This paper studies a situation wherein a set of voters choose between two alternatives in the presence of a payoff externality. Specifically, regardless of her intrinsic preference, a voter's payoff is maximized should she vote for the alternative that garners a majority of the votes cast. Are votes coordinated on a single alternative? Using laboratory experiments, we examine voting patterns in sequential voting and simultaneous voting elections. Across both election types, we also vary the amount of information that an individual voter has regarding the intrinsic preferences of the other voters. Our main findings are as follows. In the “low” information treatment, sequential voting elections facilitate coordinated voting. However, in the “high” information treatment, voting patterns are not dependent on how the election is structured.

Low vitamin D associated with high parathyroid hormone (PTH) is commonly reported in the context of HIV infection. We determined the association between total 25-hydroxyvitamin-D [25(OH)D] and PTH in adolescents living with HIV, in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Adolescents (11-19 years) perinatally-infected with HIV and established on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for ≥6 months were recruited into a cross-sectional study. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded, anthropometry measured, and fasted serum concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D (1,25(OH)2D), total 25(OH)D and intact PTH measured. The association between total 25(OH)D and PTH was examined using natural cubic spline regression modelling. 842 participants (female: 53.2%) with median age 15.5 (IQR:13.2-17.9) years were enrolled. Median ART duration was 9.8 [IQR:6.3-12.3] years and 165/841 (19.6%) had an HIV viral load >60copies/ml. Stunting (HAZ score<-2) and underweight (WAZ score<-2) were observed in 29.9% and 30.0% respectively. Three quarters (n=639) reported daily calcium intakes <150mg/day. The mean (SD) concentrations of total 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D were 66.1(16.5) nmol/L and 210.6(70.4) pmol/L respectively, and median PTH level was 4.3 (IQR:3.3-5.5) pmol/L. There was an inverse non-linear relationship between total 25(OH)D and PTH, 25(OH)D levelling-off at 74.6nmol/L (95%CI: 74.5-75.2). Results were consistent in those taking tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (81.7%) and in those who were virally unsuppressed. In this population with extremely low habitual calcium intakes, the lack of association between 25(OH)D and PTH when 25(OH)D exceeded 75nmol/L, potentially suggests levels of 25(OH)D >75nmol/l may need to be achieved to improve bone health; investigation is needed in future research studies.

Most people with mental illness in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) do not receive biomedical treatment, though many seek care from traditional healers and faith healers. We conducted a qualitative study in Buyende District, Uganda, using framework analysis. Data collection included interviews with 24 traditional healers, 20 faith healers, and 23 biomedical providers, plus 4 focus group discussions. Interviews explored treatment approaches, provider relationships, and collaboration potential until theoretical saturation was reached. Three main themes emerged: (1) Biomedical providers’ perspectives on traditional and faith healers; (2) Traditional and faith healers’ views on biomedical providers; and (3) Collaboration opportunities and barriers. Biomedical providers viewed faith healers positively but traditional healers as potentially harmful. Traditional and faith healers valued biomedical approaches while feeling variably accepted. Interest in collaboration existed across groups but was complicated by power dynamics, economic concerns, and differing mental illness conceptualizations. Traditional healers and faith healers routinely referred patients to biomedical providers, though reciprocal referrals were rare. The study reveals distinct dynamics among providers in rural Uganda, with historical colonial influences continuing to shape relationships and highlighting the need for integrated, contextually appropriate mental healthcare systems.

Partial remission after major depressive disorder (MDD) is common and a robust predictor of relapse. However, it remains unclear to which extent preventive psychological interventions reduce depressive symptomatology and relapse risk after partial remission. We aimed to identify variables predicting relapse and to determine whether, and for whom, psychological interventions are effective in preventing relapse, reducing (residual) depressive symptoms, and increasing quality of life among individuals in partial remission. This preregistered (CRD42023463468) systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) pooled data from 16 randomized controlled trials (n = 705 partial remitters) comparing psychological interventions to control conditions, using 1- and 2-stage IPD-MA. Among partial remitters, baseline clinician-rated depressive symptoms (p = .005) and prior episodes (p = .012) predicted relapse. Psychological interventions were associated with reduced relapse risk over 12 months (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–0.84), and significantly lowered posttreatment depressive symptoms (Hedges’ g = 0.29, 95% CI 0.04–0.54), with sustained effects at 60 weeks (Hedges’ g = 0.33, 95% CI 0.06–0.59), compared to nonpsychological interventions. However, interventions did not significantly improve quality of life at 60 weeks (Hedges’ g = 0.26, 95% CI -0.06 to 0.58). No moderators of relapse prevention efficacy were found. Men, older individuals, and those with higher baseline symptom severity experienced greater reductions in symptomatology at 60 weeks. Psychological interventions for individuals with partially remitted depression reduce relapse risk and residual symptomatology, with efficacy generalizing across patient characteristics and treatment types. This suggests that psychological interventions are a recommended treatment option for this patient population.

We present the first experimental observations of the dust acoustic wave where the wave was observed to propagate in the directions of gravity and magnetic field when these directions were not aligned. The experiments were conducted in the Magnetized Dusty Plasma eXperiment facility using a novel electrode system that allows for the angle between gravity and the magnetic field to be varied in a controlled way. This letter reports on measurements in an rf glow discharge argon plasma environment where the angle between direction of gravity and the magnetic field is 45$^{\circ }$. When there was no applied magnetic field, the wave was observed to propagate in the direction of gravity. However, as the magnetic field increased and the ions transitioned from flowing in the direction of gravity to the direction of the magnetic field, a second wave emerged and two distinct waves were observed to simultaneously propagate, one in the direction of gravity and one in the direction of the magnetic field. As the magnetic field was further increased, the wave that propagated in the direction of gravity was suppressed and the wave was only observed to propagate in the direction of the applied magnetic field. We also observe that the speed and the kinetic temperature of the dust for the mode that propagated in the direction of gravity decreased with increasing magnetic field while the speed and the kinetic temperature of the dust for the mode that propagated in the direction of the magnetic field increased with increasing magnetic field. These measurements suggest that an ion-dust streaming instability is at least partially responsible for the high temperatures that have previously been observed in dusty plasmas when the dust acoustic wave is present.

The Antarctic Treaty System has put in place international agreements to provide comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment. Despite this high degree of protection, human presence on the continent has resulted in environmental contamination, particularly at locations established prior to the development of the more stringent codes of conduct in recent decades. Rehabilitation of legacy contaminated sites is a priority for environmental management, and a framework for such efforts has been established. In this contribution, we re-evaluate the rehabilitation of the site of the former Vanda Station, a New Zealand outpost occupied from 1969 to 1991. We describe the design and implementation of the restoration, which included the removal of many tonnes of contaminated soils and groundwater, along with the post-action monitoring of the site. Our goal is to determine where challenges to the use of recent guidelines would have arisen. We found that while guidelines on clean-up of contaminated sites in Antarctica are valuable, challenges to implementation remain. These largely reflect a lack of understanding of the consequences of contamination on Antarctic ecosystems and the trajectory of natural rehabilitation. We present recommendations on how to address some of these challenges.

Let n stimuli be linearly ordered by a physical attribute. Consider an individual's “more than” relation based on perceived attribute values. Assuming that the individual's relation agrees with the linear order and is an interval order, the paper examines the extent to which ordered pairs in the linear order but not in the interval order (due to nondetection of “small” differences) can be correctly identified on the basis of the interval order alone. Different methods of constructing strict weak orders from interval orders are compared by the degree of agreement with the underlying linear order.

Single-stranded nucleic acid (ssNA) binding proteins must both stably protect ssNA transiently exposed during replication and other NA transactions, and also rapidly reorganize and dissociate to allow further NA processing. How these seemingly opposing functions can coexist has been recently elucidated by optical tweezers (OT) experiments that isolate and manipulate single long ssNA molecules to measure conformation in real time. The effective length of an ssNA substrate held at fixed tension is altered upon protein binding, enabling quantification of both the structure and kinetics of protein–NA interactions. When proteins exhibit multiple binding states, however, OT measurements may produce difficult to analyze signals including non-monotonic response to free protein concentration and convolution of multiple fundamental rates. In this review we compare single-molecule experiments with three proteins of vastly different structure and origin that exhibit similar ssNA interactions. These results are consistent with a general model in which protein oligomers containing multiple binding interfaces switch conformations to adjust protein:NA stoichiometry. These characteristics allow a finite number of proteins to protect long ssNA regions by maximizing protein–ssNA contacts while also providing a pathway with reduced energetic barriers to reorganization and eventual protein displacement when these ssNA regions are diminished.

Inference is considered for the marginal distribution of X, when (X, Y) has a truncated bivariate normal distribution. The Y variable is truncated, but only the X values are observed. The relationship of this distribution to Azzalini's “skew-normal” distribution is obtained. Method of moments and maximum likelihood estimation are compared for the three-parameter Azzalini distribution. Samples that are uniformative about the skewness of this distribution may occur, even for large n. Profile likelihood methods are employed to describe the uncertainty involved in parameter estimation. A sample of 87 Otis test scores is shown to be well-described by this model.

An attempt is made to elaborate upon Lev's results concerning the reliability of the point biserial coefficient of correlation in a manner that will be helpful to the psychological statistician. Procedures required in the use of the non-central t tables prepared by Johnson and Welch are described as they relate to the determination of the fiducial limits for a point biserial coefficient. A normal approximation technique for the estimation of fiducial limits is also suggested. Numerical evidence is presented which shows that relative to a given level of significance the width of the fiducial interval estimated from a point biserial coefficient of any size is smaller than that of the fiducial interval corresponding to an ordinary Pearsonian coefficient of the same magnitude.

An exposition of a calculus for empirical classes (CEC), one of the few attempts by logicians to deal with the problem of constructs and indicators, is presented. The CEC provides the groundwork for a formal structure for the situation in which individuals have a degree of membership in various classes rather than having either membership or nonmembership—a situation nearly always true in empirical research. The CEC is presented and its relation to various social science concepts is mentioned. An application of the CEC model to latent structure analysis (LSA) suggests alternatives to the local independence assumption including one called the local scale assumption, which has a close relation to a Guttman scale.

Novel management strategies for controlling smutgrass have potential to influence sward dynamics in bahiagrass forage systems. This experiment evaluated population shifts in bahiagrass forage following implementation of integrated herbicide and fertilizer management plans for controlling smutgrass. Herbicide treatments included indaziflam applied PRE, hexazinone applied POST, a combination of PRE + POST herbicides, and a nonsprayed control. Fertilizer treatments included nitrogen, nitrogen + potassium, and an unfertilized control. The POST treatment reduced smutgrass coverage regardless of PRE or fertilizer application by the end of the first season and remained low for the 3-yr duration of the experiment (P < 0.01). All treatments, including nontreated controls, reduced smutgrass coverage during year 3 (P < 0.05), indicating that routine harvesting to remove the biomass reduced smutgrass coverage. Bahiagrass cover increased at the end of year 1 with POST treatment (P < 0.01), but only the POST + fertilizer treatment maintained greater bahiagrass coverage than the nontreated control by the end of year 3 (P < 0.05). Expenses associated with the POST + fertilizer treatment totaled US$348 ha−1 across the 3-yr experiment. Other smutgrass control options could include complete removal of biomass (hay production) and pasture renovation, which can cost 3-fold or greater more than POST + fertilizer treatment. Complete removal of biomass may reduce smutgrass coverage by removing mature seedheads, but at a much greater expense of US$2,835 to US$5,825 ha−1, depending on herbicide and fertilizer inputs. Bahiagrass renovation is US$826 ha−1 in establishment costs alone. When pasture production expenses are included for two seasons postrenovation, the total increases to US$1,120 ha−1 across three seasons. The importance of hexazinone and fertilizer as components of smutgrass control in bahiagrass forage was confirmed in this study. Future research should focus on the biology of smutgrass and the role of a PRE treatment in a long-term, larger-scale forage system.

Scholarly and practitioner interest in authentic leadership has grown at an accelerating rate over the last decade, resulting in a proliferation of publications across diverse social science disciplines. Accompanying this interest has been criticism of authentic leadership theory and the methods used to explore it. We conducted a systematic review of 303 scholarly articles published from 2010 to 2023 to critically assess the conceptual and empirical strengths and limitations of this literature and map the nomological network of the authentic leadership construct. Results indicate that much of the extant research does not follow best practices in terms of research design and analysis. Based on the findings obtained, an agenda for advancing authentic leadership theory and research that embraces a signaling theory perspective is proposed.