Black Hole Entropy Prediction without Immirzi Parameter

In our earlier paper "Corrections to the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy and the Hawking radiation spectrum", arXiv:0910.2755, we provided two concrete numerical evidences for the new area spectrum based on the Einstein-Kaufman pseudo tensor as opposed to the Ashtekar variables: namely, the reproduction of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy without fixing Immirzi parameter and the reproduction of the Hawking radiation spectrum. In this article, we provide another concrete, numerical evidence for this new area spectrum; there was a constant in our earlier article, which was inversely proportional to the density of state, and which we could not fix a priori. Nevertheless, in our earlier article, we obtained this constant to be around 172~173 by fitting it to the Planck radiation spectrum. In this article, we calculate this value using another method. We obtain 172.87...which implies consistency.Comment: 5 page

Strengths and limitations of healthcare databases in the evaluation of hypoglycaemia

In this issue of DOM, Zaccardi et al. present an analysis of hypoglycaemia-related hospitalizations in the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) administrative database of the English National Health Service. [1] Notable strengths of the work include a large sample size involving more than 100 000 cases of hypoglycaemia, and nationwide capture spanning a duration of ten years. Key conclusions include the possibility of a U-shaped relationship between risk of hypoglycaemia and age, as well as possible associations between social deprivation and ethnicity with greater risk of hypoglycaemia

EFFECT OF HAND PLACEMENT POSITION ON PRESS-TO-HANDSTAND TECHNIQUES AND STABILITY

Considerable variations in hand placement positions are seen among gymnasts when executing a press-to-handstand. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hand placement position on press-to-handstand techniques and stability. Three male gymnasts performed two press-to-handstands in different hand positions (fingers pointing forward and outward) on a force platform. Postural sway variables were measured to assess stability. Video recordings were taken to obtain temporal and kinematic measurements. Results showed pressing to handstand in fingers outward position was characterised by less postural sway, less extended body alignment and a more under-rotated handstand orientation. These can be seen strategies to adjust the centre of mass towards a more anterior position to avoid over-rotation

Methodological review: quality of randomized controlled trials in health literacy

Background: The growing move towards patient-centred care has led to substantial research into improving the health literacy skills of patients and members of the public. Hence, there is a pressing need to assess the methodology used in contemporary randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions directed at health literacy, in particular the quality (risk of bias), and the types of outcomes reported. Methods: We conducted a systematic database search for RCTs involving interventions directed at health literacy in adults, published from 2009 to 2014. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used to assess quality of RCT implementation. We also checked the sample size calculation for primary outcomes. Reported evidence of efficacy (statistical significance) was extracted for intervention outcomes in any of three domains of effect: knowledge, behaviour, health status. Demographics of intervention participants were also extracted, including socioeconomic status. Results: We found areas of methodological strength (good randomization and allocation concealment), but areas of weakness regarding blinding of participants, people delivering the intervention and outcomes assessors. Substantial attrition (losses by monitoring time point) was seen in a third of RCTs, potentially leading to insufficient power to obtain precise estimates of intervention effect on primary outcomes. Most RCTs showed that the health literacy interventions had some beneficial effect on knowledge outcomes, but this was typically for less than 3 months after intervention end. There were far fewer reports of significant improvements in substantive patient-oriented outcomes, such as beneficial effects on behavioural change or health (clinical) status. Most RCTs featured participants from vulnerable populations. Conclusions: Our evaluation shows that health literacy trial design, conduct and reporting could be considerably improved, particularly by reducing attrition and obtaining longer follow-up. More meaningful RCTs would also result if health literacy trials were designed with public and patient involvement to focus on clinically important patient-oriented outcomes, rather than just knowledge, behaviour or skills in isolation

Mind bomb 1 in the lymphopoietic niches is essential for T and marginal zone B cell development

Notch signaling regulates lineage decisions at multiple stages of lymphocyte development, and Notch activation requires the endocytosis of Notch ligands in the signal-sending cells. Four E3 ubiquitin ligases, Mind bomb (Mib) 1, Mib2, Neuralized (Neur) 1, and Neur2, regulate the Notch ligands to activate Notch signaling, but their roles in lymphocyte development have not been defined. We show that Mib1 regulates T and marginal zone B (MZB) cell development in the lymphopoietic niches. Inactivation of the Mib1 gene, but not the other E3 ligases, Mib2, Neur1, and Neur2, abrogated T and MZB cell development. Reciprocal bone marrow (BM) transplantation experiments revealed that Mib1 in the thymic and splenic niches is essential for T and MZB cell development. Interestingly, when BM cells from transgenic Notch reporter mice were transplanted into Mib1-null mice, the Notch signaling was abolished in the double-negative thymocytes. In addition, the endocytosis of Dll1 was impaired in the Mib1-null microenvironment. Moreover, the block in T cell development and the failure of Dll1 endocytosis were also observed in coculture system by Mib1 knockdown. Our study reveals that Mib1 is the essential E3 ligase in T and MZB cell development, through the regulation of Notch ligands in the thymic and splenic microenvironments