Tinder blue, mental flu? Exploring the associations between Tinder use and well-being

While Tinder (i.e., a popular mobile dating app) has received quite some research attention, its effects on users’ well-being have rarely been addressed. The present study investigates the extent to which Tinder users’ compulsive use, motives, subjective online success and self-conscious social comparison are associated with their well-being (i.e., joviality, sadness, and anxiety). In total, 296 (39% females; 90% heterosexuals) emerging adults who were currently using Tinder completed an online survey. The results suggest that while using Tinder compulsively and for relationship seeking can increase joviality, they may trigger more negative than positive affect. Moreover, feeling unsuccessful on Tinder and making self-conscious social comparisons were positively associated with sadness and anxiety, and negatively associated with joviality. The results seem to imply that Tinder users need to be aware of their compulsive Tinder use, relationship seeking motive, unsuccessful feeling, and/or self-

Anomalous pressure effect on the magnetic ordering in multiferroic BiMnO3

We report the magnetic field dependent dc magnetization and the pressure-dependent (pmax ~ 16 kbar) ac susceptibilities Xp(T) on both powder and bulk multiferroic BiMnO3 samples, synthesized in different batches under high pressure. A clear ferromagnetic (FM) transition is observed at TC ~ 100 K, and increases with magnetic field. The magnetic hysteresis behavior is similar to that of a soft ferromagnet. Ac susceptibility data indicate that both the FM peak and its temperature (TC) decrease simultaneously with increasing pressure. Interestingly, above a certain pressure (9 ~ 11 kbar), another peak appears at Tp ~ 93 K, which also decreases with increasing pressure, with both these peaks persisting over some intermediate pressure range (9 ~ 13 kbar). The FM peak disappears with further application of pressure; however, the second peak survives until present pressure limit (pmax ~ 16 kbar). These features are considered to originate from the complex interplay of the magnetic and orbital structure of BiMnO3 being affected by pressure.Comment: 4 pages,4 figures, publised in Physical Review B 78, 092404/200

Soil Liquefaction and Ground Settlement in Chi-Chi Taiwan, Earthquake

This paper presents an investigation of soil liquefaction and ground settlement in the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake. The quake killed more than 2400 people and caused a great destruction to buildings, bridges, dams, highways and railways. One of the causes for heavy damages to the structures is soil liquefaction and ground settlement during the earthquake. Six sites that were observed to experience liquefaction are investigated through cone penetration testing (CPT), and the liquefaction potential of each site and the settlement of the liquefied soil strata are analyzed

Risk and Value in Privately Financed Health care Projects

An empirical study is presented to investigate the risk factors affecting the value for money that can be obtained from using the public-private partnership delivery system to develop social facility projects. Based on a model describing the main risks affecting a project, a linear regression analysis is conducted on a dataset of privately financed healthcare projects in the UK to explore the main factors that might have significant relationships with the annual unitary charge payment. The results reveal that the economic and political environment, the hospital capacity, the construction duration, and the concession period are significant factors of the price paid by the granting authority. The study confirms that the unitary charge is not only affected by investment, operations and financial lifecycle costs, but also by risk factors and the level of risk allocated to the private sponsors. The proposed methodology might help both public and private parties in improving PFI project's compensation design, in order to achieve a higher value in privately financed infrastructures. The given model might also support the process of better determining the amount of annual payment based on select drivers and appropriately transferred risk factor

Parenting ‘gifted and talented’ children in urban areas: Parents' voices

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright © 2014 by SAGE Publications.International evidence demonstrates the importance of engaging parents in the education of their ‘high-potential’ children, yet limited research has focused on the involvement of parents from differing economic strata/backgrounds. The current study explored the dilemmas of parenting academically high-ability children from economically deprived urban areas in the UK. Data were gathered from a sample of parents whose children attended a university-based sustained intervention programme for designated ‘gifted’ pupils aged 12–16. Parental perceptions were sought in relation to (a) the usefulness/impact of the intervention programme, (b) parents’ aspirations for their children growing up in economically deprived urban areas and (c) parents’ views on the support provided by the extended family, peer groups and the wider community. The findings have significant implications for both policy and practice and, more specifically, for engaging parents in intervention programmes offered by universities and schools to children in order to increase their access to higher education and for enhancing their life chances

Assessing Probabilistic Methods for Liquefaction Potential Evaluation — An Update

This paper presents an assessment of existing probabilistic methods for liquefaction potential evaluation. Emphasis is placed on comparison of probabilities of liquefaction calculated with four different methods. Two of these methods are based on SPT, and the other two are based on CPT. In both SPT- and CPT-based evaluations, logistic regression and Bayesian techniques are applied to map factor of safety to probability of liquefaction. The present study shows that the Bayesian approach yields more conservative results than does the logistic regression approach, although results from the two approaches are quite comparable. Discussion of the procedure for risk-based liquefaction potential evaluation is also presented

Crystal structure of Li_2B_(12)H_(12): a possible intermediate species in the decomposition of LiBH_4

The crystal structure of solvent-free Li_2B_(12)H_(12) has been determined by powder X-ray diffraction and confirmed by a combination of neutron vibrational spectroscopy and first-principles calculations. This compound is a possible intermediate in the dehydrogenation of LiBH_4, and its structural characterization is crucial for understanding the decomposition and regeneration of LiBH_4. Our results reveal that the structure of Li_2B_(12)H_(12) differs from other known alkali-metal (K, Rb, and Cs) derivatives

The Influence Of Belief And Justice On Brand Loyalty In Social Commerce

This paper presents a research model to examine factors influencing brand loyalty and these relationships in social commerce. The model comprises four research hypotheses with five constructs, including behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs, justice and brand loyalty. The constructs are measured by well-supported measures in the literature. The hypotheses are tested via an empirical study of social commerce. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze survey data collected from 363 usable responses. The results show that, in the order of importance, control beliefs, behavioral beliefs and normative beliefs are the major factors contributing to justice and in turn enhance brand loyalty for the social commerce as a whole

3D Surface Profile Construction and Flaw Detection in a Composite Structure

The nondestructive method of evaluating material properties and structural integrity is built upon ultrasonic scanning, raw data acquisition and processing, coming from an ultrasonic transducer. Commercial software LabVIEW designed by National Instruments Inc. is aimed at processing ultrasonic images. An ultrasonic C-scan image system was developed. This system is capable of constructing a 3D surface profile and detecting flaws inside the composite structure. The technique for nondestructive inspection and geometry estimation is validated experimentally on an aluminum plate with small holes and composite structure with a delamination defect.Неразрушающий метод оценки свойств материала и целостности структуры основан на ультразвуковом сканировании, сборе и обработке исходных данных, поступающих от ультразвукового датчика. Коммерческое программное обеспечение LabVLEW, разработанное National Instruments Inc., предназначено для обработки ультразвуковых изображений. Создана ультразвуковая система сканирования изображения С-scan. Система обладает функцией построения трехмерного профиля поверхности и выявления дефектов внутри композиционной структуры. Проверку достоверности методики неразрушающего контроля и оценку геометрии выполняли экспериментально на алюминиевой пластине с небольшими отверстиями и композиционной структуре с дефектом расслоения.Неруйнівний метод оцінки властивостей матеріалу і цілісності структури заснований на ультразвуковому скануванні, зборі та обробці вихідних даних, що надходять від ультразвукового датчика. Комерційне програмне забезпечення LabVLEW, розроблене National Instruments Inc., призначене для обробки ультразвукових зображень. Створена ультразвукова система сканування зображення С-scan. Система має функцію побудови тривимірного профілю поверхні і виявлення дефектів всередині композиційної структури. Перевірку достовірності методики неруйнівного контролю та оцінку геометрії виконували експериментально на алюмінієвій пластині з невеликими отворами і композиційній структурі з дефектом розшаруванн

Interfacial Fracture Toughness of Multilayer Composite Structures

The interfaces in multilayer composite structures are susceptible to delamination due to the combination of active tensile and shear loads under operating conditions. A four-layer center crack composite beam in four-point bending is simulated to determine the interfacial fracture energy of the multilayer structure. The crack is propagating along the interface between the second and third layers. Based on the Euler–Bernoulli theory, the strain energy of the four-layer composite beam is derived. Strain energies before and after the propagation of the interfacial crack are calculated, which results in determining strain energy release rates. Analytical results for those rates are validated with the numerical data obtained by the finite element method. The effect of layer thickness of the composite beam on the interfacial fracture toughness is investigated through a parametric study.В производственных условиях поверхности раздела в многослойных комбинированных структурах проявляют склонность к расслоению в результате комбинации действующих растягивающего усилия и усилия сдвига. Моделируется балка из четырехслойного комбинированного материала с центральной трещиной при четырехточечном изгибе с целью определения энергии разрушения на поверхности раздела многослойной структуры. Трещина развивается вдоль поверхности контакта между вторым и третьим слоями. Величину энергии деформации балки, полученную на основании теории Эйлера Бернулли, рассчитывали до и после распространения трещины по поверхности раздела, что позволило определять скорости выделения энергии деформации. Результаты анализа этих скоростей оценивали с помощью численных данных, полученных методом конечных элементов. Влияние толщины слоя комбинированного материала балки на вязкость разрушения по поверхности контакта изучали при параметрическом исследовании