Authoritarian regimes in the 21st century have increasingly turned to using information control rather than kinetic force to respond to threats to their rule. This paper studies an often overlooked type of information control: strategic labeling and public statements by regime sources in response to protests. Labeling protesters as violent criminals may increase support for repression by signaling that protests are illegitimate and deviant. Regime sources, compared to more independent sources, could increase support for repression even more when paired with such an accusatory label. Accommodative labels should have opposing effects---decreasing support for repression. The argument is tested with a survey experiment in China which labels environmental protests. Accusatory labels increase support for repression of protests. Regime sources, meanwhile, have no advantage over nongovernmental sources in shifting opinion. The findings suggest that negative labels de-legitimize protesters and legitimize repression while the sources matter less in this contentious authoritarian context.

Objective Uneven settlement of the proximal tibia significantly contributes to the onset and progression of medial compartment knee OA; however, the specific location and variations of proximal tibial deformity remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of the anatomic morphology of different tibial regions on proximal tibial vara and proximal tibial microstructural changes with age in both sexes to reveal the pattern of uneven settlement of the proximal tibia. Methods In this retrospective study, we reviewed the radiographs of 414 patients (789 legs) between May and September 2021. The medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) and four anatomic angles of the tibia (i.e., the tibial plateau‐epiphyseal line [PT‐EL] angle, epiphyseal line‐tibial platform [EL‐PF] angle, epiphyseal axis inclination angle [EAIA], and subepiphyseal axis inclination angle [SAIA]) were measured. The effect of each angle on MPTA and their changes with age in both sexes were investigated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression. Results In females, PT‐EL angle, EL‐PF angle, and SAIA negatively correlated with MPTA (r = −0.325, −0.246, and −0.502; p < 0.05), and EAIA positively correlated with MPTA (r = 0.099, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that the correlations between MPTA and PT‐EL angle, EL‐PF angle, and SAIA were significant (β = −1.003, −0.013, and −0.971; adjusted R2 = 0.979). Furthermore, MPTA negatively correlated with age (r = −0.202, p < 0.05); PT‐EL angle and EAIA positively correlated with age (r = 0.237 and 0.142, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that only the correlation between PT‐EL angle and age was significant (β = 5.635, p < 0.05). In males, PT‐EL angle, EL‐PF angle, and SAIA negatively correlated with MPTA (r = −0.270, −0.267, and −0.533; p < 0.05), and EAIA positively correlated with MPTA (r = 0.135, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that the correlations between MPTA and PT‐EL angle, EL‐PF angle, and SAIA were significant (β = −0.992, −0.017, and −0.958; adjusted R2 = 0.970). However, there was no significant correlation between age and any of the measured angles (p > 0.05). Conclusions Proximal tibial vara is affected by the anatomic morphology of the epiphyseal and subepiphyseal regions. In females, the uneven settlement of the epiphysis progresses with age and may be responsible for dynamic varus deformity of the proximal tibia.

Authoritarian regimes in the 21st century have increasingly turned to using information control rather than kinetic force to respond to threats to their rule. This paper studies an often overlooked type of information control: strategic labeling and public statements by regime sources in response to protests. Labeling protesters as violent criminals may increase support for repression by signaling that protests are illegitimate and deviant. Regime sources, compared to more independent sources, could increase support for repression even more when paired with such an accusatory label. Accommodative labels should have opposing effects—decreasing support for repression. The argument is tested with a survey experiment in China which labels environmental protests. Accusatory labels increase support for repression of protests. Regime sources, meanwhile, have no advantage over non-governmental sources in shifting opinion. The findings suggest that negative labels de-legitimize protesters and legitimize repression while the sources matter less in this contentious authoritarian context.

How do authoritarian regimes prevent protests? One strategy, which frequently accompanies the use of repression, is labeling regime opponents negatively in an attempt to discredit them. This paper considers two frameworks through which negative regime labels about protesters could affect citizens: through persuading them of protesters' illegitimacy, or through signaling the regime's disapproval of protest. We adjudicate the two frameworks with a survey experiment in China which varies regime responses to environmental protest. The results are consistent with the signaling disapproval framework: negative labels do not affect respondents' perceptions of protests but do affect their willingness to protest. Furthermore, these effects depend on respondents' support for the government, and suggest a polarization effect of negative labels. The findings connect research on authoritarian repression and propaganda, suggesting complementarities between the two strategies for regimes.