The properties and origin of genetic robustness have recently been investigated in several works that examined microRNA stem-loop structures, and a variety of conclusions have been reached without agreement. Considering that this is a universal phenomenon that is not restricted to miRNAs, we recall the original work on this topic that began from looking at viral RNAs of several types. We provide a link to this work by examining the neutrality of HCV structural elements, performing a detailed bioinformatic analysis using RNA secondary structure predictions across genotypes. This study provides supporting evidence for direct evolution of genetic robustness that is not limited to noncoding RNAs participating in gene regulation, but includes functionally important structural elements of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that show excess of robustness beyond the intrinsic robustness of their stem-loop structure. These findings further support the adaptive behavior of genetic robustness in functional RNAs of various types that seem to have evolved with selection pressure towards increased robustness.

Disabled Americans face many barriers when it comes to voting, which is reflected in their lower voter turnout. This article examines past barriers along with the changes in accessibility that occurred due to the coronavirus (COVID-19)  pandemic. Physical barriers include inaccessibility at polling locations, such as a lack of ramps and audio-equipped voting machines. A lack of privacy for disabled voters also dissuades them from voting. Disabled people have also been psychologically discouraged from voting by both consistent inaccessibility and the lack of government attention to this inaccessibility. Further, disabled people who are considered high-risk for COVID-19 were less likely to vote in person due to concerns about contracting the virus. However, the widespread availability of mail-in ballots increased disabled voter turnout as compared to previous years. This did not close the turnout gap between disabled and abled voters, but did shrink it. In order to address the barriers faced by disabled people when it comes to voting, the existing literature recommends an expansion of mail in voting, increased accessibility at polling locations, and updated federal guidelines on accessibility.

This article examines the social, medical, and futuristic impacts of coronavirus lockdowns on adolescents. The effects of social isolation and school closures are the focus. The literature reveals that adolescents’ mental health declined due to social isolation during COVID, and that their social development was stunted. The brain development of adolescents could also have been negatively affected due to a lack of engagement in social decision making processes. The article examines the inequality exacerbated by the pandemic, namely the increased inequality by race and income in adolescents’ access to sports and the economic inequality in learning losses. Not only were learning losses during remote learning more prevalent among low-income adolescents, but these students are likely to experience a decrease in expected income over the course of their lifetimes. Based on existing research, an effective remedy to the negative impacts of COVID lockdowns on adolescents would be to increase funding to schools in order to decrease COVID cases among adolescents, provide individualized instruction to students who fell behind during remote learning, and to improve in-school counseling services.