Texture Transfer in Dielectric Layers via Nanocrystalline Networks: Insights from in Situ 4D-STEM.

Transition metal oxide dielectric layers have emerged as promising candidates for various relevant applications, such as supercapacitors or memory applications. However, the performance and reliability of these devices can critically depend on their microstructure, which can be strongly influenced by thermal processing and substrate-induced strain. To gain a more in-depth understanding of the microstructural changes, we conducted in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of amorphous HfO2 dielectric layers grown on highly textured (111) substrates. Our results indicate that the minimum required phase transition temperature is 180 °C and that the developed crystallinity is affected by texture transfer. Using in situ TEM and 4D-STEM can provide valuable insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying the microstructural evolution of dielectric layers and could pave the way for the development of more reliable and efficient devices for future applications.

Contingency inferences from base rates: A parsimonious strategy?

The pseudocontingency framework provides a parsimonious strategy for inferring the contingency between two variables by assessing the base rates. Frequently occurring levels are associated, as are rarely occurring levels. However, this strategy can lead to different contingency inferences in different contexts, depending on how the base rates vary across contexts. Here, we examine how base-rate consistency influences base-rate learning and reliance by contrasting consistent with inconsistent base rates. We hypothesized that base-rate learning is facilitated, and that people rely more on base rates if base rates are consistent. In Experiment 1, the base rates across four contexts implied the same (consistent) or different (inconsistent) contingencies. Base rates were learned equally accurately, and participants inferred contingencies that followed the base rates but deviated from the genuine contingencies within contexts, regardless of consistency. In Experiment 2, we additionally manipulated whether the context was a plausible moderator of the contingency. While we replicated the first experiment's results when the context was a plausible moderator, base-rate inferences were stronger for consistent base rates when the context was an implausible moderator. Possibly, when a moderation-by-context was implausible, participants also relied on the base-rate correlation across contexts, which implied the same contingency when base rates were consistent but was zero when the base rates were inconsistent. Thus, our findings suggest that contingency inferences from base rates involve top-down processes in which people decide how to use base-rate information.

Can sequencing of articulation ease explain the in-out effect? A preregistered test.

Words whose consonantal articulation places move from the front of the mouth to the back (e.g. BADAKA; inward) receive more positive evaluations than words whose consonantal articulation places move from the back of the mouth to the front (e.g. KADABA; outward). This in-out effect has a variety of affective, cognitive, and even behavioural consequences, but its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Most recently, a linguistic explanation has been proposed applying the linguistic easy-first account and the so-called labial-coronal effect from developmental speech research and phonology to the in-out effect: Labials (front) are easier to process than coronals (middle); and people prefer easy followed by harder motor components. Disentangling consonantal articulation direction and articulation place, the present three preregistered experiments (total N = 1012) found in-out effects for coronal-dorsal (back), and labial-dorsal articulation places. Critically, no in-out effect emerged for labial-coronal articulation places. Thus, the in-out effect is unlikely an instantiation of easy first.

The role of category valence in prototype preference.

People prefer prototypical stimuli over atypical stimuli. The dominant explanation for this prototype preference effect is that prototypical stimuli are processed more fluently. However, a more recent account proposes that prototypes are more strongly associated with their category's valence, leading to a reversed prototype preference effect for negative categories. One critical but untested assumption of this category-valence account is that no prototype preference should emerge for entirely neutral categories. We tested this prediction by conditioning categories of dot patterns positively, negatively, or neutrally. In line with previous findings on the category-valence account, prototype preference reversed for negatively conditioned categories. However, prototype preference was similarly strong for positive and neutral categories. These findings imply that prototype preferences do not only reflect a transfer of category valence to exemplars. Instead, the results suggest that prototype preference is a multi-process phenomenon arising from the activated category valence and a fluency-based process. We discuss further implications for theories on fluency and prototype preference.

Articulation dynamics and evaluative conditioning: investigating the boundary conditions, mental representation, and origin of the in-out effect.

People prefer linguistic stimuli with an inward (e.g. BODIKA) over those with an outward articulation dynamic (e.g. KODIBA), a phenomenon known as the articulatory in-out effect. Despite its robustness across languages and contexts, the phenomenon is still poorly understood. To learn more about the effect's boundary conditions, mental representation, and origin, we crossed the in-out effect with evaluative conditioning research. In five experiments (N = 713, three experiments pre-registered), we systematically paired words containing inward versus outward dynamics with pictures of negative versus positive valence. Although this evaluative conditioning procedure reversed the preference for inward over outward words, this was the case only for words with the same consonant sequences as the conditioned words. For words with inward/outward dynamics but different consonant sequences than the conditioned ones, a regular in-out effect emerged. Also, no preference reversal at all emerged for the conditioned consonant sequences when the contingency between single consonants at specific positions and positive/negative valence was zero. Implications of these findings for the in-out effect and evaluative conditioning are discussed.

A comparison of men and women referred to provincial correctional mental health services in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Women comprise around 15% of admissions to provincial correctional institutions in Canada. Women in custody are known to have a high prevalence of mental health concerns, but little is known about how those referred to mental health services compare with referred men at a similar stage of imprisonment. AIMS: Our aim was to describe and compare clinical, social and demographic characteristics of a complete cohort of custodially remanded men and women who were referred to mental health services while under custodial remand in two correctional institutions. METHODS: We carried out retrospective analysis of data obtained from 4040 men and 1734 provincially detained women referred to mental health services in two correctional centres holding mainly pre-trial prisoners and serving a large mixed urban-rural catchment area in Toronto, Canada over a nearly five-year period. Men and women were first screened using the Brief Jail Mental Health Screen. Those who screened positive were assessed using the Jail Screening Assessment Tool the Brief Psychopathology Rating Scale-Expanded (BPRS-E) and the Clinical Global Impression-Corrections (CGI-C). RESULTS: There were many similarities between men and women, but also some important differences. Women were more socioeconomically disadvantaged than men. More women than men reported having children, yet fewer reported having any form of employment or social supports, although men were more likely to report unstable housing. In addition, women were significantly more likely to have mood and anxiety problems and to be self-harming, but did not differ from men in current psychotic symptoms. We also found differences in patterns of substance use, with a higher proportion of women using heroin and methamphetamines but fewer women having accessed addiction services. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings have implications for clinicians and service planners. They underscore the value of systematic screening for identifying need. More specifically, they suggest need for increased availability of addiction services for women as well as ensuring support for those women who have dependent-age children. Improvement in supports for entry into employment is particularly needed for women, while men are particularly likely to need access to stable housing.

Topochemical Fluorination of n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper Type Sr3Ti2O7 to Sr3Ti2O5F4 and Its Reductive Defluorination.

Within this study, we show that a sequence of substitutive topochemical fluorination of the n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper type compounds Sr3Ti2O7 to Sr3Ti2O5F4 followed by reductive topochemical defluorination reactions between the oxyfluoride and the reducing agent sodium hydride allows for a substantial reduction of the oxidation state of Ti due to selective extraction and hydride substitution of fluoride ions. The oxyfluoride Sr3Ti2O5F4 has been synthesized and characterized structurally for the first time. The defluorination experiments have been conducted at temperatures as low as 300 °C, enabling also the reduction of this metastable compound. The evolution of phase fractions and unit cell volumes of various reduced phases as well as of side products has been monitored by an X-ray diffraction study as a function of the amount of sodium hydride used. Strong structural changes within the reduced phases, involving considerable decreases in the c lattice parameters partly accompanied by symmetry, lowering have been observed. To gain a deeper understanding of the structural changes, selected reduction reaction products have been further investigated by coupled analysis of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. Moreover, changes in the oxidation state of Ti have been studied using magnetic measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy examining differences between the bulk and the surface properties. Additionally, similarities and differences between previously published results on the topochemical defluorination of the n = 1 Ruddlesden-Popper type compound Sr2TiO3F2 are discussed.

Does intraoperative application of leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma during arthroscopy for knee degeneration affect postoperative pain, function and quality of life? A 12-month randomized controlled double-blind trial.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to identify the effects of intraoperative applied leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (LP-PRP) during knee arthroscopy for degenerative lesions involving pain, function and quality of life. METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled, double-blind trial (RCT) including 58 patients for arthroscopic knee surgery for cartilage or meniscal degeneration with allocation into the LP-PRP (n = 24) or control group (n = 34). During arthroscopy, LP-PRP was injected intra-articular in the intervention group. At baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months and 12 months pain, function, and life quality were assessed. RESULTS: 91 % of enrolled patients were available for 12 months follow-up. Pain was significantly lower in the LP-PRP group (VAS 0.9. vs. 2.3) at 6 (p = 0.008) but not at 12 months (VAS 1.0 vs. 1.6, p = 0.063). LP-PRP application improved the Lysholm Score at 6 (77.5 vs. 65.6, p = 0.033) and 12 months (83.2 vs.70.0, p = 0.007). Assessment of life quality (SF-36) concerning the physical component summary was significantly higher at 6 weeks (33.9 vs. 25.6, p = 0.001) and 6 months (29.9 vs. 27.1, p = 0.027) in the LP-PRP group but equal at 1 year (31.4 vs. 30.1, p = 0.438). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative application of LP-PRP may enhance pain reduction and gain of knee function within 6-12 months compared to arthroscopy alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II, randomized controlled clinical trial with reduced power. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT02189408.

Comparing autonomous vehicle acceptance of German residents with and without visual impairments.

Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) will greatly impact the lives of individuals with visual impairments, but how they differ in expectations compared to sighted individuals is not clear. The present research reports results based on survey responses from 114 visually impaired participants and 117 panel recruited participants without visual impairments, from Germany. Their attitudes towards autonomous vehicles and their expectations for consequences of wide-spread adoption of CAVs are assessed. Results indicate significantly more positive CAV attitudes in participants with visual impairments compared to those without visual impairments. Mediation analyses indicate that visually impaired individuals' more positive CAV attitudes (compared to sighted individuals') are largely explained by higher hopes for independence, and more optimistic expectations regarding safety and sustainability. Policy makers should ensure accessibility without sacrificing goals for higher safety and lower ecological impact to make CAVs an acceptable inclusive mobility solution.

Autonomous vehicles can significantly enhance the independence of individuals with visual impairments by providing a reliable and convenient mode of transportation.Autonomous vehicles could offer advanced wayfinding capabilities, including indoor navigation in complex environments, which can be particularly beneficial for people with visual impairments.Comprehensive training programs should be available to help individuals with visual impairments become familiar with autonomous vehicle technology, ensuring they can use it effectively and confidently.Regular feedback from individuals with visual impairments should be sought during the design and development phases to ensure that their specific needs and preferences are taken into account.

Pseudocontingencies derived from categorically organized memory representations.

Pseudocontingencies (PCs) allow for inferences about the contingency between two variables X and Y when the conditions for genuine contingency assessment are not met. Even when joint observations X i and Y i about the same reference objects i are not available or are detached in time or space, the correlation r(X i ,Y i ) is readily inferred from base rates. Inferred correlations are positive (negative) if X and Y base rates are skewed in the same (different) directions. Such PC inferences afford useful proxies for actually existing contingencies. While previous studies have focused on PCs due to environmental base rates, the present research highlights memory organization as a natural source of PC effects. When information about two attributes X and Y is represented in a hierarchically organized categorical memory code, as category-wise base rates p(X) and p(Y), the reconstruction of item-level information from category base rates will naturally produce PC effects. Three experiments support this contention. When the yes base rates of two respondents in four questionnaire subscales (categories) were correlated, recalled and predicted item-level responses were correlated in the same direction, even when the original responses to specific items within categories were correlated in the opposite direction.

When do chronic differences in self-regulation count? Regulatory focus effects in easy and difficult soccer tasks.

Research on regulatory focus theory (Higgins, 1997) suggests that performance increases if instructions fit with sportspersons' dispositions. Sportspersons who chronically focus on wins (i.e., promotion-oriented individuals) perform best if instructions frame the objective as a promotion goal (e.g., "Try to hit!"). By contrast, sportspersons who chronically focus on losses (i.e., prevention-oriented individuals) perform best if instructions frame the objective as a prevention goal (e.g., "Try not to miss!"). Recent theorizing also suggests that regulatory focus interacts with task difficulty. In an experiment, we assessed soccer performance as a function of chronic focus, instructional focus, and task difficulty. Results support that task difficulty moderates the effects of fit on performance; fitting instructions to match the sportsperson's chronic regulatory focus improved performance in the easy rather than the difficult task. Findings are discussed regarding the role of regulatory fit in altering subjective pressure during sports performance.

Why leading is (almost) as important as winning.

Competitions in sports, business, or politics often provide perceivers with cumulative standings over time. Recent research suggests that people fail to accurately update their impressions from cumulative observations as they are influenced by previous standings. This cumulative redundancy bias (CRB) implies that competitors that are leading during a competition will receive more favorable evaluations, over and beyond their eventual success or failure. While the CRB has far-reaching implications, its underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. We present data from four experiments in which we modified the standard CRB task by adding a step-by-step procedure to track the dynamics of perceivers' impressions during the competition. We also manipulated the length of the competition and tested different possible explanations for the CRB. Results suggest that the CRB is a robust phenomenon that constitutes an actual bias and that is best explained by an additive effect of cumulative redundancy.

Crystal and Electronic Structure of Oxygen Vacancy Stabilized Rhombohedral Hafnium Oxide.

Hafnium oxide is an outstanding candidate for next-generation nonvolatile memory solutions such as OxRAM (oxide-based resistive memory) and FeRAM (ferroelectric random access memory). A key parameter for OxRAM is the controlled oxygen deficiency in HfO2-x which eventually is associated with structural changes. Here, we expand the view on the recently identified (semi-)conducting low-temperature pseudocubic phase of reduced hafnium oxide by further X-ray diffraction analysis and density functional theory (DFT) simulation and reveal its rhombohedral nature. By performing total energy and electronic structure calculations, we investigate phase stability and band structure modifications in the presence of oxygen vacancies. With increasing oxygen vacancy concentration, the material transforms from the well-known monoclinic structure to a (pseudocubic) polar rhombohedral r-HfO2-x structure. The DFT analysis shows that r-HfO2-x is not merely epitaxy-induced but may exist as a relaxed compound. Furthermore, the electronic structure of r-HfO2-x as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV/Vis spectroscopy corresponds very well with the DFT-based prediction of a conducting defect band. The existence of a substoichiometric (semi-)conducting phase of HfO2-x is obviously an important ingredient to understand the mechanism of resistive switching in hafnium-oxide-based OxRAM.

Isolated AL bundle reconstruction of the PCL.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic results after isolated reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) using the semitendinosus (ST) and gracilis (GR) tendons with the arthroscopic single-bundle technique. METHODS: All patients upon whom we had performed a single-bundle PCL reconstruction between 2002 and 2005 prospectively underwent a standardized follow-up examination after 2 years. Isolated PCL reconstruction was carried out on 41 patients during the observation period. Pre- and postoperative stress radiographs were taken using the Telos stress device in order to evaluate the dorsal translation. Knee joint function and degree of activity were recorded using the Tegner activity score, the subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, and the overall IKDC score. RESULTS: 33 of 41 patients (80.4%, 17 men, 16 women) completed the study. The posterior tibial translation of -10.1 ± 1.8 mm had an overall average improvement to a postoperative value of -5.0 ± 2.5 mm (p < 0.001). The patients showed a significant improvement in the Tegner activity score from an average 2.8 ± 0.8 points to 5.9 ± 1.2 points (p < 0.001). Evaluation of the subjective IKDC showed a significant improvement from a preoperative score of 41.86 ± 11.49 points to a postoperative score of 69.54 ± 11.39 points (p < 0.001). In total, 24 patients (72.8%) exhibited a normal or nearly normal outcome. CONCLUSION: The abovementioned reconstruction technique can achieve a stable knee function in patients with isolated PCL insufficiency. The isolated single-bundle PCL reconstruction offers an improvement regarding the activity level and stability of the knee joint. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

The articulatory in-out effect: Driven by consonant preferences?

The articulatory in-out effect describes the preference for stimuli with an inward-wandering consonant order (e.g., BODIKA) as opposed to an outward-wandering consonant order (e.g., KODIBA). Originally, the in-out effect has been explained in terms of articulation trajectories, with inward trajectories being preferred over outward trajectories. However, recent research by Maschmann et al. (2020) raised doubts on this explanation of articulation trajectory preferences and offered a parsimonious alternative explanation for the in-out effect based on consonant preferences instead. As we show in the present article, stimulus materials in Maschmann et al. (2020) diverged from materials used in previous research and might have prevented the experience of articulation trajectories. Here, we present a conceptual replication of Maschmann et al. (2020), using stimulus materials more likely to elicit articulation trajectory preferences. In a preregistered, high-powered experiment (N = 349), we find strong support for the original idea of trajectory preferences but no evidence for the consonant preference account. Our research shows that preferences for articulation trajectories are robust and cannot be explained by mere consonant preferences. We discuss further implications of these findings for future research on the processes involved in the empirical in-out effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Transparent by choice: Proactive disclosures increase compliance with digital defaults.

Default nudges successfully guide choices across multiple domains. Online use cases for defaults range from promoting sustainable purchases to inducing acceptance of behavior tracking scripts, or "cookies." However, many scholars view defaults as unethical due to the covert ways in which they influence behavior. Hence, opt-outs and other digital decision aids are progressively being regulated in an attempt to make them more transparent. The current practice of transparency boils down to saturating the decision environment with convoluted legal information. This approach might be informed by researchers, who hypothesized that nudges could become less effective once they are clearly laid out: People can retaliate against influence attempts if they are aware of them. A recent line of research has shown that such concerns are unfounded when the default-setters proactively discloses the purpose of the intervention. Yet, it remained unclear whether the effect persists when defaults reflect the current practice of such mandated transparency boils down to the inclusion of information disclosures, containing convoluted legal information. In two empirical studies (N = 364), respondents clearly differentiated proactive from mandated transparency. Moreover, they choose the default option significantly more often when the transparency disclosure was voluntary, rather than mandated. Policy implications and future research directions are discussed.

The articulatory in-out effect: replicable, but inexplicable.

People prefer inward over outward articulation dynamics, a phenomenon referred to as the articulatory in-out effect. It is empirically robust and generalizes across languages, settings, and stimuli. However, the theoretical explanation of the effect is still a matter of lively debate and in need of novel research directions.

Practical Issues of Medical Experts in Assessing Persons With Mental Illness Asking for Assisted Dying in Switzerland.

With about 65,000 deaths per year in Switzerland, about 1,000 assisted suicides of Swiss citizens are carried out with the help of assisted dying organizations per year. Assisted suicide, which is carried out without selfish motives on the side of the helping person, only remains unpunished if there is a free will decision by the person willing to die who has the capacity of judgement and to act independently. While this is usually accepted as an option for somatically terminally ill patients in society at large, this procedure is controversial for psychiatrically ill patients. In Switzerland the topic of assisted dying is highly debated between medical professionals. In 2018, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) put revised guidelines into force, which are in discrepancy to the current rules of the Swiss Medical Association (FMH). This article gives an overview of the past and current development of the Code of Professional Conduct and medical-ethical guidelines as well as current Swiss criminal and medical law on this topic. Practical implications for the assessment of assessing persons with mental illness in this circumstances are discussed. It is to be concluded, that persons with a mental illness seem to face extra obstacles in relation with somatically ill persons as the assessment of the prerequisites comprises additional requirements. Among other issues there is an urgent need for the elaboration of contents to be assessed and standards of procedures. The procedures and guidelines to be elaborated should be scientifically accompanied in order to gain a more reliable basis for decision-making. Multidisciplinary assessments would help to avoid biases and blind spots of a mono-disciplinary assessments. In addition, even in the case of mentally ill people, their right to self-determined suicide should not be restricted by excessive hurdles in the assessment process. Lastly, reliable funding should be secured, as it is otherwise to be expected that the complex assessment of prerequisites through multi-professional-teams or just one assessor cannot be sustained. The exercise of fundamental rights must be possible for all persons to the same extent, regardless of their financial resources.

Defect-Stabilized Substoichiometric Polymorphs of Hafnium Oxide with Semiconducting Properties.

Hafnium oxide plays an important role as a dielectric material in various thin-film electronic devices such as transistors and resistive or ferroelectric memory. The crystallographic and electronic structure of the hafnia layer often depends critically on its composition and defect structure. Here, we report two novel defect-stabilized polymorphs of substoichiometric HfO2-x with semiconducting properties that are of particular interest for resistive switching digital or analog memory devices. The thin-film samples are synthesized by molecular beam epitaxy with oxygen engineering that allows us to cover the whole range of metallic Hf with oxygen interstitials to HfO2. The crystal and defect structures, in particular of a cubic low-temperature phase c-HfO1.7 and a hexagonal phase hcp-HfO0.7 are identified by X-ray diffraction, in vacuo electron spectroscopic, and transmission electron microscopic methods. With the help of UV/Vis transmission data, we propose a consistent band structure model for the whole oxidation range involving oxygen vacancy-induced in-gap defect states. Our comprehensive study of engineered hafnia thin films has an impact on the design of resistive memory devices and can be transferred to chemically similar suboxide systems.

Controlling the Formation of Conductive Pathways in Memristive Devices.

Resistive random-access memories are promising candidates for novel computer architectures such as in-memory computing, multilevel data storage, and neuromorphics. Their working principle is based on electrically stimulated materials changes that allow access to two (digital), multiple (multilevel), or quasi-continuous (analog) resistive states. However, the stochastic nature of forming and switching the conductive pathway involves complex atomistic defect configurations resulting in considerable variability. This paper reveals that the intricate interplay of 0D and 2D defects can be engineered to achieve reproducible and controlled low-voltage formation of conducting filaments. The author find that the orientation of grain boundaries in polycrystalline HfOx is directly related to the required forming voltage of the conducting filaments, unravelling a neglected origin of variability. Based on the realistic atomic structure of grain boundaries obtained from ultra-high resolution imaging combined with first-principles calculations including local strain, this paper shows how oxygen vacancy segregation energies and the associated electronic states in the vicinity of the Fermi level govern the formation of conductive pathways in memristive devices. These findings are applicable to non-amorphous valence change filamentary type memristive device. The results demonstrate that a fundamental atomistic understanding of defect chemistry is pivotal to design memristors as key element of future electronics.