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Reassigning responsibility is the most prominent and best-replicated intervention against escalating commitment (i.e., the failure to withdraw from losing courses of action). This intervention is considered effective because it reduces reinvestments after negative feedback in decision scenarios with a single reinvestment decision. However, we argue that any intervention against escalating commitment should fulfill two additional criteria. The first is temporal stability, that is, the beneficial effects of the intervention need to persist beyond a single reinvestment decision. The second is specific effectiveness, that is, the intervention should reduce commitment only if the project continues to fail after an initial setback (structural failure) but not if it recovers and is ultimately profitable (temporary failure). To subject reassignment of responsibility to this critical test of effectiveness, we introduce a modification of the escalation paradigm that allows testing for temporal stability and differentiates between structural and temporary failure. In the first of two experiments, we did not find evidence of temporal stability. Experiment 2 found persistent short-term effects of responsibility reassignment, but these effects were unspecific, reducing commitment to both losing and ultimately successful courses of action. Our findings question the usefulness of responsibility reassignment as an effective intervention against escalating commitment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

An experiment is a programme of observations specially constructed to provide a critical test of theory or generalization about nature. It is designed to acquire firm evidence for or against the effect in question. Accordingly, it must be arranged to control all sources of variability contributing to the phenomena under examination, save those it is intended to study. In the natural environment, this is difficult to achieve. Consequently, classical geomorphology had no established tradition of experimentation. However, in the latter third of the twentieth century, geomorphologists began to explore experimentation as a means to resolve questions that arise in the study of geomorphological processes. In the period 1976–84, an IGU Commission on Field Experiments in Geomorphology formally established an interest in the approach. Although few field studies before the turn of the century achieved experimental status, valuable experience was gained in laboratory experiments, scaled and unscaled, leading to present wide acceptance of experimentation as a means to approach questions about geomorphological processes.

Cross-population applicability of osteological and dental methods is a known issue in forensic anthropology, but very little is known about whether differences between populations are due to ancestry, environment effects, or even the statistical approach utilized for developing the methods. This study wishes to add to the discussion of population-specificity of dental age estimation methods and examine the impact of their statistical basis on their accuracy and precision. These parameters were estimated by testing 12 different dental age estimation techniques on a sample of 182 panoramic radiographs of children between the ages of 6 and 15 years (110 girls and 72 boys) from the city of Merida in Yucatan, Mexico. None of the 12 methods selected is based on Mexican samples. Dental maturation was scored following and methods tested employed two dental scoring schemes: Moorrees, Fanning, and Hunt’s (MFH) 13-/14-stage system and Demirjian’s 8-stage system. Results show that methods derived from more geographically specific groups do not fare better or worse than methods developed on more diverse and inclusive international samples, even if no methods specific to Mexicans were tested. While some of the methods performed very well, and they were not based on a Mexican sample, this suggests that population-specific dental age estimation methods may be relatively unimportant or that population differences in dental maturation are very small. Other issues seemed to have a greater impact on accuracy and precision, such as age dependency, inclusion of the third molar in age assessments, age truncation and age heaping in reference samples, the dental scoring scheme used, and how predicted age is calculated mathematically. As such, findings in this study suggest that validation tests of age estimation methods may not be a useful or reliable means to assess population differences and that these differences need to be more systematically assessed if an argument is to be made for the increased accuracy and precision of population-specific methods. The statistical basis of dental prediction methods seems to have a more significant role in their accuracy and precision outside of their reference sample.

The nation-building literature of the early 1960s argued that decolonized countries need to overcome pre-colonial ethnic identities and generate national cultures. Africa is the most critical test case of this aspect of modernization theory as it has by far the largest ethnolinguistic fractionalization. We use data from the Afrobarometer to compare the cultures of 85 ethnolinguistic groups, each represented by at least 100 respondents, from 25 African countries. We compared these groups and their nations on items that address cultural modernization and emancipation: ideologies concerning inclusive-exclusive society (gender egalitarianism, homophobia, and xenophobia), submissiveness to authority, and the societal role of religion. Previous research has shown that these are some of the most important markers of cultural differences in the modern world. Hierarchical cluster analysis yielded very homogeneous national clusters and not a single ethnolinguistic cluster cutting across national borders (such as Yoruba of Benin and Yoruba of Nigeria, Ewe of Ghana, and Ewe of Togo, etc.). Only three ethnolinguistic groups (3.5%) remained unattached to their national cluster, regardless of the clustering method. The variation between nations ( F values) was often considerably greater than the variation between ethnolinguistic groups. Medial distances between the groups of each country correlated highly with GDP per person ( r = −.54), percentage men employed in agriculture ( r = .64), percentage men employed in services ( r = −.63), and phone subscriptions per person ( r = −.61). In conclusion, economic development and modernization diminish cultural differences between ethnolinguistic groups within nations, highlighting those between them.

Distributed computing guarantees the adaptable conveyance of figuring administrations in a pay-more only as costs arise way. It permits clients to effectively scale their foundation and save money on the general expense of activity. Anyway Cloud administration contributions can possibly flourish if clients are happy with administration execution. Permitting immediate access and adaptable scaling while at the same time keeping up the help leaves and offering serious costs represents a critical test to Cloud registering suppliers. Moreover administrations will stay accessible over the long haul just if this business creates a steady income stream. To address these difficulties we present novel approach based assistance confirmation control models that target expanding the income of Cloud suppliers while considering educational vulnerability with respect to asset prerequisites. Our assessment shows that arrangement based methodologies measurably altogether outflank the early bird gets the worm draws near, which are still cutting edge. Moreover the outcomes give bits of knowledge in how and how much vulnerability contrarily affects income.

A State’s response to a public emergency like a pandemic constitutes a critical test on its commitment to the effective implementation of human rights. The COVID 19 pandemic has infected over 54 mi...

Background The Molecular Environmental Monitoring Program (MEMP) Salmonella Assay is a quick and reliable method for detecting Salmonella species in environmental samples. The assay incorporates a real-time PCR approach to identifying Salmonella cells expressed from the swab sample. The assay does not require an enrichment step, leading to much faster time to a negative result. Objective This report details the method validation study to validate the MEMP using environmental surface swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete. Method Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency and stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method’s performance. In the matrix studies, this method was compared to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 5 for environmental surface sponges and swabs. Results Inclusivity/exclusivity testing showed that this assay was able to detect all 100 Salmonella strains tested while excluding the 30 non-Salmonella species. There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods. Small variations in critical test parameters (volume of extraction reagent and volume of extracted DNA sample) did not adversely affect the assay’s performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year. Conclusions The data presented in this report show that the candidate method performed as well as the reference method; therefore, it can be used in place of the reference method for detecting Salmonella species. Highlights The MEMP Salmonella Assay is the first and only AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM approved for detecting Salmonella on surfaces without enrichment.

Background The Simultaneous Multiplex (SIMUL) Real-Time PCR (qPCR) Salmonella Assay is a quick, reliable method for detecting Salmonella species in environmental and food samples. The assay multiplexes several targets in one run to identify Salmonella species. For most matrixes, the assay uses buffered peptone water for enrichment purposes. However, the assay can be used in conjunction with the SIMUL-qPCR Top 7 STEC Assay for raw beef trim and raw ground beef when proprietary media (Enterohemorrhagic E. coli Recovery and Enrichment Broth or EREB) has been used. This media is optimized for single-step enrichment and recovery of enterohemorrhagic E. coli and Salmonella in those matrixes. Objective This report details the method validation study to validate raw beef trim, raw ground beef, fresh raw ground poultry, ready-to-eat cooked poultry, dry pet food, pasteurized liquid eggs, peanut butter, frankfurter/sausage, poultry carcass rinse, and environmental surface sponges and swabs for stainless steel, plastic, rubber, ceramic tile, and sealed concrete. Method Matrix studies, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency/stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method’s performance. Results Inclusivity/exclusivity testing showed the SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay was able to detect Salmonella strains while excluding the non-Salmonella isolates. There were no statistically significant differences found between the candidate and reference methods in the matrix studies. Small variations in critical test parameters (enrichment time, extraction reagent volume, and extracted sample volume) didn’t adversely affect the assay’s performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year. Conclusions The data presented demonstrate the SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay is a reliable method for detecting Salmonella. Highlights The SIMUL-qPCR Salmonella Assay is validated to detect Salmonella in a variety of matrices in as little as 16 hours in Buffered Peptone Water. The assay can also be used in conjunction with the SIMUL Top 7 Assay to test for both Salmonella and the Top 7 Shiga toxin producing E. coli using a single enrichment in EREB media.

Past research has shown that merely anticipating a certain action in someone else leads observers to engage in the anticipated action-a phenomenon called anticipated action. In a standard experiment on anticipated action, participants watch video clips of a model engaging in triggering events such as nose wrinkling or hair falling. A typical finding is that participants engage in more nose actions while watching the nose wrinkling video than while watching the hair falling video and vice versa for the engagement in hair actions. Whereas past research has suggested that this effect is due to inferring a desire in others to act, an alternative explanation is that observing a triggering event in someone else guides attention toward respective body parts, facilitating any action toward this body part. In two experiments we set this explanation to a critical test. The results speak against attention as driving process and in favor of inferring a desire in others to act, because guiding attention to the location of the triggering event did not result in anticipated action effects. This result has important implications for research on anticipative processes and imitative behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Buyers in the property market often use an agent who is employed by the seller to assist their home searches. This unique and widely used agency arrangement in the property market is known as “sellers’ agents”. While principal-agent theory advocates that buyers should directly hire their agents (i.e., buyers’ agents) to do the home-hunting, search theory however implies that sellers would employ their agents (i.e., sellers’ agents) to increase the probability of the sale and selling prices. Although sellers’ agents and buyers’ agents are two very distinct institutions, many previous studies assume that their agency characteristics are identical and provide limited insights on how such a seemingly subtle but crucial agency arrangement affects transaction outcomes. Using transaction data from Wuhan China, this study disentangles the effects of the buyers’ and sellers’ agents on properties’ selling prices and their time on the market. The findings indicate that on average transactions conducted by sellers’ agents will be associated with a significant selling price premium of around 3.4%. As a critical test, we further show that the transactions completed by sellers’ agents with selling price premiums will have a shorter marketing time than those completed by buyers’ agents.

Background The Simultaneous Multiplex Real Time PCR (SIMUL-qPCR) Top 7 STEC Assay Collection is a quick, reliable method for detecting top seven Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets. Each assay multiplexes several targets in one run to identify E. coli O157: H7, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, Shiga toxin, and intimin genes. This collection uses specifically optimized proprietary media for single-step recovery and enrichment of enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Objective This report details the method validation study to validate raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets. Method Matrix studies for raw beef trim, raw ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets, inclusivity/exclusivity, product consistency/stability, and robustness testing were conducted to assess the method’s performance. Results Fifty top seven STEC isolates were analyzed with the SIMUL-qPCR assay. Thirty-two isolates, including closely related non-E. coli species and E. coli non-STEC strains, were also tested. Inclusivity showed the collection detected the Shiga toxin (stx) gene, intimin (eae) gene, and top seven serogroups. None of the 32 exclusivity strains were detected. The candidate and reference methods’ results had no statistically significant differences during matrix studies. Small variations in critical test parameters (enrichment time, extraction reagent volume, and extracted sample volume) did not adversely affect the assay’s performance, and stability testing indicated consistent results for at least one year. Conclusions The data presented demonstrate that the SIMUL-qPCR Top 7 STEC Assay is a reliable method for detecting the top seven STEC. Highlights The Applied Food Diagnostics, Inc. Simultaneous Multiplex Real Time PCR (SIMUL-qPCR) Top 7 STEC Assay is capable of detecting the top seven Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in beef trim, ground beef, and beef carcass sampling sheets in as little as 10 hours of enrichment.

Post-delineated express lanes represent a combination of driving complexities that are particularly difficult for older drivers to navigate. The narrow geometry and high speeds that are common to this treatment reflect a critical test for drivers whose depth perception, contrast sensitivity, and visual processing speed are reduced. The present study was designed to empirically examine the effects of age and color of express lane delineators on driver behavior. Three groups of participants (aged 18–39, 40–64, and 65 + years old) were required to complete a series of simulated driving scenarios consisting of combinations of single and dual lane configurations, with speed and lane position measured at the beginning and midpoint of each express lane. All drivers were pre-screened on various visual functioning abilities. Drivers in the 65 and older group show significant age-related declines in depth perception, contrast sensitivity, and phoria which were subsequently correlated with a wide range of driving measures including deceleration rate, brake time, jerk, speed, and lane position. Age related perceptual declines were statistically correlated with slower driving speed and wider lane deviations, including a statistically significant increase in the number of excursions beyond the typical 12-foot lane width. Based on these findings, the behavior of senior drivers was identified as a distinct design condition that should govern the design of high-speed, narrow geometric conditions. This age group requires wider lane widths, particularly at the beginning of single-lane post delimited sections, wider buffer areas around the post markers, and dual lane configurations wherever possible.

A significant number of patients are reported to not receive timely completion of their recommended follow-up intervention following the interpretation of their imaging studies, contributing to patient deaths resulting from inaccurate or delayed diagnosis. Though automated critical test notification systems and computerized communication mechanisms currently exist, many institutions are discovering that there continue to be gaps in the completion of follow-up recommendations. Herein, we describe how we developed and implemented a closed-loop program dedicated to identifying such gaps and ensuring patients were aware of and received appropriate follow-up.

Black hole feedback has been widely implemented as the key recipe to quench star formation in massive galaxies in modern semi-analytic models and hydrodynamical simulations. As the theoretical details surrounding the accretion and feedback of black holes continue to be refined, various feedback models have been implemented across simulations, with notable differences in their outcomes. Yet, most of these simulations have successfully reproduced some observations, such as stellar mass function and star formation rate density in the local Universe. We use the recent observation on the change of neutral hydrogen gas mass (including both ${\rm H_2}$ and ${\rm HI}$) with star formation rate of massive central disc galaxies as a critical constraint of black hole feedback models across several simulations. We find that the predictions of IllustrisTNG agree with the observations much better than the other models tested in this work. This favors IllustrisTNG's treatment of active galactic nuclei - where kinetic winds are driven by black holes at low accretion rates - as more plausible amongst those we test. In turn, this also indirectly supports the idea that the massive central disc galaxy population in the local Universe was likely quenched by AGN feedback., Comment: 15 pages, 3+4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

When criminal defendants appear before their court hearings, are they concerned only with the outcomes of their cases or also with the fairness of the procedure? Which aspects of procedures make defendants feel treated fairly? And are there circumstances under which procedures that are perceived as unfair may have nice aspects? These questions were central to the current research. The overarching research aim was to subject perceived procedural justice to a critical test. Previous studies have often found a fair process effect: a positive association between perceived procedural justice and important other variables, such as trust in judges. In addition, studies in organizational and laboratory contexts indicate that the fair process effect may sometimes be attenuated or even reversed. People then respond less positively or even negatively to perceived procedural justice. This has to do with people’s need to protect their self-esteem by attributing negative outcomes to external causes. Unfair procedures offer more opportunities for making such external attributions than fair procedures. Hence, unfair procedures may have nice aspects, especially when people feel strongly evaluated. The current research examines the importance of perceived procedural justice, and the possibility of an attenuated or reversed fair process effect, in the context of criminal cases. First, qualitative interviews with 100 defendants in single judge criminal cases examined whether defendants mention aspects of procedural justice themselves and, if so, which aspects they mention. The large majority of respondents mentioned aspects of procedural justice themselves at some point during the interview, and in particular perceived neutrality appeared to play a central role in this regard. Second, a survey was conducted among 198 defendants with a non-western ethnic-cultural background involved in single judge criminal cases. The underlying idea was that some of them might feel negatively evaluated by society in the sense of perceived discrimination, which could make them respond differently to perceived procedural justice. The results showed that perceived procedural fairness was significantly associated with how defendants judged their outcomes, the extent to which they wanted to protest against their outcomes, their self-esteem, and their trust in Dutch judges. These associations were not attenuated or reversed depending on perceived discrimination. Third, an experiment was conducted among 239 citizens with a non-western ethnic-cultural background who imagined being the defendant during a single judge criminal court hearing. This study assessed external attribution ratings more directly. Procedural justice had a significant effect on outcome judgments, protest intentions, and trust in Dutch judges. An attenuation of the fair process effect was found on only one variable: For participants with relatively high external attribution ratings the effect of procedural justice on trust in judges was not significant. Collectively these results indicate that perceived procedural justice matters, even when it is subjected to a critical test in the context of criminal cases, during which there may be much at stake for defendants. These results are relevant for judges who want to enhance perceptions of procedural fairness, for example. The final chapter reflects on such possible implications from a normative perspective.

When criminal defendants appear before their court hearings, are they concerned only with the outcomes of their cases or also with the fairness of the procedure? Which aspects of procedures make defendants feel treated fairly? And are there circumstances under which procedures that are perceived as unfair may have nice aspects? These questions were central to the current research. The overarching research aim was to subject perceived procedural justice to a critical test. Previous studies have often found a fair process effect: a positive association between perceived procedural justice and important other variables, such as trust in judges. In addition, studies in organizational and laboratory contexts indicate that the fair process effect may sometimes be attenuated or even reversed. People then respond less positively or even negatively to perceived procedural justice. This has to do with people’s need to protect their self-esteem by attributing negative outcomes to external causes. Unfair procedures offer more opportunities for making such external attributions than fair procedures. Hence, unfair procedures may have nice aspects, especially when people feel strongly evaluated. The current research examines the importance of perceived procedural justice, and the possibility of an attenuated or reversed fair process effect, in the context of criminal cases. First, qualitative interviews with 100 defendants in single judge criminal cases examined whether defendants mention aspects of procedural justice themselves and, if so, which aspects they mention. The large majority of respondents mentioned aspects of procedural justice themselves at some point during the interview, and in particular perceived neutrality appeared to play a central role in this regard. Second, a survey was conducted among 198 defendants with a non-western ethnic-cultural background involved in single judge criminal cases. The underlying idea was that some of them might feel negatively evaluated by society in the sense of perceived discrimination, which could make them respond differently to perceived procedural justice. The results showed that perceived procedural fairness was significantly associated with how defendants judged their outcomes, the extent to which they wanted to protest against their outcomes, their self-esteem, and their trust in Dutch judges. These associations were not attenuated or reversed depending on perceived discrimination. Third, an experiment was conducted among 239 citizens with a non-western ethnic-cultural background who imagined being the defendant during a single judge criminal court hearing. This study assessed external attribution ratings more directly. Procedural justice had a significant effect on outcome judgments, protest intentions, and trust in Dutch judges. An attenuation of the fair process effect was found on only one variable: For participants with relatively high external attribution ratings the effect of procedural justice on trust in judges was not significant. Collectively these results indicate that perceived procedural justice matters, even when it is subjected to a critical test in the context of criminal cases, during which there may be much at stake for defendants. These results are relevant for judges who want to enhance perceptions of procedural fairness, for example. The final chapter reflects on such possible implications from a normative perspective.

A recent theory proposes that storing information in long-term memory depletes a limited resource which recovers gradually over time. Here, we provide a critical test of this theory by showing that free recall is worse if a word is preceded during study by a low-frequency word and by a short inter-stimulus-interval (ISI). These effects interacted – the preceding study word’s frequency effect decreased as the pre-ISI increased. The duration of subsequent ISI had no effect. The resource-depletion-and-recovery model explains these results by positing that the amount of resources required for encoding in long-term memory is an inverse function of the existing representation’s strength, and that these resources recover more when the pre-ISI is longer. The theory’s predictions are contrasted with three alternatives – temporal distinctiveness, selective rehearsal and refreshing, and short-term consolidation – none of which fit the data. We compare each set of predictions using the PEERS dataset (Healey & Kahana, 2016). The resource-depletion-and-recovery theory’s predictions provided the best match to the data.

Significance Active suspensions of microswimmers demonstrate novel emergent behaviors (self-organizations, active turbulence, etc.) on macroscopic length scales. For such systems with, minimally, thousands of microswimmers, direct numerical simulations of the hydrodynamic interactions are computationally infeasible, and reduced models are needed. We demonstrated that existing models are not satisfactory in describing the hydrodynamic interactions for microswimmers in close proximity with even qualitatively erroneous predictions, indicating a pressing need for an adequate model. We propose a model that is both physically effective and computationally efficient in describing such hydrodynamics. The main novelty of our model is the description of hydrodynamic interactions through a resistance tensor, as opposed to an effective steric interaction in existing models., Near-field hydrodynamic interactions in active fluids are essential to determine many important emergent behaviors observed, but have not been successfully modeled so far. In this work, we propose an effective model capturing the essence of the near-field hydrodynamic interactions through a tensorial coefficient of resistance, validated numerically by a pedagogic model system consisting of an Escherichia coli bacterium and a passive sphere. In a critical test case that studies the scattering angle of the bacterium–sphere pair dynamics, we prove that the near-field hydrodynamics can make a qualitative difference even for this simple two-body system: Calculations based on the proposed model reveal a region in parameter space where the bacterium is trapped by the passive sphere, a phenomenon that is regularly observed in experiments but cannot be explained by any existing model. In the end, we demonstrate that our model also leads to efficient simulation of active fluids with tens of thousands of bacteria, sufficiently large for investigations of many emergent behaviors.

The counting of CD4+ T lymphocytes (CD4 cells) is a critical test for evaluating the immune function of HIV-infected peoples and tumor patients. A rapid, simple, accurate, and low-cost CD4 cell cou...

There are a number of reasons for studying hot subdwarf pulsation; the most obvious being that these stars remain a poorly understood late-stage of stellar evolution and knowledge of their interior structure, which pulsation studies reveal, constrains evolution models. Of particular interest are the red giant progenitors as in looking at a hot subdwarf we are seeing a stripped-down red giant as it would have been just before the Helium Flash. Moreover, hot subdwarfs may have formed through the merger of two helium white dwarfs and their study gives insight into how such a merger may have happened. A less obvious reason for studying pulsation in hot subdwarfs is that they provide a critical test of stellar envelope opacities and the atomic physics upon which they depend.

A novel on-chip test acceleration method was developed to speed up addressable test chip measurements. Co-optimized with tester hardware, a sustained test speed of up to 40,000 items per second was achieved, corresponding to 30X of a traditional test setup. This method was employed to address critical test challenges during both technology development and mass production phases of advanced technologies.

This article is dedicated to the analysis of existing regulatory and legal acts in the field of regulating the use and testing of highly automated and autonomous vehicles in the EU, USA, and Russia. The statistical information of road accidents relevant for the Russian conditions is presented for the purpose of localizing the critical test scenarios. The results of virtual tests of pedestrian protection system (PPS) conducted in Siemens Prescan software for different weather and lighting conditions are presented, as well as some other practical cases of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) simulation.

This work presents and tests a reliable, but nonetheless fast, method for determining the physical parameters of large stellar samples with moderate-resolution spectra, with extensive host star–exoplanet studies in mind. The proposed strategy complements spectral synthesis for obtaining spectroscopically sensitive parameters (i.e. effective temperature and rotation velocity) through other data to keep less critical quantities fixed. We test this approach on a sample of 25 bright (4–7 mag), cool main-sequence stars, for which rotation periods are known from chromospheric activity monitoring. On the basis of good-quality (signal-to-noise ratio 70–80) Tracking and Imaging Gamma-Ray Experiment–Heidelberg Extended Range Optical Spectrograph (TIGRE–HEROS) spectra with a modest spectral resolving power of R = 21 000, we employ the fast iSpec tool. With gravities calculated and approximate metallicities taken from uvby photometry (Geneva–Copenhagen catalogue), spectral synthesis is focused on refining the crucial effective temperature. Finally, rotational velocities are fitted. However, these suffer from cross-talk with gravity and convective turbulence. We find that prescribing macroscopic turbulent velocities for most stars within 2–3 km s−1 (with 4–6 km s−1 for only our three warmest stars) and microscopic turbulent velocities within 0.7–1.5 km s−1 (turbulence increasing with effective temperature, from under 5000 K to 6300 K) results in a satisfactory match (with residuals of 2.5 km s−1) of the period-related, very small rotation velocities of our sample stars. With this prescription, the fast spectral synthesis method described yields effective temperatures similar to intensive atmospheric modelling of high-resolution spectra.

Darwin used observations of infants as evidence for his evolutionary hypotheses about human agency, in three ways. First, human actions that appear fully formed at the start of life, like sucking, were deemed reflexes or instinctive fruits of evolution. Second, infant actions show in a clear and simple form the foundations of human agency. Third, when there is no direct way of proving how complex forms of human action evolved, their growth in infancy provides a working model for natural, simple-to-complex development that is analogous to evolution. Two texts exploit these arguments: Expression (1872) and ‘A Biographical Sketch of an Infant’ (1877). The former concentrates on crying and weeping. The latter focuses on some of the distinctively human forms of agency described in Descent. A key omission in the evidence Darwin’s infant observations provide for his theory is a test of infants’ capacity for group-interaction. Evidence from such a test is critical to acceptance of Descent’s thesis that adaptations to group-life ground the most distinctive forms of human behaviour. Only recently have scientists sought this evidence. From these we know that preverbal infants do have a capacity for ‘groupness.’ Darwin’s observations of young children show a robustness and prescience borne out by contemporary research.

Global polarization of $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ is calculated based on the axial vortical effect (AVE). Simulations are performed within the model of the three-fluid dynamics. Equations of state with the deconfinement transition result in a good agreement with STAR data for both $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ polarization, in particular, with the $\Lambda$-$\bar{\Lambda}$ splitting. Suppression of the gravitational-anomaly contribution required for the data reproduction is in agreement with predictions of the QCD lattice simulations. Predictions for the global polarization in forthcoming experiments at lower collision energies are made. These forthcoming data will provide a critical test for the AVE and thermodynamic mechanisms of the polarization., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, discussion added, version published in PRC

We propose an experiment to test the uniform-Berry-curvature picture of composite fermions. We show that the asymmetry of geometrical resonances observed in a periodically modulated composite fermion system can be explained with the uniform-Berry-curvature picture. Moreover, we show that an alternative way of modulating the system, i.e., modulating the external magnetic field, will induce an asymmetry opposite to that of the usual periodic grating modulation which effectively modulates the Chern-Simons field. The experiment can serve as a critical test of the uniform-Berry-curvature picture, and probe the dipole structure of composite fermions proposed by Read., 6 pages, 2 figures

Despite the advances in imaging, EEG remains a critical test for the diagnosis of epilepsy. Not only can it confirm the diagnosis, but it can also clarify the type of epilepsy. There are many different types of EEG recordings depending on duration, the presence of video, and inpatient or outpatient setting, each with its pros and cons. Interictal epileptiform abnormalities are very specific to epilepsy, but they can be over-interpreted by inexperienced readers. In addition to diagnosis of epilepsy, EEG also has a role in the decision to discontinue treatment in seizure-free patients, and in assessing critically ill patients for possible status epilepticus and encephalopathies. EEG reports should be relatively standardized and clear to the clinician who requested the EEG.

This chapter explores Greece’s turbulent and ambivalent relationship with European integration. Despite initial hesitation during the initial stages of EU membership, Greece grew into one of the most pro-European member states. This enthusiasm ended abruptly after 2010 with the eurozone crisis and resultant EU–IMF bailout agreements that necessitated unpopular reforms and austerity. Consequently, Greece witnessed a seismic change in its party system, with a dramatic increase in the popularity of anti-system parties on both the Left and the Right of the political spectrum. Euroscepticism became more prevalent among Greek voters who blamed foreign actors (such as the EU, the IMF, Germany) and their domestic interlocutors for the country’s economic hardship. Greece’s Europeanization has been difficult, not least because of endemic weaknesses in public administration and the public policy process. EU-driven adaptational pressures on policy, polity, and institutions have been severely mitigated by entrenched veto points at the domestic level.

Open Source software wanders, fair as closed software exercises and firms, utilize the Issue tracking framework. The data of Issue tracking frameworks is uncommonly critical for distinctive sorts of investigate moreover within the correct Program Building. For Open Source Software ventures a noteworthy degree of this data is available transparently and with approximately unhindered get to. Intentionally dismembered, this data can appear a awesome bargain and deliver unused bits of information around an Open Source ventures - for occasion with regard to the task’s region or its progression. The amassed information from an colossal degree of Issue tracking frameworks can allow choices approximately Open Source software progression practices as a run the show. Along these lines, it may be a critical test to form the information accessible and discharge its potential for exploratory investigate. This investigate will display a utilization that enables us to standardize and utilize the information of a colossal degree of Issue tracking.

It is well settled principle of law that a dying man can`t tell a lie. A statement of a dying person as to cause or transaction causing his death is dying declaration within meanings of Article 46(1) of Qanoon e Shahdat Ordinance, 1984. Dying declaration is admissible in evidence in Pakistan, though subject to some critical test for admissibility. It is considered to be a corroborative piece of evidence, if it qualifies all the tests of credibility. This article discussed the admissibility of Dying declaration is legal system of Pakistan and test of credibility of that dying declaration in purview of judicial dicta of superior courts of Pakistan.

International audience; Dual process models of higher cognition have become very influential in the cognitive sciences. The popular Default-Interventionist model has long favored a serial view on the interaction between intuitive and deliberative processing (or System 1 and System 2). Recent work has led to an alternative hybrid model view in which people's intuitive reasoning performance is assumed to be determined by the absolute and relative strength of competing intuitions. In the present study, we tested unique new predictions to validate the hybrid model. We adopted a two-response paradigm with popular base-rate neglect problems in which baserate information and a stereotypical description could cue conflicting responses. By manipulating the extremity of the base-rates in our problems we aimed to affect the strength of the "logical" intuition that is hypothesized to cue selection of the base-rate response. The two-response paradigm-in which people were required to give an initial response under time-pressure and cognitive load-allowed us to identify the presumed intuitively generated response. Consistent with the hybrid model predictions, we observed that experimentally reducing the strength of the logical intuition decreased the number of initial base-rate responses when solving problems in which base-rates and stereotypical information conflicted. Critically, reasoners who gave an initial stereotypical response were less likely to register the intrinsic conflict (as reflected in decreased confidence) in this case, whereas reasoners who gave an initial base-rate response registered more conflict. Implications and remaining challenges for dual process theorizing are discussed.

The present study investigated whether the relationship between temporal resolution power (TRP) and general intelligence (g) is more fundamental than the relationship between speed of information processing (SIP) and g when a) TRP and SIP are assessed with an equally effective test battery, and b) when the relationship between SIP and g is strengthened by an increase of task demands. A heterogeneous sample of 110 male and 118 female participants completed a short version of the Berlin Intelligence Structure test as a measure of g. TRP was assessed with three psychophysical timing tasks and SIP with three different reaction time tasks in which cognitive task demands were systematically increased across task conditions. SIP variance was divided into a component representing speed of processing increasing cognitive task demands and a component representing processing speed independent of the experimental manipulation. The relationship between TRP and g was robust and unaffected by both SIP components. SIP caused by the enhanced cognitive task demands explained variance in g irrespective of TRP, whereas TRP completely accounted for the relationship between speed unaffected by the experimental manipulation and g. In contrast to previous findings, however, the effect of TRP on the SIP-g relationship ceases when SIP is derived from cognitively more demanding reaction time tasks.

To investigate the feasibility of sharing critical test result (CTR) notifications (CTRNs) via automated text messaging.CTRNs via automated text messaging was used to notify physicians of CTRs in a tertiary hospital with 1,786 beds. From June 2016 to September 2016, notifications for 545 CTRs were given via a CTRN system. Among them, 490 CTRs (292 male and 198 female patients; mean age, 53.6 years old [range, 1-88]) were included in analysis. CTR levels (CTRLs) were assigned to four categories (CTRL1 to CTRL3 and unclassified) when reported, and reclassified into three CTRLs according to their clinical relevance and urgency. Response time was defined as time lapse between CTR reporting and documentation by physicians. Analysis of variance was performed to compare response times according to CTRLs and patients' location.Corresponding actions were taken in 404 of 490 cases (82.4%) without any delayed CTRN-related morbidity. There were 15 CTRL1 (3.1%), 50 CTRL2 (10.2%), 112 CTRL3 (22.9%) cases, and the remaining 313 CTRL cases were unclassified. After reclassification, CTRL1, CTRL2, and CTRL3 were 81 (16.5%), 177 (36.1%), and 232 cases (47.3%), respectively. Response time of reclassified CTRL3 was significantly longer than that of reclassified CTRL1 (median 23.0, [interquartile range 2.0-133.5] hours versus 4.0 [0.0-22.0] hours; P.001). Response time of outpatient cases (80.0 [6.0 to 157.0] hours) was significantly longer (P.001) than those of inpatient (3.0 [0.0-16.0]) and emergency department cases (5.0 [1.0-21.0]).Automated text messaging could be a feasible option for CTRNs in the radiologic field. Further large-scale investigations regarding efficiency of this system are warranted.

Blood typing assay is a critical test to ensure the serological compatibility of a donor and an intended recipient prior to a blood transfusion. This paper presents a microfluidic blood typing system using a small quantity of blood sample to determine the degree of agglutination of red blood cell (RBC). Two measuring methods were proposed: impedimetric measurement and electroanalytical measurement. The charge transfer resistance in the impedimetric measurement and the power parameter in the electroanalytical measurement were used for the analysis of agglutination level. From the experimental results, both measuring methods provide quantitative results, and the parameters are linearly and monotonically related to the degree of RBC agglutination. However, the electroanalytical measurement is more reliable than the impedimetric technique because the impedimetric measurement may suffer from many influencing factors, such as chip conditions. Five levels from non-agglutination (level 0) to strong agglutination (level 4+) can be discriminated in this study, conforming to the clinical requirement to prevent any risks in transfusion.

Immunotherapies that activate costimulatory receptors on T cells have failed so far in the clinic, but the first phase III trial of an agonist antibody in cancer has just begun and second-generation candidates are advancing. Immunotherapies that activate costimulatory receptors on T cells have failed so far in the clinic, but the first phase III trial of an agonist antibody in cancer has just begun and second-generation candidates are advancing.

Motion plays an important role in recognising animate creatures. This research supports a distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motions in their relationship to identifying information about the characters performing the motions. Participants viewed events involving costumed human characters. Intrinsic motions involved relative movements of a character's body parts, whereas extrinsic motions involved movements with respect to external landmarks. Participants were later tested for recognition of the motions and who had performed them. The critical test items involved familiar characters performing motions that had previously been performed by other characters. Participants falsely recognised extrinsic conjunction items, in which characters followed the paths of other characters, more often than intrinsic conjunction items, in which characters moved in the manner of other characters. In contrast, participants falsely recognised new extrinsic motions less often than new intrinsic motions, suggesting that they remembered extrinsic motions but had difficulty remembering who had performed them. Modelling of receiver operating characteristics indicated that participants discriminated old items from intrinsic conjunction items via familiarity, consistent with conjoint representations of intrinsic motion and identity information. In contrast, participants used recollection to distinguish old items from extrinsic conjunction items, consistent with separate but associated representations of extrinsic motion and identity information.

To facilitate follow-up of critical test results across transitions in patient care settings, we implemented an electronic discharge module that enabled care providers to include follow-up recommendations in the discharge instructions. We assessed the impact of this module on documentation of follow-up recommendations for critical imaging findings in Emergency Department (ED) discharge instructions. We studied 240 patients with critical imaging findings discharged from the ED before (n = 80) and after (n = 160) implementation of the module. We manually reviewed hand-written forms and electronic discharge instructions to determine if follow-up recommendations were documented. Follow-up recommendations in ED discharge instructions increased from 60.0% (48/80) to 73.8% (118/160) post-module implementation (p = 0.03), a relative increase of 23%. There was no significant change in the rate of documented critical imaging findings in the discharge instructions (77.5% [62/80] before the intervention and 76.9% [123/160] after the intervention; p = 0.91). Implementation of a discharge module was associated with increased documentation of critical imaging finding follow-up recommendations in ED discharge instructions. However, one in four patients still did not receive adequate follow-up recommendations, suggesting further opportunities for performance improvement exist.

Anaesthesia is often a necessary step when studying insects like the model organism Drosophila melanogaster. Most studies of Drosophila and other insects that require anaesthesia use either cold exposure or carbon dioxide exposure to induce a narcotic state. These anaesthetic methods are known to disrupt physiology and behavior with increasing exposure, and thus ample recovery time is required prior to experimentation. Here, we examine whether two halogenated ethers commonly used in vertebrate anaesthesia, isoflurane and sevoflurane, may serve as alternative means of insect anaesthesia. Using D. melanogaster, we generated dose-response curves to identify exposure times for each anaesthetic (cold, CO2, isoflurane and sevoflurane) that allow for five-minutes of experimental manipulation of the animals after the anaesthetic was removed (i.e. 5 min recovery doses). We then compared the effects of this practical dose on high temperature, low temperature, starvation, and desiccation tolerance, as well as locomotor activity and fecundity of female flies following recovery from anaesthesia. Cold, CO2 and isoflurane each had significant or near significant effects on the traits measured, but the specific effects of each anaesthetic differed, and effects on stress tolerance generally did not persist if the flies were given 48 h to recover from anaesthesia. Sevoflurane had no measureable effect on any of the traits examined. Care must be taken when choosing an anaesthetic in Drosophila research, as the impacts of specific anaesthetics on stress tolerance, behavior and reproduction can widely differ. Sevoflurane may be a practical alternative to cold and CO2 anaesthesia in insects particularly if flies are to be used for experiments shortly after anesthesia.