VALUE study : a protocol for a qualitative semi-structured interview study of IVF add-ons use by patients, clinicians and embryologists in the UK and Australia

Funding This research was funded by an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Innovation Grant from the University of Melbourne Australia. MP is supported by a University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology MCR Fellowship. Acknowledgements Our heartfelt thanks to our PPI panel who gave up their time to contribute to the development of VALUE. UK: Isabella Dash, Jennifer Nisbett, Hannah Reid, Ally Richardson, Victoria Thomas, Bassel Wattar. Australia: Katherine Gobbi, Hilary Smith, Natasha Devetak, Alex Polyakov, Anna Ninnis, Lisa Lee, Vadim Mirmilstein.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Higher twists in the pion structure function

We calculate the QCD moments of the pion structure function using Drell-Yan data on the quark distributions in the pion and a phenomenological model for the resonance region. The extracted higher twist corrections are found to be larger than those for the nucleon, contributing around 50% of the lowest moment at Q^2=1 GeV^2.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Patient and professional perspectives about using in vitro fertilisation add-ons in the UK and Australia: a qualitative study

Objectives In vitro fertilisation (IVF) add-ons are additional procedures offered alongside an IVF cycle with the aim of improving live birth rates. They are controversial because of the paucity of evidence to support their efficacy and safety, alongside the additional financial cost they often pose to patients. Despite this, they are popular. However, there is limited qualitative research regarding their use. The aims of the VALUE Study were to understand the decision-making process surrounding using or recommending add-ons; report sources of information for add-ons; and explore concerns for safety and effectiveness when considering their use. Design ‘VALUE’ is a qualitative semistructured interview study using inductive thematic analysis of anonymised transcriptions. Setting Participants were recruited from a broad geographical spread across the UK and Australia from public and private clinical settings. Participants Patients (n=25) and health professionals (embryologists (n=25) and clinicians (n=24)) were interviewed. A purposive sampling strategy was undertaken. The sampling framework included people having state-subsidised and private cycles, professionals working in public and private sectors, geographical location and professionals of all grades. Results Patients often made decisions about add-ons based on hope, minimising considerations of safety, efficacy or cost, whereas professionals sought the best outcomes for their patients and wanted to avoid them wasting their money. The driving forces behind add-on use differed: for patients, a professional opinion was the most influential reason, whereas for professionals, it was seen as patient driven. For both groups, applying the available evidence to individual circumstances was very challenging, especially in the sphere of IVF medicine, where the stakes are high. Conclusions There is scope to build on the quality of the discourse between patients and professionals. Patients describe valuing their autonomy with add-ons, but for professionals, undertaking informed consent will be critical, no matter where they sit on the spectrum regarding add-ons

Long-Range Forces of QCD

We consider the scattering of two color dipoles (e.g., heavy quarkonium states) at low energy - a QCD analog of Van der Waals interaction. Even though the couplings of the dipoles to the gluon field can be described in perturbation theory, which leads to the potential proportional to (N_c^2-1)/R^{7}, at large distances R the interaction becomes totally non-perturbative. Low-energy QCD theorems are used to evaluate the leading long-distance contribution \sim (N_f^2-1)/(11N_c - 2N_f)^2 R^{-5/2} exp(-2 \mu R) (\mu is the Goldstone boson mass), which is shown to arise from the correlated two-boson exchange. The sum rule which relates the overall strength of the interaction to the energy density of QCD vacuum is derived. Surprisingly, we find that when the size of the dipoles shrinks to zero (the heavy quark limit in the case of quarkonia), the non-perturbative part of the interaction vanishes more slowly than the perturbative part as a consequence of scale anomaly. As an application, we evaluate elastic \pi J/\psi and \pi J/\psi \to \pi \psi' cross sections.Comment: 16pages, 9 eps figures; discussion extended, 2 new references added, to appear in Phys.Rev.

Observation of Pseudoscalar and Axial Vector Resonances in pi- p -> K+ K- pi0 n at 18 GeV

A new measurement of the reaction pi- p -> K+ K- pi0 n has been made at a beam energy of 18 GeV. A partial wave analysis of the K+ K- pi0 system shows evidence for three pseudoscalar resonances, eta(1295), eta(1416), and eta(1485), as well as two axial vectors, f1(1285), and f1(1420). Their observed masses, widths and decay properties are reported. No signal was observed for C(1480), an IG J{PC} = 1+ 1{--} state previously reported in phi pi0 decay.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figs, to be submitted to Phys. Let

Color Transparency versus Quantum Coherence in Electroproduction of Vector Mesons off Nuclei

So far no theoretical tool for the comprehensive description of exclusive electroproduction of vector mesons off nuclei at medium energies has been developed. We suggest a light-cone QCD formalism which is valid at any energy and incorporates formation effects (color transparency), the coherence length and the gluon shadowing. At medium energies color transparency (CT) and the onset of coherence length (CL) effects are not easily separated. Indeed, although nuclear transparency measured by the HERMES experiment rises with Q^2, it agrees with predictions of the vector dominance model (VDM) without any CT effects. Our new results and observations are: (i) the good agreement with the VDM found earlier is accidental and related to the specific correlation between Q^2 and CL for HERMES kinematics; (ii) CT effects are much larger than have been estimated earlier within the two channel approximation. They are even stronger at low than at high energies and can be easily identified by HERMES or at JLab; (iii) gluon shadowing which is important at high energies is calculated and included; (iv) our parameter-free calculations explain well available data for variation of nuclear transparency with virtuality and energy of the photon; (v) predictions for electroproduction of \rho and \phi are provided for future measurements at HERMES and JLab.Comment: Latex 57 pages and 17 figure

Properties of heavy quarkonia and B_c mesons in the relativistic quark model

The mass spectra and electromagnetic decay rates of charmonium, bottomonium and B_c mesons are comprehensively investigated in the relativistic quark model. The presence of only heavy quarks allows the expansion in powers of their velocities. All relativistic corrections of order v^2/c^2, including retardation effects and one-loop radiative corrections, are systematically taken into account in the computations of the mass spectra. The obtained wave functions are used for the calculation of radiative magnetic dipole (M1) and electric dipole (E1) transitions. It is found that relativistic effects play a substantial role. Their account and the proper choice of the Lorentz structure of the quark-antiquark interaction in a meson is crucial for bringing theoretical predictions in accord with experimental data. A detailed comparison of the calculated decay rates and branching fractions with available experimental data for radiative decays of charmonium and bottomonium is presented. The possibilities to observe the currently missing spin-singlet S and P states as well as D states in bottomonium are discussed. The results for B_c masses and decays are compared with other quark model predictions.Comment: 31 pages, 2 figures, minor correction

Carotenoid content and reflectance of yellow and red nuptial plumages in widowbirds (Euplectes spp.)

1. Ornamental carotenoid coloration is commonly based on several different pigments with different nutritional and metabolic constraints. The identification and quantification of carotenoid pigments is therefore crucial to the understanding of signal content and signal evolution. 2. In male widowbirds (Euplectes spp.), the striking yellow and red carotenoid colours have been measured by reflectance spectrometry and studied with respect to sexual selection through male contest competition, but their biochemical mechanisms have not been analysed. 3. Here we use reflectance analysis and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to describe the species-specific colours and plumage carotenoids in three widowbird species: yellow-mantled widowbird (YMW) Euplectes macrourus, red-shouldered widowbird (RSW) E. axillaris and red-collared widowbird (RCW) E. ardens. 4. YMW yellow (‘hue’ colorimetric λR50 = 522 nm) derives from the two ‘dietary yellow’ xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin, together with small amounts of ‘derived yellow’ pigments (3′-dehydrolutein and canary xanthophylls). 5. RCW red (λR50 = 574 nm) is achieved by the addition of low concentrations of ‘derived red ’ 4-keto-carotenoids, notably α- and β-doradexanthin and canthaxanthin. 6. RSW red (λR50 = 589 nm) is, in contrast, created by high concentrations of ‘dietary yellow ’ pigments (lutein, zeaxanthin) and ‘derived yellow ’ anhydrolutein, the latter only recently described in birds. 7. The two different mechanisms of producing red plumage are compared with other bird species and discussed with regard to costs and signal ‘honesty’

A complete 3D numerical study of the effects of pseudoscalar-photon mixing on quasar polarizations

We present the results of three-dimensional simulations of quasar polarizations in the presence of pseudoscalar-photon mixing in the intergalactic medium. The intergalactic magnetic field is assumed to be uncorrelated in wave vector space but correlated in real space. Such a field may be obtained if its origin is primordial. Furthermore we assume that the quasars, located at cosmological distances, have negligible initial polarization. In the presence of pseudoscalar-photon mixing we show, through a direct comparison with observations, that this may explain the observed large scale alignments in quasar polarizations within the framework of big bang cosmology. We find that the simulation results give a reasonably good fit to the observed data.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, significant changes, to appear in EPJ

Association of Visual Impairment with Risk of Incident Dementia in a Women's Health Initiative Population

Importance: Dementia affects a large and growing population of older adults. Although past studies suggest an association between vision and cognitive impairment, there are limited data regarding longitudinal associations of vision with dementia. Objective: To evaluate associations between visual impairment and risk of cognitive impairment. Design, Setting, and Participants: A secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal cohort study compared the likelihood of incident dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among women with and without baseline visual impairment using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for characteristics of participants enrolled in Women's Health Initiative (WHI) ancillary studies. The participants comprised community-dwelling older women (age, 66-84 years) concurrently enrolled in WHI Sight Examination (enrollment 2000-2002) and WHI Memory Study (enrollment 1996-1998, ongoing). The study was conducted from 2000 to the present. Exposures: Objectively measured visual impairment at 3 thresholds (visual acuity worse than 20/40, 20/80, or 20/100) and self-reported visual impairment (determined using composite survey responses). Main Outcomes and Measures: Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for incident cognitive impairment after baseline eye examination were determined. Cognitive impairment (probable dementia or MCI) was based on cognitive testing, clinical assessment, and centralized review and adjudication. Models for (1) probable dementia, (2) MCI, and (3) probable dementia or MCI were evaluated. Results: A total of 1061 women (mean [SD] age, 73.8 [3.7] years) were identified; 206 of these women (19.4%) had self-reported visual impairment and 183 women (17.2%) had objective visual impairment. Forty-two women (4.0%) were ultimately classified with probable dementia and 28 women (2.6%) with MCI that did not progress to dementia. Mean post-eye examination follow-up was 3.8 (1.8) years (range, 0-7 years). Women with vs without baseline objective visual impairment were more likely to develop dementia. Greatest risk for dementia was among women with visual acuity of 20/100 or worse at baseline (HR, 5.66; 95% CI, 1.75-18.37), followed by 20/80 or worse (HR, 5.20; 95% CI, 1.94-13.95), and 20/40 or worse (HR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.08-4.21). Findings were similar for risk of MCI, with the greatest risk among women with baseline visual acuity of 20/100 or worse (HR, 6.43; 95% CI, 1.66-24.85). Conclusions and Relevance: In secondary analysis of a prospective longitudinal cohort study of older women with formal vision and cognitive function testing, objective visual impairment appears to be associated with an increased risk of incident dementia. However, incident cases of dementia and the proportion of those with visual impairment were low. Research is needed to evaluate the effect of specific ophthalmic interventions on dementia.