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I\u27m strictly t4t : Trans for Trans Connections in the Contemporary
No full textTrans for trans relationships, referred to as t4t , are a relationship type specific to trans individuals. Linguistically originating from Craigslist personal ad spaces, t4t indicates a trans person seeking out and engaging with another trans person. The scope of relationships under the t4t label are often largely associated with sexuality and dating scenes due to their conception in online cruising spaces. Through qualitative analysis, I assess the range of what t4t relationships are through 30 in-depth interviews with participants identifying as trans. This work moves away from focusing on the deficits of holding a marginalized identity, instead aiming to center the experiences and exploration of trans identity through shared connection with one another. By looking at how t4t is used as well as how trans people connect with one another, I aim to further trans studies and open the perspectives of trans narratives within trans-specific spaces through a sociological lens
Risk-Based Methodology for Structural Evaluation of Bridge-Sized Culverts
No full textThis report presents the results of the project sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), “Risk Based Methodology for Structural Evaluation of Bridge-Sized Culverts”. The goal of this project was to develop general methodology to (a) quantify uncertainty, especially live load uncertainty, unique to bridge-sized RC box culverts and (b) analyze and calibrate reliability of culverts rated under different rating loads. Over 344 combinations of culvert designs and backfill depths were analyzed based on the AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation as well as the three-dimensional finite element models (FEMs) of the soil-culvert systems. For each combination, a wide range of vehicle loads was examined including axle groups detected in weight-in-motion (WIM) data, the HL93 design loads, the AASHTO legal loads, and the FAST Act emergency vehicles as surrogate loads. The methodology laid out in this project was illustrated with analyses on the top slab of culverts, primarily focusing on the positive bending moment at midspan
Bahadur Representations for Canonical Quantile Regression: a Correction and Extension
No full textPortnoy (2022) introduced a version of Canonical Correlation anal- ysis based on Regression Quantiles. The proof of the asymptotic convergence of the estimators contained some gaps. A new proof is developed using Bahadur representations to obtain asymptotic represen- tations for the Canonical Regression Quantile components with error uniformly Op (n-1/4 log n). These innovative representations justify approximations and automatically provide joint convergence in dis- tribution. This enables an inductive argument to obtain asymptotic results for all components. These novel Bahadur approximations may have more general application and interest
Potent Acridone Antimalarial Against All Three Life Stages of Plasmodium
No full textNew antimalarial therapeutics ideally should target all three major life cycle stages. Here we present an acridone antimalarial chemotype that is potent against blood, liver, and mosquito stages of malaria parasites, with the potential for single-dose cure of bloodstream infections, radical cure of liver infections, and blocking of transmission to mosquitoes. Attributes of lead candidate T111 include potent in vitro activity against cultured parasites, ex vivo activity against clinical isolates, oral single dose cure in an asexual blood stage rodent model, inhibition of sexual blood stage parasites, activity against relapsing parasites in non-human primate liver cells, prevention of parasite development in mosquitoes, and synergy in combination with tafenoquine against blood and liver stage parasites. Analysis of parasites selected for resistance to T111 suggested inhibition of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, with a mechanism distinct from that of other antimalarials in use or under development. Safety profiles, including toxicology evaluations in rats, showed a favorable therapeutic index. Overall, T111 emerges as a promising candidate for treatment and prevention of malaria
Working Paper No. 99, Adam Smith and the American Experiment
No full textAs the noted author of a tome titled An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith [1776] is often cited as a proponent of Laissez-faire capitalism. However, the reality is that his writings offer a more nuanced vision that includes suggesting constraints on economics activity, while encouraging the importance of what he views as state or public institutions. In Smith\u27s writings we find that he speculates that for a perfectly functioning market system to operate effectively depends upon the enforcement of contracts, the protection of property rights, and the maintenance of justice. These, along with other key ideas found in Smith’s writings, would later be reflected in the U.S. Constitution that would be promulgated in 1787, ratified by Congress in 1788, and rendered operational in 1789. Although Smith did not live to see this document’s ratification; nevertheless, this inquiry argues that the economic system established by the U.S. Constitution closely aligns with Smith’s vision expounded some decades earlier in his Inquiry published in 1776, and would have earned his endorsement
Working Paper No. 102, Knowledge and Power: Towards anIntellectual Biography of Michel Foucault
No full textThis inquiry seeks to establish that in his efforts as an intellectual, scholar, and author of books that would include Discipline and Punish [1975], Michel Foucault emphasizes the importance of power and power relations, especially of an authority (such as a sovereign) over the common people. Drawing from Discipline and Punish [1975], this inquiry considers how Foucault’s understanding of genealogy got rooted and shaped by Friedrich Nietzsche’s critique of history; a view which altogether challenged the idea of historical progress, while also revealing the contingent nature of truth. The second section considers how sovereign power evolves into disciplinary mechanisms embedded within modern institutions that would include prisons, schools, and hospitals. The final section examines how the accused are subjected to social constructs and victimized through systems of power-knowledge. We also consider how forms of resistance get generated within such structures. Ultimately, this inquiry argues that for Foucault, power is not simply imposed from above, but rather becomes embedded in and thusly circulates through everyday institutions, shaping both knowledge and the conditions of social life
Factors Associated with Applying to Graduate/professional Degrees for Students Engaged in Undergraduate Research Experiences at Minority Serving Institutions
No full textIntroduction:
This study investigates the impact of undergraduate research experiences on applications to graduate and professional programs, particularly for underrepresented minority students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).
Methods:
The study analyzes data collected at 10 MSIs participating in the NIH BUILD program to understand the relationship between research participation (in formal programs vs. informal research), student demographics, science self-efficacy, GPA, and application to advanced degree programs.
Results:
Results indicate that undergraduate research participation, especially in formal programs for extended periods of time, positively influences applications to graduate/professional programs, with similar outcomes observed across underrepresented minority and non-minority students.Discussion
Findings indicate that organized programs in biomedical research training significantly increase the probability of students applying to graduate or professional programs when programs span more than 12 months. This has implications for the design and implementation of biomedical research training programs, especially at MSIs
Clinic Vs. Daily Life Gait Characteristics in Patients with Spinocerebellar Ataxia
No full textBackground:
Recent findings suggest that a single gait assessment in a clinic may not reflect everyday mobility.ObjectiveWe compared gait measures that best differentiated individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) from age-matched healthy controls (HC) during a supervised gait test in the clinic vs. a week of unsupervised gait during daily life.
Methods: Twenty-six individuals with SCA types 1, 2, 3, and 6, and 13 (HC) wore three Opal inertial sensors (on both feet and lower back) during a 2-minute walk in the clinic and for seven days in daily life. Seventeen gait measures were analyzed to investigate the group differences using Mann–Whitney U-tests and area under the curve (AUC).ResultsTen gait measures were significantly worse in SCA than HC for the clinic test (p \u3c 0.003), but only 3 were worse in daily life (p \u3c 0.003). Only a few gait measures consistently discriminated groups in both environments. Specifically, variability in Swing Time and Double Support Time had AUCs of 0.99 (p \u3c 0.0001) and 0.96 (p \u3c 0.0001) in the clinic, and 0.84 (p \u3c 0.0003) and 0.80 (p \u3c 0.002) in daily life, respectively. Clinical gait measures showed stronger correlations with clinical outcomes (ie, SARA and FARS-ADL; r = 0.50–0.77) than between daily life gait measures (r = 0.31–0.49). Gait activity in daily life was not statistically significant between the SCA and HC groups (p \u3e 0.06).
Conclusions: Digital gait measures discriminate SCA in both environments. In-clinic measures are more sensitive, while daily life measures provide ecological validity, highlighting a trade-off and offering complementary insights
Using the EPIC (exposure, Persuasion, Identification, and Commitment) to Develop a Measure of Student Buy-In to Laboratory Learning Goals
No full textBuy-in has been described as the series of judgements students make when deciding to engage with a pedagogical practice. Buy-in to pedagogical practices is known to have a meaningful impact on students’ engagement in learning environments, making it a construct of interest for researchers and practitioners. This study develops a measure of student buy-in to faculty defined laboratory learning goals by adapting an existing measure which operationalizes the construct in terms of Exposure, Persuasion, Identification, and Commitment (EPIC). The adapted measure presented in this study, deemed the EPIC-LaG (Laboratory Goals), was developed using learning goals for general and organic chemistry laboratory courses and psychometrically evaluated. Evidence related to response process indicated that students were interpreting and responding to EPIC-LaG items as intended. Structural validity evidence provided support for the unidimensional constructs of Exposure, Persuasion, Identification, and Commitment, as well as for the structural model relating the constructs. Single administration reliability evidence provided support for the internal consistency of the items. Finally, evidence of scalar measurement invariance was found for each group in the study, demonstrating the generalizability of the structural model across groups, which provides support for comparisons made between them. When comparisons were investigated, differences in buy-in pathways were identified between general and organic chemistry laboratory courses, and between ‘cookbook’ and argument-driven inquiry style general chemistry laboratory courses. This study provides psychometric evidence to support the interpretation of EPIC-LaG data and serves as a foundation for others interested in adapting the EPIC-LaG to investigate students’ buy-in to their laboratory learning goals
La Niña Effects on the MJO Modulation of North Pacific Atmospheric Rivers and Associated Western North American Precipitation
No full textWe investigate connections between the Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) and North Pacific atmospheric rivers (ARs) and associated precipitation over North America during La Niña (LN) years. Overall, AR frequency is reduced over the northeastern Pacific and western North America in phases 2–5 of the MJO. However, under LN, increased AR activity appears over those regions in phases 4–6 and across the central North Pacific in Phase 3. Distinct effects of LN on the basic state and MJO contribute to the persistence of AR anomalous patterns in phases 3–6. For instance, MJO intensifies in Phase 3 under LN, favoring the coupling between northeastward integrated water vapor transport (IVT) and the MJO convection over the eastern Indian Ocean. Also, suppressed MJO convection in Phase 4 strengthens and shifts eastwards in LN, affecting the MJO teleconnection linked to North Pacific ARs. The northern Pacific subtropical jet extends northeastward in LN, supporting cyclonic flow over the Gulf of Alaska. The MJO propagates eastward more slowly over the Maritime Continent in LN, favoring a second coupling between eastward IVT and the MJO convection in Phase 5. Decreased AR precipitation and frequency of AR rainfall extremes in phases 2–5 over western North America fade in LN. Furthermore, increased AR precipitation and frequency of AR extremes over the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia intensify and shift from phases 3–4 to 4–6. Therefore, LN has nonlinear effects on the North Pacific MJO‐AR connections and their AR landfalling impacts on western North American precipitation