Are you only as good as you look? What is your web site saying about you? [poster]

pp. 119-12

Why read the Newsletter? A survey of the IAMSLIC Newsletter readers

pp. 257-6

Newsletter production into a marine science portal.

pp. 199-20

Corporate Accountability in Transitional Justice: Reflections on an Ongoing Social Lab (Roundtable)

This roundtable describes and reflects upon the Corporate Liability and Sustainable Peace (CLASP) Lab, a “social lab” convened to advance corporate accountability in post-conflict and transitional justice settings around the world. Launched in February 2021, the CLASP Lab is a virtual forum in three languages, bringing together more than 40 lawyers and community activists from 25 countries in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East to share experiences and devise strategies for holding corporations accountable for human rights violations, as part of processes of transitional justice

Why Forensics Matters: The Development of Emotional Competence in Competitors

To explicate our justification for the value of competitive speech activities, we contend that participation in forensics develops critical emotional competencies in students. The narratives used in this study were part of the NSDA’s efforts to create materials that would introduce various individual events to beginning competitors. In 2016, through its Instagram account, the NSDA asked high school competitors to comment on a post about why they chose to compete in their individual events. The NSDA identified the best 12 responses and then interviewed those students. ping and performing pieces in individual events. After examining how signs of emotional competence appear in the sample interviews, the remainder of the essay outlines some of the ways that this connection between emotional competency and forensics training could be used to justify forensics competition

Volume Averaging of Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Impacts Retinal Segmentation in Children

Purpose: To determine the influence of volume averaging on retinal layer thickness measures acquired with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in children. Methods: Macular SD-OCT images were acquired using three different volume acquisition settings (i.e., ART 1, 3, and 9 volumes) in children enrolled in a prospective OCT study. Total retinal, retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, inner nuclear layer, and outer plexiform layer thicknesses were measured around an ETDRS grid using beta version automated segmentation software for the Spectralis. The magnitude of manual segmentation required to correct the automated segmentation was classified as either minor (less than 12 lines adjusted), moderate (\u3e12 andadjusted), severe (\u3e26 and \u3c 48 lines adjusted) or fail (\u3e 48 lines adjusted or could not adjust due to poor image quality). The frequency of each edit classification was assessed for each volume setting. Thickness, paired difference and 95% limits of agreement of each anatomic quadrant were compared across volumes. Results: 75 subjects (median age 11.8 years, range 4.3- 18.5 years) contributed 75 eyes. Less than 5% of the 9 and 3 volume scans required more than minor manual segmentation corrections, compared to 71% of 1 volume scans. The inner (3mm) region demonstrated similar measures across all layers, regardless of volume number. The one volume scans demonstrated greater variability of the RNFL thickness, compared to the other volumes in the outer (6mm) region. Discussion: In children, a minimum acquisition setting of ART 3 for SD-OCT volumes should be obtained to reduce retinal layer segmentation errors

Investigating the Fight Against the Crime of Human Trafficking in Argentina: the RATT and its Capacities as an NGO Network - Indagando en la lucha contra el delito de la trata de personas en la Argentina: la RATT y sus capacidades como una red de ONGs

In this independent study project, I take a look at the Argentine social movement against human trafficking, analyzing one particular organization, the RATT Argentina (National Network Against Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents[1]) I analyze the structural and logistical characteristics of the RATT as a social actor using research on its functionality as a network. The RATT is an organization comprised of different regional nodes, partner NGOs, affiliate government branches, and individual members; thus, my project relates the organizational structure of the RATT to its agenda and capacities, looking at how its actions are impacted by its network configuration. Specifically, my research considers the question, “How does the organizational structure of the RATT affect its agenda and capacities in the fight against human trafficking?” I think that this subject is attention worthy for academically observing the Argentine social mobilization against human trafficking and, more generally, as a case study to show how social movements actually act in the fight against an elusive, pervasive, universal crime that, despite international and domestic regulation, endangers many potential victims and remains a grave and widespread violation of human rights. In the face of the complicated and socially ingrained nature of human trafficking and the vital need for non-state actors to operate independently while supporting related governmental efforts and maintaining coordination with state institutions, it is fundamental for organizations such as the RATT to operate with force and efficacy. Thus, analyzing how the RATT’s organizational structure impacts its agenda and capacities shows how and when the network operates amongst these obstacles, implicating what is clearly and systematically being done by such social actors for those vulnerable to sexual exploitation via human trafficking. For my research, I observed how the organization operates (by attending meetings with the headquarters in Buenos Aires, participating in events hosted by the RATT, and working with the national coordinator, Viviana Caminos). I also conducted interviews with members of the group, and analyzed texts published by/about the organization and about the context of human trafficking in Argentina. In my research I also incorporated theory about organization in social movements and related it to the network structure and operational prototype of the RATT. To investigate how the organizational structure affects the agenda and capacities of the group, I focused specifically on observing how the network operates in three distinct lines of action: prevention, intervention, and re-stabilization, meaning the moments of action before, during, and after acts of human trafficking occur. I conducted my research in Buenos Aires, where I worked with the national headquarters of the RATT. In the following pages, I divide my project into an introduction, where I define human trafficking, present related social movement theory, and express my specific research question; a methodology section, which includes marks of reference, problems with the project, and acknowledges the influence of my point of view as the author; a research development segment which begins with a multilateral contextual overview of human trafficking in Argentina, reflections on the organizational structure of the RATT, and analysis of specific actions. The final pages of my project include a conclusion and references. In my analysis of how the organizational structure affects the agenda and capacities of the RATT, I found that its network composition allows it to act strongly and comprehensively in the areas of prevention and intervention in cases of human trafficking and facilitates some aptitude in the line of re-stabilization of freed victims. I suggest that the agenda of the RATT changes as the branches of the network impact it, because although its agenda is established at a macro-level, it is interpreted and articulated by the particular actions of different micro-groups of the organization. These groups—through their own process of negotiation and navigation of their particular environments (which include resources, micro-cultures, strengths, etc.) affect the development of how the organization reaches its goals, and thus, the agenda itself. Finally, I interpret the impact of the structural organization on the group’s capacities, suggesting that the network structure amplifies and diversifies its capacities while at the same time complicating logistics of uniform action, coordination of financing, feasibility of continuous internal exchange, and macro-interaction. I hope that this project will be a tribute to the incredible work and effort put forth by the RATT and the phenomenal people that move and sustain it, as well as to the women, men, and children affected by human trafficking in Argentina. [1] La traducción es mía. El nombre original es RATT Argentina (Red Nacional Alto al Tráfico, la Trata, y la Explotación Sexual Comercial de Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes

Exploring Stress Mindset and Perceived Stress between College Student-Athletes and Non-Athletes

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(5): 1554-1562, 2022. One’s beliefs about the nature of stress (e.g., stress mindset) play a large role in the extent to which one experiences the detrimental or beneficial outcomes of stress. Stress mindset has been explored in college students, but there is limited research on stress mindsets in student-athletes. Sport can serve as a buffer to the negative impacts of stress for some student-athletes; however, pressures associated with sport participation increase stress in other student-athletes. Therefore, the purpose was to examine potential differences in stress mindset and perceived stress between non-athletes and college student-athletes. We hypothesized college student-athletes would report higher stress mindset scores but lower perceived stress scores. A total of 272 students (n = 87 student-athletes; n = 185 non-athletes) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Stress Mindset Measure via an online survey. No significant differences were observed between student-athletes’ and non-athletes’ stress mindset scores; however, significant differences were observed between student-athletes’ and non-athletes’ perceived stress. Thus, student-athletes and non-athletes shared a similar view of stress, but student-athletes reported a lower level of perceived stress than non-athletes. While there appears to be no statistically significant differences in stress mindset between college non-athletes and student-athletes, both groups reported holding a stress-is-debilitating mindset. Implications for practitioners working with the college population are discussed

It is not all about the alpha:elevated expression of p53β variants is associated with lower probability of survival in a retrospective melanoma cohort

Background: Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer and despite improvements in treatment outcomes, melanoma claimed 57,043 lives in 2020. In most malignancies, p53 mutation rates are above 50% and provide prognostic indications. However, in melanoma where less than a quarter of cases harbour a p53 mutation, the significance of the tumour suppressor may be questioned. Instead, p53 isoforms, which modulate p53's canonical function, may be of greater clinical importance.Methods: The expression of p53 isoforms was evaluated in 123 melanoma specimens by immunohistochemistry using p53 isoform-specific antibodies (DO-1, KJC8, KJC40, and KJC133). To determine whether TP53 mutations may be driving p53 isoform expression, TP53 was sequenced in 30 FFPE melanoma samples.Results: The C-terminally truncated p53β isoforms (KJC8) were found to be the most highly expressed p53 isoforms compared to all other isoforms. Further, elevated KJC8 staining was found to correlate with reduced probability of melanoma-specific survival, while KJC40 staining (Δ40p53) positively correlated with reduced melanoma thickness. TAp53 isoforms (p53 retaining both transactivation domains, DO-1), were the second highest p53 isoforms expressed across all samples. Elevated DO-1 staining was also associated with worse survival outcomes and more advanced stages of cancer. Given that the isoforms are likely to work in concert, composite isoform profiles were generated. Composite biomarker profiles revealed that elevated TAp53 (DO-1) and p53β (KJC8) expression, accompanied by low Δ40p53 (KJC40) and Δ133p53 (KJC133) expression was associated with the worst survival outcomes. Supporting the lack of predictive biomarker potential of TP53 in melanoma, no clinicopathological or p53 isoform expression associations could be linked to TP53 status.Conclusions: Given the lack of prognostic biomarker potential derived from TP53 status, this study highlights how p53 isoform expression might progress this field and, pending further validation, may provide additional information to treating oncologists that might be factored into treatment decisions.</p

Cytoplasmic p53β Isoforms Are Associated with Worse Disease-Free Survival in Breast Cancer

TP53 mutations are associated with tumour progression, resistance to therapy and poor prognosis. However, in breast cancer, TP53′s overall mutation frequency is lower than expected (~25%), suggesting that other mechanisms may be responsible for the disruption of this critical tumour suppressor. p53 isoforms are known to enhance or disrupt p53 pathway activity in cell- and context-specific manners. Our previous study revealed that p53 isoform mRNA expression correlates with clinicopathological features and survival in breast cancer and may account for the dysregulation of the p53 pathway in the absence of TP53 mutations. Hence, in this study, the protein expression of p53 isoforms, transactivation domain p53 (TAp53), p53β, Δ40p53, Δ133p53 and Δ160p53 was analysed using immunohistochemistry in a cohort of invasive ductal carcinomas (n = 108). p53 isoforms presented distinct cellular localisation, with some isoforms being expressed in tumour cells and others in infiltrating immune cells. Moreover, high levels of p53β, most likely to be N-terminally truncated β variants, were significantly associated with worse disease-free survival, especially in tumours with wild-type TP53. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that analysed the endogenous protein levels of p53 isoforms in a breast cancer cohort. Our findings suggest that p53β may be a useful prognostic marker