A Systematic Investigation of Light Heavy-Ion Reactions

We introduce a novel coupling potential for the scattering of deformed light heavy-ion reactions. This new approach is based on replacing the usual first-derivative coupling potential by a new, second derivative coupling potential in the coupled-channels formalism. The new approach has been successfully applied to the study of the $^{12}$C+$^{12}$C, $^{12}$C+$^{24}$Mg, $^{16}$O+$^{28}$Si and $^{16}$O+$^{24}$Mg systems and made major improvements over all the previous coupled-channels calculations for these systems. This paper also shows the limitations of the standard coupled-channels theory and presents a global solution to the problems faced in the previous theoretical accounts of these reactions.Comment: 7 pages with 4 figure

The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: The purpose of this review was to examine the treatment effect of physical exercise on depressive symptoms for adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. Method: A systematic search of 7 electronic databases identified relevant randomized controlled trials. Following removal of duplicates, 543 texts were screened for eligibility. Screening, data extraction, and trial methodological quality assessment (using the Delphi list) were undertaken by 2 independent researchers. Standardized mean differences were used for pooling postintervention depressive symptom scores. Results: Eleven trials met the inclusion criteria, 8 of which provided the necessary data for calculation of standardized effect size. Exercise showed a statistically significant moderate overall effect on depressive symptom reduction (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.48, 95% CI = −0.87, −0.10, p = .01, I2 = 67%). Among trials with higher methodological scoring, a nonsignificant moderate effect was recorded (SMD = −0.41, 95% CI = −0.86, 0.05, p = .08). In trials with exclusively clinical samples, exercise showed a statistically significant moderate effect on depressive symptoms with lower levels of heterogeneity (SMD = −0.43, 95% CI = −0.84, −0.02, p = .04, I2 = 44%). Conclusion: Physical exercise appears to improve depressive symptoms in adolescents, especially in clinical samples in which the moderate antidepressant effect, higher methodological quality, and lowered statistical heterogeneity suggest that exercise may be a useful treatment strategy for depression. Larger trials with clinical samples that adequately minimize the risk of bias are required for firmer conclusions on the effectiveness of exercise as an antidepressant treatment

Shock propagation and stability in causal dissipative hydrodynamics

We studied the shock propagation and its stability with the causal dissipative hydrodynamics in 1+1 dimensional systems. We show that the presence of the usual viscosity is not enough to stabilize the solution. This problem is solved by introducing an additional viscosity which is related to the coarse-graining scale of the theory.Comment: 14 pages, 16 figure

Pragmatic randomised controlled trial of preferred intensity exercise in women living with depression

Background: Exercise may be effective in treating depression, but trials testing its effect in depressed women are rare. Aim. To compare the effect of exercise of preferred intensity with exercise of prescribed intensity in thirty-eight women living with depression. Methods. A Pragmatic RCT of 12 sessions of exercise at preferred intensity compared with 12 sessions at prescribed intensity. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES), General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12), heart rate (HR), Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE), Quality of Life in Depression Scale (QLDS), Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MDSPSS), SF12 Health Survey and exercise participation rates were compared between groups. Results: Intervention participants had statistically better BDI (t = 2.638, df = 36, p = 0.006, 95% mean (SD) 26.5 (10.7), CI-20.4 to -2.7, d = 0.86), GHQ-12 (t = 3.284, df = 36, p = 0.001, mean (SD) 8.3 (3.7) 95% CI -6.5 to -1.5, d = 1.08), RSES (t = 2.045, df = 36, p = 0.024, mean (SD) 11.3 (5.8), 95% CI 0.3 -6.4, d = 0.25), QLDS (t = 1.902, df = 36, p = 0.0325, mean (SD) 15.5 (7.9), 95% CI -12.2 -0.4, d = 0.27) RPE scores (t = 1.755, df = 36, p = 0.0475, mean (SD) 9.2 (3.2), 95% CI -.5 - 5.2, d = 0.77) and attended more exercise sessions (t = 1.781, df = 36, p = 0.0415, number of sessions 8 (65%), 95% CI-0.3 -4.8, d = 0.58). SF-12, MSPSS and HR did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: Exercise of preferred intensity improves psychological, physiological and social outcomes, and exercise participation rates in women living with depression. © 2011 Callaghan et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

The effectiveness of a preferred intensity exercise programme on the mental health outcomes of young people with depression: A sequential mixed methods evaluation

Background: People with mental illness are more likely to suffer physical health problems than comparable populations who do not have mental illness. There is evidence to suggest that exercise, as well has having obvious physical benefits, also has positive effects on mental health. There is a distinct paucity of research testing its effects on young people seeking help for mental health issues. Additionally, it is generally found that compliance with prescribed exercise programmes is low. As such, encouraging young people to exercise at levels recommended by national guidelines may be unrealistic considering their struggle with mental health difficulties. It is proposed that an exercise intervention tailored to young people's preferred intensity may improve mental health outcomes, overall quality of life, and reduce exercise attrition rates. Methods/Design. A sequential mixed methods design will be utilised to assess the effectiveness of an individually tailored exercise programme on the mental health outcomes of young people with depression. The mixed methods design incorporates a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), focus groups and interviews and an economic evaluation. Participants: 158 young people (14-17 years) recruited from primary care and voluntary services randomly allocated to either the intervention group or control group. Intervention group: Participants will undertake a 12 week exercise programme of 12 × 60 minutes of preferred intensity aerobic exercise receiving motivational coaching and support throughout. Participants will also be invited to attend focus groups and 1-1 interviews following completion of the exercise programme to illicit potential barriers facilitators to participation. Control group: Participants will receive treatment as usual. Primary Outcome measure: Depression using the Children's Depression Inventory 2 (CDI-2). Secondary Outcome measures: Quality of Life (EQ-5D), physical fitness (Borg RPE scale, heart rate), incidents of self-harm, treatment received and compliance with treatment, and the cost effectiveness of the intervention. Outcome measures will be taken at baseline, post intervention and 6 month follow up. Discussion. The results of this study will inform policy makers of the effectiveness of preferred intensity exercise on the mental health outcomes of young people with depression, the acceptability of such an intervention to this population and its cost effectiveness. © 2012 Carter et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Generalized Smarr relation for Kerr AdS black holes from improved surface integrals

By using suitably improved surface integrals, we give a unified geometric derivation of the generalized Smarr relation for higher dimensional Kerr black holes which is valid both in flat and in anti-de Sitter backgrounds. The improvement of the surface integrals, which allows one to use them simultaneously at infinity and on the horizon, consists in integrating them along a path in solution space. Path independence of the improved charges is discussed and explicitly proved for the higher dimensional Kerr AdS black holes. It is also shown that the charges for these black holes can be correctly computed from the standard Hamiltonian or Lagrangian surface integrals.Comment: 21 pages Latex file, 1 figure; discussion on integrability rectified, typo in (2.14) correcte

Bulk viscosity of superfluid neutron stars

The hydrodynamics, describing dynamical effects in superfluid neutron stars, essentially differs from the standard one-fluid hydrodynamics. In particular, we have four bulk viscosity coefficients in the theory instead of one. In this paper we calculate these coefficients, for the first time, assuming they are due to non-equilibrium beta-processes (such as modified or direct Urca process). The results of our analysis are used to estimate characteristic damping times of sound waves in superfluid neutron stars. It is demonstrated that all four bulk viscosity coefficients lead to comparable dissipation of sound waves and should be considered on the same footing.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, this version with some minor stylistic changes is published in Phys. Rev.

The effect of geometry on charge confinement in three dimensions

We show that, in contrast to the flat case, the Maxwell theory is not confining in the background of the three dimensional BTZ black-hole (covering space). We also study the effect of the curvature on screening behavior of Maxwell-Chern-Simons model in this space-time.Comment: 8 pages. To be published in Europhysics Letter