Stability Of Preferences Research Articles

Intrahousehold Resource Allocation and Individual Poverty: Assessing Collective Model Predictions using Direct Evidence on Sharing

AbstractWelfare analyses conducted by policy practitioners around the world usually rely on equivalised or per capita expenditures and ignore the extent of within-household inequality. Recent advances in the estimation of collective models suggest ways to retrieve the complete sharing process within families using homogeneity assumptions (typically preference stability upon exclusive goods across individuals or household types) and the observation of exclusive goods. So far, the prediction of these models has not been validated, essentially because intrahousehold allocation is seldom observed. We provide such a validation by leveraging a unique dataset from Bangladesh, which contains information on the fully individualised expenditures of each family member. We also test the core assumption (efficiency) and homogeneity assumptions used for identification. It turns out that the collective model predicts individual resources reasonably well when using clothing, i.e., one of the rare goods commonly assignable to males, females and children in standard expenditure surveys. It also allows for identifying poor individuals in non-poor households, while the traditional approach understates poverty among the poorest individuals.

Preparation of yellow-emitting carbon dots and their bifunctional detection of tetracyclines and Al3+ in food and living cells

A novel bifunctional carbon dot (CD)-based sensing platform was constructed for detection of tetracyclines (TCs) and Al3+. The fluorescence CDs were fabricated by hydrothermal method using phenylenediamine (p-PD) and ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo) tetraacetic acid (EGTA) as precursors. The obtained prepared CDs show bright yellow fluorescence (y-CDs, EX = 400nm and Em = 556nm), high fluorescence quantum yield (QY = 21.55 ± 0.06%), and preferable optical stability. TCs can directly quench the fluorescence of y-CDs based on static quenching characteristics and a smallinternal filtration effect (IEF). By adding Al3+ to the y-CDs + TCs system, the fluorescence is partly recovered because TCs escape from the surface of the y-CDs and form a more stable chelate with Al3+. The sensing platform displays good selectivity and high sensitivity to TCs and Al3+ with low detection limits of 0.057-0.23μM and 0.091μM, respectively. Importantly, this sensing platform has enabledthe detection of TCs and Al3+ in milk samples with satisfactory recoveries and RSDs, confirming the reliability and feasibility of this method. Combining with low toxicity and preferable biocompatibility, the y-CDs are extended to cellular imaging and detection of CTC and Al3+ in A549 cells.

Enhanced Salt Removal Performance Using Graphene-Modified Sodium Vanadium Fluorophosphate in Flow Electrode Capacitive Deionization.

Designing electrode materials with excellent comprehensive properties was of top priority in promoting development of flow electrode capacitive deionization (FCDI). To date, most FCDI studies involved the application and modification of carbon-based materials, which suffered the contradiction between rheological behavior and electrochemical performance. In this study, a Na+ superionic conductor (NASICON) sodium vanadium fluorophosphate@reduced graphene oxide (NVOPF@rGO) was synthesized and applied as a flow electrode in FCDI. Benefiting from the confinement effect of the three-dimensional (3D) reduced graphene oxide (rGO) network, thin and uniform NVOPF nanosheets formed and provided abundant active sites for adsorbing Na+. Moreover, the interconnected rGO network formed a 3D conductive network for Na+ and electron transport. Compared with an activated carbon (AC)-AC system (AC was used as an anode and a cathode), a NVOPF@rGO-AC system (NVOPF@rGO was used as a cathode and AC was used as an anode) exhibited preferable dispersibility and stability of electrode dispersion, lower internal resistance, higher desalination rate, and lower energy consumption. Besides, the average salt adsorption rate (ASAR) reached 5.32 μg·cm-2·min-1 by adjusting the concentration of the electrode (4.73 wt %), the flow rate of the electrode (25 mL·min-1), and the operation voltage (1.6 V). This study demonstrated the potential of faradic flow electrodes for promoting the development and application of FCDI.

Relation between hearing abilities and preferred playback settings for speech perception in complex listening conditions

Objective This study investigated if individual preferences with respect to the trade-off between a good signal-to-noise ratio and a distortion-free speech target were stable across different masking conditions and if simple adjustment methods could be used to identify subjects as either “noise haters” or “distortions haters”. Design In each masking condition, subjects could adjust the target speech level according to their preferences by employing (i) linear gain or gain at the cost of (ii) clipping distortions or (iii) compression distortions. The comparison of these processing conditions allowed investigating the preferred trade-off between distortions and noise disturbance. Study sample Thirty subjects differing widely in hearing status (normal-hearing to moderately impaired) and age (23–85 years). Results High test–retest stability of individual preferences was found for all modification schemes. The preference adjustments suggested that subjects could be consistently categorised along a scale from “noise haters” to “distortion haters”, and this preference trait remained stable through all maskers, spatial conditions, and types of distortions. Conclusions Employing quick self-adjustment to collect listening preferences in complex listening conditions revealed a stable preference trait along the “noise vs. distortions” tolerance dimension. This could potentially help in fitting modern hearing aid algorithms to the individual user.

Dual cryoprotective and antioxidant effects of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) protein hydrolysates on unwashed surimi stored at conventional and ultra-low frozen temperatures

The dual cryoprotective and antioxidant effects of silver carp hydrolysates on unwashed surimi, stored at conventional (−18 °C) or ultra-low (−60 °C) temperatures and subject to three and six freeze-thaw treatments, were examined. The addition of hydrolysates could alleviate the formation of carbonyls of myofibrillar protein, inhibit the decrease of free sulfhydryl content and keep the protein bands stability compared to the control and SuSo group. The lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde, and the target volatiles hexanal, nonanal and 1-octen-3-ol of the unwashed surimi as detected by HS-SPME-GC-MS, increased slowly under the protection of hydrolysates. The oxidation for proteins and lipids in freeze-thawed samples stored at −18 °C are lower than those of samples stored at −60 °C (p < 0.05), indicating that ultra-low frozen temperature storage accompanied by freeze-thaw cycles accelerates structural deterioration of unwashed surimi. LF-NMR and SEM also revealed that the hydrolysates facilitated to form gel network with preferable structural integrity and stability during freeze-thaw treatments. This study provides theoretical supports for the application of silver carp protein hydrolysates as a cryoprotectant in transportation and storage of frozen surimi.

Assessing Preference and Stability of Preference for Individuals with Neurocognitive Disorder.

Poor engagement can lead to a reduced quality of life for individuals with neurocognitive disorder (NCD). Research on determining preference and increasing engagement with this population is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of four preference assessment formats in identifying preferred activities and predicting engagement for six females with NCD and to measure the stability of preference and engagement over time. We compared the predictability of single-stimulus(SS) verbal and multimedia assessments, caregiver ranking (CR) assessments, and multiple-stimulus without-replacement (MSWO) assessments. Participants responded consistently on SS assessments, but we noted inconsistencies between the CR and MSWO assessments. SS assessments predicted engagement during engagement analyses, but rank-order assessments did not predict engagement for moderately ranked activities. The rank-order assessments predicted engagement for highly ranked activities for most participants and for low-ranked activities for two participants. We also evaluated the stability of preferences and engagement over time. Participants responded consistently on SS assessments and inconsistently on MSWO assessments across time. SS assessments consistently predicted engagement during engagement analyses for five participants, but when activity rank is considered, the MSWO was inconsistent in predicting engagement across time for most participants. These results suggest that SS assessments may be useful for identifying preferred activities and engagement, and preferences may remain stable for some individuals with NCD.

Which is the winner between the single-crystalline and polycrystalline LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 cathode in the lithium-ion battery?

Ni-rich layered oxide LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) owing to its high discharge capacity has been deemed as a research focus of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the structural instability is still against its wide application. Herein, the single-crystal NCA is successfully synthesized by the flux-aiding step sintering method, and its improved electrochemical performance at 25 °C, especially at 55 °C, is studied by comparison with polycrystalline NCA. Results from structure, morphology characterization, and composition analysis indicate that the single-crystal cathode can restrain the generation of cracks and structural collapse, as well as suppress the phase transition. Moreover, it effectively reduces the electrolyte decomposition and the interface impedance. These make single-crystal NCA not only exhibit superior cycle performance and rate capability at 25 °C but also display preferable thermal stability at an elevated temperature of 55 °C with a capacity retention of 74.5% after 200 cycles. Furthermore, the fading mechanism of single-crystal NCA at 55 °C is systematically discussed from structural to interfacial stability, which affords insight into guiding the modification for single-crystal cathodes. The proposed synthesized method will also provide new perspectives on designing reversible and stable cathode materials to achieve high energy density LIBs.

In Situ-Formed Novel Elastic Network Binder for a Silicon Anode in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

High energy density lithium-ion batteries with preferable cycling stability are critical for the development of all-electric vehicles. Silicon (Si) has demonstrated a remarkable potential for application as anode materials due to its superior capacity performance and worldwide abundance. However, Si intrinsically undergoes substantial volume fluctuation during repeated lithiation/delithiation processes, which pulverizes the Si particles and undermines the integrity of the electrode structures, thus resulting in frustrating cycling stability. We developed a polymer binder with a highly stretchable and elastic network structure that can accommodate volume variation of Si. This was realized by an in situ cross-linking of polyacrylic acid (PAA) with isocyanate-terminated polyurethane oligomers that consist of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains and 2-ureido-4-pyrimidinone (UPy) moieties through the reaction between isocyanate and carboxyl during the electrode preparation process. In this binder network, PAA could strongly adhere to the Si particles by forming hydrogen bonding with the surface hydroxyl groups. The PEG chains induce the flexibility of the polymer network, while the UPy moieties endow the polymer network with desirable mechanical strength through the formation of reversible and strong quadruple H-bonding cross-linkers. This binder not only can sufficiently accommodate the volume change of Si but can also provide a strong mechanical support to effectively sustain the integrity for the Si anode, consequently enhancing cycle stability and rate performance.

Same, same, but different? A longitudinal, mixed-methods study of stability in values and preferences for future end-of-life care among community-dwelling, older adults

BackgroundEnd-of-life preferences may change over time, e.g. due to illness progression or life events. Research on stability of end-of-life preferences has largely focused on life-sustaining treatments in seriously ill patients or medical decision-making based on hypothetical illness scenarios and possible treatment options. Few studies focus on community-dwellers in natural settings. The aim of this study was thus to explore if and how community-dwelling, older adults’ prioritizations and reasoning about values and preferences for future end-of-life care change over time.MethodsUsing a mixed-methods design, we explored stability of end-of-life preferences in older community-dwelling adults without imminent end-of-life care needs. At two timepoints (T1 and T2), 5.5–12 months apart, 52 individuals discussed what would be important to them at the end-of-life, through open conversations and while using DöBra cards, a Swedish version of GoWish cards. Participants ranked their most important card statements from 1 to 10. Stability in card rankings, i.e. a card recurring in the top-10 ranking at T2 regardless of position, was explored using descriptive statistics and non-parametric analyses. Participants’ reasoning about card choices were explored with longitudinal qualitative analysis.ResultsStability between T1 and T2 in the top-10 priorities ranged from 20 to 80%, median 60%. Stability in cards rankings could not be explained by changes in participants’ health status, extent of card use (no/little/frequent use) between interviews, or days between T1 and T2, nor was it related to demographic variables. Qualitative analysis showed that consistent reasoning was not always paired with consistency in card choices and changed card choices were not always related to changes in reasoning.ConclusionsLongitudinal exploration combining DöBra card rankings with underlying reasoning about end-of-life preferences over time furthers knowledge on the dynamics between values and preferences in end-of-life decision-making. Individuals’ end-of-life preferences in form of card choices were relatively stable over time albeit with large variation between different individuals. However, the values and underlying reasoning that participants used to motivate their choices appeared more stable than ranking of card choices. We thus conclude that concurrent conversation-based exploration is a more comprehensive indicator of end-of-life values and preferences over time than ranking of cards alone.

Does Music Affect Visitors’ Choices for the Management and Conservation of Ecosystem Services?

Psychological research has long demonstrated that preferences can be influenced by stimuli coming from the environment. Music, as an external stimulus influencing people behaviours, purchasing processes and spending, has been widely analysed in consumer behaviour and marketing literature. Here, we focus on the effect of music genres on preferences and willingness to pay for selected ecosystem services of a Nature Park when they are elicited with a Discrete Choice Experiment. This aspect is important in non-market valuation because music can represent an element of context-dependence for the assessment of individual choices, so that the assumption of preference stability does not hold, and welfare estimates may be biased. The results of a generalized mixed logit model evidenced a significant effect of music on preferences. If elicited preferences depend on the context on which the survey is implemented, wrong information to decision makers is provided when the choice context is altered by an uncontrolled external stimulus. This result is particularly important for applied researchers and policy makers. First, the use of protocols and guidelines that instruct respondents about the ambient background when answering a questionnaire is highly recommended, particularly for online surveys. Second, specific genres of music should be used in educational and ecosystem services conservation campaigns and also piped in visitor centres and virtual tours to encourage nature conservation and improve visitors’ sensitiveness for the environment.

Evolutionary stability of preferences: altruism, selfishness, and envy

Evolutionary stability of preferences: altruism, selfishness, and envy

Black tea interfacial rheology and calcium carbonate

An interfacial phenomenon can be observed in the kitchen in a cup of black tea. When tea is left to cool after steeping, a thin film at the air–water interface can form. In certain conditions, this film is observable by naked eye and, when disturbed, cracks visibly like sea ice. The mechanical properties of this interfacial film are assessed using bicone interfacial rheometry. Water hardness, acidity, the presence of sugar or milk, tea concentration, and brewing temperature all affect the formation of this film. Interfaces formed in hard water (200 mg CaCO3/L) exhibit increased elastic modulus vs those in moderately hard water (100 mg CaCO3/L), soft water (50 mg CaCO3/L), and Milli-Q water. All films formed in chemically hardened water exhibit yielding point behavior in the interfacial oscillatory shear. Film physical thickness shows no correlation with measured physical strength. Conditions forming the strongest film, chemically hardened water, may be industrially useful in packaged tea beverages for preferable shelf stability and for emulsion stabilization of milk tea products. Conditions forming weakened films, addition of citric acid, may be useful for dried tea mixes. In lab conditions, the film visibility is obscured due to purity of tea ingredients and careful washing. However, the film physically forms and can still be measured through interfacial rheometry.

Confinement of sulfur-doped NiO nanoparticles into N-doped carbon nanotube/nanofiber-coupled hierarchical branched superstructures: Electronic modulation by anion doping boosts oxygen evolution electrocatalysis

The search for non-precious and efficient electrocatalysts towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of vital importance for the future advancement of multifarious renewable energy conversion/storage technologies. Electronic modulation via heteroatom doping is recognized as one of the most forceful leverages to enhance the electrocatalytic activity. Herein, we demonstrate a delicate strategy for the in-situ confinement of S-doped NiO nanoparticles into N-doped carbon nanotube/nanofiber-coupled hierarchical branched superstructures (labeled as S-NiO@N-C NT/NFs). The developed strategy simultaneously combines enhanced thermodynamics via electronic regulation with accelerated kinetics via nanoarchitectonics. The S-doping into NiO lattice and the 1D/1D-integrated hierarchical branched carbon substrate confer the resultant S-NiO@N-C NT/NFs with regulated electronic configuration, enriched oxygen vacancies, convenient mass diffusion pathways and superior architectural robustness. Thereby, the S-NiO@N-C NT/NFs display outstanding OER properties with an overpotential of 277 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and impressive long-term durability in KOH medium. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further corroborate that introducing S-dopant significantly enhances the interaction with key oxygenate intermediates and narrow the band gap. More encouragingly, a rechargeable Zn-air battery using an air–cathode of Pt/C + S-NiO@N-C NT/NFs exhibits a lower charge voltage and preferable cycling stability in comparison with the commercial Pt/C + RuO2 counterpart. This study highlighting the concurrent consideration of electronic regulation, architectural design and nanocarbon hybridization may shed light on the future exploration of economical and efficient electrocatalysts.

Preparation and characterization of egg yolk immunoglobulin loaded chitosan-liposome assisted by supercritical carbon dioxide

The egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) loaded chitosan-liposomes (IgY-CS-LP) were prepared and assisted by supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2). The effects of phospholipid type and SCCO2 pressure on particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, structural properties and stabilities were investigated. The results showed that the liposomes prepared by egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EPC) had better homogeneity and higher encapsulation rate than those by soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC). With the increase in critical pressure, the particle size decreased dramatically and became more uniform. Under pressure of 20 MPa, it showed a preferable stability on IgY-CS-LP and superior encapsulation efficiency of IgY (76.85%). Besides, IgY could be wrapped in the phospholipid layer which has strong interaction with chitosan. The results suggested that chitosan liposome complex could form an effective carrier for IgY with method of SCCO2, which can solve the problem of IgY inactivation in vivo, so as to enhance human immunity and other effects.

Problem Gambling ‘Fuelled on the Fly’

Problem gambling is a gambling disorder often described as continued gambling in the face of increasing losses. In this article, we explored problem gambling behaviour and its psychological determinants. We considered the assumption of stability in risky preferences, anticipated by both normative and descriptive theories of decision making, as well as recent evidence that risk preferences are in fact ‘constructed on the fly’ during risk elicitation. Accordingly, we argue that problem gambling is a multifaceted disorder, which is ‘fueled on the fly’ by a wide range of contextual and non-contextual influences, including individual differences in personality traits, hormonal and emotional activations. We have proposed that the experience of gambling behaviour in itself is a dynamic experience of events in time series, where gamblers anchor on the most recent event—typically a small loss or rare win. This is a highly adaptive, but erroneous, decision-making mechanism, where anchoring on the most recent event alters the psychological representations of substantial and accumulated loss in the past to a representation of negligible loss. In other words, people feel better while they gamble. We conclude that problem gambling researchers and policy makers will need to employ multifaceted and holistic approaches to understand problem gambling.

On the stability of risk and time preferences amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

We elicited incentivized measures of risk and time preferences from a sample of undergraduate students in Athens, Greece, in waves that preceded and overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic. We exploited the timing of several events that occurred in the course of the pandemic (e.g., first occurrence of cases and deaths, curfew, relaxation of curfew etc.) and estimated structural parameters for various theories of risk and time preferences comparing these with pre-pandemic estimates. We find no effect between the different waves or other key events of the pandemic, despite the fact that we have about 1000 responses across all waves. Overall, our subjects exhibit intertemporal stability of risk and time preferences despite the significant effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health and the global economy.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10683-021-09727-6.

Preference stability in discrete choice experiments. Some evidence using eye-tracking

We investigate the relationship between the extent of visual attention and preference stability in a discrete choice experiment using eye-tracking to investigate country of origin information for meat in the UK. By preference stability, we mean the extent to which choice task responses differ for an identical set of tasks for an individual. Our results reveal that the degree of visual attention, counter to our initial expectations, is positively related to the degree of preference instability. This means that preference instability does not necessarily indicate low levels of respondent engagement. We also find that those respondents’ exhibiting preference instability do not substantively differ from the rest of the sample in terms of their underlying preferences. Rather, these respondents spend longer looking at tasks that are similar in terms of utility, suggesting these respondents find these choices more difficult.

Manipulating temperature stability in KNN-based ceramics via defect design

The designed defect-engineering has been proved to be an effective way to promote properties in potassium sodium niobate (KNN)-based ceramics. Here, we focus on the introduction of Fe element into different sites of KNN-based ceramics to form defects and optimize properties. Two types of defect dipoles can be formed, FeA..−VA′ for A-site and FeNb″−VO.. for B-site. Compared with the defect dipoles of A-site, the defect dipoles of B-site are sensitive to both electric field and temperature. So that, the B-site defect dipoles switch easily under the thermo-electric treatment, and share the same behavior with spontaneous polarization after removing the electric field, which compensates the remnant polarization. In addition, the domain miniaturizes as the Fe ions doping. Both of the defect dipole behavior and nanodomain lead to the preferable temperature stability: remnant polarization (Pr) and unipolar strain (S) of the B-site engineered ceramics vary less than 10% and 15% in the temperature range of 20-140 °C. We hope that the strategy of designed defect dipoles is helpful for improving electrical properties and further promoting the development of KNN-based ceramics.

C-doped LaFeO3 Porous Nanostructures for Highly Selective Detection of Formaldehyde

LaFeO3 is a promising sensing material owing to its preferable stability and lower phase formation temperature, while the sensing detection limit, working temperature and selectivity are far from the requirement of practical application. Herein, porous LaFeO3/C nanocomposites were successfully synthesized for the first time through a facile foaming sol-gel technique. The amount of carbon and the microstructure of nanocomposites can be simply controlled by adjusting the content of PVP in precursors. The systematical sensing investigation demonstrates that LaFeO3 with 10 % PVP exhibits excellent sensing properties with sensitivity of 74.3–50 ppm formaldehyde at 125 °C, which is around 3 times higher than that of pristine LaFeO3. When the formaldehyde concentration is as low as 500 ppb, the sample still presents a high response value of 2. Moreover, the sample shows good long term reliability and high selectivity of 13.3 to formaldehyde. Further detailed analysis indicates the improving sensing performance of LaFeO3/C can be attributed to the large specific surface area, porous structure and increased electrical conductivity of the material. This work builds an efficient and simple example for the fabrication of high sensing performance formaldehyde sensors.

Between-task consistency, temporal stability and the role of posture in simple reach and fishing hand preference in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Studying hand preferences in chimpanzees can provide insights into the evolutionary origins of human hemispheric specialization. Research on chimpanzee hand preference requires careful examination of important factors such as between-task consistency, temporal stability and posture although few studies have investigated all of these factors in combination. We investigated hand preference in simple reach and fishing behaviours in a group of 19 chimpanzees at Chester Zoo in the UK. Simple reach was defined as extending a hand to grasp a small object, then flexing the limb in a continuous motion, and was examined in quadrupedal, sitting and climbing postures. Fish in hole was defined as inserting a stick into a hole in the wall with one hand and then extracting it with the same hand. Between-task consistency of hand preference was assessed by comparing simple reach and fish in hole, while temporal stability was assessed by comparing simple reach from two points in time: 2017 and 2019. The data showed no significant influence of posture on the strength of hand preference, which contrasts with previous research. The findings of this study show temporal stability in simple reach, although only partial between-task consistency. Overall, the results indicate that simple reach elicits laterality at the individual level and is consistent across postures and stable over time, which is consistent with the literature. These results suggest that posture stability may be important in affecting hand preference. Further, whilst there was overall stability in hand preference across time periods, some individuals changed their preferred hand, suggesting there may be individual-level temporal instability of hand preference for certain tasks.