Middle class identification: the influence of interclass context on middle class evaluations of morality and success

This study explored the influence of interclass context on how people identify themselves as middle class. Data were collected from 676 employees of Iowa State University who categorized themselves as being in the middle class. Using an online survey design, all participants were randomly selected into an experimental condition in which they were asked to compare their own social class (i.e., the middle class) with either the working class or the upper class. In agreement with social identity theory, participants evaluated members of the upper class to be more successful, but less moral, than members of the middle class. On the other hand, while members of the working class were seen as less successful than members of the middle class, they were rated higher on morality. Results also show that participants perceived the relations between the middle class and the working class to be more permeable and less legitimate than the relations between the middle class and the upper class. Thus, results indicate that the middle class participants found themselves to be more similar to, and less distinct from, the working class in comparison to the upper class

Leader - Member Exchange and Performance in Nonprofit Human Services Organizations

Success of nonprofit human services organizations depends upon the ability to cultivate high quality performance among staff members. Employees of such organizations experience lower job satisfaction when managers disregard their opinions or treat them as unimportant. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to explore employees\u27 perspectives on the quality of their relationships with their supervisors and impacts of that perception on job performance. The central research questions regarded how employees understood those relationships and their impact on their work success. Using the framework of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, which centers upon the employee-supervisor relationship, data were collected through interviews with 32 participants including those at a supervisory level and direct-care providers. Archival documents from 2 non-profit human service organizations that reflected upon relationships between supervisors and employees were also utilized. Using Clark and Braun\u27s thematic analysis strategy for coding and analysis, results indicated that manager-employee relationships characterized by themes of respect, understanding, positive interactions, and open communication allowed employees to feel comfortable and valued at work, and that relationships characterized by mutual loyalty, respect, and clear, reciprocal communication were optimal for promoting job performance. This study\u27s potential impact for positive social change includes recommendations to non-profit service organizations to develop future leadership policies and training programs to assist managers and supervisors in improving relationships with their subordinates

Benthic microbial communities of coastal terrestrial and ice shelf Antarctic meltwater ponds.

The numerous perennial meltwater ponds distributed throughout Antarctica represent diverse and productive ecosystems central to the ecological functioning of the surrounding ultra oligotrophic environment. The dominant taxa in the pond benthic communities have been well described however, little is known regarding their regional dispersal and local drivers to community structure. The benthic microbial communities of 12 meltwater ponds in the McMurdo Sound of Antarctica were investigated to examine variation between pond microbial communities and their biogeography. Geochemically comparable but geomorphologically distinct ponds were selected from Bratina Island (ice shelf) and Miers Valley (terrestrial) (<40 km between study sites), and community structure within ponds was compared using DNA fingerprinting and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. More than 85% of total sequence reads were shared between pooled benthic communities at different locations (OTU0.05), which in combination with favorable prevailing winds suggests aeolian regional distribution. Consistent with previous findings Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla representing over 50% of total sequences; however, a large number of other phyla (21) were also detected in this ecosystem. Although dominant Bacteria were ubiquitous between ponds, site and local selection resulted in heterogeneous community structures and with more than 45% of diversity being pond specific. Potassium was identified as the most significant contributing factor to the cosmopolitan community structure and aluminum to the location unique community based on a BEST analysis (Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.632 and 0.806, respectively). These results indicate that the microbial communities in meltwater ponds are easily dispersed regionally and that the local geochemical environment drives the ponds community structure

Enhanced Tissue Integration During Cartilage RepairIn VitroCan Be Achieved by Inhibiting Chondrocyte Death at the Wound Edge

Objective: Experimental wounding of articular cartilage results in cell death at the lesion edge. The objective of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of this cell death results in enhanced integrative cartilage repair. Methods: Bovine articular cartilage discs (6mm) were incubated in media containing inhibitors of necrosis (Necrostatin-1, Nec-1) or apoptosis (Z-VAD-FMK, ZVF) before cutting a 3mm inner core. This core was left in situ to create disc/ring composites, cultured for up to 6 weeks with the inhibitors, and analyzed for cell death, sulfated glycosaminoglycan release, and tissue integration. Results: Creating the disc/ring composites resulted in a significant increase in necrosis. ZVF significantly reduced necrosis and apoptosis at the wound edge. Nec-1 reduced necrosis. Both inhibitors reduced the level of wound-induced sulfated glycosaminoglycan loss. Toluidine blue staining and electron microscopy of cartilage revealed significant integration of the wound edges in disc/ring composites treated with ZVF. Nec-1 improved integration, but to a lesser extent. Push-out testing revealed that ZVF increased adhesive strength compared to control composites. Conclusions: This study shows that treatment of articular cartilage with cell death inhibitors during wound repair increases the number of viable cells at the wound edge, prevents matrix loss, and results in a significant improvement in cartilage-cartilage integration

Excellence in Extension: Two Products for Definition and Measurement

Two products of the Excellence in Extension effort of ECOP will be useful at every level of the Extension System. The first is a pocket card. One side describes what makes Extension unique and defines Excellence of Extension, and the other side lists the seven most important criteria to identify Excellence in Cooperative Extension. The second product is the Matrix of Criteria of Excellence in Cooperative Extension. This matrix will assist Extension: (1) To be accountable for invested resources; (2) To continually improve the organization\u27s effectiveness; and (3) To describe its strengths and differentiate itself from other agencies and organizations

Can We Define and Measure Excellence in Extension?

In 2005, Chester Fehlis challenged the Extension system to define and measure Excellence in Extension. The Extension Committee on Policy responded with a task force and work group that identified a matrix based on an academic perspective of universities and an Extension-familiar perspective. Seven criteria were identified as most important, for which definitions and measures were developed. A pocket card was created that lists the uniqueness of Extension and qualities for excellence. Also proposed is a national database for entering, aggregating, and sharing the measures, as well as other data that will standardize comparisons between different Extension institutions

Bipolar membranes with fluid distribution passages

The present invention provides a bipolar membrane and methods for making and using the membrane. The bipolar membrane comprises a cation-selective region, an anion-selective region, an interfacial region between the anion-selective region and the cation-selective region, and means for delivering fluid directly into the interfacial region. The means for delivering fluid includes passages that may comprise a fluid-permeable material, a wicking material, an open passage disposed within the membrane or some combination thereof. The passages may be provided in many shapes, sizes and configurations, but preferably deliver fluid directly to the interfacial region so that the rate of electrodialysis is no longer limited by the diffusion of fluid through the cation- or anion-selective regions to the interfacial region

Bone Morphogenetic Protein-9 Is a Potent Chondrogenic and Morphogenic Factor for Articular Cartilage Chondroprogenitors

Articular cartilage contains a subpopulation of tissue-specific progenitors that are an ideal cell type for cell therapies and generating neo-cartilage for tissue engineering applications. However, it is unclear whether the standard chondrogenic medium employing transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) isoforms is optimal to differentiate these cells. We therefore used pellet culture to screen progenitors from immature bovine articular cartilage with a number of chondrogenic factors and discovered that bone morphogenetic factor-9 (BMP9) precociously induces their differentiation. This difference was apparent with toluidine blue staining and confirmed by biochemical and transcriptional analyses with BMP9 treated progenitors exhibiting 11-fold and 5-fold greater aggrecan and collagen type II gene expression than TGFβ1 treated progenitors. Quantitative gene expression analysis over 14 days highlighted the rapid and phased nature of BMP9 induced chondrogenesis with sequential activation of aggrecan then collagen type II, and negligible collagen type X gene expression. The extracellular matrix of TGFβ1treated progenitors analysed using atomic force microscopy was fibrillar and stiff whist BMP9-induced matrix of cells more compliant and correspondingly less fibrillar. Polarised light microscopy revealed an annular pattern of collagen fibril deposition typified by TGFβ1 treated pellets, whereas BMP9 treated pellets displayed a birefringence pattern that was more anisotropic. Remarkably, differentiated immature chondrocytes incubated as high-density cultures in vitro with BMP9 generated a pronounced anisotropic organisation of collagen fibrils indistinguishable from mature adult articular cartilage, with cells in deeper zones arranged in columnar fashion. This contrasted with cells grown with TGFβ1 where a concentric pattern of collagen fibrils was visualised within tissue pellets. In summary, BMP9 is a potent chondrogenic factor for articular cartilage progenitors and is also capable of inducing morphogenesis of adult-like cartilage, a highly desirable attribute for in vitro tissue-engineered cartilage

Retroviral-mediated overexpression of human bone morphogenetic protein 2 affects human mesenchymal stem cells during monolayer proliferation: A cautionary note

Background: Retroviral vectors are commonly used for gene transfer applications and they represent an effective way to provide a sustained delivery of a bioactive factor in basic research and tissue engineering applications. Cells that have been transduced with retroviral vectors ex vivo are usually amplified on tissue culture plastic, for a prolonged period of time, in order to obtain sufficient cell numbers prior to the experiment of interest. However, the effect of the transgene product on the transduced cells, during this period of time, is rarely, if ever, investigated. The current study investigated if transduction with a VSG.G pseudotyped retroviral vector expressing human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Rv.BMP-2) influences the gene expression profile of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) during monolayer proliferation. hMSCs that have been transduced with a VSG.G pseudotyped retroviral vector expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (Rv.eGFP) served as controls. Results: It was confirmed that Rv.BMP-2 transduced hMSCs produce detectable amounts of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2). Gene expression analysis revealed that the hypertrophic marker collagen X was down-regulated by approximately 50% and the chondrogenic marker Aggrecan was elevated almost 9-fold in Rv.BMP-2 transduced hMSCs if compared to Rv.eGFP transduced control cells. Interestingly, the same changes in gene expression were detected when hMSCs were exposed to 100 ng/ml of recombinant human BMP-2 and their gene expression profile was compared to control hMSC. Again, collagen X message was down-regulated and Aggrecan message was up-regulated. Conclusion: These results indicate that, when using integrating vectors and then expanding the cells after transduction, controls need to be carefully planned to ensure the results obtained during the 3D experiments are not due to artefacts created in response to the different cell proliferation conditions employed