Factors influencing the distribution of charge in polar nanocrystals

We perform first-principles calculations of wurtzite GaAs nanorods to explore the factors determining charge distributions in polar nanostructures. We show that both the direction and magnitude of the dipole moment $\mathbf{d}$ of a nanorod, and its electic field, depend sensitively on how its surfaces are terminated and do not depend strongly on the spontaneous polarization of the underlying lattice. We identify two physical mechanisms by which $\mathbf{d}$ is controlled by the surface termination, and we show that the excess charge on the nanorod ends is not strongly localized. We discuss the implications of these results for tuning nanocrystal properties, and for their growth and assembly.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B Rapid Communication

Online gaming addiction: the role of sensation seeking, self-control, neuroticism, aggression, state anxiety and trait anxiety

Research into online gaming has steadily increased over the last decade, although relatively little research has examined the relationship between online gaming addiction and personality factors. This study examined the relationship between a number of personality traits (sensation seeking, self-control, aggression, neuroticism, state anxiety, and trait anxiety) and online gaming addiction. Data were collected over a 1-month period using an opportunity sample of 123 university students at an East Midlands university in the United Kingdom. Gamers completed all the online questionnaires. Results of a multiple linear regression indicated that five traits (neuroticism, sensation seeking, trait anxiety, state anxiety, and aggression) displayed significant associations with online gaming addiction. The study suggests that certain personality traits may be important in the acquisition, development, and maintenance of online gaming addiction, although further research is needed to replicate the findings of the present study

A polarizable interatomic force field for TiO2_2 parameterized using density functional theory

We report a classical interatomic force field for TiO$_2$, which has been parameterized using density functional theory forces, energies, and stresses in the rutile crystal structure. The reliability of this new classical potential is tested by evaluating the structural properties, equation of state, phonon properties, thermal expansion, and some thermodynamic quantities such as entropy, free energy, and specific heat under constant volume. The good agreement of our results with {\em ab initio} calculations and with experimental data, indicates that our force-field describes the atomic interactions of TiO$_2$ in the rutile structure very well. The force field can also describe the structures of the brookite and anatase crystals with good accuracy.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. B; Changes from v1 include multiple minor revisions and a re-write of the description of the force field in Section II

Negative emotions in informal feedback: The benefits of disappointment and drawbacks of anger

Using the emotions as social information (EASI) model, this study investigated the emotional, attitudinal and behavioral reactions to failure feedback by manipulating negative emotional displays (angry, disappointed or none) and the position level and relational distance of the feedback source. Undergraduate students (N = 260) responded to an organizational failure feedback vignette and completed a subsequent performance task. Results demonstrated that guilt was the complementary emotional experience following displays of disappointment, while reciprocal anger followed displays of anger. These emotional reactions served as important mediators between the emotional displays paired with the feedback message and participant responses of social behaviors, creative task performance and perceptions of the feedback source. In addition, our findings indicated that negative emotions can have positive organizational and interpersonal outcomes. Guilt in response to disappointed displays resulted in beneficial behaviors and attitudes, while anger in response to angry displays was socially detrimental. The emotion displayed during feedback provision also served as a consistent contextual factor that did not interact with the position level or relational distance of the feedback source to impact behavioral and attitudinal reactions. Overall, this study indicates that discrete negative emotions have unique social-functional properties that require further investigation.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Evaluation of a Brief Sodium Screener in Two Samples

The Sodium Screener© (SS©), as developed by NutritionQuest (Berkeley, CA, USA), was designed to reduce the burden of repeated dietary or urinary sodium measurements, but the accuracy of daily sodium intake estimates has not been reported. Associations were examined between sodium intakes derived from the SS© scores and repeated 24-h recalls (24DR) in two studies with different administration modes. In one study, 102 registered dietitians (RD) completed three Automated Self-Administered 24DRs (ASA24©), version 2014, followed by the SS©; both were self-administered and web-based. In the second sample, (the Study of Household Purchasing Patterns, Eating, and Recreation or SHoPPER), trained dietitians conducted 24DR interviews with 69 community-dwelling adults in their homes; all the community adults then completed a paper-based SS© at the final visit. In the RD study, SS©-predicted sodium intakes were 2604 ± 990 (mean ± Standard deviation (SD)), and ASA24© sodium intakes were 3193 ± 907 mg/day. In the SHoPPER sample, corresponding values were 3338 ± 1310 mg/day and 2939 ± 1231 mg/day, respectively. SS© -predicted and recall sodium estimates were correlated in the RD study (r = 0.381, p = 0.0001) and in the SHoPPER (r = 0.430, p = 0.0002). Agreement between the SS© and 24-h recalls was poor when classifying individuals as meeting the dietary sodium guidelines of 2300 mg/day or not (RD study: kappa = 0.080, p = 0.32; SHoPPER: kappa = 0.207, p = 0.08). Based on repeated 24DR either in person or self-reported online as the criterion for estimating daily sodium intakes, the SS© may require additional modifications

Perfectionism and self-conscious emotions in British and Japanese students: Predicting pride and embarrassment after success and failure

Regarding self-conscious emotions, studies have shown that different forms of perfectionism show different relationships with pride, shame, and embarrassment depending on success and failure. What is unknown is whether these relationships also show cultural variations. Therefore, we conducted a study investigating how self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism predicted pride and embarrassment after success and failure comparing 363 British and 352 Japanese students. Students were asked to respond to a set of scenarios where they imagined achieving either perfect (success) or flawed results (failure). In both British and Japanese students, self-oriented perfectionism positively predicted pride after success and embarrassment after failure whereas socially prescribed perfectionism predicted embarrassment after success and failure. Moreover, in Japanese students, socially prescribed perfectionism positively predicted pride after success and self-oriented perfectionism negatively predicted pride after failure. The findings have implications for our understanding of perfectionism indicating that the perfectionism–pride relationship not only varies between perfectionism dimensions, but may also show cultural variations

Avaliação da Vergonha em Adolescentes: ‘The Other as Shamer Scale’

Shame, as a self-conscious, multidimensional and socially focused emotion, plays a central role in the mental health of individuals. In adolescents, shame is also a frequent experience and its assessment is important for research and clinical practice. This study aims to validate a brief measure of external shame (Other as Shamer Scale – brief version for adolescents: (OASB-A). The participants were 834 adolescents with a mean age of 15 years. The final model of the OASB-A (8 items), obtained through CFA, presents a good fit to the data. The OASB-A shows a good internal consistency and an adequate temporal reliability. The OASB-A also reveals significant correlations with traumatic shame experiences (IES-R) and psychopathological symptoms (DASS-21). The OASB-A is an economic and reliable measure to assess external shame in adolescents

AAV2-mediated in vivo immune gene therapy of solid tumours

Abstract Background Many strategies have been adopted to unleash the potential of gene therapy for cancer, involving a wide range of therapeutic genes delivered by various methods. Immune therapy has become one of the major strategies adopted for cancer gene therapy and seeks to stimulate the immune system to target tumour antigens. In this study, the feasibility of AAV2 mediated immunotherapy of growing tumours was examined, in isolation and combined with anti-angiogenic therapy. Methods Immune-competent Balb/C or C57 mice bearing subcutaneous JBS fibrosarcoma or Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) tumour xenografts respectively were treated by intra-tumoural administration of AAV2 vector encoding the immune up-regulating cytokine granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and the co-stimulatory molecule B7-1 to subcutaneous tumours, either alone or in combination with intra-muscular (IM) delivery of AAV2 vector encoding Nk4 14 days prior to tumour induction. Tumour growth and survival was monitored for all animals. Cured animals were re-challenged with tumourigenic doses of the original tumour type. In vivo cytotoxicity assays were used to investigate establishment of cell-mediated responses in treated animals. Results AAV2-mediated GM-CSF, B7-1 treatment resulted in a significant reduction in tumour growth and an increase in survival in both tumour models. Cured animals were resistant to re-challenge, and induction of T cell mediated anti-tumour responses were demonstrated. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes to naïve animals prevented tumour establishment. Systemic production of Nk4 induced by intra-muscular (IM) delivery of Nk4 significantly reduced subcutaneous tumour growth. However, combination of Nk4 treatment with GM-CSF, B7-1 therapy reduced the efficacy of the immune therapy. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for in vivo AAV2 mediated immune gene therapy, and provides data on the inter-relationship between tumour vasculature and immune cell recruitment