225 research outputs found
Single equivalent formant extractor system
Single equivalent format extractor system for representing information bearing parameters of speec
Social Cognitive Outcomes are Associated With Improvements in Mobility Performance Following Lifestyle Intervention in Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Objective To compare the effects of an exercise and dietary intervention with those of standard-of-care management upon change in lift and carry performance and mobility-related self-efficacy beliefs and explore associations in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.
Methods 32 prostate cancer patients (M age = 66.2 years; SD = 7.8) undergoing androgen deprivation therapy were randomly assigned to a 3-month exercise and dietary lifestyle intervention (n = 16) or standard-of-care management (n = 16). Outcome assessments were obtained at baseline, 2- and 3-month follow-up.
Results The lifestyle intervention resulted in significantly greater improvements in lift and carry performance (p = 0.01) at 2 Months (d = 1.01; p \u3c 0.01) and 3 Months (d = 0.95; p \u3c 0.01) and superior improvements in mobility-related self-efficacy at 2 Months (d = 0.38) and 3 Months (d = 0.58) relative to standard-of-care. Mobility-related self-efficacy (r = -.66; p = 0.006) and satisfaction with function (r = -.63; p = 0.01) were significantly correlated with lift and carry performance at 3 Months.
Conclusions The exercise and dietary lifestyle intervention yielded superior improvements in lift and carry performance and mobility-related self-efficacy relative to standard-of-care and key social cognitive outcomes were associated with more favorable mobility performance
Two-dimensional model of dynamical fermion mass generation in strongly coupled gauge theories
We generalize the Schwinger model on the lattice by adding a charged
scalar field. In this so-called model the scalar field shields
the fermion charge, and a neutral fermion, acquiring mass dynamically, is
present in the spectrum. We study numerically the mass of this fermion at
various large fixed values of the gauge coupling by varying the effective
four-fermion coupling, and find an indication that its scaling behavior is the
same as that of the fermion mass in the chiral Gross-Neveu model. This suggests
that the model is in the same universality class as the
Gross-Neveu model, and thus renormalizable and asymptotic free at arbitrary
strong gauge coupling.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX2e, requires packages rotating.sty and curves.sty from
CTA
Effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioral lifestyle intervention on select social cognitive outcomes in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy
Objective. To compare the effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioral (GMCB) exercise and dietary (EX+D) intervention with those of standard-of-care (SC) treatment on select social cognitive outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Methods. In the single-blind, 2-arm, randomized controlled Individualized Diet and Exercise Adherence–Pilot (IDEA-P) trial, 32 PCa patients (mean age = 66.2 years; SD = 7.8) undergoing ADT were randomly assigned to a 12-week EX+D intervention (n = 16) or SC treatment (n = 16). The exercise component of the personalized EX+D intervention integrated a combination of supervised resistance and aerobic exercise performed twice per week. The dietary component involved counseling and education to modify dietary intake and composition. Blinded assessments of social cognitive outcomes were obtained at baseline and 2-month and 3-month follow-up. Results. Intent-to-treat analysis of covariance demonstrated that the EX+D intervention resulted in significantly greater improvements in scheduling (P \u3c .05), coping (P \u3c .01), and exercise self-efficacy (P \u3c .05), and satisfaction with function (P \u3c .01) at 3 months relative to SC. Results of partial correlation analysis also demonstrated that select social cognitive outcomes were significantly correlated with primary trial outcomes of mobility performance and exercise participation (P \u3c .05) at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: The GMCB lifestyle intervention yielded more favorable improvements in relevant social cognitive outcomes relative to SC among PCa patients undergoing ADT. Additionally, more favorable social cognitive outcomes were associated with superior mobility performance and exercise participation following the independent maintenance phase of the EX+D intervention
Mesonic Wavefunctions in the three-dimensional Gross-Neveu model
We present results from a numerical study of bound state wavefunctions in the
(2+1)-dimensional Gross-Neveu model with staggered lattice fermions at both
zero and nonzero temperature. Mesonic channels with varying quantum numbers are
identified and analysed. In the strongly coupled chirally broken phase at T=0
the wavefunctions expose effects due to varying the interaction strength more
effectively than straightforward spectroscopy. In the weakly coupled chirally
restored phase information on fermion - antifermion scattering is recovered. In
the hot chirally restored phase we find evidence for a screened interaction.
The T=0 chirally symmetric phase is most readily distinguished from the
symmetric phase at high T via the fermion dispersion relation.Comment: 18 page
Numerical Portrait of a Relativistic Thin Film BCS Superfluid
We present results of numerical simulations of the 2+1d Nambu - Jona-Lasinio
model with a non-zero baryon chemical potential mu including the effects of a
diquark source term. Diquark condensates, susceptibilities and masses are
measured as functions of source strength j. The results suggest that diquark
condensation does not take place in the high density phase mu>mu_c, but rather
that the condensate scales non-analytically with j implying a line of critical
points and long range phase coherence. Analogies are drawn with the low
temperature phase of the 2d XY model. The spectrum of the spin-1/2 sector is
also studied yielding the quasiparticle dispersion relation. There is no
evidence for a non-zero gap; rather the results are characteristic of a normal
Fermi liquid with Fermi velocity less than that of light. We conclude that the
high density phase of the model describes a relativistic gapless thin film BCS
superfluid.Comment: 37 pages, 16 figure
The role of emotions on consumers’ satisfaction within the fitness context
Previous studies have suggested that consumption-related emotions are important to understand post-purchase
reactions. This study examines the relationship between fitness consumers’ emotions and overall satisfaction. After an
initial step of free-thought listing and content validity, followed by a pre-test, a survey was conducted among consumers
of five different fitness centers (n=786). The questionnaire included measures to assess positive and negative emotions,
as well as overall satisfaction with the fitness center. The results gathered through a structural equation model provide
evidence that negative emotion experienced by consumers impacts negatively overall satisfaction, while positive emotion
have a positive effect on overall satisfaction. These findings suggest managerial implications, such as the need to collect
consumers’ perceptions of both tangible and intangible aspects of the services, listen costumers’ opinions in a regular
basis, and provide regular training to staff members, in order to identify the triggers of positive emotions and contribute
to increased levels of overall satisfaction. Guidelines for future research within the fitness context are also suggested.Estudos precedentes sugerem
que as emoções relacionadas com o consumo são importantes para compreender as reações dos consumidores após a
compra. Este estudo analisa a relação entre as emoções dos consumidores de fitness e satisfação global. Depois de uma
etapa inicial de listagem de pensamento-livre e validade de conteúdo, seguido de um pré-teste, foi realizada uma pesquisa
entre os consumidores de cinco centros de fitness diferentes (n = 786). O questionário incluiu medidas para avaliar as
emoções positivas e negativas, bem como a satisfação global com o centro de fitness. Os resultados obtidos através de
um modelo de equações estruturais forneceram evidências de que as emoções negativas vivenciadas pelos consumidores
impactam negativamente a satisfação global, enquanto as emoções positivas têm um efeito positivo sobre a satisfação
global. Estes resultados sugerem implicações para os gestores, tais como a necessidade de recolher informação sobre a
perceção dos consumidores dos aspetos tangÃveis e intangÃveis dos serviços, ouvir regularmente as opiniões dos consumidores
e facultar formação regular aos colaboradores. Isto permitirá identificar os aspetos que desencadeiam emoções
positivas e contribuir para o aumento dos nÃveis de satisfação global. Orientações para futuras pesquisas no contexto de
fitness também são sugeridas.Sin financiación0.185 SJR (2015) Q3, 1090/1779 Medicine (miscellaneous); Q4, 177/229 Health (social science), 112/128 Sports scienceUE
Warming Can Boost Denitrification Disproportionately Due to Altered Oxygen Dynamics
Background: Global warming and the alteration of the global nitrogen cycle are major anthropogenic threats to the environment. Denitrification, the biological conversion of nitrate to gaseous nitrogen, removes a substantial fraction of the nitrogen from aquatic ecosystems, and can therefore help to reduce eutrophication effects. However, potential responses of denitrification to warming are poorly understood. Although several studies have reported increased denitrification rates with rising temperature, the impact of temperature on denitrification seems to vary widely between systems. Methodology/Principal Findings: We explored the effects of warming on denitrification rates using microcosm experiments, field measurements and a simple model approach. Our results suggest that a three degree temperature rise will double denitrification rates. By performing experiments at fixed oxygen concentrations as well as with oxygen concentrations varying freely with temperature, we demonstrate that this strong temperature dependence of denitrification can be explained by a systematic decrease of oxygen concentrations with rising temperature. Warming decreases oxygen concentrations due to reduced solubility, and more importantly, because respiration rates rise more steeply with temperature than photosynthesis. Conclusions/Significance: Our results show that denitrification rates in aquatic ecosystems are strongly temperature dependent, and that this is amplified by the temperature dependencies of photosynthesis and respiration. Our result
Iron Accumulation with Age, Oxidative Stress and Functional Decline
Identification of biological mediators in sarcopenia is pertinent to the development of targeted interventions to alleviate this condition. Iron is recognized as a potent pro-oxidant and a catalyst for the formation of reactive oxygen species in biological systems. It is well accepted that iron accumulates with senescence in several organs, but little is known about iron accumulation in muscle and how it may affect muscle function. In addition, it is unclear if interventions which reduced age-related loss of muscle quality, such as calorie restriction, impact iron accumulation. We investigated non-heme iron concentration, oxidative stress to nucleic acids in gastrocnemius muscle and key indices of sarcopenia (muscle mass and grip strength) in male Fischer 344 X Brown Norway rats fed ad libitum (AL) or a calorie restricted diet (60% of ad libitum food intake starting at 4 months of age) at 8, 18, 29 and 37 months of age. Total non-heme iron levels in the gastrocnemius muscle of AL rats increased progressively with age. Between 29 and 37 months of age, the non-heme iron concentration increased by approximately 200% in AL-fed rats. Most importantly, the levels of oxidized RNA in gastrocnemius muscle of AL rats were significantly increased as well. The striking age-associated increase in non-heme iron and oxidized RNA levels and decrease in sarcopenia indices were all attenuated in the calorie restriction (CR) rats. These findings strongly suggest that the age-related iron accumulation in muscle contributes to increased oxidative damage and sarcopenia, and that CR effectively attenuates these negative effects
Spatio-temporal distribution of nitrogen in the undulating littoral zone of Lake Taihu, China
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