Charge without charge, regular spherically symmetric solutions and the Einstein-Born-Infeld theory

The aim of this paper is to continue the research of JMP 46, 042501 (2005) of regular static spherically symmetric spacetimes in Einstein-Born-Infeld theories from the point of view of the spacetime geometry and the electromagnetic structure. The energy conditions, geodesic completeness and the main features of the horizons of this spacetime are explicitly shown. A new static spherically symmetric dyonic solution in Einstein-Born-Infeld theory with similar good properties as in the regular pure electric and magnetic cases of our previous work, is presented and analyzed. Also, the circumvention of a version of "no go" theorem claiming the non existence of regular electric black holes and other electromagnetic static spherically configurations with regular center is explained by dealing with a more general statement of the problem.Comment: Figures in Int J Theor Phys (Online First

Attachment Styles Within the Coach-Athlete Dyad: Preliminary Investigation and Assessment Development

The present preliminary study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a new sport-specific self-report instrument designed to assess athletes’ and coaches’ attachment styles. The development and initial validation comprised three main phases. In Phase 1, a pool of items was generated based on pre-existing self-report attachment instruments, modified to reflect a coach and an athlete’s style of attachment. In Phase 2, the content validity of the items was assessed by a panel of experts. A final scale was developed and administered to 405 coaches and 298 athletes (N = 703 participants). In Phase 3, confirmatory factor analysis of the obtained data was conducted to determine the final items of the Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale (CAAS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed acceptable goodness of fit indexes for a 3-first order factor model as well as a 2-first order factor model for both the athlete and the coach data, respectively. A secure attachment style positively predicted relationship satisfaction, while an insecure attachment style was a negative predictor of relationship satisfaction. The CAAS revealed initial psychometric properties of content, factorial, and predictive validity, as well as reliability

Assessing the impact of natural policy experiments on socioeconomic inequalities in health

Background: The scientific evidence-base for policies to tackle health inequalities is limited. Natural policy experiments (NPE) have drawn increasing attention as a means to evaluating the effects of policies on health. Several analytical methods can be used to evaluate the outcomes of NPEs in terms of average population health, but it is unclear whether they can also be used to assess the outcomes of NPEs in terms of health inequalities. The aim of this study therefore was to assess whether, and to demonstrate how, a number of commonly used analytical methods for the evaluation of NPEs can be applied to quantify the effect of policies on health inequalities. Methods: We identified seven quantitative analytical methods for the evaluation of NPEs: regression adjustment, propensity score matching, difference-in-differences analysis, fixed effects analysis, instrumental variable analysis, regression discontinuity and interrupted time-series. We assessed whether these methods can be used to quantify the effect of policies on the magnitude of health inequalities either by conducting a stratified analysis or by including an interaction term, and illustrated both approaches in a fictitious numerical example. Results: All seven methods can be used to quantify the equity impact of policies on absolute and relative inequalities in health by conducting an analysis stratified by socioeconomic position, and all but one (propensity score matching) can be used to quantify equity impacts by inclusion of an interaction term between socioeconomic position and policy exposure. Conclusion: Methods commonly used in economics and econometrics for the evaluation of NPEs can also be applied to assess the equity impact of policies, and our illustrations provide guidance on how to do this appropriately. The low external validity of results from instrumental variable analysis and regression discontinuity makes these methods less desirable for assessing policy effects on population-level health inequalities. Increased use of the methods in social epidemiology will help to build an evidence base to support policy making in the area of health inequalities

Chest Pain of Uncertain Aetiology: Role of Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography in the Emergency Department

There is increasing role of computed tomographic (CT) in the assessment of acute chest pain in the emergency department especially when the diagnosis is not clear. We report a case where non ECG gated contrast enhanced CT in the emergency department for rule-out of pulmonary embolus guided to the actual diagnosis, which was, acute coronary event, as evidenced by the presence of perfusion defect

Changes of solar cell parameters during damp-heat exposure

The electrical ageing of photovoltaic modules during extended damp-heat tests at different stress levels is investigated for three types of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules with different backsheets, encapsulants and cell types. Deploying different stress levels allows determination of an equivalent stress dose function, which is a first step towards a lifetime prediction of devices. The derived humidity dose is used to characterise the degradation of power as well as that of the solar cell's equivalent circuit parameters calculated from measured current–voltage characteristics. An application of this to the samples demonstrates different modes in the degradation and thus enables better understanding of the module's underlying ageing mechanisms. The analysis of changes in the solar cell equivalent circuit parameters identified the primary contributors to the power degradation and distinguished the potential ageing mechanism for each types of module investigated in this paper. © 2016 The Authors. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 The Authors. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.This work was supported in part by the European Commission under FP7 grant N° 262533 SOPHIA (INFRA-2010- 1.1.22_CP-CSA-Infra) and by the Research Councils UK (RCUK) under project ‘Stability and Performance of Photovoltaics (STAPP)’ (contract no: EP/H040331/1)

Chronic nodular prurigo : clinical profile and burden. A European cross-sectional study

Chronic nodular prurigo (CNPG) is a condition characterized by chronic itch, a prolonged scratching behaviour and the presence of pruriginous nodules. A comprehensive understanding of this condition, especially regarding its clinical characteristics and impact on quality of life is still lacking. Aim of this pan-European multicentre cross-sectional study was to establish the clinical profile of CNPG, including its associated burden. Fifteen centres from 12 European countries recruited CNPG patients presenting at the centre or using the centres' own databases. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire in paper or electronic format. Demography, current co-morbidities, underlying disease, itch intensity, additional sensory symptoms, quality of life, highest burden and emotional experience of itch were assessed. A total of 509 patients (210 male, median age: 64 years [52; 72]) were enrolled. Of these, 406 reported itch and CNPG lesions in the previous 7 days and qualified to complete the whole questionnaire. We recorded moderate to severe worst itch intensity scores in the previous 24 h. Scores were higher in patients with lower educational levels and those coming from Eastern or Southern Europe. Most patients experience itch often or always (71%) and report that their everyday life is negatively affected (53%). Itch intensity was considered to be the most burdensome aspect of the disease by 49% of the patients, followed by the visibility of skin lesions (21%) and bleeding of lesions (21%). The majority of patients was unaware of an underlying condition contributing to CNPG (64%), while psychiatric diseases were the conditions most often mentioned in association with CNPG (19%). This multicentre cross-sectional study shows that itch is the dominant symptom in CNPG and reveals that the profile of the disease is similar throughout Europe