Testing for genetic mutation of seasonal influenza virus

Influenza virus strains undergo genetic mutations every year and these changes in genetic makeup pose difficulties for effective vaccine selection. To better understand the problem it is important to statistically quantify the amount of genetic change between circulating strains from different years. In this paper, we propose the nonparametric crossmatch test applied to phylogenetic trees to assess the level of discrepancy between circulating flu virus strains between two years; the viruses being represented by a phylogenetic tree. The crossmatch test has advantages compared to parametric tests in that it preserves more information in the data. The outcome of the test would indicate whether the circulating influenza virus has mutated sufficiently in the past year to be considered as a new population of virus, suggesting the need to consider a new vaccine. We validate the test on simulated phylogenetic tree samples with varying branch lengths, as well as with publicly available virus sequence data from the ‘Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data’ (GISAID: https://www.gisaid.org/)     

Critical Literacy as a Lens for Students’ Evaluation of Sources in an AP World History Class

Abstract

Critical literacy is an appropriate learning outcome for social studies courses because it has the potential to teach students how to critically evaluate sources of information relevant to historical texts and current news media. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the process through which students learned to apply critical literacy strategies while completing an end-of-unit research project in tenth grade AP world history. This study looks as student and teacher interviews to examine how students use critical literacy approaches and perspectives to analyze texts. As a result of this study it was determined that: (1) students at the elite private school had limited experience with source evaluation and critical literacy prior to this research project, (2) critical literacy served as an effective evaluation tool for reliability and bias for some students, (3) certain students experienced challenges in using critical literacy as an evaluation tool, and (4) students believed that critical literacy would benefit them personally and academically. Results include implications for instructors who wish to teach critical literacy and source evaluation in this information age.     

Forensic Evaluation in Alleged Sibling Incest Against Children

Sibling incest is a serious form of intrafamilial sexual abuse with health, social, and legal relevance. A retrospective study was conducted through the analysis of forensic medical reports of the alleged sibling incest of victims under 18 years old (n = 68) from 2004 to 2011 as well as the respective judicial outcomes. Results demonstrated that sibling’s sexual abuse is associated with several circumstances that might exacerbate its severity such as vaginal, anal, and/or oral penetration. Moreover, the victim’s young age, the proximity between victim and abuser, and the fact that it is committed at the victim’s and/or abuser’s home and by using physical violence and verbal threats justify a late detection of these cases.     

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Mexican American Girls’ Reactions to Boyfriends’ Infidelity

This qualitative study examines how Mexican American girls define and respond to partner infidelity. In-depth interviews with 24 Mexican American girls, ages 14–18, formed the basis of this study. Although girls variously defined cheating, the majority believed that girls should break up with boyfriends who are physically intimate with an outside partner. Yet, the girls’ real world experiences revealed a more nuanced understanding of how girls actually respond to partner infidelity. While most girls who had been cheated on immediately broke up with their partners, they were also quite likely to reconcile with them for a variety of reasons. Emotional and sexual health implications for relationship cycling---defined as breaking up, getting back together, and breaking up again---are discussed.     

Americans’ Perceptions of Commitment to Strong Families Across Race and Ethnic Groups

Theories of prejudice examining perceptual differences of in-groups and out-groups, such as social dominance and group threat perspectives, have found them to be important in generating hegemonic identity formations. This study uses data from the General Social Surveys to explore how these hegemonic group perceptions influence attitudes toward stronger families using race and ethnic groups as proxy measures where Whites are considered the in-group. A modified ecosystemic-interactionist approach along with elements from group threat and social dominance theories as support was used to investigate the underlying premise that group membership influenced respondents’ perceptions of their own family vis á vis others. Overall, the study found support for the underlying premise that membership influenced group perceptions, group knowledge, and group beliefs about commitment to strong families. Additionally, these findings suggest that groups develop most of their beliefs and subsequently their attitudes from limited interaction with those they perceived to be in the out-groups. Other social factors, including media portrayals, geographic propinquity, and education, also play a role in group perceptions, group knowledge, and group beliefs about commitment toward strong families. They support the social dominance and group threat theories that give rise to hegemonic structure within the United States.     

Quality of Life Experienced by Human Capital: An Assessment of European Cities

This paper aims to provide an assessment of urban quality of life (QoL) of European cities from the perspective of qualified human resources. The competitiveness of cities relies increasingly in their capacity to attract highly educated workers, as they are important assets for firms when choosing a location. Qualified human resources, on the other hand, tend to value QoL over other urban features. This is why policymakers and urban planners need to evaluate QoL of cities and be provided with tools that can guide action to improvements in this area. We assess urban QoL by means of a composite indicator constructed using data envelopment analysis, based on Urban Audit data and Mercer’s framework of analysis, to give account of 246 European cities. Besides presenting a ranking of the best and the worst scores of QoL, this methodology allows benchmarking strategies.     

Ageing, Leisure, and Social Connectedness: How could Leisure Help Reduce Social Isolation of Older People?

This study investigates the relation between leisure activities and the social status of the elderly based on a heterogeneous sample of the Dutch population. Close relationships are also analyzed to identify which people could serve as successful stimulators of leisure participation. The social profile confirms that older people have fewer social contacts and often feel lonely. This study shows that leisure activities explain a significant part of older people’s social connectedness. Voluntary work, cultural activities, holiday, sports, reading books, hobbies and shopping are found to be successful predictors for social connectedness of older people. Watching TV, listening to the radio, and spending time behind the computer (passive activities) were not associated with social connectedness. Friends correlate positively to participation in leisure activities. Partners play a role in participation in cultural activities and sports; parents play a role in participation in voluntary work and holidays; siblings play a role in voluntary work and sports; and children play a role in cultural activities, reading books, and shopping. Local communities can use these close relationships and develop special programs to increase social connectedness and hence improve quality of life for older adults.     

Small Steps that Matter: Incremental Learning,Slack Resources and Organizational Performance

This paper examines the antecedents, consequences and moderators of incremental learning capabilities, understood as an organization's ability to gradually adapt and expand its knowledge base. Conceptualized as a dynamic capability, incremental learning is expected to be a vital driver of organizational adaptation. As dynamic capabilities consist of bundles of relatively stable routines, it is proposed that an organization's level of incremental learning capabilities will be highly persistent over time. It is also argued that building and exercising incremental learning capabilities is resource intensive and will as such tend to rely on the availability of sufficient slack resources. Last, it is suggested that incremental learning will be positively related to organizational performance, especially when the underlying business model is labour rather than capital intensive. To test these theoretical ideas, the authors draw on extensive panel data from all public non‐specialist hospitals in England and find broad support for their hypotheses.