Vol. 21, No. 2

Contents: Illinois Public Employee Unions Get the Card Check as an Alternative Method of Gaining Recognition, by Gilbert Feldman Recent Developments Further References, compiled by Margaret A. Chaplanhttps://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/iperr/1078/thumbnail.jp

Vol. 17, No. 1

Contents: The Illinois Supreme Court\u27s Stahulak Decision Establishes a Further Departure Under the IPLRA from the Federal Model in Duty of Fair Representation Cases, by Gilbert Feldman Recent Developments, by the Student Editorial Board Further References, compiled by Margaret A. Chaplanhttps://scholarship.kentlaw.iit.edu/iperr/1061/thumbnail.jp

Superoperator Analysis of Entanglement in a Four-Qubit Cluster State

In this paper we utilize superoperator formalism to explore the entanglement evolution of four-qubit cluster states in a number of decohering environments. A four-qubit cluster state is a resource for the performance of an arbitrary single logical qubit rotation via measurement based cluster state quantum computation. We are specifically interested in the relationship between entanglement evolution and the fidelity with which the arbitrary single logical qubit rotation can be implemented in the presence of decoherence as this will have important experimental ramifications. We also note the exhibition of entanglement sudden death (ESD) and ask how severely its onset affects the utilization of the cluster state as a means of implementing an arbitrary single logical qubit rotation.Comment: 9 pages, 9 composite figures, presentation of results completely rewritte

Endogenous oxytocin is associated with the experience of compassion and recalled upbringing in Borderline Personality Disorder

Background/Objective The role of the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is poorly understood. It is particularly unknown how early experiences with caregivers moderate the action of OT in BPD. Here, we examined the association of plasma OT levels in BPD patients with the experience of compassion and recalled parental behavior during childhood. Methods Fifty-seven BPD patients and 43 healthy controls participated in the study. OT plasma levels were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Subjects additionally completed questionnaires focusing on fears of compassion (FOC) and recalled upbringing (“Questionnaire of Recalled Parental Rearing Behavior/Fragebogen zum erinnerten elterlichen Erziehungsverhalten,” FEE). Results BPD patients had significantly lower OT plasma levels than healthy controls and differed significantly on all FOC and FEE scales; BPD patients had higher FOC scores (indicating more aversion of being compassionate to themselves and others and receiving compassion from others). They also differed in recalled parenting. In the BPD group, scores of the FOC scale “fear of compassion from others” were significantly negatively correlated with OT levels. Moreover, recalled “emotional warmth” of their parents during childhood was positively correlated with OT plasma levels of BPD subjects. No such correlations were found in the control group. Conclusion Our results corroborate findings from previous studies reporting lower OT levels in patients with BPD. Moreover, peripheral OT seems to be linked with the tolerance of compassionate feelings and early experiences with caregivers. This is consistent with other findings that OT is an important mediator of the experience of emotional warmth from others.N/

Differences in the semantics of prosocial words: an exploration of compassion and kindness

The study of prosocial behaviour has accelerated greatly in the last 20 years. Researchers are exploring different domains of prosocial behaviour such as compassion, kindness, caring, cooperation, empathy, sympathy, love, altruism and morality. While these constructs can overlap, and are sometimes used interchangeably, they also have distinctive features that require careful elucidation. This paper discusses some of the controversies and complexities of describing different (prosocial) mental states, followed by a study investigating the differences between two related prosocial concepts: compassion and kindness. For the study, a scenario-based questionnaire was developed to assess the degree to which a student (N = 222) and a community (N = 112) sample judged scenarios in terms of compassion or kindness. Subsequently, participants rated emotions (e.g. sadness, anxiety, anger, disgust, joy) associated with each scenario. Both groups clearly distinguished kindness from compassion in the scenarios on the basis of suffering. In addition, participants rated compassion-based scenarios as significantly higher on sadness, anger, anxiety and disgust, whereas kindness-based scenarios had higher levels of joy. As a follow-up, a further sample (29 male, 63 female) also rated compassionate scenarios as involving significantly more suffering compared to the kindness scenarios. Although overlapping concepts, compassion and kindness are clearly understood as different processes with different foci, competencies and emotion textures. This has implications for research in prosocial behaviour, and the cultivation of kindness and compassion for psychotherapy and in general.N/

Circulating vitamin D, vitamin D-related genetic variation, and risk of fatal prostate cancer in the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium

BACKGROUND: Evidence from experimental animal and cell line studies supports a beneficial role for vitamin D in prostate cancer (PCa). Although the results from human studies have been mainly null for overall PCa risk, there may be a benefit for survival. This study assessed the associations of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and common variations in key vitamin D-related genes with fatal PCa. METHODS: In a large cohort consortium, 518 fatal cases and 2986 controls with 25(OH)D data were identified. Genotyping information for 91 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 7 vitamin D-related genes (vitamin D receptor, group-specific component, cytochrome P450 27A1 [CYP27A1], CYP27B1, CYP24A1, CYP2R1, and retinoid X receptor α) was available for 496 fatal cases and 3577 controls. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of 25(OH)D and SNPs with fatal PCa. The study also tested for 25(OH)D-SNP interactions among 264 fatal cases and 1169 controls. RESULTS: No statistically significant relationship was observed between 25(OH)D and fatal PCa (OR for extreme quartiles, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.65-1.14; P for trend = .22) or the main effects of the SNPs and fatal PCa. There was evidence suggesting that associations of several SNPs, including 5 related to circulating 25(OH)D, with fatal PCa were modified by 25(OH)D. Individually, these associations did not remain significant after multiple testing; however, the P value for the set-based test for CYP2R1 was .002. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant associations were not observed for either 25(OH)D or vitamin D-related SNPs with fatal PCa. The effect modification of 25(OH)D associations by biologically plausible genetic variation may deserve further exploration