Queer orientations: Researching vital sexualities

Modern sexualities have been studied in various ways as 'orientations', 'identities', 'forms of existence' and ways of living. The paper explores the implications of diverse conceptualisation of contemporary sexualities for how we might research them. In particular, it interrogates what 'queer' orientations to the study of sexualities involve, and how these could be developed to more fully comprehend their vitality

Exploring dating app intimacies during COVID-19 in the UK: a protocol for a mixed- methods study on the impact of dating apps on intimacy, resilience, and wellbeing [ES/W002426/1]

This protocol outlines a mixed-methods study explore the dynamics of intimacy on dating apps before, during and after the crisis years of COVID-19 in the UK; how these influenced/were influenced by different gendered and sexual cultures of relating; and their impact on personal resilience, viral risk, and wellbeing. The project examines diverse gendered and sexual cultures, emphasizing the experiences of LGBT+ communities. Through a two-stage approach involving a UK-wide quantitative survey and in-depth qualitative interviews, the study explores how dating app practices influence resilience, viral risk, and intimate norms. The project aims to generate knowledge about how app-based services can be harnessed to support the social and emotional needs of diverse gendered and sexual groups during and after COVID-19 providing valuable insights into strategies for personal resilience in the face of viral risk and social during periods of social distancing.<br/

Public sex, private intimacy and sexual exclusivity in men’s formalized same-sex relationships

From SAGE Publishing via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: epub 2021-07-03Publication status: PublishedFunder: Economic and Social Research Council; FundRef: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000269; Grant(s): RES-062-23-1308This article revisits the personal stories that younger male civil partners told about their sexual practices, in what most termed their ‘marriage’, to generate insights into the extent to which they succumbed to the dangers that critics of same-sex marriage foretold. It provides a baseline analysis against which the findings of future studies of both heterosexual and same-sex marriages and civil partnerships can be compared. The data we discuss are comprised of joint (n = 25) and individual (n = 50) interviews with couples. Participants’ stories about ‘public’, ‘private’ and ‘exclusive’ sex can appear to support the predictions of some key critics. Participants tended to make commitments to sexual monogamy and link their sexual practices to deepening couple intimacy. However, viewed as stories of socioculturally shaped and biographically embedded sexual practices, they offer insights into the more complex relationships between civil partnership, marriage, sexual exclusivity and intimacy. On closer examination, they suggest it is not simply the case that civil partnership or same-sex marriage (and marriage more generally) ‘imposes’ heteronormative sexual conventions but that relational biographies are significant in shaping simultaneously conventional and deconstructive approaches to married sexuality. Partners in formalized same-sex relationships do not simply follow heterosexual norms. Rather, they juggle the often contradictory norms of mainstream and queer sexual cultures. Understanding the implications for marriage as an institution requires approaches to analysis that do not pose heterosexual marriage as the ‘straw man’ of queer analysis

Dating Apps as Health Allies? Examining the Opportunities and Challenges of dating apps as partner in public health

In recent years, dating apps have become important allies in public health. In this paper, we explore the implications of partnering with dating apps for public health. We consider the opportunities and challenges inherent in these collaborations, paying special attention to privacy, trust, and user care in a digital environment.Despite their potential as targeted public health tools, dating apps raise significant ethical concerns, including the commodification of user data and privacy breaches, which highlight the complexities of blending healthcare initiatives with for-profit digital platforms. Furthermore, the paper delves into issues of discrimination, harassment, and unequal access within these apps, factors which can undermine public health efforts.We develop a nuanced critical reflexive approach, emphasizing the development of transparent data policies, the decoupling of content moderation from health initiatives, and a commitment to combat discrimination. We underscore the importance of embedding app-based health initiatives within broader care pathways, ensuring comprehensive support beyond the digital domain. This essay offers vital insights for public health practitioners, app developers, and policymakers navigating the intersection of digital innovation and healthcare

Sequence analysis of an Archaeal virus isolated from a hypersaline lake in Inner Mongolia, China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We are profoundly ignorant about the diversity of viruses that infect the domain <it>Archaea</it>. Less than 100 have been identified and described and very few of these have had their genomic sequences determined. Here we report the genomic sequence of a previously undescribed archaeal virus.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Haloarchaeal strains with 16S rRNA gene sequences 98% identical to <it>Halorubrum saccharovorum </it>were isolated from a hypersaline lake in Inner Mongolia. Two lytic viruses infecting these were isolated from the lake water. The BJ1 virus is described in this paper. It has an icosahedral head and tail morphology and most likely a linear double stranded DNA genome exhibiting terminal redundancy. Its genome sequence has 42,271 base pairs with a GC content of ~65 mol%. The genome of BJ1 is predicted to encode 70 ORFs, including one for a tRNA. Fifty of the seventy ORFs had no identity to data base entries; twenty showed sequence identity matches to archaeal viruses and to haloarchaea. ORFs possibly coding for an origin of replication complex, integrase, helicase and structural capsid proteins were identified. Evidence for viral integration was obtained.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The virus described here has a very low sequence identity to any previously described virus. Fifty of the seventy ORFs could not be annotated in any way based on amino acid identities with sequences already present in the databases. Determining functions for ORFs such as these is probably easier using a simple virus as a model system.</p

Telomere length and pulse pressure in newly diagnosed, antipsychotic-naive patients with nonaffective psychosis

Recent studies suggest that in addition to factors such as treatment side effects, suicide, and poor health habits, people with schizophrenia may have an increased risk of diabetes prior to antipsychotic treatment. Diabetes is associated with an increased pulse pressure (PP) and a shortened telomere. We tested the hypothesis that prior to antipsychotic treatment, schizophrenia and related disorders are associated with a shortened telomere, as well as an increased PP. Methods: Telomere content (which is highly correlated with telomere length) and PP were measured in newly diagnosed, antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia and related disorders on first clinical contact and in matched control subjects. Both groups were also administered an oral glucose tolerance test. Results: Compared with control subjects, the patients with psychosis had decreased telomere content and an increased PP. As previously reported, they also had increased glucose concentrations at 2 hours. These differences could not be attributed to differences in age, ethnicity, smoking, gender, body mass index, neighborhood of residence, socioeconomic status, aerobic conditioning, or an increased cortisol concentration in the psychotic subjects. Discussion: These results suggest that prior to antipsychotic use, nonaffective psychosis is associated with reduced telomere content and increased PP, indices that have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and hypertension.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (RO1 DK069265 to B.K.); 2004 NARSAD Young Investigator Award (toE.F.E); Spanish Ministry of Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Red de Enfermedades Mentales (RD06/0011/006 to M.B.)Peer Reviewe