Raising Youth Turnout: The Role of Campaigns and Political Involvement Organizations

This paper will explore a different side of the youth voter and the mystified year of the youth voter by examining the elections of 1992, 2004, and 2008. In investigating this issue, instead of examining the actions of the young voters during these elections, the actions of campaigns and get out the vote organizations are examined. It seems that the disappointment in young voters is not an issue for which young people hold sole responsibility. The other actors in the election, too, must do their part in courting the young voter. They must spend the time, effort, and money necessary to attract this group of voters and address the needs of this group. These entities are rarely to never examined in relation to the youth vote due to difficulties quantifying their role. The conclusions address the campaigns and organizations efforts towards young people as well as issues with the concepts behind the myth of the youth voter

Social values and the corruption argument against financial incentives for healthy behaviour

Footnotes Funding This research was funded by the Centre for the Study of Incentives in Health, from a strategic award from the Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Programme (PI Marteau: 086031/Z/08/Z).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Signalling C-Type Lectins in Antimicrobial Immunity

Funding: This work was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council and the University of Aberdeen. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Five-Year Response of Spontaneous Vegetation to Removal of Invasive Amur Bush Honeysuckle Along an Urban Creek

Non-native invasive species have major impacts on landscapes worldwide, but their effects in urban areas are not well documented. We quantified the response of naturally regenerating vegetation along an urban creek to removal of the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii (Amur Bush Honeysuckle). Over the 5-year study, species richness more than doubled. Most new plants were native, disturbance-adapted, early successional species. Trend analysis of function traits revealed annuals that rely on seed dispersal by wind or externally on animals were significantly overrepresented among new plants in comparison to their proportion in the countywide species pool. Increased species richness did not result in improved habitat quality, as indicated by Floristic Quality Assessment. Eight new invasive species appeared over the course of the study. Active management of this site may be needed in perpetuit

Young children suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm : experiences on entering education

Since 2005, the Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University has been tracing the decision-making process influencing the life pathways of a cohort of very young children who were identified as suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm before they reached their first birthdays. The overall objective of the research is to collect evidence which supports decisions concerning which children require permanent out of home placements (such as adoption) and those that can safely remain with their birth parents

Changing children’s intergroup attitudes towards refugees: Testing different models of extended contact

The present research evaluated an intervention, derived from the "extended contact hypothesis," which aimed to change children's intergroup attitudes toward refugees. The study (n=253) tested 3 models of extended contact among 5- to 11-year-old children: dual identity, common ingroup identity, and decategorization. Children read friendship stories based upon these models featuring in- and outgroup members. Outgroup attitudes were significantly more positive in the extended contact conditions, compared with the control, and this was mediated by "inclusion of other in self." The dual identity intervention was the most effective extended contact model at improving outgroup attitudes. The effect of condition on outgroup intended behavior was moderated by subgroup identity. Implications for theoretically based prejudice-reduction interventions among children are discussed

The impact of the Clandestine Marriages Act: three case-studies in conformity

This article examines the extent of compliance with the Clandestine Marriages Act 1753 through three parish studies. It demonstrates that the vast majority of the sample cohort of parents whose children were baptized in church, and indeed of couples living together, had married in church as required by the 1753 Act, and shows how the proportion of marriages traced rises as more information about the parties becomes available. Through a study of settlement examinations, the article posits an explanation of why some marriages have not been traced, and argues that researchers should be cautious in inferring non-compliance from the absence of a record in a specific parish. It is also argued that the reason for such high rates of compliance has less to do with the power of statute and more to do with the fact that the 1753 Act was not such a radical break with the past as has been assumed

Hibernating Tricolored Bats at a Southeastern Recreation Site: Microsite Use and Public Perceptions

High bat mortality from white-nose syndrome (WNS) has increased the need to manage hibernation sites. Management decisions should be based on science, and when sites are accessible to the public, also need to consider human dimensions. We used Stumphouse Tunnel, a recreation site and tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) hibernaculum in northwestern South Carolina, as a case study to understand potential conflicts between conservation and recreation. The population declined by 90% after the arrival of white-nose syndrome (WNS), followed by stabilization and slight increases. Because the increase was associated with more bats roosting in the publicly accessible section, a potential conflict between bat conservation and recreational use exists. Our objectives were to understand microsite selection of hibernating tricolored bats throughout hibernation, particularly their use of the publicly accessible section, and understand knowledge of and attitudes toward bats and their management at Stumphouse Tunnel We conducted monthly censuses of bats in Stumphouse Tunnel over two hibernation seasons to determine whether bats’ use of the front tunnel section varied across months and how this related to roost microclimate. We found that while most bats roosted in the back of the tunnel, about 25% used the front section throughout hibernation, which was associated with colder roosting temperatures. Bats in the front section used higher roosting sites, which were slightly warmer and may provide protection from human disturbance and predation. To understand the public’s knowledge and attitudes toward bats and support for bat management, we conducted surveys of visitors, local homeowners, and recreation groups. Respondents were somewhat knowledgeable about bats (67% correct), had positive attitudes toward them, and were slightly supportive of management options (4.8; 7-point scale). Awareness of WNS was low (34%) but associated with positive attitudes and greater management support. Thus, outreach and education about threats to bats could improve attitudes and support for bat management. We found that potential conflict between bat conservation and recreational use occurred throughout hibernation. To better protect bats at the site, managers could use active and passive methods to inform visitors about bats and WNS, require visitors keep their voices down, and ban dogs in the tunnel