Some extended psychological benefits of challenging social stereotypes:decreased dehumanization and a reduced reliance on heuristic thinking

One way to promote equality is to encourage people to generate counterstereotypic role models. In two experiments, we demonstrate that such interventions have much broader benefits than previously thoughtreducing a reliance on heuristic thinking and decreasing tendencies to dehumanize outgroups. In Experiment 1, participants who thought about a gender counterstereotype (e.g., a female mechanic) demonstrated a generalized decrease in dehumanization towards a range of unrelated target groups (including asylum seekers and the homeless). In Experiment 2 we replicated these findings using alternative targets and measures of dehumanization. Furthermore, we found the effect was mediated by a reduced reliance on heuristic thinking. The findings suggest educational initiatives that aim to challenge social stereotypes may not only have societal benefits (generalized tolerance), but also tangible benefits for individuals (enhanced cognitive flexibility).

Employment and the Social Economy. EU Funding Opportunities for Developing Human Resources

The paper examines the role of EU cohesion policy in the field of human resources development and improving conditions for employment. The main objective of the analysis is to present a comprehensive picture about funding opportunities in connection with financing the activities of organisations of the social economy. As a background, the study stresses that the success of the European integration process depends to a great extent on the strength of economic and social cohesion between EU member states and regions. In order to create conditions for sustainable and balanced growth with social inclusion, there is a need to enhance the competitiveness of less developed regions combating the difficulties of structural change, and to improve their development prospects. To achieve this aim, one of the most important fields is to improve human resources. The paper points out, that EU cohesion policy has a crucial role in reducing disparities. After a general introduction to the EU level regional policy funding, the study focuses on the activities supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). The next part of the study deals with the possible types of the social economy projects and problems of self-financing. The author emphasises that social innovation emerges where State and markets fail to deliver for society (theory of non-profit/third sector) but not just to fix or replace them. The author concludes that these projects require state subsidies (official grants) at the beginning, but at the same time they can generate income. In this respect they follow same economic goals as other market actors, however, the crucial difference is that their main goal is not to make high profits for the owners. In the last part, as a concrete case study, the paper concentrates on the priorities of the Hungarian development plan in relation to social renewal. The author explains the priorities and fields of interventions of the social renewal programme. Finally, the chapter deals with the recent changes in the Hungarian employment policy and related measures supported by the European Social Fund. The chapter concludes that several employment programmes, projects for the development of social economy and programmes assisting the spreading of voluntariness and the training of volunteers have been launched with the co-financing of ESF.

A frame analysis of the leadership styles of dental and medical school deans

The purpose of this study was to determine how dental and medical school deans perceived their own leadership styles and how many management/leadership perspectives they used when approaching a problem. A descriptive and correlational study was conducted which examined the leadership orientations or "frames" utilized by these deans. Four frames--the structural, the human resource, the political, and the symbolic--emerged from leadership studies which described the behavior of leaders in organizational actions and problem solving.^ Employing the repeated measures ANCOVA, it was found that there were no significant interactions between type of dean and perceptions or perspectives. However, the main effects of both leadership style perceptions and the use of perspectives were significant. This indicated that over the total sample of deans, both perceptions and perspectives were used differently; the deans perceived themselves and used perspectives the highest for the human resource frame and the lowest for the political frame. Also, dental deans' mean use overall of the four perspective frames was higher than the medical deans. In addition to the ANCOVA, t-tests performed on perceptions revealed that the deans perceived the frames differently in three human resource items. Pearson's correlations indicated that for the combined sample of deans, significant negative correlations existed when the human resource or symbolic frame was compared to the structural frame. All of the deans used multiple frames, allowing them to re-frame or combine frames according to the situation. ^

The application of reduced-size short tandem repeat primer sets in the analysis of human DNA from degraded and compromised samples

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the applicability of reduced-size STR (Miniplex) primer sets to challenging samples and to provide the forensic community with new information regarding the analysis of degraded and inhibited DNA. The Miniplex primer sets were validated in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) in order to demonstrate the scientific validity of the kits. The Miniplex sets were also used in the analysis of DNA extracted from human skeletal remains and telogen hair. In addition, a method for evaluating the mechanism of PCR inhibition was developed using qPCR. The Miniplexes were demonstrated to be a robust and sensitive tool for the analysis of DNA with as low as 100 pg of template DNA. They also proved to be better than commercial kits in the analysis of DNA from human skeletal remains, with 64% of samples tested producing full profiles, compared to 16% for a commercial kit. The Miniplexes also produced amplification of nuclear DNA from human telogen hairs, with partial profiles obtained from as low as 60 pg of template DNA. These data suggest smaller PCR amplicons may provide a useful alternative to mitochondrial DNA for forensic analysis of degraded DNA from human skeletal remains, telogen hairs, and other challenging samples. In the evaluation of inhibition by qPCR, the effect of amplicon length and primer melting temperature was evaluated in order to determine the binding mechanisms of different PCR inhibitors. Several mechanisms were indicated by the inhibitors tested, including binding of the polymerase, binding to the DNA, and effects on the processivity of the polymerase during primer extension. The data obtained from qPCR illustrated a method by which the type of inhibitor could be inferred in forensic samples, and some methods of reducing inhibition for specific inhibitors were demonstrated. An understanding of the mechanism of the inhibitors found in forensic samples will allow analysts to select the proper methods for inhibition removal or the type of analysis that can be performed, and will increase the information that can be obtained from inhibited samples.

Sustainability Challenges of Phosphorus and Food: Solutions from Closing the Human Phosphorus Cycle

The Green Revolution has led to a threefold growth in food production in the last 50 to 75 years, but increases in crop production have required a concurrent increase in the use of inorganic phosphorus as fertilizer. A sustainable phosphorus supply is not assured, though, and food production depends on mineral phosphorus supplies that are nonrenewable and are being depleted. Phosphorus is effectively a nonsubstitutable necessity for all life. Because mineral phosphorus deposits are not distributed evenly, future phosphorus scarcity may have national security implications. Some projections show economically viable mineral reserves becoming depleted within a few decades. Phosphorus-induced food shortages are therefore a possibility, particularly in developing countries where farmers are more vulnerable to volatile fertilizer prices. Sustainable solutions to such future challenges exist, and involve closing the loop on the human phosphorus cycle. We review the current state of knowledge about human phosphorus use and dependence and present examples of these sustainable solutions.

Multiparameter flow cytometric analysis of C -reactive protein binding to human-derived cell lines and peripheral blood monocytes

C-reactive protein (CRP), a normally occurring human plasma protein may become elevated as much as 1,000 fold during disease states involving acute inflammation or tissue damage. Through its binding to phosphorylcholine in the presence of calcium, CRP has been shown to potentiate the activation of complement, stimulate phagocytosis and opsonize certain microorganisms. Utilizing a flow cytometric functional ligand binding assay I have demonstrated that a monocyte population in human peripheral blood and specific human-derived myelomonocytic cell lines reproducibly bind an evolutionarily conserved conformational pentraxin epitope on human CRP through a mechanism that does not involve its ligand, phosphorylcholine. ^ A variety of cell lines at different stages of differentiation were examined. The monocytic cell line, THP-1, bound the most CRP followed by U937 and KG-1a cells. The HL-60 cell line was induced towards either the granulocyte or monocyte pathway with DMSO or PMA, respectively. Untreated HL-60 cells or DMSO-treated cells did not bind CRP while cells treated with PMA showed increased binding of CRP, similar to U-937 cells. T cell and B-cell derived lines were negative. ^ Inhibition studies with Limulin and human SAP demonstrated that the binding site is a conserved pentraxin epitope. The calcium requirement necessary for binding to occur indicated that the cells recognize a conformational form of CRP. Phosphorylcholine did not inhibit the reaction therefore the possibility that CRP had bound to damaged membranes with exposed PC sites was discounted. ^ A study of 81 normal donors using flow cytometry demonstrated that a majority of peripheral blood monocytes (67.9 ± 1.3, mean ± sem) bound CRP. The percentage of binding was normally distributed and not affected by gender, age or ethnicity. Whole blood obtained from donors representing a variety of disease states showed a significant reduction in the level of CRP bound by monocytes in those donors classified with infection, inflammation or cancer. This reduction in monocyte populations binding CRP did not correlate with the concentration of plasma CRP. ^ The ability of monocytes to specifically bind CRP combined with the binding reactivity of the protein itself to a variety of phosphorylcholine containing substances may represent an important bridge between innate and adaptive immunity. ^

Human-driven benthic jellyfish blooms: Causes and consequences for coastal marine ecosystems

Coastal marine ecosystems are among the most impacted globally, attributable to individual and cumulative effects of human disturbance. Anthropogenic nutrient loading is one stressor that commonly affects nearshore ecosystems, including seagrass beds, and has positive and negative effects on the structure and function of coastal systems. An additional, previously unexplored mechanistic pathway through which nutrients may indirectly influence nearshore systems is by driving blooms of benthic jellyfish. My dissertation research, conducted on Abaco Island, Bahamas, focused on elucidating the role that benthic jellyfish have in structuring systems in which they are common (i.e., seagrass beds), and explored mechanistic processes that may drive blooms of this taxa. ^ To establish that human disturbances (e.g., elevated nutrient availability) may drive increased abundance and size of benthic jellyfish, Cassiopea spp., I conducted surveys in human-impacted and unimpacted coastal sites. Jellyfish were more abundant (and larger) from human-impacted areas, positively correlated to elevated nutrient availability. In order to elucidate mechanisms linking Cassiopea spp. with elevated nutrients, I evaluated whether zooxanthellae from Cassiopea were higher from human-disturbed systems, and whether Cassiopea exhibited increased size following nutrient input. I demonstrated that zooxanthellae population densities were elevated in human-impacted sites, and that nutrients led to positive jellyfish growth. ^ As heightened densities of Cassiopea jellyfish may exert top-down and bottom-up controls on flora and fauna in impacted seagrass beds, I sought to examine ecological responses to Cassiopea. I evaluated whether there was a relationship between high Cassiopea densities and lower benthic fauna abundance and diversity in shallow seagrass beds. I found that Cassiopea have subtle effects on benthic fauna. However, through an experiment conducted in a seagrass bed in which nutrients and Cassiopea were added, I demonstrated that Cassiopea can result in seagrass habitat modification, with negative consequences for benthic fauna. ^ My dissertation research demonstrates that increased human-driven benthic jellyfish densities may have indirect and direct effects on flora and fauna of coastal marine systems. This knowledge will advance our understanding of how human disturbances shift species interactions in coastal ecosystems, and will be critical for effective management of jellyfish blooms.^

The relationship between higher education curricular variables and human flight performance in a preliminary flying training program

The ability of the United States Air Force (USAF) to sustain a high level of operational ability and readiness is dependent on the proficiency and expertise of its pilots. Recruitment, education, training, and retention of its pilot force are crucial factors in the USAF's attainment of its operational mission: defense of this nation and its allies. Failure of a student pilot during a training program does not only represent a loss of costly training expenditures to the American public, but often consists of loss of human life, aircraft, and property. This research focused on the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps' (AFROTC) selection method for student pilots for the light aircraft training (LATR) program. The LATR program is an intense 16 day flight training program that precedes the Air Force's undergraduate pilot training (UPT) program. The study subjects were 265 AFROTC cadets in the LATR program. A variety of independent variables from each subject's higher education curricular background as well as results of preselection tests, participation in varsity athletics, prior flying experience and gender were evaluated against subsequent performance in LATR. Performance was measured by a quantitative performance score developed by this researcher based on 28 graded training factors as well as overall pass or fail of the LATR program. Study results showed participation in university varsity athletics was very significantly and positively related to performance in the LATR program, followed by prior flying experience and to a very slight degree portions of the Air Force Officers Qualifying Test. Not significantly related to success in the LATR program were independent variables such as grade point average, scholastic aptitude test scores, academic major, gender and the AFROTC selection and ranking system.

Live volumetric (4D) visualization and guidance of in vivo human ophthalmic surgery with intraoperative optical coherence tomography.

Minimally-invasive microsurgery has resulted in improved outcomes for patients. However, operating through a microscope limits depth perception and fixes the visual perspective, which result in a steep learning curve to achieve microsurgical proficiency. We introduce a surgical imaging system employing four-dimensional (live volumetric imaging through time) microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography (4D MIOCT) capable of imaging at up to 10 volumes per second to visualize human microsurgery. A custom stereoscopic heads-up display provides real-time interactive volumetric feedback to the surgeon. We report that 4D MIOCT enhanced suturing accuracy and control of instrument positioning in mock surgical trials involving 17 ophthalmic surgeons. Additionally, 4D MIOCT imaging was performed in 48 human eye surgeries and was demonstrated to successfully visualize the pathology of interest in concordance with preoperative diagnosis in 93% of retinal surgeries and the surgical site of interest in 100% of anterior segment surgeries. In vivo 4D MIOCT imaging revealed sub-surface pathologic structures and instrument-induced lesions that were invisible through the operating microscope during standard surgical maneuvers. In select cases, 4D MIOCT guidance was necessary to resolve such lesions and prevent post-operative complications. Our novel surgical visualization platform achieves surgeon-interactive 4D visualization of live surgery which could expand the surgeon's capabilities.

Human-driven Benthic Jellyfish Blooms: Causes and Consequences for Coastal Marine Ecosystems

Coastal marine ecosystems are among the most impacted globally, attributable to individual and cumulative effects of human disturbance. Anthropogenic nutrient loading is one stressor that commonly affects nearshore ecosystems, including seagrass beds, and has positive and negative effects on the structure and function of coastal systems. An additional, previously unexplored mechanistic pathway through which nutrients may indirectly influence nearshore systems is by driving blooms of benthic jellyfish. My dissertation research, conducted on Abaco Island, Bahamas, focused on elucidating the role that benthic jellyfish have in structuring systems in which they are common (i.e., seagrass beds), and explored mechanistic processes that may drive blooms of this taxa. To establish that human disturbances (e.g., elevated nutrient availability) may drive increased abundance and size of benthic jellyfish, Cassiopea spp., I conducted surveys in human-impacted and unimpacted coastal sites. Jellyfish were more abundant (and larger) from human-impacted areas, positively correlated to elevated nutrient availability. In order to elucidate mechanisms linking Cassiopea spp. with elevated nutrients, I evaluated whether zooxanthellae from Cassiopea were higher from human-disturbed systems, and whether Cassiopea exhibited increased size following nutrient input. I demonstrated that zooxanthellae population densities were elevated in human-impacted sites, and that nutrients led to positive jellyfish growth. As heightened densities of Cassiopea jellyfish may exert top-down and bottom-up controls on flora and fauna in impacted seagrass beds, I sought to examine ecological responses to Cassiopea. I evaluated whether there was a relationship between high Cassiopea densities and lower benthic fauna abundance and diversity in shallow seagrass beds. I found that Cassiopea have subtle effects on benthic fauna. However, through an experiment conducted in a seagrass bed in which nutrients and Cassiopea were added, I demonstrated that Cassiopea can result in seagrass habitat modification, with negative consequences for benthic fauna. My dissertation research demonstrates that increased human-driven benthic jellyfish densities may have indirect and direct effects on flora and fauna of coastal marine systems. This knowledge will advance our understanding of how human disturbances shift species interactions in coastal ecosystems, and will be critical for effective management of jellyfish blooms.

Complete Public Law Text, Cases and Materials, 3rd edition

Complete Public Law: Text, Cases, and Materials combines extracts from key primary and secondary materials with clear explanatory text to provide a complete resource for students of constitutional and administrative law. Clear, concise explanation of key legal principles is combined with a wide range of extracts, from statutes, case law and academic materials to provide a complete resource for students The authors use straightforward and uncomplicated language to ensure legal concepts and the complexities of the British constitution are easily understood Learning features such as thinking points, diagrams, useful notes, summary points and reflective questions provide valuable support for students and encourage them to engage with the subject A helpful 'case study' chapter on human rights, terrorism and the courts illustrates how the Human Rights Act has been used in practice across the legal system, providing extra insight into the importance of both human rights law and the process of judicial review The 'Judicial review: putting it all together in problem answers' chapter pulls together strands from previous chapters to provide a checklist of issues to be considered in order to diagnose a judicial review problem and advise a client

These things are alive: relationships between material culture, communities, and archaeological legislation

This paper deals with the relationship between different sets of archaeological legislation, material culture and communities. First it presents a historical sketch of the heritage legislation in the West and its contemporary uses. Secondly, it shows how alternative archaeological agencies, such as community archaeology, deal with these problems. The discussion is especially relevant in Brazil, where contract archaeology is presently overwhelming, and the issue is raised in the last part of the paper.

Mental logic and its difficulties with disjunction

The mental logic theory does not accept the disjunction introduction rule of standard propositional calculus as a natural schema of the human mind. In this way, the problem that I want to show in this paper is that, however, that theory does admit another much more complex schema in which the mentioned rule must be used as a previous step. So, I try to argue that this is a very important problem that the mental logic theory needs to solve, and claim that another rival theory, the mental models theory, does not have these difficulties.

Mechanical stretch up-regulates the B-type natriuretic peptide system in human cardiac fibroblasts:a possible defense against transforming growth factor-β mediated fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Mechanical overload of the heart is associated with excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and the development of cardiac fibrosis. This can result in reduced ventricular compliance, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure. Extracellular matrix synthesis is regulated primarily by cardiac fibroblasts, more specifically, the active myofibroblast. The influence of mechanical stretch on human cardiac fibroblasts' response to pro-fibrotic stimuli, such as transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), is unknown as is the impact of stretch on B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA) expression. BNP, acting via NPRA, has been shown to play a role in modulation of cardiac fibrosis.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect of cyclical mechanical stretch on TGFβ induction of myofibroblast differentiation in primary human cardiac fibroblasts and whether differences in response to stretch were associated with changes in the natriuretic peptide system were investigated. Cyclical mechanical stretch attenuated the effectiveness of TGFβ in inducing myofibroblast differentiation. This finding was associated with a novel observation that mechanical stretch can increase BNP and NPRA expression in human cardiac fibroblasts, which could have important implications in modulating myocardial fibrosis. Exogenous BNP treatment further reduced the potency of TGFβ on mechanically stretched fibroblasts.

CONCLUSION: We postulate that stretch induced up-regulation of the natriuretic peptide system may contribute to the observed reduction in myofibroblast differentiation.

Surrogacy under Indian Legal System: Legal and Human Rights Concerns

The advancements in medical science and technology have proved to be a boon to mankind. At the same time they have raised numerous challenges before the legal systems of the world. One such advancement is that of assisted human reproductive technologies and particularly surrogacy, which have given a new meaning to the concept of procreation. These technologies have made it possible for individuals to beget a genetically related child with the help of a third party and without sexual intercourse. Among all the assisted human reproductive technologies, the practice of surrogacy, in which women agree to have their bodies used to undergo a pregnancy and give birth to a baby for another, has raised various legal and human right controversies and diverse legal responses all over the world. India has particularly become a top destination for individuals who wish to beget a child through surrogacy and hence it is imperative for the Indian government to address the challenges posed by surrogacy. This study is an attempt to examine the need and importance of surrogacy practices and the conflicting legal and human rights issues raised by surrogacy in contemporary times. It also examines the adequacy of existing legal framework in India and attempts to provide pragmatic solutions for regulating surrogacy and protecting the interests of various stakeholders involved in surrogacy.