Anxiolytic-like effect of Lippia alba essential oil: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Aim: This study was conducted to examine whether aromatherapy with essential oil of Lippia alba can reduce anxiety levels in a normal population. Methods: The oil was extracted by hycirodistillation for 3 hours using a modified Clevenger-type apparatus and then chemical composition was investigated by a corn. bination of gas chromatography analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Moreover, a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted, where 62 participants were divided into two groups, comprising a control group treated with placebo, and an experimental group (EG) treated with aromatherapy based on Lippia alba essential oil. The anxiety index was evaluated pretest by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Measures were taken twice: during pretest and posttest. Results: The chemical analysis showed that carvone was the main component (62,8%), State and trait anxiety scores showed a decrease in the posttest study phase in corn. parison with pretest in the EG (p < 0.005 for state anxiety and p < 0.05 for trait anxiety). Cohen's d score was 1.06 in state anxiety, while it was 0,72 for trait anxiety. The percentages of change showed reductions of anxiety variable ranging between 15.50% for state anxiety and 12.25% for trait anxiety. Conclusion: These results suggest that aromatherapy based on essential oil of Lippia alba may be useful as a means to counteract anxiety

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Rigid-flexible coupling virtual prototyping-based approach to the failure mode, effects, and criticality analysis

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