Counselor Allegiance and Client Expectancy in Neuroscience-Informed Cognitive-Behavior Therapy: A 12-Month Qualitative Follow-Up

This article presents summative findings from a 12-month multiphase mixed-methods pilot study examining counselor and client perceptions of neuroscience-informed cognitive-behavior therapy (nCBT) following clinical application. Results from the first 6 months of the study indicated that the counselor\u27s and client\u27s beliefs about the credibility and effectiveness of nCBT (i.e., expectancy) remained stable from pretreatment to 6 months into treatment. The fourth phase of data collection at the 12-month interval followed an explanatory sequential process whereby the qualitative data were connected to earlier merged quantitative data to better understand initial findings from the first 6 months of the study. Results indicate that counselors\u27 initial comprehension and familiarity with the model, counselor–client trust, counselor delivery and suggestion, and client willingness to practice outside of session were key components to the development of counselor and client belief (expectancy) in the model. Implications for nCBT theory development and application are discussed

Professionals’ views on the use of smartphone technology to support children and adolescents with memory impairment due to acquired brain injury

Purpose: To identify from a health-care professionals’ perspective whether smartphones are used by children and adolescents with acquired brain injury as memory aids; what factors predict smartphone use and what barriers prevent the use of smartphones as memory aids by children and adolescents. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken with 88 health-care professionals working with children and adolescents with brain injury. Results: Children and adolescents with brain injury were reported to use smartphones as memory aids by 75% of professionals. However, only 42% of professionals helped their clients to use smartphones. The only factor that significantly predicted reported smartphone use was the professionals’ positive attitudes toward assistive technology. Several barriers to using smartphones as memory aids were identified, including the poor accessibility of devices and cost of devices. Conclusion: Many children and adolescents with brain injury are already using smartphones as memory aids but this is often not facilitated by professionals. Improving the attitudes of professionals toward using smartphones as assistive technology could help to increase smartphone use in rehabilitation

Tapered Fluidized Beds and the Role of Fluidization in Mineral Emplacement

One of the most prominent features of fluidized beds is their ability to mix and segregate. This is of great importance for many industrial processes, but takes on a particular significance for mineral extraction where a small amount of valuable matter is mixed with a large amount of waste. In this study we consider the occurrence of diamonds in the volcanic rock called “kimberlite”. These are often emplaced (erupted and deposited) in large volcanic pipes commonly referred to as “diatremes” (length scale of the order of a kilometre) with a vent at the bottom through which the minerals were introduced along with other fragmental particulate matter and a gas flow. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the processes that led to the dispersal of minerals before their emplacement to allow efficient extraction. The paper describes experimental observations of a tapered fluidized bed. The objective was to identify the physical behaviour of gas and particles; so, of particular interest are the extent to which fluidization takes place within the bed, and the arrangements of particles seen. Gas flow-rate, particle size, and degree of taper were all varied. These observations can be used to identify the structures and processes that can take place; it is then possible to understand field data in terms of the physics that led to the emplacement of material. This will be shown using new data taken from southern Africa. Scale-up of evidence is of obvious difficulty in this system and this is discussed in terms of the possible behaviour of the bubbles that have generated mixing of material before emplacement

Bunge’s Mathematical Structuralism Is Not a Fiction

In this paper, I explore Bunge’s fictionism in philosophy of mathematics. After an overview of Bunge’s views, in particular his mathematical structuralism, I argue that the comparison between mathematical objects and fictions ultimately fails. I then sketch a different ontology for mathematics, based on Thomasson’s metaphysical work. I conclude that mathematics deserves its own ontology, and that, in the end, much work remains to be done to clarify the various forms of dependence that are involved in mathematical knowledge, in particular its dependence on mental/brain states and material objects

High-resolution wetness index mapping: A useful tool for regional scale wetland management

Wetland ecosystems are key habitats for carbon sequestration, biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet in many they localities have been subject to modification or damage. In recent years, there has been increasing focus on effective management and, where possible, restoration of wetlands. Whilst this is highly laudable, practical implementation is limited by the high costs and unpredictable rates of success. Accordingly, there is a need for spatial information to guide restoration, ideally at the regional scale that land managers operate. In this study, we use high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived elevation, in conjunction with regional soil and land cover maps, to model the wetness potential of an area of conservation importance in north-west England. We use the Compound Topographic Index (CTI) as a measure for the site-specific wetness and potential to be receptive to wetland restoration. The resulting model is in agreement with the regional-scale distribution of wetlands and is clearly influenced by the topographic and soil parameters. An assessment of three representative case studies highlights the small scale features that determine the potential wetness of an area. For each site, the model results conform to the expected patterns of wetness, highlighting restoration and management activity. Furthermore, areas showing high potential wetness that may be suitable for wetland habitat creation, are highlighted. The increasing availability of LiDAR data at regional and national scales will allow studies of this nature to be undertaken at previously unobtainable resolutions. Simple models, such as implemented here, benefit from explainability and relatability and have clear potential for use by managers and conservation agencies involved in wetland restoration

The Flavor Asymmetry of the Nucleon Sea

We re-examine the effects of anti-symmetry on the anti-quarks in the nucleon sea arising from gluon exchange and pion exchange between confined quarks. While the effect is primarily to suppress anti-down relative to anti-up quarks, this is numerically insignificant for the pion terms.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.

A literature review of dispersal pathways of Aedes albopictus across different spatial scales: implications for vector surveillance

Background: Aedes albopictus is a highly invasive species and an important vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Indigenous to Southeast Asia, Ae. albopictus has successfully invaded every inhabited continent, except Antarctica, in the past 80 years. Vector surveillance and control at points of entry (PoE) is the most critical front line of defence against the introduction of Ae. albopictus to new areas. Identifying the pathways by which Ae. albopictus are introduced is the key to implementing effective vector surveillance to rapidly detect introductions and to eliminate them. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify studies and data sources reporting the known and suspected dispersal pathways of human-mediated Ae. albopictus dispersal between 1940-2020. Studies and data sources reporting the first introduction of Ae. albopictus in a new country were selected for data extraction and analyses. Results: Between 1940-2020, Ae. albopictus was reported via various dispersal pathways into 86 new countries. Two main dispersal pathways were identified: (1) at global and continental spatial scales, maritime sea transport was the main dispersal pathway for Ae. albopictus into new countries in the middle to late 20th Century, with ships carrying used tyres of particular importance during the 1980s and 1990s, and (2) at continental and national spatial scales, the passive transportation of Ae. albopictus in ground vehicles and to a lesser extent the trade of used tyres and maritime sea transport appear to be the major drivers of Ae. albopictus dispersal into new countries, especially in Europe. Finally, the dispersal pathways for the introduction and spread of Ae. albopictus in numerous countries remains unknown, especially from the 1990s onwards. Conclusions: This review identified the main known and suspected dispersal pathways of human-mediated Ae. albopictus dispersal leading to the first introduction of Ae. albopictus into new countries and highlighted gaps in our understanding of Ae. albopictus dispersal pathways. Relevant advances in vector surveillance and genomic tracking techniques are presented and discussed in the context of improving vector surveillance