927 research outputs found
Reducing the anxiety of patients undergoing an oral biopsy by means of graphic novels: an open-label randomized clinical trial
Background: The use of graphic novels is a trending topic in health communication as a new form of visual storytelling which explores narratives of health care, cancer, healing, and disability. The objective of the present study was to evaluate - for the first time in the literature - the effect of graphic novels in reducing the anxiety of patients waiting for an incisional biopsy in an oral oncology setting. Material and methods: This open-label randomized clinical trial comprised 50 patients with a clinical suspicion of oral potentially malignant disorders. Twenty-five patients were randomly allocated to the test group, and a colourful graphic novel was provided. Subsequently, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 were administered to all 50 recruited patients, after which a biopsy was performed on each patient. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between the test and control groups for the variables regarding the demographic data (p>0.2). There was a significant difference after the introduction of the graphic novel, regardless of which questionnaire was used. The graphic novel demonstrated an improvement in the ability of the test group to tolerate anxiety while waiting for an oral biopsy in both psychological tests (p<0.05). Conclusions: In light of these initial positive results, the authors of this study would like to suggest the use of graphic novels in oral oncology, dentistry, and medicine with the aim of reducing patient anxiety
An XMM-Newton look at the strongly variable radio-weak BL Lac Fermi J1544-0639
Fermi J1544-0639/ASASSN-17gs/AT2017egv was identified as a gamma-ray/optical
transient on May 15, 2017. Subsequent multiwavelength observations suggest that
this source may belong to the new class of radio-weak BL Lacs. We studied the
X-ray spectral properties and short-term variability of Fermi J1544-0639 to
constrain the X-ray continuum emission mechanism of this peculiar source. We
present the analysis of an XMM-Newton observation, 56 ks in length, performed
on February 21, 2018. The source exhibits strong X-ray variability, both in
flux and spectral shape, on timescales of ~10 ks, with a harder-when-brighter
behaviour typical of BL Lacs. The X-ray spectrum is nicely described by a
variable broken power law, with a break energy of around 2.7 keV consistent
with radiative cooling due to Comptonization of broad-line region photons. We
find evidence for a `soft excess', nicely described by a blackbody with a
temperature of ~0.2 keV, consistent with being produced by bulk Comptonization
along the jet.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
FERMI transient J1544-0649: a flaring radio-weak BL Lac
On May 15th, 2017, the \emph{FERMI}/LAT gamma-ray telescope observed a
transient source not present in any previous high-energy catalogue: J1544-0649.
It was visible for two consecutive weeks, with a flux peak on May 21st.
Subsequently observed by a \emph{Swift}/XRT follow-up starting on May 26, the
X-ray counterpart position was coincident with the optical transient
ASASSN-17gs = AT2017egv, detected on May 25, with a potential host galaxy at
=0.171. We conducted a 4-months follow-up in radio (Effelsberg-100m) and
optical (San Pedro M\'artir, 2.1m) bands, in order to build the overall
Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) of this object. The radio data from 5 to 15
GHz confirmed the flat spectrum of the source, favoring a line of sight close
to jet axis, not showing significant variability in the explored post-burst
time-window. The Rx ratio, common indicator of radio loudness, gives a value at
the border between the radio-loud and radio-quiet AGN populations. The
Ca H\&K break value (0.290.05) is compatible with the range
expected for the long-sought intermediate population between BL Lacs and FRI
radio galaxies. An overall SED fitting from Radio to -ray band shows
properties typical of a low-power BL Lac. As a whole, these results suggest
that this transient could well be a new example of the recently discovered
class of radio-weak BL Lac, showing for the first time a flare in the
gamma/X-ray bands.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
The SXI telescope on board EXIST: scientific performances
The SXI telescope is one of the three instruments on board EXIST, a
multiwavelength observatory in charge of performing a global survey of the sky
in hard X-rays searching for Supermassive Black Holes. One of the primary
objectives of EXIST is also to study with unprecedented sensitivity the most
unknown high energy sources in the Universe, like high redshift GRBs, which
will be pointed promptly by the Spacecraft by autonomous trigger based on hard
X-ray localization on board. The recent addition of a soft X-ray telescope to
the EXIST payload complement, with an effective area of ~950 cm2 in the energy
band 0.2-3 keV and extended response up to 10 keV will allow to make broadband
studies from 0.1 to 600 keV. In particular, investigations of the spectra
components and states of AGNs and monitoring of variability of sources, study
of the prompt and afterglow emission of GRBs since the early phases, which will
help to constrain the emission models and finally, help the identification of
sources in the EXIST hard X-ray survey and the characterization of the
transient events detected. SXI will also perform surveys: a scanning survey
with sky coverage of about 2pi and limiting flux of 5x10^{-14}cgs plus other
serendipitous. We give an overview of the SXI scientific performance and also
describe the status of its design emphasizing how it has been derived by the
scientific requirements.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, to be published in Proc. of SPIE, vol 7435-11,
200
INTEGRAL high energy monitoring of the X-ray burster KS 1741-293
KS 1741-293, discovered in 1989 by the X-ray camera TTM in the Kvant module
of the Mir space station and identified as an X-ray burster, has not been
detected in the hard X band until the advent of the INTEGRAL observatory.
Moreover this source has been recently object of scientific discussion, being
also associated to a nearby extended radio source that in principle could be
the supernova remnant produced by the accretion induced collapse in the binary
system. Our long term monitoring with INTEGRAL, covering the period from
February 2003 to May 2005, confirms that KS 1741-293 is transient in soft and
hard X band. When the source is active, from a simultaneous JEM-X and IBIS data
analysis, we provide a wide band spectrum from 5 to 100 keV, that can be fit by
a two component model, a multiple blackbody for the soft emission and a
Comptonized or a cut-off power law model for the hard component. Finally, by
the detection of two X-ray bursters with JEM-X, we confirm the bursting nature
of KS 1741-293, including this source in the class of the hard tailed X-ray
bursters.Comment: 7 pages, accepted for publication on MNRA
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