Cancer screening behaviours among South Asian immigrants in the UK, US and Canada: a scoping study

South Asian (SA) immigrants settled in the United Kingdom (UK) and North America [United States (US) and Canada] have low screening rates for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Incidence rates of these cancers increase among SA immigrants after migration, becoming similar to rates in non-Asian native populations. However, there are disparities in cancer screening, with low cancer screening uptake in this population. We conducted a scoping study using Arksey & O’Malley’s framework to examine cancer screening literature on SA immigrants residing in the UK, US and Canada. Eight electronic databases, key journals and reference lists were searched for English language studies and reports. Of 1465 identified references, 70 studies from 1994 to November 2014 were included: 63% on breast or cervical cancer screening or both; 10% examined colorectal cancer screening only; 16% explored health promotion/service provision; 8% studied breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening; and 3% examined breast and colorectal cancer screening. A thematic analysis uncovered four dominant themes: (i) beliefs and attitudes towards cancer and screening included centrality of family, holistic healthcare, fatalism, screening as unnecessary and emotion-laden perceptions; (ii) lack of knowledge of cancer and screening related to not having heard about cancer and its causes, or lack of awareness of screening, its rationale and/or how to access services; (iii) barriers to access including individual and structural barriers; and (iv) gender differences in screening uptake and their associated factors. Findings offer insights that can be used to develop culturally sensitive interventions to minimise barriers and increase cancer screening uptake in these communities, while recognising the diversity within the SA culture. Further research is required to address the gap in colorectal cancer screening literature to more fully understand SA immigrants’ perspectives, as well as research to better understand gender-specific factors that influence screening uptake

Fusion of radioactive 132^{132}Sn with 64^{64}Ni

Evaporation residue and fission cross sections of radioactive $^{132}$Sn on $^{64}$Ni were measured near the Coulomb barrier. A large sub-barrier fusion enhancement was observed. Coupled-channel calculations including inelastic excitation of the projectile and target, and neutron transfer are in good agreement with the measured fusion excitation function. When the change in nuclear size and shift in barrier height are accounted for, there is no extra fusion enhancement in $^{132}$Sn+$^{64}$Ni with respect to stable Sn+$^{64}$Ni. A systematic comparison of evaporation residue cross sections for the fusion of even $^{112-124}$Sn and $^{132}$Sn with $^{64}$Ni is presented.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figure

A Millimeter-wave Galactic Plane Survey with the BICEP Polarimeter

In order to study inflationary cosmology and the Milky Way Galaxy's composition and magnetic field structure, Stokes I, Q, and U maps of the Galactic plane covering the Galactic longitude range 260° < ℓ < 340° in three atmospheric transmission windows centered on 100, 150, and 220 GHz are presented. The maps sample an optical depth 1 ≾ AV ≾ 30, and are consistent with previous characterizations of the Galactic millimeter-wave frequency spectrum and the large-scale magnetic field structure permeating the interstellar medium. The polarization angles in all three bands are generally perpendicular to those measured by starlight polarimetry as expected and show changes in the structure of the Galactic magnetic field on the scale of 60°. The frequency spectrum of degree-scale Galactic emission is plotted between 23 and 220 GHz (including WMAP data) and is fit to a two-component (synchrotron and dust) model showing that the higher frequency BICEP data are necessary to tightly constrain the amplitude and spectral index of Galactic dust. Polarized emission is detected over the entire region within two degrees of the Galactic plane, indicating the large-scale magnetic field is oriented parallel to the plane of the Galaxy. A trend of decreasing polarization fraction with increasing total intensity is observed, ruling out the simplest model of a constant Galactic magnetic field orientation along the line of sight in the Galactic plane. A generally increasing trend of polarization fraction with electromagnetic frequency is found, varying from 0.5%-1.5% at frequencies below 50 GHz to 2.5%-3.5% above 90 GHz. The effort to extend the capabilities of BICEP by installing 220 GHz band hardware is described along with analysis of the new band

C1: Applying the Cosmogenic Nuclide Dipstick Model for Deglaciation of Mt. Washington

Guidebook for field trips in Western Maine and Northern New Hampshire: New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, p. 247-272

Estimating Parameterized Post-Newtonian Parameters from Spacecraft Radiometric Tracking Data

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77381/1/AIAA-7647-407.pd

Coupled-channels analysis of the 16^{{\bf 16}}O+208^{{\bf 208}}Pb fusion barrier distribution

Analyses using simplified coupled-channels models have been unable to describe the shape of the previously measured fusion barrier distribution for the doubly magic $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb system. This problem was investigated by re-measuring the fission excitation function for $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb with improved accuracy and performing more exact coupled-channels calculations, avoiding the constant-coupling and first-order coupling approximations often used in simplified analyses. Couplings to the single- and 2-phonon states of $^{208}$Pb, correctly taking into account the excitation energy and the phonon character of these states, particle transfers, and the effects of varying the diffuseness of the nuclear potential, were all explored. However, in contrast to other recent analyses of precise fusion data, no satisfactory simultaneous description of the shape of the experimental barrier distribution and the fusion cross-sections for $^{16}$O+$^{208}$Pb was obtained.Comment: RevTex, 29 pages, 7 postscript figures, to appear in PR

The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP): a bolometric large angular scale CMB polarimeter

The Robinson Telescope (BICEP) is a ground-based millimeter-wave bolometric array designed to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) and galactic foreground emission. Such measurements probe the energy scale of the inflationary epoch, tighten constraints on cosmological parameters, and verify our current understanding of CMB physics. Robinson consists of a 250-mm aperture refractive telescope that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 17 degrees with angular resolution of 55 and 37 arcminutes at 100 GHz and 150 GHz, respectively. Forty-nine pair of polarization-sensitive bolometers are cooled to 250 mK using a 4He/3He/3He sorption fridge system, and coupled to incoming radiation via corrugated feed horns. The all-refractive optics is cooled to 4 K to minimize polarization systematics and instrument loading. The fully steerable 3-axis mount is capable of continuous boresight rotation or azimuth scanning at speeds up to 5 deg/s. Robinson has begun its first season of observation at the South Pole. Given the measured performance of the instrument along with the excellent observing environment, Robinson will measure the E-mode polarization with high sensitivity, and probe for the B-modes to unprecedented depths. In this paper we discuss aspects of the instrument design and their scientific motivations, scanning and operational strategies, and the results of initial testing and observations.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy III, Proceedings of SPIE, 6275, 200

Enhanced Fusion-Evaporation Cross Sections in Neutron-Rich 132^{132}Sn on 64^{64}Ni

Evaporation residue cross sections have been measured with neutron-rich radioactive $^{132}$Sn beams on $^{64}$Ni in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier. The average beam intensity was $2\times 10^{4}$ particles per second and the smallest cross section measured was less than 5 mb. Large subbarrier fusion enhancement was observed. Coupled-channels calculations taking into account inelastic excitation and neutron transfer underpredict the measured cross sections below the barrier.Comment: 4 pages including 1 table and 3 figure

Long-Term Outcomes of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Follicular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma: Effect of Histological Grade and Follicular International Prognostic Index

AbstractAlthough results of autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) for recurrent follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have been previously reported, the long-term results and evaluation of prognostic factors in a large patient population receiving this therapy are difficult to find in the literature. To address these issues, we evaluated 248 patients with recurrent follicular NHL treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous SCT between 7/87 and 6/03. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system, 64 patients (26%) had follicular NHL grade 1 (FL 1), 98 (40%) had FL 2, and 86 (35%) had FL 3. At the time of transplantation, 88 of the patients (35%) had a Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score of low risk, 87 (35%) had an intermediate-risk FLIPI score, 37 (15%) had a high-risk FLIPI score, and 36 (15%) had at least 1 missing value, preventing calculation of the FLIPI score. The 5-year overall survival (OS) for all patients was 63%, and the 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 44%. In a multivariate analysis, a histological grade of FL 3, a high-risk FLIPI score at the time of transplantation, and having received 3 or more previous chemotherapy regimens were significant factors for predicting a worse OS. In addition, the use of a transplantation regimen including a monoclonal antibody decreased the relative risk of progressive lymphoma. These data suggest that transplantation earlier in the course of the disease for patients with follicular lymphoma with use of a monoclonal antibody–based regimen may lead to improved outcomes