Competing `soft' dielectric phases and detailed balance in thin film manganites

Using frequency dependent complex capacitance measurements on thin films of the mixed-valence manganite (La$_{1-y}$Pr$_{y}$)$_{1-x}$Ca$_{x}$MnO$_{3}$, we identify and resolve the individual dielectric responses of two competing dielectric phases. We characterize their competition over a large temperature range, revealing they are in dynamic competition both spatially and temporally. The phase competition is shown to be governed by the thermodynamic constraints imposed by detailed balance. The consequences of the detailed balance model strongly support the notion of an `electronically soft' material in which continuous conversions between dielectric phases with comparable free energies occur on time scales that are long compared with electron-phonon scattering times.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Active Archaeology in the Middle East

Whether because of the lack of funds or personnel, or the flooding, or intensifying hostilities that ultimately resulted in the deaths of several site workers, William Kennett Loftus’s excavations at Susa during the 1850s were far from an absolute success. This is not to say that the undertaking was an utter failure either; Loftus, after all, produced a detailed plan of the site and oversaw the uncovering of the Apadana – the audience hall of the Palace of Darius (Loftus 1857; Curtis 1993). He is also credited with identifying the site as the biblical Shushan. But after Loftus finished digging at Susa, British researcher and diplomat Henry Rawlinson stated that Loftus “had turned the mound of Susa topsy-turvey without finding much” (Curtis 1993: 15). Rawlinson was not the only one to feel this way. When the Dieulafoys arrived at Susa in the 1880s, Jane Dieulafoy politely described Loftus’s work as a series of “awkward attempts to secure an inscription” (J. Dieulafoy 1890: 42). In contrast to this, the Dieulafoys prioritized planning their expedition to be accurate, systematic, and thorough. In Jane’s own words: “it does not enter into my husband’s views to dig any holes whatever and to search, in the dark, for ‘museum-objects;’ excavations executed with method alone can give scientific results” (J. Dieulafoy 1890: 89)

Russian Military Intervention in the Caucasus

My research focuses on Russia\u27s foreign policy interests and actions in the context of the post-soviet space and its relations with western nations and organizations. I used three case studies: the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, the Russo- Georgian War, and the Crimean Crisis. The Russian government has pursued intervention in these areas for various reasons. The most prominent of these reasons are ethnicity, religion, irredentism, great power politics, and economics. The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict centers on the Eastern Orthodox Armenian enclave in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, a nation otherwise consisting of a majority of Turkic Sunni Muslims. The Russo-Georgian War was fought in the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Ethnic issues were a part of the outbreak in fighting, but fighting also erupted due to Georgia becoming a transport state for oil and natural gas through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline. Russia sees Georgia as a competitor and so aided separatist rebels. The Crimea Crisis was studied in the context of current events and the history of the marginalized Muslim Tatars in the region. I analyze Russia\u27s motivations for intervention, the type of intervention it pursued, international mediation, and the outcomes of the conflicts

The Goal Attainment Scale for Improving Collaborative Goal Setting for Patients with Diabetes

The financial cost of managing diabetes in Oregon is unsustainable. Furthermore, the physical consequences for patients can be devastating (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2019). One solution to improve the management of diabetes is shared provider-patient decision making (Larme, A., & Pugh, J., 2001). The Goal Attainment Scale (GAS) method, was initially used and successful in mental health for improving self-care activities (Newton, 2013) and it appears to be a viable solution for improving collaborative goal setting to enhance self-care for patients with diabetes. This practice improvement project focuses on the use of the GAS method to facilitate collaborative goals setting between a group of providers and patients with diabetes at one family practice clinic. For eight weeks, there were forty-eight qualifying encounters for forty patients with diabetes at the clinic and thirteen patients developed goals (32%) using the GAS method. The remaining twenty-seven patients (68%) refused to participate, or they were not ready to make a change in self-care of diabetes. Five of the thirteen patients with GAS goals returned for additional visits and of this group either maintained or improved on the scale during the eight weeks. The level of provider engagement and motivation in goal setting varied; however, the patients who developed GAS goals demonstrated a commitment to caring for their diabetes. The primary benefit of the GAS tool was patient involvement

Chapter 10- Preparing the Effective Mentor

Mentoring is a central component of teaching and learning in academia that involves mentors ranging from novice to advanced mentoring experience. Mentoring has been found to play a crucial role in successful career development at every professional level in academia. Consequently, it’s imperative that institutions design and implement mentoring programs that prepare mentors, regardless of background, to establish, build, and maintain positive mentoring relationships. This chapter begins by discussing mentoring and its role in academia. As institutions strive to retain faculty, staff, and students, it serves institutions well to understand how the successful implementation of effective mentoring programs can close the gap in supporting different stages of professional and educational careers. Individuals that do not have a mentor or have an ineffective mentor may miss out on the support needed to obtain personal and professional growth and balance. Absent or noneffective mentoring tends to result in less productive and less satisfied individuals that are less prepared to face internal and external challenges, which can negatively impact a professional’s career and the institutional strength. This chapter explores specific characteristics of effective mentors. One of the focus areas is on successful communication between the mentor and mentee. Effective communication considers personality characteristics, mentor-mentee expectations, trust, motivation and an expected career pathway. Modeling the characteristics of effective communication will enrich the mentoring relationship for both mentors and mentees. Mentors also utilize different styles of communication and connect differently based on individual needs and circumstances. Often as mentors, the communication style depends upon the situation itself and possible solutions to support the mentee. Additionally, understanding different communication styles (and when to use them) will also make for a more effective and gratifying relationship. The chapter will further provide insight of ineffective communication that mentors may exhibit in an effort to avoid difficulty in the mentoring relationship. Being a mentor can have a great effect on a person’s confidence. Motivation is utilized to help set goals and create a solid foundation that will strengthen the mentoring relationship during difficult times. Motivation techniques can be key factors for mentors to engage with mentees, especially to understand their goals, expectations, and driving factors for participating in the mentoring relationship. In addition, its essential for mentors to understand and develop a mentoring plan during the beginning of the mentoring relationship. A description and detailed example of tools to develop a mentoring plan is presented in this chapter. This chapter also demonstrates a step-by-step process to design a curriculum for academic institutions. The needs analysis is one of the keys to effectively design a campus-wide mentoring program that allows various stakeholders to provide input to align mentoring needs. Additionally, continuous evaluation of the mentoring programs and training feedback can help to shape and improve the mentoring programs to your institution’s specific needs. From start to finish, this chapter on mentors will unlock a host of benefits that will impact everything from individual mentor development to institutional mentorship growth

Concert recording 2022-01-27

[Track 1]. Sonata in F major, Hob. XVI/29. 1. Moderato ; Adagio ; Tempo die menuetto / Franz Joseph Haydn -- [Track 2]. Variation Sérieuses / Felix Mendelssohn -- [Track 3]. Nocturne, no. 4, op. 38. Adagio / Lowell Liebermann -- Consolation no. 4 from Six consolations, S. 172. IV. Quasi adagio / Franz Liszt