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Relationship Satisfaction: Stress and Resilience
No full textThe relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE), stress, and relationship satisfaction was investigated in this study. According to stress proliferation theory (Scorza et al., 2022) stressful events can compound throughout a lifetime, making new stressors more difficult to navigate, increasing stress, and decreasing overall satisfaction. As such, it was hypothesized that high ACE scores, combined with recent stressful events would decrease satisfaction in romantic relationships. Additionally, resilience was of interest as a mediator to relationship satisfaction when ACE and current stressors are present. High resilience may increase marital satisfaction (Bradley and Hojjat, 2017), thus it was also measured in participants. An online questionnaire including the scales measuring the hypothesized variables was given to 135 participants. A multiple linear regression was performed to examine the relationship between ACE, recent stress, resilience, and relationship satisfaction. The overall regression was statistically significant and there was a significant main effect of resilience
The Cost of Christianity for Samurai from 1549-1620
No full textThis paper seeks to identify the human cost of conversion to the Christian faith presented by Jesuit missionaries from 1549 until 1620, six years after the Government banning of the faith in 1614. It will specifically analyze what conflicts the new faith presented to the Samurai worldview and value system, and explore why and how Samurai who chose to convert decided the shift in values and beliefs was worth the cost. Furthermore, once the faith was outlawed, a second look will be taken at Samurai who decided to remain Christian, and what the cost of maintaining their faith was and how they reasoned that to be a more acceptable outcome than apostasy
It’s Not Me, It’s You: Attachment, Love Styles, and Breakup Distress
No full textThe majority of relationship breakup studies have focused on factors such as quality of the relationship, lack of control, and mental stress. In this study, we were interested in how breakup distress was predicted by the participants’ attachment styles (Hazen & Shaver, 1987) and Hendrick and Hendrick’s six Love Styles (1986). A multiple regression was carried out to investigate whether the three attachment styles, Secure, Anxious-ambivalent, and Avoidant, including six love styles, Eros, Ludus, Storge, Pragma, Mania, or Agape, significantly predicted breakup distress. An online survey was distributed to 124 participants from psychology’s subject pool. The model explained 26% of the variance and demonstrated that breakup distress was significantly predicted by those IVs, F(9,86) = 3.351,
Dating Attitudes
No full textThis study investigated the relationship between self-oriented and other-oriented attitudes and their relationship toward online dating behaviors. Research has suggested that specific love and sexual attitudes correlate with self or other orientations. The Love Attitudes Scale-Short Form and Brief Sexual Attitudes Scale (LAS-SF and BSAS; Hendrick et al., 1998; Hendrick et al., 2006) were utilized and each subscale was assigned either a self or other orientation. Additionally, participants completed the Hookup Motives Questionnaire (HMQ; Kenney et al., 2013) and answered questions about dating app use to establish a base of dating behaviors. It was hypothesized that theoretical self-oriented subscale items of the BSAS and the LAS-SF would positively correlate with Coping and Enhancement Motives of the HMQ. It was hypothesized that other-oriented subscale items of the BSAS would positively correlate with the HMQ variable Social-Relationship Seeking. Results varied for other-oriented subscales and no significant results were found for self-oriented subscales
Going Gray Too Early: Color (Grayscale) Effects on Correct Facial Identification
No full textComparing identification documents (IDs) to the person presenting them is common before accessing restricted goods, areas, and services. Research has revealed ID comparison errors such as the low prevalence effect (i.e., rarity of fake IDs presented), document bias (i.e., reduced performance when ID comparison vs. real face comparison), size disparity (i.e., difference in size of ID and real face), and the cross-race effect (i.e., difficulty discerning faces of another race). The current study investigated how grayscale face images on IDs compared to color face images on IDs. Participants compared 48 IDs (color or grayscale) to a color video of a person. This task was performed while wearing eye tracking glasses. We predict errors in discriminability and response bias that stem from color disparity (i.e., difference in color between ID and video). Further, we included eye tracking technology to study eye movement differences between the two conditions
Electrocoagulation of Synthetic Produced Water Using a Continuous-Flow Reactor
No full textProduced water (PW) is a byproduct of oil and gas mining that is a major concern due to the large volume that is being generated as well as the narrow recycling capabilities without extensive treatment. A promising treatment technology for PW that has been discussed in scientific literature is electrocoagulation (EC). This study looked at the viability of a continuous flow EC system to treat synthetic PW by using a continuous EC reaction basin which was made to treat synthetic produced water using aluminum electrodes as the source of coagulant. Experimental runs were used to give a general understanding of the effectiveness of the treatment by changing applied conditions. Results have shown the reduction of target water quality parameters such as turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC). Future EC studies will analyze its effects on heavy metals, PW, and the theoretical economic viability of using EC treatment technology for PW
Characterizing the Metazoan Community of an Undisturbed Cenote of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
No full textIn May 2023, a research team from A&M-SA traveled to the village of Sotuta, Yucatan State (Mexico) to explore, map and sample cenote Tres Rayos for the first time. Sampling efforts were accomplished by trained scientific divers included the collection of aquatic invertebrates, sediment, and water samples. Cenote Tres Rayos is a pit style cave submerged with fresh groundwater that descends to a depth of ~260 ft (~87 m) and located on private land on ~250 acres of undeveloped jungle habitat. In this study, sediment samples were subject to eDNA and processed using genome skimming to evaluate and characterize the diversity of eukaryotes, emphasizing Metazoa (animals). These data will serve as a baseline for the study of groundwater health of cenotes located near urban zones, agricultural and chemical processing plants and other areas of human impact and pollution
The Visible Hand of Lawyers: Attorneys’ Selection, White-Collar Fraud, and Criminal Sentences
Get PDFIn the American white-collar fraud prosecution system, attorneys stand between fraudsters and criminal justice. Based on the theory of access literature, this manuscript explores whether attorneys’ selection moderates the relationship between severity of crime and criminal sentence. Collected data from 1,872 white-collar crimes between 2002 and 2020 prosecuted in San Antonio, Texas, test this hypothesis. Findings evidence that attorneys’ selection influences up to 10 percent of the criminal sentence (+,- 64 days). Socioeconomic control variables result in statistical significance, while demographics lack this condition. These findings suggest that fraudsters have incentives to maximize the defrauded amount to gain higher-quality legal access to maintain the ambiguity of the legitimacy of the sources while minimizing criminal sentences if any. A supplementary statistical analysis enhances the reliability of the findings
Care in the Academic Research Enterprise: Reflections and a Call to Action from the Inaugural Convening of Care
Get PDFEnvironmental House Calls Can Reduce Symptoms of Chemical Intolerance: A Demonstration of Personalized Exposure Medicine
Get PDFAim: The goals of this investigation were to 1) identify and measure exposures inside homes of individuals with chemical intolerance (CI), 2) provide guidance for reducing these exposures, and 3) determine whether our environmental house calls (EHCs) intervention could reduce both symptoms and measured levels of indoor air contaminants.
Background: CI is an international public health and clinical concern, but few resources are available to address patients’ often disabling symptoms. Numerous studies show that levels of indoor air pollutants can be two to five (or more) times higher than outdoor levels. Fragranced consumer products, including cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and personal care products, are symptom triggers commonly reported by susceptible individuals.
Methods: A team of professionals trained and led by a physician/industrial hygienist and a certified indoor air quality specialist conducted a series of 5 structured EHCs in 37 homes of patients reporting CI. Results: We report three case studies demonstrating that an appropriately structured home intervention can teach occupants how to reduce indoor air exposures and associated symptoms. Symptom improvement, documented using the Quick Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory Symptom Star, corresponded with the reduction of indoor air volatile organic compounds, most notably fragrances. These results provide a deeper dive into 3 of the 37 cases described previously in Perales et al. (2022).
Discussion: We address the long-standing dilemma that worldwide reports of fragrance sensitivity have not previously been confirmed by human or animal challenge studies. Our ancient immune systems’ ‘first responders’, mast cells, which evolved 500 million years ago, can be sensitized by synthetic organic chemicals whose production and use have grown exponentially since World War II. We propose that these chemicals, which include now-ubiquitous fragrances, trigger mast cell degranulation and inflammatory mediator release in the olfactory-limbic tract, thus altering cerebral blood flow and impairing mood, memory, and concentration (often referred to as ‘brain fog’). The time has come to translate these research findings into clinical and public health practice