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Anti-gay, or homonegative, prejudice is generally considered harmful to the wellbeing of sexual minority individuals. However, the origins or nature of such prejudice may vary. Despite a sizable body of literature suggesting homonegative prejudice is frequently religious-based, the psychological impact of exposure to religious anti-gay prejudice remains largely undetermined. Addressing this research gap, the authors examined whether opposition to same-sex sexuality on religious grounds predicted detrimental outcomes among same- and both-sex attracted individuals, as well as their heterosexual counterparts. A nationwide U.S. sample of 1600 individuals-recruited using contemporary online crowd-sourcing techniques designed to limit selection bias-completed a novel inventory assessing interpersonal exposure to religious (as well as nonreligious) homonegative disapproval. Outcome variables assessed included a number of clinically relevant measures spanning general mental health, social support, suicidality, abuse, and substance use. Analyses revealed that greater exposure to religious anti-gay prejudice predicted higher levels of anxiety, stress, and shame; more instances of physical and verbal abuse; and more problematic alcohol use. Furthermore, while sexual minority individuals tended to fare more poorly than their heterosexual counterparts on almost every outcome measure assessed, homonegative prejudice predicted poorer outcomes among all respondents regardless of their sexual orientation or religious identification. Hence, results are among the first to demonstrate that anti-gay religious exposure is associated with substantial threats to wellbeing, and that such effects may be observed beyond religious sexual minorities. Overall, findings imply that homonegative religious social conditions may be of broader health and mental health concern than is conventionally recognized. (PsycINFO Database Record

Aims Previous research has shown that young children from lower-income countries who play on soil contaminated with faecal bacteria may have an increased risk of diarrhoea. We describe the directly observed activities of young children in rural Gambia and assess whether exposure to the ground outside and factors such as who cares for the child are associated with the child’s risk of diarrhoea. Methods This was a cross-sectional analysis of secondary data from 735 randomly selected households with a child aged 6–36 months from 30 rural villages in The Gambia. Fieldworkers observed the children’s activities and the presence of livestock in the compound, and caregivers reported diarrhoea in the children over the past week. The predictors of diarrhoea were assessed by using a mixed effects multivariate logistic regression model, adjusted for demographic, socio-economic and behavioural factors. Results The majority (87.1%) of children were observed on the ground outside and 84.4% of children were in compounds that contained livestock. Some children (15.6%) were observed on the ground on multiple occasions but the longest period the children were observed on the ground was a median (IQR) of 93 (46–195) minutes. For every hour a child spent on the ground outside during the longest observed period, their risk of diarrhoea increased by 12.4% (adjusted OR=1.124, 95% CI=1.000–1.264, p=0.049). Having an older child, compared to an adult supervising the child reduced the risk of diarrhoea by nearly half (adjusted OR=0.523, 95% CI=0.344–0.794, p=0.002). Conclusion This is the first study from rural Gambia to explore the activities of young children and quantify their exposure to soil on the ground and nearby livestock. The length of the longest period the child spent on the ground outside was positively associated with the risk of diarrhoea. This study highlights the need for interventions that will reduce young children’s exposure to contaminated soil in compounds and suggests that older children as carers could play a part.

Energy efficiency and power crises are the critical issues that the globe is facing nowadays. Generation diversification, Demand Response, renewable energy accommodation, and reduction of Carbon dioxide emission are some of the issues that cannot be covered within the limitation of the current grid system. Smart Grid has revolutionized the generation, Distribution, and Consumption of electricity by integrating intelligent control, sensing and communication in daily operation of the electric grid. The goal of the Smart Grid is to be environmentally sustainable, for the deployment of this trending technology is a must. This paper addresses the issues that would be faced in the implementation of the smart Grid technology, policy consideration to maximize the benefit of smart grid and enhance the benefit over cost ratio. It explains the three sectors where the smart grid applications can be seen with challenges in bottom-up design, and overview of Smart grid for utilities. A top-down scheme is presented which can help in eliminating the challenges and barriers in the smart grid implementation. Finally cost vs. benefit analysis is made to prove the effectiveness of this trending technology in the power sector.

Homonegative prejudice has long been connected with poor psychological outcomes. These have often been purported to include internalized homonegativity (IH), an outcome regarded as especially detrimental given its association with a large number of adverse mental health correlates. Given the evidence that homonegative prejudice often prevails most strongly within many mainstream religious contexts, the current study examined whether religious lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals would possess higher levels of internalized homonegativity than their nonreligious, and formerly religious, LGB counterparts. To test this hypothesis, Christian, formerly Christian, and nonreligious Australian LGB respondents (N � 579), recruited through social media platforms and a diverse range of community groups, completed an online survey assessing IH; religion-sexuality distress; religious and familial homonegativity; sense of self; and outness. Ordinal logistic regressions revealed that Christian LGB respondents possessed significantly more IH than nonreligious respondents. Furthermore, perceiving greater homonegativity in one’s religious and familial environments predicted higher levels of distress and IH among Christians specifically. Despite having apostatized, former Christians still reported greater religion-sexuality distress than nonreligious individuals, suggesting that the psychological effects of homonegative religious environments are potentially enduring. Across all respondents, IH was also greater for males, those who were less “out,” and those who possessed a weaker sense of self. Findings generally support the premise that religious homonegativity places LGB Christians at additional psychological risk, with particular regard to IH and religion-sexuality identity conflict, and that both personal and interpersonal characteristics may exacerbate this risk.

In the framework of a genetic improvement scheme a countrywide survey of small ruminant owners was conducted in The Gambia to obtain information about the ownership pattern, reasons for keeping and especially about breeding and management practices including housing and feeding. The main results were the following: women play a major role in small ruminant production, representing 52% of the owners of sheep, 67% of the owners of goats and 43% of the owners of both sheep and goats. The average number of animals owned is quite low (about six head of sheep and goats each, out of which about three are breeding females). Most of the breeding males are born in their respective flock and there are fewer breeding bucks than breeding rams. However, there are sufficient numbers of breeding males around. Animals are mainly left free to roam around during the dry season, and are either tethered or herded in the rainy season. During night animals are housed or tied under a shelter. Supplementary feeding is not common and vaccination against Pest des Petit Ruminants (PPR) and Pasteurellosis is only partly carried out. Implications for the establishment and structure of a multiplication tier within a three tier breeding scheme, nucleus-->multipliers-->farmers are discussed.