Exploring the processes of change facilitated by musical activities on mental wellness

While the benefits of music to people’s mental health have long been recognized, the process of how it works requires further investigation. This paper is based on the results of a community-based music project offered to a group of mental health service users by a Hong Kong social service centre. A six-dimensional framework, which contains emotional, psychological, social, cognitive, behavioural and spiritual dimensions, is constructed for understanding how musical activities may produce benefits for mental health service users. Through conducting 23 interview sessions for the participants (N = 47), who suffered from mental health problems, including schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders and anxiety disorders, of the music project, this study examines the processes of change within musical activities. Feedback was solicited from them by listening to their first-hand experiences as service users of the musical activities. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed to generate themes that correspond to the six dimensions the researchers proposed. This study shows that the clinical effects elicited by the musical activities described fit closely with the needs of mental health service users. Its findings suggest that community-based musical activities have clear potential for supporting mental health service users in recovery, which deserve further promotion

Form Factors for Exclusive Semileptonic BB--Decays

We developed the new parton model approach for exclusive semileptonic decays of $B$-meson to $D,~D^*$ by extending the inclusive parton model, and by combining with the results of the HQET, motivated by Drell-Yan process. Without the nearest pole dominance ans\"atze, we {\bf derived} the dependences of hadronic form factors on $q^2$. We also calculated numerically the slope of the Isgur-Wise function, which is consistent with the experimental results.Comment: 20 pages, RevTex, 2 ps figure files(uuencoded in seperate file

Breastfeeding patterns and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) was investigated in relation to breastfeeding patterns in the Northern California Childhood Leukaemia Study. Data collected by self-administered and in-person questionnaires from biological mothers of leukaemia cases (age 0-14 years) in the period 1995-2002 were matched to birth certificate controls on date of birth, sex, Hispanic ethnic status, and maternal race. Ever compared to never breastfeeding was not associated with risk of ALL at ages 1-14 years (odds ratio=0.99; 95% CI=0.64-1.55) and ages 2-5 years (OR=1.49; 95% CI=0.83-2.65). Various measures of breastfeeding duration compared to absence of breastfeeding also had no significant effect on risk. Complimentary feeding characteristics such as type of milk/formula used and age started eating solid foods among breastfed children were not associated with ALL risk. This study provides no evidence that breastfeeding affects the occurrence of childhood ALL

Positron-inert gas differential elastic scattering

Measurements are being made in a crossed beam experiment of the relative elastic differential cross section (DCS) for 5 to 300 eV positrons scattering from inert gas atoms (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe) in the angular range from 30 to 134 deg. Results obtained at energies around the positronium (Ps) formation threshold provide evidence that Ps formation and possibly other inelastic channels have an effect on the elastic scattering channel

Development of improved semi-organic structural adhesives for elevated temperature applications Technical summary report, 1 ~JUL. 1964 - 29 ~FEB. 1968

Titanium chelate polymer adhesive formulation for aluminum joint curing in high temperature application

Scattering of positrons and electrons by alkali atoms

Absolute total scattering cross sections (Q sub T's) were measured for positrons and electrons colliding with sodium, potassium, and rubidium in the 1 to 102 eV range, using the same apparatus and experimental approach (a beam transmission technique) for both projectiles. The present results for positron-sodium and -rubidium collisions represent the first Q sub T measurements reported for these collision systems. Features which distinguish the present comparisons between positron- and electron-alkali atom Q sub T's from those for other atoms and molecules (room-temperature gases) which have been used as targets for positrons and electrons are the proximity of the corresponding positron- and electron-alkali atom Q sub T's over the entire energy range of overlap, with an indication of a merging or near-merging of the corresponding positron and electron Q sub T's near (and above) the relatively low energy of about 40 eV, and a general tendency for the positron-alkali atom Q sub T's to be higher than the corresponding electron values as the projectile energy is decreased below about 40 eV

The Radon Monitoring System in Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment

We developed a highly sensitive, reliable and portable automatic system (H$^{3}$) to monitor the radon concentration of the underground experimental halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. H$^{3}$ is able to measure radon concentration with a statistical error less than 10\% in a 1-hour measurement of dehumidified air (R.H. 5\% at 25$^{\circ}$C) with radon concentration as low as 50 Bq/m$^{3}$. This is achieved by using a large radon progeny collection chamber, semiconductor $\alpha$-particle detector with high energy resolution, improved electronics and software. The integrated radon monitoring system is highly customizable to operate in different run modes at scheduled times and can be controlled remotely to sample radon in ambient air or in water from the water pools where the antineutrino detectors are being housed. The radon monitoring system has been running in the three experimental halls of the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment since November 2013