Building the Blue Economy: Opportunities for Community-Based Organizations in Stormwater Management

The United States has a serious problem with combined sewer overflows. In responding to this environmental and public health menace, many regions are using innovative “green infrastructure” or “blue economy” approaches in addition to traditional “gray infrastructure” such as pipes and reservoirs. These new methods offer many environmental benefits and cost efficiencies and can be a potent source of jobs – including entry level jobs. This report outlines ways for community-based organizations to seize these opportunities, both by advocating for green infrastructure and by developing social enterprises that do stormwater management work at a neighborhood level. It is designed for non-profit groups, policy makers, and funders interested in the intersection of sustainability, neighborhood redevelopment, and job creation and the possibility of a triple win in all three areas

Student midwives'views of caseloading: the BUMP study

In 2007 the Nursing and Midwifery Council recommended that across the UK all pre-registration, undergraduate student midwives should, as part of their education, have the opportunity to experience continuity of care through caseloading practice. This article reports on a qualitative exploration of student midwives’ views of caseloading a known group of women, which formed part of a larger action research project through Bournemouth University’s pre-registration, undergraduate midwifery programme. Analysis of the caseloading data revealed four themes: preparation to undertake a caseload; knowing your mentor; tri-partite meetings; and relevance of caseloading to their learning in becoming midwives. Caseloading was identified by the students as being a highly valuable learning experience. Attitudes of the midwife mentor and link tutor were seen as important and impacted on student confidence in preparing for, and learning from, their caseloading experience. Findings of this study highlight the importance of developing a shared understanding and commitment to agreed support mechanisms, which sustains and enriches the experience of the student through their caseloading

A State-of-the-Science Review of Arsenic's Effects on Glucose Homeostasis in Experimental Models.

BackgroundThe prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has more than doubled since 1980. Poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity are among the primary risk factors. While an estimated 70% of cases are attributed to excess adiposity, there is an increased interest in understanding the contribution of environmental agents to diabetes causation and severity. Arsenic is one of these environmental chemicals, with multiple epidemiology studies supporting its association with T2D. Despite extensive research, the molecular mechanism by which arsenic exerts its diabetogenic effects remains unclear.ObjectivesWe conducted a literature search focused on arsenite exposure in vivo and in vitro, using relevant end points to elucidate potential mechanisms of oral arsenic exposure and diabetes development.MethodsWe explored experimental results for potential mechanisms and elucidated the distinct effects that occur at high vs. low exposure. We also performed network analyses relying on publicly available data, which supported our key findings.ResultsWhile several mechanisms may be involved, our findings support that arsenite has effects on whole-body glucose homeostasis, insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, hepatic glucose metabolism, and both adipose and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction.DiscussionThis review applies state-of-the-science approaches to identify the current knowledge gaps in our understanding of arsenite on diabetes development. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP4517

The Interplay of Reovirus with Autophagy

Autophagy participates in multiple fundamental physiological processes, including survival, differentiation, development, and cellular homeostasis. It eliminates cytoplasmic protein aggregates and damaged organelles by triggering a series of events: sequestering the protein substrates into double-membrane vesicles, fusing the vesicles with lysosomes, and then degrading the autophagic contents. This degradation pathway is also involved in various disorders, for instance, cancers and infectious diseases. This paper provides an overview of modulation of autophagy in the course of reovirus infection and also the interplay of autophagy and reovirus

HARDWIRED BIOLOGY AND LIGHT-BULB MOMENTS: DIVERGENT DISCOURSES AND LIFE TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER BISEXUAL WOMEN

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Innovation in Aging following peer review. The version of record Jen S. (2019). HARDWIRED BIOLOGY AND LIGHT-BULB MOMENTS: DIVERGENT DISCOURSES AND LIFE TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER BISEXUAL WOMEN. Innovation in Aging, 3(Suppl 1), S826. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igz038.3044 is available online at: doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igz038.3044 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Older bisexual women report a less positive sense of their sexual identity, less belonging in LGBTQ communities, and worse mental health outcomes compared to lesbian counterparts. These patterns are consistent with those identified among younger bisexual cohorts and appear to be connected to how bisexual identities are perceived and experienced; however, sexual identities take on unique meaning by gender and age and across historical contexts. To explore how older bisexual women construct and make meaning out of bisexual identities, this study applied a Foucauldian discursive and critical feminist conceptual framing to examine semi-structured interviews with bisexual women ages 60 and older (N=13). Findings reveal two divergent groups of women, the Early Emergers and Mature Migrators, who differ in their constructions of bisexuality and the timing of their first experienced attractions to other women. While the Early Emergers construct bisexuality as a stable, “hardwired” biological concept, the Mature Migrators challenge this narrative by emphasizing the fluidity of sexuality through discourses of migration spurred by “light bulb” moments in which they first recognized their attractions to women. This study illustrates the contributions of discourse analysis in revealing nuanced constructions of life course histories as well as the need for acknowledgment of life context in research and practice with older bisexual individuals. Scholars and practitioners must intentionally critique and contribute to discourses of bisexuality in later life

Policies and Perspectives Around Sexual Activities Among Residents with Cognitive Impairment or Dementia in LTC

Abstract Many older adults remain sexually interested and active in later life. However, little is known about how sexual policies and practices in skilled-nursing facilities (SNF) address sexual activities of residents with cognitive impairment and dementia. This study seeks to identify the current sexual policies and staff’s perspectives related to residents with cognitive impairment or dementia in SNFs in Kansas. Online surveys and mailed surveys were distributed to administrators from all 364 SNFs in Kansas in June 2020. 60 long-term care facilities (16.5%) answered the survey. Of 60 survey respondents, 22 facilities (36.7%) have a policy addressing sexual expression and 19 of those policies (94.7%) address issues related to cognitive impairment, competency, or dementia. 77.4% had trained their staff on the impact on sexual expression for those with cognitive impairment or dementia once or more than once during the past year. 73.3% of administrators stated that their staff would respond differently to sexual expression among individuals with dementia or cognitive impairment compared to other residents, often noting issues related to consent and capacity. 55.2% reported any sexual expression among residents with dementia within the past year. Findings indicated that there is a lack of overall sexual policies, but those that exist are likely to address residents with cognitive impairment or dementia. Although there is evidence of training and attention to issues related to sexual expression in individuals with dementia or cognitive impairment, there is a need for further efforts to establish practice norms and policies around more complex or nuanced situations.</jats:p

Genome-wide survival analysis of age at onset of alcohol dependence in extended high-risk COGA families.

BackgroundThe age at onset of alcohol dependence (AD) is a critical moderator of genetic associations for alcohol dependence. The present study evaluated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can influence the age at onset of AD in large high-risk families from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA).MethodsGenomewide SNP genotyping was performed in 1788 regular drinkers from 118 large European American families densely affected with alcoholism. We used a genome-wide Cox proportional hazards regression model to test for association between age at onset of AD and SNPs.ResultsThis family-based analysis identified an intergenic SNP, rs2168784 on chromosome 3 that showed strong evidence of association (P=5×10(-9)) with age at onset of AD among regular drinkers. Carriers of the minor allele of rs2168784 had 1.5 times the hazard of AD onset as compared with those homozygous for the major allele. By the age of 20 years, nearly 30% of subjects homozygous for the minor allele were alcohol dependent while only 19% of those homozygous for the major allele were. We also identified intronic SNPs in the ADP-ribosylation factor like 15 (ARL15) gene on chromosome 5 (P=1.11×10(-8)) and the UTP20 small subunit (UTP20) gene on chromosome 12 (P=4.32×10(-8)) that were associated with age at onset of AD.ConclusionsThis extended family based genome-wide cox-proportional hazards analysis identified several loci that might be associated with age at onset of AD

Context-Dependent Sexual Changes During Women's Midlife Transitions

For women, midlife represents an important stage of transition, including shifts in physiological, social, and sexual experiences. Prior research demonstrates that women’s sexuality is more dynamic and context-dependent than men’s. Most research focused on women’s sexuality in mid- to later-life emphasizes physiological changes, while largely ignoring changes stemming from social, psychological, and relational contexts. The present study examined midlife women’s diverse sexual experiences within the context of their lives. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 women, ages 39-57 and used interpretive phenomenological analysis to investigate perceptions and interpretations of midlife sexual experiences and changes. Themes included changes in sexual engagement, unwanted sexual experiences, body image, and sexual healthcare. Participants reported changes in frequency of sex and sexual desire within the context of their diverse social roles and identities, prior intimate relationships, and sexual health. Women contrasted perceptions of their own bodies with societal perceptions of sexiness. Frequently reported negative experiences with sexual healthcare informed a distrust of healthcare systems. The diverse and changing nature of participants’ experiences supports prior evidence of sexual fluidity and context-dependence. By questioning societal expectations around sexuality and body image, participants illustrated the potential of counternarratives to combat dominant beliefs and stereotypes about midlife women’s sexuality. To improve sexual health and education, psychoeducational interventions and improved training for healthcare professionals are needed