bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of High-Heeled Shoes on Balance and Lower-Extremity Biomechanics During Walking in Experienced and Novice High-Heeled Shoe Wearers
Authors: Lee Soul , Xu Miaomiao , Wang Lin , Li Jing Xian
Published: September 2020

Background

Wearing high-heeled shoes and carrying asymmetrical loads are common in ladies. However, knowledge of the effects of wearing high-heeled shoes on balance and lower-extremity biomechanics in experienced and novice high-heeled shoe wearers is lacking. The study aims to examine the effects of high-heeled shoes and asymmetrical load carrying on joint kinematics and kinetics of the lower extremity during walking as well as balance in experienced and novice high-heeled shoe wearers.

Methods

Fifteen experienced and 15 novice high-heeled shoes wearers participated in this study. Using a motion analysis system, kinematic and kinetic data were collected while participants walked at their preferred speed in six conditions created from two types of shoes (9-cm high-heeled shoes and flat-heeled shoes) and three weights of symmetrical load (0%, 5%, and 10% of body weight). Stride time and length, step length, double support time, peak joint angles, and joint moments in a sagittal plane were analyzed. Single-leg and tandem-leg stance tests were performed in each condition.

Results

Compared with experienced high-heeled shoe wearers, novice high-heeled shoe wearers had longer double support time and shorter stride length during 10% of body weight asymmetrical load walking; walked with greater knee flexion angle, smaller knee range of motion, and smaller ankle dorsiflexor moment; and scored lower in the single-leg and tandem-leg stance tests.

Conclusions

Novice high-heeled shoe wearers need to alter their lower-limb joint angles and moments to adjust to high-heeled shoes to achieve balance during gait while carrying an asymmetrical load.
New insights on the modeling of the molecular mechanisms underlying neural maps alignment in the midbrain
Authors: Savier Elise Laura , Dunbar James , Cheung Kyle , Reber Michael
Published: September 2020

We previously identified and modeled a principle of visual map alignment in the midbrain involving the mapping of the retinal projections and concurrent transposition of retinal guidance cues into the superior colliculus providing positional information for the organization of cortical V1 projections onto the retinal map (Savier et al., 2017). This principle relies on mechanisms involving Epha/Efna signaling, correlated neuronal activity and axon competition. Here, using the 3-step map alignment computational model, we predict and validate in vivo the visual mapping defects in a well-characterized mouse model. Our results challenge previous hypotheses and provide an alternative, although complementary, explanation for the phenotype observed. In addition, we propose a new quantification method to assess the degree of alignment and organization between maps, allowing inter-model comparisons. This work generalizes the validity and robustness of the 3-step map alignment algorithm as a predictive tool and confirms the basic mechanisms of visual map organization.
Clinicopathological findings and imaging features of intraductal papillary neoplasms in bile ducts
Authors: Zhang Honghui , Zhong Zhendong , Kong Gaoyin , Khan Junaid , Zou Lianhong , Jiang Yu , Liu Xiehong , Tang Yixun , Jiang Bo , Peng Chuang , Song Yinghui , Liu Sulai
Published: September 2020

Background

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile duct (IPMN-B) is considered an uncommon tumor, and there is limited understanding of IPMN-B. This study aimed to investigate the prognosis and influential factors of the IPMN-B from 58 cases.

Methods

The clinical data of 58 patients with pathologically confirmed IPMN-B admitted to our hospital from January 1, 2012 to August 2017 were collected and analyzed. The patients were followed up by outpatient or telephone until January 1, 2019. SPSS 19.0 software was applied for data analysis. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and parallel Log-rank test. Prognostic factors were analyzed by univariate analysis and multiple Cox regression model.

Results

Among of all the patients, 26 cases were benign tumors and 32 cases were malignant tumors. The preoperative tumor markers CA242 and CEA of malignant IPNM-B patients were significantly higher than those in benign tumors (P < 0.05). Survival analysis showed that patients with malignant tumors had a worse prognosis. The median survival time of malignant IPMN-B patients was 40.6 ±  3.0 months, yet median survival time of benign IPMN-B patients was not reached (P = 0.19). The one-year survival rate and three-year survival rate of benign IPMN-B were 84% and 74% respectively. The one-year survival rate and three-year survival rate of malignant IPMN-B were 88% and 64% respectively. Univariate analysis showed that combined lymph node metastasis, surgical method, and differentiation degree could affect patients’ prognosis (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed differentiation degree was an independent risk factor affecting prognosis (OR = 0.06, 95% confidence interval: 0.007∼0.486, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The levels of CEA and CA242 were helpful to identify benign and malignant of IPNM-B. Moreover, radical surgical resection could prolong patients’ survival. Finally, differentiation degree was an independent risk factor affecting malignant IPNM-B prognosis.
Hyaluronic acid ameliorates the proliferative ability of human amniotic epithelial cells through activation of TGF-β/BMP signaling
Authors: Tian Ya-Bing , Wang Nuo-Xin , Xu Yan , Yu Chang-Yin , Liu Ru-Ming , Luo Yi , Xiao Jian-Hui
Published: September 2020

Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) are a useful and noncontroversial source of stem cells for cell therapy and regenerative medicine, but their limited proliferative ability hinders the acquisition of adequate quantities of cells for clinical use due to not expressing telomerase in hAECs. Our previous study showed that hyaluronic acid (HA), an important component of the extracellular matrix, promoted the proliferation of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells. Herein, we hypothesize that HA might improve the proliferative capability of hAECs. In the present study, the role of HA on the proliferation of human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) in vitro was investigated for the first time. HA at molecular weight of 300 kDa showed an obvious pro-proliferation effect on hAECs. Furthermore, HA not only kept phenotypic characteristics and differentiation capabilities of hAECs, but significantly promoted the secretion of the anti-inflammatory factors such as IL-10 and TGF-β1, and the expression of stem cell pluripotent factors such as Oct4 and Nanog. Analysis of PCR microarray data and RT-qPCR validation showed that TGF-β/BMP signaling was activated in the presence of HA. Further study showed that SB431542, an inhibitor of the TGF-β/BMP signaling, significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of TGFBR3, BMP4, BMP7, BMPR1B, SMAD3, SMAD4, and the pro-proliferative effect of HA on hAECs. These data suggest that HA is a safe and effective enhancer for in vitro expansion of hAECs, whose regulatory mechanism involves the TGF-β/BMP signaling.
Morphological and anatomical adaptations to dry, shady environments in Adiantum reniforme var. sinense (Pteridaceae)
Authors: Wu Di , Li Linbao , Ma Xiaobo , Huang Guiyun , Yang Chaodong
Published: September 2020

The natural distribution of the rare perennial fern Adiantum reniforme var. sinense (Pteridaceae), which is endemic to shady cliff environments, is limited to small areas of Wanzhou County, Chongqing, China. In this study, we used brightfield and epifluorescence microscopy to investigate the anatomical structures and histochemical features that may allow this species to thrive in shady, dry cliff environments. The A. reniforme var. sinense sporophyte had a primary structure and a dictyostele. The plants of this species had an endodermis, sclerenchyma layers and hypodermal sterome, reflecting an adaption to dry cliff environments. Blades had a thin cuticle and isolateral mesophyll, suggesting a tolerance of shady environments. These characteristics are similar to many sciophyte ferns such as Lygodium japonicum and Pteris multifida. Thus, the morphological and anatomical characteristics of A. reniforme var. sinense identified in this study are consistent with adaptations to shady, dry cliff environments.
A Catalogue of the Thylacine captured on film
Authors: Sleightholme Stephen R. , Campbell Cameron R.
Published: September 2020

The authors present a comprehensive catalogue of 112 known photographs of the Thylacine or Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus), both from zoological collections and the small number of images that were taken in the wild. Throughout the literature, numerous inaccuracies relating to the provenance of the photographs have entered into publication. These errors often go unchallenged and are blindly replicated in subsequent publications as truths. The perpetuation of such errors can only frustrate or complicate future research effort into the species, hence the need for a reliable reference. This paper provides a summary of the work involved in developing the catalogue, together with a synopsis of the findings. The catalogue has been named the Thylacine Image Registry [TIR], and is published here for the first time.
Impact of National Food Security Mission (NFSM) on Growth Rates and Decomposition Analysis of Pulses Production in India
Authors: Nagarethinam R. , Anjugam M.
Published: September 2020

This paper investigates the trends in area, production and yield of major pulses in India by using component growth rate, Instability index and decomposition analysis during last twenty years. Further the study period has been divided into three periods based on the implantation of NFSM: Pre NFSM period I (1995 to 2006), Post NFSM period II (2007 to 2016) and Overall period (1995 to 2017). The result of CGR in total pulses revealed that the area (1.87%), production (3.58%) and yield (1.89%) registered highly positive significance with increased growth in period II. The yield growth rate was higher than area growth rate implying that the area allocation under pulses is increasing poorly even after NFSM scheme, while improvement in yield is there. The instability of total pulses production and productivity has first decreased and then increased in the overall period its shows increased growth. Among the major crops, the area effect was high in lentil production and by yield effect was high in gram production and the interaction effect was high in moong production during the overall study period. In case of total pulses, area and yield effects were positively higher and they were responsible for total pulses production.
Diversification of Cropping Systems for Different Integrated Farming System Models under Irrigated Situation of Southern Telangana Zone, Telangana, India
Authors: Kumari Ch. Pragathi , Goverdhan M. , Nthebere Knight , Reddy G. Kiran , Sharma S. H. K. , Qureshi A. Aziz , Alibaba Md. , Chiranjeevi K.
Published: September 2020

A long-term field experiment was undertaken during the year 2019-20 (third year of the experiment) at college farm, AICRP on Integrated Farming Systems unit, PJTSAU, Hyderabad to evaluate productivity and profitability of cropping systems for different farming systems under irrigated situation on a sandy loam soil of Southern Telangana Zone (STZ), Telangana. Among the ten cropping systems evaluated, sweet corn – vegetable system (tomato) was found to be more remunerative with B:C ratio 3.30 followed by okra – marigold – beetroot system with B:C ratio 3.0. Among the ecological cropping systems for improving soil health, pigeonpea + greengram (1:7) – sesame cropping system recorded higher BC ratio (2.02) compared to Bt cotton + green gram (1:3) – groundnut cropping system (1.78). Out of the two systems evaluated to meet the household nutritional security, pigeon pea + groundnut (1:7) – fingermillet system recorded higher BC ratio (1.85) compared to pigeon pea + maize (1:3) – groundnut. Within the two fodder crops/cropping systems, fodder maize – lucerne system resulted in higher B:C ratio (1.65).
Empowerment of Women in Fisheries: Evidence from Ganjam District of Odisha
Authors: Patra Priyanka , Dana S. S. , Lakshmi S. B. Ramya
Published: September 2020

The present study was conducted to assess the empowerment level of women in the fisheries sector in the Ganjam district of Odisha. In the inland sector, the highest numbers of women are of the fishermen population in Ganjam district i.e. 29476 out of a total 263514 number of female fisheries population of the state (Directorate of Fisheries, Government of Odisha, 2015). A very good concentration of women is involving in fisheries activities in this district. But when sector-specific cases are concerned, there are very few studies found where different dimensions of women empowerment through fisheries are discussed. The results revealed that the majority of the respondents (66.60%) in the Inland sector are grouped under a medium level of empowerment followed by low and high-level empowerment (16.70%). These results indicated that there is a significant move towards the empowerment of women in the case of inland fisheries. However, in the Marine sector equal percentage of respondents belonged to both medium and high levels of women empowerment i.e. each 30 (50.00%) and low level of empowerment was nil which indicates the level of empowerment in the marine fisheries activities compared to inland fisheries. With this background, the overall empowerment score was categorized into the low, medium, and high level of empowerment where a majority of the respondents (71.6%) were under the medium level of empowerment followed by the equal percentage of the low and high level of empowerment (14.2%). The composite score of empowerment of women is also encouraging. However, efforts are needed to bring women empowerment from medium level to a higher level. There is also a need to uplift a section of women who are still in the lower category of empowerment.
Biogas from Different Parts of a Banana Plant: A Case Study of the Banana Plant from Kisii County
Authors: Obuya Benard , Waita Sebastian , Otieno Calford
Published: September 2020

Bananas are the main source of stable food among the Kisii people in Kenya. Apart from the banana fruit, the other parts are usually thrown to waste although can be used in a useful manner like to generate biogas. This research sought to investigate biogas production potential from different parts of a banana plant in Kisii County, Kenya. In the study, 2 kg of banana leaves, pseudo-stem, fruit bunch stalk (FBS) and peels were collected as feed-stocks for a laboratory-scale anaerobic digester to produce biogas. The experiment was carried out in a multi-stage anaerobic digestion system operated under mesophilic temperature (30-35°C). Various process parameters were measured including total solid, volatile solid and volume of biogas produced. After completion of 21-day digestion at an average temperature of 33°C, specific Biogas yields reached were about 16.5 litres/kg (leaves), 13.5 litres/kg (pseudo-stem), 12.7 litres/kg (fruit bunch stalk) and 15.1 litres/kg (peels). The optimum daily production of biogas was between the 13th-15th day. Cumulatively, it was observed that after the 15th day, almost all of the biogas had been released from the digester. By doing a simple computation based on energy calculation, it was found that 61% of the energy expected from a similar quantity by other researchers. The study showed that banana leaves have highest potential for biogas as compared to the other parts.
Intentional Interactions and Identity Development: Perspectives on Education?
Authors: Miller Michael T. , Deggs David M.
Published: September 2020

This study utilized self-report survey data to explore formal, intentional interactions measurably impacting an individual’s identity among three groups in the mid-western United States. Data were collected across three levels: individual college-aged students in late-adolescence or early-adulthood, parents of college students, and adult community citizens. The mean scores of all three groups were compared using ANOVA and revealed no significant difference between the three groups, thus suggesting that students, parents, and community members agree that their direct words influence the actions of others. The results of the study illustrate both the impact and influence of parents on children, that it is difficult to measure inter-relationship between parent and child, and the interactions between these groups can be difficult to measure, suggesting a complicated relationship. However, the study does underscore the profound impact that people around children have on identity development and ultimately student actions.
Possible Effect of Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils against COVID-19: Review of Their Antiviral Activity
Authors: Tshibangu Damien S. T. , Matondo Aristote , Lengbiye Emmanuel M. , Inkoto Clement L. , Ngoyi Etienne M. , Kabengele Carlos N. , Bongo Gedeon N. , Gbolo Benjamin Z. , Kilembe Jason T. , Mwanangombo Domaine T. , Mbadiko Clement M. , Mihigo Shetonde O. , Tshilanda Dorothée D. , Ngbolua Koto-Te-Nyiwa , Mpiana Pius T.
Published: September 2020

Aim: Till now, no specific treatment is available for COVID-19. This work is carried out with the aim of verifying in the literature the antiviral properties of aromatic plants and essential oils that can justify their use against the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2.

Methodology: The literature review was based mainly on the usual databases such as PubMed, PubMed Central., Science Direct, SCIELO, DOAJ, Science alert, Semantic scholar and Google scholar.

Results: A survey of literature reveals that aromatic plants and their essential oils are active against a large number of viruses (Herpes virus-1, Herpes virus-2, HIV, Adeno virus, Hepatite B Virus, Enterovirus 71, JUNV, etc.) and even against SARS-CoV-1 which has 96% of the same genetic background with SARS-CoV-2.

Conclusion: Aromatic plants and their essential oils exhibit high antiviral activities against several types of viruses. This evidence stemming from several experimental studies means that some compounds derived from essential oils could act as inhibitors of COVID-19.

Molecular docking investigations and pharmacoinformatics of some compounds derived from essential oils with SARS-CoV-2 protease are in progress to identify the potential inhibitors of the virus.
Perception and Attitude of Healthcare Providers towards Clinical Pharmacists at Near East University Hospital in Northern Cyprus
Authors: Malik Sami Shabbir , Birand Nevzat , Başgut Bilgen
Published: September 2020

Aims: The aim of study is to assess the perception and attitude of healthcare professionals towards clinical pharmacists in a university hospital North Cyprus.

Study Design: A cross-sectional survey study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the Near East University Hospital in Northern Cyprus setting from May 2017 to July 2017 for 3 months.

Methodology: A total of 256 healthcare providers (45 physicians, 80 nurses, and 131 intern medical students) from a tertiary hospital in North Cyprus participated in this study. A questionnaire was distributed to assess the perception and attitude of healthcare professionals towards clinical pharmacists. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 18. A p-value of less than 0.05 (p<0.05) was considered as statistically significant.

Results: Eighty-seven (66.4%) of intern medical students have recognized the role of clinical pharmacists in minimising adverse drug reaction and improving therapeutic outcome of the patients through pharmaceutical care. Twenty-five (55.6%) of physicians were comfortable with the clinical pharmacist participating in the ward rounds and providing consultation to physicians regarding individual patients. Fifty-seven (71.3%) of the nurses have confirmed the clinical pharmacist as playing a role in the identification of the drug interactions. A significant difference exists between responses of the healthcare providers (physicians and nurses) and the intern medical  students regarding the perception towards improvement in the field of the clinical pharmacist (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: This study has been shown that physicians have a positive attitude towards clinical pharmacy services. Healthcare providers are aware of the role of clinical pharmacists in the healthcare system. A multidisciplinary workspace could be created between clinical pharmacists and healthcare providers to deliver better healthcare service to patients.
Determinants Sorghum Market among Smallholder Farmers in Kafta Humera District Tigeray Ethiopia
Authors: Meleaku Tewoderos , Goshu Degye , Tegegne Bosena
Published: September 2020

Markets are important for economic growth and development of a given country to ensure sustainable supply of food. Failure of market leads to failure of adoption of new technology which is necessary for increasing productivity. Sorghum has been considered as a strategic crop by the Ethiopian government aiming at enhancing food security and essential source of income for farmers as whole economic benefits to the country. Smallholder’s farmers producing about 95 percent of the national agricultural production increasing market participation among smallholder farmers have a big opportunity to boost their living standards. The objective of this study was analyzing factors determining smallholder sorghum farmer decision to participate in output market and level of marketed output smallholder farmers in Kafta-Humera district of Tigeray Ethiopia. A two stage sampling technique was used to select 289 sample farmers who were interviewed using a semi- structured questionnaire to obtain data pertaining to sorghum production during the year 2016/2017. Descriptive and Tobit regression analyses were used to determine the key factors that influence household participation in the market in terms of volumes of product sales.  The study identified that quantity of sorghum supplied to the market was positively affected by credit, extension contact, training, sorghum farm size, current price of sorghum and education, while family size and lagged price of sesame negatively affected. These indicate that there is a room to increase in supply and intensity of sorghum in the study area. Therefore, government authorities and other concerned bodies should take into consideration the mentioned demographic, socioeconomic and institutional factors to increase supply of sorghum to the market in study area.
Impact of the addition of a clinical pharmacist to a community hospital psychiatric consult liaison team
Authors: Rainey Carly A. , Palmer Melissa C.
Published: September 2020

The objective of this data analysis was to assess the impact of the addition of a clinical psychiatric pharmacist to a community hospital inpatient psychiatric consult liaison team. Consult liaison psychiatry deals with medically ill patients in general hospital settings and involves the timely recognition and treatment of mental health conditions while coordinating with other medical providers. Each patient consulted to the psychiatry team was reviewed by the clinical pharmacist. Recommendations made by the clinical pharmacist were tracked over a 9-month period. During that time frame, 596 opportunities for intervention were identified. The largest proportion of identified opportunities for intervention were related to admission medication reconciliation, equating to roughly 30%. Optimization of safe medication use had the second largest number of opportunities for intervention at approximately 27%. Additional data, such as time spent on patient care, reason for consultation, and number of accepted recommendations based on medication class/type of intervention, were collected.
Is the emperor wearing shorts? The published structures of ABC transporters
Authors: Jones Peter M. , George Anthony M.
Published: September 2020

ABC transporters use the energy of ATP binding and hydrolysis to transport substrates across cellular membranes. They comprise two highly conserved nucleotide binding domains and two transmembrane domains that form the transmembrane channel and contain the substrate binding sites. Structural analyses have found a variety of seemingly unrelated folds for the ABC transporter transmembrane domains, and from these, a set of diverse mechanistic models has been inferred. Nevertheless, in spite of the explosion in structure determination of ABC transporters in the last decade, advancement in certainty and clarity as to fundamental aspects of their molecular mechanisms remains elusive. With this in mind, here we put and examine the question: Could current ABC structures differ from the physiologic membrane‐embedded forms?
Cellular senescence in cancer: from mechanisms to detection
Authors: Ou Hui‐Ling , Hoffmann Reuben , González‐López Cristina , Doherty Gary J. , Korkola James E. , Muñoz‐Espín Daniel
Published: September 2020

Senescence refers to a cellular state featuring a stable cell‐cycle arrest triggered in response to stress. This response also involves other distinct morphological and intracellular changes including alterations in gene expression and epigenetic modifications, elevated macromolecular damage, metabolism deregulation and a complex pro‐inflammatory secretory phenotype. The initial demonstration of oncogene‐induced senescence in vitro established senescence as an important tumour‐suppressive mechanism, in addition to apoptosis. Senescence not only halts the proliferation of premalignant cells but also facilitates the clearance of affected cells through immunosurveillance. Failure to clear senescent cells owing to deficient immunosurveillance may, however, lead to a state of chronic inflammation that nurtures a pro‐tumorigenic microenvironment favouring cancer initiation, migration and metastasis. In addition, senescence is a response to post‐therapy genotoxic stress. Therefore, tracking the emergence of senescent cells becomes pivotal to detect potential pro‐tumorigenic events. Current protocols for the in vivo detection of senescence require the analysis of fixed or deep‐frozen tissues, despite a significant clinical need for real‐time bioimaging methods. Accuracy and efficiency of senescence detection are further hampered by a lack of universal and more specific senescence biomarkers. Recently, in an attempt to overcome these hurdles, an assortment of detection tools has been developed. These strategies all have significant potential for clinical utilisation and include flow cytometry combined with histo‐ or cytochemical approaches, nanoparticle‐based targeted delivery of imaging contrast agents, OFF‐ON fluorescent senoprobes, positron emission tomography senoprobes and analysis of circulating SASP factors, extracellular vesicles and cell‐free nucleic acids isolated from plasma. Here, we highlight the occurrence of senescence in neoplasia and advanced tumours, assess the impact of senescence on tumorigenesis and discuss how the ongoing development of senescence detection tools might improve early detection of multiple cancers and response to therapy in the near future.
Cryo‐EM structure of fission yeast tetrameric α‐mannosidase Ams1
Authors: Zhang Jianxiu , Wang Ying‐Ying , Du Li‐Lin , Ye Keqiong
Published: September 2020

Fungal α‐mannosidase Ams1 and its mammalian homolog MAN2C1 hydrolyze terminal α‐linked mannoses in free oligosaccharides released from misfolded glycoproteins or lipid‐linked oligosaccharide donors. Ams1 is transported by selective autophagy into vacuoles. Here, we determine the tetrameric structure of Ams1 from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe at 3.2 Å resolution by cryo‐electron microscopy. Distinct from a low resolution structure of S. cerevisiae Ams1, S. pombe Ams1 has a prominent N‐terminal tail that mediates tetramerization and an extra β‐sheet domain. Ams1 shares a conserved active site with other enzymes in glycoside hydrolase family 38, to which Ams1 belongs, but contains extra N‐terminal domains involved in tetramerization. The atomic structure of Ams1 reported here will aid understanding of its enzymatic activity and transport mechanism.
How citizen scientists contribute to monitor protected areas thanks to automatic plant identification tools
Authors: Bonnet Pierre , Joly Alexis , Faton Jean‐Michel , Brown Susan , Kimiti David , Deneu Benjamin , Servajean Maximilien , Affouard Antoine , Lombardo Jean‐Christophe , Mary Laura , Vignau Christel , Munoz François
Published: September 2020

1. Successful monitoring and management of plant resources worldwide needs the involvement of civil society to support natural reserve managers. Because it is difficult to correctly and quickly identify plant species for non‐specialists, the development of recent techniques based on automatic visual identification should facilitate and increase public engagement in citizen science initiatives.

2. Automatic identification platforms are new to most citizen scientists and land managers. Pl@ntNet is such a platform, available since 2013 on web and mobile environments, and now included in several workflows such as invasive alien species management, endemic species monitoring, educational activities and eco‐tourism practices. The successful development of such platforms needs to identify their strengths and weaknesses in order to improve and facilitate their use in all aspects of ecosystem management.

3. Here we present two Pl@ntNet citizen science initiatives used by conservation practitioners in Europe (France) and Africa (Kenya). We discuss various perspectives, including benefits and limitations. Based on the experiences of field managers, we formulate several recommendations for future initiatives. The recommendations are aimed at a diverse group of conservation managers and citizen science practitioners.
Analysis of Covariance
Authors: Peter Christina
Published: September 2020

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) is a statistical method that allows accounting for third variables when investigating the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable. These third variables are called covariates as they share an essential amount of variance with the dependent variable. The relationship between covariate and dependent variable is statistically controlled (or partialized out) when looking at the relationship between independent and dependent variable. ANCOVA can be applied in the context of both analysis of variance and regression analysis and can be used with experimental as well as nonexperimental data. However, depending on the research design, ANCOVA serves different goals. When working with experimental data, it helps to reduce error variance, thus increasing the statistical power of the statistical test. For this to work, independent variable and covariate should be independent. With nonexperimental data, ANCOVA can help to identify the unique contribution of an independent variable in explaining the dependent variable and to rule out alternative explanations for the relationship. The inclusion of covariates should follow the theoretical assumption and thus be decided prior to data analysis.
Big Data, Analysis of
Authors: Lee Sanguk , Peng Tai‐Quan
Published: September 2020

Big data analysis has the potential to advance theories and methods in social science. The power of big data does not only come from its large volume but also from its capacity to carry rich dimensions of information for statistical analysis. In this entry the temporal, semantic, and structural information embedded in big data is discussed, and the mainstream analytical strategies to address such information in communication research, particularly media psychology, are outlined. The critical challenges in the analysis of big data are emphasized.
Case Study Research
Authors: Maiorescu‐Murphy Roxana D.
Published: September 2020

Case study research provides an in‐depth understanding of unique phenomena that could not be studied outside the context in which they occur. It involves the use of triangulation or mixed methods of study. While the methodology has been criticized for an apparent lack of rigor, the use of multiple case studies for the analysis of a single phenomenon, along with a focus on a well‐structured study design and rigorous data analysis render the case study methodology indispensable. To date, the employment of case study research is in continued surge and the method has been used in fields such as psychology, communication, linguistics, and medicine.
Questionable Research Practices:
p
‐Hacking, Replication, and Fraud
Authors: Arendt Florian
Published: September 2020

The reproducibility of the empirical knowledge base of a scientific field is a defining feature of science. During recent times, the negative impact of questionable research practices (QRPs) has been discussed, assuming that they pose a major threat to scientific disciplines, possibly leading to a state of crisis. This reliance on QRPs hinders progress as such practices contribute to a high number of unjustified, unnecessary, and cost‐intensive failed replications. This entry provides an overview of fraud,
p
‐Hacking, and HARKing as examples of problematic phenomena in this regard.
Effect Size Issues in Media Psychology
Authors: Allen Mike , Kim Sang‐Yeon
Published: September 2020

Effect sizes indicate the amount of or level of association, difference, or change associated with some measurement. All statistical measures provide some estimate of quantity of the question under consideration. Researchers typically distinguish between sample estimates of an effect size (which includes a weighting by the size of the sample) versus standardized effect sizes. Standardized effects indicate the effect size without considering the size of the sample when estimating the statistic.
Eye Tracking
Authors: Couture Bue Amelia C.
Published: September 2020

This entry provides an introduction to eye‐tracking methods, including assumptions of the method, basic terminology for eye movements, and practical considerations for conducting eye‐tracking research. Eye tracking is a type of psychophysiological method that provides researchers with detailed information about participant eye movements. Modern‐day eye trackers give researchers a user‐friendly way to record eye movements while participants view stimuli. In doing so, eye tracking affords researchers the opportunity to discern participant attention to specific parts of a text or stimulus. Examining the amount of time participants focus on areas of interest can provide information about attention, whereas analysis of the eye movements and characteristics can provide information about arousal, fatigue, and cognitive load. This method is especially promising in application to media psychology theories that explore message processing differences.
Factor Analysis: Exploratory and Confirmatory
Authors: Reynolds Reed M.
Published: September 2020

This entry provides a concise overview of techniques for testing measurement validity, developing useful sets of indicators, and identifying latent factor structures. Both confirmatory and exploratory approaches to factor analysis are discussed. Classical test theory is emphasized as a helpful framework for specifying and evaluating measurement models. Examples are provided along with step‐by‐step guidelines to assist researcher decision‐making during factor analysis. More generally, this entry addresses the concept of measurement and its importance in social sciences such as media psychology. Other topics discussed include structural equation modeling, path analysis, specification error, measurement error, and model fit comparison.
Item Response Theory
Authors: Holbert R. Lance , Park Esul
Published: September 2020

Item response theory (IRT) is an approach to measurement assessment that is severely underutilized in communication science in general, and media psychology in particular. Communication scholars have more fully embraced a direct alternative to IRT, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), for the development of valid and reliable operationalizations of its referentially real constructs. An IRT approach to measurement is a clear divergence from the underlying assumptions and principles of classical test theory (CTT). The adoption of IRT brings with it a focus on the item characteristic curve (ICC). IRT originated with a focus on dichotomous responses, but has long since expanded to analyses of polytomous measures (e.g., Likert‐type items). There are strengths and weaknesses to tackling measurement evaluation from a CTT‐based versus an IRT‐based perspective. While analytical procedures like CFA may be more intuitive than IRT and have been made more readily available to communication researchers for decades through a variety of software packages (e.g., AMOS, LISREL, EQS), the rise of the R open‐source statistical analysis environment allows a variety of IRT applications to be within the field's reach. As a result, media psychology researchers should begin to explore IRT as it continues to build its psychometric acumen. It is an analytical approach that may prove valuable for specific types of persistent measurement issues evident in media psychology.
Measurement Error
Authors: Kaminska Olena
Published: September 2020

Measurement error in social surveys is an important aspect of quality of a survey estimate, such as a mean, proportion, or regression coefficient. It can arise as a result of question wording, other questions asked in the same questionnaire, response scale and response options provided, mode of an interview, an interviewer influence, and the nature of a question. Different factors may influence responses differently, sometimes shifting the estimate directionally, and sometimes influencing the variance of an estimate. Measurement error and the ways to minimize or prevent it have been studied for many years. Understanding types and causes of such errors will help a researcher to plan a survey and write a survey questionnaire with the aim to minimize them.
Measuring Behavior in Media Psychology
Authors: von Sikorski Christian
Published: September 2020

Measurement of behavior in media psychology is concerned with the question of how media exposure affects individuals' behavioral patterns. Behavior is defined as an occurrence that emanates from a media user and that can be detected on the outside of an individual by an observer. Four central pillars that are key to the observation of behavior are outlined in this entry: the observer, the observation situation, the observation procedure, and the observed individual. Current approaches to the measurement of behavior in media psychology are also outlined.
Measurement of Cognitions
Authors: Fox Julia R.
Published: September 2020

Cognitive activity such as attention, cognitive resource allocation, and message encoding can be measured in a number of ways that avoid problems associated with self‐report measures. Attention can be measured with observed or recorded visual orientation toward the screen, pupil size and dilation, eye movements, brain activation, and even heart rate – all in real time during, and without interfering with, the media experience. Cognitive resource allocation to media messages can be measured with reaction times to secondary tasks performed during media exposure, and recognition, while measured after the mediated experience, has proved to be a useful indicator of encoding media messages. Signal detection measures based on recognition responses to old and new information are particularly useful in distinguishing memory strength from the decision‐making aspect of recognition judgments.
Measurement of Media Exposure
Authors: Shi Weijia , Nagler Rebekah H.
Published: September 2020

Media exposure is a crucial prerequisite for media effects: People must first be exposed to media content if it is to influence them. Yet, despite media exposure's centrality in communication research, there is little scholarly consensus on how best to measure it. Moreover, today's media landscape, in which fragmented audiences are exposed to media messages from myriad sources, makes accurately capturing exposure even more challenging. Three major approaches to media exposure measurement can be identified in the communication literature: (i) survey measures of self‐reported exposure, (ii) ecological measures of potential exposure, and (iii) hybrid measures that combine the two. Because each of these approaches has its strengths and weaknesses, researchers may be well advised to use them in concert to best capture media exposure. More scholarly efforts are needed to improve the reliability and validity of exposure measurement.
Measurement of Memory
Authors: Shapiro Michael A.
Published: September 2020

Measuring memory is linked to theories of the processes and structures involved in memory, why something is remembered, and the goals of the study. Both the content and the structure of memory can be measured. Declarative memory is generally measured using recall and recognition measures. Signal detection measures of recognition memory enable adjusting for guessing and separating signal strength and judgment aspects of memory. Two measures of nondeclarative/implicit memory are discussed in this entry: judgment times and word completion tests.
Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Allen Mike
Published: September 2020

Meta‐analysis provides a means of averaging effect sizes, reducing Type II error (false negatives) and identifying Type I errors (false positives). Meta‐analysis provides a means of assessment of the variability of existing effects which permits the consideration of moderator variables (design or context features of investigations that impact the size of the effect). Its use in media psychology permits an examination of media effects across a set of literature.
Experience Sampling Method
Authors: Rhee Lisa , Bayer Joseph B. , Hedstrom Alex
Published: September 2020

The use of experience sampling methodology (ESM), also known as ecological momentary assessment (EMA), is firmly established in the social sciences. The family of ESM methods employ in vivo self‐reports, providing opportunities for social scientists to study human behavior with high ecological validity. More recently, researchers across disciplines have begun to conduct studies that directly combine ESM with mobile sensing, thereby blending the benefits of subjective self‐reports with more objective traces of human behavior. This combination of ESM and mobile sensing offers new opportunities, such as predetermined digital events that initiate ESM survey notifications based on contextual information. Altogether, ESM is evolving in ways that offer new opportunities and challenges for researchers.
Power Analysis
Authors: Sun Shaojing
Published: September 2020

Statistical power analysis should be implemented to improve the quality of quantitative communication research. Underpowered or overpowered studies could compromise the validity of research findings. This entry discusses the relationship between sample size, effect size, statistical power, and statistical error. Procedures and caveats of doing power analysis are also provided.
Qualitative Methodology for Media Psychology
Authors: Rutledge Pamela B.
Published: September 2020

Qualitative research methodologies are a group of approaches designed to capture human experience through the use of soft data such as words and images. The approaches are based on the assumption that behavior is the result of attributed meaning. In media psychology, qualitative methodologies are used to research the way people interpret and make sense of their experiences with media and technology. The principles of qualitative research are applied to the study of media content and consumption as well as to technology‐enabled behaviors, such as social connection and media participation. Social technologies highlight the socially embedded and continually adaptive nature of media consumption and production. This complex environment is well served by qualitative methodologies, such as ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and content analysis, that address a range of goals, from individual meaning to the dynamics of social structures. Qualitative methodologies produce descriptive analyses that capture the depth of human experience, add context to a researcher's understanding of mediated experience, and highlight new and emerging voices that can challenge existing theories, models, and assumptions.
Statistical Significance: Testing
Authors: Lepa Steffen
Published: September 2020

Statistical significance testing is a central technique for everyday empirical‐quantitative work in media psychology. Its most common form, the null hypothesis significance test represents a well‐established method of legitimating knowledge claims drawn from statistical analyses based on random samples. Nevertheless, intended epistemological meaning of the procedure is commonly misunderstood and its results are often misinterpreted. Furthermore, a prevalent view of regarding the “significance” of statistical estimations as providing a measure for the meaningfulness of study results has also led to various forms of questionable research and publication practices. Nonetheless, significance testing is still a well‐accepted technique in our field. This entry explains the different versions, their interpretation, and tries to abolish misunderstandings. It also gives an overview on extensions and alternatives that have been historically developed, as well as practical recommendations for meaningful reporting of significance test results.
Strategies for Evaluation Research: Interventions
Authors: Chen Yvonnes
Published: September 2020

Intervention research typically follows a simple linear process of planning, execution, and assessment. While useful, this framework may not adequately capture the complexity of evaluating the quality, applicability to the real world, and sustainability of interventions. To broaden the traditional evaluation scope and research impact, media psychology researchers could consider five recommended criteria from the RE‐AIM framework in the planning, execution, and evaluation stages. These criteria are: reach, efficacy/effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Media psychology researchers who design interventions guided by RE‐AIM would be able to recruit intended target populations, incorporate cutting‐edge designs to document intervention impact, and increase rate of adoption and implementation by other organizations with the ultimate goal to generate sustainable, real‐world impact.
Survey Methods, Traditional, and Public Opinion Polling
Authors: Kosicki Gerald M.
Published: September 2020

This article explains the scientific basis of traditional public opinion polling using the total survey error approach. The proliferation of wireless smartphones, the decoupling of area codes from their geographic boundaries, and the widespread use of privacy tools such as caller ID, voicemail, and call blocking have made the phone system harder to use for research calls. Polling continues today using a mix of landline and wireless phones, and these live‐caller phone surveys are typically rated as most reliable and accurate for various reasons. Other methods are also increasingly used for public opinion polling, including interactive voice recording (IVR) and online, self‐administered surveys.
Survival Analysis
Authors: Arendt Florian
Published: September 2020

Survival analysis is an umbrella term for several different approaches to data analysis for which the dependent variable is the time until an event occurs. In fact, researchers using survival analysis focus on the time until the occurrence of an event such as death, disease, or a relapse. For example, a scholar may investigate participants' cessation of smoking after exposure to mediated anti‐smoking campaign messages. This entry introduces the Kaplan–Meier method, a popular survival‐analytic approach. This approach provides a graphical depiction in the form of a step function, illustrating changes in estimated probabilities at times at which the event occurred. The difference to other approaches to data analysis such as an analysis of variance or ordinary least squares (OLS) regression is that survival analysis uses information from both so‐called censored and uncensored observations.