A somewhat random walk through nuclear and particle physics

These notes are an outgrowth of an advanced undergraduate course taught at the University of Maryland, College Park. They are intended as an introduction to various aspects of particle and nuclear physics with an emphasis on the role of symmetry. The basic philosophy is to introduce many of the fundamental ideas in nuclear and particle physics using relatively sophisticated mathematical tools -- but to do so in as a simplified a context to explain the underlying ideas. Thus, for example, the Higgs mechanism is discussed in terms of an Abelian Higgs model. The emphasis is largely, but not entirely theoretical in orientation. The goal is for readers to develop an understanding of many of the underlying issues in a relatively sophisticated way.

The Organizational Ecology of State Support for Public Flagship Universities

Background/Context: Several studies have investigated state political and economic factors that explain differences in levels of state appropriations for colleges and universities. Few studies have considered how stakeholder beliefs or taken-for-granted assumptions about various institutions may impact budgeting decisions for specific campuses. A gap in the literature remains in understanding how normative agreements about various institutional types—such as public flagship universities—may influence levels of state appropriations for these institutions. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This study investigates how levels of state support for research universities might relate to their formal, informal, or even contested status as public flagship institutions. The research question guiding this study is: How might flagship identity relate to differences in levels of state appropriations for public research universities across states? Research Design: This multicase study examines differences in levels of state support for four flagship universities between 1984 and 2004. Case institutions were generated from an analysis of outlier institutions that received lower- or higher-than-predicted levels of appropriations during the two-decade period. Outliers analyzed for this study include the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and University of Virginia (lower-than-predicted support) and the University of Connecticut and the University of Maryland-College Park (higher-than-predicted support). Qualitative data were collected and analyzed to investigate disparities in state support among these four institutions. Findings/Results: This study found that a “flagship ideal” exists across the four cases, which provides meaning for stakeholders as they consider levels of state funding for these institutions. Idealized views of flagships provided advantages to some institutions and disadvantaged others in state budgeting processes during the study period. In addition, normative beliefs about the case institutions were mediated by state culture, politics, and powerful regional influences. Higher education governance structure was less important than cultural and political context in making sense of variations in state support across the institutions. Conclusions/Recommendations: The study suggests that flagship university leaders must be mindful about taken-for-granted assumptions held by key stakeholders and resource providers as they create appeals for state support. Across all institutional types, leaders must be attuned to the historical, cultural, economic, or political factors that shape understandings about their institutions. In addition, leaders must evaluate the influence of allies or foes in shaping the narrative about the institution’s unique identity and need for funding. Strategic leaders leverage their institutional identities and unique governing arrangements in ways that expand resource opportunities.

Food, Eating, and Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Objectives Research that explores older adults’ perspectives on how food and eating impact their quality of life (QOL) is limited. The objectives of this study were to 1) understand the factors that impact QOL, both positively and negatively, and 2) understand the effect of food and eating on QOL, from the perspective of older adults living in the community. Methods Twenty five community-dwelling older adults completed in-person, semi-structured interviews. A grounded theory approach was used to assign codes to the participant's responses and organize them into categories representing similar concepts. Relationships between the categories were used to form a framework based on the data. Results Five main themes emerged from the data, representing categories of factors that influence QOL (health and vitality; independence; mental and emotional well-being; socialization and support; activities, both inside and outside the home). Four themes were identified in respondents’ answers explaining how food and eating affect QOL (food access and choice; food preparation; health and vitality; food enjoyment). Due to the interaction between the themes and the other factors in the framework, the results show that food and eating have a broad effect on QOL. Conclusions Many factors that affect QOL are modifiable, and the results of this study can be used as a basis for the development and tailoring of community interventions to improve older adults’ QOL. Additionally, to measure the effects of such interventions, measurement tools that include both physiological and non-physiological effects of food and eating on QOL are necessary. Funding Sources Healthy Food Systems Emerging Innovators Grant Program, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Maryland, College Park

618 Qualitative analysis of bedtime challenges and parental interventions in foster care children

Introduction Sleep during childhood has a major impact on physiological, psychological, and cognitive development. Limited research has focused on vulnerable populations such as children in foster care. Foster care children endure placement instability, which may contribute to disrupted sleep patterns and unpredictability around bedtime (Leathers, et al., 2019). The Fostering Sleep study examined foster caregivers’ perceptions of children’s sleep challenges and strategies for improving sleep difficulties. Methods Foster caregivers of children ages 4–11 throughout the US were invited to complete the Qualtrics Sleep Health among Children in Foster Care Survey via foster care Facebook groups. The survey included quantitative and qualitative questions focused on sleep patterns and behaviors. Qualitative questions on barriers and opportunities to improve sleep were examined: what helps foster care children sleep well; what kinds of difficulties do foster care children experience at bedtime? Results 483 foster care parents responded. Responses to bedtime difficulties were coded using 27 categories (e.g., parasomnias, bedtime resistance, trouble self-soothing); responses to what helps your child sleep well were coded based on 22 categories (e.g., comfort items, melatonin, TV as in intervention, communication to reassure safety). The most prevalent sleep/bedtime difficulties were fear/anxiety (23.2%), nightmares (19.6%), environment (18.4%). For example, one parent responded: “He fears never waking up. He fears that the sun is not going to come back up. He fears that the bad guys will come get him.” Difficulties varied by age-- 4–5: fear/anxiety, destabilization from call/visit biological parent, nightmares; 6–9: nightmares, fear/anxiety, environment; 10–11: fear/anxiety, nightmares, emotional/behavioral difficulties. Most frequent parenting approaches were bedtime routine (63.0%), reading before bedtime (36.5%), physical reassurance (26.6%). Interventions also varied according to age-- 4–5: routine, reading, physical reassurance; 6–9: routine, reading, noise control; 10–11: routine, technology regulation, reading. Conclusion Foster caregivers reported fear/anxiety as most common bedtime difficulty and physical reassurance as most frequent parenting strategy for healthy sleep. Findings suggest that anxiety and fear often interfere with sleep and, in turn, physical reassurance as a helpful bedtime strategy. Undoubtedly, there is a need for sleep research and preventive interventions for children in foster care. Support (if any) Summer Student Research Support, Loyola University Maryland, College of Arts and Sciences

Breaking Down Barriers Through the Creation of an International Digital Library for Children

A research project, begun in the fall of 2002, expects to tap the potential of the Internet for breaking down barriers and building tolerance and understanding through access to exemplary children’s books from all over the world. The creation of the International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL) is the focus of a five-year project being conducted by the University of Maryland/College Park and the Internet Archive with funding from the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This paper describes the project, discusses initial research findings and outlines the direction of ongoing research. Jessica Anthony, and Brewster Kahle

Comments on the paper: Liu X., Zheng X., and Balachandran B., COVID-19: Data-driven dynamics, statistical and distributed delay models, and observations, Nonlinear Dynamics, 2020. //doi.org/10.1007/s11071-020-05863-5.

It is a welcome surprise when mechanicians and mechanical engineers have relevant and important comments on the global spread of the COVID-19 virus. The above paper of Professor Bala Balachandran of the University of Maryland, College Park, MD and his group represents just one of these relevant comments to the global community.

Virtual Anatomy: expanding veterinary student learning

Traditionally, there are three primary ways to learn anatomy outside the classroom. Books provide foundational knowledge but are limited in terms of object manipulation for deeper exploration. Three-dimensional (3D) software programs produced by companies including Biosphera, Sciencein3D, and Anatomage allow deeper exploration but are often costly, offered through restrictive licenses, or require expensive hardware. A new approach to teaching anatomy is to utilize virtual reality (VR) environments. The Virginia–Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and University Libraries have partnered to create open education–licensed VR anatomical programs for students to freely download, access, and use. The first and most developed program is the canine model. After beta testing, this program was integrated into the first-year students’ physical examination labs in fall 2019. The VR program enabled students to walk through the VR dog model to build their conceptual knowledge of the location of certain anatomical features and then apply that knowledge to live animals. This article briefly discusses the history, pedagogical goals, system requirements, and future plans of the VR program to further enrich student learning experiences.Virtual Projects are published on an annual basis in the Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) following an annual call for virtual projects in MLAConnect and announcements to encourage submissions from all types of libraries. An advisory committee of recognized technology experts selects project entries based on their currency, innovation, and contribution to health sciences librarianship.