Development and validation of two short forms of the managing the emotions of others (MEOS) scale

The 58-item MEOS assesses managing the emotions of others, a component of trait emotional intelligence (EI). Managing another person's emotions can be used with the intention of helping the target but also in a strategically manipulative manner; the subscales of the MEOS cover both these aspects of emotion management. In order to allow researchers to access shorter versions of the MEOS for use in studies where administering the full-length scale is not feasible, two short forms of the MEOS with six (MEOS-SF) and four (MEOS-VSF) items per sub-scale were developed and validated. Study 1 used factor analysis of pre-existing MEOS item data to select items for the short forms and also compared the bivariate correlations of the MEOS, MEOS-SF and MEOS-VSF with personality and global trait EI. Study 2 examined the MEOS-SF and MEOS-VSF in two new samples (N = 394/226). The results from both studies showed that the short forms had good psychometric properties and associations similar to those of the full-length MEOS with personality, global trait EI, and other measures. The MEOS-SF and MEOS-VSF are hence suitable for use in contexts where a brief assessment of the full range of the domain of managing the emotions of others is required. The availability of short subscales assessing the manipulative facets of the MEOS is especially relevant to the emerging area of “dark side” trait EI research

A reliable method to retrieve accident & emergency data stored on a free-text basis

AbstractAccident & Emergency (A & E) data on asthma-related attendances are useful for studies on the effectiveness of asthma interventions, and to determine the relationship of environmental factors to asthma and asthma epidemics. The final diagnoses made in the A & E departments are not usually coded when entered into hospital databases in the U.K., although the ‘presenting complaint’ can be retrieved from the computerized Hospital Information & Support Systems (HISS), from a free-text attendance diagnosis field entered by the reception clerk when the patient arrives at the A & E department. The validity of this as an indication of the final diagnosis is unevaluated. The aim of this study was to measure the validity of the string ‘asth’ in the A & E attendance diagnosis field for identifying patients attending the A & E departments of two hospitals for asthma-related conditions. A list of patients who attended the A & E department of two hospitals was retrieved from the HISS along with the attendance diagnosis field. If the attendance diagnosis field contained the text string ‘asth’, mentioned wheeze or breathing problems, or the patients were referred by their GP without any diagnostic information entered on HISS, the records were selected for evaluation. The remaining attendances, which were not evaluated further, were attributed to another diagnosis based on the evidence of the recorded attendance diagnosis. The results indicated that the string ‘asth’ in the attendance diagnosis field had a sensitivity of 80·3% (95% CI 75·1–85·5%) and a specificity of 96·7% (95% CI 95·6–97·8%) for a final diagnosis of asthma. It is concluded that free-text attendance diagnosis fields in hospital databases can be searched with suitable strings to obtain reliable data on attendance with asthma. As part of another investigation, the present authors attempted to retrieve a list of the attendances with asthma at the same two A & E departments at a time that was reportedly associated with an epidemic of asthma following a thunderstorm. On this occasion, the string ‘asth’ proved to be significantly less sensitive. The possible reasons for this and the implications for using this method for identifying cases are discussed

Development of immunity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) to Aeromonas hydrophila after the dietary application of garlic

The development and duration of immune protection against Aeromonas hydrophila infections with garlic as immunostimulant in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss was studied. Rainbow trout fingerlings of 14 g average weight were fed with 0 g (= Control), 0.5 g and 1.0 g of garlic 100 g-1 of feed for 14 days. Physiological factors, biochemical, immunological, hematological parameters and electrolyte indices were evaluated after a further 14, 21 and 28 days before challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. Fourteen days after the cessation of feeding with garlic, mortality rates of 12 % (relative percent survival [RPS] = 86 %) and 16 % (RPS = 80 %) were recorded in groups which received 0.5 g and 1.0 g of garlic 100 g-1 of feed, respectively, compared to 84 % mortalities in the controls. The corresponding RPS 21 days after ending the feeding regime was 75 % and 68, respectively. One week later, the RPS had dropped to 55% and 46% in the groups fed with 0.5 g and 1.0 g garlic 100 g-1 of feed, respectively

Correlations in Cosmic String Networks

We investigate scaling and correlations of the energy and momentum in an evolving network of cosmic strings in Minkowski space. These quantities are of great interest, as they must be understood before accurate predictions for the power spectra of the perturbations in the matter and radiation in the early Universe can be made. We argue that Minkowski space provides a reasonable approximation to a Friedmann background for string dynamics and we use our results to construct a simple model of the network, in which it is considered to consist of randomly placed segments moving with random velocities. This model works well in accounting for features of the two-time correlation functions, and even better for the power spectra.Comment: 20pp Plain LaTeX, 11 EPS figures, uses epsf.st

Nonequilibrium Evolution of Correlation Functions: A Canonical Approach

We study nonequilibrium evolution in a self-interacting quantum field theory invariant under space translation only by using a canonical approach based on the recently developed Liouville-von Neumann formalism. The method is first used to obtain the correlation functions both in and beyond the Hartree approximation, for the quantum mechanical analog of the $\phi^{4}$ model. The technique involves representing the Hamiltonian in a Fock basis of annihilation and creation operators. By separating it into a solvable Gaussian part involving quadratic terms and a perturbation of quartic terms, it is possible to find the improved vacuum state to any desired order. The correlation functions for the field theory are then investigated in the Hartree approximation and those beyond the Hartree approximation are obtained by finding the improved vacuum state corrected up to ${\cal O}(\lambda^2)$. These correlation functions take into account next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading order effects in the coupling constant. We also use the Heisenberg formalism to obtain the time evolution equations for the equal-time, connected correlation functions beyond the leading order. These equations are derived by including the connected 4-point functions in the hierarchy. The resulting coupled set of equations form a part of infinite hierarchy of coupled equations relating the various connected n-point functions. The connection with other approaches based on the path integral formalism is established and the physical implications of the set of equations are discussed with particular emphasis on thermalization.Comment: Revtex, 32 pages; substantial new material dealing with non-equilibrium evolution beyond Hartree approx. based on the LvN formalism, has been adde

Implementation Evaluation of a Complex Intervention to Improve Timeliness of Care for Veterans with Transient Ischemic Attack

Background: The Protocol-guided Rapid Evaluation of Veterans Experiencing New Transient Neurologic Symptoms (PREVENT) program was designed to address systemic barriers to providing timely guideline-concordant care for patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA). Objective: We evaluated an implementation bundle used to promote local adaptation and adoption of a multi-component, complex quality improvement (QI) intervention to improve the quality of TIA care Bravata et al. (BMC Neurology 19:294, 2019). Design: A stepped-wedge implementation trial with six geographically diverse sites. Participants: The six facility QI teams were multi-disciplinary, clinical staff. Interventions: PREVENT employed a bundle of key implementation strategies: team activation; external facilitation; and a community of practice. This strategy bundle had direct ties to four constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR): Champions, Reflecting & Evaluating, Planning, and Goals & Feedback. Main measures: Using a mixed-methods approach guided by the CFIR and data matrix analyses, we evaluated the degree to which implementation success and clinical improvement were associated with implementation strategies. The primary outcomes were the number of completed implementation activities, the level of team organization and > 15 points improvement in the Without Fail Rate (WFR) over 1 year. Key results: Facility QI teams actively engaged in the implementation strategies with high utilization. Facilities with the greatest implementation success were those with central champions whose teams engaged in planning and goal setting, and regularly reflected upon their quality data and evaluated their progress against their QI plan. The strong presence of effective champions acted as a pre-condition for the strong presence of Reflecting & Evaluating, Goals & Feedback, and Planning (rather than the other way around), helping to explain how champions at the +2 level influenced ongoing implementation. Conclusions: The CFIR-guided bundle of implementation strategies facilitated the local implementation of the PREVENT QI program and was associated with clinical improvement in the national VA healthcare system

Measurement of the polarisation of W bosons produced with large transverse momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS experiment

This paper describes an analysis of the angular distribution of W->enu and W->munu decays, using data from pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2010, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 35 pb^-1. Using the decay lepton transverse momentum and the missing transverse energy, the W decay angular distribution projected onto the transverse plane is obtained and analysed in terms of helicity fractions f0, fL and fR over two ranges of W transverse momentum (ptw): 35 < ptw < 50 GeV and ptw > 50 GeV. Good agreement is found with theoretical predictions. For ptw > 50 GeV, the values of f0 and fL-fR, averaged over charge and lepton flavour, are measured to be : f0 = 0.127 +/- 0.030 +/- 0.108 and fL-fR = 0.252 +/- 0.017 +/- 0.030, where the first uncertainties are statistical, and the second include all systematic effects.Comment: 19 pages plus author list (34 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables, revised author list, matches European Journal of Physics C versio

Observation of a new chi_b state in radiative transitions to Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S) at ATLAS

The chi_b(nP) quarkonium states are produced in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb^-1, these states are reconstructed through their radiative decays to Upsilon(1S,2S) with Upsilon->mu+mu-. In addition to the mass peaks corresponding to the decay modes chi_b(1P,2P)->Upsilon(1S)gamma, a new structure centered at a mass of 10.530+/-0.005 (stat.)+/-0.009 (syst.) GeV is also observed, in both the Upsilon(1S)gamma and Upsilon(2S)gamma decay modes. This is interpreted as the chi_b(3P) system.Comment: 5 pages plus author list (18 pages total), 2 figures, 1 table, corrected author list, matches final version in Physical Review Letter