients they serve, thereby improving the quality of care. Direct service providers have the insight and clinical skill to navigate these challenging situations, although the rates and consequences of WPV require the support of a WPV-focused unit council, a structural response from hospital administration, as well as state and federal legislatorsBarnett College of Public HealthNursingAccompanied by a poster presented at the Annual Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project Poster Session, which took place April 15, 2026, in Philadelphia, PA

Impact of Device Selection Tools on Vascular Access Complication Rates in Intravenous Therapy: A Rapid Scoping Review

To identify studies to include or consider for this rapid scoping review, the review team worked with a librarian (TN) to develop detailed search strategies for each database. The PRISMA-ScR extension was followed for search reporting. The librarian (TN) developed the search for PubMed (NLM) and translated the search for every database searched. The PubMed (NLM) search strategy was reviewed by the research team to check for accuracy and term relevancy. All final searches were peer-reviewed by another librarian (BF) following the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS checklist). The search was limited by date from January 1, 2005 to the present (date of final search was September 26, 2025) The databases included in this search are as follows: PubMed (NLM), Cochrane CENTRAL (Wiley), and CINAHL (Ebsco) using a combination of keywords and subject headings. A grey literature search included: clinical trials registry (clinicaltrials.gov), WHO ICTRP (https://trialsearch.who.int/), and Europe PMC (https://europepmc.org/).Temple University. College of Public HealthTemple University (Health Sciences Center Campus). LibraryAll final searches were performed on September 26, 2025, by the librarian and were fully reported to the research team on September 30, 2025. The full search strategies as reported by the librarian are provided in Appendix(___). They are also archived at [DOI]. A summary of the search results: PubMed (NLM) from 01/01/2005 to 9/26/2025 (1,565 Results) Cochrane Central (Wiley) from Jan 2005 to Sep 2025 (354 Results) CINAHL (Ebscohost) from 01/01/2005 to 9/26/2025 (931 Results) Clinicaltrials.gov from 01/01/2005 to 9/26/2025 (33 results) WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) from 01/01/2005 to 9/26/2025 (118 results) Europe PMC (https://europepmc.org/) from 01/01/2005 to 9/26/2025 (409 results) The search resulted in 3,410 studies. 777 duplicate studies were found and omitted by the librarian (TN) using EndNote 21.5 following the Wichor Bramer duplication identification strategy. This resulted in 2,633 total records to screen from databases or registers. Studies were screened by title and abstract by two blinded and independent reviewers. If a tiebreaker was needed, a third reviewer was called in. This process was repeated for full text article screening and article selection

Social Media Use Among Patients with Endometriosis and Other Forms of Chronic Pelvic Pain

To identify studies to include or consider for this scoping review, the review team worked with a librarian (JB) to develop detailed search strategies for each database. The PRISMA-S extension was followed for search reporting. The librarian (JB) developed the search for Pubmed and translated the search for every database searched. The Pubmed search strategy was reviewed by the research team to check for accuracy and term relevancy. All final searches were peer-reviewed by another librarian (Becca Fülöp) following the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS checklist).Lewis Katz School of MedicineTemple University (Health Sciences Center Campus). LibraryObstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive SciencesTo identify studies to include or consider for this scoping review, the review team worked with a librarian (JB) to develop detailed search strategies for each database. The PRISMA-S extension was followed for search reporting. The librarian (JB) developed the search for Pubmed and translated the search for every database searched. The Pubmed search strategy was reviewed by the research team to check for accuracy and term relevancy. All final searches were peer-reviewed by another librarian (Becca Fülöp) following the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS checklist). The databases included in this search are: PubMed (NLM), Embase (Elsevier), Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics), Cochrane Central (Wiley), APA PsycINFO (EbscoHost), Cinahl (EbscoHost), and ProQuest Sociology Database (ProQuest) using a combination of keywords and subject headings. A grey literature search included a clinical trials registry (clinicaltrials.gov), TRIP Pro Database (https://www.tripdatabase.com/), and CADTH Grey Matters (https://greymatters.cadth.ca/). All final searches were performed on September 24th by the librarian and were fully reported on September 24th, 2024. The full search strategies as reported by the librarian are provided in Appendix(__). They are also archived at [DOI]. A summary of the search results: PubMed (NLM) from 1809 to 9/18/2024 (443 Results) Embase (Elsevier) from 1974 to 9/18/2024 (1,206 Results) Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics) from 1900 to 9/18/2024 (357 Results) Cochrane Central (Wiley) from inception to 9/18/2024 (92 Results) APA PsycINFO (EbscoHost) from 1892 to 9/18/2024 (59 Results) CINAHL (EbscoHost) from 1976 to 9/18/2024 (175 Results) ProQuest Sociology Database from 1952 to 9/18/2024 (23 Results) Clinicaltrials.gov from inception to 9/18/2024 (8 Results) TRIP Pro from 1867 to 9/18/2024 (1,024 Results) The search resulted in 3,387 studies. 728 duplicate studies were found and omitted by the librarian JB using EndNote 20 and following the Endnote duplicate identification strategy. This resulted in 2,651 records to screen from databases or registers and 8 records to screen from other methods, resulting in a total of 2,659 records. Studies were screened by title and abstract by two blinded and independent reviewers. If a tiebreaker was needed, a third reviewer was called in. This process was repeated for full text article screening and article selection

Damage Control: MKULTRA, Human Ecology, and the Press

This paper provides a brief history of the Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology/Human Ecology Fund and Psychological Assessments Associates, two CIA proprietaries connected to the Agency’s infamous MKULTRA program. Using a combination of archival sources and contemporary newspaper coverage, the author demonstrates the ways in which MKULTRA fronts reacted to press coverage from the program’s 1953 establishment to its public exposure in 1977. Further, this paper explores the ways how, and the reasons why, social science researchers and CIA officers lied to the press about their financial and ethical role in the government’s secret funding of medicine, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and psychiatry. This is done by using the test cases of John W. Gittinger, Col. James L. Monroe, and Dr. Lawrence E. Hinkle, each of whom told significant lies to the press in the 1970s for vastly different reasons.Temple University. College of Liberal ArtsHistoryA paper presented at the 31st James A. Barnes Graduate History Conference, which took place March 14-15, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA