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Mindfulness meditation and improvement in depressive symptoms among Spanish- and English speaking adults: A randomized, controlled, comparative efficacy trial.
ObjectiveLatino immigrants experience acculturative stress and increased depression risk. Mindfulness meditation improves depressive symptoms, yet the vast majority of research has focused on English speaking populations.MethodsIn this randomized clinical trial with 2 parallel treatment groups, adults with moderate levels of perceived stress (n = 76) were recruited from the Los Angeles community from October 2015 to March 2016, stratified into Spanish- (n = 36) and English speaking (n = 40) language groups, and randomized for 6 weeks of treatment with standardized mindful awareness practices (MAPs) or health education (HE). Main outcome measure was depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory.ResultsUsing an intent-to-treat analysis, the primary outcome, depressive symptoms as indexed by the Beck Depression Inventory, showed greater improvement in MAPs vs. HE, with a between-group post-intervention mean difference of -2.2 (95% CI -4.4 - -0.07) and effect size of 0.28; similar effect sizes were found in the the Spanish- (0.29) and English speaking (0.30) groups. MAPs showed significant improvement relative to HE on secondary outcome of mindfulness with between group difference of 10.7 (95% CI4.5-16.9), but not perceived stress.ConclusionThe comparable efficacy of Spanish and English formats of mindfulness meditation in improving depressive symptoms suggests that this community based intervention may mitigate depression risk in Latino adults who are experiencing social adversity.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03545074
CubeSat Constellation for Interplanetary Market Intelligence and Private Claims in Space
Mission Objectives Deployment of Beacons, each rendezvous with NEAs\u27 Small-Body Orbit Data Collection comprising a universal cadastre Sensors/Instrumentation: Geolocations and In-Space Activity Capture Integration with Service Providers through API Cooperation with Domestic and International Regulatory Agencie
CHANG-ES V: Nuclear Radio Outflow in a Virgo Cluster Spiral after a Tidal Disruption Event
We have observed the Virgo Cluster spiral galaxy, NGC~4845, at 1.6 and 6 GHz
using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, as part of the `Continuum Halos in
Nearby Galaxies -- an EVLA Survey' (CHANG-ES). The source consists of a bright
unresolved core with a surrounding weak central disk (1.8 kpc diameter). The
core is variable over the 6 month time scale of the CHANG-ES data and has
increased by a factor of 6 since 1995. The wide bandwidths of
CHANG-ES have allowed us to determine the spectral evolution of this core which
peaks {\it between} 1.6 and 6 GHz (it is a GigaHertz-peaked spectrum source).We
show that the spectral turnover is dominated by synchrotron self-absorption and
that the spectral evolution can be explained by adiabatic expansion (outflow),
likely in the form of a jet or cone. The CHANG-ES observations serendipitously
overlap in time with the hard X-ray light curve obtained by Nikolajuk \& Walter
(2013) which they interpret as due to a tidal disruption event (TDE) of a
super-Jupiter mass object around a black hole. We outline a
standard jet model, provide an explanation for the observed circular
polarization, and quantitatively suggest a link between the peak radio and peak
X-ray emission via inverse Compton upscattering of the photons emitted by the
relativistic electrons. We predict that it should be possible to resolve a
young radio jet via VLBI as a result of this nearby TDE.Comment: 45 pages, 10 figures, accepted July 2, 2015 to the Astrophysical
Journa
Cell Phone Banking: Revisiting Predictors of Adoption in South Africa
More South African cell phone users now turn their mobile phones into platform for several financial transactions rather than their personal computers. The penetration of cell phone banking has more than doubled in the past few years. This study provides an update on the earlier study conducted by Brown et al. (2003) on the predictors of adoption of cell phone banking in South Africa. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among cell phone banking users that consisted of students, and workers from various fields of employment. A total of 220 questionnaires were gathered from the sampled population of cell phone banking customers. The data were analysed through partial least square with structural equation as well as regression splines. This article examines the most important predictors influencing cell phone banking adoption in South Africa. The results show that utility expectancy and user satisfaction are playing a determinant role in the adoption behaviour of users in South Africa
Compact Resolved Ejecta in the Nearest Tidal Disruption Event
Tidal disruption events (TDEs) occur when a star or sub-stellar object passes
close enough to a galaxy's supermassive black hole to be disrupted by tidal
forces. NGC 4845 (d=17 Mpc) was host to a TDE, IGR J12580+0134, detected in
November 2010. Its proximity offers us a unique close-up of the TDE and its
aftermath. We discuss new Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) and Karl G. Jansky
Very Large Array (JVLA) observations, which show that the radio flux from the
active nucleus created by the TDE has decayed in a manner consistent with
predictions from a jet-circumnuclear medium interaction model. This model
explains the source's broadband spectral evolution, which shows a spectral peak
that has moved from the submm (at the end of 2010) to GHz radio frequencies (in
2011-2013) to <1 GHz in 2015. The milliarcsecond-scale core is circularly
polarized at 1.5 GHz but not at 5 GHz, consistent with the model. The VLBA
images show a complex structure at 1.5 GHz that includes an east west extension
~40 milliarcsec (3 pc) long as well as a resolved component 52 milliarcsec (4.1
pc) northwest of the flat-spectrum core, which is all that can be seen at 5
GHz. If ejected in 2010, the NW component must have had v=0.96 c over five
years. However, this is unlikely, as our model suggests strong deceleration to
speeds < 0.5c within months and a much smaller, sub-parsec size. In this
interpretation, the northwest component could have either a non-nuclear origin
or be from an earlier event.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, ApJ, in press; v2 includes error corrections and
slight additions to the analysi
The rotation-magnetic field relation
Today, the generation of magnetic fields in solar-type stars and its relation
to activity and rotation can coherently be explained, although it is certainly
not understood in its entirety. Rotation facilitates the generation of magnetic
flux that couples to the stellar wind, slowing down the star. There are still
many open questions, particularly at early phases (young age), and at very low
mass. It is vexing that rotational braking becomes inefficient at the threshold
to fully convective interiors, although no threshold in magnetic activity is
seen, and the generation of large scale magnetic fields is still possible for
fully convective stars. This article briefly outlines our current understanding
of the rotation-magnetic field relation.Comment: 8 pages, splinter summary of the session "The rotation-magnetic field
relation" at Cool Stars 15 in St Andrew
Enhancing legacy in palliative care: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of Dignity Therapy focused on positive outcomes.
BackgroundDignity Therapy is a brief psychotherapy that can enhance a sense of legacy while addressing the emotional and existential needs of patients receiving hospice or palliative care. In Dignity Therapy, patients create a formalized "legacy" document that records their most cherished memories, their lessons learned in life, as well as their hopes and dreams for loved ones in the future. To date, this treatment has been studied for its impact on mitigating distress within hospice and palliative care populations and has provided mixed results. This study will instead focus on whether Dignity Therapy enhances positive outcomes in this population.Methods/designIn this study, 90 patients with cancer receiving hospice or palliative care will complete a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial of Dignity Therapy (n = 45) versus Supportive Attention (n = 45). The patients will be enrolled in the study for 3 weeks, receiving a total of six study visits. The primary outcomes examine whether the treatment will quantitatively increase levels of positive affect and a sense of life closure. Secondary outcomes focus on gratitude, hope, life satisfaction, meaning in life, resilience, and self-efficacy. Using a fixed, embedded dataset design, this study will additionally use qualitative interviews to explore patients' perceptions regarding the use of positive outcome measures and whether these outcomes are appropriately matched to their experiences in therapy.DiscussionDignity Therapy has shown mixed results when evaluating its impact on distress, although no other study to date has solely focused on the potential positive aspects of this treatment. This study is novel in its use of mixed methods assessments to focus on positive outcomes, and will provide valuable information about patients' direct experiences in this area.Trial registrationISRCTN91389194
Assessing knowledge and skills of maternity care professionals regarding neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia: a nationwide survey
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