Chemical ordering of Co and Ni in a W-(AlCoNi) crystalline approximant related to Al–Co–Ni decagonal quasicrystals studied by atomic resolution energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

A W-(AlCoNi) crystalline approximant, which is closely related to Al–Co–Ni decagonal quasicrystals, in an Al_72.5Co₂₀Ni_7.5 alloy has been studied by atomic resolution energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), in an instrument attached to a spherical aberration (Cs)-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope. On high-resolution EDS maps of Co and Ni elements, obtained by integrating many sets of EDS data taken from undamaged areas, chemical ordering of Co and Ni is clearly detected. In the structure of the W-(AlCoNi) phase, consisting of arrangements of transition-metal (TM) atoms located at vertices of pentagonal tilings and pentagonal arrangements of mixed sites (MSs) of TM and Al atoms, Co atoms occupy the TM atom positions with the pentagonal tiling and Ni is enriched in part of the pentagonal arrangements of MSs.     

Grain orientation effects on delamination during fatigue of a sensitized Al–Mg alloy

Fatigue crack growth experiments were conducted in humid air (RH~45%) at 25 °C on 29-mm-thick plate samples of an aluminium–magnesium (Al–Mg) 5083-H131 alloy in the long transverse (LT) direction. Samples were tested in both the as-received condition and after sensitization at 175 °C for 100 h. Delamination along some grain boundaries was observed in the short transverse plane after fatigue testing of the sensitized material, depending upon the level of ΔK and K_max. Orientation microscopy using electron backscattering diffraction and chemical analyses using transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy of grain boundaries revealed that Mg segregation and the orientation of grains had key roles in the observed grain boundary delamination of the sensitized material.     

The New Anti-Semitism in Europe: The Islamic Dimension of,and Jewish Belonging in,the EU

This article examines the sense of Jewish vulnerability and exclusion in Europe that has resulted from manifestations, and Jewish perceptions, of the “new anti-Semitism,” and the role of Islamic communities in Europe in propagating this form of hatred of Jews. First emerging in 2000 with the outbreak of the second Palestinian Intifada, and tied in with the Middle East conflict, anger at Israel is directed at Diaspora Jewish communities. This “new anti-Semitism” targets the Jewish collective with the characteristics of anti-Semitism previously aimed at individual Jews. The article focuses on the wave of anti-Semitism that erupted as a result of the 2014 Israeli–Hamas War. Based on an analysis of European Jewish communities, it considers the active part played by European Muslim communities in perpetrating the new anti-Semitism. Using an analysis of survey data, emigration statistics and newspaper opinion articles by leading European Jewish intellectuals, the article considers how the new anti-Semitism is adversely affecting Jewish–Muslim relations and the concomitant sense of “belonging” of European Jewry. The article considers what is required to overcome the new anti-Semitism propagated by Muslim communities to restore a greater sense of Jewish belonging to, and identification with, Europe.     

Motor vehicle accidents and adolescents: An empirical study on their emotional and behavioral profiles,defense strategies and parental support

Background: Research has limitedly focused on adolescents’ emotional–behavioral functioning preceding road collisions and on the role of family support. Objective: To verify whether the rates of motorbikes collisions among adolescents are associated with their emotional–behavioral functioning, their use of specific defense strategies and family support. Method: N = 150 adolescents who visited an emergency department for road accidents were selected and completed self-report questionnaires assessing emotional–behavioral functioning, difficulty in identifying and describing emotions, use of defense strategies and perceived family support. Results: Higher rates of motorbike collisions are associated with more maladaptive emotional–behavioral functioning. Higher perceived family support is associated with lower rates of collisions. Conclusions: Recidivism of motor vehicle collision among adolescents can be considered as a form of acting-out caused by their psychological difficulties.     

What can megastudies tell us about the orthographic structure of English words?

Although the majority of research in visual word recognition has targeted single-syllable words, most words are polysyllabic. These words engender special challenges, one of which concerns their analysis into smaller units. According to a recent hypothesis, the organization of letters into groups of successive consonants (C) and vowels (V) constrains the orthographic structure of printed words. So far, evidence has been reported only in French with factorial studies of relatively small sets of items. In the present study, we performed regression analyses on corpora of megastudies (English and British Lexicon Project databases) to examine the influence of the CV pattern in English. We compared hiatus words, which present a mismatch between the number of syllables and the number of groups of adjacent vowel letters (e.g., client), to other words, controlling for standard lexical variables. In speeded pronunciation, hiatus words were processed more slowly than control words, and the effect was stronger in low-frequency words. In the lexical decision task, the interference effect of hiatus in low-frequency words was balanced by a facilitatory effect in high-frequency words. Taken together, the results support the hypothesis that the configuration of consonant and vowel letters influences the processing of polysyllabic words in English.     

Measurement and comparative analysis of driver’s perception–reaction time to green phase at the intersections with and without a countdown timer

This paper proposes a method based on digital image processing for measuring drivers’ perception–reaction time (PRT) to the green phase. The detection of the onset of a green signal was based on the RGB color model. The detection of the start of the vehicle was based on the frame difference. The driver’s perception–reaction time was equal to the difference between the frame of the onset of the green signal and the frame of the start of the vehicle divided by the video frame rate. Drivers’ PRT with and without a countdown timer were comparatively analyzed. First, the means and variances of drivers’ PRT with a timer and without a timer were compared. Second, Normal, Lognormal, Gamma and Weibull distributions were used to fit the PRT data. Third, the fuzzy c-means clustering was utilized for PRT classification and comparison. The results show that the method for measuring drivers’ PRT based on digital image processing was effective. The drivers’ PRT was decreased from 2.12 s to 1.48 s with countdown signals. Weibull distribution appeared to best fit the PRT with No-Timer and Lognormal distribution appeared to best fit the PRT with Timer. The PRT data were classified into three groups: “Fast”, “Moderate” and “Slow”. Clustering centers without Timer were 1.16 s, 2.47 s and 3.98 s respectively. Clustering centers with Timer were 0.95 s, 1.64 s and 2.70 s respectively. The clustering centers can be regarded as reference values of drivers’ starting response for microscopic traffic simulation software.     

Modeling Martin-Löf type theory in categories

We present a model of Martin-Löf type theory that includes both dependent products and the identity type. It is based on the category of small categories, with cloven Grothendieck bifibrations used to model dependent types. The identity type is modeled by a path functor that seems to have independent interest from the point of view of homotopy theory. We briefly describe this modelʼs strengths and limitations.     

Effect of mindfulness meditation on brain–computer interface performance

Electroencephalogram based brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) enable stroke and motor neuron disease patients to communicate and control devices. Mindfulness meditation has been claimed to enhance metacognitive regulation. The current study explores whether mindfulness meditation training can thus improve the performance of BCI users. To eliminate the possibility of expectation of improvement influencing the results, we introduced a music training condition. A norming study found that both meditation and music interventions elicited clear expectations for improvement on the BCI task, with the strength of expectation being closely matched. In the main 12 week intervention study, seventy-six healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to three groups: a meditation training group; a music training group; and a no treatment control group. The mindfulness meditation training group obtained a significantly higher BCI accuracy compared to both the music training and no-treatment control groups after the intervention, indicating effects of meditation above and beyond expectancy effects.     

Effects of experimentally increased trunk stiffness on thorax and pelvis rotations during walking

Patients with non-specific low back pain, or a similar disorder, may stiffen their trunk, which probably alters their walking coordination. To study the direct effects of increasing trunk stiffness, we experimentally increased trunk stiffness during walking, and compared the results with what is known from the literature about gait coordination with, e.g., low back pain. Healthy subjects walked on a treadmill at 3 speeds (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 m/s), in three conditions (normal, while contracting their abdominal muscles, or wearing an orthopedic brace that limits trunk motions). Kinematics of the legs, thorax and pelvis were recorded, and relative Fourier phases and amplitudes of segment motions were calculated. Increasing trunk stiffness led to a lower thorax–pelvis relative phase, with both a decrease in thorax–leg relative phase, and an increase in pelvis–leg relative phase, as well as reduced rotational amplitude of thorax relative to pelvis. While lower thorax–pelvis relative phase was also found in patients with low back pain, higher pelvis–leg relative phase has never been reported in patients with low back pain or related disorders. These results suggest that increasing trunk stiffness in healthy subjects causes short-term gait coordination changes which are different from those seen in patients with back pain.     

Active versus reactive cooperativeness in Borderline Psychopathology: A dissection based on the HEXACO model of personality

The concept of personality disorders (PDs) is shifting from categorical to dimensional, conceptualizing PDs as maladaptive variants of basic personality traits. The Agreeableness trait in the Five Factor Model of personality classically represents dispositional cooperativeness, which is associated with PDs characterized by interpersonal impairments. However, recent research designates two separate dispositional tendencies: active and reactive cooperativeness. Using the HEXACO model of personality we assessed traits representing these tendencies (Honesty–Humility and Agreeableness) and investigated their relation to Borderline features in 602 individuals. Borderline features were associated with low Agreeableness scores, representing low reactive cooperation, entailing a tendency to retaliate. Yet, there was no association with Honesty–Humility, implying intact active cooperativeness and non-exploitation. These findings extend prior results on the relation between Borderline PD and basic personality dimensions driving prosocial behavior. Implications for the understanding of interpersonal problems in PDs and the refinement of existing therapies are discussed.