DUST AND BREATH: Faith, Health, and Why the Church Should Care about Both By Kend Hotz and Matthew Mathews

Through individual case studies from inner city Memphis, the book illustrates instances of illness that can be connected pastorally with sin and redemption through faith in Christ

An Investigation of the Kinetics and Equilibrium Chemistry of Cold-Brew Coffee: Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid Concentrations as a Function of Roasting Temperature and Grind Size

Abstract: Recently, both small and large commercial coffee brewers have begun offering cold-brew coffee drinks to customers with the claims that these cold-water extracts contain fewer bitter acids due to brewing conditions (Toddy website, 2016) while still retaining the flavor profile. Dunkin Donuts’ website suggests that the cold-water and long brewing times allow the coffee to reach “... its purest form.” With very little research existent on the chemistry of cold brew coffee consumers are left to the marketing strategies of Starbucks and other companies regarding the contents of cold-brew coffee. This research analyzes the caffeine and chlorogenic acid (3-CGA) content of cold-brew coffee as a function of brewing time, grind size, and roasting temperature of coffee beans sourced from the Kona region of Hawaii using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Coarse and medium grinds of both dark and medium roasts were analyzed by mixing 350mL of filtered water with 35g of coffee grinds under constant stirring at 20°C. Sampling was performed every 15 minutes for the first hour, then every 30 minutes for the next ten to twelve hours, with a final sample being drawn at 24hours. Equilibrium concentrations for both 3-CGA and caffeine were reached following 600 minutes. The caffeine concentrations ranged from 935mg/L to 1475mg/L. Variation was seen as a function of roasting temperature, and less so grind size. The 3-CGA concentrations were found to range from 345mg/L to 547mg/L. In both cases, the medium roast coarse grind coffee produced the highest concentrations of caffeine and 3-CGA while dark roast coarse grind produced the lowest concentrations of caffeine and 3-CGA. Hot brew experiments agreed well with caffeine and 3-CGA extraction concentrations in both dark roast coffees, showing very similar final concentrations. The medium roast coffees showed deviation from the hot brew coffees with respect to caffeine, indicating the need for additional experimentation to determine the role of water temperature in the availability of caffeine during extraction

Following Ariadne's thread: a qualitative exploration of the relevance of spirituality in experiences of problem substance use and of spiritual engagement in processes of recovery, with particular reference to the experience of men living in Scotland

Aims This study explored the relevance of spirituality to experiences of drug and alcohol addiction and recovery from addiction with specific reference to the experience of men in long-term recovery living in Scotland. Methods The study consisted of two phases. Phase One involved thematic analysis of interviews with individuals representing diverse standpoints. Phase Two involved Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of interviews with men in recovery who identified spirituality as important to their process. Findings Phase One data provided an overview of the issues underpinning spirituality and addiction recovery and generated five superordinate themes: The Spiritual Quest; Addiction Narratives: from initiation to rock bottom; I Have My Life Back: the road to recovery; Supporting Recovery and Delivering Treatment; and The Spiritual Journey of Recovery. Phase Two described personal accounts from addiction to recovery via various spiritual paths and generated three superordinate themes: Myths and Archetypes; Darkness and Light; and Lessons for Recovery. This phase was also associated with development of a novel shamanically-informed adjunct to the qualitative data analysis. Spirituality also facilitated self-awareness, reflexivity and gender identity among study participants. These findings informed the development of a novel labyrinth model which reflects the inner journey of recovery. Conclusions For the participants of this study, spirituality formed an important dimension of addiction recovery. Concepts of spirituality that emerged were typically eclectic and characterised by deepening spiritual awareness and connection with self, others, nature and (a) higher power. While Scotland faces an epidemic of drug-related deaths, especially among older men from the most deprived communities, study findings suggest that spirituality may provide a protective function by enhancing hope, meaning and purpose. Practice and policy implications include raising awareness of the relevance of spirituality, embedding spirituality within addiction recovery programmes, and reducing barriers to spiritually informed interventions for people in recovery

Reducing the burden of acute respiratory distress syndrome: The case for early intervention and the potential role of the emergency department

The mortality for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains unacceptably high. Success in clinical trials has been limited, resulting in a lack of effective therapies to treat the syndrome. The projected increase in mechanically ventilated patients and global need for critical care services suggests that the clinical and research landscape in ARDS can no longer be confined to the intensive care unit (ICU). A demonstrable minority of patients present to the emergency department (ED) with ARDS, and ARDS onset typically occurs shortly after ICU admission. Furthermore, the ED is an entry point for many of the highest risk patients for ARDS development and progression. These facts, combined with prolonged lengths of stay in the ED, suggest that the ED could represent a window of opportunity for treatment and preventive strategies, as well as clinical trial enrollment. This review aims to discuss some of the potential strategies which may prevent or alter the trajectory of ARDS, with a focus on the potential role the ED could play in reducing the burden of this syndrome

Emergency department hyperoxia is associated with increased mortality in mechanically ventilated patients: A cohort study

Definitions of comorbid conditions. (DOCX 13 kb

Detection of rapid orbital expansion of Saturn’s moon Titan

The Saturn satellite system is a complex dynamical system with several gravitational interactions happening between the satellites, the rings and the central body, such as resonances, librations and tides. These intricate dynamics carry information on the formation and evolution of the Saturn and Solar systems

Theology, News and Notes - Vol. 57, No. 01

Theology News & Notes was a theological journal published by Fuller Theological Seminary from 1954 through 2014.https://digitalcommons.fuller.edu/tnn/1166/thumbnail.jp

Creating a Community: Stories of Resilience at Providence College

Patrick Fuller ’21 Major: Psychology Nicholas Crenshaw ’20 Major: History Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mary O’Keeffe, Psychology Creating a Community: Stories of Resilience is inspired by both the work of MIT Professor Daniel Jackson, in Portraits of Resilience, and the concept of StoryCorps, an audio catalogue of “humanity’s stories.” We recorded tales of resilience from students, faculty, and staff at Providence College using the video chat program Zoom and the audio recording platform Zencastr. In doing so, we emphasized the “ordinary” nature of resilience and how basic protections like a healthy brain, close relationships, committed families, and effective communities have all been linked to high resilience (Masten, 2014). Participants in oral history projects commonly view sharing personal stories positively, and they find value in knowing that others may benefit from hearing about their experiences

Molecular approaches to the study of marine cyanophages

Cyanophages are thought to play an important role in the mortality and clonal composition of marine Synechococcus spp., and have been shown to be widespread throughout the world's oceans. However, relatively little research has been made into the molecular analysis of marine cyanophages. This study continued previous research to develop molecular probes (PCR primers) which would specifically detect cyanophages which infect marine Synechococcus spp., and be used to interrogate natural marine cyanophage populations. An attempt was made to develop a rapid technique for quantifying marine cyanophages, using competitive PCR (cPCR). For the development of cyanophage-specific PCR primers, several cyanophages which infected Synechococcus sp. strains WH7803 and WH80 18 were isolated from coastal Bermuda and the Sargasso Sea. A region of DNA had previously been found which showed homology amongst several marine cyanophages, and to T4 gene 20, which encodes a minor capsid protein. Homologues from three cyanophages were completely sequenced, and two, potentially cyanophage-specific, PCR primers were designed. The primers detected only marine cyanophages which belonged to the family Myoviridae, regardless of the geographical location of their isolation. They also detected cyanophages which infected different marine Synechococcus spp. strains, and therefore provide a more comprehensive tool than infective methods. The primers were able to detect as few as 190 cyanophages Ilr1, which would correspond to an in situ concentration of 103 PFU mH. The PCR should therefore detect most natural concentrations of marine cyanophages in surface waters, especially with prior concentration from seawater. Preliminary experiments showed that PCR products could be obtained from as little as I III of un concentrated seawater. PCR therefore provides a sensitive method for the detection of marine cyanophages, which is far more rapid than traditional infection techniques. Quantification by cPCR was attempted. An internal competitor was constructed, and a calibration curve was drawn for three cyanophages, with a loglinear relationship over ca. three orders of magnitude of cyanophage numbers. This demonstrates that rapid quantification of a known marine cyanophage is possible. However, cPCR of the three different cyanophages resulted in three different calibration curves. Hence, quantification of a marine sample containing a mixture of cyanophages was not yet possible. The cyanophage-specific primers were then applied to marine samples which were collected whilst on the AMT-2 cruise, from Port Stanley (Falkland Islands) to Plymouth (UK). Cyanophages were concentrated by tangential flow filtration, and PCR products were obtained from most of the surface samples throughout the Atlantic Ocean. Products from some of the stations were sequenced, providing novel genetic information of natural marine cyanophage populations. The results showed that cyanophage populations were highly diverse, with at least twelve genetically different cyanomyoviruses in one sample. Some sequences obtained from the same sample were clearly very similar to each other, whilst others within a sample could be as diverse as those isolated from different oceans. However, very similar sequences were obtained from some samples separated by thousands of miles, in different hemispheres, or even in different oceans