The Art of Sex Work: The Figure of the Sex Worker in Modernist and Contemporary Art

The figure of the sex worker has been a recurring theme throughout modernist and contemporary art, signifying a variety of meanings that have been continually redefined by cultural conditions. This thesis analyzes how sex workers’ identities have been constructed through the visual arts, beginning at the advent of the modernist movement in the nineteenth century and concluding with twenty-first century contemporary art. The ways that the lived experiences of sex workers have manifested themselves in visual art grounds the discussion alongside analysis of the historical context for each artwork. While art prior to the advent of the women’s art movement tended to represent sex workers through the lenses of sexual objectification and the male gaze, art of the late twentieth century and of the contemporary era tends to subvert those misogynistic discourses, particularly through the genre of performance art. Sex workers themselves began creating art that expressed their lived experiences, and art has become an important tool for pro sex work activism, platformed by community projects that empower sex workers. Art remains an important tool for expressing sex worker’s experiences as a means to enact progressive social change

Fibronectin-1 expression is increased in aggressive thyroid cancer and favors the migration and invasion of cancer cells

n this study we analyzed the expression levels of markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in several papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) and the relation with tumor genotypes and clinicopathological characteristics. The role of fibronectin-1 (FN1) was investigated by analyzing the effects of FN1 silencing in two human thyroid cancer cell lines. Most of EMT markers were significantly over-expressed in a group of 36 PTCs. In particular, FN1 mRNA levels were higher in tumor vs non-tumor tissue (117.3, p < 0.001) and also in aggressive and BRAF(V600E) samples. Similar results were observed (and confirmed at the protein level) when FN1 expression was analyzed in a validation group of 50 PTCs and six lymph node (LN) metastases. Silencing of FN1 in TPC-1 and BCPAP thyroid cancer cells significantly reduced proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion in both cell lines. Collectively, our data indicate that FN1 overexpression is an important determinant of thyroid cancer aggressiveness

Humanizing Outgroups Through Multiple Categorization: The Roles of Individuation and Threat

In three studies, we examined the impact of multiple categorization on intergroup dehumanization. Study 1 showed that perceiving members of a rival university along multiple versus simple categorical dimensions enhanced the tendency to attribute human traits to this group. Study 2 showed that multiple versus simple categorization of immigrants increased the attribution of uniquely human emotions to them. This effect was explained by the sequential mediation of increased individuation of the outgroup and reduced outgroup threat. Study 3 replicated this sequential mediation model and introduced a novel way of measuring humanization in which participants generated attributes corresponding to the outgroup in a free response format. Participants generated more uniquely human traits in the multiple versus simple categorization conditions. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and consider their role in informing and improving efforts to ameliorate contemporary forms of intergroup discrimination

CALCAREOUS PLANKTON BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE SANTONIAN-CAMPANIAN BOUNDARY INTERVAL IN THE BOTTACCIONE SECTION (UMBRIA-MARCHE BASIN, CENTRAL ITALY)

The Bottaccione section (Umbria-Marche Basin, central Italy) was analyzed for calcareous nannofossil and planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy across the Santonian-Campanian boundary interval to achieve a high-resolution and updated zonation directly calibrated with magnetostratigraphy. Several calcareous plankton events were detected, including zonal markers and additional potential biohorizons. The base of magnetochron C33r, proposed for placement of the base of the Campanian, lies between the first occurrence of Aspidolithus parcus parcus and the last occurrence of Dicarinella asymetrica in the Bottaccione section. The literature survey indicates that these events were found in the Santonian-Campanian boundary interval at supraregional scale and, may be used to confidently approximate the base of the Campanian

Exploring the cognitive, emotional and sensory correlates of social anxiety in autistic and neurotypical adolescents

BACKGROUND: Social anxiety is common in autistic adolescents. While emerging evidence indicates the importance of several mechanisms (including intolerance of uncertainty (IU), alexithymia and sensory processing) for maintaining anxiety, limited research has explored how these factors are associated with social anxiety in autistic adolescents. METHODS: We investigated whether IU, emotional and sensory processing are related to social anxiety in autistic and neurotypical adolescents, gathering experimental and questionnaire data from 61 autistic and 62 neurotypical 11- to 17-year-olds recruited to have similarly high levels of anxiety. RESULTS: In autistic and neurotypical adolescents matched for social anxiety, similar significant associations were observed between social anxiety and IU, alexithymia, maladaptive emotion regulation, sensory hypersensitivity and interoceptive sensibility. Taking a dimensional approach, we found that child- and parent-reported IU, alexithymia and sensory hypersensitivity mediated the relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety symptoms in the combined group of adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that similar correlates of social anxiety are evident in autistic and neurotypical youths experiencing social anxiety, and further our understanding of mechanisms that may contribute towards social anxiety in both groups

The Coniacian–Santonian sedimentary record in southern Tanzania (Ruvuma Basin, East Africa): Planktonic foraminiferal evolutionary, geochemical and palaeoceanographic patterns

AbstractA 101 m thick stratigraphically complete late Coniacian–early Santonian (ca 89 to 83 Ma) sedimentary sequence drilled in Tanzania (Tanzania Drilling Project Site 39) allows, for the first time, examination of the planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and evolution, the depositional history, and geochemical patterns of the subtropical–tropical Indian Ocean region. The sedimentary succession corresponds to an outer shelf to upper slope setting and is dominated by calcareous clayey siltstones and mudstones. The occurrences of Tethyan marker species enable application of the tropical biozonation including identification of the Dicarinella concavata and Dicarinella asymetrica Zones. In addition, Tanzania Drilling Project Site 39 is proposed as reference section for the Coniacian/Santonian boundary in the Indian Ocean with the boundary placed at the lowest occurrence of Globotruncana linneiana in agreement with the Global Stratotype Section and Point (Spain). The record at Tanzania Drilling Project Site 39 provides a unique opportunity to document the planktonic foraminiferal evolution in a subtropical marginal sea environment during a key period in their evolutionary history characterized by a major radiation among the deep‐dwelling taxa. Combined documentation of lithological and geochemical changes (%CaCO3, %Corg, δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb) reveals a setting influenced by continental‐derived nutrients in the Dicarinella concavata Zone (Lindi Formation) with a change to higher carbonate production and reduced surface water primary productivity in the overlying Dicarinella asymetrica Zone (Nangurukuru Formation). Planktonic foraminiferal assemblage changes mirror the depositional and geochemical trends and indicate a progressive shift from a more eutrophic to a more oligotrophic regime through time. At the local scale, this palaeoceanographic scenario is consistent with the deepening of coastal Tanzania in response to the Late Cretaceous marine transgression registered in south‐east Tanzania. Because the tectonic evolution and sea‐level rise along the East Africa continental margin is superimposed on the Coniacian–Campanian global long‐term sea‐level high, this study hypothesizes that the epicontinental invasion of blue waters may have favoured radiation among deep‐dwelling taxa

Digital art history : la scène américaine

Aux États-Unis comme ailleurs, l’introduction et l’évolution ininterrompue des technologies numériques dans la recherche, l’édition et l’enseignement de l’histoire de l’art depuis les années 1980 ont modifié la discipline en profondeur. L’abandon des diapositives au profit d’images numérisées est communément désigné comme l’un des premiers signes visibles de ce tournant numérique qui interroge et agite la discipline aujourd’hui. En effet, les outils numériques ont engendré un remodelage de to..

T Lymphocyte Subset Counts and Interferon-Gamma Production in Adults and Children with COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Adults and children exhibit a broad range of clinical outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection, with minimal to mild symptoms, especially in the pediatric age. However, some children present with a severe hyperinflammatory post-infectious complication named multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), mainly affecting previously healthy subjects. Understanding these differences is still an ongoing challenge, that can lead to new therapeutic strategies and avoid unfavorable outcomes. In this review, we discuss the different roles of T lymphocyte subsets and interferon-? (IFN-?) in the immune responses of adults and children. Lymphopenia can influence these responses and represent a good predictor for the outcome, as reported by most authors. The increased IFN-? response exhibited by children could be the starting point for the activation of a broad response that leads to MIS-C, with a significantly higher risk than in adults, although a single IFN signature has not been identified. Multicenter studies with large cohorts in both age groups are still needed to study SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis with new tools and to understand how is possible to better modulate immune responses