Inferior or superior:social comparison in Dutch and Spanish organizations

SUMMARY Social comparison is an automatic and daily process through which individuals acquire information about themselves. Since Festinger (1954) postulated his assumptions on social comparison, extensive research has focused on understanding and explaining the social comparison process. In particular, the motives for social comparison direction have been widely investigated by researchers. When a motive for self-improvement is activated, individuals tend to prefer to engage in comparisons with others who are doing better, assumedly because they may learn from such others. Nevertheless, when individuals are threatened on a particular dimension, they may prefer to compare themselves with others who are thought to be worse than themselves on that dimension, presumably to feel better about themselves. In addition, in line with the identification-contrast model, we assume that upward as well as downward comparisons may be interpreted in a positive or negative way, depending on whether an individual contrasts or identifies oneself with the comparison target. The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: 1) to deepen our understanding of the relationship between social comparison from an identification-contrast perspective and specific psychological processes in the academic and work areas; and 2) to contribute to the literature exploring cultural differences in the identification and contrast processes, and expanding not only cultural, but also context and gender differences in basic aspects of social comparison including direction, dimensions and target choice of comparison. In Chapter 2, in a study among university students, we examined how goal orientation, social comparison responses, self-efficacy and academic performance were related. In this chapter, the data were analyzed by employing structural equation modeling. The results showed that individuals with a promotion goal orientation had positive self-efficacy perceptions, whereas individuals with a prevention goal orientation had negative self-efficacy perceptions. In addition, individuals who contrasted themselves with better-off others had negative self-efficacy perceptions. Finally, the results revealed that upward contrast was a mediator between prevention goal orientation and self-efficacy, and next, that self-efficacy was positively related to academic performance. These findings support the idea that goal prevention orientation may directly influence self-efficacy perceptions, and also indirectly through an upward contrast process, and next this may undermine academic performance. In Chapter 3, we examined the independent role of social comparison responses and coping styles with respect to burnout over time. We conducted a longitudinal study among 558 teachers in primary and secondary schools. The results showed that identifying oneself with worse-off others and contrasting oneself with better-off others was positively related to burnout. Identification with worse-off was also associated with an increase in burnout over time. In addition, individuals with a more direct coping style experienced less burnout, whereas individuals with a palliative coping style experienced more burnout. Moreover, the results showed that a direct coping style was associated with more downward identification, more upward contrast, and less upward identification. These findings suggest that there is an independent relationship between social comparison responses and coping styles with respect to burnout. In Chapter 4, we investigated among Dutch and Spanish workers the relationship between social comparison responses and organizational commitment and identification. Data were collected in private and public organizations with 404 respondents from The Netherlands and Spain. The results showed cultural differences in the social comparison responses. In particular, compared to the Dutch, the Spanish engaged more in upward and downward identification, whereas the Dutch engaged more in downward contrast. In addition, there was a relationship between social comparison responses and organization commitment and identification. However, culture moderated this relationship. That is, upward identification was related to organizational commitment and identification among the Spanish, but not among the Dutch. In addition, upward contrast was negatively related to organizational commitment among the Dutch, and positively related to organizational commitment and identification among the Spanish. In Chapter 5, we focused on studying not only cultural, but also organizational context and gender differences in basic aspects of social comparison such as direction, dimension and target choice. The results showed that the Spanish compared themselves more often upward than the Dutch, that workers in private organizations compared themselves more often downward and upward than workers from public organizations, that Spanish women compared themselves upward more often than men, and that Dutch men compared themselves upward more often than women. Men in private organizations engaged more frequently in upward comparison, whereas women in public organizations engaged more often in upward comparison. Regarding the social comparison dimensions, we found that workers in private organizations were the most focused on both inputs (e.g., performance) and outcomes (e.g., salary) dimensions of comparison, and that compared to the Dutch, the Spanish compared more often their outcomes than their inputs. Particularly, Spanish women in the private organization were the most focused on outcomes dimension of comparison. Finally, the results evidenced that women in private organizations compared themselves more often with men than women in public organizations, and that Spanish women compared themselves more often with men than Dutch women. Thus, these results support the idea that individuals may present differences in social comparison depending on which culture individuals live in, which context they work in and if they are men or women. In the last chapter, we highlighted that identification and contrast responses in social comparison are relevant in the academic and work areas. After discussing the major weaknesses and strengths of the present dissertation, we conclude that we have shown how the positive and negative responses derived from identification and contrast are related to functional processes as self-efficacy, coping, organizational commitment and identification; and to dysfunctional processes as burnout. Further, we suggest that the present dissertation contributes to the literature on social comparison by showing evidence for cultural, context and gender differences in the direction of social comparison, the dimensions of social comparison, and the choice of comparison targets. Finally, we conclude on the basis of the identification-contrast model, that social comparison is a relevant factor to explain individuals’ interaction with the social world

Multifunctional Impacts of the Olive Farming Practices in Andalusia, Spain: An Analytic Network Approach

Olive agriculture represents one of the most important economic activities in the region of Andalusia, Spain. Additionally to its economic importance the multifunctional character of agriculture and its wide territorial presence entails that it has a high potential incidence in the environmental and social dimensions of the sustainable development of the region. Despite this importance, it is hypothesised and aimed to be contrasted that olive farmers are not implementing the agricultural practices optimal from an economic, environmental and social point of view. Contrasting this hypothesis entails to evaluate with a holistic and systemic approach the multiple impacts of the different technical alternatives to diverse agricultural practices. The use of the Analytic Network Process, a Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis technique, will be illustrated as a useful approach to deal with this kind of problems characterised by complexity, lack of information and risk. The study will focus on the average yield, climatic, environmental, etc., conditions of olive cultivation in Andalusia. The results seem to confirm the initial hypothesis when comparing the current situation with different scenarios of optimal technical alternatives. In particular the technical alternatives implemented nowadays they are far from being environmentally optimal. The multifunctional benefits and the technical costs of a change from the current situation to these optimal scenarios will be analysed.Olive farming practices, Multifunctionality, Analytic Network Process, Farm Management,

The thionins: a protein family that includes purothionins, viscotoxins and crambins

Almost half a century ago, a crystalline protein material was obtained from lipid extracts of wheat endosperm and designated "purothionin" (Trvpwo, wheat; 9 e i w v , sulphur) on account of its high sulphur content (Balls et al., 1942a,b). This material, which was thought to be the oxidized form of a powerful oxidation-reduction system, was found to have baetericidal and fungicidal properties (Stuart and Harris, 1942), to inhibit fermentation of wheat mashes (Balls and Harris, 1944), and to be toxic to laboratory animáis (Coulson et al., 1942)

Metodología ApS: una herramienta poderosa en la transferencia de competencias de la academia a la sociedad que contribuye a la humanización del Sistema Sanitario español y la atención sanitaria de poblaciones vulnerables

Fac. de FarmaciaTRUEOficina Universitaria ApS UCMsubmitte

Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Depression Biomarkers in Women With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study objectives: The effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on mediators of cardiovascular disease and depression in women with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is unknown. We aimed to assess the effect of CPAP therapy on a variety of biomarkers of inflammation, antioxidant activity, and depression in women with OSA. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial in 247 women diagnosed with moderate-to-severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] ? 15). Women were randomized to CPAP (n = 120) or conservative treatment (n = 127) for 12 weeks. Changes in tumor necrosis factor ? (TNF?), interleukin 6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were assessed. Additional analyses were conducted in subgroups of clinical interest. Results: Women had a median (25th-75th percentiles) age of 58 (51-65) years, body mass index 33.5 (29.0-38.3) kg/m2, and AHI 33.3 (22.8-49.3). No differences were found between groups in the baseline levels of the biomarkers. After 12 weeks of follow-up, there were no changes between groups in any of the biomarkers assessed. These results did not change when the analyses were restricted to sleepy women or to those with severe OSA. In women with CPAP use at least 5 hours per night, only TNF? levels decreased compared to the control group (-0.29 ± 1.1 vs -0.06 ± 0.53, intergroup difference -0.23 [95% CI = -0.03 to -0.50]; p = 0.043). Conclusions: Twelve weeks of CPAP therapy does not improve biomarkers of inflammation, antioxidant activity, or depression compared to conservative treatment in women with moderate-to-severe OSA

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London