Religiously Involved Black Male Engagement at Religiously Affiliated Predominately White Institutions

Research studies have indicated that Black male collegians have the lowest retention rates in the higher education setting in predominately White institutional (PWI) settings. Several factors, such as spirituality, involvement on campus, and other positive experiences are cited as contributing to a lower retention rate for Black males in the PWI higher education setting; however, research in the PWI religiously affiliated setting has been limited. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the campus engagement experiences of religiously involved Black males who attended religiously affiliated PWIs. Astin\u27s student involvement theory and Astin, Astin, and Lindholm\u27s findings on spiritual development in the higher education setting are used as a conceptual framework. The research questions explored how religiously involved Black males who were at religiously affiliated PWIs during college described their campus engagement experiences, how their religious belief influenced their campus engagement, and how other factors influenced their campus engagement and contributed to their graduation. Interviews with 8 Black male participants were analyzed for codes and themes using Merriam and Tisdell\u27s coding method. The themes that emerged suggested that although participants perceived initial negative experiences, overall, they had positive campus experiences due to involvement experiences. The participants recalled that their religious engagement fostered more participation in religious involvement, developed their spiritual identity, and that family and community fostered engagement. This study may contribute to positive social change by providing administrators of religiously affiliated PWIs with approaches to increase the engagement and retention of Black male students

Thermally induced mixing of water dominated interstellar ices

Despite considerable attention in the literature being given to the desorption behaviour of smaller volatiles, the thermal properties of complex organics, such as ethanol (C2H5OH), which are predicted to be formed within interstellar ices, have yet to be characterized. With this in mind, reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS) and temperature programmed desorption (TPD) have been used to probe the adsorption and desorption of C2H5OH deposited on top of water (H2O) films of various thicknesses grown on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) at 98 K. Unlike many other molecules detected within interstellar ices, C2H5OH has a comparable sublimation temperature to H2O and therefore gives rise to a complicated desorption pro. le. RAIRS and TPD show that C2H5OH is incorporated into the underlying ASW film during heating, due to a morphology change in both the C2H5OH and H2O ices. Desorption peaks assigned to C2H5OH co-desorption with amorphous, crystalline (CI) and hexagonal H2O-ice phases, in addition to C2H5OH multilayer desorption are observed in the TPD. When C2H5OH is deposited beneath ASW films, or is co-deposited as a mixture with H2O, complete co-desorption is observed, providing further evidence of thermally induced mixing between the ices. C2H5OH is also shown to modify the desorption of H2O at the ASW-CI phase transition. This behaviour has not been previously reported for more commonly studied volatiles found within astrophysical ices. These results are consistent with astronomical observations, which suggest that gas-phase C2H5OH is localized in hotter regions of the ISM, such as hot cores

Hunter-Gatherer Color Naming Provides New Insight into the Evolution of Color Terms

SummaryMost people name the myriad colors in the environment using between two and about a dozen color terms [1], with great variation within and between languages [2]. Investigators generally agree that color lexicons evolve from fewer terms to more terms, as technology advances and color communication becomes increasingly important [3]. However, little is understood about the color naming systems at the least technologically advanced end of the continuum. The Hadza people of Tanzania are nomadic hunter-gatherers who live a subsistence lifestyle that was common before the advent of agriculture (see Supplemental Experimental Procedures, section I; [4]), suggesting that the Hadzane language should be at an early stage of color lexicon evolution. When Hadza, Somali, and US informants named 23 color samples, Hadza informants named only the black, white, and red samples with perfect consensus. Otherwise, they used low-consensus terms or responded “don’t know.” However, even low-consensus color terms grouped test colors into lexical categories that aligned with those found in other world languages [5]. Furthermore, information-theoretic analysis showed that color communication efficiency within the Hadza, Somali, and US language communities falls on the same continuum as other world languages. Thus, the structure of color categories is in place in Hadzane, even though words for many of the categories are not in general use. These results suggest that even very simple color lexicons include precursors of many color categories but that these categories are initially represented in a diverse and distributed fashion

The HF-CGM study: An analysis of cardiogoniometric axes in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy

Goal: The HF-CGM is a proof-of-principle study to investigate whether cardiogoniometry (CGM), a three-dimensional electrocardiographic method, can differentiate between pacing modes in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Methods: At a tertiary cardiology center, CGM recordings were performed using four pacing modes: no pacing; right ventricular (RV) pacing; left ventricular (LV) pacing, and biventricular (BIV) pacing. Three orthogonal CGM planes orientated to the long axis (XY), the frontal plane (YZ), and the short axis (XZ) of the heart were constructed, and the direction of the QRS-axis was calculated for each pacing mode in each plane. During BIV pacing, the direction of CGM QRS-axis was compared between patients with optimal and nonoptimal 12-lead pacing variables. Results: Twenty-two participants (aged 71.5 ± 10.8; 77.3% male, LVEF 29 ± 7%) were consecutively recruited. Only QRS-axis measured in the XY plane could significantly distinguish between all three pacing modes versus no pacing. Mean QRS-axis in the XY plane with pacing off and during RV pacing was leftward and basal; LV pacing was apical; and BIV pacing was rightward and basal. There was a statistically significant difference in the direction of the QRS-axis between patients with optimal versus nonoptimal paced QRS morphology in the XY plane (rightward and basal versus inconsistent). Significance : CGM recorded in the XY plane can accurately detect differences between ventricular pacing sites. It may also be able to identify patients with a CRT device in situ who have optimal response

“Your Picture Looks the Same as My Picture”: An Examination of Passing in Transgender Communities

Transgender people remain one of the groups most susceptible to discrimination in the U.S. Previous studies have examined the discrimination and stress transgender people face, but few studies have examined trans identities using existing sociological theories of marginalized groups and identity formation. Using the theories of Dubois and Cooley, this study explores identity formation in conjunction with the phenomenon of passing among transgender people residing in Nebraska. Results suggest that while trans people do pass as a mechanism for subverting discrimination, there are other factors that influence an individual’s choice and strategy to pass or not. The current investigation lends a sociological perspective on the social aspect of gender presentation and gender visibility for trans individuals in a largely conservative Midwestern state

Combating Cancer Through Public Health Practice in the United States: An In-Depth Look at the National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program

Cancer is the second leading cause of the death in the United States (U.S.). The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) is a national, public health practice program funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The NCCCP has been planning and implementing interventions to reduce the burden of cancer since 1998. Interventions are implemented across three areas primary prevention, early detection, and survivorship using health systems and environmental changes to promote sustainable cancer control. The aim of this chapter is to provide a summary of the NCCCP, and highlight specific examples of interventions and successes to aid cancer planning in other countries. Cancer plan analyses show that all NCCCP participant cancer plans address reducing tobacco use for cancer prevention and 98% contain activities to increase colorectal cancer screening. The vast majority implement activities to improve the quality of life following a cancer diagnosis (94%). Relatively fewer cancer plans contain activities to reduce radon exposure (42%), promote human papilloma virus vaccination (62%), and incorporate the use of genomics in cancer control (56%). The examples of NCCCP activities demonstrate success in controlling cancer and other non-communicable diseases through public health practice

Nurses\u27 Alumnae Association Bulletin - Volume 7 Number 11

Anna M. Shafer Barton Memorial Division Births Changes in the Ophthalmology Division Change of Address Clara Melville Fund Continental Tour Deceased Digest of Meetings Inter-County Hospitalization Plan Katherine Childs\u27 Letter Lost Members Marriages Miscellaneous Nursing Home Committee\u27s Report Physical Advantages President James L. Kauffman\u27s Letter President\u27s Greeting Private Duty Section Prizes Relief Fund School Nursing Silhouette of a Public Health Nurse Rooming-in of Infant with Mother Staff Activities The Student White Haven Divisio

High rates of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension upon a screening campaign in rural Rwanda: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Hypertension remains the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) worldwide with a prevalence and mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) among the highest. The early detection of hypertension risk factors is a crucial pillar for CVD prevention. DESIGN AND METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 4284 subjects, mean age 46 ± 16SD, 56.4% females and mean BMI 26.6 ± 3.7 SD. Data were collected through a screening campaign in rural area of Kirehe District, Eastern of Rwanda, with the objective to characterize and examine the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (BP) and other CVD risk factors. An adapted tool from the World Health Organization STEPwise Approach was used for data collection. Elevated BP was defined as ≥ 140/90 mm/Hg and elevated blood glucose as blood glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL after a 6-h fast. RESULTS: Of the sampled population, 21.2% (n = 910) had an elevated BP at screening; BP was elevated among individuals not previously known to have HTN in 18.7% (n = 752). Among individuals with a prior diagnosis of HTN, 62.2% (n = 158 of 254) BP was uncontrolled. Age, weight, smoking, alcohol history and waist circumference were associated with BP in both univariate analyses and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: High rates of elevated BP identified through a health screening campaign in this Rwandan district were surprising given the rural characteristics of the district and relatively low population age. These data highlight the need to implement an adequate strategy for the prevention, diagnosis, and control of HTN that includes rural areas of Rwanda as part of a multicomponent strategy for CVD prevention

Arp2/3 complex inhibition radically alters lamellipodial actin architecture, suspended cell shape, and the cell spreading process

© The Author(s), 2015. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Molecular Biology of the Cell 26 (2015): 887-900, doi:10.1091/mbc.E14-07-1244.Recent studies have investigated the dendritic actin cytoskeleton of the cell edge's lamellipodial (LP) region by experimentally decreasing the activity of the actin filament nucleator and branch former, the Arp2/3 complex. Here we extend these studies via pharmacological inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex in sea urchin coelomocytes, cells that possess an unusually broad LP region and display correspondingly exaggerated centripetal flow. Using light and electron microscopy, we demonstrate that Arp2/3 complex inhibition via the drug CK666 dramatically altered LP actin architecture, slowed centripetal flow, drove a lamellipodial-to-filopodial shape change in suspended cells, and induced a novel actin structural organization during cell spreading. A general feature of the CK666 phenotype in coelomocytes was transverse actin arcs, and arc generation was arrested by a formin inhibitor. We also demonstrate that CK666 treatment produces actin arcs in other cells with broad LP regions, namely fish keratocytes and Drosophila S2 cells. We hypothesize that the actin arcs made visible by Arp2/3 complex inhibition in coelomocytes may represent an exaggerated manifestation of the elongate mother filaments that could possibly serve as the scaffold for the production of the dendritic actin network.This research was supported by National Science Foundation STEP grant 0856704 to Dickinson College, student/faculty summer research grants from the Dickinson College Research and Development Committee, Laura and Arthur Colwin Summer Research Fellowships from the Marine Biological Laboratory to J.H.H. and C.B.S., National Institutes of Health Grant EB002583 to R.O., and National Science Foundation collaborative research grants to J.H.H. (MCB-1412688) and C.B.S. (MCB-1412734)

Taking Blockchain Seriously

In the present techno-political moment it is clear that ignoring or dismissing the hype surrounding blockchain is unwise, and certainly for regulatory authorities and governments who must keep a grip on the technology and those promoting it, in order to ensure democratic accountability and regulatory legitimacy within the blockchain ecosystem and beyond. Blockchain is telling (and showing) us something very important about the evolution of capital and neoliberal economic reason, and the likely impact in the near future on forms and patterns of work, social organization, and, crucially, on communities and individuals who lack influence over the technologies and data that increasingly shape and control their lives. In this short essay I introduce some of the problems in the regulation of blockchain and offer counter-narratives aimed at cutting through the hype fuelling the ascendency of this most contemporary of technologies