bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Virtue and Reason: Integrative Theory of De 德 and Aretê
Authors: Cheng Chung-ying
Published: June 2021

This article is to argue that virtue is experienced and understood in Confucian ethics as power to act and as performance of a moral action, and that virtue (de 德) as such has to be onto-cosmologically explicated, not just teleologically explained. In other words, it is intended to construct an integrative theory of virtues based on both dao (the Way 道) and de. To do so, we will examine the two features of de, as the power that is derived from self-reflection and self-restraining, and as the motivated action for attaining its practical end in a community. Only by a self-integrated moral consciousness can one’s experience, action and ideal remain in consistency and coherence, which leads us to the Aristotelian notion of virtue as excellence (aretê) and enables us to see how virtue as aretê could be introduced as a second feature of de, namely as the power for effective action in the whole system of virtues, apart from the first feature of de as self-restraining power. We will conclude that reason and virtue are practically united and remain inseparable, and that taking into account the onto-cosmological foundation of virtues, reason and virtue are inevitably the moving and advancing forces for the formation and transformation of human morality just as they are motivating and prompting incentives for individual moral action.
“Please Give Me My Voice”: Women’s Out-of-Court Divorce in a Secondary City in Senegal
Authors: Bouland Annelien
Published: June 2021

Divorce is not uncommon among Muslims in Senegal and tends to take place outside of court, even if the Senegalese Family Code has made out-of-court divorce illegal. Yet little is known about how women in particular may obtain divorce outside of the court. This article provides ethnographic material on the way women divorce out-of-court, and the repertoires of justification they draw on. In line with scholarly work on women’s use of Islamic courts in other countries the article foregrounds women’s agency, yet in a different out-of-court context. First, it is shown that women draw on multiple, gendered, repertoires. Second, it is argued that because family members play a central role in the divorces studied, the analysis of women’s agency requires an attentiveness to kin and women’s “kinwork”.
A new species of the genus Grammacephalus Haupt (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from the United Arab Emirates, with a key to species of the genus known from the Arabian Peninsula
Authors: GNEZDILOV VLADIMIR M.
Published: June 2021

Grammacephalus albatus sp. nov. is described from Wadi Wurayah National Park in Fujairah Emirate of the United Arab Emirates. A key to five species of Grammacephalus known from the Arabian Peninsula is given. Notes on relationships of Grammacephalus Haupt, 1929 and Bampurius Dlabola, 1977 are given, with the taxonomic position of Grammacephalus genoicus Dlabola, 1984 discussed.
Annotated catalogue of the click-beetle genus Elathous Reitter, 1890 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae), including habitus photographs for all species
Authors: KUNDRATA ROBIN , NÉMETH TAMÁS , PROSVIROV ALEXANDER S. , HOFFMANNOVA JOHANA
Published: June 2021

An annotated catalogue of the genus Elathous Reitter, 1890 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) is presented. There are 48 species classified in the genus, of which seven are from the Nearctic realm, 39 from the West Palearctic from Morocco to Iran, and two from Japan. For each taxon we provide synonyms, information on type material, type locality, distribution, and bibliography.
Multidecadal Variations in the East Asian Winter Monsoon and Their Relationship with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation since 1850
Authors: Miao Jiapeng , Jiang Dabang
Published: June 2021

This study investigates the characteristics and physical mechanisms of the multidecadal variations in the East Asian winter (December–February) monsoon (EAWM) since 1850 based on multiple observational and reanalysis datasets. The results indicate that the EAWM undergoes multidecadal weakening during the periods of 1869–1919 and 1986–2004 but strengthening during the period of 1920–85. Similar evolutions can be observed in the time series of the area-averaged winter surface air temperature over East Asia. Associated with the EAWM multidecadal variations, a quasi-barotropic Rossby wave train originating from the subtropical North Atlantic propagating across the Eurasian continent to Northeast Asia also experiences phase shifting at the same time. In its positive phase, the low-level anticyclonic anomaly over the northern Eurasian continent causes a stronger Siberian high; the mid- and high-level cyclonic anomalies over Northeast Asia deepen the East Asian trough and strengthen the East Asian jet stream, respectively. Thus, the positive phase of the wave train is conducive to stronger EAWMs and vice versa. The diagnostic analysis of the Rossby wave source indicates that the upper-tropospheric divergence anomalies over the North Atlantic can favor the excitation of this wave train, and the feedback forcing of high-frequency eddies plays important roles in its maintenance. In addition, the phase shifting of the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) can induce a similar Rossby wave train across the Eurasian continent, through which it further modulates the multidecadal variations in the EAWM. Warm phases of the AMO are favorable for a stronger EAWM and colder midlatitude Eurasian continent and vice versa.
Technological Distance and Breakthrough Inventions in Multi-Cluster Teams: How Intra- and Inter-Location Ties Bridge the Gap
Authors: Vestal Alex , Danneels Erwin
Published: June 2021

Multi-cluster R&D teams have the potential to generate breakthrough inventions because they can tap into the distinct knowledge of the different geographic hot spots in which team members are located. Having access to a variety of knowledge offers these teams great recombinatorial potential. To succeed, however, the geographically dispersed members must share and integrate the different local knowledge pools available to them. We argue that the density of intra-team co-patenting ties shapes intra-team knowledge sharing and integration and hence the extent teams benefit from the knowledge they can access. Whereas greater density of intra-cluster team ties (within a given location) hinders sharing and integration of locally tapped knowledge across locations, greater density of inter-cluster ties (across cluster locations) facilitates it. Our empirical analysis of 834 multi-cluster nanotechnology R&D teams shows that the technological distance (the difference in knowledge) between clusters in which inventors are located has an inverted-U relationship with the likelihood of the team generating a breakthrough. Further, we find that the density of multi-cluster team intra- vs. inter-cluster ties influences the effect of technological distance on the likelihood of breakthrough invention.
Anglican moral theology today
Authors: Sedgwick Peter
Published: June 2021

Anglican moral theology is a genealogy, in MacIntyre’s use of this concept. It is a tradition that is handed on from one generation to another, practically and theoretically. Moral theology is part of the tradition of moral virtue, practiced by Christians, in local communities, families, and of course the church. What is distinctive in Anglicanism was that after 1580 there emerged an Anglican tradition of moral enquiry, which recognized the Protestant emphasis on scripture and a quite different role for the clergy, alongside a deep appreciation of the old, pre-Reformation tradition of moral theology. Today, the Anglican exemplary tradition also incorporates debates on sexuality, gender, and questions of identity. In social ethics, postcolonial voices show both the idolatry of political life and how our common life can be a locus of divine grace. Anglican moral theology is both very vibrant and deeply pluralist today.
Satisfaction With Democracy: When Government by the People Brings Electoral Losers and Winners Together
Authors: Leemann Lucas , Stadelmann-Steffen Isabelle
Published: June 2021

The last decade has witnessed the rise of populist parties and a number of actors that question liberal democracy. Many explanations of this rely on dissatisfied citizens. We ask in this article whether and how institutions allowing citizens to participate in policy-making affect differences in democratic satisfaction within varying representative contexts as well as between electoral winners and losers. To do so, we first develop a measure of sub-national direct democracy and then use it together with extensive survey data to investigate how direct democracy is associated with citizens’ evaluation of their democratic system. We conclude that direct democracy is not generally related to more satisfied people but rather closes the “satisfaction-gap” between electoral winners and losers. In contrast to previous research, we demonstrate that this mechanism holds across different representative systems.
What Empowers Teachers to Become Social Justice-Oriented Change Agents? Influential Factors on Teacher Agency toward Culturally Responsive Teaching
Authors: Min Mina , Lee Hongseok , Hodge Carrie , Croxton Natalie
Published: June 2021

Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) has gained significant attention across diverse school environments in justice by supporting students from culturally underrepresented groups. However, how teachers develop their agency toward inclusive practices and what influences the agency developed have been undertheorized and underexplored. This study aims to identify factors that support teachers’ initial enactment of CRT and what strengthens or weakens the positive agency developed. This study is guided by a grounded theory approach. Sixteen in-service teachers’ semi-structured interview transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Four themes emerged from each of the research questions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed to better support in- and pre-service teachers’ growth toward becoming social justice-oriented change agents with CRT practices.
The Effect of Mathematics Class Commitment and Anxiety on Mathematics Success: A Path Analysis Study
Authors: İlhan Aziz , Poçan Serdal , Gemcioğlu Muharrem
Published: June 2021

The concepts of commitment and anxiety are essential components of the teaching process, and these concepts come across as the commitment to and concern of mathematics in the field of mathematics learning. This study aims to explore the effect of secondary school students’ mathematics class commitment and anxiety on mathematics success. Another subject studied is the direct and indirect effects of the mathematics class commitment and anxiety on mathematics success. The study is of the quantitative method and follows the survey method. The research was carried out with 488 pupils (257 female and 231 male), selected with simple random sampling, studying in a secondary school in a province in the Turkey’s Eastern Anatolia Region. “Personal Information Form”, “Student Engagement in Mathematics Scale” and “Mathematics Anxiety-Apprehension Scale” was applied to the secondary school students as data collection tools. Significant relationships and effects have been identified between the secondary school students’ mathematics class commitment and anxiety and their mathematics success. In addition, the direct and indirect effects of mathematics class commitment on success and anxiety in mathematics have also been calculated.
‘Give them air quickly – don’t let them out’: Sentencing for manslaughter involving multiple offenders and victims
Authors: Roberts Julian V
Published: June 2021

Sentencing for multiple offences poses many challenges and becomes even more complex when the crimes resulted in fatalities. This article uses the sentences imposed following convictions in the Essex lorry case to pose some general questions about the sentencing of multiple victim manslaughters. The four principal offenders were convicted of 39 counts of unlawful act manslaughter and conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration into the UK. The analysis identifies several ways in which the sentences ultimately imposed failed to adequately distinguish between offenders of very different levels of culpability. First, all four principal offenders were assigned to the same level of culpability in the manslaughter guideline. Second, although the court could have distinguished the offenders to reflect their different culpability levels, the same Starting Point sentence was imposed on all offenders. Third, the sentencing uplifts to reflect the multiple counts were similar across offenders of very different culpabilities. Fourth, the differential additional punishments for the conspiracy conviction — which would have separated the offenders’ time in custody further — were washed out by being made concurrent. As a result of these decisions, the final sentences failed to adequately distinguish between offenders of very different culpabilities. The article concludes with some lessons for sentencing in these cases, specifically with respect to the Sentencing Council’s guidelines.
High School Jazz Band Directors’ Efficacious Sources, Self-Efficacy for Teaching Strategies, and Pedagogical Behaviors
Authors: Regier Bradley J.
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between high school jazz band directors’ efficacious sources, self-efficacy for teaching strategies, and pedagogical behaviors. Participants ( N = 264) completed the Jazz Band Director Self-Efficacy for Teaching Strategies Scale and responded to items about their formal and informal learning experiences, school characteristics, and demographics. Parental support was the best predictor of participants’ self-efficacy for jazz teaching strategies, followed by undergraduate participation in jazz performance and improvisation courses, school enrollment, and completing a doctorate or master’s degree. Participants with greater scores on self-efficacy for teaching strategies also indicted greater comfort for teaching various styles commonly performed by high school jazz bands and dedicated more class time to teaching improvisation and jazz theory. Jazz directors may improve their self-efficacy for teaching strategies by developing parental trust and engagement with the jazz program and seeking feedback from effective mentors when refining jazz teaching strategies.
Associations Between Children’s Physical Activity, Pain and Injuries
Authors: de Aguiar Greca João Paulo , Korff Thomas , Ryan Jennifer
Published: June 2021

Our aim in this study was to investigate the relationships between physical activity (PA), pain, and injury among children. Secondarily, we examined whether these relationships differed between children with normal versus excessive weight or obesity. This was a cross-sectional study of 102 children (57 girls) aged 8–12 years old. We assessed the prevalence of moderate and vigorous PA using accelerometry over a seven-day period. We examined the associations between moderate PA, vigorous PA, pain presence, and injury presence using generalized estimating equations with a logit link and binomial distribution. We adjusted the obtained models for potential confounders and explored the moderating effect of weight status. We found no association between moderate PA and pain, but time spent in vigorous PA was associated with pain. Neither moderate or vigorous PA were associated with injury, and there was no moderating effect of weight status in these relationships. In summary, we found that objectively measured vigorous PA is associated with pain among 8–12 year old children. While these results should be replicated in longitudinal studies, they suggest that an association between vigorous PA and pain should be considered when developing PA interventions for children.
Regional economic structure and airport-centric development strategy formulation: The case of South Korea
Authors: Chung Sungbong , Song Ki Han
Published: June 2021

Strategic positioning, in terms of the regional economic structure, is necessary to fully consider regional economic benefit in developing areas surrounding the airport. We propose a novel strategy formulation for an airport surrounding area development that moves the focus away from an approach focused on the airport toward an approach based on regional economic structure. The concept of comparative advantage and SWOT analysis was introduced by utilizing quantitative indices looking at the regional industrial ecosystem to enhance scientific analysis progress from the strategy building prospective. The proportion of inter-industry transactions, the degree of dispersion of inter-industry transactions, and the spill-over characteristics of local industries were developed into indices. Through the case study, we could systematically show that Incheon has both strengths and weaknesses in terms of the current absolute volume of transactions, opportunities in terms of demand factors and spill-over effect, but faces threats with regards to the regional industrial structure. The availability of the methodology was verified and a new concept of the airport economic impact zone has been proposed.
A method for calculating differential constitutive equation of linear viscoelastic composite model
Authors: Peihuo Peng
Published: June 2021

The stress–strain behaviors of viscoelastic materials are often simulated using a model composed of various combinations of springs and dampers. With the increase in the number of springs and dampers, the viscoelastic characteristics of the model will approach those of the actual material. This study discusses how to obtain the differential constitutive equation of a viscoelastic model composed of any number of springs and dampers. First, the general viscoelastic model is regarded as the combination of various Kelvin units. The viscoelastic model is then transformed into a digraph. Based on the relationships between the independent path of the digraph and the strain equation of the viscoelastic model and between the closed enclosure and the stress equation, the derivation of the constitutive equation is transformed into operations involving the incidence matrix of the digraph. Finally, the coefficients of the linear differential operator of the constitutive equation of the viscoelastic model can be obtained by block matrix operations. This method is suitable for computer programming and has a certain significance for accurately constructing viscoelastic models of engineering materials.
Circulating furin, IL-6, and presepsin levels and disease severity in SARS-CoV-2–infected patients
Authors: Kocyigit Abdurrahim , Sogut Ozgur , Durmus Ezgi , Kanimdan Ebru , Guler Eray Metin , Kaplan Onur , Yenigun Vildan Betul , Eren Canan , Ozman Zeynep , Yasar Oznur
Published: June 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in a vast number of infections and deaths that deeply affect the world. When the virus encounters the host cell, it binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, then the S protein of the virus is broken down by the transmembrane protease serine 2 with the help of furin, allowing the virus to enter the cell. The elevated inflammatory cytokines suggest that a cytokine storm, also known as cytokine release syndrome, may play a major role in the pathology of COVID-19. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between circulating furin levels, disease severity, and inflammation in patients with SARS-CoV-2. A total of 52 SARS-CoV-2 patients and 36 healthy control participants were included in this study. SARS- CoV-2 patients were scored by the disease activity score. Serum furin, presepsin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mean furin, presepsin, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the peripheral blood of SARS-CoV-2 compared to the controls ( p < 0.001). There were close positive relationship between serum furin and IL-6, furin and presepsin, and furin and disease severity ( r = 0.793, p < 0001; r = 0.521, p < 0.001; and r = 0,533, p < 0.001, respectively) in patients with SARS-CoV-2. These results suggest that furin may contribute to the exacerbation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and increased inflammation, and could be used as a predictor of disease severity in COVID-19 patients.
Study on realizing the personalized customization of bra cup by solving the inverse problem of bra cup design
Authors: Guo Ziyi , Zhang Yijie , Chen Jiazhen , Long Ying , Du Lei , Zou Fengyuan
Published: June 2021

In the process of bra cup customization, the matching between bra cup surface and breast shape largely depends on the practical experience of designers. To achieve effective customization, this study proposes an inverse design method. This method prescribes the surface of the main test section and subsequently optimizes the corresponding shape of the bra cup, thus minimizing the supremum of pressure in the target region. The optimization framework is mainly based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm and Kriging surrogate model. The inner surface of the bra cup represents the study model, and the three-dimensional morphology of the bra cup is characterized by the free-form deformation. The result exhibits a reduction of 22.51% in the pressure of the design cup as compared to the body size cup. The developed method can contribute to the engineering and personalized customization of the bra cup, thus further improving the fitting of the bra cup.
Effects of second-language acquisition on character introductions in 5- and 7-year-old bilingual and monolingual children’s Frog story narratives
Authors: Aktan-Erciyes Aslı , Ünlütabak Burcu , Zengin Betül Firdevs
Published: June 2021

This study investigates the effects of early second-language (L2) acquisition on introduction of characters in narrative discourse by comparing 5- and 7-year-old monolingual (first-language [L1] = Turkish) and bilingual (L1 = Turkish, L2 = English) children. Turkish does not have a grammaticalized article system like English which enables to investigate specific influences. The findings revealed that monolingual and bilingual children used similar forms while introducing characters; however, for the Frog character, bilingual children used more appropriate referencing compared to monolinguals. These findings were discussed within the effects of L2 on L1 in terms of introducing characters as well as the amount of exposure to L2.
Directional hydraulic fracturing technology for prefabricated longitudinal guide seams in a coal mine tight sandstone roof
Authors: Li Liangwei , Wu Wenbin
Published: June 2021

Triaxial hydraulic fracturing experiments were used to study the initiation pressure variation and acoustic emission characteristics of different guide seams sizes during roof hydraulic fracturing. Numerical simulations were used to explore the feasibility of multiple boreholes with prefabricated guide seams. An experiment of hydraulic fracturing on a pillar-free working face was also carried out in a coal mine. The results show that the specimens with guide seams reduced the initiation pressure, with the number of acoustic emission events and initiation pressure being inversely proportional to the size of the guide seams. Specimens without guide seams were deflected by stress and produced multi-level cracks, while the specimens with guide seams did not produce large secondary cracks and deflection. When the stress difference was small, three holes penetrated but not under large stress differences. The hydraulic fracturing technology of prefabricated longitudinal guide seams was tested in the Ningtiaota Coal Mine, and the auxiliary transportation roadway of S1201 working face was successfully retained for reuse in adjacent working faces.
Effects of a Physical Therapy Intervention to Improve the Quality of Life of Visually Impaired People: Development of an Audio–Tactile Exercise Protocol
Authors: Borges Silva Maristella , Novais Shimano Suraya Gomes , Lopes de Oliveira Nuno Miguel
Published: June 2021

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to develop and implement an audio–tactile protocol for therapeutic intervention in individuals with visual impairments. Methods: The Physiotherapy Protocol for People with Visual Impairment (PP-PVI) was developed following five steps: physiotherapy evaluation, linguistic selection, protocol design, linguistic adequation for visually impaired, and linguistic adequation for English language. Three adolescents and three young adults with visual impairments participated in this longitudinal study and performed the protocol of therapeutic exercises twice a week for 12 months while being evaluated with respect to their quality of life before and after. The quality of life was evaluated using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: The median score for all domains of the quality of life questionnaire improved after PP-PVI, with the exception of the body pain domain, which remained unchanged. Discussion: The PP-PVI was shown to be an important method of therapeutic intervention, and it was easy to understand and apply in persons with visual impairments. Implications for practitioners: The exercises of the PP-PVI facilitate the development of several physical and functional capabilities that are important to the independence of individuals with visual impairments.
More than a sex crime: a feminist political economy of the 2014 iCloud hack
Authors: Patrick Stephanie
Published: June 2021

This article examines the media framing of and relations to the 2014 iCloud hack, wherein hundreds of female celebrities’ private photos were stolen and distributed online. In particular, I problematize the reading of this event as merely signalling the misogyny of ‘toxic’ online cultures and contextualize it as part of a larger political economy of female celebrity. I argue that, while the growth in feminist discourses emanating from both the mainstream media and celebrity women is encouraging, it perhaps occludes the broader power relations that extend across both new and traditional media, ensuring maintenance of the status quo. This event exemplifies problems with a popular form of feminism that seeks inclusion into these systems, rather than wider systemic change. Therefore, in addition to examining the celebrity and/or her audience as the site of political (feminist) work, I call for an excavation of the systems in which she is embedded and her relations to the means of media production and profit.
Transgender identity management across social media platforms
Authors: Buss Justin , Le Hayden , Haimson Oliver L
Published: June 2021

Transgender people use social media for identity work, which takes place over time and across platforms. In this study, we interviewed 20 transgender social media users to examine transgender identity management across the social media ecosystem. We found that transgender social media users curate their social media experiences to fit their needs through creating accounts on different platforms, maintaining multiple accounts on individual platforms, and making active decisions about content they post, networks they are connected to, and content they interact with. In this way, transgender people’s social media curation is not limited to their own identity presentations, but also involves curating the content they see from others and whom they include in their networks. Together, these two types of online curation enable transgender social media users to craft social media worlds that meet their social and self-presentational needs.
Dietary acculturation of international students in Pune, India: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Mahmoodi Mahnaaz , George Roopan Miriam , Gokhale Devaki
Published: June 2021

Background:

Dietary acculturation refers to how a migrant group adopts the eating patterns of the host country. It results in changes in dietary behavior, dietary intake, and nutritional status of this vulnerable group.

Aim:

To study dietary acculturation of international students in Pune, India.

Methods:

International students from three Universities in Pune were enrolled. Information on demography, dietary behavior, and dietary intake (using a food frequency questionnaire) was recorded using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The height and weight of the students were measured using standard, calibrated equipment. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics.

Results:

A total of 100 international students from Iran, Africa, and South Korea were grouped by nationality. Considerable variation was detected in the daily number of meals consumed, skipping meals, portion size changes, packaged food consumption, and supplement intake following migration between the groups. The intake of non-vegetarian food had declined drastically for all groups. However, the specific non-vegetarian item showing the greatest change differed according to the group’s nationality. The intake of biscuits and cake had increased among all groups. African students showed an increase of 3.33 kg in body weight following migration. The intake of protein and micronutrients declined for all groups.

Conclusions:

This study highlights the changes in dietary behavior, dietary intake, and nutritional status of international students of different nationalities following migration to Pune, India. Thus, it emphasizes the need for nutrition interventions in international students in India.
John Wesley, Compassionate Entrepreneur: A Wesleyan View of Business and Entrepreneurship
Authors: Moon W. Jay , Cho Banseok , Bettis Nickolas
Published: June 2021

This article intends to identify and construct a Wesleyan perspective of business and entrepreneurship, drawing on how Wesley viewed and used business and entrepreneurship in relation to poverty in England, in order to identify helpful implications for the church which seeks to engage with poverty-related issues. Wesley did not repudiate or underestimate business and entrepreneurship in believers’ lives; rather, he provided believers with practical guidance and theological foundations for business and entrepreneurship particularly in the context of poverty. We argue that Wesley should be viewed as a compassionate entrepreneur—with the compassion of a liberator and the practice of an entrepreneur, as he encouraged believers to actively participate in economic activities, and recognized entrepreneurship as a sustainable and significant way to empower the poor. Wesley’s example challenges the church today as his case study serves as a radical and faithful application of biblical economic teachings on business and entrepreneurship.
The adoption of social messaging apps in Iran: Discourses and challenges
Authors: Bayat Abolghasem , Fathian Mohammad , Moghaddam Naser Bagheri , Saifoddin Amirali
Published: June 2021

Today, social networks are the most popular and widely used applications among smartphone users all around the world. Three years ago, the Telegram messaging app was the most widely used social messaging app in Iran due to its technical features and user-friendliness. Despite its popularity, Telegram caused controversial debates among policymakers and public opinion. To discover the nature of these conflicts, two main discourses were identified through qualitative data analysis based on Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. Proponents of Minaret discourse consider the Telegram as a threat to national security, thus they have tried to provide favorable condition to limit using it, and develop alternative domestic apps. In contrast, Cylinder discourse supports using the Telegram app to fulfill citizens’ digital rights and their rights of privacy and freedom of expression. This discursive conflict among policymakers, along with users’ resistance, resulted in some failures in the adoption of foreign apps (e.g., Telegram). Despite the extensive technical, financial, and moral supports to popularize domestic apps, users still prefer foreign apps such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram. The analysis of emergent discourses demonstrates the origins of contestations and provides insights into how to adopt social messaging apps.
Lasting effects of a single psilocybin dose on resting-state functional connectivity in healthy individuals
Authors: McCulloch Drummond E-Wen , Madsen Martin Korsbak , Stenbæk Dea Siggaard , Kristiansen Sara , Ozenne Brice , Jensen Peter Steen , Knudsen Gitte Moos , Fisher Patrick MacDonald
Published: June 2021

Background:

Psilocybin is a psychedelic drug that has shown lasting positive effects on clinical symptoms and self-reported well-being following a single dose. There has been little research into the long-term effects of psilocybin on brain connectivity in humans.

Aim:

Evaluate changes in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) at 1 week and 3 months after one psilocybin dose in 10 healthy psychedelic-naïve volunteers and explore associations between change in RSFC and related measures.

Methods:

Participants received 0.2–0.3 mg/kg psilocybin in a controlled setting. Participants completed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans at baseline, 1-week and 3-month post-administration and [11C]Cimbi-36 PET scans at baseline and 1 week. We examined changes in within-network, between-network and region-to-region RSFC. We explored associations between changes in RSFC and psilocybin-induced phenomenology as well as changes in psychological measures and neocortex serotonin 2A receptor binding.

Results:

Psilocybin was well tolerated and produced positive changes in well-being. At 1 week only, executive control network (ECN) RSFC was significantly decreased (Cohen’s d = −1.73, pFWE = 0.010). We observed no other significant changes in RSFC at 1 week or 3 months, nor changes in region-to-region RSFC. Exploratory analyses indicated that decreased ECN RSFC at 1 week predicted increased mindfulness at 3 months ( r = −0.65).

Conclusions:

These findings in a small cohort indicate that psilocybin affects ECN function within the psychedelic ‘afterglow’ period. Our findings implicate ECN modulation as mediating psilocybin-induced, long-lasting increases in mindfulness. Although our findings implicate a neural pathway mediating lasting psilocybin effects, it is notable that changes in neuroimaging measures at 3 months, when personality changes are observed, remain to be identified.
Recent advances in cell therapy for stroke
Authors: Park You Jeong , Borlongan Cesar V
Published: June 2021

The last 50 years have witnessed the translation of stem cell therapy from the laboratory to the clinic for treating brain disorders, in particular stroke. From the focal stereotaxic transplantation to the minimally invasive intravenous and intraarterial delivery, stem cells display the ability to replenish injured cells and to secrete therapeutic molecules, altogether promoting brain repair. The increased stroke incidence in COVID-19 survivors poses as a new disease indication for cell therapy, owing in part to the cells’ robust anti-inflammatory properties. Optimization of the cell transplant regimen will ensure the safe and effective clinical application of cell therapy in stroke and relevant neurological disorders.
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOXB-AS3 promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis by regulating ADAM9 expression through targeting miR-498-5p in endometrial carcinoma
Authors: Xing Ying , Sun Xianhua , Li Feng , Jiang Xuan , Jiang Afang , Li Xiaofan , Lv Ruiting , Shao Liwei
Published: June 2021

Objective

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression is closely related to the pathogenesis and progression of various tumors. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of lncRNA HOXB cluster antisense RNA 3 (HOXB-AS3), miRNA(miR)-498-5p, and disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 9 (ADAM9) in endometrial carcinoma (EC) cells.

Methods

The expression levels of lncRNA HOXB-AS3 in EC tissues and cells were detected using RT-qPCR assays. The effects of HOXB-AS3 knockdown on EC cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured using CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, and flow cytometry. In addition, putative miR-498-5p binding sites were identified in HOXB-AS3 and ADAM9. The targeted relationships were further verified using dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays.

Results

HOXB-AS3 expression was upregulated in EC tissues and cells. EC cell proliferation and viability decreased significantly in HOXB-AS3 knockdown groups. A putative miR-498-5p binding site in HOXB-AS3 was verified. Inhibition of miR-498-5p rescued the effects of HOXB-AS3 knockdown on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Finally, ADAM9 was verified as a direct target gene of miR-498-5p.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that lncRNA HOXB-AS3 is highly expressed in EC tissues and cells. Downregulation of HOXB-AS3 inhibits cell proliferation and promotes apoptosis in EC cells. HOXB-AS3 can upregulate ADAM9 expression by sponging miR-498-5p.
Invasive lobular carcinoma: clinicopathological features and subtypes
Authors: Danzinger Sabine , Hielscher Nora , Izsó Miriam , Metzler Johanna , Trinkl Carmen , Pfeifer Christian , Tendl-Schulz Kristina , Singer Christian F.
Published: June 2021

Objective

To analyze the characteristics of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) compared with invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and to investigate the impact of histology on axillary lymph node (ALN) involvement in luminal A subtype tumors.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with ILC or IDC from 2012 to 2016 who underwent surgery. Patients constituted 493 primary early breast cancer cases (82 ILC; 411 IDC).

Results

Compared with IDC, ILC tumors were significantly more likely to be grade 2, estrogen receptor- (ER) positive (+), have a lower proliferation rate (Ki67 <14%), and a higher pathological T stage (pT2–4). The luminal A subtype was significantly more common in ILC compared with IDC. In a multivariate regression model, grade 2, ER+, progesterone receptor-positive, pT2, and pT3 were significantly associated with ILC. Additionally, with the luminal A subtype, ALN involvement (pathological node stage (pN)1–3) was significantly more frequent with ILC versus IDC.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that grade 2, positive hormone receptor status, and higher pathological T stage are associated with ILC. With the luminal A subtype, ALN involvement was more frequent with ILC versus IDC.
Bioinformatics analysis of key biomarkers for retinoblastoma
Authors: Zhao Xin-mei , Li Yuan-Bin , Sun Peng , Pu Ya-di , shan Meng-jie , Zhang Yuan-meng
Published: June 2021

Objective

To identify key genes involved in occurrence and development of retinoblastoma.

Methods

The microarray dataset, GSE5222, was downloaded from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between unilateral and bilateral retinoblastoma were identified and functional enrichment analysis performed. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and analysed by STRING and Cytoscape.

Results

DEGs were mainly associated with activation of cysteine-type endopeptidase activity involved in apoptotic process and small molecule catabolic process. Seven genes (WAS, GNB3, PTGER1, TACR1, GPR143, NPFF and CDKN2A) were identified as HUB genes.

Conclusion

Our research provides more understanding of the mechanisms of the disease at a molecular level and may help in the identification of novel biomarkers for retinoblastoma.
Prognostic significance of CEA, Ki67 and p53 in pseudomyxoma peritonei of appendiceal origin
Authors: Yan Fengcai , Shi Feng , Li Xinbao , Chang Hong , Jin Mulan , Li Yan
Published: June 2021

Objective

To determine the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), proliferating nuclear antigen Ki67 and p53 in pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) of appendiceal origin and to correlate the levels with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival.

Methods

This retrospective study collected data on clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical staining of CEA, Ki67 and p53 in patients with PMP of appendiceal origin. Overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier plots. Median survival time was estimated by Log-rank tests. Potential prognostic factors were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

A total of 141 patients with PMP of appendiceal origin were enrolled in the study with a median age of 54 years. Of these, 93 (66.0%) were diagnosed with low-grade mucinous carcinoma, 43 (30.5%) with high-grade mucinous carcinoma and five (3.5%) with high-grade with signet ring cells. CEA exhibited ubiquitous immunopositivity in most cases and was not associated with overall survival. Ki67 labelling index (LI) and p53 status were related to histological grade and overall survival. The main pathological indicators affecting survival included histological grade, lymph node involvement, angiolymphatic invasion, Ki67 LI and p53.

Conclusion

Combined analysis of high Ki67 LI and aberrant p53 may provide the basis for evaluating the biological behaviour of PMP and predicting clinical outcome.
Management of anesthesia in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta and multiple fractures: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Wang Huiyue , Huang Xiao , Wu Anshi , Li Qianyu
Published: June 2021

Patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) usually also show osteoporosis and bone fragility. Because these defects may also be combined with an airway that is difficult to manage, abnormal platelet function, and other problems, the perioperative management of anesthesia represents a substantial challenge. Therefore, it is important to be able to predict the risks during the perioperative period and to formulate and implement specific high-quality anesthesia management plans for such patients when they experience trauma. We report the case of a 59-year-old female patient with OI who experienced trauma resulting in fractures of the left proximal humerus and right hip. She required open reduction and internal fixation of her humerus and total hip arthroplasty. However, she also had obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, and an airway assessment indicated that her airway would be difficult to maintain. General anesthesia combined with a nerve block was administered. An ultrasound-guided bilateral superior laryngeal nerve block and cricothyroid membrane puncture were used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. An ultrasound-guided “hourglass-pattern” fascia iliaca block was performed for perioperative analgesia. The use of a regional block and preparation for the difficult airway access represented important and successful aspects of the management of anesthesia in this patient.
A PRISMA review of expectancy-value theory in music contexts
Authors: Sin Hui Xing , Tan Leonard , McPherson Gary E
Published: June 2021

In this article, we systematically reviewed the research literature dealing with expectancy-value motivation theory within music contexts. Employing the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach, a total of 1,120 records were retrieved and examined, with 110 eventually included in the analyses. Frequencies/percentages were generated for research output in 5-year time periods, type of publication, sampling locations, and methodologies. Summaries of all 110 records were provided; content analyses on topics covered were also conducted. Findings indicated a clear increase in research interest over the past 15 years with quantitative methodologies being twice as prevalent as qualitative approaches. While the vast majority (97.7%) of quantitative research employed self-report questionnaires, the most common form of qualitative data collection was interviews (59.1%). Salient topics covered included students’ expectancy-value beliefs across music and other school subjects, continued music participation, intentions to pursue a career in music, and parental influences.
Managing the adverse effect of supply chain risk on corporate reputation: The mediating role of corporate social responsibility practices
Authors: Singh Nitya P.
Published: June 2021

Within the last decade, research has focussed on corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices as a strategic tool that enables firms to improve stakeholder perception, brand image and corporate reputation. However, one area that remains understudied is the role played by CSR practices in managing corporate reputation under conditions of supply chain risk. To answer this research question, we conduct a literature review and develop the corresponding hypothesis. We test our hypothesis using quantitative analysis of both primary and secondary data collected from organizations dispersed globally. The results highlight that under conditions of supply chain network disruption risk, CSR practices play an important role in enabling firms to manage the negative impact of such risk drivers on corporate reputation. The study further suggests that CSR practices positively impact supply chain risk management (SCRM) practices and are a necessary condition for SCRM practices to be effective in improving corporate reputation of organizations.
Characteristic of a Female Recidivist: Qualitative Empirical Analysis (View from Ukraine)
Authors: Khalymon Serhii Ivanovych , Bohatyrov Ivan Hryhorovych , Puzyrov Mykhailo Serhiiovych , Kolomiiets Nataliia Volodymyrivna , Bohatyrov Andriy Ivanovych
Published: June 2021

The article provides the characteristic of a female recidivist through a qualitative empirical analysis of socio-demographic, criminal-legal, and criminal-executive features of convicted women serving their sentences in the Chernihiv Correctional Institution No. 44 by conducting an anonymous survey of 123 female recidivists. The characteristic features inherent to female recidivists have been identified and generalized and, on this basis, a typical characteristic of such persons has been worked out based on the analysis of results of the survey of convicted women. This category is mostly represented by middle-aged people from 36 to 48 years. This person has a secondary or secondary special, vocational education, is unmarried, without stable socially useful ties, and the existing family ties have deteriorated after being sentenced to imprisonment, and by occupation she has a predominantly working specialty. She is serving a sentence of imprisonment for a term mainly from 2 to 5 years for middle grave crimes, has 3 to 4 convictions, which indicates her extensive criminal experience.
The Impact of Aggregate Level Alcohol Consumption on Homicide Rates: A Time Series Analysis
Authors: Vinod Kumar TK
Published: June 2021

Consumption of alcohol has an impact on violent crimes and homicides. The study examines the association between aggregate level consumption of spirit and homicide rates in the State of Kerala in India. Time-series analyses were conducted by building Autoregressive Moving Average with Exogenous Variables (ARMAX) models and OLS Regression models to explain the relationship between the monthly rate of consumption of alcoholic spirits and homicide rates. The study concludes that consumption of alcoholic spirits has a statistically significant impact on the total homicide rates and the male and female homicide rates. The study has significant policy implications being one of the first studies examining the relationship between alcohol consumption and homicide rates in India and suggesting methods to address challenges of adverse public health consequences associated with alcohol consumption.