Behavior as mind-in-context: A cultural psychology analysis of "paranoid" suspicion

This is the published version of a book chapter. The complete book is available from Guilford Press

Stars In Other Universes: Stellar structure with different fundamental constants

Motivated by the possible existence of other universes, with possible variations in the laws of physics, this paper explores the parameter space of fundamental constants that allows for the existence of stars. To make this problem tractable, we develop a semi-analytical stellar structure model that allows for physical understanding of these stars with unconventional parameters, as well as a means to survey the relevant parameter space. In this work, the most important quantities that determine stellar properties -- and are allowed to vary -- are the gravitational constant $G$, the fine structure constant $\alpha$, and a composite parameter $C$ that determines nuclear reaction rates. Working within this model, we delineate the portion of parameter space that allows for the existence of stars. Our main finding is that a sizable fraction of the parameter space (roughly one fourth) provides the values necessary for stellar objects to operate through sustained nuclear fusion. As a result, the set of parameters necessary to support stars are not particularly rare. In addition, we briefly consider the possibility that unconventional stars (e.g., black holes, dark matter stars) play the role filled by stars in our universe and constrain the allowed parameter space.Comment: accepted to JCAP, 29 pages, 6 figure

The Use of Sequential Surveys to Shorten Implementation Time for Healthcare System-Level Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Pathways

Background Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways improve healthcare quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness. We hypothesized that the RAND Method (a hybrid Delphi approach), involving anonymous sequential surveys and face-to-face meetings, would allow for more rapid agreement and initiation of new ERAS pathways. Methods Using the ERAS Society guidelines for cesarean section as a baseline, our institution’s ERAS Leadership Team (ELT) compiled published literature and institutional practices to design a 32-component survey that was sent to obstetricians, nurse midwives, anesthesiologists, pharmacists, and nurses. Components that did not reach 90% consensus were included in a second survey the following week, and meetings were held to review results. At the conclusion of this process, time to agreement was retrospectively compared to the colorectal ERAS pathway process at this institution. Results ERAS pathway components were compiled and reviewed by 121 stakeholders at 7 hospitals using iterative surveys with review meetings over a 13-week period. Survey response rates were 61% and 50% in the initial and follow-up surveys, respectively. There was agreement on 28/32 and 32/32 items on the initial and follow-up surveys. Using the RAND Method, time to agreement decreased by 54.1% (24 vs 13 weeks) compared to prior system-wide efforts to standardize the colorectal surgery ERAS pathway. Discussion With rapidly expanding healthcare systems, effective methods to gain consensus and adopt ERAS pathways are critical to implementation of ERAS guidelines. We demonstrate that the RAND Method allows for a transparent and efficient means of agreement across a diverse group of clinicians practicing in several settings

Cross-Sectional Comparison of Health-Span Phenotypes in Young versus Geriatric Marmosets

The development of the marmoset as a translational model for healthspan and lifespan studies relies on the characterization of health parameters in young and geriatric marmosets. This cross‐sectional study examined health phenotypes in marmosets for five domains of interest for human health and aging: mobility, cognition, metabolism, homeostasis, and immune function. Geriatric marmosets were found to have significant executive function impairment when compared to young animals. While geriatric animals did not show gross abnormalities in mobility and measures of locomotion, their types of movement were altered from young animals. Geriatric marmosets had alterations in cardiac function, with significantly increased mean arterial pressures; metabolism, with significantly lower VO2; and suppressed immune function. Further, this study sought to characterize and describe histopathology for both young and geriatric healthy marmosets. Overall this study provides a characterization of health parameters for young and geriatric marmosets which will greatly enhance future aging and interventional testing in marmosets

The power of peers in GTA development of practice: evaluation of an equal-status teaching observation project

Peer observation of teaching is a well-established professional development practice and can occur through a range of different activities (e.g., micro-teaching, lesson study, performance reviews, etc.). There is evidence that these various activities are being increasingly used to support Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs). This paper reports the findings of a pilot project that implemented equal-status, interdisciplinary and developmental peer observations. As a collaborative project, it was co-designed and evaluated by eight GTAs and an academic developer. Our observation framework involved GTAs’ undertaking the observee and observer roles and retaining five of six identified dimensions of control. The findings show that the observation experiences encouraged both new and experienced GTAs to take a self-reflective and critical stance to their teaching and disciplinary approaches. This confirms the value of GTAs’ experiencing the observer role and their exposure to other disciplinary environments. The post-observation ‘learning conversations’ provided significant opportunities for GTAs to discuss and reflect on their practice contexts and experiences together. This represents an effective example of peer supported learning, which also reduces the sense of isolation that GTAs often experience

Guiding Neutral Atoms with a Wire

We demonstrate guiding of cold neutral atoms along a current carrying wire. Atoms either move in Kepler-like orbits around the wire or are guided in a potential tube on the side of the wire which is created by applying an additional homogeneous bias field. These atom guides are very versatile and promising for applications in atom optics.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR

Effects of Goal Type and Reinforcement Type on Self-Reported Domain-Specific Walking Among Inactive Adults: 2×2 Factorial Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: WalkIT Arizona was a 2×2 factorial trial examining the effects of goal type (adaptive versus static) and reinforcement type (immediate versus delayed) to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among insufficiently active adults. The 12-month intervention combined mobile health (mHealth) technology with behavioral strategies to test scalable population-health approaches to increasing MVPA. Self-reported physical activity provided domain-specific information to help contextualize the intervention effects. Objective: The aim of this study was to report on the secondary outcomes of self-reported walking for transportation and leisure over the course of the 12-month WalkIT intervention. Methods: A total of 512 participants aged 19 to 60 years (n=330 [64.5%] women; n=425 [83%] Caucasian/white, n=96 [18.8%] Hispanic/Latinx) were randomized into interventions based on type of goals and reinforcements. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form assessed walking for transportation and leisure at baseline, and at 6 months and 12 months of the intervention. Negative binomial hurdle models were used to examine the effects of goal and reinforcement type on (1) odds of reporting any (versus no) walking/week and (2) total reported minutes of walking/week, adjusted for neighborhood walkability and socioeconomic status. Separate analyses were conducted for transportation and leisure walking, using complete cases and multiple imputation. Results: All intervention groups reported increased walking at 12 months relative to baseline. Effects of the intervention differed by domain: a significant three-way goal by reinforcement by time interaction was observed for total minutes of leisure walking/week, whereas time was the only significant factor that contributed to transportation walking. A sensitivity analysis indicated minimal differences between complete case analysis and multiple imputation. Conclusions: This study is the first to report differential effects of adaptive versus static goals for self-reported walking by domain. Results support the premise that individual-level PA interventions are domain- and context-specific and may be helpful in guiding further intervention refinement

DISPLACE study shows poor quality of transcranial Doppler ultrasound for stroke risk screening in sickle cell anemia

Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) are at increased risk of stroke when compared with their age-based counterparts. The Stroke Prevention Trial in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP) previously demonstrated that with the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD; Sickle Stroke Screen) and chronic red cell transfusion, the risk of stroke is reduced by over 90%. The STOP criteria detailed the type and method of measurement required; the time-averaged mean maximum velocity (TAMMV). Unfortunately, it has been difficult to adhere to the appropriate TAMMV measurements. The objectives of this study were to assess the quality of TCD and transcranial Doppler imaging (TCDi) reports to determine the report quality and accuracy. This is a subanalysis of the DISPLACE (Dissemination and Implementation of Stroke Prevention Looking at the Care Environment) study. Over 12 000 TCD/TCDi reports were collected during this study from 28 institutions; 391 TCDs were reviewed for this subanalysis. There were significant variations in the vessels being assessed, the velocities used to define abnormal results, and who was interpreting the scans. In 52% of reports, it was impossible to identify whether the TAMMV was what was measured. Similarly, it was only clear in 42% of reports that the TAMMV was used to interpret the examination as normal/abnormal. Given this inconsistency, we strongly recommend standardization of TCD/TCDi reporting, specialized training for those performing and interpreting the scans in the use of TCD/TCDi in patients with SCA, internal quality assurance, and institutional quality improvement work to ensure appropriate use of this potentially lifesaving technology

A note on maximal estimates for stochastic convolutions

In stochastic partial differential equations it is important to have pathwise regularity properties of stochastic convolutions. In this note we present a new sufficient condition for the pathwise continuity of stochastic convolutions in Banach spaces.Comment: Minor correction

A Century of Cosmology

In the century since Einstein's anno mirabilis of 1905, our concept of the Universe has expanded from Kapteyn's flattened disk of stars only 10 kpc across to an observed horizon about 30 Gpc across that is only a tiny fraction of an immensely large inflated bubble. The expansion of our knowledge about the Universe, both in the types of data and the sheer quantity of data, has been just as dramatic. This talk will summarize this century of progress and our current understanding of the cosmos.Comment: Talk presented at the "Relativistic Astrophysics and Cosmology - Einstein's Legacy" meeting in Munich, Nov 2005. Proceedings will be published in the Springer-Verlag "ESO Astrophysics Symposia" series. 10 pages Latex with 2 figure