bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Synergy in Esophageal Cancer and Mesothelioma Is Predicted by Dynamic BH3 Profiling
Authors: Surman Deborah R. , Xu Yuan , Lee Min-Jung , Trepel Jane , Brown Kate , Ramineni Maheshwari , Splawn Taylor G. , Diggs Laurence P. , Hodges H. Courtney , Davis Jeremy L. , Lee Hyun-Sung , Burt Bryan M. , Ripley Robert Taylor
Published: June 2021

Approximately 20,000 patients per year are diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM); fewer than 20% survive 5 years. Effective therapeutic strategies are limited although patients receive a combination of chemotherapeutics. These tumors harbor thousands of mutations that contribute to tumor development. Downstream of oncogenic driving mutations, altered tumor mitochondria promote resistance to apoptosis. Dynamic Bcl-2 homology-3 profiling (DBP) is a functional assay of live cells that identifies the mitochondrial proteins responsible for resistance to apoptosis. We hypothesized that DBP will predict which protein to target to overcome resistance thereby enhancing combinatorial therapy.

DBP predicted that targeting either Mcl-1 or Bcl-xL increases the efficacy of the chemotherapeutic agent, cisplatin, whereas targeting Bcl-2 does not. We performed these assays by treating EAC and MPM cells with a combination of Bcl-2 homology-3 (BH3) mimetics and cisplatin. Following treatments, we performed efficacy assessments including apoptosis assays, IC50 calculations, and generation of a combinatorial index. DBP confirmed that targeting mitochondria with BH3 mimetics alters the threshold of apoptosis. These apoptotic effects were abolished when the mitochondrial pathway was disrupted. We validated our findings by developing knockdown models of antiapoptotic proteins Mcl-1, Bcl-xL, and the mitochondrial effector proteins Bax/Bak. Knockdown of Mcl-1 or Bcl-xL recapitulated the results of BH3 mimetics. In addition, we report an approach for BH3 profiling directly from patient tumor samples. We demonstrate that the DBP assay on living tumor cells measures the dynamic changes of resistance mechanisms, assesses response to combinatorial therapy, and provides results in a clinically feasible time frame.
Mapping of m6A and Its Regulatory Targets in Prostate Cancer Reveals a METTL3-Low Induction of Therapy Resistance
Authors: Cotter Kellie A. , Gallon John , Uebersax Nadine , Rubin Philip , Meyer Kate D. , Piscuoglio Salvatore , Jaffrey Samie R. , Rubin Mark A.
Published: June 2021

Recent evidence has highlighted the role of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in the regulation of mRNA expression, stability, and translation, supporting a potential role for posttranscriptional regulation mediated by m6A in cancer. Here, we explore prostate cancer as an exemplar and demonstrate that low levels of N6-adenosine-methyltransferase (METTL3) is associated with advanced metastatic disease. To investigate this relationship, we generated the first prostate m6A maps, and further examined how METTL3 regulates expression at the level of transcription, translation, and protein. Significantly, transcripts encoding extracellular matrix proteins are consistently upregulated with METTL3 knockdown. We also examined the relationship between METTL3 and androgen signaling and discovered the upregulation of a hepatocyte nuclear factor–driven gene signature that is associated with therapy resistance in prostate cancer. Significantly, METTL3 knockdown rendered the cells resistant to androgen receptor antagonists via an androgen receptor–independent mechanism driven by the upregulation of nuclear receptor NR5A2/LRH-1.

Implications:

These findings implicate changes in m6A as a mechanism for therapy resistance in metastatic prostate cancer.
MiR-221-3p as a Potential Biomarker for Patients with Psoriasis and Its Role in Inflammatory Responses in Keratinocytes
Authors: Meng Zhichao , Qiu Jianwei , Zhang Hong
Published: June 2021

Introduction: This study investigated serum miR-221-3p levels in psoriatic patients and the characterization of serum miR-221-3p in keratinocyte inflammatory responses was further assessed. Methods: qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-221-3p in the serum of 46 patients with psoriasis and 42 healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic curve evaluated the diagnostic ability of miR-221-3p in psoriasis. The effect of miR-221-3p on HaCaT cell proliferation was detected by using a cell counting Kit-8 and Transwell. ELISA was used to detect serum and keratinocyte pro-inflammatory factors. Results: miR-221-3p was significantly increased in the serum of patients with psoriasis. The area under the curve was 0.861, the sensitivity was 80.4%, and the specificity was 85.7%. Serum miR-221-3p was positively correlated with the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-17A, and IL-22. Cell experiments showed that reducing the expression of miR-221-3p could significantly inhibit cell proliferation. Additionally, miR-221-3p downregulation also inhibited the release of some inflammatory factors in the HaCaT cells. Discussion/Conclusion: MiR-221-3p is a latent biomarker of psoriasis patients. Lower expression of miR-221-3p inhibits the cell proliferation and inflammatory responses of HaCaT cells, which offers a possible target for the therapeutic interventions of psoriasis.
Locally Advanced Primary Small Cell Carcinoma of the Breast: A Case Report and Review of Current Evidence
Authors: Atchison Linsey , Hardy Thomas , Mancl Tara , Quaranta Brian Patrick , Madan Ankit
Published: June 2021

Small-cell breast carcinoma (SCBC) is a very rare type of aggressive breast cancer constituting less than 1% of all breast cancers. The WHO classification categorizes this tumor as small-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and its prognosis is usually worse as compared to invasive breast cancers. We report a 64-year-old Caucasian female who presented with a large fungating left breast mass. Biopsy of the mass revealed small-cell carcinoma of the breast, negative for all 3 receptors (estrogen, progesterone, and Her2/neu). Imaging studies were negative for distant metastasis. She was subsequently treated after multidisciplinary discussion utilizing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with platinum agents and etoposide, modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection, and adjuvant radiation therapy. Since she has triple-negative small-cell breast cancer, she will be followed with active surveillance without hormonal therapy. With less than 100 cases reported and in the absence of evidence-based standard treatment guidelines, we have reviewed various case series reported in the literature. We further discuss various chemotherapy regimens used previously, adverse prognostic factors of breast neuroendocrine tumors, common receptor status, and genetic mutations found in SCBC.
Clinical Relevance of Shrimp Sensitization in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis: Anti-Der p 10 IgE as Predictor
Authors: Diez Susana , Puerta Leonardo , Martínez Dalgys , Muñoz María , Hernández Karen , Sánchez Jorge
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Cross-reactivity between shrimp and house dust mite (HDM) proteins has been widely documented. In tropical region, shrimp (5–15%) and mite sensitization (80–95%) is prevalent in allergic patients. However, the clinical relevance of shrimp sensitization in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the clinical relevance shrimp IgE sensitization in AR patients sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Methods: The study was conducted in Medellin (Colombia). A cross-sectional study in patients with AR sensitized to HDM was performed in 3 steps: (i) assessment of IgE sensitization frequency to shrimp Penaeus azteca, Litopenaeus vannamei, and tropomyosin homologous allergens rDer p 10, rPen a 1, and rLit v 1, (ii) evaluation of the clinical relevance of shrimp sensitization using oral challenge test (OCT) and (iii) identification of possible risk factors for positive-OCT results. Ethical committee approval was obtained. Results: From 443 patients with AR, 86 (19.4%) were sensitized to shrimp and 23 of them (26.7%) had shrimp allergy diagnosis. Thirty-six of the patients sensitized to shrimp (41.2%) reported not previously consumed this food and eleven of them had a positive-OCT (30.5%). There was not statistically significant difference in total IgE or sIgE (D. pteronyssinus, P. azteca, L. vannamei, rPen a 1, and rLit v 1) between OCT groups (positive vs. negative results). Anti-Der p 10 IgE was associated with risk for a positive-OCT in different multivariable scenarios. Discussion/Conclusion: Our results suggest that in patients with HDM-associated AR and shrimp IgE sensitization is necessary to evaluate the clinical relevance of shrimp IgE even if the patient has never consumed shrimp because of cross-reactivity. Anti-Der p 10 could be a possible biomarker of clinical relevance to shrimp sensitization and could reduce the need for OCTs.
Macrobenthic community of an estuarine tidal flat on the Amazon coast: spatial variations and presence of polychaetes tubes
Authors: Santos Thuareag Monteiro Trindade dos , Aviz Daiane
Published: June 2021

The present study characterized the macrobenthic fauna found on a muddy-sandy tidal flat of the Amazon coast in areas with and without the presence of Diopatra cuprea (Bosc, 1802) (Onuphidae: Annelida) tubes. In addition, a brief review of records of D. cuprea on the Brazilian Amazon coast is presented. Samples were collected in February 2014 in two different areas: (1) an area in which D. cuprea tubes were present, and (2) a control area, in which worm tubes were absent. A total of 21 taxa were found, of which 10 were associated exclusively with D. cuprea tubes. Although richness did not vary significantly among areas, there were changes in the abundance and composition of species and trophic guilds. In the area with tubes, there was a higher abundance of filter-feeders and the presence of species adapted to consolidated and muddy substrates. Our results and those of other studies indicate that D. cuprea commonly presents low density in the Amazon coastal, and its tubes are typically scattered widely in the intertidal zone. The present findings add knowledge about the presence of the bioconstructor in coastal areas and reinforce the role of tube-building polychaetes as ecosystem engineers.
Variation in dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) assemblages in a tropical forest remnant from a Mexican National Park
Authors: Sánchez-Hernández Gibrán , Gómez Benigno , Rodríguez-López Misraim Edivaldo , Dávila-Sánchez Rolando Antonio , Chamé-Vázquez Eduardo Rafael
Published: June 2021

The Cañón del Sumidero National Park (PNCS) is a priority area for conservation, but there are few studies on its fauna, which evidences the need for further basic studies to produce adequate knowledge on its biodiversity. This study aimed to determine dung beetle assemblages temporal distribution, trophic preference, and daily activity patterns. We conducted samplings using baited pitfall traps in a PNCS tropical sub deciduous forest remnant, during the dry and rainy seasons between 2014 and 2015. We captured a total of 863 individuals of 20 species, 12 genera, and five tribes of Scarabaeinae. Estimators suggest that we obtained high faunistic representation (> 80%), but species richness is low compared to other regional studies. The community was characterized by a high number of rare species and few dominant species. We captured the greatest richness and abundance during rainy months, however, species composition between seasons did not differ significantly. Trophic preference was mainly generalist and we considered only four species as specialists to tapir dung. We observed a clear segregation between activity hours. Nevertheless, we determined only nine species as specialists (six nocturnal and three diurnal) and two others had generalist habits. The low diversity we found could be influenced by the constant pressure of the urban area and non-native species within the park, which alter the dung beetle assemblages. However, performing samplings for longer periods and using a wider range of resources would help us obtain more robust results and better understand species distribution patterns.
Isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. in raw milk from dairy herds in Colombia
Authors: Castañeda-Salazar Rubiela , Pulido-Villamarín Adriana del Pilar , Ángel-Rodríguez Geraldine Lorena , Zafra-Alba Camila Andrea , Oliver-Espinosa Olimpo Juan
Published: June 2021

Salmonellosis is a foodborne disease (FBD) that affects public health and can cause death in people. Many outbreaks of Salmonellosis have been reported due to the contamination of raw milk and dairy products with the pathogen. To determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in milk samples from four dairy herds in the Sabana of Bogotá in 2017, 112 milk samples were taken directly from the mammary gland during milking. All milk samples were cultured and tested to isolate and identify Salmonella spp. using microbiological and molecular methods. Salmonella spp. prevalence of milk samples was found to be 20.5% (n=23). The main Salmonella serovars isolated were S. Newport (60.87%), S. Typhimurium (17.4%), S. Virchow, S. Bredeney, and S. Anatum (4.3% each one of the serovars). However, it was not possible to determine the Salmonella serotype in two isolates. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in milk has not been studied extensively in Colombia. The 20.5% in the prevalence might be due to fact that the sample was taken directly from the mammary gland allowing a better chance of isolation by avoiding the dilutional effect of mixed milk from different cows in the buckets. This also suggests that the infection of the udder could have occurred by hematogenous dissemination or by milking machine contamination. This study highlights the need to implement measures to prevent contamination and reduce the problem in the herds, which will result in milk and dairy products with high standards of innocuity and quality and decrease the risk of foodborne illness.
Models and Numbers: Representing the World or Imposing Order?
Authors: Kaiser Matthias , Buklijas Tatjana , Gluckman Peter
Published: June 2021

We argue for a foundational epistemic claim and a hypothesis about the production and uses of mathematical epidemiological models, exploring the consequences for our political and socio-economic lives. First, in order to make the best use of scientific models, we need to understand why models are not truly representational of our world, but are already pitched towards various uses. Second, we need to understand the implicit power relations in numbers and models in public policy, and, thus, the implications for good governance if numbers and models are used as the exclusive drivers of decision making.
A Father’s Entitlement to Paternity and Parental Leave in Lithuania: Necessary Legislative Changes Following the Adoption of the Directive on Work–Life Balance
Authors: Mačernytė-Panomariovienė Ingrida , Krasauskas Rytis
Published: June 2021

There is a great deal of legislation that has been adopted by the European Union which, in one way or another, aims at ensuring equal opportunities and a good work–life balance. One specific issue in this area relates to childcare leave. In practice, providing for equal opportunities has meant enabling women to integrate into the labor market, to advance their careers, and to have more guarantees and rights at work. In reality, thus far these measures have not been effective enough. The new Directive (EU) 2019/1158 on work–life balance for parents and carers, adopted on 20 June 2019, seeks to increase the take-up of family-related leave and flexible working arrangements by men (fathers). The purpose of this article is to assess what effects this new EU directive will have upon Lithuanian law in this area.
Keeping UNCLOS Relevant
Authors: Telesetsky Anastasia
Published: June 2021

After years of delicate negotiations, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) went into force in 1994. Over 25 years later, UNCLOS as a tool for cooperation and coordination is more policy relevant than ever before as the global community seeks to better understand and protect the oceans. Yet, some of the most difficult subject matters for the 21st century including industrial fishing, labor practices, plastic pollution, and climate change are only indirectly addressed by UNCLOS. This article suggests that States could update UNCLOS by amendment to remain relevant by explicitly addressing concerns such as transshipment, perverse fisheries subsidies, multi-species management, maritime trade slavery, plastic litter from the fishing industry and land sources, climate-impacted fisheries, geo-engineering, and renewable energy. While amending UNCLOS might be considered politically impractical, even a rudimentary conversation on amending the treaty would provide much-needed political focus on critical ocean topics where there are present governance gaps.
How to Amend UNCLOS and Why It Has Never Been Done
Authors: Whomersley Chris
Published: June 2021

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) contains detailed provisions concerning its amendment, but these have never been used and this article explores why this is so. States have instead maintained the Convention as a “living instrument” by adopting updated rules in other organisations, especially the International Maritime Organisation and the International Labour Organisation. States have also used the consensus procedure at Meetings of the States Parties to modify procedural provisions in UNCLOS, and have adopted two Implementation Agreements relating to UNCLOS. In addition, port State jurisdiction has developed considerably since the adoption of UNCLOS, and of course other international organisations have been active in related fields.
Eryngium (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae) in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil
Authors: CARDOZO ANDREY LUCAS , GOLDENBERG RENATO , FIASCHI PEDRO , LABIAK PAULO
Published: June 2021

Eryngium has about 220 species, mostly distributed in subtropical and temperate regions of all continents. With about 60 species, the genus is widely distributed in Brazil, being present in all states of the country. Its species are perennial or biennial plants that preferentially colonize terrestrial, aquatic and rocky substrates. They usually have an erect or creeping habit, with rosulate leaves and white, blue or purple flowers. Within Apiaceae, the genus can be easily distinguished from the other genera by its capitulate inflorescences and by having a single bract per flower. We present the first taxonomic treatment for the genus in the state of Paraná, which is based on herbarium collections and fieldwork across the state. In total, 25 species were recorded. Of these, seven are endemic to Brazil. Eryngium aloifolium and E. regnelli are new records for Paraná. Fifteen species grow in native grasslands at high elevations, whereas one species is restricted to remnants of savannas in the northern portion of the state (E. rochei). Identification key, descriptions, illustrations, distributions maps, and taxonomic comments are provided.
Amylotheca cleofei sp. nov. (Loranthaceae), a new species and genus record for the Philippines

Authors: TANDANG DANILO N. , GALINDON JOHN MICHAEL M. , LAGUNDAY NOEL E. , CORITICO FULGENT P. , AMOROSO VICTOR B. , ROBINSON ALASTAIR S.
Published: June 2021

A new mistletoe species, Amylotheca cleofei, from Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Davao Oriental in the southern Philippines, is herein described and illustrated, representing a new species and genus record for the country. This species differs from other known Amylotheca species in terms of its distinctive reproductive and vegetative characters.
Enhanced In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy of Alginate/Silk Protein/Hyaluronic Acid with Polypeptide Microsphere Delivery for Tissue Regeneration of Articular Cartilage
Authors: Han Long , Xu Nanwei , Lv Songwei , Yin Jianjian , Zheng Dong , Li Xin
Published: June 2021

Alginate/Silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid (ALG/SF/HA) nanocomposites were synthesised using blending, inter-linking, and lyophilization methods. We investigated the physicochemical properties of the resulting nanocomposites, including their water retention, weight loss, porosity and cytocompatibility.
The optimum ratios of the ALG/SF/HA scaffolding were 3:6.5:0.5. Nanocomposites with optimum ratios were then prepared by integrating pilose antler polypeptides (PAPS) to poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres, and the performance was investigated. PAPS-ALG/SF/HA nanocomposites exhibited
desirable adhesions and proliferations. Rabbit cartilage deficiencies was developed by the animal model. The cartilage repair effects deficiencies were detected and analyzed between PAPS-SF/ALG/ALG/SF/HA, and control activity classes. The deficiencies were virtually fully remedied after 13
weeks in the presence of PAPS-ALG/SF/HA class, suggesting that the PAPS-ALG/SF/HA nanocomposites had a positive effects on joint cartilage repair.
Live In-Vivo Neuroimaging Reveals the Transport of Lipophilic Cargo Through the Blood-Retina Barrier with Modified Amphiphilic Poly-N-Vinylpyrrolidone Nanoparticles
Authors: Tawfik Mohamed , Hadlak Steffen , Götze Christian , Sokolov Maxim , Kulikov Pavel , Kuskov Andrey , Shtilman Mikhail , Sabel Bernhard A. , Henrich-Noack Petra
Published: June 2021

The blood-retina barrier (BRB), analogous to the blood-brain barrier, is a major hurdle for the passage of drugs from the blood to the central nervous system. Here, we designed polymeric nanoparticles from amphiphilic poly-/V-vinylpyrrolidone (Amph-PVP NPs) as a new carrier-system and
investigated their ability to pass the BRB using a live In-Vivo neuroimaging system for the retina in rats and ex-vivo wholemounted retinae preparation. Amph-PVP NPs were loaded with hydrophobic fluorescent markers as a surrogate for hydrophobic drugs. Linking these NPs with
the hydrophobic fluorescence marker Carboxyfluorescein-succinimidyl-ester (CFSE) to the surface, induced the passage of the cargo into the retina tissue. In particular, we observed a substantial internalization of the CFSE-linked NPs into blood cells. We propose surface- modified Amph-PVP
NPs as a potential new nano-carrier platform to target posterior eye and potentially brain diseases while camouflaged by blood cells.
Preparation and Performance of Chemotherapy Drug-Loaded Graphene Oxide-Based Nanosheets That Target Ovarian Cancer Cells via Folate Receptor Mediation
Authors: Wang Jing , Han Shiyu , Zhang Zhanteng , Wang Jiao , Zhang Guangmei
Published: June 2021

Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the most popular nanomaterials that widely used to achieve effective cancer treatment. In this study, a novel, folic acid-decorated graphene oxide (FA-GO)-mediated drug delivery system was synthesized by loading the chemotherapy drug cisplatin (CDDP) or
paclitaxel (PTX) to the large surface area of GO for ovarian cancer target therapy. In vitro study showed that the therapeutic effects of FA-GO-CDDP or FA-GO-PTX were increased with folate-binding protein (FBP) expression levels. The GO-CDDP or GO-PTX modified with FA enhanced cancer
cell death by promoting DNA damage, ROS production, and apoptotic pathway activation. In vivo anticancer study demonstrated that FA-GO-CDDP nanosheets showed excellent therapeutic performance and attenuated the body weight loss evoked by CDDP treatment. Our results indicate that the
chemotherapy agent-loaded FA-GO nanosheets have high potential therapeutic effects against FBP high expressing ovarian cancer.
Injectable Cryogels Associate with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells for Cardiac Healing After Acute Myocardial Infarctions
Authors: Cheng Nan , Ren Chonglei , Yang Ming , Wu Yuanbin , Zhang Huajun , Wei Shixiong , Wang Rong
Published: June 2021

Treatment of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) provides support for novel methods of conveying baseline cell protein endothelial cells to promote acute myocardial infarction in gelatin sericin (GS) lamin-coated antioxidant systems (GS@L). The ratio of fixity modules, pores, absorption, and inflammation in the range of ka (65 ka), 149 ±39.8 μm, 92.2%, 42 ± 1.38, and 29 ± 1.9 were observed in the synthesized frames for GS. Herein, ADSC-GS@L was prepared, and the relevant substance for the development of cardiac regenerative applications was stable and physically chemical.In vitroassessments of ADSC-GS@L injectable cryogels established the enhanced survival rates of the cell and improved pro- angiogenic factors as well as pro-inflammatory expression, confirming the favorable outcomes of fractional ejections, fibro-areas, and vessel densities with reduced infraction dimensions. The novel ADSC-injecting cryogel method could be useful for successful heart injury therapies during acute myocardial infarction. Additionally, the method could be useful for successful heart injury therapies during coronary heart disease.
Understanding Dizzy Patients a Cross-Sectional Analysis of Attitudes toward Diagnosis, Providers, and Treatment
Authors: Chiao Whitney , Krauter Roseanne , Kirk Laura , Steenerson Kristen , Pasquesi Lauren , Sharon Jeffrey
Published: June 2021

Objective:

To evaluate patients’ attitudes regarding their dizziness, provider capabilities, and receptiveness toward treatment.

Study Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Setting:

Tertiary care vestibular clinic.

Patients:

Ages 18 years or older, fluent in English, and who presented with a chief complaint of dizziness or vertigo.

Intervention(s):

N/A.

Main Outcomes Measure(s):

Non-validated questionnaire surveying patients’ beliefs regarding the cause of their dizziness, likelihood of successful treatment, and openness to various treatment modalities

Results:

Patients were asked to complete an online non-validated survey regarding their dizziness prior to being evaluated in neurotology clinic. About 67 surveys were completed between January 2017 and September 2018. A majority of patients attributed their dizziness to their ears (n = 47, 70%), followed by the brain (n = 29, 43%). Most subjects chose “neither agree nor disagree” about whether their provider could identify the cause of their dizziness (27%). Most subjects also chose “neither agree nor disagree” that their dizziness would resolve with treatment (31%). These attitudes were not influenced by demographics, dizziness severity, anxiety, depression, or quality of life on multivariate ordinal regression modeling.

Conclusions:

Patients who experience dizziness have neutral attitudes with regards to believing that their provider will be able to identify the cause of their dizziness and whether their dizziness will resolve with treatment. These neutral attitudes are experienced by a plurality of patients and do not differ by demographic information, dizziness handicap, quality of life, depression, or anxiety.
Design Effect in Multilevel Settings: A Commentary on a Latent Variable Modeling Procedure for Its Evaluation
Authors: Raykov Tenko , DiStefano Christine
Published: June 2021

A latent variable modeling-based procedure is discussed that permits to readily point and interval estimate the design effect index in multilevel settings using widely circulated software. The method provides useful information about the relationship of important parameter standard errors when accounting for clustering effects relative to conducting single-level analyses. The approach can also be employed as an addendum to point and interval estimation of the intraclass correlation coefficient in empirical research. The discussed procedure makes it easily possible to evaluate the design effect in two-level studies by utilizing the popular latent variable modeling methodology and is illustrated with an example.
COVID-19 Crisis and Some Contours of the Rural Labour Market in India
Authors: Roy Shantanu De , Bose Mampi
Published: June 2021

Indian labour markets are segmented based on caste, gender groups, region, types of workers and types of contractual arrangements. An important feature of the labour markets in India, notwithstanding intersectionalities across segments, is greater access to high-quality work with social security benefits to the privileged sections of the society as compared to the socially oppressed sections, including women. The latter dominate in low-quality, less stable and insecure work in the informal sector.The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures have increased the vulnerability of the informal workers, including the migrant workers. The article analyses the features of rural and urban labour markets, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, that had contributed to vulnerability of the workforce. The analysis was based on the National Statistical Office ( NSO, 2020 )—Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) database of 2018–2019, NSSO (2014)—Report of the Situation of Agricultural Households in India, NSSO (2014)—Employment and Unemployment Survey, Labour Bureau, and the Economic Survey of India. It also analyses the impacts of the pandemic on the rural labour market based on the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) database. Our analysis reveals that the rural labour market in India was more adversely affected by the lockdown measures than the urban counterpart. In the rural areas, there was collapse of non-farm employment and increased participation in agricultural work was largely an outcome of distress. Furthermore, reverse migration of workers had led to sharp decline in remittances, particularly in the eastern Indian states that are largely agrarian and poor. The article advocates policy initiatives that include expansion of the rural employment programmes for providing relief to the poor and working population in India.
A constitutive model for materials with directionally strain locking microstructures
Authors: Payne Nicholas , Pochiraju Kishore
Published: June 2021

Strain locking materials have a limit to the extent to which they can be stretched along one or more axes. The strain limit can be due to the reorientation of stiffening phases at microstructural or molecular scales along the direction of the applied load. Both natural and manmade composites can exhibit such a response when initially wavy fibers or other corrugated structures gradually straighten and limit the extensibility of the material. A new constitutive model is developed for materials that exhibit strain locking along a preferred axis. The model assumes the microstructure is composed of linear elastic material with embedded zig-zag shaped fiber phase that is oriented along the preferred locking axis. The response is governed by a complementary energy density function which is partitioned into separate portions that represent the complementary energies within the fibers and the matrix respectively. A new, nonlinear form for the complementary energy density function of strain locking fibers is derived based on a relationship between the applied stress and the strain of the fiber. An example material that exhibits strain locking longitudinally but is transversely linear-elastic is considered. The behaviors of the example material under tension and compression along the longitudinal and transverse axis are illustrated. A comparison is made with FEM modeling of a strain locking microstructure explicitly fitting the constitutive model parameters with both FEM simulated and experimental data for real material.
The Effect of Attitude to Death on Self-Management in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Kaplan Serin Emine , Bülbüloğlu Semra
Published: June 2021

This study was conducted to examine the effect of attitude to death on self-management in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was carried out in a descriptive and correlational type with the participation of n = 103 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients registered in the Internal Medicine Unit at a University Hospital. Personal Information Form, Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R), Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire and Fear of COVID-19 Scale were used in data collection. According to the results of the study, it was determined that diabetes patients' fear of COVID-19 increased their fear of death and self-management. Similarly, neuropathy and nephropathy developed in these patients. In addition, it was determined that the diabetic patients who worked 6–7 days a week outside the home had higher levels of fear. It was found that those with high fear were more attentive to social distancing, wearing masks and hand sanitizer use. Staying at home is also not always possible for patients with chronic diseases, and people struggle with COVID-19 by working in crowded workspaces. It is necessary to recognize the struggle of patients with chronic diseases and provide social, economic and psychological support.
Grouping Students by Skill Level in Mini-Volleyball: Effect on Game Performance and Knowledge in Sport Education
Authors: Mahedero M. Pilar , Calderón Antonio , Hastie Peter , Arias-Estero José L.
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this study was to explore any differences in game performance variables and knowledge among a cohort of high school students who participated in either homogeneous or heterogeneous skill level groups (N = 126) across a 12-lesson mini-volleyball sport education unit of study. This study followed a mixed-methods approach using a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design. The quantitative variables analyzed were decision making, skill execution, game performance, game involvement, and game knowledge. We also evaluated students’ performance qualitatively, employing two methods: (a) experts’ analysis of students’ game performance, and (b) students’ and teachers’ perceptions of students’ performance. We analyzed quantitative data through a series of paired samples t-tests comparing pre- and post-test scores according to the grouping strategy. Students became more competent in their game play and more knowledgeable in their technique, the sport’s rules, tactical awareness, and general game knowledge. However, grouping students by skill level had no impact on gains in game performance variables and knowledge. Although sport education literature shows a preference for heterogeneity in ability-based grouping, within our data both heterogeneous and homogenous groups of higher and lower skilled students achieved improvements in game performance and knowledge, leading us to suggest that teachers who are interested in grouping students to create a meaningful learning experience should consider criteria other than student ability.
Argentinean Adaptation and Psychometric Properties of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)
Authors: delValle Macarena V. , Andrés María Laura , Urquijo Sebastián , Zamora Eliana V. , Mehta Ashish , Gross James J.
Published: June 2021

The Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) is a self-report measure designed to assess the two most widely studied strategies of Gross' model: cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. Even though there are two Spanish adaptations of the ERQ, region-specific linguistic factors and dialects must also be considered when adapting a test for another country in order to ensure equivalent evaluations across cultures. The present work developed an Argentinean adaptation of the ERQ. Additionally, the study evaluated its psychometric properties and associations with theoretically related constructs. Study 1 consist of the translation the ERQ into Argentinean Spanish and the analysis of its internal structure and reliability in a sample of 2957 participants. The results supported a two-factor structure with good data fit, adequate factor loadings, and good test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Expected age and gender differences in the use of reappraisal and suppression were also observed. Study 2 analyzed the external validity (concurrent and convergent) of the ERQ adaptation in a sample of 2160 participants. Theory-consistent associations were found with emotion regulation mechanisms, anxiety, depression, and personality traits. In summary, the findings support the validity of a new ERQ adaptation and its use in Argentina.
Using Frameworks of Social Desirability to Teach Subjectivity in Interviews
Authors: Carian Emily K. , Hill Jasmine D.
Published: June 2021

Qualitative methods courses lack tools for teaching students how to capture and analyze the nuanced ways participant subjectivity shows up in interviews. This article responds to the call for greater depth in qualitative methods instruction by offering teachers a series of discussion questions and an in-class worksheet that will help students more deeply probe and understand their data. These practical in-class tools leverage one theoretical lens that we find is well suited for unpacking participant subjectivity: social desirability. In this article, we present four speculative questions for instructors and students to more fully consider interviewees’ working frameworks: (1) What does your respondent consider a sensitive subject? (2) What does your respondent perceive to be norms of socially desirability? (3) Which audiences are the target audiences for your respondent’s presentation of self? and (4) How do you think your respondent’s relationship to the interview context influenced the account created during the interview?
Assigning Authenticity: Future Directions for Undergraduate Writing in Sociology
Authors: Lewis Clara S.
Published: June 2021

Social movements seeking to dismantle white supremacy within academia cast long-running debates over writing instruction in a new light. This conversation approaches these critiques as an opportunity for pedagogical reinvention. I put forward new theory that centers the social performance and psychological rewards of authenticity. I first review two essential literatures on writing instruction in sociology: (1) writing in the disciplines and (2) cultural rhetorics. This twinned review focuses on the values that inform curriculum design and how these biases and ideals shape instructors’ perceptions of student writing. I then apply research on authenticity to reflect on the self-formative challenges today’s undergraduates encounter and how these obstacles shape their relationship to learning. I argue that centering authenticity in writing instruction can help the discipline achieve its inclusive ideals because it enhances students’ sense of belonging in the discipline.
Community Storytelling Network, Expressive Digital Media Use, and Civic Engagement
Authors: Nah Seungahn , Lee Sangwon , Liu Wenlin
Published: June 2021

Grounded in Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT), this study tests the moderating roles of expressive digital media use through the Internet, social, and mobile media between community storytelling network and civic engagement. Based on online survey data of U.S. adults in an ethnically homogenous metropolitan area, this study finds that community storytelling network and expressive digital media use significantly predict the level of civic engagement. In particular, expressive digital media use serves as a necessary condition for community storytelling network to further promote online civic participation and collective efficacy among community residents. This study thus advances CIT with an integrated approach to expressive digital media use by testing the extended theoretical framework in a different local community context. Findings offer practical applications and policy implications regarding communication, citizenship, and civic community.
The structure of unemployment risk perception among migrant workers in China: An exploratory mixed methods study
Authors: Zheng Ai-xiang , Zhang Hai-bo
Published: June 2021

China has 287 million migrant workers and identifying and preventing their unemployment risk holds theoretical and practical significance. This study collected data in 2019 to explore the structure of migrant workers’ perception of unemployment risk. In the first stage of this study, in-depth interviews and grounded theory analysis were conducted and an interpretation framework for migrant workers’ unemployment risk perception (URP) was developed. In the second stage, a URP scale for migrant workers was developed and then tested and verified using a questionnaire survey and factor analysis. The results showed that the URP of migrant workers is composed of many dimensions: mental, financial, relationship, citizenization and re-migration.
Seeing Like a State, Enacting Like an Algorithm: (Re)assembling Contact Tracing and Risk Assessment during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liu Chuncheng
Published: June 2021

As states increasingly use algorithms to improve the legibility of society, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is common for concerns about the expanding power of the algorithm or the state to be raised in a deterministic manner. However, how are the algorithms for states’ legibility projects enacted, contested, and reconfigured? Drawing on interviews and media data, this study fills this gap by examining Health Code ( jiankangma), the Chinese contact tracing and risk assessment algorithmic system that serves as the COVID-19 health passport. I first explore the intensive and invisible work and infrastructures that enact and stabilize Health Code’s sociotechnical assemblage. I then show how this assemblage is frequently challenged and destabilized by errors, breakdowns, and exclusions. Facing unintended engagements from heterogeneous social actors, local interests, and power hierarchies, Health Code reassembles into multiple and contradictory assemblages at different periods and social localities. Finally, I examine how people game and bypass the algorithm’s surveillance with their agencies. Recognizing this messiness and heterogeneity contributes to a more nuanced and realistic understanding of states’ use of algorithms, including the risks. Doing so also urges us to rethink the politics of citizenship and inequality in the digital age beyond inclusion.
The new physicality of data
Authors: Richardson Sharon
Published: June 2021

The mass digitisation of data arguably began in the late 1980s with the mainstream adoption of new low-cost desktop computers in the workplace and visions of a paperless office. The term reflected a focus on the digitisation of existing processes. Such comparisons continued with the arrival of the Internet and worldwide web in the mid-1990s, with visions of e-commerce replacing traditional bricks-and-mortar shops. In the first two decades of the 21st century, we have entered an era where much of the data created is now digital by design and default yet simultaneously integrated with physical objects and real-world interactions. This article explores some of the innovations made possible by this new physicality of data, from the birth of a digital twin to the death of privacy, and the growing urgency for new approaches to data governance and information lifecycle management.
Mobile apps use for wellness and fitness and university students’ subjective wellbeing
Authors: Aboelmaged M , Ali Imran , Hashem G
Published: June 2021

Subjective wellbeing among mobile application users attracted researchers’ interest in recent years due to its prevalent role in enhancing everyday life, particularly during the recent coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). While previous work has primarily focused on users’ intention to adopt mobile apps for wellness and fitness (MAWF) purposes, scarce attention has been paid to the post-adoption impact of these apps on users’ subjective wellbeing. This study empirically integrates ‘technology readiness’ and ‘technology acceptance’ models (TRAM) to predict subjective wellbeing among MAWF users. It also critically assesses the strength of the mediating effects on the link between technology readiness and subjective wellbeing. Data analysis of 694 actual users of MAWF by means of SEM-PLS approach proves the robust power of the TRAM model in predicting subjective wellbeing. In addition to their mediating effects, technology acceptance constructs tend to be more influenced by positive dimensions (i.e., optimism and innovativeness) than that of negative dimensions (i.e., insecurity and discomfort) of technology readiness. This study is one of the first attempts to predict subjective wellbeing among actual users of MAWF. The study also delineates a broad spectrum of implications that enrich existing research and better inform decision makers in mobile health field.
Children’s right to the city: The case of street children
Authors: Aytac F Kubra
Published: June 2021

Children are important actors in the urban areas of Turkey since they make up the largest demographic group. Therefore, the reasons behind their being regarded as ‘passive’ should be re-examined, in view of the fact that they live and work in, and create and recreate the city. The purpose of this study is to elaborate the children’s right to the city concept from two different points of view using liberal and radical approaches within the theoretical framework provided by Marcuse in the right to the city discourse. The reason for choosing Marcuse is that at some points, his arguments meet with both a liberal and radical understanding of the right to the city. Therefore, these two approaches will be compared regarding children’s right to the city in Turkey in light of related literature. In the last part of the study, children’s right to the city will be discussed from these two perspectives with the particular case of street children derived from findings in the literature. It is revealed that while there are significant developments in Turkey at local and international level in terms of children’s right to the city and street children, there is still a need for a strengths-based perspective which positions children as active agents making decisions about their own lives and formation of urban space.
Functional dynamics of dopamine synthesis during monetary reward and punishment processing
Authors: Hahn Andreas , Reed Murray B , Pichler Verena , Michenthaler Paul , Rischka Lucas , Godbersen Godber M , Wadsak Wolfgang , Hacker Marcus , Lanzenberger Rupert
Published: June 2021

The assessment of dopamine release with the PET competition model is thoroughly validated but entails disadvantages for the investigation of cognitive processes. We introduce a novel approach incorporating 6-[18F]FDOPA uptake as index of the dynamic regulation of dopamine synthesis enzymes by neuronal firing. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by assessing widely described sex differences in dopamine neurotransmission. Reward processing was behaviorally investigated in 36 healthy participants, of whom 16 completed fPET and fMRI during the monetary incentive delay task. A single 50 min fPET acquisition with 6-[18F]FDOPA served to quantify task-specific changes in dopamine synthesis. In men monetary gain induced stronger increases in ventral striatum dopamine synthesis than loss. Interestingly, the opposite effect was discovered in women. These changes were further associated with reward (men) and punishment sensitivity (women). As expected, fMRI showed robust task-specific neuronal activation but no sex difference. Our findings provide a neurobiological basis for known behavioral sex differences in reward and punishment processing, with important implications in psychiatric disorders showing sex-specific prevalence, altered reward processing and dopamine signaling. The high temporal resolution and magnitude of task-specific changes make fPET a promising tool to investigate functional neurotransmitter dynamics during cognitive processing and in brain disorders.