University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

Neural Surrogate HMC: On Using Neural Likelihoods for Hamiltonian Monte Carlo in Simulation‐Based Inference

Abstract Bayesian inference methods such as Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) typically require repeated computations of the likelihood function, but in some scenarios, this is infeasible and alternative methods are needed. Simulation‐based inference methods address this problem by...

Care and potentiality in high-mountain Oolong tea-making in Taiwan: co-flourishing of tea makers and tea leaves

This paper articulates an embodied approach to the concept “care,” drawing on Heidegger’s existential ontology, nature-culture co-becoming in indigenous studies, new materiality’s concern for non-human agencies, and Daoist wuwei (non-striving) awareness of agential unfolding. Ins...

The parent bodies of Ryugu and Ivuna formed before those of other carbonaceous chondrites

Most carbonaceous chondrite (CC) meteorites contain abundant chondrules, millimeter-scale spherical inclusions of previously molten material. Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites (CIs) do not contain chondrules, nor do samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu. CIs and Ryugu share...

Blue-sky thinking about pronunciation research and teaching

Abstract In the fall of 2024, Ron Thomson and Tracey Derwing invited 15 pronunciation scholars representing several subspecialties to participate in a full-day symposium to discuss directions for pronunciation research. To prepare for the symposium, held in conjunction with the P...

Taking smart conservation risks: Moving species in a changing world

Abstract Conservation practitioners are often faced with difficult decisions on whether or not to implement intensive interventions that carry risk and uncertainty—such as translocating species outside their indigenous range for the purpose of conservation (i.e., conservation int...

From Word-of-Mouth to Word-of-Machine: Examining AI-Generated Travel Recommendations Through the Word-of-Machine (WOMa) Perspective

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in travel planning, yet limited research has examined how travelers evaluate AI-generated travel recommendations as an information source. This study examines travelers’ evaluations and behavioral intentions toward such...

Bioactive Nanocoatings Encode Bacterial Settlement Cues for Coral Restoration

Abstract Increasing larval settlement can substantially accelerate coral reef restoration by overcoming a key bottleneck in coral population recovery. Successful settlement depends on biological and chemical cues associated with microbial biofilms and crustose coralline algae tha...

Education Policy and the State in Research on Latin America: A Systematic Review of Theoretical Approaches

This paper presents the results of a systematic literature review on how the state has been explicitly and implicitly conceived in research on K–12 education policy in Latin America. Based on a review of 177 studies in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, seven general theoretical a...

Modulation of High‐Temperature Events in the Pearl River Delta by Tropical Cyclones With Different Track Types

ABSTRACT This study investigates how different tropical cyclone (TC) track types modulate high‐temperature events in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) of China and how these effects may change under global warming, using observational and reanalysis datasets together with high‐resoluti...

Island-wide population genomic analysis of the coastal shrub, beach naupaka ( Scaevola taccada L.), on Oʻahu

Abstract Plant species face myriad threats to their survival, including climate change and habitat destruction. On Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, Scaevola taccada L., a coastal dune shrub, is highly impacted by human activities and environmental threats. Despite its ubiquity across Pacific is...

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Food and Agricultural Policies in California General Plans

Problem, research strategy and findings Agriculture and urban interests often compete fiercely for land and water, particularly in California. In this study we offer the first state-level assessment of planning for agriculture and food systems, with a focus on identifying competi...

Correlation and Contrast

The environmental and economic case for the adaptive reuse of buildings over their demolition is well established; however, comparatively little research has distinguished the design logics that separate architecturally successful conversions from merely functional ones. This stu...

From Corrector to Listener: A Practitioner’s Method for Dance Teachers

The article asks whether a teacher who has spent ten years training the corrector’s eye can grow a second eye beside it: a listener’s eye; not replacing the corrector, but beside it. I spent seven weeks examining myself and my own practice. The argument I make is that for all dan...

Effect of Aficamten on Cardiac Structure and Function in Patients with Symptomatic Nonobstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Aficamten significantly improved both functional capacity and patient-reported health status in patients with symptomatic nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled ACACIA-HCM trial (Assessment Comparing Aficamten to Place...

Avoiding the “Desert of the Real”: Preserving Evidence‐Based Nursing in the Age of AI

AIM: A discussion of the implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) evidence synthesis for evidence-based practice (EBP) among nurses responsible for primary literature appraisal, guideline development, and evidence translation into clinical policy. DESIGN: Discursiv...

The influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation on cool-season precipitation variability in the arid Middle East

Abstract. Interannual variability in precipitation across the Middle East is of high societal and environmental relevance given the region's arid climate and limited water resources. While previous studies have linked the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to interannual precipi...

Introducing a novel 28S rRNA marker for improved assessment of coral reef biodiversity

Biodiversity monitoring based on DNA metabarcoding depends on primer performance. Here, we develop a new metabarcoding primer pair that targets a ~ 318 bp fragment of the 28S rRNA gene. We validate the primer pair in assessing sponges, a notoriously challenging group for coral re...

CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of N-acetyltransferase 1 influences mesenchymal transition in glioblastoma in a cell line dependent manner

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults and carries a poor prognosis despite standard of care treatment with surgical debulking, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Proneural to mesenchymal transition (PMT) is a key driver of GBM invasion and tre...

Prediagnostic circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and prostate cancer-specific survival: a collaborative pooled analysis of 13 prospective studies

Abstract Background Previous research suggests higher risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in men with high vitamin D serology, but there are limited data related to prostate cancer survival. In this study, we examine the associations between prediagnostic circulating levels of 25-h...

Parathyroid Hormone Levels at Transplant and Outcomes in Renal Transplant Recipients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Background: Patients with end-stage kidney disease commonly develop hyperparathyroidism, which may impair muscle strength and physical function. Elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels have been associated with weakness and poor Timed Up and Go (TUG) test performance. We hypoth...