Fear vs. Hope: Do Discrete Emotions Mediate Message Frame Effectiveness In Genetic Cancer Screening Appeals

New advances in genetic screening now make it possible to determine if a person is more susceptible to certain types of cancer. In some cases, it may be advisable to promote consultations with heath care providers for genetic cancer screening among patients at risk for cancer. Using emotional appeals is one way to promote genetic cancer screening. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the role of the emotions of fear and hope in mediating the influence of emotion-framed PSAs. This study explored the relative effectiveness of a fear-framed video message and a hope-framed video message at influencing people’s attitudes toward genetic cancer screening and in persuading individuals at increased risk for cancer to talk to their doctors about genetic cancer screening. This study examined three different models of mediation: a model testing the mediation of framing effect on behavioral intent by attitude, a model testing the mediation of framing effect on attitude by both fear and hope, and a model testing the mediation of framing effect on behavioral intent by fear and hope. Overall, the fear-framed and hope-framed PSAs did not differ from a control group in terms of attitude toward genetic cancer screening, but both PSAs lead to greater intent to discuss genetic cancer screening with a health care provider (compared to the control group). Message frame had no significant indirect effect on behavioral intent through attitude toward genetic cancer screening. Likewise, message frame had no significant indirect effect on attitude toward genetic cancer screening through hope or fear. The study did find evidence that both discrete emotions mediated the effectiveness of message frame on intent to discuss genetic cancer screening with a health care provider, which was the health behavior targeted by the messages. These findings suggest that both hope and fear essentially transferred the effect of message frame onto behavioral intent and that both hope and fear were effective mediators of the framing effect

Gravitational Geons in 1+1 Dimensions

It is well known that general relativity does not admit gravitational geons that are stationary, asymptotically flat, singularity free and topologically trivial. However, it is likely that general relativity will receive corrections at large curvatures and the modified field equations may admit solutions corresponding to this type of geon. If geons are produced in the early universe and survive until today they could account for some of the dark matter that has been "observed" in galaxies and galactic clusters. In this paper I consider gravitational geons in 1+1 dimensional theories of gravity. I show that the Jackiw-Teitelboim theory with corrections proportional to $R^2$ and $\Box R$ admits gravitational geons. I also show that gravitational geons exist in a class of theories that includes Lagrangians proportional to $R^{2/3}$.Comment: 8 pages, a comment added, two references corrected, to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit

A multichannel electron detection system for use in a stabilized magnetic spectrometer

Multichannel counting systems facilitate the determination of differential cross sections in electron scattering experiments. The need for a high resolution counting system capable of handling fast counting rates has led to the construction of a transistorized, multichannel system for use with the 100 Mev linear electron accelerator being constructed at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Design and operation of the counting system are discussed, and testing procedures are described. Since accurate measurement and stability of the spectrometer magnetic field is of fundamental importance in the operation of the multichannel detector, an accurate rotating coil fluxmeter for measuring and regulating the spectrometer magnetic field has also been built and is described. More familiar techniques of magnetic field measurement are not suitable for this application. Measurement of magnet current does not yield sufficient accuracy due to variations in field strength not linearly related to magnet current, and nuclear­ magnetic resonance devices are impractical where there is an inhomogeneous field such as exists in a double focusing spec­trometer magnet. The fluxmeter measures and regulates field strength to an accuracy of one part in 1000 or one gauss, whichever is greater.http://hdl.handle.net/10945/12696http://www.archive.org/details/multichannelelec00kenaLieutenant, United States NavyLieutenant, United States NavyLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Precision nanoscale domain engineering of lithium niobate via UV laser induced inhibition of poling

Continuous wave ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation at lambda=244 nm on the +z face of undoped and MgO doped congruent lithium niobate single crystals has been observed to inhibit ferroelectric domain inversion. The inhibition occurs directly beneath the illuminated regions, in a depth greater than 100 nm during subsequent electric field poling of the crystal. Domain inhibition was confirmed by both differential domain etching and piezoresponse force microscopy. This effect allows the formation of arbitrarily shaped domains in lithium niobate and forms the basis of a high spatial resolution micro-structuring approach when followed by chemical etching

Complement in reproductive white adipose tissue characterizes the obese preeclamptic-like BPH/5 mouse prior to and during pregnancy

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious hypertensive disorder of pregnancy characterized by abnormal placental development with an unknown etiology. To better understand which women will develop PE, a number of maternal risk factors have been identified, including obesity. Visceral white adipose tissue (WAT) contains inflammatory mediators that may contribute to PE. To explore this, we utilized the blood pressure high (BPH)/5 mouse model of superimposed PE that spontaneously recapitulates the maternal PE syndrome. We hypothesized that BPH/5 visceralWAT adjacent to the female reproductive tract (reproductiveWAT) is a source of complement factors that contribute to the inflammatory milieu and angiogenic imbalance at the maternal-fetal interface in this model and in preeclamptic women. To test our hypothesis, we calorie-restricted BPH/5 females for two weeks prior to pregnancy and the first seven days of pregnancy, which attenuated complement component 3 (C3) but not complement factor B, nor complement factor D, (adipsin) in the reproductiveWAT or the implantation site in BPH/5. Furthermore, calorie restriction during pregnancy restored vascular endothelial and placental growth factor mRNA levels in the BPH/5 implantation site. These data show maternal reproductive WAT may be a source of increased C3 during pregnancy, which is increased at the maternal-fetal interface in preeclamptic BPH/5 mice. It also suggests that calorie restriction could regulate inflammatory mediators thought to contribute to placental dysfunction in PE. Future studies are necessary to examine the e_ect of calorie restriction on C3 throughout pregnancy and the role of maternal obesity in PE

Choosing the target difference ('effect size') for a randomised controlled trial - DELTA(2) guidance protocol

BACKGROUND: A key step in the design of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is the estimation of the number of participants needed. By far the most common approach is to specify a target difference and then estimate the corresponding sample size; this sample size is chosen to provide reassurance that the trial will have high statistical power to detect such a difference between the randomised groups (at the planned statistical significance level). The sample size has many implications for the conduct of the study, as well as carrying scientific and ethical aspects to its choice. Despite the critical role of the target difference for the primary outcome in the design of an RCT, the manner in which it is determined has received little attention. This article reports the protocol of the Difference ELicitation in TriAls (DELTA(2)) project, which will produce guidance on the specification and reporting of the target difference for the primary outcome in a sample size calculation for RCTs. METHODS/DESIGN: The DELTA(2) project has five components: systematic literature reviews of recent methodological developments (stage 1) and existing funder guidance (stage 2); a Delphi study (stage 3); a 2-day consensus meeting bringing together researchers, funders and patient representatives, as well as one-off engagement sessions at relevant stakeholder meetings (stage 4); and the preparation and dissemination of a guidance document (stage 5). DISCUSSION: Specification of the target difference for the primary outcome is a key component of the design of an RCT. There is a need for better guidance for researchers and funders regarding specification and reporting of this aspect of trial design. The aim of this project is to produce consensus based guidance for researchers and funders

Anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy for Dupuytren's Disease: a randomised dose response proof of concept phase 2a clinical trial

Background Dupuytren's disease is a common fibrotic condition of the hand that causes irreversible flexion contractures of the fingers, with no approved therapy for early stage disease. Our previous analysis of surgically-excised tissue defined tumour necrosis factor (TNF) as a potential therapeutic target. Here we assessed the efficacy of injecting nodules of Dupuytren's disease with a TNF inhibitor. Methods Patients were randomised to receive adalimumab on one occasion in dose cohorts of 15 mg in 0.3 ml, 35 mg in 0.7 ml, or 40 mg in 0.4 ml, or an equivalent volume of placebo in a 3:1 ratio. Two weeks later the injected tissue was surgically excised and analysed. The primary outcome measure was levels of mRNA expression for α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2). Secondary outcomes included levels of α-SMA and collagen proteins. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT03180957) and the EudraCT (2015-001780-40). Findings We recruited 28 patients, 8 assigned to the 15 mg, 12 to the 35 mg and 8 to the 40 mg adalimumab cohorts. There was no change in mRNA levels for ACTA2, COL1A1, COL3A1 and CDH11. Levels of α-SMA protein expression in patients treated with 40 mg adalimumab (1.09 ± 0.09 ng per μg of total protein) were significantly lower (p = 0.006) compared to placebo treated patients (1.51 ± 0.09 ng/μg). The levels of procollagen type I protein expression were also significantly lower (p < 0.019) in the sub group treated with 40 mg adalimumab (474 ± 84 pg/μg total protein) compared with placebo (817 ± 78 pg/μg). There were two serious adverse events, both considered unrelated to the study drug. Interpretation In this dose-ranging study, injection of 40 mg of adalimumab in 0.4 ml resulted in down regulation of the myofibroblast phenotype as evidenced by reduction in expression of α-SMA and type I procollagen proteins at 2 weeks. These data form the basis of an ongoing phase 2b clinical trial assessing the efficacy of intranodular injection of 40 mg adalimumab in 0.4 ml compared to an equivalent volume of placebo in patients with early stage Dupuytren's disease