Anomalous diffusion mediated by atom deposition into a porous substrate

Constant flux atom deposition into a porous medium is shown to generate a dense overlayer and a diffusion profile. Scaling analysis shows that the overlayer acts as a dynamic control for atomic diffusion in the porous substrate. This is modeled by generalizing the porous diffusion equation with a time-dependent diffusion coefficient equivalent to a nonlinear rescaling of timeComment: 4 page

Precise Vacuum Stability Bound in the Standard Model

In the standard model, a lower bound to the Higgs mass (for a given top quark mass) exists if one requires that the standard model vacuum be stable. This bound is calculated as precisely as possible, including the most recent values of the gauge couplings, corrected two-loop beta functions and radiative corrections to the Higgs and top masses. In addition to being somewhat more precise, this work differs from previous calculations in that the bounds are given in terms of the poles of the Higgs and top quark propagators, rather than ''the MS-bar top quark mass''. This difference can be as large as 6-10 GeV for the top mass, which corresponds to as much as 15 GeV for the Higgs mass lower bound. Concentrating on the top quark mass region from 130 to 150 GeV, I find that for $\alpha_s=0.117$, $$m_H > 75 {\rm GeV} + 1.64 (m_t - 140 {\rm GeV}).$$ This result increases (decreases) by 3 GeV if the strong coupling decreases (increases) by 0.007, and is accurate to 2 GeV. If one allows for the standard model vacuum to be unstable, then weaker bounds can be obtained.Comment: 9 pages, WM-93-108, in Plain Tex, phyzzx macropackage added at the beginnin

Matchings on infinite graphs

Elek and Lippner (2010) showed that the convergence of a sequence of bounded-degree graphs implies the existence of a limit for the proportion of vertices covered by a maximum matching. We provide a characterization of the limiting parameter via a local recursion defined directly on the limit of the graph sequence. Interestingly, the recursion may admit multiple solutions, implying non-trivial long-range dependencies between the covered vertices. We overcome this lack of correlation decay by introducing a perturbative parameter (temperature), which we let progressively go to zero. This allows us to uniquely identify the correct solution. In the important case where the graph limit is a unimodular Galton-Watson tree, the recursion simplifies into a distributional equation that can be solved explicitly, leading to a new asymptotic formula that considerably extends the well-known one by Karp and Sipser for Erd\"os-R\'enyi random graphs.Comment: 23 page

Improving accessibility of Internet-interventions

Background: An Internet-based tinnitus intervention for use in the USA can address barriers that weaken the provision of tinnitus-related services. Although such interventions exist, their suitability for this population was questioned. The aim of this study was to adapt an Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy intervention (ICBT) for tinnitus to ensure its utility for a US population. The study objectives were to ensure the program’s accessibility in terms of readability, language, and cultural appropriateness. Methods: The intervention materials were redesigned to ensure accessibility in terms of readability, language, and cultural suitability. Readability Studio was used to objectively evaluate reading level. Cultural and linguistic adaptions were identified by a tinnitus expert in the USA. The intervention was evaluated for functionality, comprehensiveness, readability, and content by specialist audiologists practicing in the USA. Results: Accessibility was improved to ensure all chapters had readability levels of between Grades 5-6. Cultural and linguistic adaptations were made in terms of content, vocabulary, and spelling. Accessibility was enhanced by translating the intervention material into Spanish. To improve engagement, adaptions were made to the interactive elements and worksheets. Specialist audiologist ratings indicated acceptability of the intervention as an alternative to face-to-face clinical tinnitus management. Conclusion: Internet intervention material was revised to adhere to best practice guidelines. These revisions improved accessibility, readability and comprehension. Further studies should determine whether these changes improved self-efficacy, engagement, and aided motivation to complete the intervention

Translation and Adaptation of Three English Tinnitus Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to Spanish

Objective: The objective of this study was to improve the range of standardized tinnitus Spanish Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) available by translating and ensuring cross-cultural adaptation of three English PROMs to Spanish. Design: The Tinnitus and Hearing Survey, Tinnitus Cognition Questionnaire, and Tinnitus Qualities Questionnaire were translated to Spanish using recently established good practice guidelines (Hall et al., 2018). Study Sample: The translation process addressed 22 items included in six main steps specified in the guidelines. The translated PROMs were field tested on a sample of tinnitus patients who were recruited through convenience sampling using cognitive debriefing (n=5) and pilot testing (n=10) methods. Results: The translation process employed the required steps and provided specific details about the process and procedures. In addition, practical issues encountered while translating and adapting the questionnaires that may influence future translations were revealed. Conclusions: This is the first account of translating and adapting PROMs from one language to another using the good practice guidelines specific to hearing-related questionnaires. Following the rigorous procedures should ensure that the translated PROMs have linguistic and cultural equivalence to the original versions, although psychometric evaluation would remain necessary to confirm the functional equivalence

Rethinking Equality in the Global Society

The future of affirmative action, especially in the area of American higher education, has been called into question by the 1996 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Hopwood v. State of Texas, requiring race-blind admission to state universities in Texas, and the passage of Proposition 209 in California. The seemingly endless American debate on this issue almost entirely has ignored the fact that other countries faced with comparable problems of remedying the effects of past discrimination have developed programs and acquired experience from which Americans might learn. Further, the legal debate has not been adequately informed by the social science disciplines. This conference was intended to expand discussion at a critical moment by introducing these missing perspectives

Readability following cultural and linguistic adaptations of an Internet-based Intervention for Tinnitus for use in the United States

Purpose: An Internet-based tinnitus intervention for use in the United States could improve the provision of tinnitus-related services. Although such interventions have undergone clinical trials in Europe, the UK, and Australia, their suitability for adults with tinnitus in the US has not been established. The aim of this study was to improve the cultural and linguistic suitability, and lower the readability level, of an existing program for tinnitus to ensure its suitability for US English-and Spanish-speaking populations. Method: Guidelines for cultural adaptation were followed and involved four phases: (i) cultural adaptations, as interventions targeted at specific cultures have been shown to improve outcomes; (ii) creating Spanish materials to improve access of the materials to the large Spanish-speaking population in the US; (iii) professional review of the materials for acceptability as an intervention tool for a US population; and (iv) literacy level adjustments to make the content accessible to those with lower levels of health literacy skills. Results: Cultural adaptations were made by using word substitutions, changing examples and modifying the spelling of certain words. The materials were then translated into Spanish and cross-checked. Professional review ensured suitability of the chapters. Literacy level adjustments ensured all chapters were within the guidelines for readability grade levels below the 6th-grade level. Conclusions: The previously developed tinnitus materials were revised to adhere to best practice guidelines and ensure cultural suitability for adults with tinnitus in the US. As it is also available in Spanish, members of the large Hispanic community also have access to the intervention in their first language. Further studies should determine whether these changes improve patients’ self-efficacy, engagement, and motivation to complete the intervention

Research Directions in the Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenomics: An Overview of US Programs and Projects

Response to a drug often differs widely among individual patients. This variability is frequently observed not only with respect to effective responses but also with adverse drug reactions. Matching patients to the drugs that are most likely to be effective and least likely to cause harm is the goal of effective therapeutics. Pharmacogenomics (PGx) holds the promise of precision medicine through elucidating the genetic determinants responsible for pharmacological outcomes and using them to guide drug selection and dosing. Here we survey the US landscape of research programs in PGx implementation, review current advances and clinical applications of PGx, summarize the obstacles that have hindered PGx implementation, and identify the critical knowledge gaps and possible studies needed to help to address them

A research agenda to support the development and implementation of genomics-based clinical informatics tools and resources.

OBJECTIVE: The Genomic Medicine Working Group of the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research virtually hosted its 13th genomic medicine meeting titled Developing a Clinical Genomic Informatics Research Agenda . The meeting\u27s goal was to articulate a research strategy to develop Genomics-based Clinical Informatics Tools and Resources (GCIT) to improve the detection, treatment, and reporting of genetic disorders in clinical settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experts from government agencies, the private sector, and academia in genomic medicine and clinical informatics were invited to address the meeting\u27s goals. Invitees were also asked to complete a survey to assess important considerations needed to develop a genomic-based clinical informatics research strategy. RESULTS: Outcomes from the meeting included identifying short-term research needs, such as designing and implementing standards-based interfaces between laboratory information systems and electronic health records, as well as long-term projects, such as identifying and addressing barriers related to the establishment and implementation of genomic data exchange systems that, in turn, the research community could help address. DISCUSSION: Discussions centered on identifying gaps and barriers that impede the use of GCIT in genomic medicine. Emergent themes from the meeting included developing an implementation science framework, defining a value proposition for all stakeholders, fostering engagement with patients and partners to develop applications under patient control, promoting the use of relevant clinical workflows in research, and lowering related barriers to regulatory processes. Another key theme was recognizing pervasive biases in data and information systems, algorithms, access, value, and knowledge repositories and identifying ways to resolve them