OSTRACISM AND INTEREST IN EXTREME GROUPS

Drawing from the temporal need-threat theory of ostracism (Williams, 2009), and uncertainty-identity theory (Hogg, 2007), I tested the hypothesis that ostracism increases interest in extreme groups. In a cross-sectional survey, Study 1 showed that chronic ostracism positively predicts interest in the Westboro Baptist Church, Mormonism, Scientology, and Alcoholics Anonymous. Study 2 established causal direction; relative to included participants, ostracized participants expressed greater willingness to attend a meeting of an extreme group following a recruitment attempt. Expressing a desire to attend meetings facilitated recovery of basic need satisfaction. Ostracism also induced self-uncertainty, but this did not mediate the effect. In an attempted replication involving no interpersonal contact, Study 3 failed to show differences in group interest as a function of ostracism. Studies 1 and 2 suggest that ostracism increases vulnerability to extreme group recruitment, and Study 3\u27s failed results suggest that prior contact with a group member is a boundary condition

Effect of Urea and Distillers Inclusion in Dry- Rolled Corn Based Diets on Heifer Performance and Carcass Characteristics

Crossbred heifers (n=96, BW = 810 ± 20) were utilized to evaluate the effects of increasing wet distillers grains plus solubles and urea inclusion in a dry rolled corn based finishing diet on performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers were individually fed using a calan gate system with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors included distillers inclusion at either 10 or 20% of diet DM and urea inclusion at either 0.2 or 1.4% of diet DM. Th ere was no difference for final body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion on a live or carcass adjusted basis for either urea or distillers inclusion in the diet. Dry matter intake was reduced with increased urea inclusion; however, distillers inclusion did not influence intake. Added distillers and urea in the diet had minimal impact on performance suggesting supplemental urea in a dry rolled corn based finishing diets is of minimal benefit when feeding at least 10% distillers grains

University Managed Technology Business Incubators: Asset or Liability?

University managed technology-based business incubators (UMTIs) have become increasingly popular. Some universities are forming private corporations and are encouraging professors/researchers to commercialize intellectual property (IP) based upon research conducted in their laboratories. The UMTI provides the infrastructure, access to high-tech laboratories, libraries, students and faculty, and a coalition of like-minded entrepreneurs. Universities face uncertainties when establishing UMTIs and need to minimize risk while maximizing benefits. This paper discusses results of a benchmarking study of eleven technology incubators and their risk mitigation policies. Experience with technology transfer and use of the UMTI as a living laboratory for students is presented

Metal Injection Moulding of Inconel 718 using a Water Soluble Binder System

Inconel 718 components are typically cast or machined from solid in various industries. The properties of Inconel 718 make the processing of small complex parts very difficult.1–4 There is an emerging interest in metal injection moulding (MIM) of Inconel 718.5–11 MIM is a manufacturing process best used for the batch production of small complex components. The process involves mixing fine metal powders with a series of binder components to produce a pelletised feedstock. This feedstock can then be processed using an injection moulding machine to produce moulded parts. The parts then need to be solvent debinded and then sintered close to the melting temperature to fully densify the metal powder. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a common component of water soluble feedstock for metal injection moulding. The processability of Inconel 718 MIM feedstocks using PEG with varying molecular weight was investigated in this work. Inconel 718 powder was formulated with different molecular weight PEG, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and stearic acid (SA) to produce a homogenous pelletized feedstock. The powder loading for each feedstock as well as the concentration of PMMA and SA were unchanged for the entirety of this work, the only variable being the molecular weight of PEG used. The rheological behaviour of each of these feedstocks was analysed to determine injection moulding parameters and stability. Investigations into the mouldability of tensile bar components, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characteristics as well as debinding behaviour were all carried out. Parts were sintered and heat treated with density and dimensional measurements taken throughout, in order to identify the effect of PEG molecular weight on the different processing steps. Metallography and mechanical testing was carried out to compare the properties of each feedstock with industrial standards. One of the key findings from this work was that the molecular weight of PEG used had an effect on the debinding time of the moulded parts. Parts moulded from a higher molecular weight PEG require a longer period of time in a water bath in order to achieve 100% weight loss. It was found that a debinding temperature of 40°C produces sintered parts with a higher density, compares with debinding at 50°C or 60°C. There was no trend in sintered density across the different molecular weights of PEG, when the same debinding temperature was used. This was the same for the mechanical testing results, which showed no clear trend across the range of parts. The mechanical properties of the injection moulded tensile bars exceed the properties of AMS 5383 (for cast specimens) and are inferior to AMS 5662 (wrought specimens). The mechanical properties are also currently inferior to that of MIM standard AMS 5917, however HIP’ing of the components could improve the mechanical strength and this could result in the standards being met

Secondary Teacher Education Program Redesign as a Community of Practice

A recurring problem in university teacher education programs is the lack of connection between what teacher candidates do in coursework and what they practice in classroom field placements. This article describes the efforts of the secondary teacher education program (STEP) faculty in the College of Education and Human Sciences at South Dakota State University to redesign their coursework and field experiences into a residency program to better address the development of teacher candidates and needs of school districts. The authors reflect upon their efforts using a Communities of Practice framework. There are implications in the redesign process for teacher education programs hoping to address similar situations for the benefit of the teacher candidate, the universities, and the school districts

Genome-Wide Association Study and Subsequent Exclusion of ATCAY as a Candidate Gene Involved in Equine Neuroaxonal Dystrophy Using Two Animal Models.

Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder of unknown etiology. Clinical signs of neurological deficits develop within the first year of life in vitamin E (vitE) deficient horses. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out using 670,000 SNP markers in 27 case and 42 control Quarter Horses. Two markers, encompassing a 2.5 Mb region on ECA7, were associated with the phenotype (p = 2.05 × 10-7 and 4.72 × 10-6). Within this region, caytaxin (ATCAY) was identified as a candidate gene due to its known role in Cayman Ataxia and ataxic/dystonic phenotypes in mouse models. Whole-genome sequence data in four eNAD/EDM and five unaffected horses identified 199 associated variants within the ECA7 region. MassARRAY® genotyping was performed on these variants within the GWAS population. The three variants within ATCAY were not concordant with the disease phenotype. No difference in expression or alternative splicing was identified using qRT-PCR in brainstem across the ATCAY transcript. Atcayji-hes mice were then used to conduct functional analysis in a second animal model. Histologic lesions were not identified in the central nervous system of Atcayji-hes mice. Additionally, supplementation of homozygous Atcayji-hes mice with 600 IU/day of dl-α-tocopheryl acetate (vitE) during gestation, lactation, and adulthood did not improve the phenotype. ATCAY has therefore been excluded as a candidate gene for eNAD/EDM

Ghosting from the workplace: The impact of feedback (or lack thereof) on applicants’ psychological needs satisfaction

Background: Applying for a job can be a stressful experience. When a potential employer chooses to not move forward with a candidate, they can either directly tell them or cease communication altogether—known as ghosting. Ghosting has harmful consequences, such as lower basic psychological needs satisfaction than direct rejection, and there has been an apparent increase in this phenomenon by potential employers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of being ghosted after submitting a hypothetical job application. Methods: An international sample of unemployed people (N = 554) completed an online job application task and were randomly assigned to receive no (i.e., ghosted), impersonal, or personal feedback. Results: While our manipulation was perceived as intended, there was not an effect of condition on needs satisfaction. However, exploratory analyses suggest that ghosted participants have greater self-esteem and control than those that received personal feedback. Thus, the effect of being ghosted during a job application may not be as clear cut as previously thought. Conclusion: Although the current study did not find evidence that applicants feel worse after being ghosted than being directly rejected, such an experience can still hurt, and more research is needed to understand the long-term effects of being ghosted by a potential employer

Effect of Urea and Distillers Inclusion in Dry- Rolled Corn Based Diets on Heifer Performance and Carcass Characteristics

Crossbred heifers (n=96, BW = 810 ± 20) were utilized to evaluate the effects of increasing wet distillers grains plus solubles and urea inclusion in a dry rolled corn based finishing diet on performance and carcass characteristics. Heifers were individually fed using a calan gate system with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors included distillers inclusion at either 10 or 20% of diet DM and urea inclusion at either 0.2 or 1.4% of diet DM. Th ere was no difference for final body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion on a live or carcass adjusted basis for either urea or distillers inclusion in the diet. Dry matter intake was reduced with increased urea inclusion; however, distillers inclusion did not influence intake. Added distillers and urea in the diet had minimal impact on performance suggesting supplemental urea in a dry rolled corn based finishing diets is of minimal benefit when feeding at least 10% distillers grains

Rheological investigation of highly filled polymers: Effect of molecular weight

The paper deals with rheological properties of highly filled polymers used in powder injection molding. Within the experimental framework seven PIM feedstocks based on superalloy Inconel 718 powder were prepared. Each feedstock contains the fixed amount of powder loading and the same composition of binder system consisting of three components: polyethylene glycol (PEG) differing in molecular weight, poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and stearic acid (SA). The aim is to investigate the influence of PEG's molecular weight on the flow properties of feedstocks. Non-Newtonian indices, representing the shear rate sensitivity of the feedstocks, are obtained from a polynomial fit, and found to vary within measured shear rates range from 0.2 to 0.8. Temperature effect is considered via activation energies, showing decreasing trend with increasing of molecular weight of PEG (except of feedstock containing 1,500 g.mol(-1) PEG)