Manifestations of Toxic Masculinity in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West

This article analyzes Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West (1985)—the first product of Cormac McCarthy’s borderlands immersion—by deploying the concept of “toxic masculinity,” an exaggerated masculinity related mythically to the role of the cowboy/warrior/pioneer, which creates recklessness and eventually perpetuates violence. In other words, it explores how perfunctorily embracing, or endeavoring to fulfill, hegemonic masculine ideals bring about self-destructive behaviors in McCarthy’s monolithically male characters on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s. Even though the term “toxic masculinity” was seldomly used in the 1980s when McCarthy wrote this novel, he clearly anticipates and historicizes the evolution of American masculinity as embodied by the cowboy/warrior/pioneer into a form of toxic masculinity. By doing so, he presages the gradual cultural recognition that such masculinity is not the generic standard against which all versions of gendered identity should be measured but is in fact toxic, pathological, political, and problematic. By exposing toxic cowboy mythology and deploying it to construct alternative masculinities, McCarthy questions the Frontier Thesis and Manifest Destiny while disrupting the toxic assumptions about manhood and masculine identities they were intended to uphold. The new vision McCarthy presents in Blood Meridian challenges the development of American national identity based on the vicious conquest of impoverished, discriminated, oppressed, and racialized Others and exploited, feminized nature

The influence of nanotexturing of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) films upon human ovarian cancer cell attachment

In this study, we have produced nanotextured poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) films by using polystyrene (PS) particles as a template to make a polydimethylsiloxane mould against which PLGA is solvent cast. Biocompatible, biodegradable and nanotextured PLGA films were prepared with PS particles of diameter of 57, 99, 210, and 280 nm that produced domes of the same dimension in the PLGA surface. The effect of the particulate monolayer templating method was investigated to enable preparation of the films with uniformly ordered surface nanodomes. Cell attachment of a human ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR3) alone and co-cultured with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was evaluated on flat and topographically nano-patterned surfaces. Cell numbers were observed to increase on the nanotextured surfaces compared to non-textured surfaces both with OVCAR3 cultures and OVCAR3-MSC co-cultures at 24 and 48 h time points

Acting Out Black “Mask-ulinity”: Male Struggles for Identity in Three Plays by August Wilson

In the framework of the relevant theories or concepts related to the performativity of black masculinity, this thesis analyzes the performance crisis observed among black males in Wilson s canon. As a collection of roles and performances, bell hooks plantation patriarchy, Richard Majors and Janet Billson s cool pose and Robert Staples masculine mystique concepts provide a theoretical framework to understand the ongoing crisis in black masculinity in Wilson s Joe Turner Come and Gone, Ma Rainey s Black Bottom and Fences. As a solution to this crisis, August Wilson, through his black male characters, highlights resistance to European American representations of African American manhood, promoting instead, a spiritual and cultural connection with the African American community and a recognition and appraisal of their ancestry.Siyah erkekliğin performansı ile ilgili kavramlar ve teoriler çerçevesinde, bu tez Wilson ın siyah erkekleri arasında görülen performans krizini çözümlemektedir. Roller ve performanslar derlemesi olarak bell hooks un plantasyon ataerki, Richard Majors and Janet Billson un cool duruşu ve Robert Staples in erkeklik gizemi kavramları Wilson ın Joe Turner Come and Gone, Ma Rainey s Black Bottom ve Fences oyunlarında süregelen siyah erkeklik krizini açıklamaya yönelik kuramsal bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Bu krize bir çözüm olarak, August Wilson beyaz erkek-merkezli toplumsal anlayış tarafından oluşturulan ve dayatılan siyah erkeklik temsillerine karşı çıkmayı ve bu temsillere karşı Afrikalı Amerikalı toplum ile manevi ve kültürel bağlar kurmayı ve Afrika kökeninin bilincine varmayı savunur

Multi-modal switching in responsive DNA block co-polymer conjugates

New classes of information-rich DNA block co-polymer conjugates were synthesised, encoded with thermoresponsive and biocompatible poly(tri(ethylene glycol) ethyl ether methacrylate) (pTriEGMA) chains and oligomeric nucleic acids connected by either bioreducible or non-reducible links. The pTriEGMA chains were grown from initiator-functionalised hybridised DNA, designed to assemble with toehold overhangs. Functional information in the conjugates was explored via dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), in order to evaluate (i) reversible self-assembly into supramolecular structures across the pTriEGMA phase transition temperature; (ii) conformational change via addition of competing DNA sequences across the toeholds, and (iii) reductive cleavage of polymer-DNA links. The results showed that discrete nanoscale conjugates could reversibly associate through pTriEGMA phase behaviour and that size and association behaviour in one class of conjugate could be switched by addition of a competing DNA sequence and by reduction to break the polymer-DNA links. Preliminary experiments with the DNA-conjugates as delivery systems for doxorubicin to a cancer cell line indicated good tolerability of the conjugates alone and cytotoxic efficacy when loaded with the drug

Chitosan/collagen composite films as wound dressings encapsulating allantoin and lidocaine hydrochloride

Chitosan/collagen composite scaffolds encapsulating allantoin and lidocaine hydrochloride were formulated in various ratios and characterized in vitro for their applications in wound healing. After fabrication, scaffolds were characterized in terms of topographical properties, surface roughness, and swelling behavior, and then their stabilities were monitored by hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation studies. Following compatibility studies among the active ingredients, drugs were encapsulated within scaffolds, and encapsulation efficiency and drug release studies were carried. Finally, in vitro cell viability and scratch wound healing assays were carried to assess scaffolds as wound dressings. Results suggest that blending of polymers with drugs changed topographical properties and surface roughness prominently. It is found that the formulation with chitosan/collagen ratio of 70/30 is more resistant to both hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation routes due to having favored properties of both collagen and chitosan. In vitro drug release studies indicated rapid release of drugs, hence the scaffolds could be advantageous for patients that need an immediate anesthetic effect in wound healing therapy. The cell culture studies demonstrated that the chitosan/collagen composite scaffolds showed no toxicity, and cell migrations were increased depending on the collagen ratio in scaffolds. These results suggest that chitosan/collagen scaffolds combined with allantoin and lidocaine hydrochloride could be a promising candidate for wound healing applications

Study of the structures of free nipecotic acid and nipecotamide molecules and their complexes by using vibrational spectroscopy

Bu çalışmanın; teorik kısmında C6H11NO2 (nipecotic acid) ve C6H12N2O (nipecotamide) genel formülü ile verilen ligandların IR (400-4000 cm-1 bölgesinde) ve Raman (50-3500 cm-1 bölgesinde) spektrumları kaydedilip bu ligandlara ait titreşim frekans ve kipleri saptandı. Ligandların titreşim frekansları için işaretleme önerildi. Gaussian03 bilgisayar programı yardımıyla ligandların, geometrik yapı parametreleri( bağ uzunlukları, bağ açıları), teorik titreşim frekans değerleri elde edildi ve bu değerler deneysel sonuçlarla karşılaştırıldı. Nipecotic acid molekülünün 6 izomer, 1 tautomer formu için DFT B3LYP metot ve 6-31 G(d) baz setinde yapılan hesaplamalarda en kararlı form NA-1 formu; nipecotamide molekülünün 4 izomer, 2 tautomer formu için DFT B3LYP metot ve 6-311++G(d,p) baz setinde yapılan hesaplamalarda ise en kararlı form N-1 formu olarak bulundu. Çalışmanın deneysel kısmında ise; MX2L2 (M=Zn; X=Cl, Br, I; L=Nipecotic Acid/Nipecotamide) genel formülü ile verilen kompleksler ilk defa elde edildi. Komplekslerin IR spektrumları kaydedilerek titreşim frekans ve kipleri saptandı; C,H,N analizi sonuçları verildi. Bileşiklerin ligand frekanslarında bileşik oluşumu nedeniyle, serbest ligand molekülüne göre kaymalar gözlendi. Bu kaymaların halojene bağlı olarak değiştiği ve ligandın iç titreşimleri ile metal-ligand bağı titreşimleri arasındaki mekanik çiftlenimden kaynaklandığı şeklinde yorumlandı. Bu çalışmada ayrıca nipecotic acid ve nipecotamide molekül dimerlerinde etkileşme enerjisi de incelenmiştir.In the theoretical part of this study, the IR (400-4000 cm-1 region) and Raman (50-3500 cm-1 region) spectra of the ligands with the general formula C6H11NO2 (nipecotic acid) and C6H12N2O (nipecotamide) were recorded, and vibrational frequencies of the normal modes were determined. Assignments for the vibrational frequencies were proposed. The structural parameters (bond lengths and bond angles) and vibrational frequencies were obtained by using Gaussian03 computer program. The theoretical and experimental results were compared. Among the 6 isomeric and 1 tautomeric forms of nipecotic acid molecule, the NA-1 form was found to be the most stable one as a result of the DFT B3LYP/6-31G(d) level of calculations. The N-1 form was the most stable form among 4 isomers and 2 tautomers of nipecotamide molecule at the DFT B3LYP/6-311 + + G (d, p) level of calculations. In the experimental part of the study; the complexes of the general formula MX2L2 (M = Zn, X = Cl, Br, I, L = Nipecotic Acid / Nipecotamide) were obtained for the first time. IR spectra of the complexes were recorded, vibrational frequencies and normal modes were determined. C, H, N analysis results were given. Due to the complex formation, shiftings in the vibrational frequencies of the compounds with respect to the free ligand were observed. These shiftings vary depending on the halogen, and they were caused by the mechanical coupling of the metal-ligand bond vibrations with the ligand's internal vibrations. In this study, the interaction energies in dimers of nipecotic acid and nipecotamide molecules were also investigated

The influence of nanotexturing of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) films upon human ovarian cancer cell attachment

In this study, we have produced nanotextured poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) films by using polystyrene (PS) particles as a template to make a polydimethylsiloxane mould against which PLGA is solvent cast. Biocompatible, biodegradable and nanotextured PLGA films were prepared with PS particles of diameter of 57, 99, 210, and 280 nm that produced domes of the same dimension in the PLGA surface. The effect of the particulate monolayer templating method was investigated to enable preparation of the films with uniformly ordered surface nanodomes. Cell attachment of a human ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR3) alone and co-cultured with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was evaluated on flat and topographically nano-patterned surfaces. Cell numbers were observed to increase on the nanotextured surfaces compared to non-textured surfaces both with OVCAR3 cultures and OVCAR3-MSC co-cultures at 24 and 48 h time points

Advancements and future directions in the antibacterial wound dressings - A review

Wound repair is a complex process that has not been entirely understood. It can conclude in several irregularities. Hence, designing an appropriate wound dressing that can accelerate the healing period is critical. Infections, a major obstacle to wound repair, cause an elevated inflammatory responses and result in ultimate outcome of incomplete and prolonged wound repair. To overcome these shortcomings, there is a growing requirement for antibacterial wound dressings. Dressings with antibacterial activities and multifunctional behaviors are highly anticipated to avoid the wound infection for successful healing. The aim of this review is not only to concentrate on the importance of antibacterial dressings for wound healing applications but also to discuss recent studies and some future perspectives about antibacterial wound dressings

“Where’s The All-Amerıcan Cowboy?”: The Demythologızatıon of Amerıcan Masculınıty in Cormac Mccarthy’s Western Novels

This dissertation analyzes Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West (1985), All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994), and Cities of the Plain (1998), and scrutinizes his portraits of cowboy masculinity. In these Westerns, McCarthy engages with the implicit realities of the American West, a legacy that is still exalted and eulogized by American men. He exposes the deep crisis at the heart of frontier myths, and uses the failing cowboy figure as a critique of mainstream American culture that still positions white men in relation to cowboy masculinity. His cowboys are threatened by industrialization and exploitive schemes that cut them off from freedom and the individualism they need to survive. However, above all, they are paralyzed by the conflict between the masculine space of the frontier and the feminine responsibilities of civilization. McCarthy’s western novels address this ordeal, unraveling the struggles of a certain class of American men—mostly white, middleclass, Christian and heterosexual—to exemplify the trappings of increasingly anachronistic masculine signifiers, and to explore the degree to which their perception of manhood has legitimized and, at the same time, confined them, while dehumanizing and objectifying others. By drawing on insights from Masculinity Studies, this dissertation examines how McCarthy’s western novels explore male subjectivity, and destabilize and demythologize American masculinity. McCarthy stresses that American men, who are already caught between their own values and their homosocial performances, have to abandon their toxic, misogynistic, homophobic, racist, antienvironmentalist, and violent ideas of cowboy masculinity, and embrace a more inclusive one. The key to survival in this vexed post-West world turns out not to be adherence to the old regional myths and conventions—no matter how attractive that might seem—but instead, a turn towards healthier masculinities.Bu tez, Cormac McCarthy’nin Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West (1985), All the Pretty Horses (1992), The Crossing (1994) ve Cities of the Plain (1998) romanlarını inceleyerek yazarın kovboy erkekliği betimlemelerini çözümlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. McCarthy, yazdığı western romanlarında ABD’deki erkeklik kültürünün/yapısının/zümresinin bir kültürel miras olarak gördüğü ve günümüzde de yücelterek övmeye devam ettiği Amerikan Batısı’nın örtülü gerçeklikleri ile ilgilenir. McCarthy sınır mitlerinin temelindeki derin krizi açığa çıkarır ve beyaz erkekliği kavramını hala kovboy erkekliği ile özdeşleştiren egemen Amerikan kültürünü eleştirmek için başarısız (ve kaybolmakta) olan kovboy figürünü kullanır. Romanlarındaki karakterler var olmaları için ihtiyaç duydukları bireycilikten ve özgürlüklerinden kendilerini uzaklaştıran sanayileşme ve sömürücü düzenlerden dolayı köşeye sıkışmıştır. Bundan da öte, sınır mekanının erkeksi doğası ve uygarlığın kadınsal sorumlulukları arasındaki çatışmadan dolayı deyim yerindeyse felç olmuşlardır. McCarthy’nin western romanları bu sınanmayı irdelerken, belirli bir sınıftaki— çoğunlukla beyaz, orta sınıf, Hristiyan ve heteroseksüel—erkeklerin mücadelesini ortaya koyup, bu erkeklerin artık zamanı geçmiş/unutulmaya yüz tutmuş erkeklik tanımlamalarını örneklendirir. Erkeklik Çalışmaları Alanı, Cormac McCarthy’nin western romanlarının erkeklik öznelliğini nasıl incelediğini ve Amerikan erkekliğini nasıl mitsellikten arındırıp, istikrarsızlaştırdığını anlamayı mümkün kılar. McCarthy kendi değerleri ve homososyal performansları arasında kalmış Amerikalı erkeklerin zehirli, kadın düşmanı, homofobik, ırkçı, çevre karşıtı ve şiddet yanlısı kovboy erkekliklerinden vazgeçip daha sağlıklı bir erkeklik benimsemek zorunda olduklarını vurgular. Batı uygarlığı sonrası olarak tanımlanan dünyanın sorunsallarında hayatta kalmanın koşulu köhneleşmiş bölgesel mitler ve geleneklere bağlanmayıp, sağlıklı erkekliklere yönelmektir