Effects of Disorder and Momentum Relaxation on the Intertube Transport of Incommensurate Carbon Nanotube Ropes and Multiwall Nanotubes

We study theoretically the electrical transport between aligned carbon nanotubes in nanotube ropes, and between shells in multiwall carbon nanotubes. We focus on transport between two metallic nanotubes (or shells) of different chiralities with mismatched Fermi momenta and incommensurate periodicities. We perform numerical calculations of the transport properties of such systems within a tight-binding formalism. For clean (disorder-free) nanotubes the intertube transport is strongly suppressed as a result of momentum conservation. For clean nanotubes, the intertube transport is typically dominated by the loss of momentum conservation at the contacts. We discuss in detail the effects of disorder, which also breaks momentum conservation, and calculate the effects of localised scatterers of various types. We show that physically relevant disorder potentials lead to very dramatic enhancements of the intertube conductance. We show that recent experimental measurements of the intershell transport in multiwall nanotubes are consistent with our theoretical results for a model of short-ranged correlated disorder.Comment: References adde

Is there a health inequality in gambling related harms? A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Here we present a systematic review of the existing research into gambling harms, in order to determine whether there are differences in the presentation of these across demographic groups such as age, gender, culture, and socioeconomic status, or gambling behaviour categories such as risk severity and participation frequency. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Inclusion criteria were: 1) focus on gambling harms; 2) focus on harms to the gambler rather than affected others; 3) discussion of specific listed harms and not just harms in general terms. Exclusion criteria were: 1) research of non-human subjects; 2) not written in English; 3) not an empirical study; 4) not available as a full article. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search using the Web of Science and Scopus databases in August 2020. Assessment of quality took place using Standard Quality Assessment Criteria. RESULTS: A total of 59 studies published between 1994 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria. These were categorised into thematic groups for comparison and discussion. There were replicated differences found in groups defined by age, socioeconomic status, education level, ethnicity and culture, risk severity, and gambling behaviours. CONCLUSION: Harms appear to be dependent on specific social, demographic and environmental conditions that suggests there is a health inequality in gambling related harms. Further investigation is required to develop standardised measurement tools and to understand confounding variables and co-morbidities. With a robust understanding of harms distribution in the population, Primary Care Workers will be better equipped to identify those who are at risk, or who are showing signs of Gambling Disorder, and to target prevention and intervention programmes appropriately

Impulsivity may be a risk factor in the transition from recreational to problem gaming

Several factors of trait impulsivity were analysed to determine which may contribute towards potentially disordered gaming, as measured by the DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria. Three-hundred and seventy-two adults, sourced from a convenient sample (prolific.co) and a targeted gaming forum sample (Reddit and Facebook), completed an online survey hosted at Qualtrics.com. Three-hundred and twenty-eight participants continued onto a Go/No-Go reaction time task hosted at Pavlovia.org to measure inhibitory control. Demographic information was collected alongside impulsivity measures (BIS-11, UPPS-P, and 27-MCQ) and dichotomous DSM-5 and ICD-11 gaming disorder symptoms. Impulsivity was found to relate to gaming at both an recreational and potentially disordered level, however negative and positive urgency and delay discounting appear to be associated with the highest symptom counts and may be potential factors in the transition between recreational and disordered gaming

The Gaming Problem: A Latent Class Analysis of DSM-5 Criteria For Internet Gaming Disorder In A Non-Clinical Sample

Background: In this study we aimed to test whether suggested DSM-5 criteria for Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) share a similar latent structure to formally recognised addiction. Methods: We used latent class analysis on a dichotomous measure of IGD. The data was collected from a convenient general population sample (500) and a targeted gaming forum sample (236). Results: We found a four or six-class model to be most appropriate, ranging from ‘ casual/non-gamer’ to ‘ potentially disordered’ with increasing symptom severity. The majority of ‘ potentially disordered’ gamers (5+ criteria) were found to be 18-30 years old, and no ‘ potentially disordered’ gamers were over 42. Conclusions: The results suggest that gaming may share a similar latent structure to established addictions, with adolescents and young adults being more at risk. Studies replicating these results would be beneficial, with further emphasis on a critical evaluation of the criteria and symptom cut-off point

Who's been framed? Framing effects are reduced in financial gambles made for others

Background: Decisions made on behalf of other people are sometimes more rational than those made for oneself. In this study we used a monetary gambling task to ask if the framing effect in decision-making is reduced in surrogate decision-making. Methods: Participants made a series of choices between a predetermined sure option and a risky gambling option of winning a proportion of an initial stake. Trials were presented as either a gain or a loss relative to that initial stake. In half of the trials participants made choices to earn money for themselves and in the other half they earned money for another participant. Framing effects were measured as risk seeking in loss frames and risk aversion in gain frames. Results: Significant framing effects were observed both in trials in which participants earned money for themselves and those in which they earned money for another person; however, these framing effects were significantly reduced when making decisions for another person. It appears that the reduced emotional involvement when the decision-maker is not affected by the outcome of the decision thus lessens the framing effect without eradicating it altogether. Conclusions: This suggests that the deviation from rational choices in decision-making can be significantly reduced when the emotional impact on the decision maker is lessened. These results are discussed in relation to Somatic Distortion Theory

Molecular Detection of Multiple Emerging Pathogens in Sputa from Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Background: There is strong evidence that culture-based methods detect only a small proportion of bacteria present in the respiratory tracts of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Methodology/Principal Findings: Standard microbiological culture and phenotypic identification of bacteria in sputa from CF patients have been compared to molecular methods by the use of 16S rDNA amplification, cloning and sequencing. Twenty-five sputa from CF patients were cultured that yield 33 isolates (13 species) known to be pathogens during CF. For molecular cloning, 760 clones were sequenced (7.263.9 species/sputum), and 53 different bacterial species were identified including 16 species of anaerobes (30%). Discrepancies between culture and molecular data were numerous and demonstrate that accurate identification remains challenging. New or emerging bacteria not or rarely reported in CF patients were detected including Dolosigranulum pigrum, Dialister pneumosintes, and Inquilinus limosus. Conclusions/Significance: Our results demonstrate the complex microbial community in sputa from CF patients, especially anaerobic bacteria that are probably an underestimated cause of CF lung pathology. Metagenomic analysis is urgentl

Anaerobic bacteria cultured from cystic fibrosis airways correlate to milder disease: A multisite study

Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria were quantitated in respiratory samples across three cystic fibrosis (CF) centres using extended culture methods. Subjects aged 1–69 years who were clinically stable provided sputum (n=200) or bronchoalveolar lavage (n=55). 18 anaerobic and 39 aerobic genera were cultured from 59% and 95% of samples, respectively; 16 out of 57 genera had a 5% prevalence across centres. Analyses of microbial communities using co-occurrence networks in sputum samples showed groupings of oral, including anaerobic, bacteria, whereas typical CF pathogens formed distinct entities. Pseudomonas was associated with worse nutrition and F508del genotype, whereas anaerobe prevalence was positively associated with pancreatic sufficiency, better nutrition and better lung function. A higher total anaerobe/ total aerobe CFU ratio was associated with pancreatic sufficiency and better nutrition. Subjects grouped by factor analysis who had relative dominance of anaerobes over aerobes had milder disease compared with a Pseudomonas-dominated group with similar proportions of subjects that were homozygous for F508del. In summary, anaerobic bacteria occurred at an early age. In sputum-producing subjects anaerobic bacteria were associated with milder disease, suggesting that targeted eradication of anaerobes may not be warranted in sputum-producing CF subjects

Sonication is superior to scraping for retrieval of bacteria in biofilm on titanium and steel surfaces in vitro

Background and purpose Low-virulence implant infections are characterized by bacterial colonization of the implant with subsequent biofilm formation. In these cases, soft tissue biopsies often prove to be culture negative. Consequently, detachment of the causative adherent bacteria is crucial for correct microbiological diagnosis. Using an in vitro model, we compared 4 methods of biofilm sampling from metal surfaces

Open letter from UK based academic scientists to the secretaries of state for digital, culture, media and sport and for health and social care regarding the need for independent funding for the prevention and treatment of gambling harms

First paragraph: Dear secretaries of state, As leading academic scientists studying gambling behaviours and its harms, we are writing to express our concern about the continuing support shown for the voluntary system of funding treatment, prevention and research in Great Britain. We feel compelled to write to you following the Betting and Gaming Council’s (BGC) recent announcement (17 June 2020) that five of its operators will now allocate the long awaited increase in funding for prevention and treatment, first promised on 2 August 2019, to GambleAware rather than the charity Action Against Gambling Harms. Irrespective of which organisation funds are given to, the BGC’s announcement exemplifies the longstanding weakness of a funding system that allows the gambling industry to regulate the availability and distribution of vital funds to address gambling harms across our communities. As we outline below, the continuance of this arrangement produces several negative effects that undermine the collective effort to reduce harms from gambling. It is also our belief that funds for research into gambling harms and their reduction should primarily be distributed through recognised independent organisations, such as UK Research and Innovation. We hereby urge you, as the secretaries of state with responsibilities for addressing gambling harms, to implement a statutory levy to fund effective prevention and treatment of gambling harms that is free both from industry influence and the perception of industry influence...... [Read more in the article]Additional co-authors: Carolyn Downs, Simon Dymond, Emanuele Fino, Elizabeth Goyder, Cindy Gray, Mark Griffiths, Peter Grindrod, Lee Hogan, Alice Hoon, Richard James, Bev John, Jill Manthorpe, Jim McCambridge, David McDaid, Martin McKee, Sally McManus, Antony Moss, Caroline Norrie, David J Nutt, Jim Orford, Rob Pryce, Gerda Reith, Amanda Roberts, Emmett Roberts, Gareth Roderique-Davies, Jim Rogers, Robert D Rogers, Stephen Sharman, John Strang, Richard Tunney, John Turner, Robert West, David Zendl