6,578 research outputs found
Prevalence and factors associated with the use of alternative (folk) medicine practitioners in 8 countries of the former Soviet Union.
BACKGROUND: Research suggests that since the collapse of the Soviet Union there has been a sharp growth in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in some former Soviet countries. However, as yet, comparatively little is known about the use of CAM in the countries throughout this region. Against this background, the aim of the current study was to determine the prevalence of using alternative (folk) medicine practitioners in eight countries of the former Soviet Union (fSU) and to examine factors associated with their use. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Living Conditions, Lifestyles and Health (LLH) survey undertaken in eight former Soviet countries (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine) in 2001. In this nationally representative cross-sectional survey, 18428 respondents were asked about how they treated 10 symptoms, with options including the use of alternative (folk) medicine practitioners. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the treatment of differing symptoms by such practitioners in these countries. RESULTS: The prevalence of using an alternative (folk) medicine practitioner for symptom treatment varied widely between countries, ranging from 3.5% in Armenia to 25.0% in Kyrgyzstan. For nearly every symptom, respondents living in rural locations were more likely to use an alternative (folk) medicine practitioner than urban residents. Greater wealth was also associated with using these practitioners, while distrust of doctors played a role in the treatment of some symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The widespread use of alternative (folk) medicine practitioners in some fSU countries and the growth of this form of health care provision in the post-Soviet period in conditions of variable licensing and regulation, highlights the urgent need for more research on this phenomenon and its potential effects on population health in the countries in this region
Quantum dot dephasing by fractional quantum Hall edge states
We consider the dephasing rate of an electron level in a quantum dot, placed
next to a fluctuating edge current in the fractional quantum Hall effect. Using
perturbation theory, we show that this rate has an anomalous dependence on the
bias voltage applied to the neighboring quantum point contact, which originates
from the Luttinger liquid physics which describes the Hall fluid. General
expressions are obtained using a screened Coulomb interaction. The dephasing
rate is strictly proportional to the zero frequency backscattering current
noise, which allows to describe exactly the weak to strong backscattering
crossover using the Bethe-Ansatz solution
PENERAPAN HASIL BELAJAR NUTRISI PADA PERILAKU GIZI SISWA SMK SANDHY PUTRA BANDUNG
Siswa SMK berada dalam usia remaja pada masa ini rentan masalah gizi. Masih terdapat siswa yang menghilangkan waktu makan dan dalam memilih jajanan kurang memperhatikan makanan yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan gizi. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memperoleh gambaran umum tentang penerapan hasil belajar mata pelajaran Nutrisi pada perilaku gizi yang terdiri dari pengetahuan, sikap dan praktik gizi siswa kelas XII Tata Boga SMK Sandhy Putra Bandung. Metode penelitian menggunakan analisis deskriptif. Populasi penelitian sebanyak 69 siswa, dengan teknik probability sampling diperoleh sampel 35 siswa. Alat pengumpulan data menggunakan tes, angket, food recall dan food frequency. Teknik pengolahan data berdasarkan nilai dari persentase. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata persentase aspek pengetahuan gizi siswa berada pada kategori baik, aspek sikap gizi siswa berada pada kategori diterapkan dan aspek praktik gizi siswa berada pada kategori cukup diterapkan. Rata-rata energi yang dikonsumsi sebesar 74% dari kebutuhan gizi (1633 kkal ± 305.2 kkal). Saran penulis bagi guru yaitu memberikan penguatan materi terkait praktik gizi dalam pemenuhan energi yang sesuai kebutuhan gizi dan pemilihan makanan yang baik dari segi kualitas dan kuantitas
Photo-assisted Andreev reflection as a probe of quantum noise
Andreev reflection, which corresponds to the tunneling of two electrons from
a metallic lead to a superconductor lead as a Cooper pair (or vice versa), can
be exploited to measure high frequency noise. A detector is proposed, which
consists of a normal lead--superconductor circuit, which is capacitively
coupled to a mesoscopic circuit where noise is to be measured. We discuss two
detector circuits: a single normal metal -- superconductor tunnel junction and
a normal metal separated from a superconductor by a quantum dot operating in
the Coulomb blockade regime. A substantial DC current flows in the detector
circuit when an appropriate photon is provided or absorbed by the mesoscopic
circuit, which plays the role of an environment for the junction to which it
couples. Results for the current can be cast in all cases in the form of a
frequency integral of the excess noise of the environment weighted by a kernel
which is specific to the transport process (quasiparticle tunneling, Andreev
reflection,...) which is considered. We apply these ideas to the measurement of
the excess noise of a quantum point contact and we provide numerical estimates
of the detector current.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figure
Contrasting one's share of the shared life space:Comparing the roles of metacognition and inhibitory control in the development of theory of mind among Scottish and Japanese children
Cultural comparisons suggest that an understanding of other minds may develop sooner in independent versus interdependent settings, and vice versa for inhibitory control. From a western lens, this pattern might be considered paradoxical, since there is a robust positive relationship between theory of mind (ToM) and inhibitory control in western samples. In independent cultures, an emphasis on one's own mind offers a clear route to âsimulateâ other minds, and inhibitory control may be required to set aside one's own perspective to represent the perspective of others. However, in interdependent cultures, social norms are considered the key catalyst for behaviour, and metacognitive reflection and/or suppression of one's own perspective may not be necessary. The cross-cultural generalizability of the western developmental route to ToM is therefore questionable. The current study used an age-matched cross-sectional sample to contrast 56 Japanese and 56 Scottish 3â6-year-old's metacognition, ToM and inhibitory control skills. We replicated the expected cultural patterns for ToM (Scotland > Japan) and inhibitory control (Japan > Scotland). Supporting western developmental enrichment theories, we find that inhibitory control and metacognition predict theory of mind competence in Scotland. However, these variables cannot be used to predict Japanese ToM. This confirms that individualistic mechanisms do not capture the developmental mechanism underlying ToM in Japan, highlighting a bias in our understanding of ToM development. Research Highlights: We replicate an independent cultural advantage for theory of mind (Scotland > Japan) and interdependent advantage for inhibitory control (Japan > Scotland). From a western lens, this pattern might be considered paradoxical, since there is a robust positive relationship between theory of mind and inhibitory control. Supporting western developmental enrichment theories, we find that the development of inhibitory control mediates the link between metacognition and theory of mind in Scotland. However, this model does not predict Japanese theory of mind, highlighting an individualistic bias in our mechanistic understanding of theory of mind development
SINR Analysis of Opportunistic MIMO-SDMA Downlink Systems with Linear Combining
Opportunistic scheduling (OS) schemes have been proposed previously by the
authors for multiuser MIMO-SDMA downlink systems with linear combining. In
particular, it has been demonstrated that significant performance improvement
can be achieved by incorporating low-complexity linear combining techniques
into the design of OS schemes for MIMO-SDMA. However, this previous analysis
was performed based on the effective signal-to-interference ratio (SIR),
assuming an interference-limited scenario, which is typically a valid
assumption in SDMA-based systems. It was shown that the limiting distribution
of the effective SIR is of the Frechet type. Surprisingly, the corresponding
scaling laws were found to follow with , rather
than the conventional form.
Inspired by this difference between the scaling law forms, in this paper a
systematic approach is developed to derive asymptotic throughput and scaling
laws based on signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR) by utilizing extreme
value theory. The convergence of the limiting distribution of the effective
SINR to the Gumbel type is established. The resulting scaling law is found to
be governed by the conventional form. These novel results are
validated by simulation results. The comparison of SIR and SINR-based analysis
suggests that the SIR-based analysis is more computationally efficient for
SDMA-based systems and it captures the asymptotic system performance with
higher fidelity.Comment: Proceedings of the 2008 IEEE International Conference on
Communications, Beijing, May 19-23, 200
Male solitary drinking and hazardous alcohol use in nine countries of the former Soviet Union.
BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that many people engage in solitary drinking and that it might be associated with negative consequences, to date, little research has focused on this form of drinking behaviour. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with solitary drinking, and assessed whether it is linked with hazardous alcohol use among males in nine countries of the former Soviet Union (fSU). METHODS: Data came from a cross-sectional population-based survey undertaken in 2010/11 in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. Information was obtained on the frequency of solitary drinking among male regular drinkers (i.e., those consuming alcoholic drinks at least once a month), and on problem drinking (CAGE) and heavy episodic drinking (HED). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between the variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of occasional and frequent solitary drinking ranged from 8.4% (Georgia) to 42.4% (Azerbaijan), and 3.1% (Kazakhstan) to 8.2% (Armenia), respectively. Solitary drinking was associated with being older, divorced/widowed, living alone, having a bad/very bad household financial situation, lower levels of social support, and poor self-rated health. Occasional solitary drinking was linked to problem drinking and HED, while frequent solitary alcohol use was related to problem drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Solitary drinking is relatively common among male regular drinkers in the fSU and is linked to older age, social and economic disadvantage, and hazardous alcohol use
Complete Genome Sequences of Evolved Arsenate-Resistant \u3ci\u3eMetallosphaera sedula\u3c/i\u3e Strains
Metallosphaera sedula is a thermoacidophilic crenarchaeote with a 2.19-Mb genome. Here, we report the genome sequences of several evolved derivatives of M. sedula generated through adaptive laboratory evolution for enhanced arsenate resistance
Presence of Adult Companion Goats Favors the Rumen Microbial and Functional Development in Artificially Reared Kids
Newborn dairy ruminants are usually separated from their dams after birth and fed on milk replacer. This lack of contact with adult animals may hinder the rumen microbiological and physiological development. This study evaluates the effects of rearing newborn goat kids in contact with adult companions on the rumen development. Thirty-two newborn goat kids were randomly allocated to two experimental groups which were reared either in the absence (CTL) or in the presence of non-lactating adult goats (CMP) and weaned at 7 weeks of age. Blood and rumen samples were taken at 5, 7, and 9 weeks of age to evaluate blood metabolites and rumen microbial fermentation. Next-generation sequencing was carried out on rumen samples collected at 7 weeks of age. Results showed that CTL kids lacked rumen protozoa, whereas CMP kids had an abundant and complex protozoal community as well as higher methanogen abundance which positively correlated with the body weight and blood beta-hydroxybutyrate as indicators of the physiological development. CMP kids also had a more diverse bacterial community (+132 ASVs) and a different structure of the bacterial and methanogen communities than CTL kids. The core rumen bacterial community in CMP animals had 53 more ASVs than that of CTL animals. Furthermore, the number of ASVs shared with the adult companions was over 4-fold higher in CMP kids than in CTL kids. Greater levels of early rumen colonizers Proteobacteria and Spirochaetes were found in CTL kids, while CMP kids had higher levels of Bacteroidetes and other less abundant taxa (Veillonellaceae, Cyanobacteria, and Selenomonas). These findings suggest that the presence of adult companions facilitated the rumen microbial development prior to weaning. This accelerated microbial development had no effect on the animal growth, but CMP animals presented higher rumen pH and butyrate (+45%) and ammonia concentrations than CTL kids, suggesting higher fibrolytic and proteolytic activities. CMP kids also had higher blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (+79%) and lower blood glucose concentrations (-23%) at weaning, indicating an earlier metabolic development which could favor the transition from pre-ruminant to ruminant after the weaning process. Further research is needed to determine the effects of this intervention in more challenging farm conditions
On the Stability and Structural Dynamics of Metal Nanowires
This article presents a brief review of the nanoscale free-electron model,
which provides a continuum description of metal nanostructures. It is argued
that surface and quantum-size effects are the two dominant factors in the
energetics of metal nanowires, and that much of the phenomenology of nanowire
stability and structural dynamics can be understood based on the interplay of
these two competing factors. A linear stability analysis reveals that metal
nanocylinders with certain magic conductance values G=1, 3, 6, 12, 17, 23, 34,
42, 51, 67, 78, 96, ... times the conductance quantum are exceptionally stable.
A nonlinear dynamical simulation of nanowire structural evolution reveals a
universal equilibrium shape consisting of a magic cylinder suspended between
unduloidal contacts. The lifetimes of these metastable structures are also
computed.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
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