Does stereotype threat contribute to the political knowledge gender gap?: A preregistered replication study of Ihme and Tausendpfund (2018)

The gender gap in political knowledge is a well-established finding in Political Science. One explanation for gender differences in political knowledge is the activation of negative stereotypes about women. As part of the Systematizing Confidence in Open Research and Evidence (SCORE) program, we conducted a two-stage preregistered and high-powered direct replication of Study 2 of Ihme and Tausendpfund (2018). While we successfully replicated the gender gap in political knowledge – such that male participants performed better than female participants – both the first (N = 671) and second stage (N = 831) of the replication of the stereotype activation effect were unsuccessful. Taken together (pooled N = 1,502), results indicate evidence of absence of the effect of stereotype activation on gender differences in political knowledge. We discuss potential explanations for these findings and put forward evidence that the gender gap in political knowledge might be an artifact of how knowledge is measured.Social decision makin

Search for diffuse neutrino flux from astrophysical sources with MACRO

Many galactic and extragalactic astrophysical sources are currently considered promising candidates as high energy neutrino emitters. Astrophysical neutrinos can be detected as upward-going muons produced in charged-current interactions with the medium surrounding the detector. The expected neutrino fluxes from various models start to dominate on the atmospheric neutrino background at neutrino energies above some tens of TeV. We present the results of a search for an excess of high energy upward-going muons among the sample of data collected by MACRO during ~5.8 years of effective running time. No significant evidence for this signal was found. As a consequence, an upper limit on the flux of upward-going muons from high-energy neutrinos was set at the level of 1.7 10^(-14) cm^(-2) s^(-1) sr^(-1). The corresponding upper limit for the diffuse neutrino flux was evaluated assuming a neutrino power law spectrum. Our result was compared with theoretical predictions and upper limits from other experiments.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, 2 table

High-energy Neutrino Astronomy: The Cosmic Ray Connection

This is a review of neutrino astronomy anchored to the observational fact that Nature accelerates protons and photons to energies in excess of $10^{20}$ and $10^{13}$ eV, respectively. Although the discovery of cosmic rays dates back close to a century, we do not know how and where they are accelerated. Basic elementary-particle physics dictates a universal upper limit on their energy of $5\times10^{19}$ eV, the so-called Greisen-Kuzmin-Zatsepin cutoff; however, particles in excess of this energy have been observed by all experiments, adding one more puzzle to the cosmic ray mystery. Mystery is fertile ground for progress: we will review the facts as well as the speculations about the sources including gamma ray bursts, blazars and top-down scenarios. The important conclusion is that, independently of the specific blueprint of the source, it takes a kilometer-scale neutrino observatory to detect the neutrino beam associated with the highest energy cosmic rays and gamma rays. We also briefly review the ongoing efforts to commission such instrumentation.Comment: 83 pages, 18 figures, submitted to Reports on Progress in Physic

Astrophysical Origins of Ultrahigh Energy Cosmic Rays

In the first part of this review we discuss the basic observational features at the end of the cosmic ray energy spectrum. We also present there the main characteristics of each of the experiments involved in the detection of these particles. We then briefly discuss the status of the chemical composition and the distribution of arrival directions of cosmic rays. After that, we examine the energy losses during propagation, introducing the Greisen-Zaptsepin-Kuzmin (GZK) cutoff, and discuss the level of confidence with which each experiment have detected particles beyond the GZK energy limit. In the second part of the review, we discuss astrophysical environments able to accelerate particles up to such high energies, including active galactic nuclei, large scale galactic wind termination shocks, relativistic jets and hot-spots of Fanaroff-Riley radiogalaxies, pulsars, magnetars, quasar remnants, starbursts, colliding galaxies, and gamma ray burst fireballs. In the third part of the review we provide a brief summary of scenarios which try to explain the super-GZK events with the help of new physics beyond the standard model. In the last section, we give an overview on neutrino telescopes and existing limits on the energy spectrum and discuss some of the prospects for a new (multi-particle) astronomy. Finally, we outline how extraterrestrial neutrino fluxes can be used to probe new physics beyond the electroweak scale.Comment: Higher resolution version of Fig. 7 is available at http://www.angelfire.com/id/dtorres/down3.html. Solicited review article prepared for Reports on Progress in Physics, final versio

The concept of seasonality of steam coal prices and transport on the Polish market

Jeden z najistotniejszych obszarów decyzyjnych przedsiębiorstwa dotyczy zarządzania kapitałem obrotowym. Przedsiębiorstwa energetyczne zajmujące się wytwarzaniem energii elektrycznej i ciepła stanowią głównych odbiorców węgla energetycznego, dlatego ich decyzje w zakresie kształtowania poziomu zapasów są głównym czynnikiem determinującym harmonogramy dostaw węgla. Decyzje te zależą od wymagań prawnych oraz możliwości technicznych, a także aspektów ekonomicznych. Sezonowość zużycia węgla w połączeniu z kosztami wynikającymi z wcześniejszego zakupu oraz kosztami utrzymywania zapasów stanowią bezpośrednią przyczynę kształtowania harmonogramów dostaw węgla w sposób przypominający parabolę. Wśród uczestników rynku węgla (energetyka, górnictwo, przewoźnicy) istnieje rozbieżność oczekiwań w zakresie harmonogramów dostaw. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie koncepcji kształtowania cen węgla energetycznego i transportu na rynku polskim, zakładającej zastosowanie bodźca cenowego, powodującego równomierne dostawy w ciągu roku. W artykule przedstawiono wybrane treści teoretyczne z zakresu logistyki węgla oraz zarządzania kapitałem obrotowym w przedsiębiorstwie, zidentyfikowano oczekiwania uczestników rynku węgla energetycznego w zakresie kształtowania harmonogramów dostaw oraz motywy, jakimi w tym zakresie kierują się odbiorcy węgla z energetyki zawodowej i ciepłownictwa. Przedstawiona koncepcja sezonowości cen węgla energetycznego i transportu na rynku polskim w zamierzeniu autorów powinna być przedmiotem dalszej dyskusji w pracach naukowych i eksperckich.One of the most important business areas of the company is the management of working capital. Energy companies that produce electricity and heat are the main consumers of steam coal, so their decision concerning stock levels is a major determinant of supply schedules. These decisions depend on legal and technical requirements as well as economic aspects. The seasonality of coal consumption jointly with pre-purchase costs and storage costs has a straight impact on delivery scheduling in a parabolic way. There is a divergence in expectations regarding delivery schedules among the coal market participants (energy, mining, transport companies). The purpose of this article is to present the concept of pricing of steam coal and transport service on the Polish market, assuming the use of price incentives, resulting in delivery scheduling during the year. The article presents selected theoretical content in the field of coal logistics and working capital management in the company, the expectations of the steam coal market participant regarding delivery schedules have been identified. The proposed concept of pricing steam coal and transport service should be discussed further in scientific and expert work

Opioid, sedative, pre-admission medication and iatrogenic withdrawal risk in UK adult critically ill patients: a point prevalence study

Background: iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome, after exposure medication known to cause withdrawal is recognised, yet under described in adult intensive care.Aim: investigate, opioid, sedation and preadmission medication practice in critically ill adults with focus on aspects associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndromeMethods: one-day point prevalence study in UK ICUs. We collected ICU admission medication and/or substances with withdrawal potential, sedation policy, opioid and sedative use, dose, and duration.Results: 37 from 39 participating ICUs contributed data from 386 patients. The prevalence rate for parenteral opioid and sedative medication was 56.1%, (212 patients). 23 ICUs (59%) had no sedation/analgesia policy, and no ICUs screened for iatrogenic withdrawal. Patient admission medications with withdrawal-potential included antidepressants or antipsychotics (43, 20.3%) and nicotine (41, 19.3%). Of 212 patients, 202 (95.3%) received opioids, 163 (76.9%) sedatives and 153 (72.2%) both. 202 (95.3%) patients received opioids: 167 (82.7%) by continuous infusions and 90 (44.6%) patients for longer than 96-hours. 163 (76.9%) patients received sedatives: 157 (77.7%) by continuous infusions and 74 (45.4%) patients for longer than 96-hours.Conclusion: opioid and sedative prevalence rates were high, and a high proportion of ICUs had no sedative/analgesic policies. Nearly half of patients received continuous opioids and sedatives for longer than 96-hours placing them at high risk of iatrogenic withdrawal. No participating unit reported using a validated tool for iatrogenic withdrawal assessment

Opioid, sedative, preadmission medication and iatrogenic withdrawal risk in UK adult critically ill patients: a point prevalence study

Background: Iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome, after exposure medication known to cause withdrawal is recognised, yet under described in adult intensive care.Aim: to investigate, opioid, sedation, and preadmission medication practice in critically ill adults with focus on aspects associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome.Method: one-day point prevalence study in UK intensive care units (ICUs). We collected ICU admission medication and/or substances with withdrawal potential, sedation policy, opioid and sedative use, dose, and duration.Results: thirty-seven from 39 participating ICUs contributed data from 386 patients. The prevalence rate for parenteral opioid and sedative medication was 56.1% (212 patients). Twenty-three ICUs (59%) had no sedation/analgesia policy, and no ICUs screened for iatrogenic withdrawal. Patient admission medications with withdrawal-potential included antidepressants or antipsychotics (43, 20.3%) and nicotine (41, 19.3%). Of 212 patients, 202 (95.3%) received opioids, 163 (76.9%) sedatives and 153 (72.2%) both. Two hundred and two (95.3%) patients received opioids: 167 (82.7%) by continuous infusions and 90 (44.6%) patients for longer than 96-h. One hundred and sixty-three (76.9%) patients received sedatives: 157 (77.7%) by continuous infusions and 74 (45.4%) patients for longer than 96-h.Conclusion: opioid sedative and admission medication with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome potential prevalence rates were high, and a high proportion of ICUs had no sedative/analgesic policies. Nearly half of patients received continuous opioids and sedatives for longer than 96-h placing them at high risk of iatrogenic withdrawal. No participating unit reported using a validated tool for iatrogenic withdrawal assessment

Cadmium clusters in CdI2 layered crystals: the influence on the optical properties

The influence of overstoichiometric Cd i atoms on the optical properties of cadmium iodide layered crystals has been investigated. The results of optical absorption, luminescence, and luminescence excitation studies of CdI 2 crystals with controlled deviation from stoichiometric composition allow observing correlations between the Cd i concentration and features in absorption and emission spectra up to concentrations of 10 18 cm -3 . At higher concentrations the overstoichiometric cadmium atoms form clusters, which were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The extinction spectra of (CdI i ) n clusters are calculated in the frame of Mie theory and are found to correlate with the optical studies