From manosphere to mainstream : representations of masculinity on TikTok

Abstract: Instead of shrinking, the gender gap between young men and women seems to be widening as traditional gender norms are reinvigorated. Social media are seen to shape young people\u2019s gender identities, and while representations of femininity have been extensively studied, mainstream online representations of masculinity are underexplored. This article analyses the representation of masculinity on TikTok, based on ethnographic observation and data collection from the \u201cFor You\u201d page as well as the search term #masculinity, followed by qualitative thematic analysis of 345 videos. The analysis shows that representations of traditional, hegemonic masculinity are dominant on the platform, while women are portrayed as submissive and untrustworthy. The algorithm directs the user towards increasingly extreme content, thereby mainstreaming ideas initially propagated within the manosphere. In this way, TikTok functions as a form of \u201cpublic pedagogy,\u201d encouraging young men to conform to traditional gender roles

A large-scale retrospective study in metastatic breast cancer patients using circulating tumour DNA and machine learning to predict treatment outcome and progression-free survival

Abstract: Monitoring levels of circulating tumour-derived DNA (ctDNA) provides both a noninvasive snapshot of tumour burden and also potentially clonal evolution. Here, we describe how applying a novel statistical model to serial ctDNA measurements from shallow whole genome sequencing (sWGS) in metastatic breast cancer patients produces a rapid and inexpensive predictive assessment of treatment response and progression-free survival. A cohort of 149 patients had DNA extracted from serial plasma samples (total 1013, mean samples per patient = 6.80). Plasma DNA was assessed using sWGS and the tumour fraction in total cell-free DNA estimated using ichorCNA. This approach was compared with ctDNA targeted sequencing and serial CA15-3 measurements. We identified a transition point of 7% estimated tumour fraction to stratify patients into different categories of progression risk using ichorCNA estimates and a time-dependent Cox Proportional Hazards model and validated it across different breast cancer subtypes and treatments, outperforming the alternative methods. We used the longitudinal ichorCNA values to develop a Bayesian learning model to predict subsequent treatment response with a sensitivity of 0.75 and a specificity of 0.66. In patients with metastatic breast cancer, a strategy of sWGS of ctDNA with longitudinal tracking of tumour fraction provides real-time information on treatment response. These results encourage a prospective large-scale clinical trial to evaluate the clinical benefit of early treatment changes based on ctDNA levels

Nanoscale energy balance of a plasmonic antenna-reactor catalyst for light-driven reactions : the role of hot-carriers vs the photothermal effect

Abstract: In plasmonic photocatalysis, the performance of a catalyst is enhanced by incorporating a plasmonic metal nanostructure. In this context, the so-called "antenna-reactor" configuration has been shown to be an ideal arrangement with distinct plasmonic and catalytic components that act as light-antennas and reaction sites, respectively. The light harvesting plasmonic nanoantenna captures and concentrates photonic energy and provides it to the reactor, i.e., the catalyst, for the catalytic reactions of interest taking place on its surface. In this study, we compare different antenna-reactor configurations, delving into the antenna-reactor working mechanism at the nanoscale. While the overall enhancement in catalytic activity of such systems is commonly reported, it is a matter of much debate to which extent this is caused by hot-carriers or by the photothermal effect. In this work, this gap in understanding is addressed through an energy balance analysis of the antenna-reactor system. The results show that only 5 sun irradiance for 4 cm(2) films) or system size (>100 cm(2) film for 1 sun irradiance) is required to attain accurately measurable increases in temperature. This work shows how combining classical electromagnetic and heat transfer analysis can yield clear quantitative mechanistic insights into plasmonic photocatalysis

Cognitive fatigue, humor, and physical activity : a field experiment testing whether humorous messages promote walking in cognitively fatigued individuals

Abstract: Despite the success of humorous messages in various health interventions, its role in promoting physical activity (PA) remains understudied. This study addresses this gap by investigating the effectiveness of humorous messages in a 2-week smartphone-based intervention aimed at promoting walking behavior, particularly amongst cognitively fatigued individuals. Female participants (n = 57; Mage = 32.00; SD = 4.385) received humorous, nonhumorous, or a mix of both messages (in the form of memes) via a study-specific application, with cognitive fatigue measured daily. Panel linear regression models revealed a significant positive interaction between cognitive fatigue and message type. Our results suggest that the resilience of humorous messages to cognitive fatigue and their potential as motivational tools position them as a more robust choice for promoting PA. Importantly, when cognitively fatigued individuals received humorous messages, their walking behaviors showed no significant change, in contrast to the detrimental impact of nonhumorous messages on exercise. Recognizing the differential effects of cognitive fatigue on message effectiveness and considering the potential of humorous messages as motivational tools offers a valuable perspective for tailoring interventions to individual states

As you wish? Public preferences for models of representation and MPs' role orientations

Abstract: How much autonomy elected representatives should have in looking after the interests of their constituents is a central question of democratic theory. While much research has been conducted on the representational roles adopted by elected representatives, we currently lack an understanding of citizens' preferences for contrasting models of representation, more specifically whether they believe representatives should primarily act as instructed delegates, closely following public opinion or rather as trustees, relying on their own convictions and judgement. As a result, we know relatively little about how congruent citizens' and politicians' representational preferences are, whether some subgroups of citizens and politicians are more congruent with each other than others and whether citizens' and politicians' representational preferences are driven by the same determinants. Using data from 13 countries, we assess the level of congruence between voters' and MPs' preferences in representational style. In all countries, citizens favouring delegate-style MPs are poorly represented as the vast majority of representatives display a moderate to strong preference for trusteeship. Analysing subgroups of politicians and citizens according to party family, ideology, inclusion in government, populism and social class reveals that MPs from left-wing or right-wing radical and populist parties, representatives sitting on the opposition benches and those belonging to lower classes tend to hold representational preferences that are more in line with the preferences of their own supporters or individuals belonging to the same group as themselves, but also with those of the entire electorate. However, even among these politicians there are few delegates. Examining whether citizens' and politicians' representational preferences are driven by similar determinants, we assessed the influence of their ideological orientations, socioeconomic status and support for (or affiliation with) a party in government on their representational preferences. For citizens, our results indicate that locating oneself on the right of the ideological spectrum is related to higher scores on the delegate-trustee scale, while supporting a populist party seems to decrease voters' favourability toward trusteeship. Politicians' preferences could not be explained by similar factors as none of the tested factors were significant. In line with our congruence analysis, there seems to be little variation in MPs' representational preferences. Even groups of MPs that can be thought of as most likely to be delegates turn out to be staunch trustees, potentially causing frustration among citizens preferring delegate-style representation

Willingness to limit "panic buying" during the COVID-19 crisis

Abstract: The research in this paper seeks to quantify the potential of a novel initiative to mitigate "panic buying" through appeals from "trusted change agents" (TCAs) that ask individuals to limit their purchases of critical supplies. TCAs are agents involved in disaster response efforts, such as local leaders and representatives of relief groups, that are deemed to be trustworthy by various segments of the population. To assess the effectiveness of these appeals, the authors conducted a survey of residents in the United States (U.S.) to characterize the respondents' purchases of critical supplies made before, during, and after the pandemic. In addition, stated preference data were gathered about whether, and the extent to which, the respondents would react to a request from TCAs to limit their purchases of critical supplies. The results of the survey were used to: (i) assess the level of trust the respondents have in the various agents considered; (ii) estimate the expected impacts of TCAs' requests in terms of changes in respondents' purchasing behaviors; and (iii) estimate a Structural Equation Model-Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (SEM-MIMIC) model that expresses the respondents' willingness to limit purchases as a function of the socioeconomic attributes of the respondents. The research demonstrated that TCAs have substantial influence, with 58 % of respondents willing to limit purchases based on TCAs' appeals. Firefighters, Emergency Responders, and Health Officials are the most trusted agents, with Firefighters having the highest expected impact (22.2 %). Joint appeals amplify impact, e.g., Firefighters combined with Local Government and Emergency Responders have an impact of 33.3 %. The SEM-MIMIC model also showed that socioeconomic variables affect trust in TCAs. The results of the research provide a pathway to mitigate "panic buying" and reduce the associated shortages. Based on the results obtained, the authors discuss the corresponding policy implications

Urban sewage discharge of neonicotinoids and their transformation products threatens aquatic organisms

Abstract: Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are frequently used for urban landscape management and vector control, and undergo various transformation processes when release into urban environments. The discharges of NEOs and their transformation products (TPs) from urban sewer networks may pose serious threats to freshwater ecosystem integrity. However, TPs of NEOs present in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) and their associated risks to aquatic organisms are largely unknown. Here, we investigate NEOs and their TPs in 28 MWWTPs of six Chinese cities. Eleven NEOs and 33 TPs were identified, and 17 TPs were firstly detected in environmental medium. Considerable concentrations of NEOs and their TPs (17.0-1543 ng/L) were measured in the effluents, and two NEOs exceeded the ecological quality reference values in 32.1 % (for clothianidin) and 78.6 % (for imidacloprid) of the effluents. Simultaneously, 12 TPs had a higher regulatory priority than the corresponding NEOs in at least one aquatic organism using a toxicological priority index. Furthermore, 79.5 % of NEOs and their TPs exhibited high persistence and mobility, and thus these compounds could readily spread over long distances in aquatic environment. This study highlights that the input of NEOs and their TPs from treated wastewater into aquatic ecosystem should be regulated to mitigate the ecological risks

But They Still Lived Happily Ever After\ua0\u2013 or at Least, Happily: Disney\u2019s contemporary \u2018postmodern\u2019 fairy tales

Abstract: This paper examines three films that mark Disney\u2019s foray into postmodern fairy-tale narratives to determine if these attempts to move beyond or complicate Disney princess or fairy-tale narratives are successful. Drawing from fairy-tale studies and age studies, it particularly examines how gendered narratives and stereotypes operate within these narrative spaces, looking at the figures of the princess, the godmother, and the stepmother in Enchanted (2007), Godmothered (2020), and Disenchanted (2022). Through this study I aim to discover if Disney\u2019s contemporary postmodern fairy-tale narratives open up more potential for women in various roles as they age, or if they reiterate various age-related gender stereotypes

The Belgian Climate Case and rising (sea) levels: human rights, separation of powers and multi-level constitutionalism

Abstract: On 30 November 2023 the Brussels Court of Appeal of Belgium rendered a remarkable judgment ordering the Belgian federal state, the Flemish Region and the Brussels-Capital Region to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 55% versus the level of 1990. Even though an appeal to the Belgian apex Court of Cassation has been lodged in the meantime, this lengthy and carefully reasoned judgment constitutes by no means a run-of-the-mill climate case. The case touches on three fundamental columns of comparative constitutional law: human rights, institutional law and multi-level governance (bottom-up and top-down). From a human rights perspective, the recognition of a positive right to life and privacy in light of climate change and of a vicarious damage concept confirmed Urgenda and Neubauer, whereas the strikingly low standing threshold for natural persons was pioneering. From an institutional perspective, the Court of Appeal explicitly considers separation of powers as a constitutional principle in which judiciary checks and balances can have full effect to safeguard minimum human rights requirements. Moreover, the outspoken judicial threat of a governmental penalty payment for non-compliance was original. In light of bottom-up multi-level governance, the Belgian Climate Case proves unique in its portrayal of climate litigation in federal states with exclusive competence of the state entities. However, the decision to exonerate one state level while condemning three others without mutual distinction is questionable. Ultimately, the Court of Appeal's judgment operates in a top-down multi-level context as well, with a direct discussion on asking a preliminary question to the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The recent KlimaSeniorinnen judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) largely confirms and refers to the Belgian Climate Case, yet it could still prove both legally mandatory and pragmatic to have a judicial dialogue with the ECJ as well

A note on the numerical approximation of Greeks for American-style options

Abstract: In this note, we consider the approximation of the Greeks Delta and Gamma of American-style options through the numerical solution of time-dependent partial differential complementarity problems (PDCPs). This approach is very attractive as it can yield accurate approximations to these Greeks at essentially no additional computational cost during the numerical solution of the PDCP for the pertinent option value function. For the temporal discretization, the Crank\u2013Nicolson method is arguably the most popular method in computational finance. It is well-known, however, that this method can have an undesirable convergence behaviour in the approximation of the Greeks Delta and Gamma for American-style options, even when backward Euler damping (Rannacher smoothing) is employed. In this note, for the temporal discretization of the PDCP, we study an interesting family of diagonally implicit Runge\u2013Kutta (DIRK) methods together with the two-stage Lobatto IIIC method. Through ample numerical experiments for one- and two-asset American-style options, it is shown that these methods can yield a regular second-order convergence behaviour for the option value as well as for the Greeks Delta and Gamma. A mutual comparison reveals that the DIRK method with suitably chosen parameter is preferable