Slow Activism and the Cultivation of Environmental Stewardship in Rural Spaces

In the United States, the rural Midwest is often dubbed the flyover zone, dull and uninteresting compared to our coastal centers of culture. Only by visiting do we urbanites begin to understand rural people as diverse in their backgrounds and views and steeped in their own   natural and cultural histories. In Southern Ohio this history includes an incredible story of forest return, initiated by prescient state and federal politicians in the early twentieth-century, but abetted by countless private smallholders, and more recently, by nonprofit organizations and voluntary associations committed to a greener future. Reversing standard practice, I suggest we look for theory not in the urban centers of academic learning but in the slow activism of rural citizen scientists who are working to transform area residents into stewards of their own forests and watersheds. What lessons might ethnographers learn about engaging people across ideological difference for a common good from those who have been working on behalf of nature for the last quarter century? Taking up Maribel Alvarez's recent call to imagine ourselves as Citizen-Folklorists (Alvarez and Nabhan 2018), I ponder the role of the folklorist in         documenting groups who are already adept at telling and sharing their own stories. What does solidarity and allyship look like in this case

The 'Griteria' in Miami: A Nicaraguan Home-based Festival

Article

Good Works in Central America: Interrogating North American Voluntary Service

Streaming video requires Flash Player, RealPlayer, or Windows Media Player to view.Short-term delegations to Central America for the purpose of providing material aid, assisting with grassroots development, or offering direct service have proliferated in the last four decades. This conference critically examines travel-for-service and the micro-politics of encounters between privileged visitors (professionals, politically motivated groups, service-learning programs) and impoverished third-world communities they visit, as well as the larger implications of poverty relief efforts organized outside of and sometimes in opposition to existing national and international institutions. Such projects promise solutions to seemingly entrenched problems in poorer nations through virtuous vigorous action. Yet in actuality, the dynamics of cosmopolitan interaction are complex. This conference will provide an opportunity for students and faculty interested or already engaged in international service to reflect upon their motives, practices, and experiences and to consider not only their immediate accomplishments but the longer-term implications of the kind of citizen-diplomacy they aspire to enact. The keynote speaker, Nicaragua's Father Fernando Cardenal, has committed his life to direct service to the poor within the framework of a religious vocation and training, more specifically, liberation theology. In 1980, he directed Nicaragua's National Literacy Crusade, an internationally acclaimed voluntary effort to teach reading and writing to rural and underserved populations, organized through the revolutionary state as a nationalist project. The academic speakers come from a variety of positions within the university but share a concern for reflection and the identification of "best practices." They have all either volunteered with or facilitated volunteer missions/delegations.Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security StudiesOhio State University. Center for Latin American StudiesOhio State University. Center for Folklore StudiesOhio State University. Department of Comparative StudiesOhio State University. Department of Spanish and PortugueseOhio State University. Literacy StudiesOhio State University. Service-Learning InitiativeInternational Poverty Solutions CollaborativeEvent Web page, streaming video, event photo

Waging Peace

This event serves as an exploration of non-violent approaches to resolving international conflict. Panelists and guests will discuss the sources of military conflict and explore non-violent strategies designed to promote peace. The event will examine the impact of democracy, human rights, and trade on international peace-building, explore the impact of U.N. peacekeeping, and talk about grassroots peace and anti-intervention movements,  exploring the intersections of activism and peace. Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security Studies.Event Web page, M4V video, event photo

The optimization of a DC injector for the Energy Recovery Linac upgrade to APS

An energy recovery linac based light source is a potential revolutionary upgrade to the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory. The concept relies on several key research areas, one of which is the generation of ultra-low emittance, high-average-current electron beams. In this paper, we present our investigation of a dc-gun-based system for ultra-low emittance bunches in the 20 pC range. A parallel multi-objective numerical optimization is performed in multi-parameter space. Parameters varied include experimentally feasible drive-laser shapes, the DC gun voltage, the thermal energy of the emitted photo-electrons and other electric or magnetic field strengths, RF cavity phase etc. Our goal is to deliver a {approx}10 MeV, 20 pC bunch at the entrance of the linac with an emittance of 0.1 {micro}m or lower, rms bunch length of 2 {approx} 3 ps, and energy spread no larger than 140 keV. We present the machine parameters needed to generate such an injector beam, albeit without a merger

To Touch, to Hear, to Feel. Can Ethnography Dissolve the Narrations of Fear?

Rad tematizira društvene, spoznajne i afektivne posljedice razornog potresa koji je pogodio područje Banije 29. prosinca 2020. godine. Prirodna nepogoda se ne razumijeva samo kao katastrofa nego i kao svojevrsna katarza koja je otkrila slojeve političkog zanemarivanja, teške prošlosti i duboke povezanosti čovjeka s prirodom. Autorica interpretira (posredovane i etnografski zabilježene) osobne naracije o prirodnoj nepogodi, ruinizaciji i regeneraciji, solidarnosti i međusobnom razumijevanju kao temelj za oblikovanje novih afektivnih zajednica i pokretanje procesa kojima se razgrađuju nacionalne (i nacionalističke) naracije i postiže osnaživanje zajednice. Metodološki okvir rada obuhvaća participativnu etnografiju, teorije usmenog pripovijedanja (Bausinger 2018 [1958]; Borland 2021; Bošković-Stulli 1984; Ranke 2018 [1967]; Rudan 2020, Shuman 2005), osjetilnu etnografiju (Bendix 2000, 2005) i ekološku spoznaju “duboke međuovisnosti čovjeka i svih stvari koje ga okružuju” (da Silva i Neuman 2018). Autorica zaključuje da seljani, kohabitirajući s prirodom, ali i oviseći o njoj, na jedinstvenom iskustvu nepogode grade smisao tako što uspoređuju ovu katastrofu s drugim primjerima ljudske patnje i oblikuju je u narativni obrazac koji “od alegorijskog čini osobno, od lokalnog kozmičko” iskustvo (Shuman 2005).This paper deals with the social, cognitive, and affective consequences caused by the devastating earthquake that hit the Banija region on December 29, 2020. The natural disaster is understood not only as a catastrophe but as a kind of catharsis that has exposed layers of political negligence, difficult pasts, and deep connections to the environment. The author interprets (mediatized and face-to-face) personal narratives of natural disaster, ruination and regeneration, solidarity, and mutual understanding as the basis of making new affective communities and triggering processes that resolve national (and nationalistic) narratives and contribute to community empowerment. The paper’s methodological framework embraces participatory ethnography, the theory of folk narratives (Bausinger 2018 [1958]; Borland 2021; Bošković-Stulli 1984; Ranke 2018 [1967]; Rudan 2020, Shuman 2005), the ethnography of the senses (Bendix 2000, 2005), and the “deep implicancy” knowledge of reflecting what makes the “human inseparable from all matter” (da Silva and Neuman 2018). The author concludes that villagers co–habiting with nature (but also depending on it) make sense of their unique experiences of disaster, comparing it with other humans’ suffering and organizing a narrative frame that “makes the allegorical personal, the cosmological local” (Shuman 2005)

Characterizing Transverse Beam Dynamics at the APS Storage Ring Using a Dual-Sweep Streak Camera

Abstract. We present a novel techniquefor characterizingtransverse beam dynamics using a dual-sweep streak camera. The camera is used to record the front view of successive beam bunches and/or successive turns of the bunches. This extension of the dual-sweep technique makesit possible to display non-repeatablebeam transverse motion in two fast and slow time scales of choice, and in a single shot. We present a study of a transverse multi-bunch instability in the AM storage ring. The positions, sizes, and shapes of 20 bunches (2.84 ns apart) in the train, in 3 to 14 successive turns (3.68 w apart) are recorded in a single image, providing rich information about the unstable beam. These include the amplitude of the oscillation(-0.0 at the head of the train and -2 mm towards the end of the train), the bunch-tobunch phase difference, and the significant transverse size growth withh the train. In the second example, the technique is used to characterize the injection-kicker induced beam motion, in support of the planned storagering top-up operation. By adjustingthe time scale of the dual sweep, it clearly shows the amplitude (d.8mm) and direction of tie kick, and the subsequent decoherence (-500 turns) and damping (-20 ms) of the stored beam. Since the storagering has an insertion device chamber with full vertical aperture of 5 mm, it is of special interestto track the vertical motion of the beam. An intensified gated camera was used for this purpose. The turn-by-turn x-y motion of a single-bunch beam was recorded and used as a diagnosticfor coupling correction. Images taken with uncorrectedcoupling will be presented. .

Determination of Sphingosine Kinase Activity for Cellular Signaling Studies

Regulation of sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate concentrations is of growing interest due to their importance in cellular signal transduction. Furthermore, new pharmaceutical agents moderating the intracellular and extracellular levels of sphingosine metabolites are showing promise in preclinical and clinical trials. In the present work, a quantitative assay relying on capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection was developed to measure the interconversion of sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate. The assay was demonstrated to be capable of determining the in vitro activity of both kinase and phosphatase using purified enzymes. The KM of sphingosine kinase for its fluorescently labeled substrate was 38 ± 18 μM with a Vmax of 0.4 ± 0.2 μM/min and a kcat of 3900 s−1. Pharmacologic inhibition of sphingosine kinase in a concentration-dependent manner was also demonstrated. Moreover, the fluorescent substrate was shown to be readily taken up by mammalian cells making it possible to study the endogenous activity of sphingosine kinase activity in living cells. The method was readily adaptable to the use of either bulk cell lysates or very small numbers of intact cells. This new methodology provides enhancements over standard methods in sensitivity, quantification, and manpower for both in vitro and cell-based assays

Associations between smokers' knowledge of causes of smoking harm and related beliefs and behaviors: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey.

BackgroundMost smokers know that smoking is harmful to health, but less is known about their understanding of what causes the harms. The primary aim was to examine smokers' perceptions of the relative contributions to smoking-related morbidity from combustion products, nicotine, other substances present in unburned tobacco, and additives. A secondary aim was to evaluate the association of these perceptions with nicotine vaping product use intentions, and quitting motivation/intentions.MethodsParticipants were current smokers and recent ex-smokers from Australia, Canada, England and the United States (N = 12,904, including 8511 daily smokers), surveyed in the 2018 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey. Respondents reported on how much they thought combustion products, nicotine, chemicals in the tobacco and additives in cigarettes contribute to smoking-related morbidity (none/very little; some but less than half; around half; more than half; all or nearly all of it; don't know).ResultsOverall, 4% of participants provided estimates for all four component causes that fell within the ranges classified correct, with younger respondents and those from England most likely to be correct. Respondents who rated combustion as clearly more important than nicotine in causing harm (25%) were the least likely to be smoking daily and more likely to have quit and/or to be vaping. Among daily smokers, all four cause estimates were independently related to overall health worry and extent of wanting to quit, but the relative rating of combustion compared to nicotine did not add to prediction. Those who answered 'don't know' to the sources of harm questions and those suggesting very little harm were consistently least interested in quitting.ConclusionsMost smokers' knowledge of specific causes of harm is currently inadequate and could impact their informed decision-making ability

A developmental approach to diversifying neuroscience through effective mentorship practices: perspectives on cross-identity mentorship and a critical call to action.

Many early-career neuroscientists with diverse identities may not have mentors who are more advanced in the neuroscience pipeline and have a congruent identity due to historic biases, laws, and policies impacting access to education. Cross-identity mentoring relationships pose challenges and power imbalances that impact the retention of diverse early career neuroscientists, but also hold the potential for a mutually enriching and collaborative relationship that fosters the mentee\u27s success. Additionally, the barriers faced by diverse mentees and their mentorship needs may evolve with career progression and require developmental considerations. This article provides perspectives on factors that impact cross-identity mentorship from individuals participating in Diversifying the Community of Neuroscience (CNS)-a longitudinal, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R25 neuroscience mentorship program developed to increase diversity in the neurosciences. Participants in Diversifying CNS were comprised of 14 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early career faculty who completed an online qualitative survey on cross-identity mentorship practices that impact their experience in neuroscience fields. Qualitative survey data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis and resulted in four themes across career levels: (1) approach to mentorship and interpersonal dynamics, (2) allyship and management of power imbalance, (3) academic sponsorship, and (4) institutional barriers impacting navigation of academia. These themes, along with identified mentorship needs by developmental stage, provide insights mentors can use to better support the success of their mentees with diverse intersectional identities. As highlighted in our discussion, a mentor\u27s awareness of systemic barriers along with active allyship are foundational for their role