bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kadınların Kariyer Gelişimi İçin Stratejiler: Özel Sektörde Çalışan Kadınlar Üzerine Bir Araştırma
Authors: Yıldız Sebahattin , Vural Mehmet Fatih , Savcı Gülten
Published: May 2021

Toplumsal cinsiyet eşitsizliği, şirketlerde kadınların üst kademe yönetim pozisyonlarına çıkmasında cam tavan, cam uçurum, cam asansör, cam labirent, çifte açmaz ve göstermecilik gibi kariyer engellerini yaratmaktadır. Kadınların, üst kademe yönetim pozisyonlarına yükselebilmeleri için, bu görünmeyen engelleri aşmalarını sağlayacak stratejiler geliştirdikleri saptanmıştır. Bu araştırmanın amacı, kadınların kariyer gelişimi için hangi stratejilerin (cam tavanı aşma stratejileri) daha önemli olduğunu açıklamaktır. Araştırma neden sonuç ilişkisi (açıklayıcı) şeklinde tasarlanmıştır. Veri toplama tekniği ankettir. Chen (2005) tarafından geliştirilen ve Yoğun-Erçen (2008) tarafından uyarlanan beş boyuta ait 15 soruluk kariyer gelişimi ölçeği ile yazarlar tarafından ilave edilen bir boyuta ait 3 soru yoluyla veriler toplanmıştır. Terfi etme düzeyi ise terfi etme sayısı ile ölçülmüştür. Kolayda örnekleme yoluyla Kars ve Erzurum ilinde özel sektörde (telekomünikasyon) en az bir kez terfi alan 77 kadın çalışana ulaşılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda genel ve mesleki eğitim alma, sosyal ilişkiler geliştirme, kariyer programlarına katılma, mentörden yardım alma, yüksek performans sergileme ve kişisel yaşamdan feragat etme şeklindeki kariyer geliştirme stratejilerinden sadece “kariyer programlarına katılma” stratejisinin kadınların terfi etmesini pozitif yönde ve anlamlı olarak etkilediği ortaya çıkmıştır.
Türkiye’de Ensest Konulu Akademik Makalelerde Anneyi Suçlama
Authors: Salman-Yıkmış Meral
Published: May 2021

Ensest, anne, baba, aile üyesi veya akraba tarafından çocuğun cinsel ya da cinselliği ima eden davranışlarla sözlü, sözsüz, görsel ya da fiziksel olarak istismar edilmesidir. Bu konuda yapılan çalışmalara göre ensestin failleri genellikle erkeklerdir, fakat ensest görülen ailelerde anneyi suçlamak yaygın bir eğilimdir. Bu eğilim akademik çalışmalarda da görülmektedir. Batı ülkelerinde ensest üzerine yapılan çalışmaların analizinde anneyi suçlamanın, annenin ensestteki rolü, annenin kişiliği, annenin rolleri ve ensest açığa çıkarken veya çıktıktan sonra annenin tepkisi konularında yoğunlaştığı belirtilmektedir. Anneyi suçlama ataerkil annelik anlayışının, kurumun ideoloji ve pratiklerinin bir parçasıdır. Bu nedenle makalede, feminist eleştirel söylem analizinin eşitsiz güç ilişkilerini ifşa etmek için araç olmasından yararlanarak, EBSCO ve Google Scholar veri tabanlarından erişilebilen, 2001 ve 2017 yılları arasında yayımlanmış ensesti konu edinen yirmi dört akademik metinde ataerkil annelik kavrayışına ve ideolojisine içkin anneyi suçlamanın yer alıp almadığı araştırılmıştır.

Türkiye’de, ensest üzerine yazılan makalelerde anneyi suçlamaya eleştirel yaklaşan iki makale dışında anne çalışma konusu edilmez. Analiz edilen makalelerin bir kısmı, anneyi suçlamayı söylemlerinde içermektedir. Anneyi suçlama söylemi genellikle metinlerarasılıkla, diğer bir deyişle anneyi suçlayan çalışmalara referans verilmesiyle bu metinlere dahil edilmiştir. Makalelerin söylemleri tıbbi, adli kurumlarla, üniversitelerle ve bu kurumlarda çalışan uzmanların pratikleri ve ideolojileri ile etkileşim içindedir. Bağlı olarak makalelerin söylemi mevcut ataerkil annelik ideoloji ve pratiklerini yeniden üretip güçlendirebilir ya da aksine anneyi suçlamaya karşı itirazı destekleyebilir.
Therapeutic Potential of HUMSCs in Female Reproductive Aging
Authors: Mei Qiaojuan , Mou Hongbei , Liu Xuemei , Xiang Wenpei
Published: May 2021

With the development of regenerative medicine, stem cells are being considered more frequently for the treatment of reproductive aging. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells have been reported to improve the reserve function of aging ovaries through their homing and paracrine effects. In this process, paracrine factors secreted by stem cells play an important role in ovarian recovery. Although the transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells to improve ovarian function has been studied with great success in animal models of reproductive aging, their application in clinical research and therapy is still relatively rare. Therefore, this paper reviews the role of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of reproductive aging and their related mechanisms, and it does so in order to provide a theoretical basis for further research and clinical treatment.
Generalized Trust and Social Selection Process
Authors: Igarashi Tasuku , Hirashima Taro
Published: May 2021

Generalized trust relieves individuals in a socially uncertain situation from dyadic constraints of existing ties and helps them change ties with other individuals to acquire better resources. However, much evidence in the emancipation role of generalized trust as a booster of new relationship formation has been limited to laboratory experiments or cross-sectional surveys. We conducted a four-wave longitudinal survey to test whether individuals high in generalized trust actively switch ties and form open triads in dynamic social networks. Stochastic Actor-Oriented Models were employed to analyze structural changes in advice and personal discussion networks among first-year undergraduates. Results showed the predicted patterns of social selection processes based on generalized trust when the dynamics of the two networks were analyzed simultaneously: only in the advice network, individuals high in generalized trust tended to terminate existing ties, create new ties, and show a decreasing trend toward forming close triads when the degree of local clustering was large. Effective tie-formation strategies of individuals high in generalized trust in a multiplex network structure are discussed.
Associations of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity With Left Ventricular Geometry and Diastolic Function in Untreated Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Kwak Soongu , Kim Hack-Lyoung , In Minjae , Lim Woo-Hyun , Seo Jae-Bin , Kim Sang-Hyun , Zo Joo-Hee , Kim Myung-A
Published: May 2021

Background: Although brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is simple and convenient, its usefulness as an initial screening test for hypertensive patients is not well-known. This study aimed to investigate the association of baPWV with left ventricular (LV) geometry and diastolic function in treatment-naive hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 202 untreated hypertensive patients (mean age, 62 years; males, 51.5%) without documented cardiovascular diseases were prospectively enrolled. Both baPWV and transthoracic echocardiography were performed on the same day before antihypertensive treatment.

Results: In multiple linear regression analysis after adjustment for potential confounders, baPWV had significant correlations with structural measurements of LV including relative wall thickness (β = 0.219, P = 0.021) and LV mass index (β = 0.286, P = 0.002), and four diastolic parameters including septal e′ velocity (β = −0.199, P = 0.018), E/e′ (β = 0.373, P < 0.001), left atrial volume index (β = 0.334, P < 0.001), and maximal velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (β = 0.401, P < 0.001). The baPWV was significantly increased in patients with LV hypertrophy, abnormal LV remodeling, or diastolic dysfunction, compared to those without (P = 0.008, P = 0.035, and P < 0.001, respectively). In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the discriminant ability of baPWV in predicting LV hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction had an area under the curve of 0.646 (95% confidence interval 0.544–0.703, P = 0.004) and 0.734 (95% confidence interval 0.648–0.800, P < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusion: baPWV was associated with parameters of LV remodeling and diastolic function in untreated hypertensive patients. The baPWV could be a useful screening tool for the early detection of adverse cardiac features among untreated hypertensive patients.
Development and Validation of a CD8+ T Cell Infiltration-Related Signature for Melanoma Patients
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Zhu Zheng , Lan Ying , Duan Saili , Zhu Ziqing , Zhang Xi , Li Guoyin , Qu Hui , Feng Yanhui , Cai Hui , Song Zewen
Published: May 2021

Aim

Immunotherapy shows efficacy in only a subset of melanoma patients. Here, we intended to construct a risk score model to predict melanoma patients’ sensitivity to immunotherapy.

Methods

Integration analyses were performed on melanoma patients from high-dimensional public datasets. The CD8+ T cell infiltration related genes (TIRGs) were selected via TIMER and CIBERSORT algorithm. LASSO Cox regression was performed to screen for the crucial TIRGs. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) and ESTIMATE algorithm were used to evaluate the immune activity. The prognostic value of the risk score was determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis.

Results

184 candidate TIRGs were identified in melanoma patients. Based on the candidate TIRGs, melanoma patients were classified into three clusters which were characterized by different immune activity. Six signature genes were further screened out of 184 TIRGs and a representative risk score for patient survival was constructed based on these six signature genes. The risk score served as an indicator for the level of CD8+ T cell infiltration and acted as an independent prognostic factor for the survival of melanoma patients. By using the risk score, we achieved a good predicting result for the response of cancer patients to immunotherapy. Moreover, pan-cancer analysis revealed the risk score could be used in a wide range of non-hematologic tumors.

Conclusions

Our results showed the potential of using signature gene-based risk score as an indicator to predict melanoma patients’ sensitivity to immunotherapy.
Case Report: Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteriosis Caused by a Novel GATA2 Variant
Authors: Mika Thomas , Vangala Deepak , Eckhardt Matthias , La Rosée Paul , Lange Christoph , Lehmberg Kai , Wohlschläger Charlotte , Biskup Saskia , Fuchs Ilka , Mann Jasmin , Ehl Stephan , Warnatz Klaus , Schroers Roland
Published: May 2021

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a disorder of uncontrolled immune activation with distinct clinical features including fever, cytopenia, splenomegaly, and sepsis-like symptoms. In a young adolescent patient a novel germline GATA2 variant (NM_032638.5 (GATA2): c.177C>G, p.Tyr59Ter) was discovered and had resulted in non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection and aggressive HLH. Strikingly, impaired degranulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL) and natural killer (NK)-cells was detected in CD107a-analyses. The affected patient was treated with HLA-matched unrelated alloHSCT, and subsequently all hematologic and infectious abnormalities including HLH and NTM resolved. This case supports early alloHSCT in GATA2 deficiencies as curative approach regardless of active NTM infection. Future studies on GATA2 c.177C>G, p.Tyr59*Ter might unravel its potential role in cytotoxic effector cell function and its contribution to HLH pathogenesis.
Potential Predictors and Survival Analysis of the Relapse of HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Li Yao , Lu Yanqiu , Nie Jingmin , Liu Min , Yuan Jing , Li Yan , Li Huan , Chen Yaokai
Published: May 2021

Objective: We intend to investigate the relapse of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis (CM), assess potential predictors and conduct survival analysis, with a view to establishing a valid reference for the management of the relapse of CM.

Method: This is a retrospective study in Chinese patients with HIV-associated CM and those who experience relapse of CM. Baseline demographic, laboratory and clinical characteristics of patients with HIV-associated CM were collected. Predictors for relapse of HIV-associated CM were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Survival probability in relapse cases was determined by Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

Results: During the study period, 87 of 348 (25.0%) HIV patients experienced the relapse of CM. CD4+ T-cell counts, antiretroviral therapy (ART) status and the time from symptom onset to presentation were all statistically associated with the relapse of CM (p = 0.013, 0.018 and 0.042, respectively). The overall survival among 46 HIV CM relapse patients whose survival information were obtained, was 78.3%. The proportion of patients who died after antifungal treatment for CM was greater in those whose interval from symptom onset to presentation ≥4 weeks, compared with those <4 weeks (p = 0.0331).

Conclusions: In order to reduce the relapse of CM and increase the survival possibility of these patients, we can promote the importance of ART before CM occurs, emphasize timely consultation when any CM-associated clinical symptoms occurs, and individualized the timing of ART initiation according to indicators which can reflect the severity of CM.
Yin and Yang in Post-Translational Modifications of Human D-Amino Acid Oxidase
Authors: Sacchi Silvia , Rabattoni Valentina , Miceli Matteo , Pollegioni Loredano
Published: May 2021

In the central nervous system, the flavoprotein D-amino acid oxidase is responsible for catabolizing D-serine, the main endogenous coagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. Dysregulation of D-serine brain levels in humans has been associated with neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders. This D-amino acid is synthesized by the enzyme serine racemase, starting from the corresponding L-enantiomer, and degraded by both serine racemase (via an elimination reaction) and the flavoenzyme D-amino acid oxidase. To shed light on the role of human D-amino acid oxidase (hDAAO) in D-serine metabolism, the structural/functional relationships of this enzyme have been investigated in depth and several strategies aimed at controlling the enzymatic activity have been identified. Here, we focused on the effect of post-translational modifications: by using a combination of structural analyses, biochemical methods, and cellular studies, we investigated whether hDAAO is subjected to nitrosylation, sulfhydration, and phosphorylation. hDAAO is S-nitrosylated and this negatively affects its activity. In contrast, the hydrogen sulfide donor NaHS seems to alter the enzyme conformation, stabilizing a species with higher affinity for the flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactor and thus positively affecting enzymatic activity. Moreover, hDAAO is phosphorylated in cerebellum; however, the protein kinase involved is still unknown. Taken together, these findings indicate that D-serine levels can be also modulated by post-translational modifications of hDAAO as also known for the D-serine synthetic enzyme serine racemase.
AID in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Induction and Action During Disease Progression
Authors: Oppezzo Pablo , Navarrete Marcelo , Chiorazzi Nicholas
Published: May 2021

The enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) initiates somatic hypermutation (SHM) and class switch recombination (CSR) of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes, critical actions for an effective adaptive immune response. However, in addition to the benefits generated by its physiological roles, AID is an etiological factor for the development of human and murine leukemias and lymphomas. This review highlights the pathological role of AID and the consequences of its actions on the development, progression, and therapeutic refractoriness of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) as a model disease for mature lymphoid malignancies. First, we summarize pertinent aspects of the expression and function of AID in normal B lymphocytes. Then, we assess putative causes for AID expression in leukemic cells emphasizing the role of an activated microenvironment. Thirdly, we discuss the role of AID in lymphomagenesis, in light of recent data obtained by NGS analyses on the genomic landscape of leukemia and lymphomas, concentrating on the frequency of AID signatures in these cancers and correlating previously described tumor-gene drivers with the presence of AID off-target mutations. Finally, we discuss how these changes could affect tumor suppressor and proto-oncogene targets and how they could be associated with disease progression. Collectively, we hope that these sections will help to better understand the complex paradox between the physiological role of AID in adaptive immunity and its potential causative activity in B-cell malignancies.
Hepatic Metastasis in Newly Diagnosed Esophageal Cancer: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Li Huawei , Zhang Shengqiang , Guo Jida , Zhang Linyou
Published: May 2021

Background

The hepatic metastasis pattern of esophageal cancer (EC) has not been fully explored. The primary objective of this study was to explore the predictors of esophageal cancer with hepatic metastasis (ECHM) at the time of diagnosis. In addition, we also analyzed the factors affecting ECHM prognosis.

Methods

We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result (SEER) database to identify ECHM patients at the time of initial diagnosis. The ECHM predictors were identified using multivariate logistic regression. Multivariate Cox regression and competing survival risk analyses were performed to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality and EC-specific mortality of ECHM, respectively.

Results

A total of 10,965 eligible EC patients were identified in the SEER database between 2010 and 2016, of which 1,197 were ECHM patients, accounting for 10.9% of the entire cohort. In the whole cohort, eight ECHM predictors (age, primary site, grade, histology type, T staging, N staging, insurance status, and number of extrahepatic metastatic sites) were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Multivariate Cox regression and multivariate competing survival risks models confirmed that the male sex, advanced age, squamous cancer, and multiple extrahepatic metastasis increased the risk of both all-cause and EC-specific mortality, whereas chemotherapy and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy significantly reduced the risk of both.

Conclusions

This study explored population-level predictors of hepatic metastasis at the time of EC diagnosis and analyzed the clinical characteristics affecting the prognosis in ECHM patients. These findings may provide clinicians with a reference for the screening and treatment of hepatic metastasis in EC.
The Exocrine Differentiation and Proliferation Factor (EXDPF) Gene Promotes Ovarian Cancer Tumorigenesis by Up-Regulating DNA Replication Pathway
Authors: Xiao Yangjiong , Lai Yunxin , Yu Yang , Jiang Pengcheng , Li Yuhong , Wang Chao , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2021

The Exocrine Differentiation and Proliferation Factor (EXDPF) gene could promote exocrine while inhibit endocrine functions. Although it is well known that ovary is an endocrine organ, the functions of EXDPF in ovarian cancer development is still unknown. This study demonstrated that EXDPF gene is significantly higher expressed in ovarian tumors compared to normal ovarian tissue controls. EXDPF DNA amplification was exhibited in lots of human tumors including 7.19% of ovarian tumors. Also, high expression of EXDPF positively correlated with poor overall survival (OS) of ovarian cancer patients. EXDPF expression could be universally detected in most epithelial ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3, IGROV1, MACS, HO8910PM, ES2, COV362 and A2780) tested in this study. Knock-down of EXDPF by siRNA delivered by plasmid or lentivirus largely inhibited ovarian cancer cells, IGROV1 and SKOV3 proliferation, migration and tumorigenesis in vitro and/or in vivo. Knock-down of EXDPF sensitized SKOV3 cells to the treatment of the front-line drug, paclitaxel. Mechanism study showed that EXDPF enhanced DNA replication pathway to promote ovarian cancer tumorigenesis. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that EXDPF could be a potential therapeutic target as a pro-oncogene of ovarian cancer.
β-Asarone Ameliorates β-Amyloid–Induced Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells by Activating P13K/Akt/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Meng Miaomiao , Zhang Lijuan , AI Di , Wu Hongyun , Peng Wei
Published: May 2021

Accumulation of β-amyloid (Aβ) causes oxidative stress, which is the major pathological mechanism in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). β-asarone could reduce Aβ-induced oxidative stress and neuronal damage, but the molecular mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we used an Aβ-stimulated PC12 cell model to explore the neuroprotective effects and potential mechanisms of β-asarone. The results showed that β-asarone could improve cell viability and weaken cell damage and apoptosis. β-asarone could also decrease the level of ROS and MDA; increase the level of SOD, CAT, and GSH-PX; and ameliorate the mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, β-asarone could promote the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 by upregulating the level of PI3K/Akt phosphorylation. In conclusion, β-asarone could exert neuroprotective effects by modulating the P13K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway. β-asarone might be a promising therapy for AD.
Isobutyrylcarnitine as a Biomarker of OCT1 Activity and Interspecies Differences in its Membrane Transport
Authors: Jensen Ole , Matthaei Johannes , Klemp Henry G. , Meyer Marleen J. , Brockmöller Jürgen , Tzvetkov Mladen V.
Published: May 2021

Genome-wide association studies have identified an association between isobutyrylcarnitine (IBC) and organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1) genotypes. Higher IBC blood concentrations in humans with active OCT1 genotypes and experimental studies with mouse OCT1 suggested an OCT1-mediated efflux of IBC. In this study, we wanted to confirm the suggested use of IBC as an endogenous biomarker of OCT1 activity and contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the association between blood concentrations of carnitine derivatives and OCT1 genotype. Blood and urine IBC concentrations were quantified in healthy volunteers regarding intra- and interindividual variation and correlation with OCT1 genotype and with pharmacokinetics of known OCT1 substrates. Furthermore, IBC formation and transport were studied in cell lines overexpressing OCT1 and its naturally occurring variants. Carriers of high-activity OCT1 genotypes had about 3-fold higher IBC blood concentrations and 2-fold higher amounts of IBC excreted in urine compared to deficient OCT1. This was likely due to OCT1 function, as indicated by the fact that IBC correlated with the pharmacokinetics of known OCT1 substrates, like fenoterol, and blood IBC concentrations declined with a 1 h time delay following peak concentrations of the OCT1 substrate sumatriptan. Thus, IBC is a suitable endogenous biomarker reflecting both, human OCT1 (hOCT1) genotype and activity. While murine OCT1 (mOCT1) was an efflux transporter of IBC, hOCT1 exhibited no IBC efflux activity. Inhibition experiments confirmed this data showing that IBC and other acylcarnitines, like butyrylcarnitine, 2-methylbutyrylcarnitine, and hexanoylcarnitine, showed reduced efflux upon inhibition of mOCT1 but not of hOCT1. IBC and other carnitine derivatives are endogenous biomarkers of hOCT1 genotype and phenotype. However, in contrast to mice, the mechanisms underlying the IBC-OCT1 correlation in humans is apparently not directly the OCT1-mediated efflux of IBC. A plausible explanation could be that hOCT1 mediates cellular concentrations of specific regulators or co-substrates in lipid and energy metabolism, which is supported by our in vitro finding that at baseline intracellular IBC concentration is about 6-fold lower alone by OCT1 overexpression.
Precocious Metamorphosis of Silkworm Larvae Infected by BmNPV in the Latter Half of the Fifth Instar
Authors: Xu Ping-Zhen , Zhang Mei-Rong , Wang Xue-Yang , Wu Yang-Chun
Published: May 2021

The mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori) is a model organism, and BmNPV is a typical baculovirus. Together, these organisms form a useful model to investigate host–baculovirus interactions. Prothoracic glands (PGs) are also model organs, used to investigate the regulatory effect of synthetic ecdysone on insect growth and development. In this study, day-4 fifth instar silkworm larvae were infected with BmNPV. Wandering silkworms appeared in the infected groups 12 h earlier than in the control groups, and the ecdysone titer in infected larvae was significantly higher than that of the control larvae. We then used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to analyze silkworm PGs 48 h after BmNPV infection. We identified 15 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were classified as mainly being involved in metabolic processes and pathways. All 15 DEGs were expressed in the PGs, of which Novel01674, BmJing, and BmAryl were specifically expressed in the PGs. The transcripts of BmNGDN, BmTrypsin-1, BmACSS3, and BmJing were significantly increased, and BmPyd3, BmTitin, BmIGc2, Novel01674, and BmAryl were significantly decreased from 24 to 72 h in the PGs after BmNPV infection. The changes in the transcription of these nine genes were generally consistent with the transcriptome data. The upregulation of BmTrypsin-1 and BmACSS3 indicate that these DEGs may be involved in the maturation process in the latter half of the fifth instar of silkworm larvae. These findings further our understanding of silkworm larval development, the interaction between BmNPV infection and the host developmental response, and host–baculovirus interactions in general.
The Pros and Cons of Online Competitive Gaming: An Evidence-Based Approach to Assessing Young Players' Well-Being
Authors: Kelly Sarah , Magor Thomas , Wright Annemarie
Published: May 2021

This research addresses a lack of evidence on the positive and negative health outcomes of competitive online gaming and esports, particularly among young people and adolescents. Well-being outcomes, along with mitigation strategies were measured through a cross sectional survey of Australian gamers and non-gamers aged between 12 and 24 years, and parents of the 12–17-year-olds surveyed. Adverse health consequences were associated with heavy gaming, more so than light/casual gaming, suggesting that interventions that target moderated engagement could be effective. It provides timely insights in an online gaming landscape that has rapidly evolved over the past decade, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, to include the hyper-connected, highly commercialized and rapidly growing online gaming and esports sector.
Relation Between the Degree of Use of Smartphones and Negative Emotions in People With Visual Impairment
Authors: Park Eun-Young
Published: May 2021

The use of smartphones has become commonplace, even among people with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of smartphone use on the negative emotions of people with visual impairment. This study analyzed data from 30 respondents with visual impairments obtained from the 2016 Internet Overdependence Survey in South Korea. The analysis was based on partial least squares regression with information search, leisure, communication, and online transactions as independent variables, and negative emotions comprising depression, anxiety, and loneliness as the dependent variables. Among people with visual impairment, the use of smartphones as a means of communication decreased negative emotions while their use for leisure or information search was related to an increase in negative emotions such as depression and loneliness. Use for information retrieval was found to be associated with a low level of anxiety, and use for online transactions was associated with low loneliness. The results of this study showed that the use of the Internet can be a means of providing interaction opportunities and reducing negation emotions for people with visual impairment.
Prevalence and Correlates of Sext-Sharing Among a Representative Sample of Youth in the Netherlands
Authors: Boer Sarah , Erdem Özcan , de Graaf Hanneke , Götz Hannelore
Published: May 2021

Many adolescents use their electronic devices to send each other sexually explicit texts, photos, and videos of themselves—commonly known as sexting. This can be fun and is not usually problematic. However, if the intended recipient decides to share these sexts with a broader audience, the consequences for the depicted can be detrimental. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of (non-consensual) sext-sharing among Dutch adolescents and explore the characteristics of those who do, to gain a better understanding of factors involved in dissemination. We used data from “Sex under the age of 25,” a representative national survey on sexual health among a sample of 20,834 Dutch 12–24-year-olds. The prevalence of sext-sharing was estimated using Complex Samples. Logistic regressions were used to assess associations between demographics, school-based sexting education, sexual- and online behavior, and mental health and sext-sharing. About 4% of the adolescents reported having shared someone else's sext in the last six months. Being male, aged 12–14 years, frequent social media usage, watching online porn, sexual experience, and being subjected to sext-sharing themselves associated most strongly with sext-sharing. Our findings show that the likelihood of sext-sharing is lower in older adolescents and that it associates with the extent of adolescents' sexual curiosity and online activity. The overlap between sharing sexts of others and having one's own sext shared suggests that dissemination of personal sexual content might be normalized or used as an act of retribution. Further research could be helpful to explain the mechanisms underlying this overlap. The results of this study illustrate the importance of exposing adolescents to evidence based preventive educational interventions on sexting from 12 years onwards and not just within the context of traditional school-based sex education, but also as a part of the (online) media-literacy curriculum.
Requestioning the Indonesia Government's Public Policy Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Black Box Analysis for the Period of January–July 2020
Authors: Ayuningtyas Dumilah , Haq Hayyan Ul , Utami Raden Roro Mega , Susilia Sevina
Published: May 2021

Objectives:Indonesia responded the COVID-19 pandemic slowly these last months. The recent reports shown that the rate performance of Indonesian government in handling COVID-19 posits at the 4th worst all over the world. Meanwhile, through responsive, strict, and strategic policy, some Asia countries pushed the elimination case by doing lockdown. This paper questioned how government respond this pandemic, tried to track down the unresponsive and slow decisions, and analyze them comprehensively trough policy system framework. Moreover, we also considered a few feasible and strategic recommendations to accelerate the pandemic responding.

Methods:To visualize the anatomy of problems in handling these pandemic responses, this work applied Easton's black box analysis in formulating and introducing public policy. The black box analysis would help us to portray and understood the interests, rationalities, and priorities behind introducing public policies which was implemented to handle this health problem. Besides, the policy triangle framework was used to analyze how environment influenced key actor in making decision.

Results:This analysis study discovered the conflict interests in formulating and implementing public policy in handling COVID-19. The public policies are negotiated, discussed, and formulated under black box that ignore transparency, and other good governance principles. Consequently, the substance of public policy represents a certain interest of policy makers, that may conflict with the others and often contradict to the constitutional-based public interests, that is public health. It was impacted the emergence of messy and uncoordinated institutions that implement the conflicted policies. Undeniably, this situation may spark counter-productive ways, attitudes, and actions of people in responding those ambiguous policies. Therefore, this work recommended revising the coherences norms and public policies; reforming the ministry of health in public health's paradigm context; and improving the integration and coordination of cross related institutions, creating a single data on public health, and changing a new paradigm of people, including improving collective awareness in responding and handling COVID-19 appropriately.
Perceived Impact of Social Media on Panic Buying: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey in Iraqi Kurdistan
Authors: Arafat S.M. Yasir , Ahmad Araz Ramazan , Murad Hersh Rasool , Kakashekh Hardawan Mahmoud
Published: May 2021

Background: Social media has an impact on panic buying by creating fear, disseminating pictures, and videos of people purchasing extra goods in a state of panic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the perceived impact of social media on panic buying behaviors in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 10 to November 25, 2020. A self-reported instrument was designed in English and then translated to the Kurdish Language to conduct the study. It was disseminated through social media platforms (Facebook, Viber, and WhatsApp) and e-mail, via a link, and 466 responses were collected from social media users. The statistical computations were performed using SPSS version 21.

Results: The majority of respondents were male (62.2%), were <25 years old (43.9%), and had completed their bachelor's degree (53.9%), and most of the respondents (86.3%) used Facebook. Among the respondents, 42.1% were involved in panic buying, 32.8% of the respondents thought that social media platforms had an influence on panic buying, 86.1% of the respondents thought that social media should be sensible while reporting it, 88.4% thought that the reporting should be controlled, and 78.5% thought that photos of empty shelves should be avoided. There was a significant positive statistical correlation (r = 0.84) between social media use and panic buying among consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iraqi Kurdistan (p = <0.001).

Conclusion: This research assessed how social media affects buying behavior, particularly in Iraq. Collective measures, such as sensible use and adequate media literacy, are needed to prevent such behaviors at least during public health emergencies.
A Survey on Wellness and Its Predictors Amongst Fiji High School Students
Authors: Odrovakavula Latileta , Mohammadnezhad Masoud , Khan Sabiha
Published: May 2021

Background: Adolescent population face a number of health concerns which calls for objective and comprehensive assessment of their wellness during their critical development phase. This study aimed to determine adolescent wellness and its predictors amongst adolescents in secondary schools in Fiji.

Methods: This quantitative cross sectional study was conducted in four purposively selected schools in Suva and the greater Suva area, Fiji, between August and September, 2019. Students of Fijian nationality, enrolled into years 11-13 in the selected schools were purposively selected. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on four dimensions of wellness including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Spearman's Rho correlation was conducted to test for associations. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied to analyze the data by the SPSS software version 25. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: A total of 350 students participated in the study. Mean raw scores for wellness dimensions were as follows: physical = 51 (out of 60), psychological = 63 (out of 80), social = 42 (out of 50), and spiritual = 34 (out of 40). For overall wellness, two significant differences were observed: students of Fijian Itaukei descent (193.68 ± 14.2) and participants with a family income of $40,000-50,000 (199.08 ± 12.60) (p = 0.04) had a higher overall wellness score. There were three significant differences observed for psychological wellness dimension; Fijians of Indian descent (64.68 ± 9.30), participants enrolled into year 13 (64.68 ± 9.30) and those with a family income of $40,000-50,000 had higher psychological score. For social wellness, a significant difference was observed: Itaukei participants had higher scores (43.34 ± 4.42) when compared to other ethnic groups (p < 0.05). In terms of spiritual wellness, a significant difference was observed for ethnicity: Itaukei participants had a higher mean score (35.59 ± 4.26) when compared to other ethnic groups (p < 0.05). Strong correlations were observed for all dimensions of wellness.

Conclusions: Findings of this study highlighted different factors affecting adolescents' wellness in Fiji. It is recommended that health education and awareness program be carried out for developing adolescent wellness by considering these factors. It is also recommended that parental and family support are provided to adolescents.
Trends in the Social Class Inequalities in Disability and Self-Rated Health: Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys from Finland and Sweden 2001–2018
Authors: Enroth Linda , Fors Stefan
Published: May 2021

Objectives: To assess time trends in the social class inequalities and in total inequality in disability and self-rated health (SRH) in two oldest old populations.

Methods: The data came from the Finnish Vitality 90+ Study (2001, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2018; n = 5,440) and from the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (2002, 2004, 2011 and 2014; n = 1,645). Inequalities in mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) disability and SRH were examined cross-sectionally and over time using relative and absolute measures.

Results: Lower social classes had greater mobility and ADL disability and worse SRH than higher social classes and the inequalities tended to increase over time. Findings were remarkably similar in both studies and with absolute and relative measures. Total inequality, referring to the variance in health outcome in the total population, remained stable or decreased.

Conclusion: The study suggests that the earlier findings of improved mobility and ADL are largely driven by the positive development in higher social classes while findings of decline in SRH are related to the worsening of SRH in lower social classes
Etnografia wielostanowiskowa: inspiracje metodologiczne do badań nad politycznością
Authors: Łukowski Wojciech
Published: May 2021

Spatial and social mobility in an increasingly globalized world is associated with new challenges for social sciences, including political science. This also applies to methods and methodology. The article aims to reveal the cognitive potential that lies in the use of multi–sited ethnography for research on politics and on the study of political behaviors (das Politische). The utility of this approach is illustrated on the basis of the research on social and spatial mobility of small town residents conducted with the use of this method.
Jakościowa analiza porównawcza (QCA) jako nowa metoda badawcza w nauce o polityce: zarys zagadnienia
Authors: Potocki Przemysław , Lassota Izabela
Published: May 2021

The article presents main theoretical assumptions and empirical implementations of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). The main phases of this research method, as the alternative to the quantitative approach which is applied in political science are described. Strengths and weaknesses of this method are described from the perspective of epistemological value obtained by the user of QCA method. Some Polish and foreign examples of QCA implementation are also indicated.
Query Rewriting for Incremental Continuous Query Evaluation in HIFUN
Authors: Zervoudakis Petros , Kondylakis Haridimos , Spyratos Nicolas , Plexousakis Dimitris
Published: May 2021

HIFUN is a high-level query language for expressing analytic queries of big datasets, offering a clear separation between the conceptual layer, where analytic queries are defined independently of the nature and location of data, and the physical layer, where queries are evaluated. In this paper, we present a methodology based on the HIFUN language, and the corresponding algorithms for the incremental evaluation of continuous queries. In essence, our approach is able to process the most recent data batch by exploiting already computed information, without requiring the evaluation of the query over the complete dataset. We present the generic algorithm which we translated to both SQL and MapReduce using SPARK; it implements various query rewriting methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in temrs of query answering efficiency. Finally, we show that by exploiting the formal query rewriting methods of HIFUN, we can further reduce the computational cost, adding another layer of query optimization to our implementation.
Reliability Evaluation for Cable-Spring Folding Wing Considering Synchronization of Deployable Mechanism
Authors: Gao Yun , Hu Ming , Zhou Xiaohong , Zhang Mingzhong
Published: May 2021

The cable-spring folding wing is a novel type of rigid-flexible coupling structure for missiles, which is composed of several sets of deployable mechanisms, with each composed of a wheel-rope transmission system and a parallel spring driving mechanism. The movement of the cable is initiated by the driving force produced by parallel springs, which directly changes the magnitude and the distribution of the driving force. Therefore, the cable-spring folding wing system has the typical characteristics of strong nonlinearity and motion coupling. In addition, each deployable mechanism shares an identical structure, but the distribution of motion parameters is discrepant due to external loads. Asynchronous movement of the cable-spring folding wing will occur and become a significant issue, which is detrimental to the working performance and could even lead to failure. Focusing on these problems, the multi-body dynamics theoretical model and simulation model of deployable mechanism are established, the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of critical components are studied, and the key factors affecting the deployment performance are investigated. A new reliability method with an angular precision control for deployable mechanism is proposed based on the theoretical model. The effectiveness of the proposed model and method is verified by comparing it with the Monte Carlo method. On this basis, the reliability evaluation for cable-spring folding wing, comprehensively considering deployment performance and synchronization, is carried out.
Long-Term Antitumor CD8+ T Cell Immunity Induced by Endogenously Engineered Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Ferrantelli Flavia , Manfredi Francesco , Chiozzini Chiara , Leone Patrizia , Giovannelli Andrea , Olivetta Eleonora , Federico Maurizio
Published: May 2021

We developed an innovative method to induce antigen-specific CD8+ T cytotoxic lymphocyte (CTL) immunity based on in vivo engineering of extracellular vesicles (EVs). This approach employs a DNA vector expressing a mutated HIV-1 Nef protein (Nefmut) deprived of the anti-cellular effects typical of the wild-type isoform, meanwhile showing an unusual efficiency of incorporation into EVs. This function persists even when foreign antigens are fused to its C-terminus. In this way, Nefmut traffics large amounts of antigens fused to it into EVs spontaneously released by the recipient cells. We previously provided evidence that mice injected with a DNA vector expressing the Nefmut/HPV16-E7 fusion protein developed an E7-specific CTL immune response as detected 2 weeks after the second immunization. Here, we extended and optimized the anti-HPV16 CD8+ T cell immune response induced by the endogenously engineered EVs, and evaluated the therapeutic antitumor efficacy over time. We found that the co-injection of DNA vectors expressing Nefmut fused with E6 and E7 generated a stronger anti-HPV16 immune response compared to that observed in mice injected with the single vectors. When HPV16-E6 and -E7 co-expressing tumor cells were implanted before immunization, all mice survived at day 44, whereas no mice injected with either void or Nefmut-expressing vectors survived until day 32 after tumor implantation. A substantial part of immunized mice (7 out of 12) cleared the tumor. When the cured mice were re-challenged with a second tumor cell implantation, none of them developed tumors. Both E6- and E7-specific CD8+ T immunities were still detectable at the end of the observation time. We concluded that the immunity elicited by engineered EVs, besides counteracting and curing already developed tumors, was strong enough to guarantee the resistance to additional tumor attacks. These results can be of relevance for the therapy of both metastatic and relapsing tumors.
Implications of Standardized Uptake Values of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in PET-CT on Prognosis, Tumor Characteristics and Mitochondrial DNA Heteroplasmy
Authors: Latzko Lukas , Schöpf Bernd , Weissensteiner Hansi , Fazzini Federica , Fendt Liane , Steiner Eberhard , Bruckmoser Emanuel , Schäfer Georg , Moncayo Roy-Cesar , Klocker Helmut , Laimer Johannes
Published: May 2021

Under aerobic conditions, some cancers switch to glycolysis to cover their energy requirements. Taking advantage of this process, functional imaging techniques such as PET-CT can be used to detect and assess tumorous tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate standardized uptake values and mitochondrial DNA mutations in oral squamous cell carcinoma. A cohort of 57 patients underwent 18[F]FDG-PET-CT and standardized uptake values were collected. In 15 patients, data on mitochondrial DNA mutations of the tumor were available. Kaplan–Meier curves were calculated, and correlation analyses as well as univariate Cox proportional hazard models were performed. Using ROC analysis to determine a statistical threshold for SUVmax in PET investigations, a cut-off value was determined at 9.765 MB/mL. Survival analysis for SUVmax in these groups showed a Hazard Ratio of 4 (95% CI 1.7–9) in the high SUVmax group with 5-year survival rates of 23.5% (p = 0.00042). For SUVmax and clinicopathological tumor features, significant correlations were found. A tendency towards higher mtDNA heteroplasmy levels in high SUVmax groups could be observed. We were able to confirm the prognostic value of SUVmax in OSCC, showing higher survival rates at lower SUVmax levels. Correlations between SUVmax and distinct tumor characteristics were highly significant, providing evidence that SUVmax may act as a reliable diagnostic parameter. Correlation analysis of mtDNA mutations suggests an influence on metabolic activity in OSCC.