Visualization of back pain data-A 3-D solution

Traditional approaches to gathering and visualizing pain data rely on two-dimensional (2-D) human body models, where different types of sensation are recorded with various monochrome symbols. We proposean alternative that uses a three-dimensional (3-D) representation of the human body, which can be marked in color to visualize and record pain data

Young people’s experiences using electric powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs (EPIOCs): Potential for enhancing users’ development?

Purpose: To examine the experiences of severely physically disabled young people using electric powered indoor/outdoor chairs (EPIOCs). Methods: A priori interview questions examined young people’s functioning with EPIOCs, pain and discomfort with EPIOC use and accidents or injuries resulting from EPIOC use. Eighteen young people (13 males and 5 females) aged 10 -18 (mean 15) years were interviewed by telephone using a qualitative framework approach. Participants were interviewed 10 -19 (mean 14.5) months after delivery of the chair. Diagnoses included muscular dystrophy (n = 10), cerebral palsy (n = 5), and ‘other’ (n =3). Results: Many children reported positive functioning following EPIOC use, including increased independence and social activities like wheelchair football. However, EPIOC use was also associated with pain and discomfort, as well as perceived lack of safety, and minor accidents. Most young people and their families were fairly satisfied with the service and provision of their wheelchairs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that disabled children’s development may benefit from the use of electric powered indoor/outdoor wheelchairs, although the advantages may come at certain costs to young people’s perceived and real safety. Recommendations to powered wheelchair providers include the demonstrated need for additional driving training as these young people mature

Invalidity of Classes of Approximated Hall Effect Calculations

In this comment, I point out a number of approximated derivations for the effective equation of motion, now been applied to d-wave superconductors by Kopnin and Volovik are invalid. The major error in those approximated derivations is the inappropriate use of the relaxation time approximation in force-force correlation functions, or in force balance equations, or in similar variations. This approximation is wrong and unnecessary.Comment: final version, minor changes, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Geometric phases in dressed state quantum computation

Geometric phases arise naturally in a variety of quantum systems with observable consequences. They also arise in quantum computations when dressed states are used in gating operations. Here we show how they arise in these gating operations and how one may take advantage of the dressed states producing them. Specifically, we show that that for a given, but arbitrary Hamiltonian, and at an arbitrary time {\tau}, there always exists a set of dressed states such that a given gate operation can be performed by the Hamiltonian up to a phase {\phi}. The phase is a sum of a dynamical phase and a geometric phase. We illustrate the new phase for several systems.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Magnus Force on Quantum Hall Skyrmions and Vortices

We have discussed here the Magnus force acting on the vortices and skyrmions in the quantum Hall systems. We have found that it is generated by the chirality of the system which is associated with the Berry phase and is same for both the cases.Comment: 5 page

Relic Abundances and the Boltzmann Equation

I discuss the validity of the quantum Boltzmann equation for the calculation of WIMP relic densities.Comment: 5 pages, no figures; talk given at Dark Matter 2000; an important reference is added in the revised versio

Study of the D∗ρD^*\rho system using QCD sum rules

In this talk I present a study of the $D^* \rho$ system made by using the method of QCD sum rules. Considering isospin and spin projectors, we investigate the different configurations and obtain three $D^*$ mesons with isospin $I=1/2$, spin $S=0$, $1$, $2$ and with masses $2500\pm 67$ MeV, $2523\pm60$ MeV, and $2439\pm119$ MeV, respectively. The last state can be related to $D^*_2(2460)$ (spin 2) listed by the Particle Data Group, while one of the first two might be associated with $D^*(2640)$, whose spin-parity is unknown. In the case of $I=3/2$ we also find evidences of three states with spin 0, 1 and 2, respectively, with masses $2467\pm82$ MeV, $2420\pm128$ MeV, and $2550\pm56$ MeV.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of the XXXVI Reuni\~ao de Trabalho sobre F\'isica Nuclear no Brasil, Maresias, S\~ao Paulo, Brazi