Constructing The Political Identity Of Generation Next: A Focus Group Study

In the midst of an election season, research in the areas of politics and democratic engagement become increasingly important. Framed by concepts from social constructionism, this study used focus group interviews to better understand salient political values and citizenship norms among America\u27s youth. Through personal experience and reflection, participants in this qualitative study were able to produce meaningful data from which one may draw general conclusions. The three major themes appeared as 1) socialization & development, 2) lack of faith, and 3) expanded notions of citizenship and engagement. Ultimately, results from this study suggested that America\u27s youth have constructed a subjective political reality in which effective political participation is characterized by personal action rather than adherence to an established political system and its respective modes of participation

De novo head and neck cancer after liver transplant with antibody-based immunosuppression induction

Background Powerful antibody-based immunosuppression induction is now used routinely during organ transplantation, and may place patients at even higher risk of post-transplant cancer. Materials and Methods Incidence of de-novo head and neck cancer was extracted from the records of 1685 consecutive adult, deceased donor liver transplant recipients with a minimum 1-year follow-up from 2001 to 2015. There were 121 patients positively identified as having developed de-novo head and neck cancer post-liver transplant. Records of these patients were analyzed to determine demographics, history of cancer pre-liver transplant, de-novo cancer type and location, treatment modalities, and alcohol and tobacco exposure. Results Of the 121 patients who developed cancer of the head and neck (7%), there were 103 cutaneous (6%) and 25 non-cutaneous (1%). For non-cutaneous cancers, factors associated with increased risk of cancer included alcohol abuse (p<0.001), any smoking history (p=0.05), and increasing exposure to tobacco (p<0.01). Ten-year Cox regression patient survival demonstrates a survival disadvantage for patients who develop non-cutaneous cancer (p=0.06), but a survival advantage for patients who develop cutaneous cancer (p<0.01). Conclusions The incidence and pattern of head and neck cancer in this population of liver transplant patients was similar to those published previously, suggesting that induction immunosuppression does not increase risk of these types of cancers. Long term survival was worse for patients with non-cutaneous cancers, but better for those with cutaneous cancers, though the reason is unclear

Feyerabend and incommensurability

I consider only the semantic claims of Paul Feyerabend's incommensurability thesis. These semantic claims are that incommensurable scientific theories, taken paradigmatically as successive theories: (1) are inconsistent; (2) the terms of one theory differ in meaning to those of another incommensurable theory; and (3) the claims of one theory are largely logically independent of the other. Since the inconsistency claim (1) is essential to Feyerabend's argument (against the Received View on theory reduction and explanation), I claim that (2) and (3) must be understood in the light of (1), and that (3) must be revised to avoid contradiction with (1). Feyerabend's semantic theory supporting (3) is presented and found wanting. Two other main arguments against (3) are also considered. The first is the causal theory of reference (of Putnam and Devitt), including causal descriptive theories advocated by Kitcher and Psillos; none of these theories is found to offer compelling reasons to reject (3). The second main argument against (3) is Donald Davidson's essay 'On the Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme', and a close reading of Davidson's paper is offered. I find that Davidson does offer convincing reasons for rejecting any implication by (3) that the languages of incommensurable theories are not intertranslatable, or that such theories are closed cognitive frameworks. However, I agree with Larry Laudan that Davidson does not deliver a fatal blow to the semantic incommensurabihty thesis because: (a) incommensurability need not entail nontranslatability; and (b) Davidson's semantic arguments do not succeed in demonstrating that the very notion of a conceptual scheme is incoherent. I present briefly two versions of the semantic incommensurability thesis which are consistent in an interesting way with (1), (2) and a revised (3), namely taxonomic incommensurability and a model of misinterpretation in intractable conflicts

Characterization of riparian vegetation in agriculture drains impacted by Phragmites australis: A SW Ontario case study

Drainage systems in agricultural landscapes are a key component for the surrounding natural environment. They provide important services such as nutrient mitigation, flood and erosion control, and other environmental services such as sources of food for animals and areas for biodiversity. Unfortunately for these drain systems, these services are often reduced because of the reed grass Phragmites australis. This invasive plant grows in dense stands within drains, impacting water flow which can cause flooding. The knowledge base surrounding this issue is massive, because the problems with Phragmites have existed for decades. We have efficient ways of removing Phragmites but there are still many variables within this environmental issue that has yet to be studied. There are few research projects looking into the vegetational communities with the systems and what else grows within these aquatic systems alongside Phragmites. We can manage this plant, but what else can grow there? To answer this knowledge gap, researchers from the Healthy Headwaters Lab conducted surveys of multiple drains across Windsor-Essex County in the Spring/Summer (May-June) and Fall (September-October) of 2021. At each site they recorded water quality, sampled benthic macroinvertebrates, and conducted vegetational surveys across the entire drain. This data is currently being explored using statistical software R Studio and initial analysis are set to be run in the coming weeks. The goal of this research was to address the lack of knowledge behind the vegetational communities within drainage systems, and to hopefully contribute to the science behind Phragmites management