Religious Service Attendance and Volunteering: A Growth Curve Analysis

Despite methodological advances in studying the relationship between religious attendance and volunteering, its dynamic nature still needs to be elucidated. We apply growth curve modeling to examine whether trajectories of religious attendance and volunteering are related to each other over a 15-year period in a nationally representative sample from the Americans’ Changing Lives data (1986-2002). Multivariate results showed that the rates of change in religious attendance and volunteering were positively related, and excluding religious volunteering did not alter the finding. It was also found that the initial level of religious attendance was positively associated with the rate of increase in volunteer hours over the period. Mediation analyses revealed that participation in voluntary associations explained the dynamic relationships between religious attendance and volunteering. These results provide evidence that involvement in organized religion and volunteering are dual activities that change together over the adult life course

What are the Key Factors in Managing Diversity and Inclusion Successfully in Large International Organizations?

Question: What are the key factors in managing diversity and inclusion successfully in large international organizations? Which companies are best in class and what does that entail

Forecasts of relative performance in tournaments: evidence from the field

This paper uses a field experiment to investigate the quality of individuals' forecasts of relative performance in tournaments. We ask players in luck-based (poker) and skill-based (chess) tournaments to make point forecasts of rank. The main finding of the paper is that players' forecasts in both types of tournaments are biased towards overestimation of relative performance. However, the size of the biases found is not as large as the ones often reported in the psychology literature. We also find support for the "unskilled and unaware hypothesis" in chess: high skilled chess players make better forecasts than low skilled chess players. Finally, we find that chess players' forecasts of relative performance are not efficient.Tournaments; Rationality; Field Experiment

Theorizing Strategic Communication in Parsimony from the U.S. Government Perspective

Although the term Strategic Communication seems to be a rising topic in communication studies, it is obvious that the term has been hardly visualized and explained from the U.S. government perspective in academic work. This paper theoretically visualizes strategic communication processes. The Department of State and the Department of Defense streamlined the use of strategic communication in different terms but they both focus on using soft power over hard power to gain support from foreign audiences through communication. Both departments especially after the 9/11attacks have developed programs to win hearts and minds of the target audience. This paper shows the salient process of strategic communication programs and conceptualizes principles of strategic communication from their perspectives. This paper after all illustrates the processes for theorizing strategic communication

Implantable neural spheroid networks utilizing a concave microwell array

The goal of this study was to create pre-formed neural spheroid networks (NSN) on a polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) concave microwell array for eventual implantation into the rat brain. Recent studies have shown that stem cells have great potential in treating various neurological insults of the central nervous system, ranging from traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, to neurodegenerative disorders. However, the use of stem cell lines in research are controversial due to the method of obtaining cells, in their formation of teratomas and degeneration into cancer cells, their non-specific differentiation, and lastly in their inability to control the location of neural connections. A novel approach to address this issue utilizes pre-formed neural networks consisting of neural spheroids on polymer scaffolds for the implantation into the rat brain. Yet, it was observed that the cylindrical shape of the wells hindered the transfer process. This study aimed to overcome the lack of neural spheroid network detachment by utilizing concave well structures, using a simple method developed in this laboratory. Primary neurons were isolated from pregnant Sprague Dawley rats at 16 ~ 17 days of gestation. Isolated neurons were cultured in PDMS wells with a concave structure and interconnected by rounded micro channels. It was reported previously that a concave structure enabled an easier and more efficient formation of spheroids, not to mention the ease in extraction of spheroid cells. Various studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of guidance channels in promoting neurite growth. Therefore, micro channels were integrated in the micro array design, and served as a guidance conduit to enhance neurite growth, and by association, spheroid interconnection. The primary neurons formed a spheroid structure after 3 days, upon which they began to sprout new neurites. By day 8, neurite connections peaked. Spheroid diameter underwent an initial decrease then stabilized on day 2. Various well diameters (300~700 um) and channel lengths (1.5 x diameter ~ 3 x diameter) were evaluated, with a 300 um well diameter and 450 um center-to-center channel length found to be optimal. The completed network was assessed for interconnection using calcium imaging and showed coordinated calcium signals between the neural spheroids. The network was then successfully transferred to a collagen matrigel and cultured for a week. The methodology showed an improvement in the transfer of networks, with about a 90% extraction rate. The viability of the NSN on the matrigel was assessed using a Live/Dead assay, and cells were found to have greater than 95% viability. The optimal hydrophilicity was determined for neurite extension and transfer of NSNs onto the matrigel. It was found that an incubation time between 4~6 hours was optimal. Future studies will involve the implantation of the NSN into the rat brain. Additionally, the use of neural progenitor and stem cell lines may provide an autologous source of cells which are immunocompatible with the host. In particular, marrow stromal cells are interesting in that they may also address the ethical concerns. A long term goal is to refine the methodology and apply this research to enable studies in the treatment of patients suffering from spinal cord injury and other neurodegenerative disorders