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High prey capture efficiencies of oceanic epipelagic lobate and cestid ctenophores
No full textCtenophores are numerically dominant members of oceanic epipelagic communities around the world. The ctenophore community is often comprised of several common, co-occurring lobate and cestid genera. Previous quantifications of the amount of fluid that lobate ctenophores entrain in their feeding currents revealed that oceanic lobates have the potential for high feeding rates. In order to more directly examine the trophic role of oceanic lobate ctenophores, we quantified the encounter and retention efficiencies of several co-occurring species (Bolinopsis vitrea, Ocyropsis crystallina, Eurhamphea vexilligera and Cestum veneris) in their natural environments. Encounters and predator–prey interactions were video recorded in the field using specialized cameras and SCUBA techniques. The lobate species encountered, on average, 2.4 prey per minute and ingested 40% of these prey. This translated to an estimated ingestion rate of close to 1 prey per minute. Cestum veneris and most of the lobate species retained prey as efficiently as the voracious coastal lobate predator Mnemiopsis leidyi, suggesting that these oceanic species have a similar predation impact in their environments as M. leidyi does in coastal ecosystems. Hence, quantified in situ predatory-prey interactions indicate that epipelagic ctenophores have a significant impact on oceanic ecosystems worldwide
Sentence Determination as a Function of Sex Offender Gender
Full text linkThe current study examines perceptions of dangerousness and sentencing recommendations for female sex offenders (FSOs) compared to male sex offenders (MSOs). Participants (N = 82) were randomly assigned to read one of three vignettes depicting a sexual offense committed by a male, female, or male-female co defendant pair. Key individual difference variables—Need for Cognition (NFC) and Gender Role Beliefs (GRB)—were assessed to examine their influence on sentencing and attributional judgments. NFC emerged as a significant moderator: participants with low NFC assigned longer sentences to FSOs, whereas high NFC participants gave longer sentences to MSOs. Participants endorsing traditional gender role beliefs were more likely to attribute the FSO’s offending to external factors such as mental illness, substance abuse, and criminal history, relative to those with nontraditional beliefs. These findings highlight the complex interaction between cognitive style, gender norms, and offender sex in shaping legal decision-making and perceptions of culpability
HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Sexual and Gender Minority Homeless Youth
No full textOBJECTIVE: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people account for up to 40% of youth experiencing homelessness. SGM youth experiencing homelessness report a higher likelihood of engaging in behavior that puts them at risk of acquiring HIV. To address this increased risk, it is necessary to identify difference in awareness and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among SGM youth experiencing homelessness. METHODS: Using intake forms from a single service provider in New York City, New York, that specializes in providing shelter and health care for SGM youth experiencing homelessness, we conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study examining associations between access to care and engaging in transactional sexual exchanges (TSEs) with awareness and use of HIV PrEP. RESULTS: Of 1312 SGM youth, 63.1% (n = 828) reported being aware of HIV PrEP, but only 11.7% (n = 153) had ever taken HIV PrEP. Access to care was associated with being aware of HIV PrEP (odds ratio [OR] 1.57, 95% CI [1.20-2.07]) but not ever using it (OR 1.47, 95% CI [0.94-2.29]). Notably, previous use of HIV PrEP was higher among SGM youth who had engaged in TSE than among those who had not (OR 3.55, 95% CI [2.47-5.08]). CONCLUSIONS: Access to medical care is associated with awareness but not utilization of HIV PrEP. Providing HIV preventive care for SGM youth experiencing homelessness requires more than access to care. Further research is needed to assess facilitators and barriers to HIV PrEP utilization in this population
Poetry Walk Keynote: Elisa Gonzalez
No full texthttps://docs.rwu.edu/talking-in-the-library/1044/thumbnail.jp
DRIVE: A Mobile Application for Directed, Remote, Interactive Viewing and Exploring
No full textTechnologies to support remote interaction hold great potential to expand opportunities for engagement and interaction. In this work, we present a mobile application to allow remote exploration of an environment by those who cannot be physically present due to geographic or mobility limitations. Our system is designed to place control of the experience with the audience or viewer to encourage greater engagement with the remote environment. After presenting the application, we discuss how the application will be used and tested in realistic contexts and present future extensions to create a more immersive experience
New directions for tuberculosis elimination
No full textThere is perhaps no other disease that has caused and continues to cause as much devastation to human society as tuberculosis (TB). An ancient scourge, we have archaeological evidence of tuberculosis from across the globe, dating back thousands of years, with some genomics analyses suggesting its emergence millions of years ago [1, 2]. Human crowding likely drove the risk of spread via its airborne pathway during certain historical periods, with elevated TB morbidity and mortality (including after wartime). TB today remains globally one of the most important contributors to human morbidity and mortality. As recently as the early twentieth century, TB was commonly the leading cause of death in the U.S. and other highly developed nations, and TB still accounts for the greatest burden of mortality on the planet attributable to a single pathogen. The most recent global burden of disease report using 2021 data, ranked TB as the leading contributor to global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), with 65.1 million per year (uncertainty limits 59.0–72.1 million), substantially higher than the next highest contributors of malaria (53.6 [27.0–91.3] million) and HIV (52.1 [47.0–60.9] million) [3]. The emergence of effective antibiotic therapies in the middle of the twentieth century shifted the burden of disease toward communities with lower access to treatment regiments, while crowding, low indoor ventilation, and immunosuppression associated with HIV provided key drivers of transmission
