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Researchers have identified challenges for sexual minority individuals in schools; however, attention to lesbian and gay parents' experiences with their children's schools has not been given. We used a qualitative case study involving one identified gay couple and one identified lesbian couple to document their experiences and relationships with/in their children's urban publicly funded schools. Individual interviews with these parents were the chief data source, which we augmented through reviewing school documents. Through the lens of critical queer theory, we interpreted three themes: (1) lesbian and gay parents are shaped by the teachers', administrators', and other parents' openness of attitudes and willingness to question assumptions about family; (2) lesbian and gay parents feel included, or excluded, depending on the policy and administrative processes that symbolically frame definitions of parenthood; and (3) lesbian and gay parents are sensitive to school climate as expressed through gesture, speech, and artefacts in the school. These four parents had the social capital to navigate barriers and opportunities. However, through the lens of critical queer theory, we conclude that there are real and symbolic markers and practices that normalize a heterosexual understanding of 'parent' in two-parent families that necessitates lesbian and gay parents to be intentional and vigilante about their positions in ways that heterosexual parents are not required to be to feel welcome in schools.

Critical loads (CLs) are frequently used to quantify terrestrial ecosystem impacts from nitrogen (N) deposition using ecological responses such as the growth and mortality of tree species. Typically, CLs are reported as a single value, with uncertainty, for an indicator across a species' entire range. Mediating factors such as climate and soil conditions can influence species' sensitivity to N, but the magnitudes of these effects are rarely calculated explicitly. Here, we quantify the spatial variability and estimation error in N CLs for the growth and survival of 10 different tree species while accounting for key environmental factors that mediate species sensitivity to N (e.g., soil characteristics). We used a bootstrapped machine learning approach to determine the level of N deposition at which a 1% decrease occurs in growth rate or survival probability at forest plot locations across the United States. We found minimal differences (<5 kg N ha−1 year−1) when comparing a single species' CLs across climatic regimes but found considerable variability in species' local N CLs (>8.5 kg N ha−1 year−1) within these regimes. We also evaluated the most important factors for predicting tree growth rates and mortality and found that climate, competition, and air pollution generally have the greatest influence on growth rates and survival probability. Lastly, we developed a new probability of exceedance metric for each species and found high likelihoods of exceedance across large portions (46%) of some species' ranges. Our analysis demonstrates that machine learning approaches provide a unique capability to: (1) quantify mediating factor influences on N sensitivity of trees, (2) estimate the error in local N CL estimates, and (3) generate localized N CLs with probabilities of exceedance for tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We present a detailed framework for understanding the numerous and complicated interactions among psychological and social determinants of pain through examination of the process of pain communication. The focus is on an improved understanding of immediate dyadic transactions during painful events in the context of broader social phenomena. Fine-grain consideration of social transactions during pain leads to an appreciation of sociobehavioral events affecting both suffering persons as well as caregivers. Our examination considers knowledge from a variety of perspectives, including clinical health psychology, social and developmental processes, evolutionary psychology, communication studies, and behavioral neuroscience. (Contains 2 figures.)

The biasing effect of pain sensitivity information and the impact of facial activity on observers' judgments of pain intensity of children with autism were examined. Observers received information that pain experience in children with autism is either the same as, more intense than, or less intense than children without autism. After viewing six video clips of children with autism undergoing venepuncture, observers estimated pain intensity using a visual analogue scale. Facial activity as coded by Chambers et al. (Child Facial Action Coding System Revised Manual, 1996) had a significant impact on observers' estimates of pain intensity; pain sensitivity information did not. These results have important implications for the assessment and management of pain in children with autism.

Divided 90 chronic low back pain patients into those who demonstrated signs that were congruent or incongruent with underlying anatomical and physiological principles. Low socioeconomic status, compensation claims, use of opiate analgesics, greater disability, catastrophizing cognitions, stronger emotionality, and passive coping were more characteristic of both acute and chronic incongruent patients than chronic congruent patients. (Author/NB)

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to investigate the capabilities of the receptor-oriented inverse mode Lagrangian Stochastic Particle Dispersion Model (LSPDM) with the 12-km resolution Mesoscale Model 5 [...]

ABSTRACT To elucidate the relationship between factors resolved by the positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor model and actual emission sources and to refine the PMF modeling strategy, speciated [PM.sub.2.5] (particulate [...]

ABSTRACT The ability of receptor models to estimate regional contributions to fine particulate matter ([PM.sub.2.5]) was assessed with synthetic, speciated datasets at Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge (BRIG) in New Jersey [...]

Objective: Pain assessment in children continues to challenge clinicians and researchers, as subjective experiences of pain require inference through observable behaviors, both involuntary and deliberate. The presented approach supplements the subjective self-report-based method by fusing electrodermal activity (EDA) recordings with video facial expressions to develop an objective pain assessment metric. Such an approach is specifically important for assessing pain in children who are not capable of providing accurate self-pain reports, requiring nonverbal pain assessment. We demonstrate the performance of our approach using data recorded from children in post-operative recovery following laparoscopic appendectomy. We examined separately and combined the usefulness of EDA and video facial expression data as predictors of children's self-reports of pain following surgery through recovery. Findings indicate that EDA and facial expression data independently provide above chance sensitivities and specificities, but their fusion for classifying clinically significant pain vs. clinically nonsignificant pain achieved substantial improvement, yielding 90.91% accuracy, with 100% sensitivity and 81.82% specificity. The multimodal measures capitalize upon different features of the complex pain response. Thus, this paper presents both evidence for the utility of a weighted maximum likelihood algorithm as a novel feature selection method for EDA and video facial expression data and an accurate and objective automated classification algorithm capable ofdiscriminating clinically significant pain from clinically nonsignificant pain in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pain is a universal experience, but it has been challenging to adequately define. The revised definition of pain recently published by the International Association for the Study of Pain addressed important shortcomings of the previous version; however, it remains narrow in its focus on sensory and emotional features of pain, failing to capture the substantial roles of cognitive and social core components of the experience and their importance to advances in pain management. This paper reviews evidence and theoretical models for the significant role social and cognitive factors play in pain experience and we argue that without explicit recognition of these core components in the definition, significant nuances are lost at a cost to understanding and clinical management of pain. A focus on sensory and emotional features perpetuates biomedical interventions and research, whereas recognition of cognitive and social features supports a multidimensional model of pain, advances in interdisciplinary care, and the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy and self‐management interventions. We also explore the six Key Notes that accompany the new definition of pain, discuss their application to the understanding of pain in childhood, and, in doing so, further explore social and cognitive implications. Considerations are also described for assessment and treatment of pain in pediatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cognitive-behavioral theory of health anxiety predicts atypical responses in health anxious individuals when exposed to health related information. Systematic research is still needed to support the theory. This investigation examined 192 participants varying in subclinical levels of health anxiety, who were randomly given feedback on an ostensible diagnostic measure, indicating positive, negative or ambiguous risk for health complications. Responses to a cold pressor task were then measured. The results indicated that regardless of the type of feedback patients were given, health anxious individuals displayed the predicted cognitive (e.g. negatively interpreted information) and behavioral responses (e.g. increased reassurance seeking). Important and perhaps central cognitions to health anxiety were identified. Health anxious individuals regarded themselves to be at greater risk for disease overall, and attached greater accuracy to health related information. Extending the cognitive-behavioural theory, health anxiety was found to be associated with decreased usage of positive somatic monitoring of symptoms, suggesting health anxiety may be associated with a failure to engage in protective strategies. Health anxiety did not result in cognitive or behavioural avoidance of illness information. Clinical implications and future directions for research are described.

A cream containing the anesthetics lidocaine and prilocaine may prevent much of the pain experienced during circumcision. Of 68 newborn boys, 38 had lidocaine-prilocaine cream applied to their penis for an hour before circumcision and 30 received a cream containing a placebo. Compared to the infants in the placebo group, the infants in the lidocaine-prilocaine group appeared to experience less pain as measured by their facial expressions and the amount of time they cried. They also experienced smaller increases in heart rate during the procedure.

Previous research led to the conclusion that patient characteristics such as physical attractiveness and non-verbal expressiveness affected judgements of patient pain and distress. This study investigated whether this represents an intrusive bias or whether there indeed are psychological differences between physically attractive vs physically unattractive and expressive vs inexpressive pain patients. The findings led to the conclusion that both variables are related to the types of coping strategies pain patients use. Specifically, physically attractive and nonverbally expressive patients were found to be less likely to utilize passive coping strategies. Coping style also was found to be related to demographic characteristics of the patients. Theoretical reasons for the identified relationships are discussed as are the implications of these findings for the assessment of pain. Key words - physical attractiveness, pain, non-verbal expressiveness

There are only two verses in the deuteronomistic history where the narrator states that God responds to an individual's question with silence, I Samuel 14:37 and 28:6, leading to the conclusion that these verses form a narrative frame. Saul is asking the questions and the idea of a king unable to obtain answers indicates a theme of decline. Moreover, the interrogative form serves rhetorical functions as well. Various narrative images such as the famished people also point to the king seeking information. The questions also reveal the speakers by showing their strengths and weaknesses.

Despite strong suppositions concerning differences between patients suffering acute and chronic low back pain, relatively few data-based comparisons have been made. In this study, affective, cognitive, behavioral, and demographic contrasts were conducted. Chronic patients were divided into those who demonstrated signs and symptoms that were either congruent or incongruent with underlying anatomical and physiological principles. Low socioeconomic status, compensation claims, use of opiate analgesics, greater disability, catastrophizing cognitions, stronger emotionality, and passive coping were more characteristic of both acute and chronic incongruent patients than chronic congruent patients. A relatively stereotyped, spontaneous facial expression of pain was observed in all groups when responding to painful movements during a physical examination. The similarities between acute and chronic incongruent patients have implications for the assessment and treatment of low back pain.

The process of discriminating among genuine, suppressed, and faked expressions of pain was examined. Untrained judges estimated the severity of pain being experienced when viewing video-taped facial expressions of chronic pain patients undergoing a painful diagnostic test or dissimulating reactions. Verbal feedback as to whether pain was experienced also was provided, so as to be either consistent or inconsistent with the facial expression. Judges were able to distinguish genuine pain faces from baseline expressions but, relative to genuine pain faces, attributed more pain to faked faces and less pain to suppressed ones. Advance warning of deception did not improve discrimination but led to a more conservative or nonempathic judging style. Verbal feedback increased or decreased judgments, as appropriate, but facial information consistently was assigned greater weight. An augmenting model of the judgment process that attaches considerable importance to the context in which information is provided was supported.

Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, New Mexico, is currently in attainment of the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone (70 ppb), but its ozone design values have increased in recent years. Air quality and source apportionment modeling with the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) was conducted for Albuquerque/Bernalillo County to develop a refined understanding of ozone source apportionment in the region, estimate ozone concentrations in the year 2025 based on projected changes in anthropogenic emissions, and evaluate the sensitivity of future ozone concentrations to various changes in local and non-local emissions. The study focused on two ozone episodes during June and July 2017 when 8-hr average ozone concentrations were greater than 70 ppb. Based on the modeling results, ozone during the June 2017 episode was found to be driven largely by contributions from non-local and regional emissions, whereas ozone during the July 2017 episode was driven more strongly by local emissions from within Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. On high ozone days, anthropogenic emissions from within Albuquerque/Bernalillo County contributed between 8% and 19% (6–14 ppb) of total ozone. Half of this local ozone contribution was from on-road mobile sources. Fire emissions contributed as much as 2 ppb of ozone on a given day. Contributions from large power plants in New Mexico were as large as 1 ppb on a given day but less than 0.5 ppb on most days. Modeled ozone concentrations in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County were also sensitive to emissions from oil and gas emissions in New Mexico. If projected emission reductions by 2025 materialize, these reductions could reduce future peak 8-hr average ozone concentrations by as much as 3–4% compared to 2017 values. Implications: The results of this study have important implications for air quality management in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County. Ozone in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County is the result of local and non-local emissions, is impacted by wildfires, and is sensitive to statewide oil and gas emissions. The magnitude of modeled contributions from anthropogenic emissions within Albuquerque/Bernalillo County is strongly influenced by meteorological conditions, transport pathways, and the presence of wildfire. This modeling is important for understanding the potential effectiveness of local emission controls in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, and can serve as a basis for testing future regional and local emission control options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My research and clinical career followed a trajectory of increasing appreciation for the importance of social factors as determinants of pain experience and expression. The social contexts of children's lives determine whether infants and children are exposed to pain, how socialization in family and ethnocultural contexts lead to pain as a social experience, comprised of thoughts and feelings as well as sensory input, how others shape pain experience and expression, less so for automatic/reflexive features than purposeful representations, and how other's appraisals of children's pain reflect the observer's unique background and capacities for intervening in the child's interests. A greater understanding of the social dimensions of pain, as reflected in the social communication model of pain, would support innovation of psychological and social interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical benefits of highly integrated propulsion systems are highlighted herein by assessing the potential for energy recovery utilization using actuator disk propulsion. Decomposing aerodynamic forces into thrust and drag for closely integrated bodies, particularly those employing boundary-layer ingestion, becomes challenging. In this work, a mechanical energy-based approach was taken using the power balance method. This allowed the performance to be analyzed through the mechanical flow power in the fluid domain, disregarding the need for any explicit definition of thrust and drag. Through this, the benefit of boundary-layer ingestion was observed from a wake energy perspective as a decrease in the downstream mechanical energy deposition and associated viscous dissipation. From a propulsion perspective, the reduction in power demand necessary to produce propulsive force indicated the possibility of power savings by utilizing the energy contained within the ingested boundary-layer flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]