5,449 research outputs found
Static Potential and Local Color Fields in Unquenched Three-Dimensional Lattice QCD
String breaking by dynamical quarks in (2+1)-d lattice QCD is demonstrated in
this project, by measuring the static potential and the local color-electric
field strength between a heavy quark and antiquark pair at large separations.
Simulations are done for unquenched SU(2) color with two flavors of staggered
quarks. An improved gluon action is used which allows simulations to be done on
coarse lattices, providing an extremely efficient means to access the quark
separations and propagation times at which string breaking occurs. The static
quark potential is extracted using only Wilson loop operators and hence no
valence quarks are present in the trial states. Results give unambiguous
evidence for string breaking as the static quark potential completely saturates
at twice the heavy-light meson mass at large separations. It is also shown that
the local color-electric field strength between the quark pair tends toward
vacuum values at large separations. Implications of these results for
unquenched simulations of QCD in 4-d are drawn.Comment: 3 pages, contribution to Lattice 2002 proceedings (Confinement
Using Adherence-Contingent Rebates on Chronic Disease Treatment Costs to Promote Medication Adherence: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial
Background: Poor adherence to medications is a global public health concern with substantial health and cost implications, especially for chronic conditions. In the USA, poor adherence is estimated to cause 125,000 deaths and cost US5.94 as of 2 November 2017) per month during the intervention period.
Conclusion: This study shows that simultaneously leveraging several insights from behavioral economics can significantly
improve medication adherence rates. The relatively low cost of the rebates and significant health and cost implications of medication non-adherence suggest that this strategy has the potential to cost-effectively improve health outcomes for many conditions
Perturbative Wilson loops from unquenched Monte Carlo simulations at weak couplings
Perturbative expansions of several small Wilson loops are computed through
next-to-next-to-leading order in unquenched lattice QCD, from Monte Carlo
simulations at weak couplings. This approach provides a much simpler
alternative to conventional diagrammatic perturbation theory, and is applied
here for the first time to full QCD. Two different sets of lattice actions are
considered: one set uses the unimproved plaquette gluon action together with
the unimproved staggered-quark action; the other set uses the one-loop-improved
Symanzik gauge-field action together with the so-called ``asqtad''
improved-staggered quark action. Simulations are also done with different
numbers of dynamical fermions. An extensive study of the systematic
uncertainties is presented, which demonstrates that the small third-order
perturbative component of the observables can be reliably extracted from
simulation data. We also investigate the use of the rational hybrid Monte Carlo
algorithm for unquenched simulations with unimproved-staggered fermions. Our
results are in excellent agreement with diagrammatic perturbation theory, and
provide an important cross-check of the perturbation theory input to a recent
determination of the strong coupling by the HPQCD
collaboration.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure
Alternative Epinephrine Auto-Injector
Project: Alternative Epinephrine Injector started as a solution for Bianca Alemanâs little brother however the scope has evolved to include the many millions of individuals across the world who struggle with a life-threatening allergen. The stakeholders of this project are Cal Poly and Dr. Michael D. Whitt. Our goals are the following:
â Develop a foolproof method of injection that consistently delivers a dosage of epinephrine
â Be equal or less than the current size of an EpiPen (6 in)
â Be easy to transport or store when not-in-use
â Create an isolated environment where the epinephrine will not be denatured due to environmental changes (e.g. temperature, light sensitivity, etc.)
â Class II FDA Medical Device â Deliver a fully functioning prototype of an alternative epinephrine auto-injector
â Stay within a budget of 700
â Do not infringe on Mylan or Kaleoâs current paten
A case study in open source innovation: developing the Tidepool Platform for interoperability in type 1 diabetes management.
OBJECTIVE:Develop a device-agnostic cloud platform to host diabetes device data and catalyze an ecosystem of software innovation for type 1 diabetes (T1D) management. MATERIALS AND METHODS:An interdisciplinary team decided to establish a nonprofit company, Tidepool, and build open-source software. RESULTS:Through a user-centered design process, the authors created a software platform, the Tidepool Platform, to upload and host T1D device data in an integrated, device-agnostic fashion, as well as an application ("app"), Blip, to visualize the data. Tidepool's software utilizes the principles of modular components, modern web design including REST APIs and JavaScript, cloud computing, agile development methodology, and robust privacy and security. DISCUSSION:By consolidating the currently scattered and siloed T1D device data ecosystem into one open platform, Tidepool can improve access to the data and enable new possibilities and efficiencies in T1D clinical care and research. The Tidepool Platform decouples diabetes apps from diabetes devices, allowing software developers to build innovative apps without requiring them to design a unique back-end (e.g., database and security) or unique ways of ingesting device data. It allows people with T1D to choose to use any preferred app regardless of which device(s) they use. CONCLUSION:The authors believe that the Tidepool Platform can solve two current problems in the T1D device landscape: 1) limited access to T1D device data and 2) poor interoperability of data from different devices. If proven effective, Tidepool's open source, cloud model for health data interoperability is applicable to other healthcare use cases
Garlic extracts working in concert with docetaxel to suppress the growth of androgen independent (Al) prostate cancer
Homeless Service Delivery in the Context of Continuum of Care
Emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing are distinct programmatic responses to address the housing and service needs of the homeless population under the Continuum of Care (CoC) model for homeless service delivery. Using organizational-level data collected from a multi-site survey of 300 homeless residential programs in 14 communities, this study examines the extent to which operationalization of these programs is in accordance with the CoC model. Findings suggest consistency with as well as deviation from the CoC model in the operationalization of homeless residential programs. Recommendations are provided for local community service planning and development that can assure effective delivery of services for meeting the needs of homeless people
The Anne Boleyn Illusion is a six-fingered salute to sensory remapping
The Anne Boleyn Illusion exploits the somatotopic representation of touch to create the illusion of an extra digit and demonstrates the instantaneous remapping of relative touch location into body-based coordinates through visuo-tactile integration. Performed successfully on thousands, it is also a simple demonstration of the flexibility of body representations for use at public events, in schools or in the home and can be implemented anywhere by anyone with a mirror and some degree of bimanual coordination
Eliciting patient preferences, priorities and trade-offs for outcomes following kidney transplantation: A pilot best-worst scaling survey
Objectives: Eliciting preferences and trade-offs that patients may make to achieve important outcomes, can assist in developing patient-centred research and care. The pilot study aimed to test the feasibility of a case 2 best-worst scaling survey (BWS) to elicit recipient with kidney transplantation preferences after transplantation. Design: Preferences for graft survival and dying, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infection and side effects (gastrointestinal, weight-gain and appearance) were assessed in recipients with transplantation using a BWS (20 scenarios of nine outcomes). Participants chose 'best' and 'worst' outcomes. Responses were analysed using a multinomial logit model. Selected participants were interviewed. Outcomes: Attribute coefficients and survey completion error rates. Results: 81 recipients with transplantation were approached, and 39 (48%), mean age 50.5 years, completed the BWS. 4 (10%) surveys were invalid with major errors and of 35 remaining, 7 of 1400 (0.5%) choices were missing. -23 (59%) took >20 min to complete the survey. 1 was unable to finish, and 1 did not understand the survey. 2 (5%) found it very hard and 14 (35%) moderately hard. Most attribute coefficients were significant (p<0.05) and showed face validity. Graft survival was most important with normalised coefficients from 1 (95% CI 0.89 to 1.11) to 0.06 (95% CI -0.03 to 0.16) for 30 and 1 year duration, respectively. Attribute level coefficients decreased with increasing risk of adverse outcomes. Error rates of 20% and 2% were estimated for dominant attributes '100% risk of dying' and '30 years graft survival', respectively. 7 participants were interviewed regarding counterintuitive selection of '100% risk of dying' as a 'best' outcome. Misunderstanding, not linking dying to graft survival and aversion to dialysis were reasons given. Conclusions: Recipients with transplant recipients successfully completed a complex case 2 BWS with attribute coefficients having face validity with respect to duration of graft survival and risk of adverse outcomes. Areas for refinement to reduce complexity in design have been identified
- âŠ