Search

Numerous facets of public and internalized mental illness stigma have been established. This study focuses on the stigma of being associated with someone with depression and cultural differences between a Western and an Eastern culture. The aim was to compare White British and South Asians living in the United Kingdom regarding their causal explanations for depression, stigma towards people with depression and stigma by association.A cross-sectional design.White British and South Asians (N = 137) in the United Kingdom completed a survey measuring attributions about the aetiology of depression, discriminatory potential towards people with depression and stigma by association.Results revealed that South Asians attributed greater supernatural, moral and psychosocial causes to depression, while White British endorsed greater biological beliefs. South Asians reported a greater discriminatory potential towards people with depression (lower willingness for closeness, greater desire for social distance) than White British. They also indicated greater affective, cognitive and behavioural stigma by association. Stigma by association mediated the relationship between cultural group and willingness for closeness as well as desire for social distance. Perceived dangerousness was a mediator for willingness for closeness.These findings suggest that a greater consideration of the role of culture in the understanding of mental health is important to combat stigma towards individuals with depression and those close to them across Western and Eastern cultures.

This research examined the impact of a change in school diversity on school children’s intergroup relations. A longitudinal survey tracked 551 White British and Asian British students (Mage = 11.32) transitioning from elementary (time 1) to secondary (time 2) school in an ethnically segregated town in the United Kingdom. We estimated a multivariate, multilevel model. A cross-sectional comparison of segregated schools and a mixed elementary school at time 1 revealed that both Asian and White British in the mixed school reported more positive intergroup relations. A longitudinal analysis found that the transition from segregated elementary to mixed secondary schools was associated with Asian British developing more positive intergroup relations. White British reported overall less positive intergroup relations, although only trust decreased, evidence from other measures remains inconclusive. The findings are important for understanding early stages of diversity exposure, and the impact of changing diversity levels on majority and minority groups.

Public stigma towards people with mental health problems has been demonstrated in Western societies. Little is known about non-Western cultures and whether cultures differ in their perceptions of people with mental health problems. Aim of this study was to examine cultural differences in prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination towards people with psychosis. Participants were young people from White British and South Asian backgrounds (N = 128, aged 16-20 years) recruited from two schools and colleges in the UK. They completed a cross-sectional survey on affective, cognitive and behavioral dimensions of stigma. Results revealed significant cultural differences on all three stigma dimensions. South Asians attributed higher anger (prejudice) and dangerousness (stereotypes) to people with psychosis than White British. They also reported lower willingness to help, greater avoidance and higher endorsement of segregation (discrimination). The effects of ethnic group on helping intentions, avoidance and segregation endorsement were mediated by anger and by dangerousness. Understanding cultural differences in stigma towards psychosis will be important for designing stigma interventions as well as treatments for people with different cultural backgrounds.

The fluxes of energy, matter, and organisms are important structuring forces of metaecosystems. Such ecosystem fluxes likely interact with environmental heterogeneity and differentially affect the diversity of multiple communities. In an aquatic mesocosm experiment, we tested how ecosystem flux and patch heterogeneity affected the diversity of bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton metacommunities, and the structure and functioning of metaecosystems. We built metaecosystems consisting of three mesocosms that were either connected by flux of living organisms, organic material, and nutrients (alive ecosystem flux) or only by flux of organic material and nutrients (dead ecosystem flux). The three patches of each metaecosystem were either homogeneous or heterogeneous in nutrient loading. We found that the three groups of organisms responded differently to our treatments: flux of living organisms increased bacterial diversity irrespective of nutrient heterogeneity, while flux effects on phytoplankton diversity depended on nutrient heterogeneity, potentially indicating source-sink effects. Although zooplankton diversity was largely unaffected by our manipulations, subtle changes of community composition in response to ecosystem flux had strong effects on lower trophic levels, highlighting the importance of indirect flux effects via alterations in trophic interactions. Furthermore, differential effects of communities on the mean and spatial variability of local abiotic environments influenced the development of metaecosystem heterogeneity through time. Despite identical nutrient loading at the scale of the metaecosystem, abiotic conditions diverged between homogeneous and heterogeneous metaecosystems. For example, concentrations in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were higher in homogeneous than heterogeneous metaecosystems, possibly because of differential responses of the algal community to local environmental conditions. Similarly, we found that flux effects on organisms translated into effects on DOC concentrations at the patch level, suggesting that flux-mediated changes in abundances of species can alter abiotic conditions. Our study shows that the dynamics of biotic and abiotic compartments of spatially structured ecosystems are intricately linked, highlighting the importance of integrating metacommunity and metaecosystem perspectives.

IMPORTANCE Uncommon characteristics in genetically unsolved retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients may indicate an incorrect clinical diagnosis or as yet unknown genetic causes resulting in specific retinal phenotypes. The diagnostic yield of targeted next-generation sequencing may be increased by a reasonable preselection of RP-patients. BACKGROUND To systematically evaluate and compare features of genetically solved and unsolved RP-patients. DESIGN Retrospective, observational study. PARTICIPANTS One-hundred and twelve consecutive RP-patients who underwent extensive molecular genetic analysis. METHODS Characterization of patients based on multimodal imaging and medical history. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Differences between genetically solved and unsolved RP-patients. RESULTS Compared to genetically solved patients (n = 77), genetically unsolved patients (n = 35) more frequently had an age of disease-onset above 30 years (60% vs 8%; P < 0.0001), showed atypical fundus features (49% vs 8%; P < 0. 0001) and indicators for phenocopies (eg, autoimmune diseases) (17% vs 0%; P < 0. 001). Evidence for a particular inheritance pattern was less common (20% vs 49%; P < 0. 01). The diagnostic yield was 84% (71/85) in patients with first symptoms below 30 years-of-age, compared to 69% (77/112) in the overall cohort. The other selection criteria alone or in combination resulted in limited further increase of the diagnostic yield (up to 89%) while excluding considerably more patients (up to 56%) from genetic testing. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The medical history and retinal phenotype differ between genetically solved and a subgroup of unsolved RP-patients, which may reflect undetected genotypes or retinal conditions mimicking RP. Patient stratification may inform on the individual likelihood of identifying disease-causing mutations and may impact patient counselling.

Improving the hemocompatibility of artificial implants by micro structuring their surfaces has shown promising results, but the mechanisms which lead to this improvement are not yet understood. Therefore, we built a test setup for real-time visualization of platelet interaction with a plain and two micro structured surfaces. The micro structures, defined by the distance of the plain surface area between the structures, were chosen to be 3 and 30 μm, representing a positive and a negative effect on the hemocompatibility. The main part of the test setup was a flow chamber containing films of low density polyethylene (LDPE) with the differently structured surfaces. For different wall shear stresses, no considerable differences were observed in the platelet-surface interaction for all surface types. Whereas, major differences in flow behavior were observed when comparing the surfaces to each other. The platelets "rolled" along the smooth surface, being in constant contact with the surface material. Although the platelets "rolled" over the surface with small structures as well, they were only in contact with the tips of the structure and therefore had less surface contact with the foreign material. The increased distance and height of the structures of the last surface led to a trapping of platelets between the structures. This resulted in a longer contact time with the foreign material as well as a larger contact area, which both increase the risk of platelet activation, adhesion, and finally clotting. Our results showed the mechanisms which lead to these effects and thus revealed why micro structuring of surfaces impacts the hemocompatibility. Furthermore, we established a test setup which can be used for future investigations on the platelet-structure interactions.

Das Querkrafttragverhalten schubbewehrter Stahlbetonbalken ist nach wie vor Gegenstand intensiver Diskussionen und aktueller Forschungen. Dabei konzentrieren sich die Untersuchungen stets auf einachsige Belastungen, die parallel zu den Querschnittshauptachsen verlaufen. Erst in den letzten Jahren wurde eine mogliche Querkraftneigung erstmals theoretisch berucksichtigt und in Tragmodelle integriert. Experimentelle Untersuchungen hierzu liegen nur sehr begrenzt vor. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird daher eine umfangreiche Versuchsreihe mit geneigten Querkraftwirkungen vorgestellt und analysiert. Der Vergleich experimenteller und rechnerischer Bruchlasten zeigt die Notwendigkeit einer mechanisch konsistenten Berucksichtigung der Querkraftneigung in allen Widerstandsanteilen von Zug- wie Druckstreben. Ein weiterentwickeltes Bemessungsmodell, das wirtschaftlichere Bemessungen ermoglicht, wird vorgestellt und zur praktischen Anwendung weiterentwickelt. Bearing Behaviour of RC Beams Subjected to Biaxial Shear Forces The shear bearing behaviour of RC beams is still subject of expert's discussion and intensive research. Most investigations focus on uniaxial loading conditions parallel to one principal axis. More recently, biaxial shear – leading to inclined shear forces – was theoretically considered and integrated into new design concepts. However, its experimental basis is rather limited. Thus, extensive biaxial shear tests are carried out and analysed. Their main findings are presented in the paper. The design concept is elaborated to introduce inclination effects into all partitions of the resistances provided by the tensile and the compressive shear struts. Designs become more precise and more economic.

Es wird ein praxisfertiges, digitales System zur Erfassung und Auswertung von Rissen an Massivbauwerken vorgestellt. Es nutzt eine konventionelle Digitalkamera mit spezifischem Aufsatztubus fur die eigentliche fotografische Aufnahme am Bauwerk. Auf Basis einer Graustufenanalyse mit mehreren Dutzend Auswertestellen je Zentimeter Risslange werden die Risse am Computer ausgewertet und in ihren Kenndaten wie mittlere Rissbreite, Streubreiten oder Rauigkeitsprofil analysiert. Praktische Anwendungen bei der Zustandsuberprufung von Bauwerken – beispielsweise der Bruckenprufung nach DIN 1076 – und bei Schubversuchen im Labor zeigen nicht nur die Genauigkeit, sondern auch die einfache praktische Handhabung des Systems. A Digital System to Record and Analyse Cracks A digital system – ready for its practical use – is presented to precisely record and analyse cracks at concrete or masonry structures. It uses a standard digital camera and a specific cylindrical attachment to photographically record crack pattern at surfaces. Crack parameters like medium widths, width variations or width profiles are analysed from several dozen measurement points per centimetre of a crack using a developed software tool. Applications on site – like bridge evaluations acc. DIN 1076 – and in the lab – like monitorings of shear crack developments – illustrate handling, precision and data extent of the system in comparison to standard methods.

Dargestellt wird das praktische Vorgehen der Querkraftbemessung bei geneigt zu den Querschnittshauptachsen angreifenden Querkraften (zweiachsige Querkraft). Dazu werden fur Stahlbetontrager mit Rechteckquerschnitt die Widerstandsgleichungen fur Zug- und Druckstrebentragfahigkeiten auf Grundlage von DIN 1045-1 und EC 2 abgeleitet, verifiziert und in Bemessungsdiagrammen aufgearbeitet. Ein Beispiel zeigt die einfache Ermittlung erforderlicher Bugelbewehrungsmengen mit gleichzeitigem Nachweis der Druckstrebentragfahigkeit. Die konstruktiven Regeln fur Bugelverankerungen und das Versatzmas lassen sich bei Beachtung der raumlichen Neigung des Querkraftfachwerks und der verdrehten Nulllinienlage direkt auf Situationen geneigter Querkraftwirkungen ubertragen. Design Methods and Detailing for RC Beams with Inclined Shear Forces The shear-resistant design of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with rectangular cross sections and inclined shear forces (biaxial shear) is presented. Equations for the shear resistances provided by the tensile strut and by the compressive strut are derived according to the design concepts of DIN 1045-1 and EC 2. They are verified to experimental data and elaborated to gain design charts. Examples show the practical applications. Existing detailing provisions for the anchorage of stirrups and the horizontal displacement in the tensile force of the bending reinforcement can directly be applied to cases of biaxial shear, if the rotations of the neutral axis and of the resultant strut-and-tie system are taken into account.

An attempt to discover what can be learned from the recent work of Frank Tipler on the Omega Point theory requires an analysis of his framework of understanding from scientific, philosophical, and theological perspectives. A critique of his crucial ideas, and of the salient points raised by some of his critics, can then be undertaken within the compass of his strengths. A critique of the critiques of Tipler's work allows one to evaluate the extent and limitations of his contributions.

The science-religion exchange in failing to address fundamental issues is popular but ineffective. Reductionism and determinism, teleology, the assumed centrality of ethics in religion and progress must be reexamined to unify the task of science and religion into a common search for meaning in its eschatological dimension