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The ‘Sacramental Shame’ Many LGBTQ+ Conservative Christians Wrestle With – And How They Find Healing
No full textAlcohol Misuse During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stressors and Intersectionality Among Latinx Women
Get PDFObjectives:
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated previously existing disparities and introduced new challenges for individuals living at the intersection of marginalized identities, such as Latinx women. For instance, increases in alcohol use have been noted during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet it is unclear which circumstances experienced are more likely to predict alcohol use among Latinx women.
Method:
The present study sought to identify the profile of intersectional factors, namely immigrant status, socioeconomic standing, and age, and COVID-19 stressors that predicted high or hazardous alcohol use among 1,227 Latinx women living in the United States.
Results:
The main findings, in the form of a binomial logistic regression, revealed a pattern of circumstances that differentiated high and low alcohol use including income, age, history of COVID-19 infection, disruptions in work, and emotional health difficulties.
Conclusions:
Overall, the present study provides an important contribution to the extant research literature by demonstrating the importance of considering syndemic effects of COVID-19 when addressing health behaviors for Latinx women
Mitigation of Antibiotic Resistance Using Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes for Water Treatment
No full textThe presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment is a growing issue, which has been exacerbated by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in health care and agricultural systems. One means of mitigating antibiotic resistance is through drinking water and wastewater treatment, specifically during disinfection processes. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are an emerging disinfection technology featuring adjustable peak wavelength emissions. We assessed the use of UV-LED for treating waterborne ARB (Escherichia coli and Aeromonas hydrophila) and ARGs (intracellular and extracellular) compared to conventional low-pressure UV (LP-UV). Overall, less efficient reduction (bacterial inactivation and/or gene degradation) of ARGs was observed compared to the ARB, where the rates of reduction (Chick–Watson coefficients of specific lethality) determined for ARB were typically 2–3 orders of magnitude greater than those for ARG. Furthermore, intracellular ARGs were more difficult to treat than extracellular ARGs, possibly because of the protective cellular structures that encompass intracellular ARGs and/or cellular repair mechanisms. Differences in ARB/ARG absorbance at different UV wavelengths and the UV lamp output efficiency led to different relative efficiencies among the four different wavelengths tested. The electrical energy per order for the different wavelengths was generally best for LP-UV (\u3c 3.25 kWh/m3), followed by 265 and 285 nm (\u3c ≈130 kWh/m3), and 255 nm (\u3c ≈150 kWh/m3). Overall, UV-LEDs can successfully treat water/wastewater contaminated with ARB and ARGs; however, for UV-LEDs to become more competitive with LP-UV systems, improvements in energy efficiency are necessary
Contextualizing Indian Newspaper Coverage of Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine Conflicts
No full textMedia representations significantly shape public opinion and political discourse. In India, The Times of India and The Hindu are pivotal in influencing and reflecting public sentiment and government policies. By examining their coverage of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts, we can gain insights into the interplay between media, politics, ideology, and their impact on international and intercultural relations.
The following study employs intercultural communication theories and critical discourse analysis to evaluate newspaper portrayals of war within the broader context of India’s strategic relationships with Russia and Israel and the changing domestic political ideologies. The paper strives to understand the shifting media narratives as well as explore how Indian cultural perspectives shape the interpretation of foreign conflicts
The Female Body in Visual Narratives
Get PDFWhen a photographer seeks to capture the culture of a particular place inhabited by a minority group in society, a pertinent question arises as to how one might capture the female body in ways that avoid eroticisation while still conveying the photographer’s intent. The way photographers approach the Himalayan and Indian regions is particularly complex when they must decide whether to ask women to pose themselves in order to frame the multiple narratives that emerge out of a female body—such as motherhood, nurturing an infant, ornamentation and adornment, and the bodily manifestations of patriarchal and prejudicial practices. Photographer Olivier Föllmi, for instance, addresses the challenge of framing the maternal body by involving his wife in the photographic process to create a sense of emotional comfort, and by positioning the photographed woman to gaze directly at the spectator. His work, however, foregrounds the dynamics of othering and the white gaze. This paper argues that even when the female body is not overtly eroticized, it may still be subjected to the ideology of the photographer through the very act of visual capture in specific ways. Accordingly, the paper examines this tension through a close reading of Föllmi’s photographs
COMPARING THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONVENTIONAL, MILLED, AND 3D-PRINTED OCCLUSAL SPLINT MATERIALS: AN IN VITRO STUDY
Get PDFAim: Evidence on the mechanical properties of digitally manufactured occlusal splint materials remains scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the mechanical properties of CAD/CAM fabricated occlusal splint materials versus conventionally heat-cured acrylic resin materials. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 specimens were manufactured for the present study. One CAD-CAM milled (ProArt CAD Splint), one heat-polymerized (SR IVOcap Clear), and three 3D-Printed (KeySplint Hard, NightGuard Firm2 and RoDIN Splint 2.0) resin materials were evaluated. Flexural strength, flexural modulus and surface hardness were measured. The three-point flexure test was used for the determination of flexural strength and modulus values, while Vickers hardness and Shore D hardness were measured to determine surface hardness. Twenty specimens (n = 20) of each material were tested using these procedures. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test. Results are presented as mean±SD and p-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: The values of flexural strength ranged from 9.8 ± 7.0 MPa to 121.0 ± 3.0 MPa. The values of flexural modulus ranged from 0.2 ± 0.2 GPa to 3.0 ± 0.2 GPa. The Vickers hardness values ranged from 10.1 ± 0.4 VHN to 22.9 ± 1.0 VHN, while the values of Shore D hardness ranged from 55.3 ± 0.5 HD to 95 ± 0 HD. Significant differences were found among the tested materials for flexural strength, flexural modulus and surface hardness (p \u3c 0.0001). Conclusion: There are differences in the mechanical properties of the various tested occlusal splint materials. 3D-printed resins demonstrated adequate mechanical performance for occlusal splints when compared to conventional and milled PMMA, with the exception of surface hardness
RESPIRATORY RECOVERY VIA ENDOGENOUS AND ELECTRICAL STIMULATION-INDUCED MECHANISMS FOLLOWING CERVICAL SPINAL CORD INJURY
Get PDFBreathing is a complex neuromuscular behavior vital for the maintenance of life. Cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI) disrupts descending respiratory motor drive and can lead to profound breathing impairments. While a limited, endogenous recovery of respiratory function has been well described following cSCI, this work has predominantly utilized single sex investigations. Given that relatively few treatment options exist to address this respiratory insufficiency, a more complete characterization of respiratory recovery post-cSCI is necessary for the development and evaluation of rehabilitative protocols. Diaphragm pacing (DP) is an emerging clinical intervention that utilizes electrical stimulation of the diaphragm muscle to combat the deleterious effects associated with standard treatment and has shown potential as a rehabilitative intervention. However, widespread use of DP as a rehabilitative modality has been limited by a lack of controlled studies. Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to describe both the endogenous and electrical stimulation-induced recovery of respiratory function in a rodent model of cSCI. First, to provide a more complete characterization of endogenous respiratory recovery post-cSCI, we utilized physiological, functional, and morphological analyses in male and female rodents through chronic post-injury stages. This work is the first to show subtle, sex-based differences in respiratory recovery at the subacute to chronic stages following cSCI. Given that rehabilitative interventions commonly occur within these stages, these findings highlight the need to consider sex as a variable in the evaluation of rehabilitative protocols. Subsequently, we investigated the rehabilitative potential of repeated, daily DP in awake, behaving rodents following cSCI. We observed both a short- and long-lasting ventilatory plasticity with the use of DP following cSCI. Importantly, long-lasting effects were only observed in male rodents. Additional examination of spinal tissue reveals DP-induced changes to neuroinflammatory profiles and spinal activation patterns in these male animals. Finally, a preliminary mechanistic investigation suggests that phrenic afferents are necessary for these DP-induced changes, as the effects are attenuated with the use of cervical dorsal rhizotomy. Collectively, this work provides the first controlled investigation into the rehabilitative potential of DP in awake, behaving rodents and further emphasizes the importance of considering sex in future investigations post-cSCI
ADVANCING GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH UNIQUE APPLICATIONS, UNDERDRAIN IMPROVEMENTS, AND DESIGN CRITERIA
No full textUrban stormwater runoff contributes to flooding and surface water pollution, issues exacerbated by aging infrastructure, changing climates, and urbanization. Green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) can help address these challenges by capturing and treating runoff near its source. However, its benefits are limited by unclear performance under unique conditions, ineffective treatment of specific pollutants, and uncertain variability of design criteria. This dissertation addresses these challenges through four objectives. First, it evaluates an interconnected rock swale and bioretention system treating runoff from an elevated highway interchange, which is a unique setting that generates runoff with high energy and pollutant concentrations. Results showed that total suspended solids and total phosphorus concentrations in highway runoff are orders of magnitude greater than other surfaces, yet rock swales and bioretention in series effectively reduced concentrations and pollutant loads. Second, runoff from highways may contribute to thermal pollution of urban waters, and it is unclear how specific treatment steps implemented to manage highway runoff, particularly rock swales, mitigate or exacerbate stormwater temperatures. Findings revealed that rock swales warmed runoff to a greater degree than highway decks, while sequencing bioretention downstream reduced temperatures below thresholds for cold-water species like trout. Third, while bioretention effectively treats many pollutants, it often increases reactive phosphorus concentrations, which can harm downstream ecosystems. To address this, an end-of-pipe filter containing activated alumina and iron filings was developed and installed at two bioretention systems. After several months, the filters reduced the mean concentrations of reactive phosphorus by 39-49%. Finally, states and localities prescribe GSI design guidelines; however, it is unclear how design criteria vary or why. To address this, data was compiled from 62 GSI design guidelines across the U.S., and significant variations were found in design elements such as slope, soil, and geometry, much of which correlated with factors (e.g., longitude, annual rainfall volume, and topography) that follow an east to west trend. Overall, this dissertation helps advance GSI by demonstrating how welldesigned systems of interconnected GSI treat highway overpass runoff and influence runoff temperatures, proposing an approach to reduce reactive phosphorus concentrations through underdrain filters, and revealing underlying reasons for GSI design variability