Pivotal Time Research Articles

Shifting from Trade-Offs to Synergies in Ecosystem Services Through Effective Ecosystem Management in Arid Areas

Human activities continuously alter the delivery of ecosystem services (ESs), which play a crucial role in human well-being. There is a pressing need for effective ecological management strategies that consider the spatial heterogeneity of ESs to support the transition from trade-offs to synergies. This study focuses on the Haba River Basin and examines characteristics of land-use change and the shift from trade-offs to synergies. The results indicate that from 1990 to 2000, the initial phase of land development, 10.65% of the land experienced change. Subsequently, during the intensive period of land development from 2000 to 2010, 30.29% of the land underwent significant transformation, with approximately 78% of grassland, sparse grassland, forested land, and desert converted into arable land. However, between 2010 and 2020, as the focus shifted towards the establishment of native vegetation. The intensity of land development decreased, and only a small percentage (3.65%) of the total area underwent changes. Based on an in-depth analysis of spatial heterogeneity from 1990 to 2020, it is believed there has been a shift from trade-offs to co-benefits between 2000–2010 and 2010–2020. The years 2010 and 2020 were pivotal time nodes for the transition from trade-offs to synergies and for reducing trade-offs, with NPP identified as a critical driving factor for comprehensive ES (CES) functions. By considering the trade-off–synergy relationship and hotspots of ecological service functions, combined with unified water resource management policies, comprehensive ecological management measures tailored to different regions are proposed. These measures have facilitated the implementation of robust ecological protection policies to shift ES development from trade-offs to synergies in arid areas, thereby enhancing overall ecosystem service functions in the Haba River Basin. The research findings offer crucial scientific support and guidance for ecosystem management in arid areas, particularly within Central Asia.

Resource selection by a megaomnivore in a marine foraging habitat

AbstractHabitat‐based approaches to animal conservation are bolstered by an understanding of resource selection, that is, use of resources (i.e., habitat features) relative to their availability in the environment. Quantifying resource selection is especially valuable when data characterizing animal space use are limited, as is often the case with mobile and/or cryptic species. Documenting associations with habitat features can better inform management in space in time, while also revealing key insight into movement ecology and behavior. Here, we evaluate resource selection by a megaomnivore whose highly mobile nature within marine habitats has resulted in an incomplete understanding of drivers of space use. We used satellite telemetry to track 29 green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from an eastern Pacific foraging aggregation in San Diego Bay, California, USA during 2013–2023. Tracking produced 5023 Fastloc‐GPS points which we used to model selection for local environmental resources relative to their availability. We employed logistic models to evaluate associations with seagrass, bathymetry, and water temperatures, implementing a framework that additionally allowed us to explore the roles of season, diel period, and turtle body size. Our methods demonstrate an approach for down‐weighting observations according to assumed telemetry error and autocorrelation. Results from fine‐scale resource selection models provide evidence that green turtles in San Diego Bay select for eelgrass meadows (Zostera marina), particularly during the warmest months of the year, but the strength of this selection changes from day to night. We additionally found day–night shifts in depth and temperature selection that changed with turtle body size and season. We discuss these findings in the context of diel patterns in resting and foraging behavior in addition to seasonal changes in thermally sensitive metabolic rates. Our study documents resource associations and provides quantitative information for the management of sea turtle foraging populations and their habitats. We offer key insight into habitat use by green turtles in the eastern Pacific at a pivotal time when multiple indicators point to population growth and expansion within the region.

Making a Life by What We Give

Abstract: In her latest column, NATS President Alexis Davis-Hazell examines the challenges of voice professionals navigating the figurative act two of their careers. She contemplates the mid-career crisis as a second adolescence, resulting in a call for transformation. Through hypothetical examples and analysis of the dynamics of mentorship, she observes how the crisis of mid-career is the most pivotal time of our professional lives. Davis-Hazell considers avenues of personal rediscovery and renewal by reflecting on a popular aphorism: we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Attention to social threat predicts diurnal cortisol dynamics during the high school transition

Adolescence is a developmental period marked by significant social shifts accompanied by concurrent changes across biological, cognitive, and emotional domains. Within adolescence, the high school transition is a pivotal time for youth that is ripe with opportunities yet has the potential to disrupt functioning. An increasingly sophisticated understanding of health and developmental biology indicates that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important role in transducing social experiences into physiological changes that have long-term impacts on health and wellbeing. There is reason to believe that attentional biases to social threat could impact cortisol, a steroid hormone indexing activity of the HPA axis, during the high school transition. The present study examined associations between attentional biases to socially threatening stimuli, measured using the Affective Posner paradigm, and components of the diurnal cortisol rhythm among youth across the first two days of high school. Participants included 67 youth (N = 504 saliva samples) with a mean age of 12.86 years and a relatively equal split with regard to both sex assigned at birth and gender identity (54% male; 54% boys). Findings build upon and extend previous work by demonstrating that greater attentional engagement bias to socially threatening stimuli is associated with a pattern of greater diurnal HPA axis reactivity across the first two days of the high school transition, as evidenced by a steeper cortisol awakening response and a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. This work extends our understanding of the mechanisms through which stress relates to wellbeing in youth by embedding biological development in the life course. Clinically, this work has the potential to inform interventions to protect youth against the biological embedding of stress by identifying a theoretically driven, socio-contextually relevant risk factor to be attenuated – namely, attentional bias to threat.

"It's just the joy of existing": A Photo Elicitation of LGBTQ+ Students' Healthy Intimate Relationships.

This study of LGBTQ+ college students highlights and amplifies the experiences of their healthy intimate relationships. College represents a pivotal time for personal and relationship development for many students, and seeing the positive ways students with historically minoritized gender and sexual identities navigate relationships has value for understanding how sexuality manifests within the current culture. Using a critical constructivist perspective and photo elicitation methods, the study includes students' narratives and visual presentations of their lived experiences thriving in healthy intimate relationships. The findings included three specific areas that supported students' thriving: self-work and self-awareness, fluidity and flexibility, and communication. These findings, and students' relationship images highlight the ways that they thrive through continual affirmative consent and responsibility to themselves and their relationships. Together, these findings provide possibility models to support imagining and educating about LGBTQ+ students' healthy intimate relationships. Findings have potential for informing trainings and resources for LGBTQ+ students, enhancing relationship education by challenging oppressive norms that influence all students, and for questioning the ways university regulations inhibit participants' agency for celebrating their intimacy.

Jail-Based For-Profit Mental Health Providers and Treatment Engagement After Release.

This study compared mental health treatment engagement among people with serious mental illness after release from jails that had either a for-profit (N=3 jails) or a nonprofit mental health provider (N=7 jails). Across the 10 jails, data were collected in 2019 for 1,238 individuals with serious mental illness. Data included demographic characteristics (age, race-ethnicity, gender, geography, and jail type) and behavioral health variables (previous mental health treatment, psychotropic medication use, substance use, and receipt of jail-based mental health services). Logistic regression was used to predict treatment engagement during the year after release, stratified by type of jail-based mental health provider, in analyses controlled for demographic and behavioral health variables. Almost half (46%, N=573) of the individuals had stayed in jails with a for-profit mental health provider; the other half (54%, N=665) had stayed in jails with a nonprofit provider. In the year after release, 37% (N=458) of all individuals engaged in mental health treatment, and 63% (N=780) did not. Those who had stayed in a jail with a for-profit provider were significantly less likely to engage in mental health treatment during the year after release (AOR=0.59, 95% CI=0.42-0.83, p<0.01), compared with those in jails having a nonprofit provider. Staying in a jail with a for-profit mental health provider was associated with reduced postrelease engagement with community service providers. Less engagement with services during a pivotal time after release may increase behavioral health crises that erode individuals' well-being and may raise downstream costs due to further criminal legal involvement and emergency care use.

Postoperative care for children after ventilation tube surgery: A qualitative study of parents' experiences over time in Norway

ObjectiveTo explore the parents' experience of postoperative care during the first two years after ventilation tube (VT) surgery in a setting where the check-ups were conducted either by otolaryngologists or their regular general practitioner (GP). Methods55 individual interviews of parents at up to three different time points (<1, 6, and 24 months) after their child received VT-surgery, analyzed with reflexive thematic analysis. Results1. Parents' trust in the healthcare system and responsibility for booking check-ups. Nearly all parents seemed to maintain trust in the healthcare system and felt safeguarded regardless of where they had their check-ups. Still, they would prefer otolaryngologist-led care if they could choose from the top shelf. They took responsibility for seeking healthcare when needed and experienced that their GP referred their child if necessary. 2. As time goes by, parental worries are reduced. Most experienced that their child stayed healthy after surgery, and their demand for postoperative check-ups decreased. For the children who faced ongoing issues, most parents experienced that their child's challenges had been handled professionally, and they became less worried. Some parents attribute other diagnoses to their child's behavior or speech delays, refining their understanding of their child's condition. 3. The desire for closure. Parents sought reassurance about their child's recovery and desired professional evaluation for closure. While some advocated for audiometry, others trusted their own assessments about hearing. The transition to school marked a pivotal time, prompting concerns about social inclusion. ConclusionOverall, the parents experienced that their child was safeguarded irrespective of whether postoperative care was provided by otolaryngologists or GPs. Still, many preferred check-ups by an otolaryngologist. The parental worries and focus on the VTs were reduced as time went by after surgery, but even so many wanted a ‘closure’ to be sure that the hearing was as good as it could be and the VTs rejected. We advocate for an individualized approach to postoperative care that addresses specific medical needs without imposing unnecessary check-ups.

Rockland State Hospital: A Case Approach to Teaching the History of Psychology

Background: Teaching and learning about the history of the profession is consistent with APA's 2023 guidelines for the undergraduate major, a profession-wide competency for graduate students in health service psychology, and important for all students. Objective: The purpose of this article is to present a historical case study with materials for teaching and learning about the historical context, including mental health treatments and patient demographics, during the interwar period at Rockland State Hospital (RSH) in New York. Method: We thematically reviewed and analyzed primary source archival documents, treatment reports, period peer-reviewed journals, related newspaper articles, and publicly available U.S. census data. Results: The theories, diagnostic terminology, and treatments in use at RSH during the interwar period are showcased. This was a pivotal time in the history of psychology. Conclusion: The method and results offer opportunities for teaching and learning about the history of psychology including treatment of marginalized and vulnerable populations. Teaching Implications: Institutionalization in the interwar period offers multiple opportunities for teaching and learning in psychology. The findings can be used in conjunction with discussion questions in the classroom setting. Teaching about the past provides a feedback loop to inform current and future practice.

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) Sequencing Reveals Heterodera glycines-Induced Dynamic Methylation Promoting Soybean Defense.

Unraveling the intricacies of soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) race 4 resistance and susceptibility in soybean breeding lines-11-452 (highly resistant) and Dongsheng1 (DS1, highly susceptible)-was the focal point of this study. Employing cutting-edge N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and RNA sequencing techniques, we delved into the impact of m6A modification on gene expression and plant defense responses. Through the evaluation of nematode development in both resistant and susceptible roots, a pivotal time point (3 days postinoculation) for m6A methylation sequencing was identified. Our sequencing data exhibited robust statistics, successful soybean genome mapping, and prevalent m6A peak distributions, primarily in the 3' untranslated region and stop codon regions. Analysis of differential methylation peaks and differentially expressed genes revealed distinctive patterns between resistant and susceptible genotypes. In the highly resistant line (11-452), key resistance and defense-associated genes displayed increased expression coupled with inhibited methylation, encompassing crucial players such as R genes, receptor kinases, and transcription factors. Conversely, the highly susceptible DS1 line exhibited heightened expression correlated with decreased methylation in genes linked to susceptibility pathways, including Mildew Locus O-like proteins and regulatory elements affecting defense mechanisms. Genome-wide assessments, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, and differential methylation peak/differentially expressed gene overlap emphasized the intricate interplay of m6A modifications, alternative splicing, microRNA, and gene regulation in plant defense. Protein-protein interaction networks illuminated defense-pivotal genes, delineating divergent mechanisms in resistant and susceptible responses. This study sheds light on the dynamic correlation between methylation, splicing, and gene expression, providing profound insights into plant responses to nematode infection.

How to be a fanboy: Wizard magazine and the pedagogy of comic book fandom

ABSTRACT The 1990s were a pivotal time in comics history, and during this period, there was arguably no more important outlet than Wizard magazine. The magazine played an important pedagogical role as both a gateway to and a gatekeeper of fandom. Initially launched as a guide to collecting comic books, Wizard later evolved into a lifestyle and entertainment magazine for a loosely defined “fanboy” readership. While arguably more accessible than the comics it covered, it addressed its audience in exclusive terms, assuming a normatively male, heterosexual, and white fan. Based on a close reading of a sample of eight self-reflective “milestone” issues, this article assesses Wizard as not merely a purveyor of market intelligence to comic book speculators but as a cultural artifact engaged in defining the meaning of fandom for a generation of comic book readers.

Temporal dynamics of chloroplast biogenesis revealed initiation of photosynthesis-related gene expression and protein complexes during alfalfa seed germination

The chloroplast biogenesis occurs in cotyledon during alfalfa seed germination before true leaf formation, and is extremely important for the followed plant development and growth. In this study, we conducted a simulation of alfalfa seed germination in the soil by using tin foil and focused on 10 pivotal time points of chloroplast biogenesis in cotyledons before and after light exposure, which showed significant differences in multispectral images, and covered the whole process of chloroplast biogenesis from proplastid, etioplast to mature chloroplast. We revealed three phases that referred to the programmed involvements of photosynthesis promotion, ultrastructure maturity, transcriptomic expression, and protein complex construction, and observed distinct transcriptional expressions of genes from nuclear and chloroplast genomes. In phase I at dark germination before light exposure, chloroplast-encoded genes showed up-regulated expressions together with the importation of chloroplast proteins. In phase II for the first day after light exposure, nuclear-encoded genes’ expressions were initiated at 2 h after light exposure (E2h), followed by swift assembly of chloroplast thylakoid membrane protein complexes, and roaring Fv/Fm and contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid. The initiation at E2h was pronounced by the observation of gradual accumulation of single lamella, and facilitated the formation of granum stacks (thylakoid) at E8h in phase II. In phase III from the second day after light exposure, chloroplast became gradually complete with the fully established photosynthetic capacity. Altogether, our results layed a theoretical foundation for enhancing potential photosynthetic efficiency in alfalfa and related species.

Общественные настроения и перспективы советской власти на Дальнем Востоке РСФСР в 1923–1925 гг.

The period of 1923–1925 witnessed significant efforts by the Soviet power to consolidate power in the Far East region of the RSFSR. This article examines the socio-political landscape during this pivotal time, shedding light on the challenges faced and the strategies employed to establish Soviet governance. Public sentiments in the Far East were intricately tied to the tumultuous political and economic conditions prevailing in the aftermath of the Civil War and foreign intervention. Economic devastation and stagnation exacerbated social tensions, posing formidable challenges to the consolidation of Soviet power. The prospects of Soviet authority hinged upon understanding and navigating the intricate dynamics of the local population. Factors such as the dominance of affluent rural elites, Cossack privileges, and the presence of diverse ethnic groups like Koreans and Chinese shaped the landscape of governance. Despite the adversities, the Soviet authorities achieved a notable milestone with the successful conduct of elections to the grassroots councils across the region in 1923–1924. This demonstrated a degree of acceptance and legitimacy for the new regime, marking a crucial step towards consolidation. In conclusion, the establishment of Soviet power in the Far East of the RSFSR during 1923–1925 was a complex endeavor shaped by the interplay of socio-economic conditions and local dynamics. While challenges persisted, the successful conduct of elections underscored the resilience and adaptability of the Soviet regime in navigating turbulent waters and laying the foundations for governance in the region.

Exploring the influence of subjective thermal perception on electroencephalogram characteristics based on prior thermal experience

Achieving thermal comfort for occupants in a dynamic environment that reflects their previous thermal experiences is essential for enhancing satisfaction. Current models do not fully consider these dynamic elements, thus limiting advancements in occupants' thermal comfort. This study aims to delineate the characteristics of electroencephalogram (EEG) responses aligned with subjective thermal perception in various thermal environment scenarios, inclusive of past thermal experiences. It focuses on identifying EEG indices, brain regions, and temporal markers that can distinguish between different thermal perceptions. The study involves sixteen male participants who undergo three thermal experience scenarios: predicted mean vote (PMV) 0 → PMV +2, PMV +2 → PMV –2, and PMV -2 → PMV +2. Our results highlight the sensitivity of the F3 channel in the left frontal lobe to thermal environments. The study identifies a pivotal time frame of 6 min after the experiment's start as significant for differentiating thermal perception groups. Additionally, it reveals that the EEG indices reacting to thermal changes vary depending on the participants' previous thermal experiences. These findings indicate that physiological signals, particularly EEG responses, can serve as effective biomarkers for distinguishing thermal perceptions in diverse thermal experience scenarios. This research emphasizes the need to integrate a variety of thermal environment scenarios, considering previous thermal experiences, into personal comfort models for more effective and tailored thermal comfort solutions.

A scientometric analysis of drone-based structural health monitoring and new technologies

Critical global challenges, such as climate change and the insufficient availability of resources, mean that it is a pivotal time to make cities more intelligent, efficient, and sustainable in a drive towards a net-zero carbon future. This requires intelligent, interactive, and responsive structural health monitoring (SHM) to assure the longevity and safety of ageing infrastructure. Drones have the potential to revolutionise SHM. Drone-based SHM (as a potential fly-by technique) involves equipping drones with various sensors, or using inbuilt sensors, to capture data and images of structures from different angles and perspectives. The data is then processed and analysed to facilitate accurate assessment of the structure’s health and early diagnosis of damage. Although the use of fly-by is relatively new, the speedy advances in various technologies that could be integrated with it, such as computer vision with artificial intelligence, deep learning, and links to digital twins, put these systems on the verge of a potential breakthrough. This paper provides an overview of fly-by SHM technique using both scientometric and qualitative systematic literature review processes, in order to provide a distinct understanding of the state of the art of research. As an original contribution, our research identified four main clusters of research within the field of fly-by SHM: (1) the application of UAV-enabled vision-based monitoring; (2) the integration of drones, advanced sensor technologies, and artificial intelligence; (3) drone-based SHM integrating modal analysis, energy harvesting, and deep learning; and (4) automation and robotics in drone-based SHM. The paper highlights the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensors with the fly-by technique for SHM, identifies the gaps in current fly-by SHM research, and suggests new directions for research.

“Psychic Poisons” or Emerging Medicines: A Thematic Analysis of Cannabis Representations in Australian Nineteenth-Century Periodicals

This interdisciplinary study investigates representations of cannabis in 386 Australian newspaper reports from the latter-part of the nineteenth century. During this time, periodicals were the primary means of information circulation, and the Australian press shared much of its reporting with other jurisdictions. Using a reflexive thematic analysis, this research reveals that in this period, in which cannabis was being introduced into colonial pharmacopeias but had not yet been regulated in Australia, periodicals were at the heart of communicating cannabis to Australian audiences. These newspapers represented cannabis as both a dangerous recreational drug and a legitimate medicine, with these very distinct representations largely siloed from one another. These discourses, facilitated and perpetuated by mass media, were representative of a patchwork of influences, including international anxieties of drug use. Therefore, such reporting both legitimized and de-legitimized cannabis, influencing popular understandings of cannabis in nineteenth-century Australia at a pivotal time in the drug's history.

Internet use and its association with physical activity among adolescents in Beni Municipality, Myagdi, Nepal.

Adolescence is a critical phase marked by distinct health and developmental needs and rights. It represents a pivotal time for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, emotional regulations, and relationship management. However, a recent surge in internet usage among adolescents has been observed, leading to a concerning decline in physical activity. This study aims to evaluate the level of physical activity and its correlation with internet use among adolescents. A cross-sectional study, conducted within educational institutions in Beni, Nepal, utilized a self-structured questionnaire to collect data on physical activity levels and associated factors. The relationship between physical activity and independent variables was assessed through the chi-square test, and regression analysis was employed to quantify the strength of this association. The study revealed that 75.3% of adolescents (out of 385) exhibited inadequate physical activity levels. Notably, late adolescents were more susceptible to insufficient physical activity than their middle adolescent counterparts were. Adolescents from nuclear families (UOR = 2.689, C.I = 4.074-22.822), those with higher monthly family income (UOR = 3.318, C.I = 1.209-9.105), and individuals using Wi-Fi (UOR = 1.801, C.I = 1.117-2.904) demonstrated a higher likelihood of internet addiction. Moreover, these groups were more prone to engage in inadequate physical activity (UOR = 1.1740, C.I = 0.938-3.226) compared to their counterparts not addicted to the internet. The study concludes that over two-thirds of adolescents were addicted to the Internet, and three-fourths were inadequately physically active, with late adolescents being more affected than middle adolescents. Inadequate physical activity was associated with various factors, including family type, monthly family income, monthly pocket money, father's occupation, type of school, type of internet access, and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score. Internet-addicted adolescents were found to be more likely to be physically inactive.

"KLAVKA", "YURA", "LARA" BY MARYNA HRYMYCH: FAMILY TRILOGY

The article explores the peculiarity of literary interpretation of the Soviet past in the family trilogy by Maryna Hrymych. The author navigates through time, from post-war Kyiv to the late 1980s. Hrymych creates a unique three-dimensional reflection (the story of three generations) intertwining it with her own experiences and personal reckonings with the past. Attentive to details at the level of toponims (Kyiv, taiga, Crimea, Chernobyl) and everyday life, the author shifts the focus from the collective to the individual stuff stripping the past of monumentality and infusing it with intimacy. Her protagonists attempt to adapt to life in a totalitarian state (Klavka and Yura) or reclaim lost national identity (Lara). In the novel "Klavka," the author delves into the literary scene of 1940s post-war Kyiv focusing on the character of Klavka, the secretary of the Writers' Union of Ukraine. Klavka finds herself at the center of the events of 1947 including the Plenum where the names of Ukrainian writers Maxim Rylskyi and Yurii Yanovskyi were denounced. Hrymych intertwines the stories of artists (the Writers' Union, the ROLIT house, Irpin dachas) with the story of a young woman seeking her place in the world. The next novel, "Yura," is set in 1968, a pivotal time for the Soviet totalitarian state (Khrushchev Thaw gives way to the repressions of the 1970s). Klavka and the following generation of the youth are depicted as adherents of the Soviet world, conformists who adapt to and feel secure as well as fully-fledged in the reality around them. The trilogy concludes with the novel "Lara," unfolding in four locations: the taiga in the northern Tomsk region (1986), Kyiv and Crimea (1987) and Chernobyl (1988). Hrymych intertwines the stories of two nations – Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars – forced to share not only one territory but also a fate in the totalitarian Russian world. While the older generation (Klavka and her son Yura) may settle for culinary reconciliation (Uzbek plov and chebureks), the third generation (Lara) finds conformity in decisions and the substitution of concepts unacceptable. The main heroine not only reflects on history (both general and individual one) but also demands self-definition ("Not Lara – Diliara").

A Pivotal Time and Place: University Place Attachment, Childhood Neighborhood Affordances, and Internalizing Symptoms in Emerging Adulthood

People-place dynamics matter for well-being and for 69% of emerging adults in the US, the university is a pivotal place at a pivotal time. Research suggests that low childhood neighborhood affordances contribute to internalizing symptoms, but we know less about the impact of the university context. This study asked: how does university place attachment impact internalizing symptoms beyond the effects of childhood neighborhood affordances? Two-hundred and seventy-five university students self-reported on perceived childhood neighborhood affordances, university attachment, and current internalizing symptoms. Higher university attachment coincided with higher perceived neighborhood affordances and lower depression and social anxiety symptoms while controlling for demographic factors and parent-child relationship quality. Further, there was an indirect effect of neighborhood affordances via university attachment on social anxiety, but not depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that university place attachment contributes meaningfully to internalizing symptoms in emerging adulthood and that childhood neighborhood affordances may impact attachment to novel life-spaces.

A Process Evaluation of a Palliative Care Social Work Intervention for Cancer Patients in Skilled Nursing Facilities.

Background: Assessing and Listening to Individual Goals and Needs (ALIGN) is a palliative care social work intervention that aims to improve delivery of goal-concordant care for hospitalized older adults with cancer discharged to skilled nursing facilities. Objective: Explore processes through which ALIGN may improve delivery of goal-concordant care to substantiate the conceptual model grounding the intervention and to inform mechanistic hypotheses of how the intervention might be effective. Design: A process evaluation triangulating findings from patient and caregiver interviews with a matrix analysis of ALIGN social worker notes. Setting/Participants: Patients (n = 6) and caregivers (n = 13) who participated in a single-arm pilot study of ALIGN in the United States and 113 intervention notes (n = 18 patients) written by 2 ALIGN social workers. Measurement: Qualitative thematic content analysis Results: Themes included the following: (1) ALIGN helped reconcile participants' misaligned expectations of rehabilitation with the reality of the patient's progressive illness; (2) ALIGN helped participants manage uncertainty and stress about forthcoming medical decision making; (3) the longitudinal nature of ALIGN allowed for iterative value-based goals of care discussions during a time when patients were changing their focus of treatment; and (4) ALIGN activated participants to advocate for their needs. Conclusions: ALIGN offers support in prognostic understanding, communication, and decision making during a pivotal time when patient and caregivers' goals have not been met and they are reassessing priorities. A larger trial is needed to understand how these processes may improve the ability of participants to make value-based decisions and aide in delivery of goal-concordant care. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT04882111.

“Just like friends”: Chinese young adults’ interpretation of parent–child relationships on American TV shows

The emergence of individualization in contemporary Chinese society has transformed parent–child dynamics. This article examines one frequently acknowledged, but rarely scrutinized, individualizing force in this process: the consumption of Western popular media. Based on 29 in-depth interviews with college students in Beijing in 2009–2010, I investigate how members of China's first only-child generation reflexively engaged American television shows to assess their own parent–child relationships during a pivotal time of social change in China. While watching US TV inspired a desire among respondents for the individualistic and democratic family dynamics featured on screen, many were critical of what they saw and came to appreciate Chinese family practices more. Beyond comparing their lived realities with specific narratives on US TV, respondents often extrapolated individual circumstances to broader social issues and cultural traditions. Thus, US TV presented new alternatives for family life that fostered a reflexive “social imagination” among young Chinese, allowing them a deeper understanding of personal experiences by situating them within a constellation of social institutions, economic systems, and cultural values. By analyzing viewers’ meaning-making of American television shows within a Chinese context, this article illuminates how parent–child relationships have been shaped by an interplay between local norms and global possibilities.