bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantum cascade laser spectroscopy of OCS isotopologues in 4He nanodroplets: A test of adiabatic following for a heavy rotor
Authors: Faulkner Ty , Miller Isaac , Raston Paul L.
Published: January 2018

We report high-resolution infrared spectra of OCS isotopologues embedded in helium nanodroplets that were recorded with a newly built spectrometer. For the normal isotopologue, we observed the relatively weak third bending overtone band, in addition to new high J transitions in the C–O stretching fundamental, which has previously been investigated by diode laser spectroscopy [S. Grebenev et al., J. Chem. Phys. 112, 4485 (2000)]. Similar to the gas phase, the overtone band is (only) 45 cm−1 higher in energy than the fundamental, and this leads to additional broadening due to rapid vibrational relaxation that is accompanied by the creation of real/virtual phonon excitations. We also observed spectra in the C–O stretching fundamental for several minor isotopologues of OCS, including 18OCS, O13CS, and OC33S, in addition to some new peaks for OC34S. A rovibrational analysis allowed for determination of the moment of inertia of helium (ΔIHe) that couples to the rotation of OCS for each isotopologue. In the context of the adiabatic following approximation, the helium density structure that follows the rotation of OCS should essentially remain unchanged between the isotopologues, i.e., there should be no dependence of ΔIHe on the gas phase moment of inertia of OCS (IG). While this behavior was expected for the “heavy” OCS rotor investigated here, we instead found an approximately linear 1:1 relation between ΔIHe and IG, which suggests partial breakdown of the adiabatic following approximation, making OCS the heaviest molecule for which evidence for this effect has been obtained.
Solvophilic and solvophobic surfaces and non-Coulombic surface interactions in charge regulating electric double layers
Authors: Vangara R. , van Swol F. , Petsev D. N.
Published: January 2018

The properties of electric double layers are governed by the interface between the substrate and the adjacent electrolyte solution. This interface is involved in chemical, Coulombic, and non-Coulombic (e.g., van der Waals or Lennard-Jones) interactions with all components of the fluid phase. We present a detailed study of these interactions using a classical density functional approach. A particular focus is placed on the non-Coulombic interactions and their effect on the surface chemistry and charge regulation. The solution structure near the charged interface is also analyzed and used to offer a thorough interpretation of established concepts such as the Stern and diffuse ionic layers.
Simulating particle inertia for velocimetry measurements of a flow behind an expanding shock wave
Authors: Koroteeva E. , Mursenkova I. , Liao Yu. , Znamenskaya I.
Published: January 2018

When particle-based velocimetry techniques are applied to complex high-speed flows, the non-ideal tracing capability of seeding particles becomes most prominent. Here, we present a numerical particle tracking methodology to predict the bias errors associated with particle image velocimetry (PIV) of flows with moving shocks. The methodology involves performing computational fluid dynamics simulations that yield time-varying flow fields, which are then used to compute the actual paths and velocities of the seeding particles. We test this approach on PIV measurements of the velocity field behind an expanding semi-cylindrical shock wave, generated by a pulsed sliding discharge. Although in transient high-speed compressible flows the PIV imaging accuracy is still hindered by the finite particle response, the proposed methodology allows for both a successful quantification of PIV errors as well as a direct comparison between particle-based velocimetry and numerical simulations.
Conversion between parallel and antiparallel β-sheets in wild-type and Iowa mutant Aβ40 fibrils
Authors: Xi Wenhui , Hansmann Ulrich H. E.
Published: January 2018

Using a variant of Hamilton-replica-exchange, we study for wild type and Iowa mutant Aβ40 the conversion between fibrils with antiparallel β-sheets and such with parallel β-sheets. We show that wild type and mutant form distinct salt bridges that in turn stabilize different fibril organizations. The conversion between the two fibril forms leads to the release of small aggregates that in the Iowa mutant may shift the equilibrium from fibrils to more toxic oligomers.
Forward flux sampling calculation of homogeneous nucleation rates from aqueous NaCl solutions
Authors: Jiang Hao , Haji-Akbari Amir , Debenedetti Pablo G. , Panagiotopoulos Athanassios Z.
Published: January 2018

We used molecular dynamics simulations and the path sampling technique known as forward flux sampling to study homogeneous nucleation of NaCl crystals from supersaturated aqueous solutions at 298 K and 1 bar. Nucleation rates were obtained for a range of salt concentrations for the Joung-Cheatham NaCl force field combined with the Extended Simple Point Charge (SPC/E) water model. The calculated nucleation rates are significantly lower than the available experimental measurements. The estimates for the nucleation rates in this work do not rely on classical nucleation theory, but the pathways observed in the simulations suggest that the nucleation process is better described by classical nucleation theory than an alternative interpretation based on Ostwald’s step rule, in contrast to some prior simulations of related models. In addition to the size of NaCl nucleus, we find that the crystallinity of a nascent cluster plays an important role in the nucleation process. Nuclei with high crystallinity were found to have higher growth probability and longer lifetimes, possibly because they are less exposed to hydration water.
New feature for evaluation of subsurface defects via multi-frequency alternating current field signature method
Authors: Gan Fangji , Li Wenyang , Liao Junbi
Published: January 2018

A multi-frequency alternating current field signature method (MACFSM) that combines multi-frequency excitation and zero phase is proposed to detect subsurface defects in metal pipes. In a numerical analysis, multi-frequency exciting currents are applied to a metal pipe (wall thickness T = 10mm) which contains different depth defects, and then zero phase is extracted from phase spectrum to assess defect depth. The investigation shows that in comparison with derivative extremum, the monotonic relationship between zero phase and defect depth can enable accurate determinations of defect depths. A general solution for calculating defect depth using zero phase is given in MACFSM. Pulse excitation field signature method is proposed for future research of quantitative nondestructive evaluation (QNDE) in the end of this paper.
Enhanced thermal transport across multilayer graphene and water by interlayer functionalization
Authors: Cao Bing-Yang , Zou Ji-Hang , Hu Guo-Jie , Cao Gui-Xing
Published: January 2018

Graphene has attracted enormous attention due to its extraordinary physical properties, which have potential for increasing the thermal conductivity of nanocomposites or nanofluids, and the thermal resistance between graphene and the surrounding matrices arises as an important issue. In this paper, the thermal transport at the graphene-water interface is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. The interfacial thermal resistance decreases with the graphene layer number. Interlayer functionalization by oxygen atoms is applied to tune the interfacial thermal resistance. A peak thermal resistance reduction of nearly 50% is generated with the oxygen ratio of only 0.5% for two-layer graphene. Based on the analyses of vibrational density of states, it is found that lower thermal resistance is consistent with more vibrational density of states overlaps at the interface. Our results are instructive for improving the interfacial thermal transport in graphene-based nanocomposites and nanofluids.
Measurement and control from frequency to phase based on virtual signal reconstruction
Authors: Li Zhiqi , Zhou Wei , Chen Jingbiao , Bai Lina , Chen Faxi , Xu Longfei , Ge Xiaoxia , Miao Miao
Published: January 2018

A virtual reconstruction method of directly capturing phase information between different nominal frequency signals, without frequency transformation, is proposed in this paper, building a virtual standard frequency signal whose frequency equals the measured nominal frequency and then making continuous comparison in the measuring gate which is synchronous with multiple periods between the measured signal and the reference frequency signal. Phase variations of the measured signal in every continuous gate are determined, and continuous phase-measuring is implemented. The experimental result verifies this special method for directly processing the phase difference between different nominal frequency signals and realizes a comparison precision of 10−17/day in a wide range.
Calculations of secondary electron yield of graphene coated copper for vacuum electronic applications
Authors: Nguyen H. K. A. , Mankowski J. , Dickens J. C. , Neuber A. A. , Joshi R. P.
Published: January 2018

The suppression of secondary electron yield (SEY) which can possibly lead to multipactor is an important goal for several applications. Though some techniques have focused on geometric modifications to lower the SEY, the use of graphene coatings as thin as a few monolayers is a promising new development that deserves attention either as a standalone technique or in concert with geometric alterations. Here we report on Monte Carlo based numerical studies of SEY on graphene coated copper with comparisons to recent experimental data. Our predicted values are generally in good agreement with reported measurements. Suppression of the secondary electron yield by as much as 50 percent (over copper) with graphene coating is predicted at energies below 125 eV, and bodes well for multipactor suppression in radio frequency applications.
New gel formation mechanism discovered
Authors: Cockbill Louisa
Published: January 2018

A newly identified microscopic mechanism underlies the gel formation of a weakly attractive mixture of colloidal species with modest size ratio.
Scaling effect on Ag3Sn growth behaviours in micro-joints for flip chip assemblies
Authors: Tian Ye , Ren Ning , Jian Xiaoxia , Shang Shuanjun , Sitaraman Suresh. K.
Published: January 2018

The scaling effect on Ag3Sn growth behaviours in Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu (SAC305) micro-joints of flip chip assemblies was investigated using thermal shock (TS) tests. After assembly reflow, the large plate-like Ag3Sn compounds only emerged from the Cu interface of small joints, which was strongly related with a higher local Ag concentration in the remaining solder. During TS cycling, the growth of Ag3Sn grains exhibited comparatively more pronounced growth in the solder matrix of small joints, due to the stronger strain-enhanced coarsening induced by more cycle stress and strain. Coarsening kinetic models based on TS experiments were employed to predict Ag3Sn growth, the kinetic constants N were determined to clarify the correlation of the joints scaling and Ag3Sn coarsening in depth.
Interfacial reactions of Sn–Zn–Ag–Cu alloy on soldered Al/Cu and Al/Al joints
Authors: Gancarz Tomasz , Pstrus Janusz , Berent Katarzyna
Published: January 2018

This work shows the effect on the soldering process of the addition of Ag and Cu to Sn–Zn alloys. Soldering of Al/Cu and Al/Al joints was performed for a time of 3 min, at a temperature of 250°C, with the use of flux. Aging was carried out at 170°C for Al/Cu and Al/Al joints for 1 and 10 days. During the aging process, intermetallic layers grew at the interface of the Al/Cu joint at the Cu substrate. Intermetallic layers were not observed during wetting of Al/Al joints. On the contrary, dissolution of the Al substrate and migration of Al-rich particles into the bulk of the solder were observed. The experiment was designed to demonstrate the effect of Ag and Cu addition on the dissolution of Al substrate during the soldering and aging processes. In the solder alloys, small precipitates of AgZn3 and Cu5Zn8 were observed.
The Influence of Social Modeling, Gender, and Empathy on Treatment Side Effects
Authors: Faasse Kate , Yeom Brian , Parkes Bryony , Kearney James , Petrie Keith J
Published: January 2018

Background

Social modeling has the capacity to shape treatment outcomes, including side effects.

Purpose

This study investigated the influence of social modeling of treatment side effects, gender, and participant empathy, on side effects of a placebo treatment.

Methods

Ninety-six participants (48 females) completed a study purportedly investigating the influence of modafinil (actually placebo) on alertness and fatigue. The participants were randomly seated with a male or female confederate and saw this confederate report experiencing side effects or no side effects. Participant empathy was assessed at baseline. Changes in modeled and general symptoms, and misattribution of symptoms, were assessed during the session and at 24-hr follow-up.

Results

During the experimental session, seeing side effect modeling significantly increased modeled symptoms (p = .023, d = 0.56) but not general or misattributed symptoms. Regardless of modeling condition, female participants seated with a female model reported significantly more general symptoms during the session. However, response to social modeling did not differ significantly by model or participant gender. At follow-up, the effect of social modeling of side effects had generalized to other symptoms, resulting in significantly higher rates of modeled symptoms (p = .023, d = 0.48), general symptoms (p = .013, d = 0.49), and misattributed symptoms (p = .022, d = 0.50). The experience of modeled symptoms in response to social modeling was predicted by participants’ levels of baseline empathy.

Conclusions

Social modeling of symptoms can increase the side effects following treatment, and this effect appears to generalize to a broader range of symptoms and symptom misattribution over time. Higher baseline empathy seems to increase response to social modeling.
Examination of Nutrition Literacy and Quality of Self-monitoring in Behavioral Weight Loss
Authors: Rosenbaum Diane L , Clark Margaret H , Convertino Alexandra D , Call Christine C , Forman Evan M , Butryn Meghan L
Published: January 2018

Background

Few have examined nutrition literacy (i.e., capacity to process and make informed nutritional decisions) in behavioral weight loss. Nutrition literacy (NL) may impact necessary skills for weight loss, contributing to outcome disparities.

Purpose

The study sets out to identify correlates of NL; evaluate whether NL predicted weight loss, food record completion and quality, and session attendance; and investigate whether the relations of race and education to weight loss were mediated by NL and self-monitoring.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of 6-month behavioral weight loss program in which overweight/obese adults (N = 320) completed a baseline measure of NL (i.e., Newest Vital Sign). Participants self-monitored caloric intake via food records.

Results

NL was lower for black participants (p < .001) and participants with less education (p = .002). Better NL predicted better 6-month weight loss (b = −.63, p = .04) and food record quality (r = .37, p < .001), but not food record completion or attendance (ps > 0.05). Black participants had lower NL, which was associated with poorer food record quality, which adversely affected weight loss. There was no indirect effect of education on weight loss through NL and food record quality.

Conclusions

Overall, results suggest that lower NL is problematic for weight loss. For black participants, NL may indirectly impact weight loss through quality of self-monitoring. This might be one explanation for poorer behavioral weight loss outcomes among black participants. Additional research should investigate whether addressing these skills through enhanced treatment improves outcomes.

Clinical trial information

NCT02363010.
Class and Poverty in Southern Literature
Authors: Schinko Carsten
Published: January 2018

The South has generated a unique set of myths, which are often at odds with the dominant Puritan-bred tales of American exceptionalism. If the North had to downplay vertical visions of the social, class stratifications have always been recognized more readily in the Southern regions. Rather than disentangling race from class, however, these categories were seen as closely connected in the antebellum slave-holding South. Even after the end of slavery, class was never solely an economic category; surprisingly close to notions of caste, class dynamics came fully entrenched with cultural distinctions, which more often than not were cast in the language of blood ties—the rhetoric of race. As a result, strong values were attributed to these distinctions. And although the North, too, assessed the rich and the poor in the stern moral vocabulary, the influence of pseudo-scientific Eugenics studies and other factors added a new dimension to this moralizing of the hierarchic order in the South. This had repercussions on the way the poor were perceived. The allegedly chivalrous planter aristocracy at the top found their counterpart at the low end of the stratum in a form of abject poverty. Some poor whites were located just a notch above the black citizenry whose exclusion dramatically exceeded went beyond economic hardship. It proved to be a proximity structuring the cultural imaginary to come. Intricately linked to the logic of racism, a slur such as “white trash” introduced a categorical difference into whiteness—the good, reformable poor were pitted against the hopeless “dirty” poor—thriving on stereotypes similar to the dehumanizing depictions of African Americans and begging the question of reciprocity between “them” and “us.”

From the Old South to the New South, literature has fulfilled a variety of functions in this regard. Often, it was complicit in maintaining the biases of this peculiar culture of poverty, by revitalizing the stock of stereotypes of poor whites, or by downplaying the terror of the plantations and naturalizing the hierarchies between the classes. At times, it also subverted the household representations and created ambiguous tales of class and life in poverty; at others, writers aimed at a more truthful account, or tried to tell tales of solidarity. The literary history of white poverty is only the most consistent tale to be told when it comes to Southern writing. While not unrelated, another tradition has come to the fore when African American writers were able to create and publish their own accounts of black life. Ever since Jim Crow laws created a black underclass in the Reconstruction period, depictions of their life experiences included economic hardships as well. Tied to different genres and poetological interests, black writers engaged in a reflection of the twin exclusions of race and class. Finally, in the so-called Postsouth era, the literature of poverty has been rejuvenated by a more self-reflexive aesthetics that moves beyond the earlier concerns of Southern literature.
Nuyorican and Diasporican Literature and Culture
Authors: Duany Jorge
Published: January 2018

The term “Nuyorican” (in its various spellings) refers to the combination of “Puerto Rican” and “New Yorker.” The sobriquet became a popular shorthand for the Puerto Rican exodus to the United States after World War II. Since the mid-1960s, the neologism became associated with the literary and artistic movement known as “Nuyorican.” The movement was institutionalized with the 1973 founding of the Nuyorican Poets Café in the Lower East Side of Manhattan by Miguel Algarín and Miguel Piñero. Much of Nuyorican literature featured frequent autobiographical references, the predominance of the English language, street slang, realism, parodic humor, subversive politics, and a rupture with the island’s literary models. Since the 1980s, the literature of the Puerto Rican diaspora has been characterized as “post-Nuyorican” or “Diasporican” to capture some of its stylistic and thematic shifts, including a movement away from urban blight, violence, colloquialism, and radicalism. The Bronx-born poet María Teresa (“Mariposa”) Fernández coined the term “Diasporican” in a celebrated 1993 poem. Contemporary texts written by Puerto Ricans in the United States also reflect their growing dispersal from their initial concentration in New York City.
Tectonic Dynamics in the African Rift Valley and Climate Change
Authors: Ring Uwe
Published: January 2018

The East African Rift System (EARS) transecting the high-elevation East African plateau is one of the most outstanding rift systems on earth. Rifting was caused by a huge uprising mantle plume under East Africa. Two distinct rift branches are distinguished: an older, volcanically very active Eastern Branch and a younger, much less volcanic Western Branch. The Eastern Branch is generally characterized by high elevation, whereas the Western Branch comprises a number of deep rift lakes (e.g., Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malaŵi). These differences reflect different plate strengths, the latter of which are largely governed by differences in how the mantle plume interacted with the East African lithosphere. Much of the topography forming the East African plateau has been caused by the uprising mantle plume. The onset of topographic uplift in the EARS is poorly dated but preceded graben development, the latter of which commenced at ~24 Ma in the Ethiopian Rift, at ~12 Ma in Kenya, and at ~10 Ma in the Western Branch. Increased uplift of the East African plateau since ~15–10 Ma might be connected to climate change in East Africa and human evolution. East Africa experienced cooling starting at 15.5–12.5 Ma that heralded profound faunal changes at 8–5 Ma, when the hominin lineage split from the chimpanzee lineage. The Pliocene is characterized by warm and wet climate between 5.3 and 3.3 Ma transitioning into a period of cooler and more arid conditions after ~3 Ma. The climate in the EARS is controlled by westerly monsoonal flow over equatorial West Africa and easterly monsoonal flow over the Indian Ocean. The uplifting East African plateau intercepted those winds and contributed to the increased aridification of East Africa.
Multiple Equilibria in the Climate System
Authors: Dijkstra Henk A.
Published: January 2018

The idea that under the same external forcing conditions, the climate system is able to have several (statistical) equilibrium states is both fascinating and worrying: fascinating because the interaction of different positive and negative feedbacks can then lead to different large-scale reorganizations of the transport of heat (and other properties) over the globe; worrying because perturbations on the current equilibrium state can then unexpectedly cause transitions in large-scale transport properties, with potential disastrous changes in regional weather conditions. In this article, the development of the idea to explain peculiar climate changes using multiple equilibrium states is presented.
Injury Prevention in Sport and Performance Psychology
Authors: Arvinen-Barrow Monna
Published: January 2018

This article aims to provide a narrative overview on injury prevention in sport and performance psychology. Research and applied interest in psychological injury prevention in sport and performance psychology has risen in popularity over the past few decades. To date, existing theoretical models, pure and applied research, and practice-based evidence has focused on conceptualizing and examining psychological injury occurrence and prevention through stress-injury mechanisms, and predominantly in sport injury settings. However, given the inherited similarities across the different performance domains however, it is the authors’ belief that existing injury prevention knowledge can be transferable beyond sport but should be done with caution. A range of cognitive-affective-behavioral strategies such as goal setting, imagery, relaxation strategies, self-talk, and social support have been found beneficial in reducing injuries, particularly when used systematically (a) prior to injury occurrence as part of performance enhancement program and/or as a specific injury prevention measure, (b) during injury rehabilitation, and (c) as part of a return-to-activity process to minimize the risk of secondary injuries and reinjuries. Existing theoretical and empirical evidence also indicates that using cognitive-affective-behavioral strategies for injury prevention are effective when used as part of a wider, multi-modal intervention. Equally, such interventions may also need to address possible behavioral modifications required in sleep, rest, and recovery. Considering the existing empirical and anecdotal evidence to date, this paper argues that injury prevention efforts in sport and performance psychology should be cyclical, biopsychosocial, and person-centered in nature. In short, injury prevention should be underpinned by recognition of the interplay between personal (both physical and psychological), environmental, and contextual characteristics, and how they affect the persons’ cognitive-affective-behavioral processes before, during, and after injury occurrence, at different phases of rehabilitation, and during the return to activity or retirement from activity process. Moreover, these holistic injury prevention efforts should be underpinned by a philosophy that injury prevention is inherently intertwined with performance enhancement, with the focus being on the individual and their overall well-being.
Implicit Memory and Cognitive Aging
Authors: Ward Emma V. , Shanks David R.
Published: January 2018

It is well documented that explicit (declarative, conscious) memory declines in normal aging. Studies have shown a progressive reduction in this form of memory with age, and healthy older adults (typically aged 65+ years) usually perform worse than younger adults (typically aged 18–30 years) on laboratory tests of explicit memory such as recall and recognition. In contrast, it is less clear whether implicit (procedural, unconscious) memory declines or remains stable in normal aging. Implicit memory is evident when previous experiences affect (e.g., facilitate) performance on tasks that do not require conscious recollection of those experiences. This can manifest in rehearsed motor skills, such as playing a musical instrument, but is typically indexed in the laboratory by the greater ease with which previously studied information is processed relative to non-studied information (e.g., repetition priming). While a vast amount of research has accumulated to suggest that implicit memory remains relatively stable over the adult lifespan, and is similar in samples of young and older adults, other studies have in contrast revealed that implicit memory is subject to age-related decline. Improving methods for determining whether implicit memory declines or remains stable with age is an important goal for future research, as the issue not only has significant implications for an aging society regarding interventions likely to ameliorate the effects of age-related explicit memory decline, but can also inform our theoretical understanding of human memory systems.
Spatial Development
Authors: Lockman Jeffrey J. , Fears Nicholas E. , Lewis Emily A.
Published: January 2018

Spatial ability is manifest across different psychological domains, including perception, action, and cognition. The development of spatial understanding originates in the perception-action skills of infants. When infants act on the world, either during object manipulation or locomotion, one may begin to glean the foundations of older children’s and adults’ efforts to think, reason, and solve problems more symbolically and abstractly. Even during infancy, different actions, such as reaching and locomotion, may incur different spatial demands, requiring infants to use spatial information flexibly. In the preschool years and beyond, as symbolic skills become more developed, children’s spatial abilities become more abstract, which are reflected in their abilities to think about the layout of environments and to use maps to learn about environments. Besides differences in spatial ability as a function of developmental level, individual differences in spatial ability have also been documented as a function of gender, daily experience, and blindness. Collectively, research on individual differences in spatial development suggests that training procedures can reduce differences in spatial skill that may arise in different individuals. Finally, to understand spatial development more fully, research is needed on the neural bases of spatial development, cross-cultural differences in spatial development, and the impact of technology on spatial behavior.
Psychological Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Kaplan Simona C. , Swee Michaela B. , Heimberg Richard G.
Published: January 2018

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by fear of being negatively evaluated by others in social situations. Multiple psychological interventions have been developed to treat SAD. The most widely studied of these interventions stem from cognitive-behavioral, acceptance-based, interpersonal, and psychodynamic conceptualizations of SAD. In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), patients learn to identify and question maladaptive thoughts and engage in exposures to feared situations to test the accuracy of biased beliefs. Mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches to treating SAD focus on mindful awareness and acceptance of distressing internal experiences (i.e., psychological and physiological symptoms) with the ultimate goal of behavior change and living a meaningful life based on identified values. Interpersonal psychotherapy links SAD to interpersonal problem areas and aims to reduce symptoms by targeting interpersonal difficulties. Psychodynamic psychotherapy for SAD focuses on identifying unresolved conflicts that lead to SAD symptoms, fostering insight and expressiveness, and forming a secure helping alliance.

Generally, CBT is the most well-studied of the psychological treatments for SAD, and research demonstrates greater reductions in social anxiety than pill placebo and waitlist controls. Results from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest that mindfulness—and acceptance-based therapies may be as efficacious as CBT, although the body of research remains small; four of five RCTs comparing these approaches to CBT found no differences. RCTs comparing CBT to IPT suggest that CBT is the more efficacious treatment. Two RCTs comparing CBT to psychodynamic psychotherapy suggest that psychodynamic psychotherapy may have efficacy similar to CBT, but that it takes longer to achieve similar outcomes. RCTs examining CBT and pharmacotherapy suggest that the medications phenelzine and clonazepam are as efficacious as CBT for treating SAD and are faster acting, but that patients receiving these medications may be more likely to relapse after treatment is discontinued than patients who received CBT. Research generally does not indicate added benefit of combining psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy above each monotherapy alone, although this body of research is quite variable. Effectiveness studies indicate that CBT is equally effective in community clinics and controlled research trials, but studies of this nature are lacking for other psychological approaches.
Disciplinary Segregation in Prison
Authors: Steiner Benjamin
Published: January 2018

Disciplinary segregation is a punishment that prison officials impose in response to inmate violations of prison rules such as assaulting another inmate or disrespecting an officer. Disciplinary segregation is distinct from other types of restrictive housing (e.g., supermax confinement, administrative segregation), but it is the most commonly used form of restrictive housing in most states. Inmates housed in disciplinary segregation typically spend 23 hours a day in a cell, with limited interaction with other inmates or prison staff. Inmates’ access to other privileges such as recreation, programming, and visitation is also restricted during their time in disciplinary segregation.

Prison officials have the discretion to place inmates found guilty of violations of the inmate rules of conduct in disciplinary segregation, and indeed, segregation is a common response to rule violations. It is expected that confinement in disciplinary segregation will deter inmates’ subsequent rule breaking, but some scholars argue that confinement in disciplinary segregation amplifies inmates’ misbehavior via labeling or by stimulating mental health problems that ultimately result in problem behaviors (e.g., rule violations). Despite these assertions, there is little evidence regarding the impact of disciplinary segregation on inmates’ behavior or mental health. Precise estimates of the extent of the inmate population exposed to disciplinary segregation (and their level of exposure), and studies of the factors that influence prison officials’ decision to place inmates in disciplinary segregation are also limited. The frequency with which disciplinary segregation is used, its greater cost compared to general population confinement, and calls for the equitable and effective use of restrictive housing in prisons by civil rights advocates, the U.S. Congress, and former President Obama underscore the need for further research on the topic.
Visual Shape and Object Perception
Authors: Pasupathy Anitha , El-Shamayleh Yasmine , Popovkina Dina V.
Published: January 2018

Humans and other primates rely on vision. Our visual system endows us with the ability to perceive, recognize, and manipulate objects, to avoid obstacles and dangers, to choose foods appropriate for consumption, to read text, and to interpret facial expressions in social interactions. To support these visual functions, the primate brain captures a high-resolution image of the world in the retina and, through a series of intricate operations in the cerebral cortex, transforms this representation into a percept that reflects the physical characteristics of objects and surfaces in the environment. To construct a reliable and informative percept, the visual system discounts the influence of extraneous factors such as illumination, occlusions, and viewing conditions. This perceptual “invariance” can be thought of as the brain’s solution to an inverse inference problem in which the physical factors that gave rise to the retinal image are estimated. While the processes of perception and recognition seem fast and effortless, it is a challenging computational problem that involves a substantial proportion of the primate brain.
Multisensory Integration and the Perception of Self-Motion
Authors: Cullen Kathleen E.
Published: January 2018

As we go about our everyday activities, our brain computes accurate estimates of both our motion relative to the world, and of our orientation relative to gravity. Essential to this computation is the information provided by the vestibular system; it detects the rotational velocity and linear acceleration of our heads relative to space, making a fundamental contribution to our perception of self-motion and spatial orientation. Additionally, in everyday life, our perception of self-motion depends on the integration of both vestibular and nonvestibular cues, including visual and proprioceptive information. Furthermore, the integration of motor-related information is also required for perceptual stability, so that the brain can distinguish whether the experienced sensory inflow was a result of active self-motion through the world or if instead self-motion that was externally generated. To date, understanding how the brain encodes and integrates sensory cues with motor signals for the perception of self-motion during natural behaviors remains a major goal in neuroscience. Recent experiments have (i) provided new insights into the neural code used to represent sensory information in vestibular pathways, (ii) established that vestibular pathways are inherently multimodal at the earliest stages of processing, and (iii) revealed that self-motion information processing is adjusted to meet the needs of specific tasks. Our current level of understanding of how the brain integrates sensory information and motor-related signals to encode self-motion and ensure perceptual stability during everyday activities is reviewed.
Education and Social Disparities in Japan
Authors: Kariya Takehiko
Published: January 2018

The Japanese education system was once recognized globally, at least until the end of the 1980s, as one that was both high in quality and highly egalitarian. This unique success was achieved in the process of Japan’s rapid modernization. How has this success achieved? How “unique” was the key issue of disparities? These are among the most crucial questions to comprehend regarding Japanese education. The double standard of equality emerging from Japan’s two stages (i.e., prewar and postwar) of modernization combined the postwar ideas of equality in education and the prewar legacy of school hierarchy, together producing an acute tension in education. This tension-laden equality succeeded to some extent in reducing and justifying disparities in education in Japan’s catch-up modernization process. Recent education reforms have purported to throw off the yoke of a system driven by a desire to catch up with advanced Western countries, which is hereafter called “the catch-up type of education.” However, these reforms have in fact only produced unintended results in terms of educational equality. Japanese experiences therefore show us both success and failure in education, but at the same time these experiences can also teach us the contradictory nature of the roles that education is expected to play.
Modern Bangladesh
Authors: Iqbal Iftekhar
Published: January 2018

Bangladesh is a relatively young state with an agile political heart. Its emergence in 1971 as an independent state accompanied the familiar elements of modern polities, as reflected in the major principles of its first constitution: nationalism, secularism, democracy, and socialism (in the sense of social justice). Yet a prehistory and posthistory of the birth of Bangladesh are replete with contestations, tensions, and quests for new meanings for these categories, providing intriguing windows to the challenges and opportunities facing governance, ideologies, and public life in the country.

In the modern period, between the transition to British colonial rule and present times, Bangladesh (part of Bengal until 1947 and East Pakistan until 1971) has been shaped and reshaped by several interrelated historical developments. The idea of nationhood was not a linear one thriving on a certain space, religion, or ethnicity at a given moment, the constant thread of collective national imagination being the desire for economic emancipation from a British colonial system and protracted military rule in Pakistan. But the poverty and deprivation that continued after the independence raised questions about the perception of the postcolonial state as the sole liberator. Since the 1990s, although inequality and poverty have remained constant, Bangladesh has seen remarkable economic growth and a relatively better human-development index, making it a potent partner in the recent spell of Asian economic growth. Democracy and citizenship, however, have remained the weakest link, occasionally leading to military rule or dictated democracy. Amid all visible ups and downs in its political, economic, and social life, Bangladesh remains a vibrant nation-space in the increasingly interconnected modern world.
Development of Plant Food Production in the West African Savannas: Archaeobotanical Perspectives
Authors: Neumann Katharina
Published: January 2018

The West African savannas are a major area of independent plant domestication, with pearl millet, African rice, fonio, several legumes, and vegetable crops originating there. For understanding the origins of West African plant-food-producing traditions, it is useful to have a look at their precursors in the Sahara during the “African humid period” between 10,500 and 4,500 years ago. The Early and Middle Holocene Saharan foragers and pastoralists intensively used wild grasses for food but did not intentionally cultivate. Due to increasing aridity in the late 3rd millennium bce, the pastoralists migrated southward into the savanna zone. In this context pearl millet was domesticated and spread rapidly in West Africa during the 2nd millennium bce. It was first cultivated by agro-pastoral communities, predominantly on a small scale. The 1st millennium bce was a transitional phase: most of the early agricultural societies disappeared, but it was also a time of numerous economic and social innovations. Due to increasing aridity, the floodplains around Lake Chad and the valleys of the rivers Senegal and Niger became accessible to farming populations after 1000 bce. In the 1st millennium ce, agriculture intensified, with mixed cultivation of cereals and legumes and the integration of new African domesticates, such as sorghum, fonio, roselle, and okra. Pearl millet remained the major crop in most areas, while sorghum dominated in northern Cameroon. Imported wheat, date palm, and cotton appeared in the first half of the 2nd millennium ce. The combined exploitation of cultivated cereals, legumes, and wild fruit trees (e.g., shea butter tree) in agroforesty systems eventually resulted in a cultural landscape as it is still visible in West Africa today.
Technological Change in Late 19th-Century South Africa
Authors: Storey William
Published: January 2018

Societies and technologies were deeply intertwined in the history of late 19th-century South Africa. The late 19th century saw the significant development of capitalist agriculture, together with the expansion of mining. The technological side of farming and mining had a significant influence on social and political development. Meanwhile, as in many other colonial outposts, local innovators and entrepreneurs played significant roles in business as well as government. Technological developments were not simply imported or imposed from Great Britain. Everyday technologies, ranging from firearms to clothing, were the subjects of extensive debate across southern Africa’s different cultures.
Impacts of Climate Change on Workers’ Health and Safety
Authors: Levy Barry S. , Roelofs Cora
Published: January 2018

Climate change has increased the risk to workers’ health and safety. Workers, especially those who work outdoors or in hot indoor environments, are at increased risk of heat stress and other heat-related disorders, occupational injuries, and reduced productivity at work. A variety of approaches have been developed to measure and assess workers’ occupational heat exposure and the risk of heat-related disorders. In addition, increased ambient temperature may increase workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals and the adverse effects of chemicals on their health. Global warming will influence the distribution of weeds, insect pests, and pathogens, and will introduce new pests, all of which could change the types and amounts of pesticides used, thereby affecting the health of agricultural workers and others. Increased ambient temperatures may contribute to chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology among workers. Global warming is increasing ground-level ozone concentrations with adverse effects on outdoor workers and others. Extreme weather events related to climate change pose injury risks to rescue and recovery workers. Reducing the risks of work-related illnesses and injuries from climate change requires a three-pronged approach: (1) mitigating the production of greenhouse gases, the primary cause of climate change; (2) implementing adaptation measures to address the overall consequences of climate change; and (3) implementing improved measures for occupational health and safety.
Clouds in the Martian Atmosphere
Authors: Määttänen A. , Montmessin F.
Published: January 2018

Although resembling an extremely dry desert, planet Mars hosts clouds in its atmosphere. Every day somewhere on the planet a part of the tiny amount of water vapor held by the atmosphere can condense as ice crystals to form mainly cirrus-type clouds. The existence of water ice clouds has been known for a long time and they have been studied for decades, leading to the establishment of a well-known climatology and understanding on their formation and properties. Despite their thinness, they have a clear impact on the atmospheric temperatures, thus affecting the Martian climate.

Another, more exotic type of clouds forms as well on Mars. The atmospheric temperatures can plunge to such frigid values that the major gaseous component of the atmosphere, CO2, condenses as ice crystals. These clouds form in the cold polar night where they also contribute to the formation of the CO2 ice polar cap, and also in the mesosphere at very high altitudes, near the edge of space, analogously to the noctilucent clouds on Earth. The mesospheric clouds, discovered in the early 2000s, have put our understanding of the Martian atmosphere to a test.

On Mars, cloud crystals form on ice nuclei, mostly provided by the omnipresent mineral dust. Thus, the clouds link the three major climatic cycles: those of the two major volatiles, H2O and CO2, and that of dust, which is a major climatic agent itself.
Domestic-International Conflict Linkages
Authors: Moore Will H. , Tarar Ahmer
Published: January 2018

A significant shift has taken place within the study of international relations (IR) generally, and within the domestic-international conflict linkage literature specifically. This shift has helped to address a number of important weaknesses that used to be observed within the literature on the domestic sources of foreign policy. Initially, political science was largely focused on macrostructural analyses of “political systems” and institutions (understood as formal-legal documents and rules). The research that eschewed the paradigmatic separation of domestic and international politics had a strong macrostructural bent to it, rather than a theoretical focus on microfoundations and causal processes. The field later went through a “behavioral revolution,” which brought an emphasis on data collection, hypothesis testing, statistical inference, and a focus on political behavior (especially as recorded in survey research). Hence, in recent years, much more emphasis has been placed on examining the precise microfoundations for how domestic politics might affect international relations, and vice-versa. The contemporary literature that earlier scholars have called the “domestic-international nexus” is largely engaged in debates about five important causal processes, each of which is best understood as being caused by strategic interaction among utility maximizing actors: principal-agent dynamics, informational asymmetries and uncertainty in bargaining situations, signaling, credibility, and coalition politics.