Search

Hard polyhedra are a natural extension of the hard sphere model for simple fluids, but there is no general scheme for predicting the effect of shape on thermodynamic properties, even in moderate-density fluids. Only the second virial coefficient is known analytically for general convex shapes, so higher-order equations of state have been elusive. Here we investigate high-precision state functions in the fluid phase of 14 representative polyhedra with different assembly behaviors. We discuss historic efforts in analytically approximating virial coefficients up to B4 and numerically evaluating them to B8. Using virial coefficients as inputs, we show the convergence properties for four equations of state for hard convex bodies. In particular, the exponential approximant of Barlow et al. (J. Chem. Phys. 2012, 137, 204102) is found to be useful up to the first ordering transition for most polyhedra. The convergence behavior we explore can guide choices in expending additional resources for improved estimates. Fluids of arbitrary hard convex bodies are too complicated to be described in a general way at high densities, so the high-precision state data we provide can serve as a reference for future work in calculating state data or as a basis for thermodynamic integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veterans with a history of military sexual trauma (MST) often experience poorer social, psychological, and physical outcomes compared with civilians and veterans who have experienced sexual assault outside of the military. Studies suggest some differences in endorsement of MST and its symptoms based on ethnoracial, age, sexuality, and gender-related factors. However, investigations into potential diversity-related patterns of functioning are sparse. This study examined the associations between identity factors and psychosocial functioning among veterans seeking mental health treatment following MST. During intake assessments, veterans ( n = 144) completed semistructured clinical interviews and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 as part of routine clinical care at a Midwestern Veterans Healthcare Administration hospital. Psychosocial functioning domains (cognition, mobility, self-care, getting along, life activities, and participation in society) were analyzed across veterans' race, age, sex, and sexual identity. Results revealed differences in participation in society based on sex and race and in mobility based on race and age. No significant differences were observed in functional domains for sexual identity. These findings highlight the importance of assessing salient identity factors and delivering culturally sensitive trauma-focused care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Anxiety disrupts test performance across academic/testing contexts; however, the impact of anxiety on neuropsychological testing has been examined less frequently among older adults, despite clinical observations of high anxiety and dementia worry among elderly individuals in assessment contexts. The present study examined the impact of trait, state, and test anxiety on measures of processing speed, working memory, verbal memory, and aspects of executive functioning (i.e., set shifting and inhibition). We hypothesized that anxiety specific to neuropsychological assessment would correlate with test performance more consistently than state or trait anxiety. Ninety-three older adults aged 55 to 89 underwent a three-and-a-half-hour comprehensive assessment battery measuring anxiety and neuropsychological test performance. All participants completed the Feelings About Neuropsychological Testing State (FANT-S) and Test (FANT-T) questionnaires, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-seven item (GAD-7), and neuropsychological tests in the domains of processing speed, working memory, verbal memory, and executive functioning. When test scores were regressed on these anxiety measures, increases in test anxiety predicted decreased performance on measures of executive functioning, specifically inhibitory control. State anxiety demonstrated the opposite relationship to performance and predicted increased performance on one measure. Trait anxiety did not predict cognitive assessment performance. Findings were consistent with previous research indicating measures of test anxiety are more sensitive to changes in test performance than measures of trait or state anxiety. Results demonstrated that older adults, even those not referred for a clinical neuropsychological assessment, can show decreased test performance when self-reported anxiety relevant to the neuropsychological assessment context is high.

Physical exercise demonstrates a special case of aerosol emission due to its associated elevated breathing rate. This can lead to a faster spread of airborne viruses and respiratory diseases. Therefore, this study investigates cross-infection risk during training. Twelve human subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer under three mask scenarios: no mask, surgical mask, and FFP2 mask. The emitted aerosols were measured in a grey room with a measurement setup equipped with an optical particle sensor. The spread of expired air was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed using schlieren imaging. Moreover, user satisfaction surveys were conducted to evaluate the comfort of wearing face masks during training. The results indicated that both surgical and FFP2 masks significantly reduced particles emission with a reduction efficiency of 87.1% and 91.3% of all particle sizes, respectively. However, compared to surgical masks, FFP2 masks provided a nearly tenfold greater reduction of the particle size range with long residence time in the air (0.3-0.5 μm). Furthermore, the investigated masks reduced exhalation spreading distances to less than 0.15 m and 0.1 m in the case of the surgical mask and FFP2 mask, respectively. User satisfaction solely differed with respect to perceived dyspnea between no mask and FFP2 mask conditions.

Hemiagenesis of the thyroid gland (THA) represents a rare congenital anomaly. It is characterized by the absence of one thyroid lobe, and sometimes the isthmus as well. It can occur with all kinds of other thyroid pathologies that may be present in the remaining thyroid lobe. A case of a 21-year-old male patient is presented; he sought a thyroid consultation because of hair loss, fatigue, and problems concentrating, thus raising the suspicion of hypothyroidism. Thyroid function was normal, but sonography of the thyroid gland revealed THA of the left lobe and the isthmus. The current knowledge concerning the genesis and the clinical consequences of THA are discussed based on the current literature.

Music is often discussed to be emotional because it reflects expressive movements in audible form. Thus, a valid approach to measure musical emotion could be to assess movement stimulated by music. In two experiments we evaluated the discriminative power of mobile-device generated acceleration data produced by free movement during music listening for the prediction of ratings on the Geneva Emotion Music Scales (GEMS-9). The quality of prediction for different dimensions of GEMS varied between experiments for tenderness (R12(first experiment) = 0.50, R22(second experiment) = 0.39), nostalgia (R12 = 0.42, R22 = 0.30), wonder (R12 = 0.25, R22 = 0.34), sadness (R12 = 0.24, R22 = 0.35), peacefulness (R12 = 0.20, R22 = 0.35) and joy (R12 = 0.19, R22 = 0.33) and transcendence (R12 = 0.14, R22 = 0.00). For others like power (R12 = 0.42, R22 = 0.49) and tension (R12 = 0.28, R22 = 0.27) results could be almost reproduced. Furthermore, we extracted two principle components from GEMS ratings, one representing arousal and the other one valence of the experienced feeling. Both qualities, arousal and valence, could be predicted by acceleration data, indicating, that they provide information on the quantity and quality of experience. On the one hand, these findings show how music-evoked movement patterns relate to music-evoked feelings. On the other hand, they contribute to integrate findings from the field of embodied music cognition into music recommender systems.