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Shrimp Black Gill, caused by the apostome ciliate Hyalophysa lynni, is an emerging disease impacting penaeid shrimp populations along the southeast Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Changing annual environmental conditions may drive infection levels of this parasitic ciliate in these populations, which comprise one of the largest fisheries in the United States. Hyalophysa lynni is established on the Texas Gulf Coast, and prevalence of this parasite has a strong seasonal and spatial trend, likely linked with high temperature and a wide range of estuarine salinities. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department monitored shrimp black gill in 2 penaeid shrimp species, Litopenaeus setiferus and Farfantepenaeus aztecus in 2019, with the aim of observing trends in prevalence along spatial and temporal scales. Hyalophysa lynni was found in all 7 bay systems throughout the study period, and this study is a continuation of that monitoring effort, adding 2 years of data collection (2020 and 2021) to prior research. Throughout the entire sampling period (2019–2021) and coastwide, H. lynni was found in 66% of all shrimp samples collected, although prevalence varied annually. Boosted regression tree modeling indicated that low salinity, high temperature, and time of year (late spring through fall) had a significant relationship with H. lynni prevalence in shrimp along the Texas Gulf Coast. Shrimp Black Gill is likely to continue to be present in GOM shrimp populations, and annual precipitation events and increased water temperatures may amplify the population morbidity within any given year.

The species-level taxonomy of fat snooks (Centropomus parallelus and Centropomus mexicanus), which are distributed in coastal waters from Florida to Brazil and parts of the Gulf of Mexico, was explored with mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 sequencing and multilocus microsatellite DNA genotyping. The existence of a novel lineage first observed from Puerto Rico (Lineage 3) was confirmed in the presence of specimens of C. parallelus from Florida (Lineage 1), and C. mexicanus from Texas (Lineage 2). The novel lineage was found to be in the same phylogenetic clade as specimens from Brazil, consistent with distribution along the Caribbean coast as far as South America. Lineages 1 and 2 are spatially isolated, with no fat snook reported from Pensacola, Florida to Freeport, Texas. The transition zone between lineages 2 and 3 may occur in the area between the Yucatán Peninsula and western Panama. Sampling from this region is necessary to identify the breakpoint and potential for hybridization. Analysis of sequence data within a maximum likelihood framework revealed that all three lineages form a monophyletic clade within Centropomus, with Lineage 3 as ancestral to the other two lineages. Lineage 3 may have originated in South America and expanded to seed the other two lineages. This expansion is estimated to have occurred 0.9–2.5 million years ago. Lineage 3 individuals occasionally migrate to the Atlantic coast of Florida from the distal area of their distribution range and hybridize with local specimens of Lineage 1, suggesting some overlap in the distribution of these two lineages. Overall, these data suggest a complex underlying phylogenetic history of fat snooks in the western Atlantic, with the potential for future taxonomic revision.

This paper presents a systematic review of factors that correlate with attitudes toward bisexuals, and a meta-analysis to estimate the effect size of these relationships. A search strategy was designed to identify studies that had a measure of attitudes toward bisexuals and assessed the relationship between these attitudes and at least one attitude-relevant correlate. The strategy was then applied to PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA, Proquest Psychology Collection, EBSCO Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection and SociINDEX databases, and calls for unpublished data were circulated through relevant professional bodies. Effect size data were extracted from the articles, and meta-analyses were conducted on each of the applicable correlates. The meta-analyses revealed that age, contact (quality and quantity), income, political orientation, religion, sexual orientation, education, ethnicity, gender, and population density were related to negative attitudes toward bisexual individuals (Fisher’s Zs = 0.108, −0.418, −0.209, 0.221, 0.231, 0.346, & 0.831, and Hedges’ g’s = 0.365, 0.344, 0.278, & 0.193, respectively). In addition, a sub-group moderation analysis revealed these effect sizes for participant gender differed as a function of target gender (i.e., bisexual men vs. bisexual women).

Straight men express more negative attitudes toward feminine, rather than masculine gay men, a phenomenon we label the gay-gender expression effect (GGEE). This effect stems partly from men's motivation to conform to the antifemininity norm of masculinity. This study investigated whether perceived changes in men's gender roles moderates this effect. Straight male participants (N 166) read information that (a) gay men's gender expression is either feminine or masculine, and that (b) men's gender role in society is either remaining masculine or becoming more feminine. They then reported their attitudes toward gay people. Results showed that the GGEE appears in the condition where men remain masculine, but fades away in the condition where men are becoming feminine. Specifically, we observed negative attitudes toward gay people regardless of their gender expression when gay men are portrayed as masculine and men's gender role in society is evolving (becoming more feminine). This effect was observed among participants who most strongly endorse the traditional antifemininity norm of masculinity. Implications of changes in gender norms are discussed.

The “attention economy” refers to the tech industry’s business model that treats human attention as a commodifiable resource. The libertarian critique of this model, dominant within tech and philosophical communities, claims that the persuasive technologies of the attention economy infringe on the individual user’s autonomy and therefore the proposed solutions focus on safeguarding personal freedom through expanding individual control. While this push back is important, current societal debates on the ethics of persuasive technologies are informed by a particular understanding of attention, rarely posited explicitly yet assumed as the default. They share the same concept of attention, namely an individualistic and descriptive concept of attention that is a cognitive process, an expendable resource, something that one should control individually. We step away from a negative analysis in terms of external distractions and aim for positive answers, turning to Buddhist ethics to formulate a critique of persuasive technology from a genuinely ethical perspective. Buddhist ethics points at our attention’s inescapable ethical and ontological embeddedness. Attention as practice requires “the right effort” to distinguish desirable and undesirable states, the “right concentration” to stop the flow we are caught in, and the “right mindfulness” to fortify the ability to attend to the present situation and keep in mind a general sense of life’s direction. We offer input for further philosophical inquiry on attention as practice and attention ecology. We put forward comfort/effort and individualism/collectivism as two remaining central tensions in need of further research.

Recent population expansion of Gray Snapper, Lutjanus griseus, in the northern Gulf of Mexico is driving increasing catch in the recreational fishery in Texas. We assessed long—term trends in distribution and abundance of Gray Snapper in Texas using fishery—dependent and fishery—independent data collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in the years 1980 — 2019. Boosted regression trees (BRT) were used to evaluate factors (water quality, season, depth, bay and inlet distance) driving Gray Snapper presence in fishery—independent samples of juveniles (seines) and subadults (gill nets) found in estuaries. Estuarine Gray Snapper were subsequently sampled from gill nets, and otolith age and gonad development were evaluated microscopically to assess patterns of age, growth, and maturity. Increasing Gray Snapper abundance in Texas was coupled with expansion of the population age structure in comparisons before and after 1993. Gray Snapper juveniles and subadults encountered in Texas estuaries are generally associated with lower bays and offshore passes, and are more common in the late summer/early fall. Comparison of size (total length in mm) of recreational catch inshore versus offshore suggests that mature adults recruit to offshore habitats around 409 mm TL, or around 3 years old, which is approximately coincident with the onset of sexual maturity. Increasing abundance coupled with an expanding age structure of Gray Snapper in Texas have co—occurred with increasing winter temperatures over time. Population expansion could be facilitated by management measures that improve overwinter survival of juveniles and subadults in estuaries prior to offshore recruitment.

Reconciling religious beliefs with a sexual minority identity can be challenging. After coming out, many gay men report to renounce their religious identity or experience increased identity conflict between their religious and sexual identities. Giving up one’s own identity or identity conflict are known to predict negative wellbeing, and it is important to find ways to reduce this conflict and increase identity integration. In this experiment, we conceptualized identity integration as a social creativity strategy, and we examined whether societal acceptance (vs rejection) and ingroup experience (e.g., whether gay community feels stability or improvement about their status) would alter one’s level of Muslim-gay identity integration. We found that Muslim-gay identity integration was highest among highly religious gay men when societal acceptance was present and ingroup experience was stable. Overall, we discuss our findings by drawing parallels between social identity theory and bicultural identity integration framework, and provide implications to increase identity integration for those with multiple conflicting identities.

Background Research shows that LGBTQ communities experience high levels of suicidality and mental ill health. They also face significant barriers to accessing adequate mental health treatment in service settings. In response to these factors, it is likely that LGBTQ community members turn to their peers for informal mental health-related support. Such support, however, is largely undefined, the extent of it poorly understood and its impacts on those who perform it underexplored. Methods We explored the nature and impact of informal mental health-related support provided by peers in LGBTQ communities in Melbourne, Australia. Drawing on semi-structured in-depth interviews with 25 LGBTQ adults in 2020, we explored how and why peers provided mental health support to friends, partners, housemates and even strangers and the impact this had on them. Results We found that participants performed support roles as extensions of their existing relationships. We demonstrate that the support roles of the safe friend, housemate and partner, among others, represent everyday relationships stretched—even to breaking point—to incorporate informal mental health support. Each of these support roles is distinct, but they can all potentially result in similar impacts on those performing them. One of the more significant of these is burnout. Conclusions LGBTQ community members face a diverse range of challenges when they support peers with their mental health. Informal peer-support roles are a significant responsibility for those performing them. LGBTQ community members stepping up to support others should be better supported to help manage their roles and the impacts of performing them. Policy Implications Findings can contribute to policy that not only addresses high levels of mental ill health in LGBTQ communities, but also seeks to help peers in support roles to prevent them from being negatively impacted.

Two species of ladyfish occur in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Elops saurus and Elops smithi, that are morphologically indistinguishable except for vertebral counts but can also be identified by mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. Here we expand on previous work, most of which has occurred in Florida, and examine the demography, phylogenetics, geographic distribution, and age—structure of ladyfishes in Texas estuaries. Fishery—independent gill net data demonstrated that ladyfishes increase in abundance from north to south along the Texas coast. The abundance of ladyfishes also increased in Texas waters from 1982–2021, which coincides with recent trends of warmer winters. Genetic data confirmed that both E. saurus and E. smithi occur in Texas waters; however, E. smithi was far less common. Contrary to previous research, we observed higher levels of genetic diversity in E. saurus due to larger sample size and thorough sampling of the western portion of its geographic range. Phylogenetic analysis supported the existence of E. saurus as a distinct species but indicated that E. smithi may be paraphyletic with other species of Elops. Otolith analysis showed that the ages of E. saurus and E. smithi ranged from 0–3 years. The lack of individuals > age—3 suggests that ladyfishes migrate to the offshore GOM at age 3 and do not return to coastal areas. This study enhances knowledge of the biology of ladyfishes in inshore waters of the northwestern GOM. Future management would benefit from expanding this research to the entire geographic range of the genus Elops.

The extent to which culture moderates the effects of need for approval from others on a person's handling of interpersonal conflict was investigated. Students from 24 nations rated how they handled a recent interpersonal conflict, using measures derived from face-negotiation theory. Samples varied in the extent to which they were perceived as characterised by the cultural logics of dignity, honour, or face. It was hypothesised that the emphasis on harmony within face cultures would reduce the relevance of need for approval from others to face-negotiation concerns. Respondents rated their need for approval from others and how much they sought to preserve their own face and the face of the other party during the conflict. Need for approval was associated with concerns for both self-face and other-face. However, as predicted, the association between need for approval from others and concern for self-face was weaker where face logic was prevalent. Favourable conflict outcome was positively related to other-face and negatively related to self-face and to need for approval from others, but there were no significant interactions related to prevailing cultural logics. The results illustrate how particular face-threatening factors can moderate the distinctive face-concerns earlier found to characterise individualistic and collectivistic cultural groups.

Despite global commitments and efforts, a gender-based division of paid and unpaid work persists. To identify how psychological factors, national policies, and the broader sociocultural context contribute to this inequality, we assessed parental-leave intentions in young adults (18–30 years old) planning to have children (N = 13,942; 8,880 identified as women; 5,062 identified as men) across 37 countries that varied in parental-leave policies and societal gender equality. In all countries, women intended to take longer leave than men. National parental-leave policies and women’s political representation partially explained cross-national variations in the gender gap. Gender gaps in leave intentions were paradoxically larger in countries with more gender-egalitarian parental-leave policies (i.e., longer leave available to both fathers and mothers). Interestingly, this cross-national variation in the gender gap was driven by cross-national variations in women’s (rather than men’s) leave intentions. Financially generous leave and gender-egalitarian policies (linked to men’s higher uptake in prior research) were not associated with leave intentions in men. Rather, men’s leave intentions were related to their individual gender attitudes. Leave intentions were inversely related to career ambitions. The potential for existing policies to foster gender equality in paid and unpaid work is discussed., SSHRC Insight Development Grant 430-2018-00361 SSHRC Insight Grant 435-2014-1247 SSHRC doctoral fellowship, Basic Research Program at HSE University, RF, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) ES/S00274X/1, State Research Agency PID2019--111549GB-I00/10.13039/501100011033, Guangdong 13th-five Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project GD20CXL06, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 31600912 research infrastructure HUME Lab Experimental Humanities Laboratory, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) P1ZHP1_184553 P500PS_206546 P2LAP1_194987, Center for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (ANID/FONDAP) 15130009 Center for Intercultural and Indigenous Research (ANID/FONDAP) 15110006, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship 756-2017-0249, Slovak Research and Development Agency project APVV 20--0319, Canada Research Chairs CGIAR CRC 152583, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) 140649, Ministry of Research and Innovation, Ontario 152655

Introduction Multiple jurisdictions are debating responses to United Nations calls for banning attempts at conversion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and asexual (LGBTQA +) peoples’ identities to fit religious norms. This paper aimed to examine Australian LGBTQA + youths’ experiences and outcomes of religious conversion practices attempting to change or suppress their gender or sexuality. It explored how attending conversion practices related to demographic characteristics and outcomes. Methods A 2019 online health and social well-being survey promoted via diverse social media questioned 6412 LGBTQA + Australians aged 14–21 years on their experiences of sexuality or gender change or suppression practices. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed to understand relationships between exposure to conversion practices and demographic, socio-behavioural, and health and well-being measures. Results Whilst most participants had never attended counselling, group work, programs or interventions aimed at changing their sexuality or gender identity, 4% had attended such conversion practices. Analyses showed associations between engaging with conversion practices and (1) specific demographics (being cisgender male, multi-gender-attracted, unemployed, affiliated to a religion at the personal or household level); (2) social experiences (increased exposure to social rejection, negative remarks and harassment); (3) socio-behavioural outcomes (decreased education, sport and housing opportunities) and (4) negative health and mental health outcomes (including increased suicidality and self-harm). Conclusions The paper showed that conversion practices are correlated with poor well-being outcomes, providing arguments for expanding inclusive health and mental health services allowing for affirming religious and non-religious identities for LGBTQA + youth. Policy Implications The paper provides evidence supporting bans on conversion practices.

Identity Salience is a core aspect in theories of social identification. Yet, this construct is poorly defined, has conflicting operationalisations, and is inconsistently measured. We argue that identity salience comprises two elements: chronic salience (i.e., perpetually thinking about the identity) and contextual salience (i.e., only thinking about the identity when prompted). Across four studies, we present evidence for this claim through the development and validation of the dual-dimensional Identity Salience Questionnaire (ISQ). Studies 1 and 2 (Ns = 414; 1,069) provide exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic evidence of the ISQ among LGBTIQA+ participants. Study 2 also provides evidence of (a) measurement invariance, (b) concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity, and (c) internal reliability. Study 3 (N = 318) indicates strong test-retest reliability. Study 4 (N = 107 social psychologists) confirms content validity of the ISQ. Future research for the use of the ISQ (both within and beyond LGBTIQA+ groups) is discussed.

This dissertation is ultimately about a set of technologies that are slow changing the world; Natural Language Processing (NLP), knowledge retrieval, and machine learning. Whether or not this is a good thing is very much open for debate. The first chapter analyzes use cases of NLP in educational contexts, especially with regards to sociolinguistics. The second chapter attempts to locate a promising technology epistemologically. The third chapter describes the process of applying machine learning and human expertise towards Knowledge Graphs specifically for K-12 settings. While the first chapter stands alone, the second and third chapters are helpful to read together.

As part of the regulations published in October of 2019, PHMSA requires operators that do not have reliable records to conduct material verification in accordance with §192.607. As part of the material verification process, §192.607(d)(2) compels the operator to “[c]onservatively account for measurement inaccuracy and uncertainty using reliable engineering tests and analyses” when utilizing nondestructive examination (NDE) methods. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has completed extensive testing to develop approaches that utilize nondestructive measurements to estimate grade. As part of this work, a supervised classification machine learning (ML) model was developed to predict pipe grade using NDE chemical composition measurements as inputs. While using the ML-based model provides substantial improvement over yield strength (YS) in predicting pipe grade, measurement uncertainty from NDE tools must be considered per §192.607(d)(2). Moreover, some amount of uncertainty is present in any measurement regardless of precision, and this measurement uncertainty may ultimately affect the ML model’s pipe grade classification. This paper presents a methodology for incorporating this variability into the authors’ ML classification model using a Monte Carlo-based simulation approach. In addition, this study will discuss the various metrics that were developed for interpreting the most probable pipe grade from the large number of simulation results, including the average probability, range of probability, and the number of simulations where each grade was identified as having the highest probability. Since any ML model can misclassify a sample and there are such slight differences between adjacent grades, it is necessary to have a method of systematically validating the results based on prior knowledge. Several case studies using field data will be presented to illustrate this approach, including validation cases where the pipe grade is known.

Federal rule changes governing natural gas pipeline operation and safety have driven operators in the United States to establish materials verification programs (MVP) for pipelines that lack reliable records. The ongoing MVP at the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) developed an extensive database of laboratory (destructive) tensile testing on over 144 coupons from pipe samples to quantify, in addition to yield strength and ultimate tensile strength, strain hardening exponent (n). A material’s strain hardening exponent quantifies the stress-strain behavior in work hardening and is also used in fracture mechanics-based tools, such as CorLAS™, for assessing flaws in cylindrical bodies, such as pipelines. There is limited strain hardening data for pipeline steels in available literature. This led to the development of a correlation utilizing the ratio of yield stress to ultimate tensile strength (R-ratio) as part of NG-18 research in the 1970s. The original publication for the CorLAS™ model, by Jaske and Beavers in 2002, used this correlation to propose a quadratic relationship between n and R-ratio; however, this relationship was based on a total of four data points each from a different grade of line pipe. As a result, the uncertainty of this empirical relationship is large. A more robust relationship that would be applicable across multiple grades and vintages was sought. Using the PG&E’s materials verification database, this paper presents an improved relationship for strain hardening exponent based on 58 pipe features ranging from the 1930’s to the 2010’s and grades ranging from Grade A to X70. Several case studies highlighting the impact of this change on downstream failure pressure evaluations using CorLAS™ are provided. In some instances, the authors have found that using this new model for the strain hardening exponent in conjunction with CorLAS™ can result in differences of approximately 10% in the calculated failure pressure.

Federal rule changes governing natural gas pipelines have driven operators in the United States to establish materials verification programs (MVP) for pipelines that lack reliable records. One component of a successful MVP is the use of nondestructive testing (NDT) to assess pipe properties in situ. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) augments traditional NDT with quantitative analysis of pipe microstructures. The microstructures are acquired non-destructively by surface replication, and are quantitatively evaluated to assess the ferrite grain size and fraction of pearlite. To support interpretation of the data, PG&E has compiled a database of steel line pipes for which microstructures from both destructive cross-sections (cutouts) and in situ surface replicas have been evaluated, and for which mechanical test data are available. The database is currently comprised of more than fifty pipe samples with manufacturing dates between 1931 and 2017, and a variety of grades and seam types. This work presents a comparative analysis of the different methods used by PG&E to quantify pipe microstructures, and shows that microstructures from surface replicas are generally consistent with those from cutout cross-sections. In addition, semi-quantitative correlations between micro structure and mechanical properties are presented. The data suggest a correlation between grain size and the ductile-brittle Charpy V-notch (CVN) transition temperature, and an inverse correlation between fraction of pearlite and the upper-bound of the CVN upper-shelf energy. In addition, the analysis shows that grain size can provide a lower bound on the manufacturing year (vintage) due to the advent of steelmaking practices that produce refined grain structures. By themselves, the observed trends can provide semi-quantitative bounds for these properties; however, the predictive value of the microstructural assessments may be improved by the development of more sophisticated algorithms that consider additional information, such as composition and hardness.

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or gender diverse, or queer-identifying (LGBTQ) people provide informal support to peers experiencing mental ill health. This reflects both the high prevalence of mental ill health in their communities - often a product of discrimination - and barriers to accessing formal services. In this article, we explore how LGBTQ people who help peers with their mental health seek to cope with the stress of providing such support. Drawing on interviews with 25 LGBTQ people in Melbourne, Australia, we consider how community members being 'leant on' engage in self-care practices and seek help from their communities to cope with the stress of their support roles. We demonstrate that participants' ways of coping, even when similar, can vary in effectiveness and often come with limitations. Thus, we conclude that LGBTQ people providing informal support to peers should be better assisted to do so, in ways that acknowledge the diversity of support provided in LGBTQ communities.

© 2020 SAGE Publications. This study compares the individual-level and sample-level predictive utility of a measure of the cultural logics of dignity, honor, and face. University students in 29 samples from 24 nations used a simple measure to rate their perceptions of the interpersonal cultural logic characterizing their local culture. The nomological net of these measures was then explored. Key dependent measures included three different facets of independent versus interdependent self-construal, relevant attitudes and values, reported handling of actual interpersonal conflicts, and responses to normative settings. Multilevel analyses revealed both individual- and sample-level effects but the dignity measure showed more individual-level effects, whereas sample-level effects were relatively more important with the face measure. The implications of this contrast are discussed.

In this article, we outline why it is so important to include comprehensive gender and sexual identity questions in the census as well as several considerations that ought to be addressed in the course of including such questions.