Toward Legalization of Poker: The Skill vs. Chance Debate

This paper sheds light on the age-old argument as to whether poker is a game in which skill predominates over chance or vice versa. Recent work addressing the issue of skill vs. chance is reviewed. This current study considers two different scenarios to address the issue: 1) a mathematical analysis supported by computer simulations of one random player and one skilled player in Texas Hold\u27Em, and 2) full-table simulation games of Texas Hold\u27Em and Seven Card Stud. Findings for scenario 1 showed the skilled player winning 97 percent of the hands. Findings for scenario 2 further reinforced that highly skilled players convincingly beat unskilled players. Following this study that shows poker as predominantly a skill game, various gaming jurisdictions might declare poker as such, thus legalizing and broadening the game for new venues, new markets, new demographics, and new media. Internet gaming in particular could be expanded and released from its current illegality in the U.S. with benefits accruing to casinos who wish to offer online poker

A Peer Outreach Initiative to Increase the Registration of Minorities as Organ Donors

Background Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities are disproportionately affected by inequalities in transplant services in the UK. There are some indications from pilot programmes that appeals for BAME organ donors may be more effectively communicated by employing grassroots, community-networking approaches, but such initiatives have not been adequately described or evaluated. Methods Lay individuals from BAME communities were trained as peer outreach workers. They attended a series of public events to promote knowledge of organ donation and transplantation among the public. Information was gathered from 806 evaluation forms completed by event attendees at 34 separate events. From these, 54 follow-up interviews were conducted with event attendees who completed evaluation forms, indicated that they intended to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) within the next month and consented to follow-up. Results Peer outreach initiatives of the type evaluated are associated with increased numbers of BAME people registering as organ donors. A total of 8.8% of event attendees signed up to the NHS ODR. The programme was most effective with people who had previously considered becoming organ donors but who did not know how to go about it. It was less effective with people who had not previously considered it, or who were scared about signing up, or who feared family or religious disapproval. Conclusions Peer outreach programmes with BAME communities can be an effective way of reducing inequalities by increasing the number of people on the NHS ODR and encouraging people to think about the issue

Sensors for ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT) in harsh environments

In this special issue of Sensors, seven peer-reviewed manuscripts appear on the topic of ultrasonic transducer design and operation in harsh environments: elevated temperature, high gamma and neutron fields, or the presence of chemically aggressive species. Motivations for these research and development projects are strongly focused on nuclear power plant inspections (particularly liquid-sodium cooled reactors), and nondestructive testing of high-temperature piping installations. It is anticipated that we may eventually see extensive use of permanently mounted robust transducers for in-service monitoring of petrochemical plants and power generations stations; quality control in manufacturing plants; and primary and secondary process monitoring in the fabrication of engineering materials

Thioxoethenylidene (CCS) as a bridging ligand

The reaction of [Mo(≡CBr)(CO)2(Tp*)] (Tp* = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate) with [Fe2(μ-SLi)2(CO)6] affords, inter alia, the unsymmetrical binuclear thioxoethenylidene complex [Mo2(μ,σ(C):η2(C′S)-CCS)(CO)4(Tp*)2], which may be more directly obtained from [Mo(≡CBr)(CO)2(Tp*)] and Li2S. The reaction presumably proceeds via the intermediacy of the bis(alkylidynyl)thioether complex S{C≡Mo(CO)2(Tp*)}2, which was, however, not directly observed but explored computationally and found to lie 78.6 kJ mol–1 higher in energy than the final thioxoethenylidene product. Computational interrogation of the molecules [M2(μ-C2S)(CO)2(Tp*)2] (M = Mo, W, Re, Os) reveals three plausible coordination modes for a thioxoethenylidene bridge which involve a progressive strengthening of the C–C bond and weakening of the M–C and M–S bonds, as might be expected from simple effective atomic number considerations.This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (DP130102598 and DP110101611)

Desenvolvimento de escala para medir conceitos de esquizofrenia: experiência entre psiquiatras brasileiros

INTRODUCTION: Among psychiatric disorders schizophrenia is often said to be the condition with the most disputed definition.The Bleulerian and Schneiderian approaches have given rise to diagnostic formulations that have varied with time and place. Controversies over the concept of schizophrenia were examined within European/North American settings in the early 1970s but little has since been reported on the views of psychiatrists in developing countries. In Brazil both concepts are referred to in the literature. A scale was developed to measure adherence to Bleulerian and Schneiderian concepts among psychiatrists working in S. Paulo. METHODOLOGY: A self-reported questionnaire comprising seventeen visual analogue-scale statements related to Bleulerian and Schneiderian definitions of Shizophrenia, plus sociodemographic and training characteristics, was distributed to a non-randomised sample of 150 psychiatrists. The two sub-scales were assessed by psychometric methods for internal consistency, sub-scale structure and test-retest reliability. Items selected according to internal consistency were examined by a two-factor model exploratory factor analysis. Intraclass correlation coefficients described the stability of the scale. RESULTS: Replies were received from 117 psychiatrists (mean age 36 (SD 7.9)), 74% of whom were made and 26% female. The Schneiderian scale showed better overall internal consistency than the Bleulerian scale. Intra-class correlation coefficients for test-retest comparisons were between 0.5 and 0.7 for Schneiderian items and 0.2 and 0.7 for Bleulerian items. There was no negative association between Bleulerian and Schneiderian scale scores, suggesting that respondents may hold both concepts. Place of training was significantly associated with the respondent's opinion; disagreement with a Bleulerian standpoint predominated for those trained at the University of S. Paulo. CONCLUSIONS: The less satisfactory reliability for the Bleulerian sub-scale limits confidence in the whole scale but on the other hand this questionnaire contributes to the understanding of the controversy over Bleulerian and Schneiderian models for conceptualisation of schizophrenia, the former requiring more inference and therefore being prone to unreliability.INTRODUÇÃO: Foi desenvolvida uma escala para medir aderência ao conceito Bleuleriano e Schneideriano de esquizofrenia entre psiquiatras trabalhando em São Paulo, analisando relações entre variáveis sociodemográficas e de formação sobre o escore obtido. MÉTODOS: Questionário contendo escala visual analógica com dezessete enunciados sobre conceitos Schneideriano e Bleuleriano de esquizofrenia, foi distribuído para 150 psiquiatras. As sub-escalas Bleuleriana e Schneideriana foram avaliadas por metódos psicométricos de consistência interna, estrutura das subescalas e confiabilidade test- reteste. RESULTADOS: Completaram o questionário 117 psiquiatras. A subescala Schneideriana demonstrou melhor consistência interna e melhores coeficientes de correlação intraclasse. Não houve associação negativa entre os escores das subescalas. Discordância com o conceito Bleuleriano predominou entre profissionais treinados na USP. CONCLUSÕES: A baixa confiabilidade da sub-escala Bleuleriana limita a confiabilidade do instrumento como um todo, embora contribua para a discussão dos modelos em questão. Argumenta-se que o modelo Bleuleriano, por exigir maior inferência, torna-se propenso a baixa confiabilidade