Matter Of Life Research Articles

FRIENDSHIP MATTERS: UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEEN FRIENDSHIP AND HEALTH IN LATER LIFE

Abstract Friendship matters in later life, as friends provide social support to older adults. Yet, current social relationships and health literature focuses primarily on family relationships. This symposium aims to highlight studies that explore the associations among friendship, health, and health behaviors, with a focus on individual differences. First, using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), Lim and Burr demonstrate a non-linear relationship between the number of friends and loneliness, with a possible threshold effect for men but a more complex relationship for women. In their investigation of the moderating role of friendship on the association between widowhood and cognition using the HRS, Zhang et al. also find interesting gender differences where greater friendship strain is associated with a faster cognitive decline for widowed men, but not women. Ng and Birditt also uncovers important individual differences, this time in the association between friendship and mental health among Black and White dementia caregivers. They find that emotional support from friends is linked to lower levels of anxiety and depression, but primarily for White caregivers. Mimbs et al. extend these studies to focus on health behaviors, addressing links between interactions with family and friends and hurricane preparedness and evacuation likelihood. Using an online survey of older Floridians, they show that more interactions with friends are associated with greater preparedness and evacuation likelihood. Our discussant, Katherine Fiori, will discuss how these findings can extend the literature on friendship and health in later life, with a focus on the roles of individual differences and context.

Precarity and Resilience in Kavery Nambisan’s <i>The Story That Must Not be Told </i>

In the wake of rising precarity, the pressing question that confronts thinkers is how to formulate a new form of a social contract that recognises, legitmises, and promotes systems of social infrastructures. By focussing on Kavery Nambisan’s The Story That Must Note Be Told (2010), this article highlights the precarious class of people living in a slum area. The crux of Nambisan’s account is that few lives matter more than other lives, and few spaces need more supply of resources than others, and the task of government and corporate agencies is to render agential measures to the elite class. It is a precarious tale of a place where the vulnerability and death of the marginalised feed off the privileged class. In the light of the precarious conditions rendered by the neoliberal regime, this article analyses Martha Albertson Fineman’s theory of human vulnerability, underlining the urgency to recognise human dependency on social institutions inherently linked to their resilience and survival.

What matters in everyday life for people living with dementia: a qualitative inquiry

AbstractBackgroundResearch on what matters to people with dementia in their everyday lives is crucial to develop tailored interventions and programs. However, they are rarely asked. A scoping review of studies with the perspective of people with dementia revealed that no study has explicitly examined everyday life as a whole (Huizenga et al., 2022). A conceptualization of everyday life is lacking. This qualitative study uses the lens of everyday sociology, which focuses on the ordinary mundane aspects of life that are often unseen and unnoticed. The aim of this study was to explore how people with dementia experience their everyday lives and what matters to them. This will provide insight into the essential ingredients for support to ensure the quality of everyday life.MethodUsing a phenomenological approach, open interviews were conducted with 15 people with dementia living at home. The topic list compromised the following topics: experience of activities, relationships, places, the condition of dementia, and health and social care. Respondents participated in 1‐3 interviews. The interviews were supplemented with home tours (Pink, 2009) and walking interviews. The analysis was performed in Atlas.Ti using a descriptive content analysis. The analysis followed the phases of open, axial and selective coding. During the analysis, an advisory board of people living with dementia was consulted to ensure the content validity of the findings.ResultPreliminary findings show that everyday life for people living with dementia is a continuing struggle to maintain balance in managing progressive disruptions. Helpful are meaningful activities, especially in meeting centers, feeling connected in relationships and a sense of feeling at home related to the house and the neighborhood. Everyday life is described as living in the present but is also influenced by life history. Furthermore, other conditions, such as financial problems and physical conditions hinder everyday life.ConclusionA preliminary conclusion is that this study gives insight in what matters to the daily life of people living with dementia at home. These insights help to gain a better understanding and better connect to needs.

Iris Flowering Traits Response to Bacterial Biofertilizers and Foliar Nano-Phosphates

The study was conducted during the 2022 growing season to evaluate the effect of bacteria biofertilizers and Nano-phosphate foliar spray on flowering and flower quality of Iris flowers. Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, or Azotobacter chroococcum were injected into the culture medium before planting the bulbs, while foliar spray using superphosphate Nano-fertilizer was applied at levels 0, 1, or 2 mg/L. The bulbs were planted on 10/24/2022 in a factorial R.C.B.D. experiment with three replications. It was found that the values of the studied indicators increased with increasing the concentration of phosphate Nano-fertilizer. It was also found that the biofertilizer bacteria of all the species used led to a similar effect in increasing the flowering indicators under study, even in the absence of Nano-fertilizer. The results showed that the highest mean for all indicators was in the treatment of bacteria A. chroococcum in the presence of Nano-phosphate (P2) fertilization at 2 mg/L, which recorded the highest values of days to flowering (day), spathe length (cm), flower diameter (cm), flower longevity (day), vase life (day), and flower dry matter (%), with a significant differences from the control and most individual and interacted treatments.

Plenary Session 5: The role of social connectedness in the multifactorial demential syndrome. Does social life matter? - IPA/INTERDEM live webinar

Overview: Dementia is influenced by multiple factors. It is crucial to learn more about the impact of these factors. Here we focus on the role of social health, that might have different faces around the world. Join us on July 2nd in Lisbon Portugal at our 2023 IPA International Congress for presentations and discussion on this exciting topic. Eminent dementia experts will present data on the role of social health in dementia. In this webinar, participants will gain an understanding of how social life can impact dementia and the perspectives for interventions to prevent and live well with dementia. As with all programs in the IPA Webinar Series, this presentation is intended as an educational event on topics that are timely and relevant to the field of mental health for older adults.

Exploring the role of language ideology in disaster contexts: case study of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Abstract During/after disasters, language communication (or the lack thereof) can be a matter of life or death, particularly for “Indigenous/Tribal, Minority and Minoritized languages and peoples” (ITMs). Disaster and language studies have identified language barriers as critical because some ITMs do not understand basic risk communication, evacuation warnings, and recovery information. There are three major approaches to lowering these barriers in disaster contexts: (1) disseminating warnings and critical information in multilingual formats; (2) using bi/multilingual translators/interpreters and automated translator; and (3) using simplified language(s). However, this top–down approach is insufficient because ITMs need more than just selective information to cope with adversities. The basic communication rights to know, “talk about it,” and express one’s feelings after a traumatic event should not be a taken-for-granted privilege for speakers of the majority languages. The root causes of disaster linguicism, which focuses on the unique social vulnerabilities confronted by ITMs, have not been properly addressed. Drawing from our qualitative research, this article explores the role of Japanese language ideology in relation to the experiences of ITMs in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

From Black Theology to Black Lives Matter and Back Again

This article is written by a descendant of enslaved Africans and explores the theological significance of Black bodies. Black bodies have been commodified, controlled and coerced by White hegemony, often lacking agency and self-determination. Using personal experience and contextual analysis, this article, drawing on Black theology inspired reflections, argues that we need to rethink how we conceive of Black bodies ethically, if Black lives are to really matter. The rehabilitation of Black bodies is achieved through a theological reappraisal of holiness and sacraments, underpinned by an embodied pneumatology, in which Black bodies are shown to be sacramental and worthy of mattering in a world underpinned by White supremacy.

“We’re not the first and we’re not going to be the last”: Perspectives of system-involved black and Latinx young adults on racial injustice during the 2020 black lives matter protests

This study explores how Black and Latinx young adults (ages 18–25) who were reentering the community from Los Angeles County jails viewed racial injustice in the criminal legal system in the context of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests of summer 2020. A sample of nine young adults participated in a series of up to nine monthly interviews between June 2020 and May 2021. The participants included seven young adults who identified as Black and two who identified as Latinx. Overall, participants held negative views of the criminal legal system and felt that police officers harmed Black and Brown people and communities. While most participants expressed support for the BLM protests, others doubted the protests as an effective tactic to address racial injustice. Even those who supported the protests described doubts about the possibility of genuine systemic changes in the criminal legal system and society. Findings pose implications for cultivating optimism for social change and countering legal cynicism among system-involved young adults.

Explorative analyses on spatial differences in the desire for social distance toward people with mental illness in a diverging city.

Stigma is an individual and societal process based on attitudes and power and relates to both spatial disparities and social distinction. In this study, we examined differences in desire for social distance toward people with mental illness within a city using social and spatial information. ANOVAs and Scheffé post-hoc tests analyzed varying desires for social distance toward people with mental illness within Leipzig (East Germany). Joint Correspondence Analyses (JCA) explored correspondences between desire for social distance, socio-economic status, age, life orientation, social support, duration of living in Leipzig, and shame toward having a mental illness in five city districts of Leipzig in LIFE study participants (by Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Disease, data collected 2011-2014 and 2018-2021, n = 521). Stigma varied among Leipzig's districts (F(df = 4) = 4.52, p = 0.001). JCAs showed that a higher desired social distance toward people with mental illness corresponded with spatial differences, high levels of pessimism, high shame of being mentally ill, low social support, low socio-economic status, and older age (75.74 and 81.22% explained variances). In terms of stigma, where people with mental illness live matters. The results identified target groups that should be addressed by appropriate intervention and prevention strategies for mental health care.

Thermodynamics of microbial consortia: Enthalpies and Gibbs energies of microorganism live matter and macromolecules of E. coli, G. oxydans, P. fluorescens, S. thermophilus and P. chrysogenum

Every microorganism represents a biothermodynamic system, characterized by an empirical formula and thermodynamic properties of biosynthesis. Gibbs energy of biosynthesis influences the multiplication rate of a microorganism. In case of a mixed culture (microbial consortia) biosynthesis processes of microbial species are competitive. This is why Gibbs energy of biosynthesis determines the growth in a mixed culture. This paper gives a mechanistic model that explains growth of microorganisms in mixed culture and ability to grow in microbial consortia. Detailed biosynthesis reactions were formulated for the first time for five microorganism species, which include metallic elements. Moreover, thermodynamic properties of live matter and biosynthesis were calculated for the first time for five microorganism species and macromolecules.

Case Study: Role of Supply Chain & Transportation in Food and Healthcare

This case study delves into the indispensable roles of supply chain and transportation networks in the pivotal sectors of food and healthcare. These domains are not only vital for our well-being but also profoundly impacted by dynamic market forces, evolving consumer preferences, and global events. In the food sector, the journey from field to fork is a complex web of growers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. It must strike a delicate balance between delivering a diverse range of products while ensuring safety, freshness, and sustainability. Conversely, the healthcare sector demands an entirely different level of precision. The timely availability of life-saving medicines, medical equipment, and personal protective gear is non-negotiable. The efficiency of healthcare supply chains can be a matter of life and death. Recent challenges, from pandemics to vaccine distribution, have illuminated the need for agile healthcare supply chains and robust transportation networks. This case study will explore the critical challenges faced by these sectors, innovative solutions that have been devised to address them, and the profound lessons learned in the pursuit of building more resilient, efficient, and responsive supply chain and transportation systems.

Where you live matters: The impact of offline retail density on mobile shopping app usage

Consumers residing in different areas have varying levels of access to local retail stores. In contrast, with the prevalence of mobile internet, consumers have gained widespread access to mobile shopping. This research examines the impact of local offline retail density on consumers’ mobile shopping app usage and heterogeneity across consumer segments and different types of shopping apps. We use a unique dataset of individual-level mobile app usage with real-time location information across 1622 counties in China and employ the control function approach to address the endogenous retail density. Overall, the findings show that local offline retail density has a negative effect on mobile shopping app usage frequency and duration, indicating that consumers in areas with lower offline retail density engage more in mobile shopping app usage. This negative effect is weaker for consumers with higher mobility. Also, we find that this negative effect is weaker for shopping apps selling more technically complex products such as electronics than for those selling less technically complex products such as clothing and cosmetics. These results offer managerial implications for online retailers to launch targeting strategies to enhance consumer engagement with their shopping apps.

Chemical Expansion of the Methyltransferase Reaction: Tools for DNA Labeling and Epigenome Analysis.

DNA is the genetic matter of life composed of four major nucleotides which can be further furnished with biologically important covalent modifications. Among the variety of enzymes involved in DNA metabolism, AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases (MTases) combine the recognition of specific sequences and covalent methylation of a target nucleotide. The naturally transferred methyl groups play important roles in biological signaling, but they are poor physical reporters and largely resistant to chemical derivatization. Therefore, an obvious strategy to unlock the practical utility of the methyltransferase reactions is to enable the transfer of "prederivatized" (extended) versions of the methyl group.However, previous enzymatic studies of extended AdoMet analogs indicated that the transalkylation reactions are drastically impaired as the size of the carbon chain increases. In collaborative efforts, we proposed that, akin to enhanced SN2 reactivity of allylic and propargylic systems, addition of a π orbital next to the transferable carbon atom might confer the needed activation of the reaction. Indeed, we found that MTase-catalyzed transalkylations of DNA with cofactors containing a double or a triple C-C bond in the β position occurred in a robust and sequence-specific manner. Altogether, this breakthrough approach named mTAG (methyltransferase-directed transfer of activated groups) has proven instrumental for targeted labeling of DNA and other types of biomolecules (using appropriate MTases) including RNA and proteins.Our further work focused on the propargylic cofactors and their reactions with DNA cytosine-5 MTases, a class of MTases common for both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here, we learned that the 4-X-but-2-yn-1-yl (X = polar group) cofactors suffered from a rapid loss of activity in aqueous buffers due to susceptibility of the triple bond to hydration. This problem was remedied by synthetically increasing the separation between X and the triple bond from one to three carbon units (6-X-hex-2-ynyl cofactors). To further optimize the transfer of the bulkier groups, we performed structure-guided engineering of the MTase cofactor pocket. Alanine replacements of two conserved residues conferred substantial improvements of the transalkylation activity with M.HhaI and three other engineered bacterial C5-MTases. Of particular interest were CpG-specific DNA MTases (M.SssI), which proved valuable tools for studies of mammalian methylomes and chemical probing of DNA function.Inspired by the successful repurposing of bacterial enzymes, we turned to more complex mammalian C5-MTases (Dnmt1, Dnmt3A, and Dnmt3B) and asked if they could ultimately lead to mTAG labeling inside mammalian cells. Our efforts to engineer mouse Dnmt1 produced a variant (Dnmt1*) that enabled efficient Dnmt1-directed deposition of 6-azide-hexynyl groups on DNA in vitro. CRISPR-Cas9 editing of the corresponding codons in the genomic Dnmt1 alleles established endogenous expression of Dnmt1* in mouse embryonic stem cells. To circumvent the poor cellular uptake of AdoMet and its analogs, we elaborated their efficient internalization by electroporation, which has finally enabled selective catalysis-dependent azide tagging of natural Dnmt1 targets in live mammalian cells. The deposited chemical groups were then exploited as "click" handles for reading adjoining sequences and precise genomic mapping of the methylation sites. These findings offer unprecedented inroads into studies of DNA methylation in a wide range of eukaryotic model systems.

Where you live matters: visualizing environmental effects on reading attainment.

The way in which socioeconomic status (SES) moderates the etiology of reading attainment has been explored many times, with past work often finding that genetic influences are suppressed under conditions of socioeconomic deprivation and more fully realized under conditions of socioeconomic advantage: a gene-SES interaction. Additionally, past work has pointed toward the presence of gene-location interactions, with the relative influence of genes and environment varying across geographic regions of the same country/state. This study investigates the extent to which SES and geographical location interact to moderate the genetic and environmental components of reading attainment. Utilizing data from 2,135 twin pairs in Florida (mean age 13.82 years, range 10.71-17.77), the study operationalized reading attainment as reading comprehension scores from a statewide test and SES as household income. We applied a spatial twin analysis procedure to investigate how twin genetic and environmental estimates vary by geographic location. We then expanded this analysis to explore how the moderating role of SES on said genetic and environmental influences also varied by geographic location. A gene-SES interaction was found, with heritability of reading being suppressed in lower- (23%) versus higher-SES homes (78%). The magnitude of the moderating parameters were not consistent by location, however, and ranged from -0.10 to 0.10 for the moderating effect on genetic influences, and from -0.30 to 0.05 for the moderating effect on environmental influences. For smaller areas and those with less socioeconomic variability, the magnitude of the genetic moderating parameter was high, giving rise to more fully realized genetic influences on reading there. SES significantly influences reading variability. However, a child's home location matters in both the overall etiology and how strongly SES moderates said etiologies. These results point toward the presence of multiple significant environmental factors that simultaneously, and inseparably, influence the underlying etiology of reading attainment.

Where you live matters: how degree of urbanization influences healthcare utilization in Portugal

Abstract Background The degree of urbanization is a health determinant, causing inequalities in exposure to risk factors, influencing health services’ territorial organization and enabling healthcare utilization. Since Portugal's proportion of population residing in urban areas is higher than the world average, we aimed to estimate the magnitude of the association between the place of residence's degree of urbanization and healthcare utilization in the country. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, using data from the Portuguese 2019 National Health Survey, a multi-stage clustered stratified sample. All participants, aged over 15, were included. Outcomes assessed included: going to general practitioner (n = 14 360) and specialist consultations (n = 14 334), taking a flu vaccine (n = 5 270), undergoing a colonoscopy (n = 9 075), too-long waiting times (n = 12 009) and waiting for healthcare due to distance/transportation (n = 12 117). Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated using Poisson regression models. Results Compared to urban areas, living in less populated areas was significantly associated with waiting for healthcare due to distance/transportation (aPR=1.54, CI95% 1.06-2.24) and lower colonoscopy utilization (aPR=0.86, CI95% 0.78-0.95). Flu vaccination prevalence ratios were significantly higher for rural (aPR=1.15, CI95% 1.03-1.29) and suburban areas (aPR=1.16, CI95% 1.04-1.30) than urban areas. There was no significant association between degree of urbanization and attending general or specialist consultations nor too-long waiting times. Conclusions Healthcare needs are not being met in less populated areas likely due to geographic constraints. Against expectation, flu vaccination might not be optimized in urban areas, which could bring concerns for immunization rates in risk groups. Policies to improve universality and equity in population's access to healthcare are needed. Key messages • Differences in healthcare utilization related to place of residence's degree of urbanization show that universal health coverage is yet to be reached. • Less populated areas are more likely to wait too long to receive healthcare due to distance and mobility hindrances, representing a challenge for health systems which policies should help mitigate.

Impact of Multicultural Based Education Learning In the Process of Social Integration at SMA Al Azhar Mandiri Palu

Multicultural learning education is basically an educational program for the nation so that a multicultural community can participate in realizing the ideal life of democracy for the Nation. Formulation problem on study This is How learning education based on multiculturalism at Al Azhar High School Independent Palu, How impact learning education based multiculturalism has on students at Al Azhar High School Independent Hammer. Objective on study This Know the impact of learning education based on multicultural to students of Chinese ethnicity at Al Azhar High School Independent Hammer. Method study This is a qualitative method namely methods focused research attention on problems or natural phenomena actual at the moment study carried out And served in the form of a verbal narrative that describes facts about the problem being investigated How exists accompanied by rational interpretation And accurate . Results from study This Impact from learning based multicultural at Al Azhar High School Independent Hammer that is teach attitude value differences, attitudes deliberate, defend state, change mental attitude, knowledge citizenship, knowing rights and obligations inhabitant good country, guidelines Act in community, basics life nationality And matter the impact on students at Al Azhar High School Independent Hammer.

Death from the Nile: Empirical formula, molar mass, biosynthesis reaction and Gibbs energy of biosynthesis of the West Nile virus

From July to October, West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito born disease in Europe and North America. This paper reports for the first time a chemical and thermodynamic analysis of the West Nile virus particles, genome and proteins, as well as interactions with its host organism. The empirical formula of mature West Nile virus particles was found through the atom counting method. Based on the empirical formula, biosynthesis reactions were formulated, which describe the formation of new virus live matter. Based on the biosynthesis reactions, Gibbs energy of biosynthesis was determined, which represents the physical driving force for the production of viral and host cell components. Gibbs energy of biosynthesis of the West Nile virus was found to be several times more negative than that of its host tissues. Due to the more negative Gibbs energy of biosynthesis, the West Nile virus components are produced much faster than those of its host cells. This allows the virus to hijack the host cell metabolism. Therefore, the virus-host interactions of the West Nile virus were explained through chemical and thermodynamic analysis.

Subscribing school: digital platforms, affective attachments, and cruel optimism in a Danish public primary school

ABSTRACT This article explores the affective and situated aspects of enacting public schooling within a burgeoning economy of digital platforms. Drawing on a series of conversations with two teachers and two school leaders at a Danish primary school, the article examines how the increasing involvement of educational platforms in schools reshapes who and what matters in the everyday life of the school. The article highlights different ways in which platforms entangle with educational practices and relations beyond their functional promises to save time, promote efficiency, solve administrative issues, and other related tasks. As generative forces based on relocating educational phenomena within a proprietary digital architecture, the analysis illustrates how the involvement of platforms becomes co-constitutive of new forms of affective attachments and loyalty that challenge historical configurations of pluralism in public schools. Drawing on these constitutive effects, the article introduces Lauren Berlant’s notion of cruel optimism to discuss the implications of sustaining public schooling within a largely unregulated economy of platform subscriptions. The article’s discussions call for closer political and scholarly attention to the educational consequences of enacting school within the economic conditions of current platform capitalism.

Juridical Study of Article 43a in Amending Law Number 5 of 2018 Concerning Criminal Acts of Terrorism in Pre-Emptive Strike Policy

Finding out the effects of terrorist activities in Indonesia and the application of Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning Criminal activities of Terrorism Article 43A Against Strike Pre-Emptive Policies are the goals of the research. The research approach used is normative juridical, meaning that it is based on the primary legal literature and is carried out by looking at relevant laws, regulations, theories, and conceptions. Examining Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning Amendments to Law 15 of 2003 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism is the goal of the study. The amendment to Article 43A, which inserts and reads in the framework of dealing with Criminal Acts of Terrorism, contains dangerous articles. It is unclear what is meant by countermeasures, every certain person, allegedly brought or placed and a certain place. These are the results of the discussion in Law Number 5 of 2018 concerning Amendments to Law 15 of 2003 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Terrorism. None of these arrangements can be found in the current Indonesian criminal procedural law. The conclusion is that acts of terrorism have a significant impact on the community. They are not things, but rather frequent victims of Second Life. The preceding text makes it evident how many lives were lost in the blast. These fresh impacts originate from people's personal experiences. Acts of terrorism on a larger scale actually have an impact on many things, and that is a matter of life and death for people and the nation. This loss and threat can be explained from seven aspects/fields, namely defense and security, ideology, politics, economy, society, education, and religious relations. Related to article 43A regarding the prevention of Terrorism Crime, pre-emptive efforts are needed.

Black lives matter messaging across multiple congressional communication mediums

ABSTRACT After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement had a second, large attention surge. Media focus intensified and public opinion of the movement was the most supportive it had ever been. Legislators got involved too, taking to their e-newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, and press releases to publicize support or opposition to the movement. Using those four mediums we ask which sorts of legislators were more or less likely to make public their position, and how these trends vary by medium. Partisanship drives the biggest differences, but that within parties, legislators with more extreme roll-call voting histories, and those from districts expressing greater perceptions of racism tend to be more likely to discuss their positions in explicit and oblique ways. Black legislators and those with greater shares of Black constituents do not seem to have distinct patterns of signaling support or opposition.