37495 research outputs found
Sort by
“Women and Lockean Theory: John Locke, Rachel Speght, and Egalitarian Personhood
Get PDFLiberal political thought affirms the moral equality of all persons. The Lockean tradition within liberalism captures this equality by endowing people with equal natural rights. However, a powerful line of criticism holds that the theory fails to live up to its egalitarian billing by treating men and women differently. This article offers a rational reconstruction of the Lockean position on gender equality, and the rights of women in particular. We propose a novel interpretative method which puts Locke into conversation with a contemporary female author, Rachel Speght. In Speght, we find an interesting argument supporting an egalitarian Lockean view, grounded in familiar Lockean assumptions, using familiar Lockean arguments. Voices like Speght have long been unjustly neglected in the liberal tradition. By constructing this imagined conversation, we offer a stronger foundation for Lockean liberalism, and begin to incorporate excluded voices in the formulation of that tradition
Nonlinear Biopsychosocial Resilience: Self-Organization as the Basis for a Common Framework
No full textRecently, calls have been made for a common framework to understand human resilience through the lens of dynamical systems theory. This chapter provides a comprehensive introduction to the concepts and tools necessary for such an approach. It builds on an existing theoretical framework of biopsychosocial resilience grounded in self-organization theory. This theoretical framework is applied to the formalization of four types of resilience – robustness, resilience, antifragility and grit. Next, important features of stability, structural integrity, and flexibility are discussed as empirically measurable characteristics of a systems-based approach to resilience, which provide a foundation for further applications, including metastability and, ultimately, growth of system adaptability across timescales. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of continuing empirical investigation to advance an understanding of how behavioral states emerge, self-regulate, and evolve over time.https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/psychology_books/1028/thumbnail.jp
The Ecosystem as Super-organ/Ism, Revisited: Scaling Hydraulics to Forests under Climate Change
Get PDFClassic debates in community ecology focused on the complexities of considering an ecosystem as a super-organ or organism. New consideration of such perspectives could clarify mechanisms underlying the dynamics of forest carbon dioxide (CO2) uptake and water vapor loss, important for predicting and managing the future of Earth\u27s ecosystems and climate system. Here, we provide a rubric for considering ecosystem traits as aggregated, systemic, or emergent, i.e., representing the ecosystem as an aggregate of its individuals, or as a metaphorical or literal super-organ or organism. We review recent approaches to scaling-up plant water relations (hydraulics) concepts developed for organs and organisms to enable and interpret measurements at ecosystem-level. We focus on three community scale versions of water relations traits that have potential to provide mechanistic insight into climate change responses of CO2 and H2O gas exchange and forest productivity: leaf water potential (Ψcanopy), pressure volume curves (eco-PV), and hydraulic conductance (Keco). These analyses can reveal additional ecosystem-scale parameters analogous to those typically quantified for leaves or plants (e.g., wilting point and hydraulic vulnerability) that may act as thresholds in forest responses to drought including growth cessation, mortality and flammability. We unite these concepts in a novel framework to predict Ψcanopy and its approaching of critical thresholds during drought, using measurements of Keco and eco-PV curves. We thus delineate how extension of water relations concepts from organ- and organism-scales can reveal the hydraulic constraints on the interaction of vegetation and climate, and provide new mechanistic understanding and prediction of forest water use and productivity
National Immunization Awareness Month: A Digital Library Exhibit
No full textAugust is National Immunization Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of vaccines in preventing severe illnesses and maintaining public health. Vaccines have revolutionized health care, leading to the eradication or control of diseases like smallpox and polio, and continue to save millions of lives worldwide. This annual event promotes the benefits of immunization, encourages routine vaccinations, and supports research and education efforts to keep communities healthy.
In this digital exhibit, we share a timeline of significant milestones in the development of vaccines, highlight relevant titles from our library’s eBooks and journals, and provide access to informative online materials
Bibliography for Exploring The Leatherby Libraries Catalog: A Variety of Books for Your Summer Reads 2024
Get PDFA bibliography of available library books to spur participation in the Leatherby Libraries\u27 2024 Community of Readers program
Assessing Brain Processing Deficits Using Neuropsychological and Vision-Specific Tests for Concussion
Get PDFIntroduction: Since verbal memory and visual processing transpire within analogous cerebral regions, this study assessed (i) if a visual function can predict verbal memory performance. It also hypothesized whether neurocognitive (e.g., ImPACT) tests focusing on the Visual Memory and Cognitive Efficacy Index will predict Verbal Memory scores and (ii) if vision metrics and age can identify individuals with a history of concussion. Finally, it also hypothesized that King–Devick and near point of convergence scores alongside age considerations will identify candidates with a prior reported history of concussion. Materials and methods: This observational cohort assessed 25 collegiate ice hockey players prior to the competitive season considering age (19.76 ± 1.42 years) and BMI (25.9 ± 3.0 kg/cm2). Hypothesis 1 was assessed using a hierarchical (sequential) multiple regression analysis, assessing the predictive capacity of Visual Memory and Cognitive Efficacy Index scores in relation to Verbal Memory scores. Hypothesis 2 utilized a binomial logistic regression to determine if King–Devick and near point of convergence scores predict those with a prior history of concussion. Results: Hypothesis 1 developed two models, where Model 1 included Visual Memory as the predictor, while Model 2 added the Cognitive Efficacy Index as a predictor for verbal memory scores. Model 1 significantly explained 41% of the variance. Results from Model 2 suggest that the Cognitive Efficacy Index explained an additional 24.4%. Thus, Model 2 was interpreted where only the Cognitive Efficacy Index was a significant predictor (p = 0.001). For every 1 unit increase in the Cognitive Efficacy Index, Verbal Memory increased by 41.16. Hypothesis 2’s model was significant, accounting for 37.9% of the variance in those with a history of concussion. However, there were no significant unique predictors within the model as age (Wald = 1.26, p = 0.261), King–Devick (Wald = 2.31, p = 0.128), and near point of convergence (Wald = 2.43, p = 0.119) were not significant predictors individually. Conclusions: The conflicting findings of this study indicate that baseline data for those with a history of concussion greater than one year may not be comparable to the same metrics during acute concussion episodes. Young athletes who sustain a concussion may be able to overcompensate via the visual system. Future prospective studies with larger sample sizes are required using the proposed model’s objective metrics
Advancing Brain Tumor Segmentation with Spectral–Spatial Graph Neural Networks
Get PDFIn the field of brain tumor segmentation, accurately capturing the complexities of tumor sub-regions poses significant challenges. Traditional segmentation methods usually fail to accurately segment tumor subregions. This research introduces a novel solution employing Graph Neural Networks (GNNs), enriched with spectral and spatial insight. In the supervoxel creation phase, we explored methods like VCCS, SLIC, Watershed, Meanshift, and Felzenszwalb–Huttenlocher, evaluating their performance based on homogeneity, moment of inertia, and uniformity in shape and size. After creating supervoxels, we represented 3D MRI images as a graph structure. In this study, we combined Spatial and Spectral GNNs to capture both local and global information. Our Spectral GNN implementation employs the Laplacian matrix to efficiently map tumor tissue connectivity by capturing the graph’s global structure. Consequently, this enhances the model’s precision in classifying brain tumors into distinct types: necrosis, edema, and enhancing tumor. This model underwent extensive hyper-parameter tuning to ascertain the most effective configuration for optimal segmentation performance. Our Spectral–Spatial GNN model surpasses traditional segmentation methods in accuracy for both whole tumor and sub-regions, validated by metrics such as the dice coefficient and accuracy. For the necrotic core, the Spectral–Spatial GNN model showed a 10.6% improvement over the Spatial GNN and 8% over the Spectral GNN. Enhancing tumor gains were 9.5% and 6.4%, respectively. For edema, improvements were 12.8% over the Spatial GNN and 7.3% over the Spectral GNN, highlighting its segmentation accuracy for each tumor sub-region. This superiority underscores the model’s potential in improving brain tumor segmentation accuracy, precision, and computational efficiency
“I Tell Them Generics, but Not the Specifics”: Exploring Tensions Underlying Familial Support for First-Generation Latinx Undergraduate Students
Get PDFFamilies continue to play an essential role in the experiences of first-generation Latinx undergraduate students and can serve as powerful partners to support student retention and socioemotional wellbeing. This qualitative phenomenological study uses the notion of emerging adulthood to explore how first-generation Latinx undergraduate students (n = 16) conceptualize their families’ role in their college education. Specifically, this study shows that while students describe feeling supported by their families, they also experience distinct and unique tensions tied to this support, which students associate with their first-generation student status. These tensions include (1) the family’s unfamiliarity with college culture; (2) bidirectional behaviors of protection from stress and worry; and (3) continued family interactions. These findings, or tensions, are essential to understand and address. Doing so can improve the nature of familial support for first-generation Latinx undergraduate students by leading to better family—student relationships, family—institutional relationships, and student academic and non-academic outcomes
Silencing Dissent Does Not Make Jews Safe
No full textThe California Legislature is considering several explosive bills regarding K-12 and higher education. Supporters claim they will reduce antisemitism. In fact, if passed, these bills will muzzle freedom of speech and silence valid criticism of Israel in our schools and universities. We should know: we are Jewish college professors (one of us is Israeli) specializing in the Holocaust and Israel/Palestine