Probing small xx parton densities in ultraperipheral AAAA and pApA collisions at the LHC

We calculate production rates for several hard processes in ultraperipheral proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC. The resulting high rates demonstrate that some key directions in small $x$ research proposed for HERA will be accessible at the LHC through these ultraperipheral processes. Indeed, these measurements can extend the HERA $x$ range by roughly a factor of 10 for similar virtualities. Nonlinear effects on the parton densities will thus be significantly more important in these collisions than at HERA.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pages, 5 figure

The Effects of Motivations to Resist Social Change and Accept Inequality on Perceptions of System Legitimacy

Two theories. system justification theory (SJT) and social dominance theory (SDT). both attempt to explain the prevalence and stability of unequal social systems and are o-ften consider analogous by their proponents. With the newly proposed Two Dimensional i\u27vlodel of System Legitimacy (2D-iv10SL). 1 argue that each theory captures a dimension of system relevant motivations: the resistance to social change (RSC). has primarily been studied by SJT and ranges on a continuum from the resistance to the acceptance of social change and the acceptance of inequality (AOI). has primarily been studied by SDT and ranges on a continuum !rom the acceptance to the rejection of inequality. The 2D- i\u27v!OSL predicts that both of these dimensions will be independently associated with the legitimacy of the social system. indicating that they are not analogous system-relevant motivations. Results·were largely consistent with this expectation (Studies L 2a. & 3) The 2D-MOSL also lends itself to a number of additional predictioris, The AO!should be associated with legitimacy only in cases when the society upholds the·goal of inequality. As expected, the AOI was negatively or nonsignificantly related to legitimacy in more equal European countries (Study I) and an unnamed equal country (Study 2). but positively related in more unequal comparison countries. The RSC. however. should not depend on the inequality of the country and so is related to legitimacy no matter the inequality of the status quo (Studies I and 2a). Study 2b revealed that the RSC predicted legitimacy in stable societies. but not in societies with ever changing cultural values. Taken together. these studies indicate that people legitimize social systems when it matches their motivations related to inequality and social change. Study 3 attempted to extend the theory to measures of racial intolerance, expecting that the AOI would consistently predict intolerance, whereas the RSC would predict intolerance when the status quo is portrayed as unequal compared to when it is portrayed as more equal (see Kay et al.. 2009). Although both RSC and AOI predicted racial intolerance the manipulation of the inequality of the status quo did not moderate any of the associations. Study 4 proposed that there are situations where the AOI and RSC contlicL especially for people high on the RSC. People in an unequal system who are high on the RSC and low on the AOI could feel conflict because these individuals disagree with the overall structure of the so1=iety, but yet disavow the change needed to rectify the situation. In Study 4. I tested whether this conflict resulted in feelings of ambivalence across measures of subjective and objective system ambivalence. The results indicated that people did experience system ambivalence and that this ambivalence varied depending on participants AOI and RSC and the inequality of the status quo; however, the precise individuals expects to exhibit the highest levels of ambivalence did not emerge. Instead it appeared that people who are used to being antagonistic to the system greatly reduced their ambivalence when they were given information that suggested the system was in line with their own goals. In sum. results were supportive of the primary predictions of the 20-MOSL indicating that it may be a viable imegration of SJT and SOT. but less supportive of the many differem secondary predictions

Errors on the vertical: Santification, infra-humanization, and religious prejudice

Religious fundamentalism has been related to a variety of prejudicial and discriminatory attitudes and public policy preferences. However, contrary to accounts of fundamentalism as pathological, fundamentalists are physically and mentally healthier than no-fundamentalists (Genia, 1996; Pargament, 2002; Sethi&Seligman, 1993). The purpose of the current paper was to examine both of these fundamentalist outcomes within the same model. In order to capture both positive and negative outcomes of fundamentalism the current paper proposed that people perceived other as greater than or less than human along a dimension of social cognition called the chain of being (cf. Haidt &Algoe, 2004; Lovejoy, 1964/1936). It was proposed that religious fundamentalism and the need for would lead participants to perceive one\u27s ingroup as upholding important values. These perceptions would lead the ingroup to be perceived as lower on this chain of being. Groups that are perceived as lower, less than human, on the chain of being would also face discrimination as a way to protect the ingroup from value violating and threatening outgroups. In order to test these ideas two studies were conducted. In the first study participants rated a variety of target groups on measures of humanness(haslam et al.,2005), sanctification (Mahoney et al., 2003), and moral emotions (e.g. disgust, admiration). Results indicated that participants appeared to rate target entities along a chain of being with some entities perceived as more than human and some perceived as less than human. Additionally, there was some evidence that participants were more likely to rate their ingropu as more than human. this latter evidence, however, was mixed. Additionally, a measure of a moral hierarchy (i.e. moral thermometer) was developed and compared to the measures of humanness and sanctification. Results suggest that this measure captured parts of both sanctification and humanness and allows one to measure the perception of a person or group as above or below human along the same scale. The second study tested the model of fundamentalism that incorporated ideas from the chain of being. Results indicated that fundamentalists\u27 perceptions of an outgroup as violating and threatening religious values lead participants to dehumanize and support discrimination against the outgroup. Additionally, the differences between participants ingroup and outgroup on a hierarchy of morality predicted support for discriminatory public policies. Religious fundamentalism was related to the perception of the ingroup as more than human. The perceptions of the ingroup did not relation to group promoting behavior; however, fundamentalism was a significant and direct predictor of the group promoting attitudes and behaviors. Overall these results suggest that a psychology that does not take the perception of people as more than human into account does not capture the full range of person perception. Furthermore, some religious ideologies may promote the view that ones group is more sacred and these beliefs may inspire more support for the religious group. While the results presented in this paper did not fully confirm the theory, they do provide insight into new directions for research on infra-humanization and religious fundamentalism

Microcrystalline identification of selected designer drugs

A microcrystalline test for the detection of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), benzylpiperazine (BZP) and 5,6-methylenedioxy-2-aminoindane (MDAI) using aqueous solutions of mercury chloride is described. Each of the compounds investigated formed specific drug–reagent crystals within minutes. The uniqueness of the test was confirmed by comparison of the microcrystalline response to that of other psychoactive stimulants and a common cutting agent. The limit of detection and cut-off levels for reference standards were established to 3 g/L and 5 g/L for mephedrone, 0.5 g/L for MDAI and 0.2 g/L and 0.3 g/L for BZP, respectively. Various mixtures of standards of either mephedrone, BZP or MDAI combined with caffeine were investigated for their microcrystalline response. Results showed that simultaneous detection of drug and cutting agent was possible with the concentrations tested but were dependant on the ratio of drug to cutting agent. BZP could be detected alongside caffeine from as low as 20% (v/v), MDAI from 40% (v/v) and mephedrone from 50% (v/v) and higher. Finally, seven samples of online purchased ‘legal highs’ were analysed using the developed test and the findings were compared to FTIR and GC–MS results. It was shown that 6 out of 7 samples did not contain the advertised active ingredient. Five samples consisted of BZP, caffeine and 1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]piperazine (3-TFMPP). The microcrystalline tests carried out on these samples showed positive results for both BZP and caffeine without interference from other substances present

Analgesic prescribing trends in a national sample of older veterans with osteoarthritis: 2012-2017

Few investigations examine patterns of opioid and nonopioid analgesic prescribing and concurrent pain intensity ratings before and after institution of safer prescribing programs such as the October 2013 Veterans Health Administration system-wide Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) implementation. We conducted a quasi-experimental pre–post observational study of all older U.S. veterans (≥50 years old) with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. All associated outpatient analgesic prescriptions and outpatient pain intensity ratings from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2016, were analyzed with segmented regression of interrupted time series. Standardized monthly rates for each analgesic class (total, opioid, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, acetaminophen, and other study analgesics) were analyzed with segmented negative binomial regression models with overall slope, step, and slope change. Similarly, segmented linear regression was used to analyze pain intensity ratings and percentage of those reporting pain. All models were additionally adjusted for age, sex, and race. Before OSI implementation, total analgesic prescriptions showed a steady rise, abruptly decreasing to a flat trajectory after OSI implementation. This trend was primarily due to a decrease in opioid prescribing after OSI. Total prescribing after OSI implementation was partially compensated by continuing increased prescribing of other study analgesics as well as a significant rise in acetaminophen prescriptions (post-OSI). No changes in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribing were seen. A small rise in the percentage of those reporting pain but not mean pain intensity ratings continued over the study period with no changes associated with OSI. Changes in analgesic prescribing trends were not paralleled by changes in reported pain intensity for older veterans with osteoarthritis

Moral frames are persuasive and moralize attitudes:Nonmoral frames are persuasive and de-moralize attitudes

Moral framing and reframing strategies persuade people holding moralized attitudes (i.e., attitudes having a moral basis). However, these strategies may have unintended side effects: They have the potential to moralize people’s attitudes further and as a consequence lower their willingness to compromise on issues. Across three experimental studies with adult U.S. participants (Study 1: N = 2,151, Study 2: N = 1,590, Study 3: N = 1,015), we used persuasion messages (moral, nonmoral, and control) that opposed new big-data technologies (crime-surveillance technologies and hiring algorithms). We consistently found that moral frames were persuasive and moralized people’s attitudes, whereas nonmoral frames were persuasive and de-moralized people’s attitudes. Moral frames also lowered people’s willingness to compromise and reduced behavioral indicators of compromise. Exploratory analyses suggest that feelings of anger and disgust may drive moralization, whereas perceiving the technologies to be financially costly may drive de-moralization. The findings imply that use of moral frames can increase and entrench moral divides rather than bridge them

Moral relevance varies due to Inter‐individual and Intra‐individual differences across big data technology domains

Theories of moralization argue that moral relevance varies due to inter-individual differences, domain differences, or a mix of both. Predictors associated with these sources of variation have been studied in isolation to assess their unique contribution to moralization. Across three studies (N-Study1 = 376; N-Study2a = 621; N-Study2b = 589), assessing attitudes towards new big data technologies, we found that moralization is best explained by theories focusing on inter-individual variation (similar to 29%) and intra-individual variation across technology domains (similar to 49%), and less by theories focusing on differences between technology domains (similar to 6%). We simultaneously examined 15 inter-individual and 16 intra-individual predictors that potentially explain this variation. Predictors directly relevant to the technologies (e.g., justice concerns), cognitive styles (e.g., faith in intuition), and emotional reactions (e.g., anger) best explain variation in moral relevance. Accordingly, scholars should simultaneously adopt and adapt moralization theories related to inter-individual and intra-individual differences across domains rather than in isolation

The Great Geospace Observatory and Simultaneous Missions of Opportunity

A predictive understanding of the sun to geospace environment is one of the main goals of ILWS. This can only be achieved through a "system-level" approach, meaning long-term, simultaneous, continuous observations across the relevant scales of the magnetosphere and ionosphere/thermosphere (IT). To date such an approach, which must involve simultaneous, multi-scale, global imaging of different geospace regions, has not been carried out for a complete geomagnetic storm. Such imagery, now routine for the Solar community, is of critical scientific importance and captures public imagination. Its absence in geospace studies has limited the growth and impact of geospace science. In this presentation, we discuss a concept called the Great Geospace Observatory, which would involve coordinated geospace imaging through an international effort of multiple, simultaneous Missions of Opportunity. In this way, the cost would be spread among different agencies as well as putting remote sensors in vantage points optimized for each type of imaging. 24/7 auroral imaging from weather satellites on Molniya (or similar) orbits, EUV imaging of the plasmasphere from high-inclination orbits, continuous and global ENA imaging from geosynchronous commercial satellites, and continuous X-ray imaging of the cusp and magnetosheath from a high-altitude dedicated probe would quantitatively track system-level dynamics at through substorms, sawtooth events, steady magnetospheric convection, and storms; studying energy and mass coupling between the solar wind, magnetosphere, and the upper atmosphere. In our minds, The Great Geospace Observatory represents the next strategic step for ILWS and needs to be seriously considered

Simulation of ion track ranges in uranium oxide

Direct comparisons between statistically sound simulations of ion-tracks and published experimental measurements of range densities of iodine implants in uranium dioxide have been made with implant energies in the range of 100-800 keV. Our simulations are conducted with REED-MD (Rare Event Enhanced Domain-following Molecular Dynamics) in order to account for the materials structure in both single crystalline and polycrystalline experimental samples. We find near-perfect agreement between REED-MD results and experiments for polycrystalline target materials.Comment: Eleven pages, four figures