Early, but not late visual distractors affect movement synchronization to a temporal-spatial visual cue

The ease of synchronizing movements to a rhythmic cue is dependent on the modality of the cue presentation: timing accuracy is much higher when synchronizing with discrete auditory rhythms than an equivalent visual stimulus presented through flashes. However, timing accuracy is improved if the visual cue presents spatial as well as temporal information (e.g., a dot following an oscillatory trajectory). Similarly, when synchronizing with an auditory target metronome in the presence of a second visual distracting metronome, the distraction is stronger when the visual cue contains spatial-temporal information rather than temporal only. The present study investigates individuals' ability to synchronize movements to a temporal-spatial visual cue in the presence of same-modality temporal-spatial distractors. Moreover, we investigated how increasing the number of distractor stimuli impacted on maintaining synchrony with the target cue. Participants made oscillatory vertical arm movements in time with a vertically oscillating white target dot centered on a large projection screen. The target dot was surrounded by 2, 8, or 14 distractor dots, which had an identical trajectory to the target but at a phase lead or lag of 0, 100, or 200 ms. We found participants' timing performance was only affected in the phase-lead conditions and when there were large numbers of distractors present (8 and 14). This asymmetry suggests participants still rely on salient events in the stimulus trajectory to synchronize movements. Subsequently, distractions occurring in the window of attention surrounding those events have the maximum impact on timing performance

Navigating Ethics of Physician-Patient Confidentiality: A Communication Privacy Management Analysis

The ethics of physician-patient confidentiality is often fraught with contradictions. Privacy boundaries are not always clear, and patients can leave an interaction with their physicians feeling uncomfortable about the security of their private medical information. The best way to meet confidentiality and privacy management expectations that patients have may not be readily apparent. Without realizing it, a physician may communicate a patient's information in ways that are inconsistent with that person's perceptions of how his/her medical information should be treated. A proposed model is presented as a tool for physicians to better serve the privacy and confidentiality needs of their patients. This model depends on the communication privacy management (CPM) perspective that emerged from a 35-year research program investigating how people regulate and control information they consider private and confidential. A physician's use of this model enables the ability to establish a confidentiality pledge that can address issues in understanding the best way to communicate about privacy management with patients and more likely overcome potential negative outcomes

Sexual well-being and diurnal cortisol after prostate cancer treatment.

Sexual dysfunction and psychological distress are common after prostate cancer. Research has not examined the role of neuroendocrine markers of stress (e.g. cortisol). This study examines whether sexual functioning or sexual bother is associated with diurnal cortisol. Men treated for prostate cancer completed the University of California-Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index and provided saliva samples four times daily for cortisol assessment. Higher sexual bother, but not sexual functioning, was associated with steeper cortisol slope. Better sexual functioning, and not sexual bother, was significantly associated with the cortisol awakening response. Assessment of stress and stress-reducing interventions might be warranted in sexual rehabilitation after prostate cancer

Photonic architecture for scalable quantum information processing in NV-diamond

Physics and information are intimately connected, and the ultimate information processing devices will be those that harness the principles of quantum mechanics. Many physical systems have been identified as candidates for quantum information processing, but none of them are immune from errors. The challenge remains to find a path from the experiments of today to a reliable and scalable quantum computer. Here, we develop an architecture based on a simple module comprising an optical cavity containing a single negatively-charged nitrogen vacancy centre in diamond. Modules are connected by photons propagating in a fiber-optical network and collectively used to generate a topological cluster state, a robust substrate for quantum information processing. In principle, all processes in the architecture can be deterministic, but current limitations lead to processes that are probabilistic but heralded. We find that the architecture enables large-scale quantum information processing with existing technology.Comment: 24 pages, 14 Figures. Comment welcom

Effects of In-Season Velocity- Versus Percentage-Based Training in Academy Rugby League Players

Purpose: To compare the effects of velocity-based training (VBT) versus percentage-based training (PBT) on strength, speed and jump performance in academy rugby league players during a 7-week in-season mesocycle. Methods: Twenty-seven rugby league players competing in the Super League U19s Championship were randomised to VBT (n = 12) or PBT (n = 15). Both groups completed a 7-week resistance training intervention (2x/week) that involved the back squat. The PBT group used a fixed load based on a percentage of one repetition maximum (1RM), whereas the VBT group used a modifiable load based on individualised velocity thresholds. Biomechanical and perceptual data were collected during each training session. Back squat 1RM, countermovement jump (CMJ), reactive strength index (RSI), sprint times, and back squat velocity at 40-90% 1RM were assessed pre- and post-training. Results: The PBT group showed likely to most likely improvements in 1RM strength and RSI, whereas the VBT group showed likely to very likely improvements in 1RM strength, CMJ height, and back squat velocity at 40 and 60% 1RM. Sessional velocity and power were most likely greater during VBT compared with PBT (standardised mean differences [SMDs] = 1.8 to 2.4), whilst time under tension and perceptual training stress were likely lower (SMDs = 0.49 to 0.66). The improvement in back squat velocity at 60% 1RM was likely greater following VBT compared with PBT (SMD = 0.50). Conclusion: VBT can be implemented during the competitive season, instead of traditional PBT, to improve training stimuli, decrease training stress, and promote velocity-specific adaptations

The Intermediate Luminosity Optical Transient SN 2010da: The Progenitor, Eruption and Aftermath of a Peculiar Supergiant High-mass X-ray Binary

We present optical spectroscopy, ultraviolet to infrared imaging and X-ray observations of the intermediate luminosity optical transient (ILOT) SN 2010da in NGC 300 (d=1.86 Mpc) spanning from -6 to +6 years relative to the time of outburst in 2010. Based on the light curve and multi-epoch SEDs of SN 2010da, we conclude that the progenitor of SN 2010da is a ~10-12 Msol yellow supergiant possibly transitioning into a blue loop phase. During outburst, SN 2010da had a peak absolute magnitude of M<-10.4 mag, dimmer than other ILOTs and supernova impostors. We detect multi-component hydrogen Balmer, Paschen, and Ca II emission lines in our high-resolution spectra, which indicate a dusty and complex circumstellar environment. Since the 2010 eruption, the star has brightened by a factor of ~5 and remains highly variable in the optical. Furthermore, we detect SN 2010da in archival Swift and Chandra observations as an ultraluminous X-ray source (L~6x10^{39} erg/s). We additionally attribute He II 4686 Angstrom and coronal Fe emission lines in addition to a steady X-ray luminosity of ~10^{37} erg/s to the presence of a compact companion.Comment: published; updated citations and other minor edit

Determinants of exercise intolerance in breast cancer patients prior to anthracycline chemotherapy

Women with early‐stage breast cancer have reduced peak exercise oxygen uptake (peak V O2). The purpose of this study was to evaluate peak V O2 and right (RV ) and left (LV ) ventricular function prior to adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty‐nine early‐stage breast cancer patients (mean age: 48 years) and 10 age‐matched healthy women were studied. Participants performed an upright cycle exercise test with expired gas analysis to measure peak V O2. RV and LV volumes and function were measured at rest, submaximal and peak supine cycle exercise using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Peak V O2 was significantly lower in breast cancer patients versus controls (1.7 ± 0.4 vs. 2.3 ± 0.5 L/min, P = 0.0013; 25 ± 6 vs. 35 ± 6 mL/kg/min, P = 0.00009). No significant difference was found between groups for peak upright exercise heart rate (174 ± 13 vs. 169 ± 16 bpm, P = 0.39). Rest, submaximal and peak exercise RV and LV end‐diastolic and end‐systolic volume index, stroke index, and cardiac index were significantly lower in breast cancer patients versus controls (P < 0.05 for all). No significant difference was found between groups for rest and exercise RV and LV ejection fraction. Despite preserved RV and LV ejection fraction, the decreased peak V O2 in early‐stage breast cancer patients prior to adjuvant chemotherapy is due in part to decreased peak cardiac index secondary to reductions in RV and LV end‐diastolic volumes