897 research outputs found
Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being in stage 0 to III breast cancer : a randomized, controlled trial
Purpose To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for mood, breast- and endocrine-specific quality of life, and well-being after hospital treatment in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer. Patients and Methods A randomized, wait-listed, controlled trial was carried out in 229 women after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy for breast cancer. Patients were randomly assigned to the 8-week MBSR program or standard care. Profile of Mood States (POMS; primary outcome), Functional Assessment of Cancer TherapyâBreast (FACT-B), Functional Assessment of Cancer TherapyâEndocrine Symptoms (FACT-ES) scales and the WHO five-item well-being questionnaire (WHO-5) evaluated mood, quality of life, and well-being at weeks 0, 8, and 12. For each outcome measure, a repeated-measures analysis of variance model, which incorporated week 0 measurements as a covariate, was used to compare treatment groups at 8 and 12 weeks. Results There were statistically significant improvements in outcome in the experimental group compared with control group at both 8 and 12 weeks (except as indicated) for POMS total mood disturbance (and its subscales of anxiety, depression [8 weeks only], anger [12 weeks only], vigor, fatigue, and confusion [8 weeks only]), FACT-B, FACT-ES, (and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy subscales of physical, social [8 weeks only], emotional, and functional well-being), and WHO-5. Conclusion MSBR improved mood, breast- and endocrine-related quality of life, and well-being more effectively than standard care in women with stage 0 to III breast cancer, and these results persisted at three months. To our knowledge, this study provided novel evidence that MBSR can help alleviate long-term emotional and physical adverse effects of medical treatments, including endocrine treatments. MBSR is recommended to support survivors of breast cancer
The Quantized Sigma Model Has No Continuum Limit in Four Dimensions. II. Lattice Simulation
A lattice formulation of the sigma model is
developed, based on the continuum theory presented in the preceding paper.
Special attention is given to choosing a lattice action (the ``geodesic''
action) that is appropriate for fields having noncompact curved configuration
spaces. A consistent continuum limit of the model exists only if the
renormalized scale constant vanishes for some value of the bare scale
constant~. The geodesic action has a special form that allows direct
access to the small- limit. In this limit half of the degrees of freedom
can be integrated out exactly. The remaining degrees of freedom are those of a
compact model having a -independent action which is noteworthy in being
unbounded from below yet yielding integrable averages. Both the exact action
and the -independent action are used to obtain from Monte
Carlo computations of field-field averages (2-point functions) and
current-current averages. Many consistency cross-checks are performed. It is
found that there is no value of for which vanishes. This
means that as the lattice cutoff is removed the theory becomes that of a pair
of massless free fields. Because these fields have neither the geometry nor the
symmetries of the original model we conclude that the
model has no continuum limit.Comment: 32 pages, 7 postscript figures, UTREL 92-0
Covariant derivative expansion of fermionic effective action at high temperatures
We derive the fermionic contribution to the 1-loop effective action for A_4
and A_i fields at high temperatures, assuming that gluon fields are slowly
varying but allowing for an arbitrary amplitude of A_4.Comment: RevTex 4, 11 pages, 3 figures. Version 2: Typos corrected; magnetic
fields restricted to parallel sector. Version accepted for publication in PR
Covariant derivative expansion of Yang-Mills effective action at high temperatures
Integrating out fast varying quantum fluctuations about Yang--Mills fields
A_i and A_4, we arrive at the effective action for those fields at high
temperatures. Assuming that the fields A_i and A_4 are slowly varying but that
the amplitude of A_4 is arbitrary, we find a non-trivial effective gauge
invariant action both in the electric and magnetic sectors. Our results can be
used for studying correlation functions at high temperatures beyond the
dimensional reduction approximation, as well as for estimating quantum weights
of classical static configurations such as dyons.Comment: Minor changes. References added. Paper accepted for publication in
Phys.Rev.
The Simons Observatory: Characterizing the Large Aperture Telescope Receiver with Radio Holography
We present near-field radio holography measurements of the Simons Observatory
Large Aperture Telescope Receiver optics. These measurements demonstrate that
radio holography of complex millimeter-wave optical systems comprising
cryogenic lenses, filters, and feed horns can provide detailed characterization
of wave propagation before deployment. We used the measured amplitude and
phase, at 4K, of the receiver near-field beam pattern to predict two key
performance parameters: 1) the amount of scattered light that will spill past
the telescope to 300K and 2) the beam pattern expected from the receiver when
fielded on the telescope. These cryogenic measurements informed the removal of
a filter, which led to improved optical efficiency and reduced side-lobes at
the exit of the receiver. Holography measurements of this system suggest that
the spilled power past the telescope mirrors will be less than 1% and the main
beam with its near side-lobes are consistent with the nominal telescope design.
This is the first time such parameters have been confirmed in the lab prior to
deployment of a new receiver. This approach is broadly applicable to millimeter
and sub-millimeter instruments.Comment: in proces
Initial Evaluation of the Effects of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins (Brevetoxins) in Persons with Asthma
Florida red tides annually occur in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting from blooms of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces highly potent natural polyether toxins, known as brevetoxins, that activate voltage-sensitive sodium channels. In experimental animals, brevetoxins cause significant bronchoconstriction. A study of persons who visited the beach recreationally found a significant increase in self-reported respiratory symptoms after exposure to aerosolized Florida red tides. Anecdotal reports indicate that persons with underlying respiratory diseases may be particularly susceptible to adverse health effects from these aerosolized toxins. Fifty-nine persons with physician-diagnosed asthma were evaluated for 1 hr before and after going to the beach on days with and without Florida red tide. Study participants were evaluated with a brief symptom questionnaire, nose and throat swabs, and spirometry approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Environmental monitoring, water and air sampling (i.e., K. brevis, brevetoxins, and particulate size distribution), and personal monitoring (for toxins) were performed. Brevetoxin concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and a newly developed brevetoxin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Participants were significantly more likely to report respiratory symptoms after Florida red tide exposure. Participants demonstrated small but statistically significant decreases in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75%, and peak expiratory flow after exposure, particularly those regularly using asthma medications. Similar evaluation during nonexposure periods did not significantly differ. This is the first study to show objectively measurable adverse health effects from exposure to aerosolized Florida red tide toxins in persons with asthma. Future studies will examine the possible chronic effects of these toxins among persons with asthma and other chronic respiratory impairment
Nonperturbative approach to Yang-Mills thermodynamics
An analytical and nonperturbative approach to SU(2) and SU(3) Yang-Mills
thermodynamics is developed and applied. Each theory comes in three phases: A
deconfining, a preconfining, and a confining one. We show how macroscopic and
inert scalar fields form in each phase and how they determine the ground-state
physics and the properties of the excitations. While the excitations in the
deconfining and preconfining phase are massless or massive gauge modes the
excitations in the confining phase are massless or massive spin-1/2 fermions.
The nature of the two phase transitions is investigated for each theory. We
compute the temperature evolution of thermodynamical quantities in the
deconfining and preconfining phase and estimate the density of states in the
confining phase. Some implications for particle physics and cosmology are
discussed.Comment: 92 pages, 35 figures, v4: more typos corrected, modification in
evolution equations for effective couplings, consequences thereof
implemented, there will be an erratum to the journal-published versio
Equitable and effective areaâbased conservation: towards the conserved areas paradigm
In 2018, the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted a decision on protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs). It contains the definition of an OECM and related scientific and technical advice that has broadened the scope of governance authorities and areas that can be engaged and recognised in global conservation efforts. The voluntary guidance on OECMs and protected areas, also included in the decision, promotes the use of diverse, effective and equitable governance models, the integration of protected areas and OECMs into wider landscapes and seascapes, and mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation across sectors. Taken as a whole, the advice and voluntary guidance provides further clarity about the CBD Partiesâ understanding of what constitutes equitable and effective area-based conservation measures within and beyond protected areas and provides standardised criteria with which to measure and report areasâ attributes and performance. This policy perspective suggests that this CBD decision represents further evidence of the evolution from the ânew paradigm for protected areasâ to a broader âconserved areas paradigmâ that embodies good governance, equity and effective conservation outcomes and is inclusive of a diversity of contributions to conservation within and beyond protected areas
Functional mechanisms underlying pleiotropic risk alleles at the 19p13.1 breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility locus
A locus at 19p13 is associated with breast cancer (BC) and ovarian cancer (OC) risk. Here we analyse 438 SNPs in this region in 46,451 BC and 15,438 OC cases, 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 73,444 controls and identify 13 candidate causal SNPs associated with serous OC (P=9.2 Ă 10-20), ER-negative BC (P=1.1 Ă 10-13), BRCA1-associated BC (P=7.7 Ă 10-16) and triple negative BC (P-diff=2 Ă 10-5). Genotype-gene expression associations are identified for candidate target genes ANKLE1 (P=2 Ă 10-3) and ABHD8 (P<2 Ă 10-3). Chromosome conformation capture identifies interactions between four candidate SNPs and ABHD8, and luciferase assays indicate six risk alleles increased transactivation of the ADHD8 promoter. Targeted deletion of a region containing risk SNP rs56069439 in a putative enhancer induces ANKLE1 downregulation; and mRNA stability assays indicate functional effects for an ANKLE1 3âČ-UTR SNP. Altogether, these data suggest that multiple SNPs at 19p13 regulate ABHD8 and perhaps ANKLE1 expression, and indicate common mechanisms underlying breast and ovarian cancer risk
The Fifteenth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Surveys: First Release of MaNGA-derived Quantities, Data Visualization Tools, and Stellar Library
Twenty years have passed since first light for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Here, we release data taken by the fourth phase of SDSS (SDSS-IV) across its first three years of operation (2014 Julyâ2017 July). This is the third data release for SDSS-IV, and the 15th from SDSS (Data Release Fifteen; DR15). New data come from MaNGAâwe release 4824 data cubes, as well as the first stellar spectra in the MaNGA Stellar Library (MaStar), the first set of survey-supported analysis products (e.g., stellar and gas kinematics, emission-line and other maps) from the MaNGA Data Analysis Pipeline, and a new data visualization and access tool we call "Marvin." The next data release, DR16, will include new data from both APOGEE-2 and eBOSS; those surveys release no new data here, but we document updates and corrections to their data processing pipelines. The release is cumulative; it also includes the most recent reductions and calibrations of all data taken by SDSS since first light. In this paper, we describe the location and format of the data and tools and cite technical references describing how it was obtained and processed. The SDSS website (www.sdss.org) has also been updated, providing links to data downloads, tutorials, and examples of data use. Although SDSS-IV will continue to collect astronomical data until 2020, and will be followed by SDSS-V (2020â2025), we end this paper by describing plans to ensure the sustainability of the SDSS data archive for many years beyond the collection of data
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