RESUMEN
Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer or questioning (2SLGBTQ+) older adults are underrepresented in gerontology research and education, impacting the preparedness of health and social care students and professionals working with the diverse aging population. To address this lack of representation of 2SLGBTQ+ older adults in gerontology education, this study explored the use of digital stories as tools for knowledge mobilization and social justice. Digital stories are short videos that pair audio recordings with visuals, including videos, photographs, or artwork. To conduct the study, the research team worked alongside 2SLGBTQ+ older adults to create a suite of three digital stories. These stories were presented at various educational and professional settings in gerontology, and survey and open-feedback responses (n = 147) were gathered from the audience on their perceived impact. Viewers included students, researchers, decision-makers, stakeholders, and citizens. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. From the analysis, digital stories showed the potential to increase viewers' awareness and understanding of 2SLGBTQ+ aging experiences. The format was particularly significant in their learning and enhancing the connection to the content and the storytellers. The findings also suggest that digital stories showed the potential to impact policy and practice for 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Asunto(s)
Geriatría , Minorías Sexuales y de Género , Femenino , Humanos , Anciano , Geriatría/educación , Aprendizaje , Apoyo Social , Conducta SexualRESUMEN
Age-friendly initiatives have grown in popularity in their efforts to promote active aging among older adults in Canada and other countries worldwide. However, these initiatives often overlook underrepresented populations, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) older adults, who have unique social and historical contexts which impact their aging experiences. The study involved a survey and key-informant interviews with local leaders, volunteers, staff, and/or LGBTQ2S+ older adults involved in initiatives that were both age and LGBTQ2S+ friendly to explore what it means for a community to be age and LGBTQ2S+ friendly and learn what can further be done to promote these communities. Through a qualitative template analysis, our findings suggest that safety within the social environment should be at the forefront of age-friendly policy initiatives. Considerations and avenues to create this safety and an overall culture of acceptance for all older adults include recognizing generational differences among aging cohorts, increasing LGBTQ2S+ visibility and involvement and highlighting the importance of policy and cultural humility. These considerations and the voices of LGBTQ2S+ older adults need to be integrated into age-friendly community planning and policies to ensure they are inclusive and that all older adults feel safe and can thrive within their communities.
RESUMEN
Fluorosubstituted tryptophans serve as valuable probes for fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of proteins. Here, we describe an unusual photoreactivity introduced by replacing the single tryptophan in cyclophilin A with 7-fluoro-tryptophan. UV exposure at 282 nm defluorinates 7-fluoro-tryptophan and crosslinks it to a nearby phenylalanine, generating a bright fluorophore. The crosslink-containing fluorescent protein possesses a large quantum yield of â¼0.40 with a fluorescence lifetime of 2.38 ns. The chemical nature of the crosslink and the three-dimensional protein structure were determined by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a Phe-Trp crosslink in a protein. Our finding may break new ground for developing novel fluorescence probes and for devising new strategies to exploit aromatic crosslinks in proteins.