Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory up to Next-to-Leading Order

[[abstract]]We examine the general lagrangian for baryon chiral perturbation theory with SU(3) flavor symmetry, up to the next-to-leading order. We consider both the strong and the weak interaction. The inverse of the baryon mass is treated as an additional small expansion parameter, and heavy fermion effective field theory techniques are employed to provide a consistent expansion scheme. A detailed account is given on the restrictions imposed on the lagrangian by the various symmetries. Corrections due to the finite baryon mass are also discussed.[[fileno]]2010115010040[[department]]物理

Hyperon Weak Radiative Decays in Chiral Perturbation Theory

[[abstract]]We investigate the leading-order amplitudes for weak radiative decays of hyperons in chiral perturbation theory. We consistently include contributions from the next-to-leading order weak-interaction Lagrangian. It is shown that due to these terms Hara's theorem is violated. The data for the decays of charged hyperons can be easily accounted for. However, at this order in the chiral expansion, the four amplitudes for the decays of neutral hyperons satisfy relations which are in disagreement with the data. The asymmetry parameters for all the decays can not be accounted for without higher-order terms. We shortly comment on the effect of the 27-plet part of the weak interaction.[[fileno]]2010115010036[[department]]物理

We blame innocent victims more than I do: Self-construal level moderates responses to just world threats

This study investigated the impact of self-construal levels on people's tendency to blame innocent victims for the victims' fates. The authors hypothesized that when the belief in a just world is threatened, social self-construal is associated with more victim blaming than individual self-construal is. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants were primed with either the individual self (with the word I) or the social self (with the word we). Results indeed showed that when threats to just-world beliefs were high, social self-activation produced more victim blaming than individual self-activation did. This effect was not found when just-world threats were low. Extending on these findings, Experiment 3 revealed that, following a just-world threat, an independent self-construal measure was negatively related to victim blaming, and an interdependent self-construal measure was positively related to victim blaming. It is concluded that self-construal levels are important to understanding the justice motive. © 2009 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc

Factors affecting communication between transgender and non-binary individuals and general practitioners: Recommendations for inclusive interactions

Research shows that transgender and non-binary (TNB) individuals frequently experience discrimination and mistreatment in health care settings. These negative experiences cause TNB people to underutilize health care and, when they do utilize it, may affect communication of health information. Moving from social cognitive theory (SCT) and theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study investigated what factors influence pre-, during, and post physician visit communication between TNB individuals and general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands. Between March and May 2022, fifteen TNB individuals and ten GPs participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups about their experiences with GP-TNB interactions. The findings suggest that GPs addressing TNB people, GP knowledge and education, GP office procedures and environment, and social environment (in)directly facilitate or hamper communication. These findings support previous ideas about the influence of factors such as knowledge and social environment on one's behavior, as previously described in SCT and TPB. They also add and specify how pre-determined and novel factors affect whether TNB people feel welcome and comfortable at GP offices and if GPs feel equipped to provide TNB people with quality care. More specifically, to facilitate appropriate health communication, GPs are advised to ask patients about their pronouns, adjust intake forms, and put up TNB-specific posters or a Pride flag in their offices. TNB people are advised to make an introductory appointment to discuss their gender identity. Lastly, TNB topics should be included in medical curricula and online GP resources

The off-Shell Electromagnetic Vertex of the Nucleon in Chiral Perturbation Theory

We study the electromagnetic vertex of a nucleon in next-to-leading order chiral perturbation theory (CPT). We consider the case where one of the nucleons at the $\gamma$NN vertex is off its mass shell. We define relevant measures for the off-shell dependence in the limited kinematical range allowed, and analyze their expansion in the pion mass. The leading nonanalytic contributions are calculated to estimate their size.Comment: 12 pages (LaTeX), 1 figure (available upon request), NIKHEF 93-P

Evaluation of a Community-wide Diabetes Prevention Program

This thesis is an evaluation of the effectiveness of a community-wide diabetes prevention program conducted in three Divisions of General Practice in Sydney, Australia. The aims were to assess whether translation of diabetes prevention programs was feasible in real-life settings and whether results achieved were comparable with those of randomised trials on which this intervention was based. Its primary goals were to assess whether the lifestyle intervention could increase participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to 210 minutes per week, reduce total fat and saturated fat consumption to 30% and 10% of total daily energy intake, increase fibre consumption to 15 g/1,000 kcal/day, and lead to 5% weight loss over one year. The background section covers the physiopathology of type 2 diabetes, its risk factors, and the available population screening tools to identify people at risk. The growing morbidity and mortality burden, the economic implications of this public health problem, and the importance and feasibility of preventing or delaying the onset by intervening in the precursor stages are then summarised. Evidence for preventability is examined through a literature review of lifestyle interventions in research settings comprising highly structured and closely monitored physical activity and dietary programs under controlled conditions. Examples of the effectiveness of translation of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) into less stringent programs in community settings such as workplaces, churches, indigenous communities and whole-of-country initiatives are presented. A systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness of the lifestyle approaches in routine clinical practice supplements the evidence for application of prevention principles in real-life settings. The main chapters of the thesis centre on process and impact evaluation of the semi-structured Sydney-based intervention, which recruited 1,250 participants from the mainstream Australian 29 public using general practitioner services in the study area, who were followed for 12 months. The intervention’s goals aligned with those of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Program but with less stringent entry criteria and less intensive intervention components delivered by purpose-trained lifestyle officers. The Program included an initial individual assessment and coaching session, three subsequent group sessions in the following three months, then three follow-up coaching calls at three, six and nine months. A final assessment at one year, using the same objective and self-reported measures as in the initial assessment, captured changes in body weight, physical activity and dietary habits. The process evaluation showed that it is feasible and effective to use targeted screening to identify and recruit high-risk individuals into a free-of-charge program in the general practice setting, however a quarter of participants were lost to follow-up by one year. While minor variations in aspects of the Program were required to meet local need, Program fidelity in delivering components, and self-reported adherence to diet and physical activity was high. Using a before-after study design, the impact evaluation measured 1-year changes in key Program parameters in relation to baseline. These comprised: measured weight, waist circumference, BMI, and glycaemia measurements; and self-reported dietary intake and structured physical activity, using a 3-day food record and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire, respectively. The main findings at 12 months for the 586 completers as at December 2010 were: a mean weight loss of 2.1 kg; waist circumference reduction of 2.5 cm; no significant change in glycaemia; 3% reduction of fat and saturated fat intake; 16% increase in fibre intake; and mean increase in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of 13.7 minutes/week. All these changes were smaller than those achieved by the RCTs in research settings, most likely due to the lower intensity and monitoring of the Sydney intervention. Weight loss and waist circumference reductions were similar for participants in 30 group session and those who received telephone-only coaching. Diabetes incidence was 1% at the end of the first year. An economic appraisal of the Program implementation completes the evaluation. A cost of A$400 per kg lost among people achieving the weight goal was estimated on Program completion, but the cost was double for the overall group that included non weight losers. The cost of achieving the physical activity goal and the dietary goals was not feasible or sustainable with resources available in routine clinical settings. The costs per outcome were similar for participants not attending group sessions, who received only telephone coaching. Hence it is worth exploring this less labour-intensive modality if a general practice based Program were to be delivered as routine preventive care. In sum, the evaluation of this community-wide diabetes prevention program showed that translation of diabetes prevention programs into routine practice, while feasible at less intensive levels than in RCTs, has a somewhat lower effect on diabetes risk reduction and it can still be a financial burden in clinical settings. However, given the potential for population-wide benefit, the effectiveness of alternative delivery modes, number and duration of program components and more targeted patient sub-groups should be investigated.The Sydney Diabetes Prevention Program was funded by New South Wales Health as part of the Australian Better Health Initiative. Financial contribution and other in-kind support were provided by the Sydney South West Area Health Service and the Australian Diabetes Council -NSW

Near threshold radiative 3π\pi production in e+e−e^+e^- annihilation

We consider the $\pi^+\pi^-\pi_0\gamma$ final state in electron-positron annihilation at cms energies not far from the threshold. Both initial and final state radiations of the hard photon is considered but without interference between them. The amplitude for the final state radiation is obtained by using the effective Wess-Zumino-Witten Lagrangian for pion-photon interactions valid for low energies. In real experiments energies are never such small that $\rho$ and $\omega$ mesons would have negligible effect. So a phenomenological Breit-Wigner factor is introduced in the final state radiation amplitude to account for the vector mesons influence. Using radiative 3$\pi$ production amplitudes, a Monte Carlo event generator was developed which could be useful in experimental studies.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, 6 figures. Misprints corrected. Version to be published in JHE

Optimistic determinism or explaining a miracle

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