Measuring a motivational interviewing practice orientation in criminal justice practitioners: initial validation of the response style screening questionnaire.

Introduction: The use of collaborative communication techniques by criminal justice practitioners has been identified as a component of core correctional practices (CCPs). Criminal justice agencies and programs are investing in motivational interviewing (MI) training for their staff with varying intensity, follow-up coaching, and expectations for integration into practice. The present article describes the development and initial validation of the Response Style Screening Questionnaire (RSSQ), a practitioner completed tool assessing an MI-consistent practice orientation. Over three studies, we examined the factor structure, reliability, and correlations between the scale and self-reported and behavioral validity indicators. Method: Study 1 examined the factor structure of the RSSQ with a sample of 825 criminal justice practitioners. In Study 2, data from 350 probation officers completing the RSSQ alongside measures of work-orientation and attitudes was used to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis and an initial assessment of its construct validity. In Study 3, correlations between the RSSQ and audio recorded office visits of 33 probation officers coded for MI and relationship building skills examined the scale's criterion validity. Results: In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis with an oblique rotation yielded 18 items on four factors. In Study 2, four and five factor models were tested, with the 4-factor model of Study 1 yielding the best fit. Two of the 4 factor-derived subscales reflect styles inconsistent with MI: (1) Confrontational style, and (2) Sustain Talk style; while the remaining two reflect styles consistent with MI: (3) Eliciting style, and (4) Change Talk style. Confrontational style scores were correlated with a work-orientation reflecting probation as a law enforcement endeavor, while Eliciting and Change Talk scores were correlated with a behavior change and resource broker work-orientations. In Study 3, Confrontational and Sustain Talk style scores were negatively correlated with a variety of MI skills and CCPs displayed on audio recordings, while Change Talk style scores were positively correlated with use of such skills. Discussion: Overall, the findings suggest the RSSQ is a potentially useful new practitioner self-report tool for assessing an MI practice orientation.

Topology stabilized fluctuations in a magnetic nodal semimetal.

The interplay between magnetism and electronic band topology enriches topological phases and has promising applications. However, the role of topology in magnetic fluctuations has been elusive. Here, we report evidence for topology stabilized magnetism above the magnetic transition temperature in magnetic Weyl semimetal candidate CeAlGe. Electrical transport, thermal transport, resonant elastic X-ray scattering, and dilatometry consistently indicate the presence of locally correlated magnetism within a narrow temperature window well above the thermodynamic magnetic transition temperature. The wavevector of this short-range order is consistent with the nesting condition of topological Weyl nodes, suggesting that it arises from the interaction between magnetic fluctuations and the emergent Weyl fermions. Effective field theory shows that this topology stabilized order is wavevector dependent and can be stabilized when the interband Weyl fermion scattering is dominant. Our work highlights the role of electronic band topology in stabilizing magnetic order even in the classically disordered regime.

Pervasive beyond Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in a Doped van der Waals Magnet.

The existence of long-range magnetic order in low-dimensional magnetic systems, such as the quasi-two-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) magnets, has attracted intensive studies of new physical phenomena. The vdW Fe_{N}GeTe_{2} (N=3, 4, 5; FGT) family is exceptional, owing to its vast tunability of magnetic properties. In particular, a ferromagnetic ordering temperature (T_{C}) above room temperature at N=5 (F5GT) is observed. Here, our study shows that, by nickel (Ni) substitution of iron in F5GT, a record high T_{C}=478(6) K is achieved. Importantly, pervasive, beyond room-temperature ferromagnetism exists in almost the entire doping range of the phase diagram of Ni-F5GT. We argue that this striking observation in Ni-F5GT can be possibly due to several contributing factors, including increased 3D magnetic couplings due to the structural alterations.

Quantized thermoelectric Hall effect induces giant power factor in a topological semimetal.

Thermoelectrics are promising by directly generating electricity from waste heat. However, (sub-)room-temperature thermoelectrics have been a long-standing challenge due to vanishing electronic entropy at low temperatures. Topological materials offer a new avenue for energy harvesting applications. Recent theories predicted that topological semimetals at the quantum limit can lead to a large, non-saturating thermopower and a quantized thermoelectric Hall conductivity approaching a universal value. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the non-saturating thermopower and quantized thermoelectric Hall effect in the topological Weyl semimetal (WSM) tantalum phosphide (TaP). An ultrahigh longitudinal thermopower [Formula: see text] and giant power factor [Formula: see text] are observed at ~40 K, which is largely attributed to the quantized thermoelectric Hall effect. Our work highlights the unique quantized thermoelectric Hall effect realized in a WSM toward low-temperature energy harvesting applications.

Disorder induced power-law gaps in an insulator-metal Mott transition.

A correlated material in the vicinity of an insulator-metal transition (IMT) exhibits rich phenomenology and a variety of interesting phases. A common avenue to induce IMTs in Mott insulators is doping, which inevitably leads to disorder. While disorder is well known to create electronic inhomogeneity, recent theoretical studies have indicated that it may play an unexpected and much more profound role in controlling the properties of Mott systems. Theory predicts that disorder might play a role in driving a Mott insulator across an IMT, with the emergent metallic state hosting a power-law suppression of the density of states (with exponent close to 1; V-shaped gap) centered at the Fermi energy. Such V-shaped gaps have been observed in Mott systems, but their origins are as-yet unknown. To investigate this, we use scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to study isovalent Ru substitutions in Sr3(Ir1-xRux)2O7 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) which drive the system into an antiferromagnetic, metallic state. Our experiments reveal that many core features of the IMT, such as power-law density of states, pinning of the Fermi energy with increasing disorder, and persistence of antiferromagnetism, can be understood as universal features of a disordered Mott system near an IMT and suggest that V-shaped gaps may be an inevitable consequence of disorder in doped Mott insulators.

Dielectric and Thermodynamic Signatures of Low-Temperature Glassy Dynamics in the Hybrid Perovskites CH3NH3PbI3 and HC(NH2)2PbI3.

Hybrid main group halide perovskites hold great technological promise in optoelectronic applications and present rich and complex evolution of structure and dynamics. Here we present low-temperature dielectric measurements and calorimetry of APbI3 [A = CH3NH3(+), HC(NH2)2(+)] that suggest glassy behavior on cooling. In both compounds, the dielectric loss displays frequency-dependent peaks below 100 K characteristic of a glassy slowing of relaxation dynamics, with HC(NH2)2PbI3 exhibiting greater glass fragility. Consistent with quenched disorder, the low-temperature heat capacity of both perovskites deviates substantially from the ∼T(3) acoustic phonon contribution predicted by the Debye model. We suggest that static disorder of the A-site molecular cation, potentially coupled to local distortions of the Pb-I sublattice, is responsible for these phenomena. The distinct low-temperature dynamics observed in these two perovskites suggest qualitative differences in the interaction between the molecular cation and the surrounding inorganic framework, with potential implications for defect screening and device performance at ambient temperatures.

First-Order Melting of a Weak Spin-Orbit Mott Insulator into a Correlated Metal.

The electronic phase diagram of the weak spin-orbit Mott insulator (Sr(1-x)La(x))(3)Ir(2)O(7) is determined via an exhaustive experimental study. Upon doping electrons via La substitution, an immediate collapse in resistivity occurs along with a narrow regime of nanoscale phase separation comprised of antiferromagnetic, insulating regions and paramagnetic, metallic puddles persisting until x≈0.04. Continued electron doping results in an abrupt, first-order phase boundary where the Néel state is suppressed and a homogenous, correlated, metallic state appears with an enhanced spin susceptibility and local moments. As the metallic state is stabilized, a weak structural distortion develops and suggests a competing instability with the parent spin-orbit Mott state.

Short-range correlations in the magnetic ground state of Na4Ir3O8.

The magnetic ground state of the J(eff)=1/2 hyperkagome lattice in Na4Ir3O8 is explored via combined bulk magnetization, muon spin relaxation, and neutron scattering measurements. A short-range, frozen state comprised of quasistatic moments develops below a characteristic temperature of T(F)=6 K, revealing an inhomogeneous distribution of spins occupying the entirety of the sample volume. Quasistatic, short-range spin correlations persist until at least 20 mK and differ substantially from the nominally dynamic response of a quantum spin liquid. Our data demonstrate that an inhomogeneous magnetic ground state arises in Na4Ir3O8 driven either by disorder inherent to the creation of the hyperkagome lattice itself or stabilized via quantum fluctuations.

Carrier localization and electronic phase separation in a doped spin-orbit-driven Mott phase in Sr3(Ir(1-x)Ru(x))2O7.

Interest in many strongly spin-orbit-coupled 5d-transition metal oxide insulators stems from mapping their electronic structures to a J(eff)=1/2 Mott phase. One of the hopes is to establish their Mott parent states and explore these systems' potential of realizing novel electronic states upon carrier doping. However, once doped, little is understood regarding the role of their reduced Coulomb interaction U relative to their strongly correlated 3d-electron cousins. Here we show that, upon hole-doping a candidate J(eff)=1/2 Mott insulator, carriers remain localized within a nanoscale phase-separated ground state. A percolative metal-insulator transition occurs with interplay between localized and itinerant regions, stabilizing an antiferromagnetic metallic phase beyond the critical region. Our results demonstrate a surprising parallel between doped 5d- and 3d-electron Mott systems and suggest either through the near-degeneracy of nearby electronic phases or direct carrier localization that U is essential to the carrier response of this doped spin-orbit Mott insulator.

Exercise-induced reduction in systemic vascular resistance: a covert killer and an unrecognised resuscitation challenge?

BACKGROUND: Systemic vascular resistance falls in exercise as a consequence of metabolically-linked vasodilatation in active skeletal muscles. This exercise-induced vasodilatation is closely linked with reduced muscle tissue oxygen tension in and is characterised by reduced response to adrenergic vasoconstrictor mechanisms which is often referred to as functional sympatholysis. Systemic arterial blood pressure in exercise is maintained at normal or, more commonly, at elevated levels by increase in cardiac output and increased sympathetic vasomotor tone. Recovery of normal resting skeletal muscle tissue oxygen tension and skeletal muscle vascular tone after exercise depends on the post-exercise recovery process. This process requires ongoing elevated skeletal muscle perfusion and can therefore be predicted to be impaired in shock and cardiopulmonary resuscitation scenarios. Comprehensive consideration of this exercise physiology and its extrapolation into shock, cardiac arrest and resuscitation scenarios supports the proposal that exercise-induced sympatholytic vasodilatation in skeletal muscle may be of considerable unrecognised significance for resuscitation medicine. MAIN HYPOTHESIS: Reduced systemic vascular resistance due to pre-existing exercise-induced sympatholytic vasodilatation in skeletal muscle can significantly exacerbate systemic arterial hypotension in acute shock states and resuscitation scenarios. SUB-HYPOTHESES: 1. Onset of syncope, clinical shock states and pulseless electrical activity can occur at significantly higher cardiac output levels in subjects who were engaged in immediate pre-morbid exercise as compared to resting subjects. 2. The efficacy of external chest compression in generating coronary and cerebral perfusion in cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be significantly impaired when cardiac arrest has occurred during exercise. 3. The efficacy of adrenergic vasopressor agents in resuscitation scenarios can be significantly impaired in subjects who were engaged in immediate pre-morbid exercise. CURRENT EVIDENCE: The limited available evidence is compatible with the hypothesis being true but does not provide direct confirmation. There is no evidence available directly supporting or refuting the hypothesis. IMPLICATIONS: Significant potential clinical implications are outlined relating to the management of cardiopulmonary and trauma resuscitation for patients who were involved in immediate pre-morbid exercise, particularly, but not exclusively, at higher exercise intensities. There are also significant potential prognostic implications. CONCLUSION: Reduction in systemic vascular resistance due to exercise-induced sympatholytic vasodilatation in skeletal muscle may largely explain the reported poor success rate for cardiopulmonary resuscitation with prompt defibrillation for sudden cardiac arrest in young previously healthy athletes. Investigation of this unexplored area of pathophysiology poses major difficulties but could lead to significant improvements in the outcomes of resuscitation for patients who were involved in immediate pre-morbid exercise.