Transforming Learning Through Two Pair of Eyes

This essay is a report on the experience of adult transformative learning under the conditions of travel to and within a foreign culture. It is written in the voices and from the perspectives of both teacher and .student.  The role of both is analyzed in the context of Mezirow’s criteria for transformative learning. this involves structuring the learning experience to bring out the total collective resources of  the adult.  The task of the teacher is to set up a learning environment so that the best chances for deep learning are in place to challenge and support adult students to take transformative learning risks--steps, plunges, and leaps that lead into a new and unknown world of differences.  In the present case, the study of another culture coupled with actual travel and cultural immersion with the people was life changing

Characterizing Combustible and Electronic Cigarette Use During the Perinatal Period

The use of electronic cigarettes (often referred to as vapes or e-cigs) has grown rapidly in the past decade. While these devices may not deliver the same level of carcinogens and toxicants as combustible cigarettes, they can deliver nicotine (a known developmental toxicant) as efficiently. Previous work suggests that, during pregnancy, women may supplement or completely substitute their combustible cigarette use with electronic cigarettes as either a form of harm reduction or smoking cessation aid. The use of this product during pregnancy raises concerns regarding the potential depression of combustible cigarette cessation during a time when women, historically, have been highly motivated to quit. Additionally, there may be risk for dual product use and increased and/or sustained nicotine exposure during fetal development. To date, little is known about the population-level prevalence of electronic cigarette use during pregnancy, what factors may be associated with electronic cigarette use during pregnancy, how electronic cigarette use behavior manifests among women during pregnancy (e.g., concurrently with combustible cigarettes or used exclusively), or how perinatal combustible cigarette use behavior manifests in the newly emerging electronic cigarette use landscape. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine combustible and electronic cigarette use before, during, and after pregnancy in a representative sample of recently pregnant women. To achieve this purpose, three analytic phases were conducted. All analyses used 2016 and 2017 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data. First, I described the prevalence of electronic cigarette use during pregnancy, as well as associated maternal characteristics. Results from this analysis indicate that, despite rapid increases in electronic cigarette use in the general population, only a small contingent of women were using these products during pregnancy. Electronic cigarette use was associated with maternal combustible cigarette use, education, race, ethnicity and prenatal depression. Second, I conducted latent class analysis to empirically identify patterns of combustible and electronic cigarette use before, during, and after pregnancy. Four classes were identified: 1) light combustible cigarette quitters (43.7% in 2016; 40.9% in 2017), 2) light combustible cigarette temporary quitters (17.6% in 2016; 19.5% in 2017), 3) persistent heavy combustible cigarette users (19.4% in 2016; 20.8% in 2017), and 4) persistent light combustible cigarette users (19.4% in 2016; 18.9% in 2017). Results from this analysis indicate that combustible cigarettes continue to be the primary product used among women, with light use (< 10 cigarettes per day) emerging as the predominant behavior pattern. Electronic cigarette use was minimal and was completely terminated during pregnancy in nearly all latent classes. Dual combustible and electronic cigarette use was not likely. Lastly, I conducted multinomial logistic regression to identify sociodemographic, pregnancy-specific, and mental-health-related factors associated with patterns of combustible and electronic cigarette use during the perinatal period. This analysis revealed that these factors varied significantly across combustible and electronic cigarette use patterns, with low socioeconomic status (low income and low education) continuing to be a persistent determinant of risky combustible cigarette use during pregnancy. This study sheds light on emerging patterns of combustible and electronic cigarette use behavior during a sensitive developmental period primed for behavior change. These patterns will continue to shift as new cohorts of exclusive electronic cigarette users enter adulthood and begin having children of their own, so continued surveillance of these behaviors during the perinatal period is imperative. Furthermore, despite, and perhaps as a result of, decades of tobacco control efforts, deeply embedded disparities continue to persist. To address these disparities, future efforts must consider perinatal product use at a more granular level and within the context of women’s lived experience

Mammography Screening Recommendations and Reading Level: Comparing Imaging Centers and Non Imaging Centers

The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force & American Cancer Society offer conflicting mammography screening recommendations regarding age at first screen and frequency of screen which might lead to inconsistent provision of screening information between mammography facilities. Various information presented by mammography facilities could partially contribute to disparities in screening behaviors across Oregon. We compare the number of facilities reporting ACS, USPSTF or American College of Radiology (ACR) guidelines and compute reading levels of their recommendations. Oregon has 165 licensed machines (58% digital mammography) operated at 108 facilities (35% of mammography machines located in rural zip codes). Some facilities shared websites; therefore 48 unique websites were coded between October 2015 and February 2016. This analysis will compare recommendations and reading levels between for profit imaging centers and non-imaging centers such as clinics. 18% of mammography are located for profit imaging centers. Imaging centers were more likely in urban zip codes – 24% of urban facilities are imaging centers compared with 6. 8% in rural areas. We compared differences in recommendations for age of first screening. A statistically higher percent of imaging centers (95%) recommended earlier first screening at age 40- 49 compared with non imaging centers *81%)). We also compared recommended intervals for screening. For women under 50 years, 60% of non-imaging centers recommended screening yearly compared with 72% of imaging centers recommended screening yearly (p<. 05). There were no difference for recommendations for screening intervals from women 50 and older, Reading levels using SMOG; grade-level estimates were different between types of centers. Imaging centers had a lower reading level for their recommendations (mean 11.9 grade level sd 8) versus non imaging centers mean 15.6 grade years (sd 7) (p=.05). Imaging centers that are located in urban areas, recommend screening earlier and provide resources in a reading level easier for most women

Substance Use and Imagery In Hip Hop, R&B, and Popular YouTube Music Videos

Background: There are over four billion YouTube views per day with “music” the most searched topic. Among US internet users, 8.3 million YouTube users are under 18 years old. Incorporation of substance use imagery in YouTube videos has a considerable potential influence on young viewing audience behavior. This study identifies patterns of substance use portrayal and imagery in YouTube music videos. Methods: The 2014 popular music Billboard R&B/ Hip-hop weekly charts were used to identify the top 25 songs each week which resulted in 112 unique ranked songs; of these, 94 had official videos which were coded. All videos were coded for substance use presence and imagery with an overlap subset tested for reliability by three independent coders. Results: Preliminary results suggest gender differences in types of substance used and imagery. A significant proportion of videos contained blatant product placement of alcohol brands. Of the videos coded, 86% contained at least one substance reference or image. Conclusion: Portrayal of substance use by artists creates social norms that may promote use in youth. Public Health needs to understand in the role of music videos and its influence in uptake of substance use in adolescents. Important gender differences will be discussed

The Democratic Biopolitics of PrEP

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a relatively new drug-based HIV prevention technique and an important means to lower the HIV risk of gay men who are especially vulnerable to HIV. From the perspective of biopolitics, PrEP inscribes itself in a larger trend of medicalization and the rise of pharmapower. This article reconstructs and evaluates contemporary literature on biopolitical theory as it applies to PrEP, by bringing it in a dialogue with a mapping of the political debate on PrEP. As PrEP changes sexual norms and subjectification, for example condom use and its meaning for gay subjectivity, it is highly contested. The article shows that the debate on PrEP can be best described with the concepts ‘sexual-somatic ethics’ and ‘democratic biopolitics’, which I develop based on the biopolitical approach of Nikolas Rose and Paul Rabinow. In contrast, interpretations of PrEP which are following governmentality studies or Italian Theory amount to either farfetched or trivial positions on PrEP, when seen in light of the political debate. Furthermore, the article is a contribution to the scholarship on gay subjectivity, highlighting how homophobia and homonormativity haunts gay sex even in liberal environments, and how PrEP can serve as an entry point for the destigmatization of gay sexuality and transformation of gay subjectivity. ‘Biopolitical democratization’ entails making explicit how medical technology and health care relates to sexual subjectification and ethics, to strengthen the voice of (potential) PrEP users in health politics, and to renegotiate the profit and power of Big Pharma

The Added Value of Large-Eddy and Storm-Resolving Models for Simulating Clouds and Precipitation

More than one hundred days were simulated over very large domains with fine (0.156 km to 2.5 km) grid spacing for realistic conditions to test the hypothesis that storm (kilometer) and large-eddy (hectometer) resolving simulations would provide an improved representation of clouds and precipitation in atmospheric simulations. At scales that resolve convective storms (storm-resolving for short), the vertical velocity variance becomes resolved and a better physical basis is achieved for representing clouds and precipitation. Similarly to past studies we found an improved representation of precipitation at kilometer scales, as compared to models with parameterized convection. The main precipitation features (location, diurnal cycle and spatial propagation) are well captured already at kilometer scales, and refining resolution to hectometer scales does not substantially change the simulations in these respects. It does, however, lead to a reduction in the precipitation on the time-scales considered – most notably over the ocean in the tropics. Changes in the distribution of precipitation, with less frequent extremes are also found in simulations incorporating hectometer scales. Hectometer scales appear to be more important for the representation of clouds, and make it possible to capture many important aspects of the cloud field, from the vertical distribution of cloud cover, to the distribution of cloud sizes, and to the diel (daily) cycle. Qualitative improvements, particularly in the ability to differentiate cumulus from stratiform clouds, are seen when one reduces the grid spacing from kilometer to hectometer scales. At the hectometer scale new challenges arise, but the similarity of observed and simulated scales, and the more direct connection between the circulation and the unconstrained degrees of freedom make these challenges less daunting. This quality, combined with already improved simulation as compared to more parameterized models, underpins our conviction that the use and further development of storm-resolving models offers exciting opportunities for advancing understanding of climate and climate change

The 2023 terahertz science and technology roadmap

Terahertz (THz) radiation encompasses a wide spectral range within the electromagnetic spectrum that extends from microwaves to the far infrared (100 GHz-∼30 THz). Within its frequency boundaries exist a broad variety of scientific disciplines that have presented, and continue to present, technical challenges to researchers. During the past 50 years, for instance, the demands of the scientific community have substantially evolved and with a need for advanced instrumentation to support radio astronomy, Earth observation, weather forecasting, security imaging, telecommunications, non-destructive device testing and much more. Furthermore, applications have required an emergence of technology from the laboratory environment to production-scale supply and in-the-field deployments ranging from harsh ground-based locations to deep space. In addressing these requirements, the research and development community has advanced related technology and bridged the transition between electronics and photonics that high frequency operation demands. The multidisciplinary nature of THz work was our stimulus for creating the 2017 THz Science and Technology Roadmap (Dhillon et al 2017 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 50 043001). As one might envisage, though, there remains much to explore both scientifically and technically and the field has continued to develop and expand rapidly. It is timely, therefore, to revise our previous roadmap and in this 2023 version we both provide an update on key developments in established technical areas that have important scientific and public benefit, and highlight new and emerging areas that show particular promise. The developments that we describe thus span from fundamental scientific research, such as THz astronomy and the emergent area of THz quantum optics, to highly applied and commercially and societally impactful subjects that include 6G THz communications, medical imaging, and climate monitoring and prediction. Our Roadmap vision draws upon the expertise and perspective of multiple international specialists that together provide an overview of past developments and the likely challenges facing the field of THz science and technology in future decades. The document is written in a form that is accessible to policy makers who wish to gain an overview of the current state of the THz art, and for the non-specialist and curious who wish to understand available technology and challenges. A such, our experts deliver a ‘snapshot’ introduction to the current status of the field and provide suggestions for exciting future technical development directions. Ultimately, we intend the Roadmap to portray the advantages and benefits of the THz domain and to stimulate further exploration of the field in support of scientific research and commercial realisation

Resource security impacts men’s female breast size preferences

It has been suggested human female breast size may act as signal of fat reserves, which in turn indicates access to resources. Based on this perspective, two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that men experiencing relative resource insecurity should perceive larger breast size as more physically attractive than men experiencing resource security. In Study 1, 266 men from three sites in Malaysia varying in relative socioeconomic status (high to low) rated a series of animated figures varying in breast size for physical attractiveness. Results showed that men from the low socioeconomic context rated larger breasts as more attractive than did men from the medium socioeconomic context, who in turn perceived larger breasts as attractive than men from a high socioeconomic context. Study 2 compared the breast size judgements of 66 hungry versus 58 satiated men within the same environmental context in Britain. Results showed that hungry men rated larger breasts as significantly more attractive than satiated men. Taken together, these studies provide evidence that resource security impacts upon men’s attractiveness ratings based on women’s breast size

A Cryogenic Silicon Interferometer for Gravitational-wave Detection

The detection of gravitational waves from compact binary mergers by LIGO has opened the era of gravitational wave astronomy, revealing a previously hidden side of the cosmos. To maximize the reach of the existing LIGO observatory facilities, we have designed a new instrument able to detect gravitational waves at distances 5 times further away than possible with Advanced LIGO, or at greater than 100 times the event rate. Observations with this new instrument will make possible dramatic steps toward understanding the physics of the nearby Universe, as well as observing the Universe out to cosmological distances by the detection of binary black hole coalescences. This article presents the instrument design and a quantitative analysis of the anticipated noise floor

A Cryogenic Silicon Interferometer for Gravitational-wave Detection

The detection of gravitational waves from compact binary mergers by LIGO has opened the era of gravitational wave astronomy, revealing a previously hidden side of the cosmos. To maximize the reach of the existing LIGO observatory facilities, we have designed a new instrument that will have 5 times the range of Advanced LIGO, or greater than 100 times the event rate. Observations with this new instrument will make possible dramatic steps toward understanding the physics of the nearby universe, as well as observing the universe out to cosmological distances by the detection of binary black hole coalescences. This article presents the instrument design and a quantitative analysis of the anticipated noise floor