Typical entanglement of stabilizer states

How entangled is a randomly chosen bipartite stabilizer state? We show that if the number of qubits each party holds is large the state will be close to maximally entangled with probability exponentially close to one. We provide a similar tight characterization of the entanglement present in the maximally mixed state of a randomly chosen stabilizer code. Finally, we show that typically very few GHZ states can be extracted from a random multipartite stabilizer state via local unitary operations. Our main tool is a new concentration inequality which bounds deviations from the mean of random variables which are naturally defined on the Clifford group.Comment: Final version, to appear in PRA. 11 pages, 1 figur

Learning from Women with a Body Mass Index (Bmi) ≥ 30 kg/m2 who have Breastfed and/or are Breastfeeding: a Qualitative Interview Study

Objectives Women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 are less likely to initiate and maintain breastfeeding compared to women with a BMI ≤ 30 kg/m2. Reasons for this disparity are not understood. Therefore, this qualitative interview study aimed to learn from women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 who have breastfed. Methods Eighteen women participated in a semi-structured telephone interview. Participants were required to have had a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 at the start of their pregnancy, and have breastfed and/or be currently breastfeeding. An inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Results Two themes were identified: 'personal control over breastfeeding behavior' and 'realistic expectations of the breastfeeding journey'. To achieve their breastfeeding goals, women described the importance of feeling in control of their behaviors, and having realistic expecta-tions, when facing social and practical barriers. They gained this control and formed realistic expectations by seeking support and information. In particular, gaining support from other breastfeeding women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, and information about alternative positioning, and compatible clothing and nutrition helped women to breastfeed. Conclusions for Practice Having adequate information and support in order to feel in control of breastfeeding behavior and form realistic expectations are vital contributors to breastfeeding behaviors in women with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Future work is necessary to develop suitable interventions and to investigate their feasibilit

Self-incentives uniquely boost cessation in community-based stop smoking programs: Randomized controlled trial

Background: Self-incentives offer a plausible alternative to paying smokers to quit but have not yet been tested in a randomized controlled trial.  Purpose: The present study tested whether, compared with a control group, prompting smokers explicitly to self-incentivize if they abstain from smoking for a week or a month encouraged sustained abstinence.  Method: One hundred and fifty-nine smokers were recruited from stop smoking clinics and randomized to an active control condition (asked to form a plan to quit, n = 65) or one of two intervention conditions in which they were asked to form implementation intentions designed to ensure that they incentivized themselves if they had not smoked at all by the end of (a) the week (n = 44) or (b) the month (n = 50). The main outcome measure was self-reported abstinence at 3- and 6-month follow-ups, which was biochemically verified at baseline and in a subsample at 3-month follow-up.  Results: At 3-month follow-up, 34% (15/44; p < .05, d = 0.45) and 36% (18/50; p < .05, d = 0.49) of smokers abstained in the weekly and monthly self-incentivizing conditions respectively, compared with 15% (10/65) in the control. The same pattern of findings was observed at 6-month follow-up: 30% (13/44; p < .05, d = 0.35), 34% (17/50; p < .05, d = 0.45) and 15% (10/65) of smokers remained abstinent in the two intervention groups and control group, respectively.  Conclusions: Ensuring that smokers self-incentivized boosted significantly the effectiveness of the stop smoking program. Self-incentivizing implementation intentions could be implemented at low cost with high public health “reach” to change many health behaviors beyond smoking

Maternal thyroid function and child educational attainment: prospective cohort study

Objective: To determine if first trimester maternal thyroid dysfunction is a critical determinant of child scholastic performance and overall educational attainment. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort in the UK. Participants: 4615 mother-child pairs with an available first trimester sample (median 10 weeks gestation, interquartile range 8-12). Exposures: Free thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone, and thyroid peroxidase antibodies assessed as continuous measures and the seven clinical categories of maternal thyroid function. Main outcome measures: Five age-specific national curriculum assessments in 3580 children at entry stage assessment at 54 months, increasing up to 4461 children at their final school assessment at age 15. Results: No strong evidence of clinically meaningful associations of first trimester free thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone levels with entry stage assessment score or Standard Assessment Test scores at any of the key stages was found. Associations of maternal free thyroxine or thyroid stimulating hormone with the total number of General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) passed (range 0-16) were all close to the null: free thyroxine, rate ratio per pmol/L 1.00 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.01); and thyroid stimulating hormone, rate ratio 0.98 (0.94 to 1.02). No important relationship was observed when more detailed capped scores of GCSEs allowing for both the number and grade of pass or when language, mathematics, and science performance were examined individually or when all educational assessments undertaken by an individual from school entry to leaving were considered. 200 (4.3%) mothers were newly identified as having hypothyroidism or subclinical hypothyroidism and 97 (2.1%) subclinical hyperthyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Children of mothers with thyroid dysfunction attained an equivalent number of GCSEs and equivalent grades as children of mothers with euthyroidism. Conclusions: Maternal thyroid dysfunction in early pregnancy does not have a clinically important association with impaired child performance at school or educational achievement

Association of plasma uric acid with ischaemic heart disease and blood pressure: mendelian randomisation analysis of two large cohorts

Objectives: To assess the associations between both uric acid levels and hyperuricaemia, with ischaemic heart disease and blood pressure, and to explore the potentially confounding role of body mass index. Design: Mendelian randomisation analysis, using variation at specific genes (SLC2A9 (rs7442295) as an instrument for uric acid; and FTO (rs9939609), MC4R (rs17782313), and TMEM18 (rs6548238) for body mass index). Setting: Two large, prospective cohort studies in Denmark. Participants: We measured levels of uric acid and related covariables in 58 072 participants from the Copenhagen General Population Study and 10 602 from the Copenhagen City Heart Study, comprising 4890 and 2282 cases of ischaemic heart disease, respectively. Main outcome: Blood pressure and prospectively assessed ischaemic heart disease. Results: Estimates confirmed known observational associations between plasma uric acid and hyperuricaemia with risk of ischaemic heart disease and diastolic and systolic blood pressure. However, when using genotypic instruments for uric acid and hyperuricaemia, we saw no evidence for causal associations between uric acid, ischaemic heart disease, and blood pressure. We used genetic instruments to investigate body mass index as a potentially confounding factor in observational associations, and saw a causal effect on uric acid levels. Every four unit increase of body mass index saw a rise in uric acid of 0.03 mmol/L (95% confidence interval 0.02 to 0.04), and an increase in risk of hyperuricaemia of 7.5% (3.9% to 11.1%). Conclusion: By contrast with observational findings, there is no strong evidence for causal associations between uric acid and ischaemic heart disease or blood pressure. However, evidence supports a causal effect between body mass index and uric acid level and hyperuricaemia. This finding strongly suggests body mass index as a confounder in observational associations, and suggests a role for elevated body mass index or obesity in the development of uric acid related conditions

The Perceptions And Experiences Of Women With A Body Mass Index ≥ 30 kg m2 Who Breastfeed: A Meta-synthesis

Breastfeeding has copious health benefits for both mother and child, but rates of initiation and maintenance amongst women with a BMI ≥30kg/m2 are low. Few interventions aiming to increase these rates have been successful, suggesting that breastfeeding behaviour in this group is not fully understood. Therefore, this review aimed to systematically identify and synthesise the qualitative literature which explored the perceptions and experiences of women with a BMI ≥30kg/m2 who breastfed. The search identified five eligible papers, and a meta-ethnographic approach was taken to synthesise the findings. One theme was identified: ‘weight amplifies breastfeeding difficulties’, revealing that women with a BMI ≥30kg/m2 experience common breastfeeding difficulties to a greater degree. In particular, women with a BMI ≥30kg/m2 struggle with the impact of medical intervention, doubt their ability to breastfeed, and need additional support. These findings can inform understanding of breastfeeding models, future research directions, intervention development and antenatal and postnatal care for women with a BMI ≥30kg/m2

Effects of area and family deprivation on risk factors for teenage pregnancy among 13 – 15-year-old girls

Information is needed about how the effects of socio-economic deprivation on teenage pregnancy are mediated by proximal risk factors, in order to target area-wide and family interventions more effectively. Using a 262 factorial design, we tested the separate and interacting effects of area deprivation and family deprivation on six specific proximal risk factors for teenage pregnancy: early sexual activity, life expectations, knowledge and beliefs about contraceptives, attitude to abortion, beliefs about love, and use of local sexual health services. Data were collected from 201 13 – 15- year-old girls in deprived and non-deprived families living in deprived and more affluent areas of the United Kingdom. Area deprivation significantly increased early sexual activity, and both area and family deprivation significantly reduced life expectations. Significant interactions between area and family deprivation showed that the impact of living in a deprived area depends to some extent on family circumstances, with implications for targeting different types of intervention. Living in a deprived area increased early sexual activity much more markedly among girls in deprived families, so interventions to reduce early sexual activity could target individually deprived girls living in deprived areas. Living in a more affluent area increased life expectations, but only among girls in non-deprived families, so both area-wide and individually targeted interventions would be needed to raise life expectations among girls most at risk of teenage pregnancy

Live-birth rate associated with repeat in vitro fertilization treatment cycles

© 2015 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Importance The likelihood of achieving a live birth with repeat in vitro fertilization (IVF) is unclear, yet treatment is commonly limited to 3 or 4 embryo transfers. Objective To determine the live-birth rate per initiated ovarian stimulation IVF cycle and with repeated cycles. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective study of 156 947 UKwomen who received 257 398 IVF ovarian stimulation cycles between 2003 and 2010 and were followed up until June 2012. Exposures In vitro fertilization, with a cycle defined as an episode of ovarian stimulation and all subsequent separate fresh and frozen embryo transfers. Main Outcomes and Measures Live-birth rate per IVF cycle and the cumulative live-birth rates across all cycles in all women and by age and treatment type. Optimal, prognosis-adjusted, and conservative cumulative live-birth rates were estimated, reflecting 0%, 30%, and 100%, respectively, of women who discontinued due to poor prognosis and having a live-birth rate of 0 had they continued. Results Among the 156 947 women, the median age at start of treatment was 35 years (interquartile range, 32-38; range, 18-55), and the median duration of infertility for all 257 398 cycles was 4 years (interquartile range, 2-6; range