ALTRUISM AND SOCIAL EXCHANGE THEORY: THE VICARIOUS REWARDS OF THE ALTRUIST

The position is taken that the altruistic person who is giving a reward to another is in a one-up or dominating position. The person receiving the reward is in a submissive role by virtue of acceptance of the reward. They may even feel that the reward is a cost if they are unable to reciprocate. Equity may enter into the context as the target of the altruism seeks to reestablish balance. While altruistic behavior may not result in immediate reward on the part of the "rewarder," there may be delayed or vicarious reward

Analysis of meniscal degeneration and meniscal gene expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Menisci play a vital role in load transmission, shock absorption and joint stability. There is increasing evidence suggesting that OA menisci may not merely be bystanders in the disease process of OA. This study sought: 1) to determine the prevalence of meniscal degeneration in OA patients, and 2) to examine gene expression in OA meniscal cells compared to normal meniscal cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Studies were approved by our human subjects Institutional Review Board. Menisci and articular cartilage were collected during joint replacement surgery for OA patients and lower limb amputation surgery for osteosarcoma patients (normal control specimens), and graded. Meniscal cells were prepared from these meniscal tissues and expanded in monolayer culture. Differential gene expression in OA meniscal cells and normal meniscal cells was examined using Affymetrix microarray and real time RT-PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The grades of meniscal degeneration correlated with the grades of articular cartilage degeneration (r = 0.672; P < 0.0001). Many of the genes classified in the biological processes of immune response, inflammatory response, biomineral formation and cell proliferation, including major histocompatibility complex, class II, DP alpha 1 (<it>HLA-DPA1</it>), integrin, beta 2 (<it>ITGB2</it>), ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (<it>ENPP1</it>), ankylosis, progressive homolog (<it>ANKH</it>) and fibroblast growth factor 7 (<it>FGF7</it>), were expressed at significantly higher levels in OA meniscal cells compared to normal meniscal cells. Importantly, many of the genes that have been shown to be differentially expressed in other OA cell types/tissues, including ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 5 (<it>ADAMTS5</it>) and prostaglandin E synthase (<it>PTGES</it>), were found to be expressed at significantly higher levels in OA meniscal cells. This consistency suggests that many of the genes detected in our study are disease-specific.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings suggest that OA is a whole joint disease. Meniscal cells may play an active role in the development of OA. Investigation of the gene expression profiles of OA meniscal cells may reveal new therapeutic targets for OA therapy and also may uncover novel disease markers for early diagnosis of OA.</p

Linking soil microbial community structure to potential carbon mineralization: A continental scale assessment of reduced tillage

Potential carbon mineralization (Cmin) is a commonly used indicator of soil health, with greater Cmin values interpreted as healthier soil. While Cmin values are typically greater in agricultural soils managed with minimal physical disturbance, the mechanisms driving the increases remain poorly understood. This study assessed bacterial and archaeal community structure and potential microbial drivers of Cmin in soils maintained under various degrees of physical disturbance. Potential carbon mineralization, 16S rRNA sequences, and soil characterization data were collected as part of the North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements (NAPESHM). Results showed that type of cropping system, intensity of physical disturbance, and soil pH influenced microbial sensitivity to physical disturbance. Furthermore, 28% of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), which were important in modeling Cmin, were enriched under soils managed with minimal physical disturbance. Sequences identified as enriched under minimal disturbance and important for modeling Cmin, were linked to organisms which could produce extracellular polymeric substances and contained metabolic strategies suited for tolerating environmental stressors. Understanding how physical disturbance shapes microbial communities across climates and inherent soil properties and drives changes in Cmin provides the context necessary to evaluate management impacts on standardized measures of soil microbial activity

Carbon-sensitive pedotransfer functions for plant available water

Currently accepted pedotransfer functions show negligible effect of management-induced changes to soil organic carbon (SOC) on plant available water holding capacity (θAWHC), while some studies show the ability to substantially increase θAWHC through management. The Soil Health Institute\u27s North America Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements measured water content at field capacity using intact soil cores across 124 long-term research sites that contained increases in SOC as a result of management treatments such as reduced tillage and cover cropping. Pedotransfer functions were created for volumetric water content at field capacity (θFC) and permanent wilting point (θPWP). New pedotransfer functions had predictions of θAWHC that were similarly accurate compared with Saxton and Rawls when tested on samples from the National Soil Characterization database. Further, the new pedotransfer functions showed substantial effects of soil calcareousness and SOC on θAWHC. For an increase in SOC of 10 g kg–1 (1%) in noncalcareous soils, an average increase in θAWHC of 3.0 mm 100 mm–1 soil (0.03 m3 m–3) on average across all soil texture classes was found. This SOC related increase in θAWHC is about double previous estimates. Calcareous soils had an increase in θAWHC of 1.2 mm 100 mm–1 soil associated with a 10 g kg–1 increase in SOC, across all soil texture classes. New equations can aid in quantifying benefits of soil management practices that increase SOC and can be used to model the effect of changes in management on drought resilience

Imagine That: Studies in Imagined Interactions

Imagined interactions (IIs) are a type of daydreaming in which individuals think about conversation in their minds. The first book on imagined interactions published by Hampton Press received a Distinguished Book Award from the National Communication Association. This volume reports a number of fascinating studies on IIs. Chapter 1 reviews the association between ruminating about conflict and relationship happiness, personality, and emotions. Chapter 2 examines topics of conflict and physical violence over a 4-month time period. The third chapter examines physiology and road rage as well as individuals imagining discussing pleasing and displeasing topics followed by an actual discussion of these topics with their partner while blood pressure and heart-rate variability fluctuate.Chapter 4 examines the role of IIs in bereavement, and chapter 5 examines similarities and differences involving characteristics of IIs compared with the concept of Interpersonal Christian Prayer (ICP). Chapter 7 examines the role of IIs in online communication including emailing and instant messaging. Chapter 8 examines college students IIs with parents about money and credit card debt, and the following chapter reports on women who have had plastic surgery as they report on their IIs with family members and people they work with before and after their treatment. Chapter 10 examines discrepancy in IIs and symbolic convergence theory in which individuals in small groups often engage in fantasies as part of group identification. The concluding chapter examines dialogue theory in terms of individuals shared understanding.https://repository.lsu.edu/facultybooks/1354/thumbnail.jp

Scripts and Communication for Relationships

Over 200 years ago, Jane Austen, an astute observer of the rituals of late-eighteenth-century courtship wrote that a happy marriage was the result of chance. Modern relationship researchers have revealed that scripts concerning pair bonding rituals are actually constituted in a manner so as to leave little to chance when romantic attachments are formed, intensify, and sometimes dissolve.In this introductory text, the authors discuss the basis of relationship scripts, emotions, imagery, and physiology of relationships including romance, friendship, work associates, mentors, and Facebook friends. They argue that people\u27s expectations for relational development influence their communication, faith, and commitment in relationships. Misconstruing sexual or flirtatious intent, for example, is derived from having different scripts about attraction. The book also discusses abusive relationships including characteristics of abusers, stalking, and verbal and physical aggression.Designed for classes in communication and relationships, interpersonal communication, intrapersonal communication, and communication and cognition, as well as across disciplines in psychology, sociology, family studies, and social work, this text provides a comprehensive overview of how scripts and communication are used in relationships. Guidelines based on developing and improving verbal and nonverbal communication competence are provided. A downloadable teacher\u27s guide is available on request.https://repository.lsu.edu/facultybooks/1101/thumbnail.jp