Intergroup contact and social change: Implications of negative and positive contact for collective action in advantaged and disadvantaged groups

Previous research has shown that (1) positive intergroup contact with an advantaged group can discourage collective action among disadvantaged-group members and (2) positive intergroup contact can encourage advantaged-group members to take action on behalf of disadvantaged outgroups. Two studies investigated the effects of negative as well as positive intergroup contact. Study 1 (N = 482) found that negative but not positive contact with heterosexual people was associated with sexual-minority students’ engagement in collective action (via group identification and perceived discrimination). Among heterosexual students, positive and negative contact were associated with, respectively, more and less LGB activism. Study 2 (N = 1,469) found that only negative contact (via perceived discrimination) predicted LGBT students’ collective action intentions longitudinally while only positive contact predicted heterosexual/cisgender students’ LGBT activism. Implications for the relationship between intergroup contact, collective action, and social change are discussed

Sektorspezifische versus allgemeine Strukturtheorie: ein Fallbeispiel ueber die Moebelindustrie

Available from Bibliothek des Instituts fuer Weltwirtschaft, ZBW, Duesternbrook Weg 120, D-24105 Kiel A 193945 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Socio-Spatial Conditions of Educational Participation: A Typology of Municipalities in the Canton of Zurich

The Canton of Zurich is characterized by strong socio-spatial polarization typical for large and dynamic metropolitan areas. A helpful way to depict spatial dimensions is spatial typologies. Existing spatial categorizations of the Canton of Zurich are limited for education because they focus primarily on economic factors, which are not the only predictors of educational behavior and success. In this paper, we develop a typology of municipalities in the Canton of Zurich that is useful for educational analyses and administrative activity. Theoretically, we consider socio-spatial structures as opportunities and constraints of the spatial and social contexts related to educational participation. We differentiate between two levels: socioeconomic composition and regional structures. The socioeconomic composition of a neighborhood is assumed to influence the way residents think and act through social interactions. Regional structures refer to the variation in the specificity and accessibility of institutional settings of the labor market, the education system, and extracurricular stimulation. The analyses are based on official statistics. We use factor analysis to identify the main components within the two levels. Their combination results in a spatial typology consisting of five types. They show significant differences in indicators of educational participation, which illustrates the relevance of the typology for the education sector

Socio-Spatial Conditions of Educational Participation: A Typology of Municipalities in the Canton of Zurich

The Canton of Zurich is characterized by strong socio-spatial polarization typical for large and dynamic metropolitan areas. A helpful way to depict spatial dimensions is spatial typologies. Existing spatial categorizations of the Canton of Zurich are limited for education because they focus primarily on economic factors, which are not the only predictors of educational behavior and success. In this paper, we develop a typology of municipalities in the Canton of Zurich that is useful for educational analyses and administrative activity. Theoretically, we consider socio-spatial structures as opportunities and constraints of the spatial and social contexts related to educational participation. We differentiate between two levels: socioeconomic composition and regional structures. The socioeconomic composition of a neighborhood is assumed to influence the way residents think and act through social interactions. Regional structures refer to the variation in the specificity and accessibility of institutional settings of the labor market, the education system, and extracurricular stimulation. The analyses are based on official statistics. We use factor analysis to identify the main components within the two levels. Their combination results in a spatial typology consisting of five types. They show significant differences in indicators of educational participation, which illustrates the relevance of the typology for the education sector

The Influence of Grain Size Distribution of PA12 on Key Steps of the Polymer Laser Sintering Process

As the industry pushes for higher resolution laser sintering, finer and finer powders are required. Yet, this also changes the way powders behave during the process. In this project, the influence of finer particles on the dosing and coating process during laser sintering is being investigated. PA12 laser sintering powder without flow additives was sieved to four fractions with grain sizes with a d50 of 42, 54, 61 and 66 µm. These fractions were characterized regarding powder flowability by FT4 powder rheometer. The dosing and coating behavior of these fractions was tested in separate experiments on an EOS P395, where the coating experiments were performed at both RT and 175°C. Furthermore, test jobs were built with the different powder fractions. The larger portion of fines in the finest fraction dominated the powder properties and led to significantly worse powder behavior during the dosing and coating steps, as predicted by analytical measurements.Mechanical Engineerin

Hair Analysis for Determination of Isoniazid Concentrations and Acetylator Phenotype during Antituberculous Treatment

Background. Analysis of isoniazid (INH) uptake has been based on measurement of plasma concentrations providing a short-term and potentially biased view. Objectives. To establish hair analysis as a tool to measure long-term uptake of INH and to assess whether acetylator phenotype in hair reflects N-acetyltransferase-2 (NAT2) genotype. Design and Methods. INH and acetyl-INH concentrations in hair were determined in patients on INH treatment for M. tuberculosis infection using high pressure liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Acetyl-INH/INH ratios were correlated with NAT-2 genotype. Results. Hair concentrations of INH, determined in 40 patients, were not dependent on ethnic group or body mass index and were significantly higher in male compared to female patients (median (range) 2.37 ng/mg (0.76–4.9) versus 1.11 ng/mg (0.02–7.20) (P=0.02). Acetyl-INH/INH ratios were a median of 15.2% (14.5 to 31.7) in homozygous rapid acetylator NAT-2 genotype and 37.3% (1.73 to 51.2) in the heterozygous rapid acetylator NAT-2 genotype and both significantly higher than in the slow acetylator NAT-2 genotype with 5.8% (0.53 to 14.4) (P<0.05). Conclusions. Results of hair analysis for INH showed lower concentrations in females. Acetyl-INH/INH ratios were significantly lower in patients with slow acetylator versus rapid acetylator genotypes

Lost in translation? Information quality in pediatric pre-hospital medical emergencies with a language barrier in Germany

Abstract Background In pediatric medical emergencies, paramedics and emergency physicians must often rely on the information of third parties, often caregivers, to gather information. Failing to obtain relevant information may lead to misinterpretation of symptoms and subsequent errors in decision making and clinical treatment. Thus, children and/or caregivers with limited proficiency of the locally spoken language may be at risk for medical errors. This study analyzes logs of rescue missions to determine whether paramedics could obtain essential information from German-speaking and foreign-language children and their caregivers. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis based on retrospective data on pediatric patients of four emergency medical services (EMS) stations in Northern Germany. We defined language discordance with communication difficulties as main exposure. We used documentation quality as outcome defined as existing information on (a) pre-existing conditions, (b) current medication, and (c) events prior to the medical emergency. Statistical analyses include descriptive statistics, simple regression and multivariable regression. As multivariable regression model, a logistic regression was applied with documentation quality as dependent variable and language discordance with communication difficulties as independent variable adjusted for age, sex and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Results Data from 1,430 pediatric rescue missions were analyzed with 3.1% (n = 45) having a language discordance with communication difficulties. Patients in the pediatric foreign-language group were younger compared to German-speaking patients. Thorough documentation was more frequent in German-speaking patients than in patients in the foreign-language group. Pre-existing conditions and events prior to the medical emergency were considerably more often documented in German-speaking than for foreign-language patients. Documentation of medication did not differ between these groups. The adjustment of sex, age and GCS in the multivariable analysis did not change the results. Conclusion Language barriers are hindering paramedics to obtain relevant information in pediatric pre-hospital emergencies. This jeopardizes the safe provision of paramedic care to children who themselves or their caregivers are not fluent in German language. Further research should focus on feasible ways to overcome language barriers in pre-hospital emergencies. Trial registration This is a retrospective secondary data analysis of a study that was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (No. DRKS00016719), 08/02/2019

Shuttle Vector-Based Transformation System for Pyrococcus furiosus▿

Pyrococcus furiosus is a model organism for analyses of molecular biology and biochemistry of archaea, but so far no useful genetic tools for this species have been described. We report here a genetic transformation system for P. furiosus based on the shuttle vector system pYS2 from Pyrococcus abyssi. In the redesigned vector, the pyrE gene from Sulfolobus was replaced as a selectable marker by the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase gene (HMG-CoA) conferring resistance of transformants to the antibiotic simvastatin. Use of this modified plasmid resulted in the overexpression of the HMG-CoA reductase in P. furiosus, allowing the selection of strains by growth in the presence of simvastatin. The modified shuttle vector replicated in P. furiosus, but the copy number was only one to two per chromosome. This system was used for overexpression of His6-tagged subunit D of the RNA polymerase (RNAP) in Pyrococcus cells. Functional RNAP was purified from transformed cells in two steps by Ni-NTA and gel filtration chromatography. Our data provide evidence that expression of transformed genes can be controlled from a regulated gluconeogenetic promoter

Integrated tools for automatic design for testability

An increasing part of the overall costs of custom and semicustom integrated circuits has to be spent for test purposes, and therefore the integration of test and design seems to be a key of cost reduction. At the University of Karlsruhe a program system is currently developed supporting the design of testable circuits. The program system under work essentially solves three tasks: 1.) Selection of an economical test strategy. 2.) Implementation of necessary circuit modifications in order to enhance testability, retaining the circuit function by construction. 3.) Generation of the test program