Lions and Kings: The Transformation of Lions as an Index of Power in the Middle East

Honors (Bachelor's)International StudiesUniversity of Michiganhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147390/1/nsalive.pd

Assessing threats and mitigation for Scarlet Ammannia (Ammannia robusta) in Southwestern Ontario

Scarlet Ammannia (Ammannia robusta) is an annual emergent wetland plant of the Lythraceae family. Throughout most of its distribution, the species population is stable under present conditions. However, this is not the case in Canada, where A. robusta is considered endangered with only a few small populations documented in British Columbia and Ontario. In response, a recovery strategy was created for A. robusta outlining the lack of information on the species biology and ecology, with a primary objective to assess the populations in Ontario and gain information on what may be contributing to the species rarity. To assess the population status of A. robusta in Southwestern Ontario, a series of vegetation surveys and seed bank assays were conducted in historically populated or newly identified suitable areas in Essex County during 2016, 2017, and 2018 growing seasons. Although A. robusta was not seen in all historic locations, seed bank studies revealed its presence in all but one of the historic locations. The number of seedlings germinating from soil cores ranged from 0.04 ± 0.02 to 1.14 ± 0.42 seedlings per cm2. To evaluate the interaction between A. robusta and its neighbouring species, field and greenhouse trials were conducted to test the hypothesis that the number of A. robusta plants and their above- and below-ground biomass would increase with the removal of competition. However, these comparisons were inhibited by the lack of seed germination. Additionally, germination trials were conducted in a growth chamber to determine the effects of light intensity (% full light), light duration (daylight hours), or temperature (°C) on A. robusta germination. It is hypothesized that the percentage of A. robusta seeds germinating will increase with increasing light intensity, duration, and temperature. The results showed that light duration, and the interaction between light intensity and the number of weeks, had significant effects on A. robusta germination. The percentage of seeds germinating increased with an increase in light intensity (100% full light) and light duration (up to 15 hours of daylight). The interaction between temperatures and sampling days were also observed to have significant effects on A. robusta germination. Ammannia robusta’s minimum, maximum, and optimal temperature requirements were observed to be 10/5 to 15/10, 40/35 to 35/30, and 20/15°C, respectively. The results do not support the view that A. robusta germination is limited by light or temperature in the field since both requirements for germination are satisfied at most sites. Based on the results, we believe that since A. robusta is prevalent in the seed bank where it occurs, but seeds exhibit low rates of germination, other factors must impede seedling establishment. Future research and management treatments focussed on assessing such factors, including the effects of invasive species on A. robusta germination, combined with consistent monitoring programs, will assist in finding the proper mitigation plans to improve A. robusta’s distribution

Las tendencias del mundo en la música publicitaria

Comunicador (a) SocialPregrad

Till death do us apart: an approach to the meaning of the wedding dress in Bogotá (1920-1930)

Vestirse e interactuar en distintos espacios genera instancias narrativas que reflejan la experiencia de habitar, a la vez que resignifican el sentido de los lugares. Cada práctica, como ir a cine, a cenar, realizar un deporte, asistir a una fiesta, discutir en un café o participar en un acto de caridad, supone una indumentaria en que pueden leerse signos de diferenciación social y roles de género, entre otros significados asociados a cómo se entienden los modos de verse y actuar según las ceremonias en que se participa. En el caso de las mujeres, cada uno de los vestidos que se asocian con su ciclo de vida, develan la concepción sobre su rol en la sociedad. Así, de 1920 a 1930, el matrimonio y la viudez, son vistos como parte de las representaciones de ser mujer, por las que transita este artículo

Maneras de verse, de estar y de socializar en la Bogotá de 1920 a 1960, a través del vestido.

El vestido, como manifestación cultural, nos permite acercarnos a imaginarios de clase, ocupación, edad o género presentes en un grupo de individuos en determinadas épocas y lugares. Así, la recepción de la moda y sus usos en diversos rituales de encuentro y socialización, pueden ser leídos como hijos de su momento histórico; reflejos de los cambios de pensamiento y los conflictos que estos suponen. Significados que se entretejen y quedan plasmados tanto en las imágenes (iconografía) como en los objetos que se conservan y que en la primera mitad del siglo XX en Colombia y de manera particular en Bogotá, dan cuenta del disímil significado de ser modernos y habitar en la ciudad. Por lo anterior, este artículo muestra algunos de los significados que adquiere el vestido en Bogotá de 1920 - 1960 a partir de documentos bibliográficos y revistas de la época; en especial, la Cromos. Todo esto, para dar cuenta de las posibilidades expresivas del vestido y las imágenes que nos quedan de su uso. Imaginarios alrededor de la vida urbana, el cuerpo, la higiene, el habla culta y la urbanidad, que hacen parte del mito de la Atenas Suramericana, antes que la vulgarización y la democratización de algunas formas alrededor de 1940, cambiaran la idea del cachaco y la dama santafereña. Un ideario que nos permite entender la relación entre diseño e historia cultural, en medio de las transformaciones que el protagonismo de la clase media, después de los años 40, trae consigo tanto en el vestido como en las ideas que circulan a la par que la ciudad crece a pasos agigantados

Pliegues y reveses : mujeres, publicidad y concepciones del cuerpo y el vestido en Bogotá, 1920-1930.

Las mujeres, la concepción del cuerpo y el vestido, dejaron de ser los mismos después de la Primera Guerra Mundial. ¿Qué llevó a las bogotanas de ese entonces, en una coyuntura tan difícil, a realizar estos cambios? A partir de este interrogante, este artículo indaga sobre las representaciones de modernidad que circularon en la prensa ilustrada de 1920 a 1930, enfatizando las particularidades con que cierta élite ilustrada, en su afán por establecer una frontera de clase, asumió transformaciones en sus hábitos de consumo, no sin antes adecuar a sus tradiciones, las imágenes y los objetos con que se instauró este discurso

Improving access to high-quality primary care for socioeconomically disadvantaged older people in rural areas: a mixed method study protocol

Introduction: The UK has an ageing population, especially in rural areas, where deprivation is high among older people. Previous research has identified this group as at high risk of poor access to healthcare. The aim of this study is to generate a theory of how socioeconomically disadvantaged older people from rural areas access primary care, to develop an intervention based on this theory and test it in a feasibility trial. Methods and analysis: On the basis of the MRC Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions, three methods will be used to generate the theory. First, a realist review will elucidate the patient pathway based on existing literature. Second, an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing will be completed using structural equation modelling. Third, 15 semistructured interviews will be undertaken with patients and four focus groups with health professionals. A triangulation protocol will be used to allow each of these methods to inform and be informed by each other, and to integrate data into one overall realist theory. Based on this theory, an intervention will be developed in discussion with stakeholders to ensure that the intervention is feasible and practical. The intervention will be tested within a feasibility trial, the design of which will depend on the intervention. Lessons from the feasibility trial will be used to refine the intervention and gather the information needed for a definitive trial. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval from the regional ethics committee has been granted for the focus groups with health professionals and interviews with patients. Ethics approval will be sought for the feasibility trial after the intervention has been designed. Findings will be disseminated to the key stakeholders involved in intervention development, to researchers, clinicians and health planners through peer-reviewed journal articles and conference publications, and locally through a dissemination event

Cross-sectional study on the prevalence of anemia among rural elderly in Asan

The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of anemia and to define the risk factors for anemia in older Koreans in Asan. From January to February 2002, five hundred sixty two community-dwelling older adults aged over 60 years were selected from a cross sectional study. All subjects underwent laboratory tests, which included a complete blood cell count, reticulocyte, liver and renal functional tests, lipid profiles and iron status tests. The median age was 68.6 years (range, 60-92 years). The mean levels of hemoglobin were 14.4 ± 1.3 g/dL in men and 12.9 ± 1.0 g/dL in women, and the overall prevalence of anemia was 12.5% in all subjects, 10.8% in men and 13.6% in women. The prevalence of anemia was the lowest among age group of 60-69 (10.0%) followed by 70-79 (15.5%), and the highest among age over 80 (20.7%), but the difference was significant only for men. The age difference was more distinct in men than in women (p<0.05). The mean hemoglobin level was significantly lower in the subjects aged over 80 y than those in the 60-69 y group (p<0.05). According to a logistic regression analysis, lower albumin and higher creatinine levels were identified as independent risk factors of anemia among older adults in Asan. In conclusion, the overall prevalence of anemia in our study group was 12.5% and the highest (20.7%) among those aged over 80 y

Oropharyngeal Microbiome Profiled at Admission is Predictive of the Need for Respiratory Support Among COVID-19 Patients [preprint]

The clinical course of infection due to respiratory viruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is thought to be influenced by the community of organisms that colonizes the upper respiratory tract, the oropharyngeal microbiome. In this study, we examined the oropharyngeal microbiome of suspected COVID-19 patients presenting to the Emergency Department and an inpatient COVID-19 unit with symptoms of acute COVID-19. Of 115 enrolled patients, 74 were confirmed COVID-19+ and 50 had symptom duration of 14 days or less; 38 acute COVID-19+ patients (76%) went on to require respiratory support. Although no microbiome features were found to be significantly different between COVID-19+ and COVID-19-patients, when we conducted random forest classification modeling (RFC) to predict the need of respiratory support for the COVID-19+ patients our analysis identified a subset of organisms and metabolic pathways whose relative abundance, when combined with clinical factors (such as age and Body Mass Index), was highly predictive of the need for respiratory support (F1 score 0.857). Microbiome Multivariable Association with Linear Models (MaAsLin2) analysis was then applied to the features identified as predicative of the need for respiratory support by the RFC. This analysis revealed reduced abundance of Prevotella salivae and metabolic pathways associated with lipopolysaccharide and mycolic acid biosynthesis to be the strongest predictors of patients requiring respiratory support. These findings suggest that composition of the oropharyngeal microbiome in COVID-19 may play a role in determining who will suffer from severe disease manifestations. Importance: The microbial community that colonizes the upper airway, the oropharyngeal microbiome, has the potential to affect how patients respond to respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV2, the causative agent of COVID-19. In this study, we investigated the oropharyngeal microbiome of COVID-19 patients using high throughput DNA sequencing performed on oral swabs. We combined patient characteristics available at intake such as medical comorbidities and age, with measured abundance of bacterial species and metabolic pathways and then trained a machine learning model to determine what features are predicative of patients needing respiratory support in the form of supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation. We found that decreased abundance of some bacterial species and increased abundance of pathways associated bacterial products biosynthesis was highly predictive of needing respiratory support. This suggests that the oropharyngeal microbiome affects disease course in COVID-19 and could be targeted for diagnostic purposes to determine who may need oxygen, or therapeutic purposes such as probiotics to prevent severe COVID-19 disease manifestations