Tailoring quantum superpositions with linearly polarized amplitude-modulated light

Amplitude-modulated nonlinear magneto-optical rotation is a powerful technique that offers a possibility of controllable generation of given quantum states. In this paper, we demonstrate creation and detection of specific ground-state magnetic-sublevel superpositions in $^{87}$Rb. By appropriate tuning of the modulation frequency and magnetic-field induction the efficiency of a given coherence generation is controlled. The processes are analyzed versus different experimental parameters.SComment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Achieving equal standards in medical student education: is a national exit examination the answer?

The document attached has been archived with permission from the editor of the Medical Journal of Australia. An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.Although it is commonly assumed that the quality of medical school education in Australia is uniformly high, there is no national process for assessing its outcomes. There is substantial variability in the content of medical school curricula, and the process of curriculum change is becoming more challenging because of intense competition for time and space in the course. A national exit examination could provide a uniform standard of assessment for all medical school graduates in Australia, as well as foreign graduates applying to work in Australia. Such an examination could assess medical school outcomes, monitor the effects of curriculum change, and provide a benchmark for new medical schools that would help medical curricula evolve to better meet society’s needs.Bogda Koczwara, Martin H N Tattersall, Michael B Barton, Brendon J Coventry, Joanna M Dewar, Jeremy L Millar, Ian N Olver, Max A Schwarz, Darren L Starmer, David R Turner and Martin R Stockler, for the Cancer Council of Australia Oncology Education Committe

Differences in chronic conditions and lifestyle behaviour between people with a history of cancer and matched controls

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether people with a history of cancer have a higher prevalence of chronic conditions or different lifestyle behaviour compared with controls.  DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional, self-reported data from a telephone survey conducted between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2012 of adult residents of South Australia who self-reported a previous cancer diagnosis (cases) and randomly selected age- and sex-matched residents with no cancer diagnosis (controls).  MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported medically diagnosed cardiovascular disease, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes and osteoporosis; lifestyle behaviour (smoking, physical activity and diet); body mass index (BMI); psychological distress and self-reported health.  RESULTS: A total of 2103 cases and 4185 controls were included in the analyses. For men, after adjusting for age, cancer survivors were more likely than controls to have ever had cardiovascular disease (P<0.001), high blood pressure (P=0.001), high cholesterol (P<0.001) and diabetes (P=0.04). These associations remained significant after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), with the exception of high blood pressure (P=0.09). For women, there was an increased prevalence of high cholesterol (P=0.005), diabetes (P=0.02) and osteoporosis (P=0.005) in cancer cases, but after adjusting for SES, these associations were no longer significant. Women with a previous cancer diagnosis were more likely than controls to have ever smoked, after adjusting for SES (P=0.001). There were no other differences in lifestyle behaviour or BMI between cases and controls for men or women.  CONCLUSION: Despite similar lifestyle habits and BMI, the prevalence of chronic conditions was significantly higher among people with a history of cancer than among controls without cancer. This supports the importance of chronic disease management as part of health care after a diagnosis of cancer

Heart failure following cancer treatment: characteristics, survival and mortality of a linked health data analysis

Background: Cardiotoxicity resulting in heart failure is a devastating complication of cancer therapy. A patient may survive cancer only to develop heart failure (HF), which has a higher mortality rate than some cancers. Aim: This study aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes of HF in patients with blood or breast cancer after chemotherapy treatment. Methods: Queensland Cancer Registry, Death Registry and Hospital Administration records were linked (1996–2009). Patients were categorised as those with an index HF admission (that occurred after cancer diagnosis) and those without an index HF admission (non-HF). Results: A total of 15 987 patients was included, and 1062 (6.6%) had an index HF admission. Median age of HF patients was 67 years (interquartile range 58–75) versus 54 years (interquartile range 44–64) for non-HF patients. More men than women developed HF (48.6% vs 29.5%), and a greater proportion in the HF group had haematological cancer (83.1%) compared with breast cancer (16.9%). After covariate adjustment, HF patients had increased mortality risk compared with non-HF patients (hazard ratios 1.67 (95% confidence interval, 1.54–1.81)), and 47% of the index HF admission occurred within 1 year from cancer diagnosis and 70% within 3 years. Conclusion: Cancer treatment may place patients at a greater risk of developing HF. The onset of HF occurred soon after chemotherapy, and those who developed HF had a greater mortality risk

Heart failure following blood cancer therapy in pediatric and adult populations

Aim: The link between chemotherapy treatment and cardiotoxicity is well established, particularly for adults with blood cancers. However, it is less clear for children. This analysis aimed to compare the trajectory and mortality of children and adults who received chemotherapy for blood cancers and were subsequently hospitalised for heart failure. Methods: Linked data from the Queensland Cancer Registry, Death Registry and Hospital Administration records for initial chemotherapy and later heart failure were reviewed (1996-2009). Of all identified blood cancer patients (N=23,434); 8,339 received chemotherapy, including 817 children (aged ≤18 years at time of cancer diagnosis) and 7,522 adults. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compare the characteristics and survival between the two groups. Results: Of those who were subsequently hospitalised for heart failure, 70% of children and 46% of adults had the index admission within 12 months of their cancer diagnosis. Of these, 53% of the pediatric heart failure population and 71% of the adult heart failure population died within the study period. Following adjustment for age, sex and chemotherapy admissions, children with heart failure had an increased mortality risk compared to their non-heart failure counterparts, a difference which was much greater than that between the adult groups. Conclusion: The impact of heart failure on children previously treated for blood cancer is more severe than for adults, with earlier morbidity and greater mortality. Improved strategies are needed for the prevention and management of cardiotoxicity in this population

A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science

Leveraging the unrivaled performance of optical clocks in applications in fundamental physics beyond the standard model, in geo-sciences, and in astronomy requires comparing the frequency of distant optical clocks truthfully. Meeting this requirement, we report on the first comparison and agreement of fully independent optical clocks separated by 700 km being only limited by the uncertainties of the clocks themselves. This is achieved by a phase-coherent optical frequency transfer via a 1415 km long telecom fiber link that enables substantially better precision than classical means of frequency transfer. The fractional precision in comparing the optical clocks of three parts in $10^{17}$ was reached after only 1000 s averaging time, which is already 10 times better and more than four orders of magnitude faster than with any other existing frequency transfer method. The capability of performing high resolution international clock comparisons paves the way for a redefinition of the unit of time and an all-optical dissemination of the SI-second.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Healthy living after cancer: a dissemination and implementation study evaluating a telephone-delivered healthy lifestyle program for cancer survivors

Background: Given evidence shows physical activity, a healthful diet and weight management can improve cancer outcomes and reduce chronic disease risk, the major cancer organisations and health authorities have endorsed related guidelines for cancer survivors. Despite these, and a growing evidence base on effective lifestyle interventions, there is limited uptake into survivorship care. Methods/Design: Healthy Living after Cancer (HLaC) is a national dissemination and implementation study that will evaluate the integration of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention for cancer survivors into an existing telephone cancer information and support service delivered by Australian state-based Cancer Councils. Eligible participants (adults having completed cancer treatment with curative intent) will receive 12 health coaching calls over 6 months from Cancer Council nurses/allied health professionals targeting national guidelines for physical activity, healthy eating and weight control. Using the RE-AIM evaluation framework, primary outcomes are service-level indicators of program reach, adoption, implementation/costs and maintenance, with secondary (effectiveness) outcomes of patient-reported anthropometric, behavioural and psychosocial variables collected at pre- and post-program completion. The total participant accrual target across four participating Cancer Councils is 900 over 3 years. Discussion: The national scope of the project and broad inclusion of cancer survivors, alongside evaluation of service-level indicators, associated costs and patient-reported outcomes, will provide the necessary practice-based evidence needed to inform future allocation of resources to support healthy living among cancer survivors.Elizabeth G. Eakin, Sandra C. Hayes, Marion R. Haas, Marina M. Reeves, Janette L. Vardy, Frances Boyle, Janet E. Hiller, Gita D. Mishra, Ana D. Goode, Michael Jefford, Bogda Koczwara, Christobel M. Saunders, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Kerry S. Courneya, Kathryn H. Schmitz, Afaf Girgis, Kate White, Kathy Chapman, Anna G. Boltong, Katherine Lane, Sandy McKiernan, Lesley Millar, Lorna O, Brien, Greg Sharplin, Polly Baldwin and Erin L. Robso