The Role of Equality and Efficiency in Social Preferences

Engelmann and Strobel (AER 2004) claim that a combination of efficiency seeking and minmax preferences dominates inequity aversion in simple dictator games. This result relies on a strong subject pool effect. The participants of their experiments were undergraduate students of economics and business administration who self-selected into their field of study and learned early on that efficiency is desirable. We show that for non-economists the preference for efficiency is much less pronounced. We also find a gender effect indicating that women are more egalitarian than men. However, perhaps surprisingly, the dominance of equality over efficiency is unrelated to political attitudes

The Role of Equality and Efficiency in Social Preferences

Engelmann and Strobel (AER 2004) claim that a combination of efficiency seeking and minmax preferences dominates inequity aversion in simple dictator games. This result relies on a strong subject pool effect. The participants of their experiments were undergraduate students of economics and business administration who self-selected into their field of study and learned early on that efficiency is desirable. We show that for non-economists the preference for efficiency is much less pronounced. We also find a gender effect indicating that women are more egalitarian than men. However, perhaps surprisingly, the dominance of equality over efficiency is unrelated to political attitudes.Social Preferences; Inequity Aversion; Efficiency Preferences

A photometric study of the hot exoplanet WASP-19b

Context: When the planet transits its host star, it is possible to measure the planetary radius and (with radial velocity data) the planet mass. For the study of planetary atmospheres, it is essential to obtain transit and occultation measurements at multiple wavelengths. Aims: We aim to characterize the transiting hot Jupiter WASP-19b by deriving accurate and precise planetary parameters from a dedicated observing campaign of transits and occultations. Methods: We have obtained a total of 14 transit lightcurves in the r'-Gunn, IC, z'-Gunn and I+z' filters and 10 occultation lightcurves in z'-Gunn using EulerCam on the Euler-Swiss telescope and TRAPPIST. We have also obtained one lightcurve through the narrow-band NB1190 filter of HAWK-I on the VLT measuring an occultation at 1.19 micron. We have performed a global MCMC analysis of all new data together with some archive data in order to refine the planetary parameters and measure the occultation depths in z'-band and at 1.19 micron. Results: We measure a planetary radius of R_p = 1.376 (+/-0.046) R_j, a planetary mass of M_p = 1.165 (+/-0.068) M_j, and find a very low eccentricity of e = 0.0077 (+/-0.0068), compatible with a circular orbit. We have detected the z'-band occultation at 3 sigma significance and measure it to be dF_z'= 352 (+/-116) ppm, more than a factor of 2 smaller than previously published. The occultation at 1.19 micron is only marginally constrained at dF_1190 = 1711 (+/-745) ppm. Conclusions: We have shown that the detection of occultations in the visible is within reach even for 1m class telescopes if a considerable number of individual events are observed. Our results suggest an oxygen-dominated atmosphere of WASP-19b, making the planet an interesting test case for oxygen-rich planets without temperature inversion.Comment: Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. 11 pages, 11 figures, 4 table

Temporal variability of subsurface stormflow formation

International audienceSubsurface stormflow (SSF) can play a key role for the runoff generation at hillslopes. Quantifications of SSF suffer from the limited ability to predict how SSF is formed at a particular hillslope and how it varies in time and space. This study concentrates on the temporal variability of SSF formation. Controlled sprinkling experiments at three experimental slopes were replicated with varying precipitation intensity and varying antecedent precipitation. SSF characteristics were observed with hydrometric measurements and tracer experiments. SSF response was affected in different ways and to varying degree by changes of precipitation intensity and antecedent precipitation. The study showed that the influence of antecedent precipitation on SSF response depends on how SSF is formed at a particular hillslope. As formation of SSF was hardly influenced by the increase of precipitation intensity subsurface flow rates were not increased by higher intensity. However, timing and relevance of subsurface flow response changed substantially at different precipitation intensities, because saturation and flow formation occurred above the soil-bedrock interface, but also within the topsoil depending on precipitation intensity

Spin and energy correlations in the one dimensional spin 1/2 Heisenberg model

In this paper, we study the spin and energy dynamic correlations of the one dimensional spin 1/2 Heisenberg model, using mostly exact diagonalization numerical techniques. In particular, observing that the uniform spin and energy currents decay to finite values at long times, we argue for the absence of spin and energy diffusion in the easy plane anisotropic Heisenberg model.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, gzipped postscrip

Intensive care nurse-family engagement from a global perspective: A qualitative multi-site exploration

BACKGROUND: Critical illness is distressing for families, and often results in negative effects on family health that influence a family\u27s ability to support their critically ill family member. Although recent attention has been directed at improving care and outcomes for families of critically ill patients, the manner in which nurses engage with families is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: To describe nurses\u27 perceptions and practices of family engagement in adult intensive care units from a global perspective. DESIGN: A qualitative-descriptive multi-site design using content analysis. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in 26 intensive care units of 12 urban, metropolitan, academic medical centers in ten countries, spanning five continents. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 65 registered nurses (77% women, age of M = 39.5, SD = 11.4 years) participated. Most held intensive care certification (72%) and had worked on average 10 (SD = 9.6) years in the ICU. METHODS: Semi-structured, individual interviews (M = 38.4 min, SD = 12.0) were held with ICU nurses at the hospital (94%) or their home using an interview guide. Qualitative interview data were analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: We found that nurse-family engagement was an ebb and flow of relational power that needed to be carefully negotiated and balanced, with nurses holding and often exerting more power than families. Constant fluctuations in nurses\u27 practices of engagement occurred in day-to-day practice from shift-to-shift and from nurse-to-nurse. Family engagement was dependent on individual nurses\u27 attitudes and perceptions of family, the patient\u27s condition, and workload. Lastly, family engagement was shaped by the ICU context, with team culture, collaborative relationships, unit structures and organizational resources either enabling or limiting nurses\u27 ability to engage with families. CONCLUSIONS: This global study provides an in-depth understanding of the way nurses engage with families in ICU and reflects many different cultures and health systems. We found that nurse-family engagement was marked by a shifting, yet often unequal power distribution in the nurse-family relationship, inconsistent nurse engagement practices, both of which resulted in variable family engagement in intensive care. Our research contributes a detailed description of engagement as practiced in the everyday delivery of health care. A more concentrated team effort, based on a shared culture and defined framework of family care is needed to ensure that families of critically ill persons are fully engaged in all aspects of intensive care

Collective synchronization in populations of globally coupled phase oscillators with drifting frequencies

We generalize the Kuramoto model for coupled phase oscillators by allowing the frequencies to drift in time according to Ornstein-Uhlenbeck dynamics. Such drifting frequencies were recently measured in cellular populations of circadian oscillator and inspired our work. Linear stability analysis of the Fokker-Planck equation for an infinite population is amenable to exact solution and we show that the incoherent state is unstable passed a critical coupling strength K_c(\ga, \sigf), where \ga is the inverse characteristic drifting time and \sigf the asymptotic frequency dispersion. Expectedly $K_c$ agrees with the noisy Kuramoto model in the large \ga (Schmolukowski) limit but increases slower as \ga decreases. Asymptotic expansion of the solution for \ga\to 0 shows that the noiseless Kuramoto model with Gaussian frequency distribution is recovered in that limit. Thus varying a single parameter allows to interpolate smoothly between two regimes: one dominated by the frequency dispersion and the other by phase diffusion.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted in Phys. Rev.

Engagement of families in ICU from the nursing staff perspective

Background: Family engagement in intensive care units (ICU) is proposed as a way to increase active partnership with patients and move away from paternalism (Burns et al 2018). Family engagement and family-centred care are closely linked to improve the quality of care. The term and practice of ‘family engagement’ is complex but Burns et al (2018) viewed patient and family engagement as a way to achieve family centred care. Promoting family engagement within the ICU setting is recognised as more challenging to nursing practice because of the added emotional aspects for families of acutely ill patients (Brown et al 2015). This research was part of an international collaboration supported by the Family Care in Acute and Critical Illness Research Cluster which is supported by the International Family Nursing Association. This presentation will focus on the findings of the UK aspect of the research. Research Question: How do nurses from one English setting describe their nursing engagement with families of adults admitted in intensive care units? Methods: A social ecological approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) was used for this study. Social ecology acknowledges that families are complex groups that interact with other people and their world to provide meaning. Data were collected including demographic information, individual semi-structured qualitative interviews which were transcribed, and a questionnaire ‘Factors That Influence Family Engagement (QFIFE)’ (Hetland, Hickman, McAndrew, & Daly, 2017). One intensive care unit in the South East of England was used for this study. Permanent members of the nursing team were invited to participate. Analysis was undertaken using a statistic package (SPSS version 21) for questionnaire data and a content analysis approach for qualitative data. Ethical approval was gained from the University and Gray Area Project approval from the healthcare organisation. Results: Seven participants completed all aspects of the data collection. All participants rated that family engagement was important. Engagement varied depending of the acuity of the patient with nurses deciding the level of family engagement at a particular point in the patient journey. As the patients’ illness stabilised the involvement of the family was promoted. The family engagement role can be described as observers, encouragers, supporter or active participants in patient care. Staff were particularly concerned about maintaining the safety of the patient during any family activities and developing good communication. Initial analysis suggests that nurses regulate family engagement to ensure safety of patients and to promote recovery. Families need encouragement from ICU nurses to engage in a meaningful way. Building rapport and setting boundaries are skills needed by nurses and families value explanation of care. Conclusions: Family engagement needs careful consideration about the amount and type of activities that are appropriate and safe for families to undertake at a particular point. However, family engagement is seen as positive contribution to the patient recovery journey. This international project will continue to compare and combine results across the world. Consideration of future initiatives to family engagement in ICU will be further outlined

Mid-term report for the CORE Organic II funded project. “Innovative cropping Practices to increase soil health of organic fruit tree orchards” BIO-INCROP

Activities performed in the first part of BIO-INCROP project concern five of the eight main objectives fixed in the project proposal. They are: Evaluation of soil borne pest and pathogens involved in replant disease Role of rhizospheric bacterial and fungal communities in plant health Selection of naturally available resources to increase microbial diversity and biomass Compost and organic amendments Evaluation of biologically active formulates The document reports main research results and shows main items of dissemination activity performed in the first part of the project