Cryptosporidium Dose Response Studies: Variation Between Isolates

The infectivity of three different isolates of the waterborne protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum has been tested in human feeding studies. These three isolates (Iowa, TAMU, and UCP) have different ID50s, indicating substantial variation in their infectivity for humans. This finding is of great importance for quantitative risk assessment as it provides strong evidence for heterogeneity in infectivity among isolates of the same species.     

The heritage machine: the neoliberal order and the individualisation of identity in Maragatería (Spain)

Since the inception of modernity, minority and majority identities have been constructed in a twofold process involving the parallel generation of representations of difference and the obliteration of alterity, that is, of other modes of existence. The exacerbation of the modern period in the supermodern era has furthered this process, adapting it to the new forms of neoliberal and post-political governmentality. This is paralleled by a shift from real to symbolic and metacultural forms of interaction that serve to negotiate identity and hegemony in the social sphere. Heritage has become a fundamental trope for the negotiation of identity, access to resources and power, as its production is not anymore bounded to the State but is rather ‘dispersed’ in society. This article explores the way cultural heritage has become a ‘machine’ for the production of dominant and individualised identities interacting in a deregulated market environment in Maragatería (Spain).     

Reactions by Native American parents to child protection agencies: cultural and community factors.

The oppression suffered by Native Americans has so undermined their culture and ability to parent that child abuse and neglect are frequent problems. Yet the history of oppression often seriously damages the capacity of many Native American parents to accept help from child protective service agencies and staff members. This article explains the particular characteristics and behaviors of some Native American parents, and closes with a summarized guide to understanding these parents and to appropriate behavior on the part of social workers.     

A Multidimensional Approach to Measuring Quality of Employment (QoE) Deprivation in Six Central American Countries

This paper proposes a methodology for measuring Quality of Employment (QoE) deprivation from a multidimensional perspective in six Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama) using a dataset specifically designed to measure employment conditions. Building on previous work on multidimensional poverty and employment indicators, the paper uses the Alkire/Foster (AF) method to construct a synthetic indicator of the QoE at an individual level. It selects four dimensions that must be considered as essential to QoE deprivation: income, job stability, job security and employment conditions. These dimensions then subdivide into several indicators, a threshold for each indicator and dimension is established before defining an overall cut-off line that allows for the calculation of composite levels of deprivation. The results generated by this indicator show that Central American countries can be divided into three distinct and robust performance groups in terms of their QoE deprivation. Overall, approximately 60% of the deprivation levels are attributable to non-income variables, such as occupational status and job tenure. The methodology used can allow policymakers to identify and focus on the most vulnerable workers in a labour market and highlights the fact that having a formal written contract is no guarantee of good job quality, particularly in the case of women.

     

Separating thoughts from the self by selling them to others: the moderating role of self-esteem / Separar los pensamientos del yo al venderlos a otros: el rol moderador de la autoestima

Abstract

This research introduces a new approach for separating people from their thoughts by anticipating selling them to others. Participants were asked to write down either positive or negative thoughts about fast food on different pieces of paper. Then, participants were randomly assigned to role-play the part of either potential buyers or sellers for an advertising campaign. Finally, all participants indicated their self-esteem (as an additional predictor) and their attitudes towards fast food (as the dependent measure). For high self-esteem participants, anticipating selling thoughts to others reduced the impact of thoughts on attitudes, suggesting that distancing thoughts from a location with high validity (the self) reduced the perceived value of their thoughts. In contrast, for low self-esteem participants, anticipating selling thoughts increased their usage, suggesting that separating thoughts from a location with low validity (the self) increased the perceived value of those thoughts. These findings suggest that thoughts can be associated with high or low validity depending on individual differences in self-esteem.     

Introduction to meta-cognitive processes of thought separation: an illustrative overview / Introducción a los procesos metacognitivos de separación del propio pensamiento: una visión general ilustrativa

Abstract

The main goal of this introductory article is to provide an overview of some of the main empirical illustrations relevant to the psychology of separating from one’s thoughts. Separating from our own thoughts often involves thinking about our own thoughts (meta-cognition). We describe meta-cognitive processes relevant to how individuals calibrate and control the impact of their thoughts on judgement and behaviour. Amongst other things, this special issue presents us with an opportunity to examine the similarities and differences between key contributions focused on correction and suppression processes, decentering approaches and separating from thoughts by using a variety of techniques. In addition to these paradigms covered in the articles of this special issue, we review other approaches that also involve reducing the impact of thoughts, with special attention to invalidation processes. Additional frameworks relevant to mental separation included in this review are those relevant to non-evaluative observation of thoughts, psychological distance and mental hygiene.     

Subtle priming of subtraction versus addition: a spill-over effect of math / La inducción sutil de sumar vs. restar: un efecto indirecto de las matemáticas

Abstract

Studies on bias correction have often used blatant inductions to motivate people to reduce the mental impact of perceived biases. In the current research, we test a relatively unexplored, subtle way of inducing bias correction based on the activation of different calculative mindsets. Across two studies, participants were exposed to an advertisement introducing a new consumer product delivered by a credible or non-credible source. Then, as part of an ostensibly unrelated study, participants completed mathematical operations that involved subtracting or adding. Study 1 revealed that when participants were primed with an addition calculative mindset, an expert source elicited more favourable attitudes towards the product than a non-expert source. This pattern illustrates the traditional effect of source credibility on persuasion. In contrast, within the subtraction calculative mindset condition, persuasion was no different between an expert and a non-expert source. These results were obtained exclusively under high thinking conditions (e.g., for participants high in Need for Cognition). This finding can be interpreted as if the effect of source credibility was subtracted from the evaluative judgement. Study 2 replicated this two-way interaction using different materials and inductions. The present research has implications for bias correction, procedural priming, persuasion and beyond.     

Regionalizing Healthcare in Alberta: Legislated Change, Uncertainty and Loose Coupling

In this paper,we examine the re-organizing attempts of the Alberta government in healthcare from the viewpoint of uncertainty,loose coupling and the frequently unrecognized consequences of such change.We suggest that our understanding of change processes can be enhanced by conceptualizing the impact of task and environmental uncertainty through the nature of coupling between organizational elements.Based on our .ndings,we propose that the greater the degree of loose coupling in an organization,the more di .cult change is likely to be,and the more likely the occurrence of unanticipated consequences.     

ABC Shadow algorithm: a tool for statistical analysis of spatial patterns

This paper presents an original ABC algorithm, ABC Shadow, that can be applied to sample posterior densities that are continuously differentiable. The proposed algorithm solves the main condition to be fulfilled by any ABC algorithm, in order to be useful in practice. This condition requires enough samples in the parameter space region, induced by the observed statistics. The algorithm is tuned on the posterior of a Gaussian model which is entirely known, and then, it is applied for the statistical analysis of several spatial patterns. These patterns are issued or assumed to be outcomes of point processes. The considered models are: Strauss, Candy and area-interaction.