A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Argumentativeness Among Christians in France and Britain

This study analyzes the differences in argumentativeness between France and Britain. A total of 521 individuals in France (n = 244) and Britain (n = 277) participated in this study. Results indicate British Christians had a lower level of argumentativeness than French Christians. Religiosity was a nonsignificant predictor of total argumentativeness in France. However, in Britain, religiosity significantly predicted 37% of total argumentativeness

Ilaser Submucous Destruction in the Treatment of Hemorrhoids

Aim: to improve the results of treatment in patients with hemorrhoids of the 2nd and 3rd stages.Materials and methods. The prospective study included 60 patients with hemorrhoids of the 2nd and 3rd stages. All patients underwent destruction of internal hemorrhoids with a fiber laser with a diode pump with a wavelength of 1940 nm. The technique is based on the effect of laser energy on the cavernous tissue of the internal hemorrhoidal node and on the terminal branches of the upper rectal artery. The efficiency of the destruction of internal hemorrhoids and the frequency of relapses of the disease were evaluated. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated using anoscopy, measurement of the size of internal hemorrhoidal nodes, transrectal ultrasound with dopplerography. The analysis of the intensity of the pain syndrome, the consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the assessment of the quality of life on the SF-36 scale was carried out. Sphincterometry was performed in all patients to determine the possible effect of laser radiation on the rectal locking apparatus. To assess the possible causes of complications, a single-factor analysis of the amount of energy transferred to each hemorrhoidal node and the total amount of energy spent on the operation was conducted.Results. In all patients, by day 7 after surgery, the pain syndrome in 43 patients (75.4 %) corresponded to 0 points according to VAS. In 3 patients (5 %) intraoperative hemorrhage developed. In the early postoperative period, 5 patients (8.3 %) had 7 complications: 5 cases of thrombosis of the external hemorrhoidal node and 2 — of acute urinary retention. The conducted single-factor analysis showed the dependence of the development of complications on the energy transferred to each hemorrhoidal node and its total amount for the entire operation. In terms of up to 6 months, there were no signs of a return of the disease in any case (hemorrhoidal prolapse and blood discharge). The detected hemorrhoids before the operation, a month after the operation, were not visualized, which persisted after 6 months. The performed transrectal ultrasound examination with spectral-wave dopplerography for up to 6 months allowed to diagnose a persistent decrease in blood flow along the terminal branches of the upper rectal artery compared with preoperative values. When performed sphincterometry, there was no change in the parameters of the anal sphincter function compared to preoperative parameters.Conclusion. The proposed method applying a fiber laser with a diode pump with a wavelength of 1940 nm makes it possible to affect transdermally the internal hemorrhoidal node without damaging the mucosa of the anal canal. The absence of postoperative wounds in the anal canal leads to a decrease in pain syndrome, and by day 7 there are no clinical manifestations of hemorrhoids. The method of laser destruction of internal hemorrhoids can be used in outpatient conditions and can improve the quality of life of patients in the early postoperative period

Popularity markers on YouTube’s attention economy: the case of Bubzbeauty

This article focuses on issues of attention and popularity development in YouTube’s beauty community. I conceptualise the role of views and subscriptions as popularity markers, based on a broader ethnographic examination of 22 months of immersed fieldwork on the platform. I consider the case of Bubz, a British-Chinese beauty guru, through a purposeful sample of 80 videos. A content typology is introduced, presenting four distinctive video categories: content-oriented, market-oriented, motivational, and relational. Drawing from the concepts of ‘attention economy’ and ‘metrics of popularity’, I explore content characteristics and affordances for the creation and maintenance of viewers’ attention. I argue that the guru’s uploads lead to two types of audiences–casual viewers and loyal subscribers. Vlogs renew attention and help maintain the interest first generated by tutorials, leading to treasured subscribers–an essential commodity within YouTube’s highly competitive environment

YouTubing Difference: Performing Identity in Online Do-It-Yourself Communities

This study examines women’s performance of gender, ethnicity, and race in a “How-to & Style” YouTube community. Studying visual communities like YouTube helps us understand culturally constituted discourses as well as meaning-making practices of everyday life. Today, users actively participate and create content online, such as blogs and YouTube videos. Through textual and visual analysis, I examine a specific community of women who participate in the Beauty tips section under “How-to & Style” category on YouTube. I look at these women’s YouTube profiles, videos, and comments from their subscribers in order to reveal a deeper sense of what meaning users derive through creating videos on YouTube. I ask the following question: How do women in the YouTube Beauty community perform their identity (gender, ethnicity, and race) and ‘difference’ in their videos? In order to textually and visually analyze YouTube, I look at YouTube videos produced by a community of ordinary women. After analyzing the videos and the dialogues, three themes have emerged in this project: a sense of belonging and connectedness, identity performance at the interface, and globalized fashion cultures. Underrepresented women go to YouTube to relate to others who are like them, which gives them a sense of belonging and connects them to millions of others who are craving the same connection. Through video blogs, these women perform their gender, race, and ethnicity. Finally, through creating fashion and makeup tutorials according to their different facial features and differences, I see the formation of a globalized fashion culture