bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nodal and planar cell polarity signaling cooperate to regulate zebrafish convergence and extension gastrulation movements
Authors: Williams Margot LK , Solnica-Krezel Lilianna
Published: April 2020

During vertebrate gastrulation, convergence and extension (C and E) of the primary anteroposterior (AP) embryonic axis is driven by polarized mediolateral (ML) cell intercalations and is influenced by AP axial patterning. Nodal signaling is essential for patterning of the AP axis while planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling polarizes cells with respect to this axis, but how these two signaling systems interact during C and E is unclear. We find that the neuroectoderm of Nodal-deficient zebrafish gastrulae exhibits reduced C and E cell behaviors, which require Nodal signaling in both cell- and non-autonomous fashions. PCP signaling is partially active in Nodal-deficient embryos and its inhibition exacerbates their C and E defects. Within otherwise naïve zebrafish blastoderm explants, however, Nodal induces C and E in a largely PCP-dependent manner, arguing that Nodal acts both upstream of and in parallel with PCP during gastrulation to regulate embryonic axis extension cooperatively.
Insight into the kinematics of blue whale surface foraging through drone observations and prey data
Authors: Torres Leigh G. , Barlow Dawn R. , Chandler Todd E. , Burnett Jonathan D.
Published: April 2020

To understand how predators optimize foraging strategies, extensive knowledge of predator behavior and prey distribution is needed. Blue whales employ an energetically demanding lunge feeding method that requires the whales to selectively feed where energetic gain exceeds energetic loss, while also balancing oxygen consumption, breath holding capacity, and surface recuperation time. Hence, blue whale foraging behavior is primarily driven by krill patch density and depth, but many studies have not fully considered surface feeding as a significant foraging strategy in energetic models. We collected predator and prey data on a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) foraging ground in New Zealand in February 2017 to assess the distributional and behavioral response of blue whales to the distribution and density of krill prey aggregations. Krill density across the study region was greater toward the surface (upper 20 m), and blue whales were encountered where prey was relatively shallow and more dense. This relationship was particularly evident where foraging and surface lunge feeding were observed. Furthermore, New Zealand blue whales also had relatively short dive times (2.83 ± 0.27 SE min) as compared to other blue whale populations, which became even shorter at foraging sightings and where surface lunge feeding was observed. Using an unmanned aerial system (UAS; drone) we also captured unique video of a New Zealand blue whale’s surface feeding behavior on well-illuminated krill patches. Video analysis illustrates the whale’s potential use of vision to target prey, make foraging decisions, and orient body mechanics relative to prey patch characteristics. Kinematic analysis of a surface lunge feeding event revealed biomechanical coordination through speed, acceleration, head inclination, roll, and distance from krill patch to maximize prey engulfment. We compared these lunge kinematics to data previously reported from tagged blue whale lunges at depth to demonstrate strong similarities, and provide rare measurements of gape size, and krill response distance and time. These findings elucidate the predator-prey relationship between blue whales and krill, and provide support for the hypothesis that surface feeding by New Zealand blue whales is an important component to their foraging ecology used to optimize their energetic efficiency. Understanding how blue whales make foraging decisions presents logistical challenges, which may cause incomplete sampling and biased ecological knowledge if portions of their foraging behavior are undocumented. We conclude that surface foraging could be an important strategy for blue whales, and integration of UAS with tag-based studies may expand our understanding of their foraging ecology by examining surface feeding events in conjunction with behaviors at depth.
The corepressor NCOR1 and OCT4 facilitate early reprogramming by suppressing fibroblast gene expression
Authors: Peñalosa-Ruiz Georgina , Mulder Klaas W. , Veenstra Gert Jan C.
Published: April 2020

Reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) succeeds only in a small fraction of cells within the population. Reprogramming occurs in distinctive stages, each facing its own bottlenecks. It initiates with overexpression of transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and c-MYC (OSKM) in somatic cells such as mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). OSKM bind chromatin, silencing the somatic identity and starting the stepwise reactivation of the pluripotency programme. However, inefficient suppression of the somatic lineage leads to unwanted epigenetic memory from the tissue of origin, even in successfully generated iPSCs. Thus, it is essential to shed more light on chromatin regulators and processes involved in dissolving the somatic identity. Recent work characterised the role of transcriptional corepressors NCOR1 and NCOR2 (also known as NCoR and SMRT), showing that they cooperate with c-MYC to silence pluripotency genes during late reprogramming stages. NCOR1/NCOR2 were also proposed to be involved in silencing fibroblast identity, however it is unclear how this happens. Here, we shed light on the role of NCOR1 in early reprogramming. We show that siRNA-mediated ablation of NCOR1 and OCT4 results in very similar phenotypes, including transcriptomic changes and highly correlated high-content colony phenotypes. Both NCOR1 and OCT4 bind to promoters co-occupied by c-MYC in MEFs. During early reprogramming, downregulation of one group of somatic MEF-expressed genes requires both NCOR1 and OCT4, whereas another group of MEF-expressed genes is downregulated by NCOR1 but not OCT4. Our data suggest that NCOR1, assisted by OCT4 and c-MYC, facilitates transcriptional repression of genes with high expression in MEFs, which is necessary to bypass an early reprogramming block; this way, NCOR1 facilitates early reprogramming progression.
Long-reads reveal that Rhododendron delavayi plastid genome contains extensive repeat sequences, and recombination exists among plastid genomes of photosynthetic Ericaceae
Authors: Li Huie , Guo Qiqiang , Li Qian , Yang Lan
Published: April 2020

Background

Rhododendron delavayi Franch. var. delavayi is a wild ornamental plant species in Guizhou Province, China. The lack of its plastid genome information seriously hinders the further application and conservation of the valuable resource.

Methods

The complete plastid genome of R. delavayi was assembled from long sequence reads. The genome was then characterized, and compared with those of other photosynthetic Ericaceae species.

Results

The plastid genome of R. delavayi has a typical quadripartite structure, and a length of 202,169 bp. It contains a large number of repeat sequences and shows preference for codon usage. The comparative analysis revealed the irregular recombination of gene sets, including rearrangement and inversion, in the large single copy region. The extreme expansion of the inverted repeat region shortened the small single copy, and expanded the full length of the genome. In addition, consistent with traditional taxonomy, R. delavayi with nine other species of the same family were clustered into Ericaceae based on the homologous protein-coding sequences of the plastid genomes. Thus, the long-read assembly of the plastid genome of R. delavayi would provide basic information for the further study of the evolution, genetic diversity, and conservation of R. delavayi and its relatives.
Production of cupcake-like dessert containing microbial biosurfactant as an emulsifier
Authors: Silva Ivison A. , Veras Bruno O. , Ribeiro Beatriz G. , Aguiar Jaciana S. , Campos Guerra Jenyffer M. , Luna Juliana M. , Sarubbo Leonie A.
Published: April 2020

This work describes the application of the biosurfactant from Candida bombicola URM 3718 as a meal additive like cupcake. The biosurfactant was produced in a culture medium containing 5% sugar cane molasses, 5% residual soybean oil and 3% corn steep liquor. The surface and interfacial tension of the biosurfactant were 30.790 ± 0.04 mN/m and 0.730 ± 0.05 mN/m, respectively. The yield in isolated biosurfactant was 25 ± 1.02 g/L and the CMC was 0.5 g/L. The emulsions of the isolated biosurfactant with vegetable oils showed satisfactory results. The microphotographs of the emulsions showed that increasing the concentration of biosurfactant decreased the oil droplets, increasing the stability of the emulsions. The biosurfactant was incorporated into the cupcake dessert formulation, replacing 50%, 75% and 100% of the vegetable fat in the standard formulation. Thermal analysis showed that the biosurfactant is stable for cooking cupcakes (180 °C). The biosurfactant proved to be promising for application in foods low in antioxidants and did not show cytotoxic potential in the tested cell lines. Cupcakes with biosurfactant incorporated in their dough did not show significant differences in physical and physical–chemical properties after baking when compared to the standard formulation. In this way, the biosurfactant has potential for application in the food industry as an emulsifier for flour dessert.
Assessing the Effects of Perceived Value on Event Satisfaction, Event Attachment, and Revisit Intentions in Wine Cultural Event at Yibin International Exhibition Center, Southwest China
Authors: Yen Tsai-Fa(TF)
Published: April 2020

The study examines the relationships among perceived value, event satisfaction, event attachment, and revisit intentions in a wine cultural festival context. Data was collected by questionnaire survey at many famous wine tourism sites at Yibin, China and a total of 419 valid samples were received. A questionnaire survey analyzed by SEM supports the model of revisit intentions as a function of attendees’ expressive and instrumental responses resulting from output/input perceptions of perceived value and a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment of event satisfaction. Implications, such as the managers should design valuable activities to attendees and satisfy their needs for experiencing of wine culture, are displayed as well as future research opportunities recommended.
The Amount of Selected Heavy Metals in Water, Sediments and Fish Species from the Rupsha River, Khulna, Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Md. Matiar , Hassan Md. Mahedi
Published: April 2020

The present study was conducted to figure out the heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations in water, sediments and fish species from the Rupsha River, Khulna, Bangladesh to spot the heavy metal contamination level. Heavy metals are dangerous because they're non-biodegradable and having an extended half-life period. The heavy metal contamination could also be an excellent concern, especially for aquatic life. The metal concentration within the water sample from the Rupsha River was significantly above the rule values of WHO and USEPA respectively. Moreover, the concentration of metal within the sediments was also greater than the respective probable effect concentrations of the sediment quality guidelines. Furthermore, consistent with the fish standards, these studied fish species weren't found to be contaminated by heavy metals. It’s concluded that each of the heavy metals from the whole sample didn't exceed the standard maximum level. This study demonstrated that water of Rupsha River isn't safe for aquatic organisms also like humans in terms of Pb, Cd and Cr contents as accumulated through consumption.
Effect of Three Pregermination Treatments on the Growth of Emerging Seedlings of Acacia auriculiformis (Cunn. Ex. Benth)
Authors: Abayomi Y. O. , Aduradola A. M. , Yisau J. A. , Hammed R. A. , Adeniyi S. O.
Published: April 2020

This research was carried out to determine the effect of some pregermination treatments on the seeds of Acacia auriculiformis as it affects growth. The treatments involve the effect of sulphuric acid (concentration and time), mechanical scarification (at different sides), and hot water treatment (volume and time). Split plot design was used for acid treatment and hot water treatment, while Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used for mechanical scarification. The experiment was carried out at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Parameters assessed include; plant height, stem height, leaf number. Acid treatment was carried out using different concentration of sulphuric acid (98%, 50% and 20%) and different treatment time (2 minutes, 5 minutes and 10 minutes). Concentration of acid was significant (p<0.05) on plant height, stem height and leaf number, higher concentration of acid (98%) enhanced morphological parameters of Acacia auriculiformis. Result showed that mechanical scarification significantly affect stem height (p<0.05), however, while mechanical scarification does not significantly affect plant height, the highest mean plant height (8.98 cm) was observed in seeds that were mechanically scarified at the micropyle; early germination of seeds was also noticed. Hot water treatment was carried out using different volume of water (50 cl and 1 litre) and varying treatment time (2 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes and 10 minutes), the treatment showed no significant difference, and this method is not favourable for breaking seed dormancy of Acacia auriculiformis. Result showed that 100% germination could be achieved within seven (7) days when seeds are mechanically scarified at the micropyle, circumference, distal-end and micropyle+distalend, provided the seeds are viable. This research conclude that, acid scarification using H2SO4 at 98% concentration is the best method yielding better morphological parameters in Acacia auriculiformis, followed by mechanical scarification (especially when scarified at the micropyle).
Variation in Yield and Yield Components of Tropical Forage Grass Species Evaluated in the Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria
Authors: Ojo G. O. S. , Madu H. , Okwori A. I.
Published: April 2020

Seven improved tropical grass species, namely, Andropogon gayanus Kunth., Brachiaria ruziziensis Germain & Evrard, Cenchrus ciliaris L., Chloris gayana Kunth, Panicum maximum var. coloratum C.T, Paspalum orbiculare G. Forstand Sorghum almum Parodi were evaluated for yield and yield components at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria in 2015 and 2016. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications in each of the years. Results showed that the evaluated grass species could be cut at an early age when the leaf: stem ratio is high enough for the ruminants to derive maximum nutritional benefit and need not be delayed till 16 weeks after planting. The highest correlation between plant height and grain yield was observed at 4 weeks (r = 0.69) and 8 weeks (r = 0.70) after planting, implying that the taller the plant species at this stage of growth, the higher the probability for high grain yield. Identification and selection of tropical grass species for improvement in grain production should, therefore, be carried out between 4 and 8 weeks of growth. All the seven tropical forage grass species performed favourably well in terms of growth and yield, with the positive response to increasing rainfall and further studies on multi-location evaluation within the Southern Guinea Savanna agro-ecologicalal zone of Nigeria is recommended.
Anti-Bacterial Analysis of Some Herbal Medicines in Mbale, Eastern Uganda
Authors: Aliyu H. A. , Danjuma A. M. , Abubakar K.
Published: April 2020

This study was aimed at investigating the anti-bacterial activity of some on shelf herbal medicines for treatment of Cholera and Typhoid in markets. The sample was collected from shops that sell herbal medicines using random sampling to investigate the effectiveness of these herbal medicines on Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serotype typhi. It was noticed that all the four herbal medicines that were subjected to antibacterial activities using E. coli and S. typhi, showed effect on the bacteria. Diameters of zones of inhibition was measured, which showed that zone of inhibition varies among the on shelf herbal medicines. Serial dilution was also carried out to check for the effect of concentration. Herbal Medicine for Typhoid 1 showed the highest zone of inhibition 14.36 mm and the lowest zone of inhibition was Herbal Medicine for Cholera 1 with 10.17mm on S. Typhi. While for E. coli, the highest zone of inhibition was 12.83mm shown by Herbal Medicine for Cholera 2 and the lowest was 10.25mm shown by Herbal Medicine for Typhoid 1.
Studies on Biology and Morphometrics of Etiella zinckenella (Lepidoptera) on Lentil under Laboratory Conditions
Authors: Kumar Gulshan , Yadav Surender Singh , . Manisha , . Sindhu
Published: April 2020

Background: Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke), an important and destructive pest of lentils and peas owing to its feeding habit.

Aim: The present study aims to investigate the biology and morphometrics of Etiella zinckenella (lepidoptera) on lentil under laboratory conditions.

Study Design: Laboratory experiment carried out on biological parameters of Etiella zinckenella in the department of Entomology, CCSHAU and Hisar.

Results: Study revealed that a single female could lay 46-65eggs (average 56.3 eggs) preferably singly on pods, flowers, calyx and leaves of lentil. Incubation period of the eggs varied from 5.18 to 5.38 days (average 5.24 days). After egg hatching, larvae passed through 5 larval instars. Total larval and pupal period was observed on an average 16.9 and 13.38 days, respectively. Adult longevity of male and female was found on an average 4.1 and 5.6 days respectively. Etiella zinckenella completed its total life cycle in 37-45 days. 

Conclusion: Biology of an insect pest is a condition precedent to find out its management strategies. Hence, observation on nature and behaviour of each developmental stage of this pest can be further utilised in the effective management at its damaging stage under field conditions.
Factors Driving Farm Gate Price of Tomatoes in Ghana: An Application of Hedonic Model
Authors: Hagan Margaret Aba Sam , Acheampong Appiah Godfrey , Awunyo-Vitor Dadson
Published: April 2020

The study examined the relationship between product characteristics and price of tomatoes in Ghana. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 300 sampled tomato farmers. The data collected included the price and quality characteristics of tomatoes traded in spot transactions in Akumadan and Tanoso districts in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions of Ghana. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. In respect of inferential statistics, hedonic price model was used to determine factors influencing farm grate price of tomatoes in the study area. The results of the study revealed that the age group involved in tomato production in the study area is youthful and dominated by men. Illiteracy is high and the majority of farmers are of Akan origin with a family-size above five (5). About half of the respondents sell their produce at the farm gate. According to the result of the hedonic model, five factors are statistically significant in the determination of the price of tomatoes, namely: distance to the farm, road quality, market information, graded product and quantity of tomatoes available for sale. The study therefore concluded that improved road networks, access to market information by the farmers, access to credit facilities from financial institution, and quality control with respect to product sorting or grading would improve the price received by the farmers. Thus there is the need for the government to improve the road network in the study area, particularly feeder roads to improve price received by the farmers. This would encourage existing farmers to continue with tomato production. Also, farmers need to be trained in sorting and grading of their produce to attract a good price.
Resenha Crítica: Reforma Empresarial A reforma empresarial da educação: nova direita, velhas ideias
Authors: Gomes Ana Carla
Published: April 2020

Este trabalho pretende apresentar ao leitor este valioso estudo de Luiz Carlos Freitas, sobre o processo de privatização das escolas públicas do Brasil, analisando sua historicidade e o cenário contemporãneo educacional de desmobilização diante de políticas facista alinhadas ao neoliberalismo econômico.
Participação política do professorado de educação física no movimento sindical
Authors: Frizzo Giovanni Felipe Ernst , Silveira Leonardo Lemos , De Oliveira Ivan Bremm
Published: April 2020

Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar a participação política do professorado de Educação Física (EF) no movimento sindical. Como instrumento metodológico, utilizamos um questionário com perguntas abertas e fechadas intitulado Enquete Docente com o professorado de EF da Rede Estadual de Ensino em Pelotas-RS. Participaram do estudo 26 docentes de 18 escolas estaduais do RS, que representam a totalidade de docentes que responderam ao questionário. Com os resultados, foi possível compreender que a formação inicial e as desigualdades de gênero são importantes elementos para a não participação política no movimento sindical. Também identificou-se que um pouco mais da metade do professorado de EF não tem envolvimento político com as atividades do sindicato que os representa.
Exploratory study of brain waves and corresponding brain regions of fatigue on-call doctors using quantitative electroencephalogram
Authors: Xavier Gregory , Su Ting Anselm , Fauzan Norsiah
Published: April 2020

Objectives

It is common to find doctors working long and odd hours and many at times without rest and sleep. Despite the evidence of adverse risk, jeopardizing patient safety under the hands of fatigue doctors under such working hours has not changed in many places. It has argued that with such training and subsequent experience, such issues with patient safety reduce. Fatigue too is argued as subjective, as those who can withstand the stress still perform. Nevertheless, undeniably working under fatigue is not safe for both the patient and the doctor. This study is a novel attempt to explore and objectify the state of fatigue using quantitative EEG among post-call doctors.

Method

Seven volunteer post-call doctors were recruited to go through an EEG recording before and after their on-call rotation while at rest and subsequently while carrying out Stroop Test, putting their cognitive function at work.

Results

The doctors have worked up to 33 hours in a row and have had sleep of an average of 1.5 hours. It is found that during task there is a statistically significant increase in theta (frontal and occipital regions) and beta (occipital region) band power while at task post-call. Alpha band power is increased in the frontal and reduced in other regions. Correlation with Stroop Test results indicated that those who have higher alpha, beta, and lower relative theta powers at the frontal region at post-call rest have higher percentage of correct congruent trials.

Conclusion

The results objectively imply that these fatigue doctors are under more strain while carrying out a task and corresponds to the implicated regions of brain stimulated by the task accordingly.
Exercise training reduces workload, improves physical performance, and promotes overall health in welders
Authors: Weyh Christopher , Pilat Christian , Frech Torsten , Krüger Karsten , Reichel Thomas , Mooren Frank-Christoph
Published: April 2020

Objectives

Welders demonstrate a significant prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders as indicated by high rates of illness-related absenteeism. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a 24-week exercise program on workload, physical performance, and overall health in welders.

Methods

Seventy-seven professional welders were assigned to either a control group (CG), an endurance training group (ETG), or a strength training group (STG). Both groups conducted a 24-week, standardized and progressive endurance or resistance exercise training program. Before (TP1) and after training (TP2) all participants performed an experimental welding task (EWT) in order to test the hypothesis that training would reduce the relative load (%MVC) of eight skeletal muscles measured by surface electromyography. Secondary outcome measures included further EWT-induced stress parameters and a series of health-related outcome measures.

Results

Results revealed a lower muscle load in participants of the ETG and STG for trapezius muscle at TP2 compared to T1 (P < .05 vs CG). Rate of perceived exertion and visual analogue scale were decreased, while increase of maximum EWT duration was found in participants of the ETG and STG after training (P < .05 vs CG). At T2, body fat (%) decreased and physical performance (bicycle exercise test, isometric strength of core muscles) increased in ETG and STG (P < .05).

Conclusion

Both regular endurance and strength training represent effective strategies for reducing workload and improving physical performance of welders. The results emphasize the importance of physical fitness for welders and might motivate health professionals in steel-industry to offer access to exercise training programs.
Mesenchymal stromal cells and their derivatives – putative therapeutics in the management of autoimmune pancreatitis
Authors: Goodman Robbie R. , Davies John E.
Published: April 2020

Autoimmune pancreatitis, a derivative of chronic pancreatitis, frequently causes acute episodes with clinical symptoms parallel to those of acute pancreatitis. Corticosteroids are effective in the treatment of 90% of autoimmune pancreatitis cases, but for the remaining 10%, options are limited. Due to their significant immunomodulatory capabilities, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a novel treatment strategy for various immune and inflammatory pathologies including those with autoimmune origins. Here, we not only highlight the most recent MSC live‐cell experiments to address acute pancreatitis, but also discuss the opportunities afforded by the emergence of the newly identified field of MSC necrobiology. We conclude that the putative employment of MSC derivatives provides a newer and simpler therapeutic approach that could have significant advantages over the use of cells themselves.
Fei Xiaotong (Hsiao‐tung Fei) (1910–2005)
Authors: Rong Ma
Published: April 2020

Fei Xiaotong (1910–2005) was a famous Chinese sociologist and anthropologist. He studied under Bronislaw Malinowski in London, returning afterwards to China to carry out research. During the Cultural Revolution, sociology as an academic discipline was abolished and he was not allowed to teach or publish. Later, when sociology was re‐established, Fei was active in setting up the Institute of Sociology at Peking University and the Chinese Association of Sociology. Because of this, Fei Xiaotong is regarded as the founder of sociology in China.
Social Transportation
Authors: Dawson Andrew
Published: April 2020

“Social transportation” denotes attention to the social forces that shape and are shaped by transport. This entry charts the most significant points of evolution of the concept of social transportation in sociology and the cognate disciplines of anthropology and geography. These are as follows: a shift from seeing transport as a means of achieving universal access to services to appreciating its role in the production of inequalities; a shift from seeing transport producing uniform patterns of urban growth to appreciating its role in the production of pattern variability; and, via what has come to be known as the “mobilities turn” or, more ambitiously, the “mobilities paradigm,” an appreciation of travel and transport being more than mere instrumental phenomena, concerned solely with getting from one point to another. Increasingly, social transportation is concerned with the meaningfulness of travel and transport.
Douglas, Mary (1921–2007)
Authors: Reis Ria
Published: April 2020

Mary Douglas was one of the most influential social scientists of her generation, known for her anthropology of everyday life and her sociological theory of meaning. A core motif in her work is that cognitions are anchored in the sociopolitical realities in which they are produced: the social structuring of societies and the implicit social structuring of minds stem from the same principles. In anthropology, her most influential theory concerns the body as a natural symbol and pollution ideas as protecting where ambivalences and anomalies threaten the construction. Outside of anthropology, her cultural theory was extensively applied in fields such as the sociology of organizations and technology studies. This theory relates four types of social structures deriving from combinations of two dimensions of social control (grid and group) to specific thought styles concerned with risk. Finally, her elaborate studies of the Hebrew Bible left enduring marks on biblical scholarship.
Evaluation Research
Authors: Fox Chris , Morris Stephen
Published: April 2020

Evaluation is the application of research methods in order to make judgments about policies, programs, or interventions with the aim of either determining or improving their effectiveness, and/or informing decisions about their future. Different types of evaluation include formative, summative, process, impact, and economic evaluation. A number of different movements or schools of evaluation can be distinguished, often favoring particular methods and methodologies and, either implicitly or explicitly, different epistemologies and ontologies. While evaluation can trace its history back to the early twentieth century, the discipline grew rapidly in the postwar period as the reach and ambition of governments' social policies increased. A key challenge for evaluation in the future will be the increasing complexity of social problems.
Autoethnography
Authors: Rambo Carol , Ellis Carolyn
Published: April 2020

Autoethnography refers to both a research process and the product of the approach. Practitioners draw from their lived experiences as a starting point for social inquiry. They represent their thoughts, emotions, collective experiences, and social processes associated with an identity or issue and then contextualize them in broader, societal‐level phenomena. Autoethnography arose as a response to the crisis of representation in the 1980s. This approach may employ a standard written essay format (for example, statement of problem, theory, literature review) and/or more artful forms of representation (for example, plays, art, music, and poetry). Autoethnography might address any form of lived experience, from the mundane – such as sleeping – to more sensitive topics – such as surviving childhood sexual abuse, bulimia, or natural disasters. The continued support and growth of this approach offers many future opportunities for expanding autoethnographic work worldwide.
Cyberdelinquency
Authors: Agustina Jose R. , Lux Laura Mayer
Published: April 2020

“Cyberdelinquency” is a composite term that refers to misdeeds carried out online by young people. Delinquency itself can be seen as a broad concept related to juvenile antisocial behaviors that include crime, deviance, offense, and vice committed by individuals who are below the legal age of criminal responsibility, but above a certain minimum age. The particularity in this case lies in the context or scope in which the delinquent behavior is committed – the cyberspace as opposed to the “meatspace.”
Deconstruction
Authors: Pavlich George
Published: April 2020

At first blush, placing a term like “deconstruction” in a sociology encyclopedia seems entirely incongruous. The wordencyclopediaderives from the Greek prefixen“in” andkúklos“circle,”, both conjoined withpaideia, connoting education. Together, the implication is this: encyclopedias encircle education by gathering general, but definitive, discussions on particular topics between the covers of one reference work. This activity undoubtedly runs contrary to the spirit of deconstructive practices that expressly involve undoing language where it gathers itself into closed circles – especially when it purports to reflect the necessary, essential, absolute, or fixed. By contrast, the prospect of reinventing encyclopedic traditions from within is certainly not counter to deconstructive thought. Without clinging to theen‐, one could, for instance, allude to the deconstructive potential of generally circling around educative meaning horizons.
Death Row
Authors: Carmichael Jason T.
Published: April 2020

Sociologists have explored the availability and use of the death penalty both in the United States and around the world. The historical trend has been a movement away from the use of this sanction. Today, two thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty. Furthermore, the United States is the only western democracy that still employs the sanction. Social science research has undoubtedly contributed to the diminishing support for the death penalty. In particular, scholars have exposed the fact that the sanction is both biased and ineffective. Support for the death penalty was, in large part, predicated on the idea that the sanction acted as a deterrent for murder. Despite these views, scores of studies have helped establish the limited deterrent capacity of the death penalty relative to life in prison. Beyond being ineffective, scholarship has also pointed out the racial bias inherent in capital punishment. While studies have come to mixed conclusions about the influence of the defendant's race on the likelihood of receiving the death penalty for murder, there is overwhelming consensus that, in the United States, African Americans who kill white individuals are many times more likely to receive the sanction than are white people who kill African Americans.
Income Inequality and Income Mobility
Authors: Motiram Sripad , Vakulabharanam Vamsi
Published: April 2020

Inequality has emerged as an issue of enormous concern in recent times. There is also concern that opportunities have become limited for the poor, and their chances of mobility have diminished. Income is an important dimension for the analysis of inequality and mobility. Studies on income inequality and mobility have been conducted at both the individual and group levels using different techniques. Income inequality and mobility are linked. At a theoretical level, the links work through channels like access to credit and education. Empirically, high inequality has been associated with low mobility. Inequality and mobility need to be located within the context of larger narratives of capitalism. More and better data need to be made available to shed light on inequality and mobility and inform policy, particularly in developing countries.
Knowledge
Authors: Stehr Nico
Published: April 2020

This entry describes various forms of knowledge, including commonsense knowledge; knowledge and information; a sociological concept of information; and a sociological concept of knowledge.
Luxemburg, Rosa (1871–1919)
Authors: Anderson Kevin B.
Published: April 2020

Rosa Luxemburg was one of the greatest theorists in the Marxian tradition. She was also a political leader, a common situation in the Marxist movement of the early twentieth century, and was the only woman to attain such a position in that period. Her most sustained teaching position was at the German Social Democratic Party's Central Party School in Berlin, where she taught political economy and social history from 1907 to 1914.
Michels, Robert (1876–1936)
Authors: Kierstead James
Published: April 2020

This entry gives a brief overview of the career and thought of Robert Michels, focusing particularly on his “iron law of oligarchy.”
New Age
Authors: Løøv Margrethe , Lewis James R.
Published: April 2020

“New Age” refers to a conglomerate of spiritual ideas and practices in contemporary western societies. Its teachings are derived from a variety of different sources, and there exists no common doctrine, institution, teacher, or scripture. Instead, the New Age comprises a series of different and sometimes conflicting teachings and authorities. These circulate through formal and informal organizations and networks. Can we nevertheless identify some common traits underlying the apparent heterogeneity of the “New Age”? This entry addresses this question in relation to the history, teachings, and social structure of the New Age.
Postnationalism
Authors: Maronitis Kostas
Published: April 2020

Immigration and global capital challenge the limits of the nation‐state and redefine the meaning of citizenship and belonging. Postnationalism is a sociological concept that encapsulates these changes and provides a set of alternative practices with respect to political participation and social action in globalized environments. Postnationalism does not necessarily signal the end of nationalism but rather points toward the struggle of the nation‐state to maintain its supremacy over the character and management of the economy, culture, and society.
Power
Authors: Haugaard Mark
Published: April 2020

While there is no single uncontested definition of power, most agree that power entails actors having effects or capacities. Power is often equated to domination, but it is important to recognize that it can also be normatively desirable, as power‐to, and empowerment. Lukes has argued that there are three dimensions of power. The first corresponds to the agency of actors. The second involves the structural aspects of social relations. The third entails the tacit ideas, reifications, and hegemony that frame power structures. Building upon the work of Foucault, the creation of social subjects with self‐restraint suitable for control and interdependence can be regarded as a fourth dimension of power. These dimensions should be regarded singly only for analytical purposes. In real life, all four dimensions of power are found together, often each dimension reinforcing the other.
Rite/Ritual
Authors: Papp Melinda
Published: April 2020

From an overview of the development of scholarship on ritual, it becomes evident how diversified and rich the study of ritual has been so far. Disciplines apply different approaches and methodologies while drawing on findings derived from different fields. The idea of ritual has been largely expanded over time to gradually include a wide range of practices associated with religious, nonreligious, political and public, mediatized and commercialized contexts. The definition of ritual continues to pose a challenge to theorists, which is dealt with by some by a complete refusal of the need to define the subject. In brief, ritual can be understood as a practice – with a more or less patterned form – through which ordinary things, places, and notions are elevated and taken out of their ordinary, everyday context. Things, places, and notions are transformed in this way into symbols which are able to convey values, norms, and ideals to actors. Furthermore, rituals often evoke intense emotion, and are sometimes used to manipulate political authorities and power issues and to regulate and regenerate social order and roles.
Tocqueville, Alexis de (1805–1859)
Authors: Clark Terry Nichols , da Silva Filipe Carreira
Published: April 2020

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859) has been variously considered as historian, sociologist, and political theorist. His most well known work is
Democracy in America
(1835–1840), a classic study not only of democracy in America but of democracy itself. Sociologists have found in this analysis of the early years of the American Republic a seminal source of inspiration for the study of contemporary American society and politics. In the 1970s, interest of sociologists in Tocqueville's work began to dwindle. By contrast, in political science Tocqueville's status as a classic thinker of democracy was never in question. In recent years, however, sociologists have joined political scientists in responding to Tocqueville's call for a “new political science.” His writings provide sociologists with an enduring source of inspiration for the analysis of social problems such as slavery, revolution, inequality, individualism, materialism, religion, and colonialism.
Event‐triggered coordinated attitude control for satellite formation under switching topology
Authors: Guo Fengzhi , Zhang Tingting , Zhang Fan , Gao Lei , Wang Zhipeng , Zhang Shijie
Published: April 2020

Event‐triggered coordinated attitude control problem for satellite formation under switching topology is investigated in this article. First, triggering function with state error is designed to adjust update period of controller. Event is triggered, state information is sampled, and controller is updated if and only if triggering condition is satisfied, while controller in nontriggering time uses state information of triggering time. Then, in the existence of model uncertainties, distributed adaptive attitude controller based on event‐triggered strategy is proposed for satellite formation with leader‐follower architecture. Under directed switching graph, formation system is proved to be asymptotical convergence by Lyapunov stability theory, and inter‐event time interval is given to avoid Zeno behavior. At last, simulation results show that the proposed event‐triggered adaptive attitude controller can reduce execution frequency of control tasks, as well as ensure control performance of cluster system.
Multifunctional Glyco‐Nanosheets to Eradicate Drug‐Resistant Bacteria on Wounds
Authors: Guo Zhong , He Jing‐Xi , Mahadevegowda Surendra H. , Kho Shu Hui , Chan‐Park Mary B. , Liu Xue‐Wei
Published: April 2020

Bacterial infection is becoming increasingly lethal with the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, and wounds plagued by such infection are notoriously difficult to heal. Here, the first use of galactose‐black phosphorus nanosheets, (Gal‐BP NSs) as a delivery platform for synergistic antibiotic (kanamycin, Kana) and photothermal treatments against the Gram‐negative microbial strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (PAO1) is reported. Gal‐BP NSs@Kana can actively target PAO1 and release kanamycin into the bacterial cytoplasm upon near‐infrared laser irradiation. This strategy kills most of the PAO1 through a simultaneous burst of intracellular kanamycin release and photothermal treatment. Comparable antibacterial activities of Gal‐BP NSs@Kana are observed within in vivo mouse models at their wound sites. In addition, this platform accelerates wound healing from PAO1 infection via promotion of neoangiogenesis and collagen production at the wound sites. This work demonstrates the material properties of Gal‐BP NS in fighting bacterial infections and in the treatment of wound healing.
Fabrication and Applications of 3D Nanoarchitectures for Advanced Electrocatalysts and Sensors
Authors: Kim Ye Ji , Lee Gyu Rac , Cho Eugene N. , Jung Yeon Sik
Published: April 2020

For the last few decades, nanoscale materials and structures have been extensively studied and developed, making a huge impact on human sustainability. For example, the introduction of nanostructures has brought substantial development in electrocatalysts and optical sensing applications. However, there are still remaining challenges that need to be resolved to further improve their performance, reliability, and cost‐effectiveness. Herein, long‐range ordered 3D nanostructures and their design principles are introduced with an emphasis on electrocatalysts for energy conversion and plasmonic nanostructures for optical sensing. Among the various fabrication techniques, sequential solvent‐injection‐assisted nanotransfer printing is suggested as a practical fabrication platform for tunable long‐range ordered 3D nanostructures composed of ultrahigh‐resolution building blocks. Furthermore, the importance of understanding and controlling the 3D design parameters is discussed to realize more efficient energy conversion as well as effective surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy analyses, suggesting new solutions for clean energy and healthcare issues.
Flexible and Self‐Powered Photodetector Arrays Based on All‐Inorganic CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots
Authors: Shen Kai , Xu Hao , Li Xiao , Guo Jian , Sathasivam Sanjayan , Wang Mingqing , Ren Aobo , Choy Kwang Leong , Parkin Ivan P. , Guo Zhengxiao , Wu Jiang
Published: April 2020

Flexible devices are garnering substantial interest owing to their potential for wearable and portable applications. Here, flexible and self‐powered photodetector arrays based on all‐inorganic perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are reported. CsBr/KBr‐mediated CsPbBr3 QDs possess improved surface morphology and crystallinity with reduced defect densities, in comparison with the pristine ones. Systematic material characterizations reveal enhanced carrier transport, photoluminescence efficiency, and carrier lifetime of the CsBr/KBr‐mediated CsPbBr3 QDs. Flexible photodetector arrays fabricated with an optimum CsBr/KBr treatment demonstrate a high open‐circuit voltage of 1.3 V, responsivity of 10.1 A W−1, specific detectivity of 9.35 × 1013 Jones, and on/off ratio up to ≈104. Particularly, such performance is achieved under the self‐powered operation mode. Furthermore, outstanding flexibility and electrical stability with negligible degradation after 1600 bending cycles (up to 60°) are demonstrated. More importantly, the flexible detector arrays exhibit uniform photoresponse distribution, which is of much significance for practical imaging systems, and thus promotes the practical deployment of perovskite products.
Harnessing the Formation of Natural Killer–Tumor Cell Immunological Synapses for Enhanced Therapeutic Effect in Solid Tumors
Authors: Im Sooseok , Jang Donghyun , Saravanakumar Gurusamy , Lee Junseok , Kang Yeoul , Lee Yeong Mi , Lee Jaehyun , Doh Junsang , Yang Zung Yoon , Jang Myoung Ho , Kim Won Jong
Published: April 2020

The formation of an immunological synapse (IS) on recognition of a cancer cell is the main mechanism underlying the natural killer (NK)‐cell‐mediated killing of tumor cells. Herein, an integrative strategy for cancer therapy against solid tumors is reported, in which alterations in the cleft of IS, following the secretion of acidic granular content, are utilized as a trigger for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. NK cells are decorated with the IS‐environment‐responsive micellar system to ensure the release of the payload when they attack cancer cells. Using this strategy, the immunological cytotoxic killing effect of NK cells against solid tumors is reinforced with the site‐specific diffusion of chemotherapeutic agents. Harnessing the intrinsic mechanism for the recognition of abnormal cells and the tumor‐homing effect of NK cells limit the adverse systemic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. This approach may provide a pragmatic platform for the universal and effective utilization of IS formation.