One year follow-up of a randomized trial with a dilemma-focused intervention for depression: Exploring an alternative to problem-oriented strategies

© 2018 Feixas et al.Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is aimed to counteract cognitions and behaviours that are considered as dysfunctional. The aim of the study is to test whether the inclusion of a non-counteractive approach (dilemma-focused intervention, DFI) in combination with CBT group therapy will yield better short- and long-term outcomes than an intervention conducted entirely using CBT.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Modeling the source of GW150914 with targeted numerical-relativity simulations

In fall of 2015, the two LIGO detectors measured the gravitational wave signal GW150914, which originated from a pair of merging black holes. In the final 0.2 seconds (about 8 gravitational-wave cycles) before the amplitude reached its maximum, the observed signal swept up in amplitude and frequency, from 35 Hz to 150 Hz. The theoretical gravitational-wave signal for merging black holes, as predicted by general relativity, can be computed only by full numerical relativity, because analytic approximations fail near the time of merger. Moreover, the nearly-equal masses, moderate spins, and small number of orbits of GW150914 are especially straightforward and efficient to simulate with modern numerical-relativity codes. In this paper, we report the modeling of GW150914 with numerical-relativity simulations, using black-hole masses and spins consistent with those inferred from LIGO's measurement. In particular, we employ two independent numerical-relativity codes that use completely different analytical and numerical methods to model the same merging black holes and to compute the emitted gravitational waveform; we find excellent agreement between the waveforms produced by the two independent codes. These results demonstrate the validity, impact, and potential of current and future studies using rapid-response, targeted numerical-relativity simulations for better understanding gravitational-wave observations.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravit

Methyl 2-diphenyl­phosphor­yloxy-2-aza­bicyclo­[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-3-exo-carboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C20H20NO4P, the dihedral angle between the phenyl rings is 68.52 (7)°. In the crystal structure, the mol­ecules are linked by a weak C—H⋯π(arene) inter­action along [010] involving the phenyl CH group and the phenyl rings. There are no further significant inter­molecular inter­actions

Cycle scheduling for in vitro fertilization with oral contraceptive pills versus oral estradiol valerate: a randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Both oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and estradiol (E(2)) valerate have been used to schedule gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles and, consequently, laboratory activities. However, there are no studies comparing treatment outcomes directly between these two pretreatment methods. This randomized controlled trial was aimed at finding differences in ongoing pregnancy rates between GnRH antagonist IVF cycles scheduled with OCPs or E(2) valerate. METHODS: Between January and May 2012, one hundred consecutive patients (nonobese, regularly cycling women 18–38 years with normal day 3 hormone levels and <3 previous IVF/ICSI attempts) undergoing IVF with the GnRH antagonist protocol were randomized to either the OCP or E(2) pretreatment arms, with no restrictions such as blocking or stratification. Authors involved in data collection and analysis were blinded to group assignment. Fifty patients received OCP (30 μg ethinyl E(2)/150 μg levonorgestrel) for 12–16 days from day 1 or 2, and stimulation was started 5 days after stopping OCP. Similarly, 50 patients received 4 mg/day oral E(2) valerate from day 20 for 5–12 days, until the day before starting stimulation. RESULTS: Pretreatment with OCP (mean±SD, 14.5±1.7 days) was significantly longer than with E(2) (7.8±1.9 days). Stimulation and embryological characteristics were similar. Ongoing pregnancy rates (46.0% vs. 44.0%; risk difference, –2.0% [95% CI –21.2% to 17.3%]), as well as implantation (43.5% vs. 47.4%), clinical pregnancy (50.0% vs. 48.0%), clinical miscarriage (7.1% vs. 7.7%), and live birth (42.0% vs. 40.0%) rates were comparable between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to directly compare these two methods of cycle scheduling in GnRH antagonist cycles. Our results fail to show statistically significant differences in ongoing pregnancy rates between pretreatment with OCP and E(2) for IVF with the GnRH antagonist protocol. Although the study is limited by its sample size, our results may contribute to a future meta-analysis. An interesting future direction would be to extend our study to women with decreased ovarian reserve, as these are the patients in whom an increase in oocyte yield—due to the hypothetical beneficial effect of steroid pretreatment on follicular synchronization—could more easily be demonstrated. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov http://NCT01501448

the SDSS-III APOGEE Spectral Line List for H-Band Spectroscopy

We present the H-band spectral line lists adopted by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). The APOGEE line lists comprise astrophysical, theoretical, and laboratory sources from the literature, as well as newly evaluated astrophysical oscillator strengths and damping parameters. We discuss the construction of the APOGEE line list, which is one of the critical inputs for the APOGEE Stellar Parameters and Chemical Abundances Pipeline, and present three different versions that have been used at various stages of the project. The methodology for the newly calculated astrophysical line lists is reviewed. The largest of these three line lists contains 134,457 molecular and atomic transitions. In addition to the format adopted to store the data, the line lists are available in MOOG, Synspec, and Turbospectrum formats. The limitations of the line lists along with guidance for its use on different spectral types are discussed. We also present a list of H-band spectral features that are either poorly represented or completely missing in our line list. This list is based on the average of a large number of spectral fit residuals for APOGEE observations spanning a wide range of stellar parameters.Alfred P. Sloan FoundationNational Science FoundationU.S. Department of Energy Office of ScienceJanos Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of SciencesSpanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness AYA-2011-27754, AYA-2014-58082-PRSF 14-50-00043McDonald Observator

PARAGANGLIOMA E ANGIOEDEMA

Paragangliomas or extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas are rare tumors that arise from chromaffin tissues and tend to occur either sporadically or in the context of complex genetic disorders. They are clinically heterogeneous in nature - symptoms deriving either from the secretory profile of the tumor or from the mass effect of the neoplasm. Dermatologic symptoms are quite seldom described in the literature and have been classified in acute or chronic. The case of a 40 YO Caucasian female that had been enduring for the last 2 years recurring self-limited episodes of angioedema, diarrhoea, chest pain, hypertension or hypotension, dyspnoea and anxiety is reported. Biochemical studies and further imagiologic work up and, later on, pathologic exam allowed to identify a paraganglioma that drained to the left renal artery. Upon surgery, during tumor manipulation, the patient developed an additional systemic crisis that required active life support. Recovery was regular, with a quick and sustained normalization of lab results as well as on the clinical side, with no further episode for the last 17 years.Paragangliomas ou Feocromocitomas extra-suprarrenais são tumores raros derivados do tecido cromafim que tendem a ocorrer esporadicamente ou no contexto de doenças genéticas complexas. São tumores com apresentação clínica variada, dependente do seu perfil secretório ou do efeito de massa determinado pela neoplasia. Sintomas dermatológicos são raros, tendo sido classificados como agudos/paroxísticos ou crónicos. É apresentado caso de uma Eurocaucasiana de 40 anos de idade que referia, nos últimos 2 anos, episódios auto-limitados de angioedema, diarreia, toracalgia, hiper ou hipotensão arterial, dispneia e ansiedade. Estudos laboratoriais e, posteriormente, avaliação imagiológica e exame patológico permitiram identificar um paraganglioma drenante para a veia renal esquerda, o qual foi extirpado com sucesso. Durante a cirurgia, a manipulação do tumor desencadeou uma nova crise grave, a qual exigiu, com carácter de emergência, a instituição de medidas de suporte avançado de vida. A recuperação decorreu sem incidentes, tendo-se verificado uma rápida regularização dos valores laboratoriais a par de uma remissão clínica completa, sem novos episódios verificados durante 17 anos

Partial Transmutation of Singularities in Optical Instruments

Some interesting optical instruments such as the Eaton lens and the Invisible Sphere require singularities of the refractive index for their implementation. We show how to transmute those singularities into harmless topological defects in anisotropic media without the need for anomalous material properties

Leptonic Flavor and CP Violation

We discuss how neutrino oscillation experiments can probe new sources of leptonic flavor and CP violation.Comment: 8 pages, latex, no figures. Invited talk given at KAON 2001, Pisa, Italy, June 12 - 17, 200

Sparse-Lagrangian PDF Modelling of Silica Synthesis from Silane Jets in Vitiated Co-flows with Varying Inflow Conditions

This paper presents a comparison of experimental and numerical results for a series of turbulent reacting jets where silica nanoparticles are formed and grow due to surface growth and agglomeration. We use large-eddy simulation coupled with a multiple mapping conditioning approach for the solution of the transport equation for the joint probability density function of scalar composition and particulate size distribution. The model considers inception based on finite-rate chemistry, volumetric surface growth and agglomeration. The sub-models adopted for these particulate processes are the standard ones used by the community. Validation follows the “paradigm shift” approach where elastic light scattering signals (that depend on particulate number and size), OH- and SiO-LIF signals are computed from the simulation results and compared with “raw signals” from laser diagnostics. The sensitivity towards variable boundary conditions such as co-flow temperature, Reynolds number and precursor doping of the jet is investigated. Agreement between simulation and experiments is very good for a reference case which is used to calibrate the signals. While keeping the model parameters constant, the sensitivity of the particulate size distribution on co-flow temperature is predicted satisfactorily upstream although quantitative differences with the data exist downstream for the lowest coflow temperature case that is considered. When the precursor concentration is varied, the model predicts the correct direction of the change in signal but notable qualitative and quantitative differences with the data are observed. In particular, the measured signals show a highly non-linear variation while the predictions exhibit a square dependence on precursor doping at best. So, while the results for the reference case appear to be very good, shortcomings in the standard submodels are revealed through variation of the boundary conditions. This demonstrates the importance of testing complex nanoparticle synthesis models on a flame series to ensure that the physical trends are correctly accounted for

Bianchi Type I Cosmologies in Arbitrary Dimensional Dilaton Gravities

We study the low energy string effective action with an exponential type dilaton potential and vanishing torsion in a Bianchi type I space-time geometry. In the Einstein and string frames the general solution of the gravitational field equations can be expressed in an exact parametric form. Depending on the values of some parameters the obtained cosmological models can be generically divided into three classes, leading to both singular and nonsingular behaviors. The effect of the potential on the time evolution of the mean anisotropy parameter is also considered in detail, and it is shown that a Bianchi type I Universe isotropizes only in the presence of a dilaton field potential or a central deficit charge.Comment: REVTEX, 10 pages, 8 figure