Origin of Ferromagnetism and its pressure and doping dependence in Tl2_{2}Mn2_{2}O7_{7}

Using NMTO-{\it downfolding} technique, we explore and establish the origin of ferromagnetism in the pyrochlore system, Tl$_{2}$Mn$_{2}$O$_{7}$. It is found to be driven by hybridization induced spin-polarization of the delocalized charge carriers derived from Tl-$s$ and O-$p$ states. The mean-field estimate of the ferromagnetic transition temperature, T$_c$, estimated using computed exchange integrals are found to be in good agreement with the measurements. We find an enhancement of T$_{c}$ for moderate doping with nonmagnetic Sb and a suppression of T$_{c}$ upon application of pressure, both in agreement with experimental findings.Comment: Accepted for publication in PR

Using Authentic Online Resources in Russian for STEM Coursework for Novice through Superior Level Learners

This article makes a case for incorporating STEM content into Russian language courses at the Novice through Superior levels of proficiency. The author presents models of asynchronous learning activities based on authentic online resources developed for a Russian for STEM pilot course taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. These lessons can be employed in online or face-to-face courses to prepare students to speak, read, write, and understand the language of STEM fields in Russian

The $62 Million Question: Is Virginia\u27s New Center to House Sexually Violent Prisoners Money Well Spent?

This comment examines Virginia\u27s current civil commitment statute for sexual predators and attempts to identify areas where Virginia should concentrate its limited resources in order to address more adequately the ever-increasing problem of what to do with sex offenders. Part II briefly describes why sex offenders present law enforcement with unique problems in prevention and deterrence. Part III details the history of civil commitment legislation. Part IV examines Supreme Court of the United States jurisprudence regarding the constitutionality of sex offender civil commitment statutes. Part V examines the Virginia Sexually Violent Predator Act. Part VI briefly considers current violent sexual predator legislation in other states, using Washington and Texasas examples. Part VII provides analysis and criticism of the cur- rent Virginia statute. Part VIII recommends ways in which Virginia might reform the current law. Part IX concludes the comment

Reliability and Validity of Ratings of Perceived Exertion in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis

Objective: To test the reliability and validity of using the Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale (ratings 6e20) in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Design: Nonrandomized repeated measures. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Volunteer sample (N=27) comprised of 16 PwMS (10 women) and 11 age-matched persons without multiple sclerosis (MS) (6 women). Clinical measures included symptomatic fatigue, depression, and MS functional capacity. Interventions: A submaximal cycling test was performed to estimate maximal capacity. Participants then pedaled for 2 minutes at 50% and 60% of predicted maximal oxygen consumption per unit time (V̇O2), and physiological measures and RPE were obtained (week 1: response protocol). One week later, participants replicated the prescribed V̇O2 using the RPE range from week 1 (week 2: reproduction protocol). V̇O2, heart rate, and respiratory quotient were measured continuously; RPE and workload were measured every minute; and blood lactate and mean arterial pressure were measured after exercise. Main Outcome Measures: RPE, workload, V̇O2, and heart rate from week 1 to week 2. Results: PwMS had greater fatigue (P2, and heart rate were similar between groups. Both groups had an intraclass correlation coefficient \u3e.86 for RPE, workload, and V̇O2. The intraclass correlation coefficient was comparatively lower for heart rate for both groups (MS group: .72, non-MS group: .83). RPE was highly correlated with V̇O2(rZ.691, P Conclusions: Results suggest that RPE can be reliably reproduced, is valid, and may be used in exercise prescription in mildly to moderately impaired PwMS during cycling exercise

A multi-country assessment of factors related to smallholder food security in varying rainfall conditions

Given that smallholder farmers are frequently food insecure and rely significantly on rain-fed agriculture, it is critical to examine climate variability and food insecurity. We utilize data from smallholder farmer surveys from 12 countries with 30 years of rainfall data to examine how rainfall variability and household resources are correlated with food security. We find that on average, households that experienced a drier than average year are 3.81 months food insecure, while households within a normal range of rainfall were 3.67 months food insecure, and wetter than average households were 2.86 months food insecure. Reduced odds of food insecurity is associated with agricultural inputs, ownership of livestock, water use efficiency, financial services, and participation in a group. However, in drier than average households, financial services as compared to agricultural inputs and agroecological practices have a greater prevalence of reduced instances of food insecurity, while agricultural inputs are more common for reduced food insecurity in wetter than average households. Only the use of fertilizer consistently results in reduced odds of food insecurity across all households regardless of rainfall, demonstrating that one-size fits all approaches to food security interventions are likely ineffective, and place-specific interventions considering climatic factors are critically important

Fair Housing and Inclusive Communities

Residential segregation—by race and by income—is a fundamental driver of inequality in the United States. Segregated living patterns undergird many of the social problems faced by disadvantaged populations. Solutions to segregation include interventions that create housing opportunity in higher income areas, preserve affordability in gentrifying areas, and target investment to the areas most in need. The realization of fair housing and the creation of inclusive communities would be bolstered by innovation in community–academic partnerships

Interpretive Habit Is Strengthened by Cognitive Bias Modification

We investigated the nature of the memory mechanisms underlying cognitive bias modification by applying Jacoby’s (1991) process-dissociation procedure to responses during the transfer task. In the two training conditions (negative and benign), students imagined themselves in 100 ambiguous scenarios, most with potentially negative resolutions; the ambiguity was resolved in a consistently negative or benign direction by completing the fragment of a final word. Control participants completed nonambiguous, nonemotional scenarios. Next, all participants responded on a final training block, where half of the scenarios were completed negatively and half benignly. Transfer was assessed by examining choices in the completion of test scenarios when participants were instructed to respond in the same way as they had to a final-block training scenario that was situationally similar. Benign training facilitated correct responding to benign analogs and impaired correct responding to negative analogs. Performance in the negative-training and control conditions was similar. Process-dissociation procedures revealed that this newly established habit and not controlled recollection provided the basis for transfer