Development and initial testing of mindful journey: a digital mindfulness-based intervention for promoting recovery from Substance use disorder.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There is a great unmet need for accessible adjunctive interventions to promote long-term recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). This study aimed to iteratively develop and test the initial feasibility and acceptability of Mindful Journey, a novel digital mindfulness-based intervention for promoting recovery among individuals with SUD. PATIENTS/MATERIALS: Ten adults receiving outpatient treatment for SUD. METHODS: Phase 1 (n = 5) involved developing and testing a single introductory digital lesson. Phase 2 included a separate sample (n = 5) and involved testing all 15 digital lessons (each 30- to 45-minutes) over a 6-week period, while also receiving weekly brief phone coaching for motivational/technical support. RESULTS: Across both phases, quantitative ratings (rated on a 5-point scale) were all at or above a 4 (corresponding with 'agree') for key acceptability dimensions, such as usability, understandability, appeal of visual content, how engaging the content was, and helpfulness for recovery. Additionally, in both phases, qualitative feedback indicated that participants particularly appreciated the BOAT (Breath, Observe, Accept, Take a Moment) tool for breaking down mindfulness into steps. Qualitative feedback was used to iteratively refine the intervention. For example, based on feedback, we added a second core mindfulness tool, the SOAK (Stop, Observe, Appreciate, Keep Curious), and we added more example clients and group therapy videos. In Phase 2, 4 out of 5 participants completed all 15 lessons, providing initial evidence of feasibility. Participants reported that the phone coaching motivated them to use the app. The final version of Mindful Journey was a smartphone app with additional features, including brief on-the-go audio exercises and a library of mindfulness practices. Although, participants used these additional features infrequently. CONCLUSIONS: Based on promising initial findings, future acceptability and feasibility testing in a larger sample is warranted. Future versions might include push notifications to facilitate engagement in the additional app features.

Programming emergent symmetries with saddle-splay elasticity.

The director field adopted by a confined liquid crystal is controlled by a balance between the externally imposed interactions and the liquid's internal orientational elasticity. While the latter is usually considered to resist all deformations, liquid crystals actually have an intrinsic propensity to adopt saddle-splay arrangements, characterised by the elastic constant [Formula: see text]. In most realisations, dominant surface anchoring treatments suppress such deformations, rendering [Formula: see text] immeasurable. Here we identify regimes where more subtle, patterned surfaces enable saddle-splay effects to be both observed and exploited. Utilising theory and continuum calculations, we determine experimental regimes where generic, achiral liquid crystals exhibit spontaneously broken surface symmetries. These provide a new route to measuring [Formula: see text]. We further demonstrate a multistable device in which weak, but directional, fields switch between saddle-splay-motivated, spontaneously-polar surface states. Generalising beyond simple confinement, our highly scalable approach offers exciting opportunities for low-field, fast-switching optoelectronic devices which go beyond current technologies.

Modeling deformation and chaining of flexible shells in a nematic solvent with finite elements on an adaptive moving mesh.

A micrometer-scale elastic shell immersed in a nematic liquid crystal may be deformed by the host if the cost of deformation is comparable to the cost of elastic deformation of the nematic. Moreover, such inclusions interact and form chains due to quadrupolar distortions induced in the host. A continuum theory model using finite elements is developed for this system, using mesh regularization and dynamic refinement to ensure quality of the numerical representation even for large deformations. From this model, we determine the influence of the shell elasticity, nematic elasticity, and anchoring condition on the shape of the shell and hence extract parameter values from an experimental realization. Extending the model to multibody interactions, we predict the alignment angle of the chain with respect to the host nematic as a function of aspect ratio, which is found to be in excellent agreement with experiments.

Arrested coalescence of viscoelastic droplets: triplet shape and restructuring.

The stability of shapes formed by three viscoelastic droplets during their arrested coalescence has been investigated using micromanipulation experiments. Addition of a third droplet to arrested droplet doublets is shown to be controlled by the balance between interfacial pressures driving coalescence and internal elasticity that resists total consolidation. The free fluid available within the droplets controls the transmission of stress during droplet combination and allows connections to occur via formation of a neck between the droplets. The anisotropy of three-droplet systems adds complexity to the symmetric case of two-droplet aggregates because of the multiplicity of orientations possible for the third droplet. When elasticity dominates, the initial orientation of the third droplet is preserved in the triplet's final shape. When elasticity is dominated by the interfacial driving force, the final shape can deviate strongly from the initial positioning of droplets. Movement of the third droplet to a more compact packing occurs, driven by liquid meniscus expansion that minimizes the surface energy of the triplet. A range of compositions and orientations are examined and the resulting domains of restructuring and stability are mapped based on the final triplet structure. A geometric and a physical model are used to explain the mechanism driving meniscus-induced restructuring and are related to the impact of these phenomena on multiple droplet emulsions.

Competition of lattice and basis for alignment of nematic liquid crystals.

Due to elastic anisotropy, two-dimensional patterning of substrates can promote weak azimuthal alignment of adjacent nematic liquid crystals. Here we consider how such alignment can be achieved using a periodic square lattice of circular or elliptical motifs. In particular, we examine ways in which the lattice and motif can combine to favor differing orientations. Using Monte Carlo simulation and continuum elasticity we find, for circular motifs, that the coverage fraction controls both the polar anchoring angle and a transition in the azimuthal orientation. If the circles are generalized to ellipses, arbitrary control of the effective easy axis and effective anchoring potential becomes achievable by appropriate tuning of the ellipse motif relative to the periodic lattice patterning. This has possible applications in both monostable and bistable liquid crystal device contexts.

The technology path to deep greenhouse gas emissions cuts by 2050: the pivotal role of electricity.

Several states and countries have adopted targets for deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but there has been little physically realistic modeling of the energy and economic transformations required. We analyzed the infrastructure and technology path required to meet California's goal of an 80% reduction below 1990 levels, using detailed modeling of infrastructure stocks, resource constraints, and electricity system operability. We found that technically feasible levels of energy efficiency and decarbonized energy supply alone are not sufficient; widespread electrification of transportation and other sectors is required. Decarbonized electricity would become the dominant form of energy supply, posing challenges and opportunities for economic growth and climate policy. This transformation demands technologies that are not yet commercialized, as well as coordination of investment, technology development, and infrastructure deployment.