Marx\u27s concept of labor.

This work examines Habermas\u27 claim that Marx\u27s theory is latently objectivistic due to a restrictive, instrumental understanding of the concept of labor. In this interpretation, Marx\u27s work is a form of positivism and scientistic in epistemological orientation. A related claim is that as a result of the above Marx\u27s theory lacks a normative foundation adequate to support its claim of critique. An even further expansion of the claim, which makes clear its political dimension, is that this series of misconceptions on Marx\u27s part lie at the root of the subsequent development of a technocratic variety of social theory embodied in the bureaucratic centralist Countries of Eastern Europe. Ultimately, Habermas\u27 work entails a fundamental misunderstanding of Marx\u27s critique of capitalism and the structure of Marx\u27s thought. It is this failure to understand adequately the structure of Marx\u27s theory that makes possible Habermas\u27 reading of Marx. This work argues that Marx\u27s theory is doubly bisected, first by the distinction between appearance and reality, and second, by a distinction between the metatheoretical and historical levels of analysis. In conclusion, it is argued that although Habermas\u27 interpretation of Marx is inadequate, both Marx and Habermas share a project that invites subjects to conceive of social relations free of the distortions of power, deception and self-deception on Habermas\u27 part, and exploitation and alienation on Marx\u27s part

A quantitative content analysis of Freedom of Information requests examining the extent and variations of tools and training for conducting suicide risk assessments in NHS Trusts across England

Objectives: Determining the risk for suicide is a difficult endeavour. Clinical guidance in the UK explicitly advises against using risk assessment tools and scales to determine suicide risk. Based on Freedom of Information requests made to NHS trusts in England, this study provides an overview of suicide risk assessment tools in use, training provided in how to use such assessments, and explores implementation of suicide risk assessment guidance in practice in English NHS trusts. Design: A cross-sectional survey of suicide risk assessment tools and training gathered via Freedom of Information requests and subjected to a content analysis. Setting: Freedom of Information requests were submitted to NHS trusts across England. Results: A wide variety of suicide risk assessments tools were identified as being used in practice, with several trusts reported using more than one tool to determine suicide risk. Forty-one trusts reported using locally developed, unvalidated, tools to assess risk of suicide and 18 stated they do not use a tool. Ten trusts stated they do not train their staff in suicide risk assessment whilst 13 reported use of specific suicide risk assessment training. Sixty-two trusts stated they do not centrally record the number of assessments conducted or how many individuals are identified as at risk. Content analysis indicated the frequent wider assessment of risk not restricted to suicide risk. Conclusions: There is wide variation in suicide risk assessment tools being used in practice and some lack of specific training for healthcare staff in determining suicide risk. Few trusts routinely record the number of assessments being conducted or the numbers of individuals identified at high risk. Implementation of specific training is necessary for the suicide risk assessment process to identify patient needs and develop therapeutic engagement. Routinely recording how many assessments are conducted is a crucial step in improving suicide prevention

A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum

A robust understanding of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglacial history since the Last Glacial Maximum is important in order to constrain ice sheet and glacial-isostatic adjustment models, and to explore the forcing mechanisms responsible for ice sheet retreat. Such understanding can be derived from a broad range of geological and glaciological datasets and recent decades have seen an upsurge in such data gathering around the continent and Sub-Antarctic islands. Here, we report a new synthesis of those datasets, based on an accompanying series of reviews of the geological data, organised by sector. We present a series of timeslice maps for 20ka, 15ka, 10ka and 5ka, including grounding line position and ice sheet thickness changes, along with a clear assessment of levels of confidence. The reconstruction shows that the Antarctic Ice sheet did not everywhere reach the continental shelf edge at its maximum, that initial retreat was asynchronous, and that the spatial pattern of deglaciation was highly variable, particularly on the inner shelf. The deglacial reconstruction is consistent with a moderate overall excess ice volume and with a relatively small Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse 1a. We discuss key areas of uncertainty both around the continent and by time interval, and we highlight potential priorit. © 2014 The Authors

International genome-wide meta-analysis identifies new primary biliary cirrhosis risk loci and targetable pathogenic pathways.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a classical autoimmune liver disease for which effective immunomodulatory therapy is lacking. Here we perform meta-analyses of discovery data sets from genome-wide association studies of European subjects (n=2,764 cases and 10,475 controls) followed by validation genotyping in an independent cohort (n=3,716 cases and 4,261 controls). We discover and validate six previously unknown risk loci for PBC (Pcombined<5 × 10(-8)) and used pathway analysis to identify JAK-STAT/IL12/IL27 signalling and cytokine-cytokine pathways, for which relevant therapies exist

Evidence Of Population Genetic Structure Within The Florida Worm Lizard, Rhineura Floridana (Amphisbaenia: Rhineuridae)

The Florida Worm Lizard (Rhineura floridana) is the only extant representative of the suborder Amphisbaenia occurring in the United States and the only living representative of the Rhineuridae. We updated the known distribution of this species from 510 records with known localities. We further examined geographic genetic structure within this species using 1360 bp of mitochondrial DNA sequence data from 18 samples of R. floridana. Our results suggest an ancient divergence between populations in the north-central Florida peninsula from populations in the south-central peninsula. High genetic distances are observed within south-central populations, whereas genetic structure within northern populations is less discrete and characterized by much shallower divergences. Our findings suggest that south-central populations may be candidates for taxonomic recognition (or recognition as distinct management units) if additional genetic and morphological data support our results. Copyright 2005 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles

Lessons Learned from Chicago Wilderness—Implementing and Sustaining Conservation Management in an Urban Setting

We summarize the factors that shaped the biodiversity of Chicago and its hinterland and point out the conservation significance of these ecological systems, addressing why conservation of Chicago’s biodiversity has importance locally and beyond. We highlight Chicago Wilderness (CW), a regional biodiversity conservation alliance committed to protecting nature and enriching the lives of the region’s residents. Chicago Wilderness, with over 250 institutional members, has for over a decade coordinated the efforts of diverse institutions, including federal, state, and local agencies, public land-management agencies, conservation organizations, and scientific and cultural institutions. Chicago Wilderness is committed to using science and emerging knowledge as a foundation for its conservation work. CW has several specialist teams that promote an interdisciplinary approach to conservation; we focus on the work of the CW Science Team, the one team with a research mission. The scientific investigations that are undertaken to provide a knowledge base for the work of Chicago Wilderness have drawn upon a wide variety of conservation paradigms, including that of resilience thinking, which we illustrate in a series of case studies

“The creation of an integrated sustainability curriculum and student praxis projects.”

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to share the content and early results from an interdisciplinary sustainability curriculum that integrates theory and practice (praxis). The curriculum links new topical courses concerning renewable energy, food, water, engineering and social change with specialized labs that enhance technological and social‐institutional sustainability literacy and build team‐based project collaboration skills. Design/methodology/approach – In responses to dynamic interest emerging from university students and society, scholars from Environmental Studies, Engineering, Sociology, Education and Politics Departments united to create this curriculum. New courses and labs were designed and pre‐existing courses were “radically retrofitted” and more tightly integrated through co‐instruction and content. The co‐authors discuss the background and collaborative processes that led to the emergence of this curriculum and describe the pedagogy and results associated with the student projects. Findings – Interdisciplinary student teams developed innovative projects with both campus and community‐based partners. However, the incentives for an integrated sustainability curriculum faced persistent obstacles including the balkanization of academic knowledge, university organizational structure, and the need for additional human and financial investments. The team is currently designing the second phase of this integration and expanding a social learning network through collaborations with five universities in the Americas and Europe. Originality/value – This paper shows the development process, design and content of an interdisciplinary sustainability curriculum that integrates engineering with the social and ecological sciences while enlivening campus‐community relationships through student projects. Several replicable practices include the contents and integration of topical classes, the strategies to overcome the obstacles for developing interdisciplinary student teams engaged in problem‐based learning and approaches to negotiate institutional hurdles