914 research outputs found
Oral health and pathology: a macrophage account.
Macrophages are present in healthy oral mucosa and their numbers increase dramatically during disease. They can exhibit a diverse range of phenotypes characterised as a functional spectrum from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory (regulatory) subsets. This review illustrates the role of these subsets in the oral inflammatory disease lichen planus, and the immunosuppressive disease oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We conclude that the role of macrophages in driving progression in oral disease identifies them as potential therapeutic targets for a range of oral pathologies
The design and relevance of a computerised therapy program for indigenous MÄori adolescents.
Background: Depression is a major health issue among MÄori indigenous adolescents, yet there has been little investigation into the relevance or effectiveness of psychological treatments for them. Further, consumer views are critical for engagement and adherence to therapy. However, there is little research regarding indigenous communitiesā opinions about psychological interventions for depression.
Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct semistructured interviews with MÄori (indigenous New Zealand) young people (taitamariki) and their families to find out their opinions of a prototype computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) program called Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts (SPARX), a free online computer game intended to help young persons with mild to moderate depression, feeling down, stress or anxiety. The program will teach them how to resolve their issues on their own using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as psychotherapeutic approach.
Methods: There were seven focus groups on the subject of the design and cultural relevance of SPARX that were held, with a total of 26 participants (19 taitamarki, 7 parents/caregivers, all MÄori). There were five of the groups that were with whÄnau (family groups) (n=14), one group was with MÄori teenage mothers (n=4), and one group was with taitamariki (n=8). The general inductive approach was used to analyze focus group data.
Results: SPARX computerized therapy has good face validity and is seen as potentially effective and appealing for MÄori people. Cultural relevance was viewed as being important for the engagement of MÄori young people with SPARX. WhÄnau are important for young peoplesā well-being. Participants generated ideas for improving SPARX for MÄori and for the inclusion of whÄnau in its delivery.
Conclusions: SPARX computerized therapy had good face validity for indigenous young people and families. In general, MÄori participants were positive about the SPARX prototype and considered it both appealing and applicable to them. The results of this study were used to refine SPARX prior to it being delivered to taitamariki and non-MÄori young people
Quantum picturalism for topological cluster-state computing
Topological quantum computing is a way of allowing precise quantum
computations to run on noisy and imperfect hardware. One implementation uses
surface codes created by forming defects in a highly-entangled cluster state.
Such a method of computing is a leading candidate for large-scale quantum
computing. However, there has been a lack of sufficiently powerful high-level
languages to describe computing in this form without resorting to single-qubit
operations, which quickly become prohibitively complex as the system size
increases. In this paper we apply the category-theoretic work of Abramsky and
Coecke to the topological cluster-state model of quantum computing to give a
high-level graphical language that enables direct translation between quantum
processes and physical patterns of measurement in a computer - a "compiler
language". We give the equivalence between the graphical and topological
information flows, and show the applicable rewrite algebra for this computing
model. We show that this gives us a native graphical language for the design
and analysis of topological quantum algorithms, and finish by discussing the
possibilities for automating this process on a large scale.Comment: 18 pages, 21 figures. Published in New J. Phys. special issue on
topological quantum computin
The GHZ/W-calculus contains rational arithmetic
Graphical calculi for representing interacting quantum systems serve a number
of purposes: compositionally, intuitive graphical reasoning, and a logical
underpinning for automation. The power of these calculi stems from the fact
that they embody generalized symmetries of the structure of quantum operations,
which, for example, stretch well beyond the Choi-Jamiolkowski isomorphism. One
such calculus takes the GHZ and W states as its basic generators. Here we show
that this language allows one to encode standard rational calculus, with the
GHZ state as multiplication, the W state as addition, the Pauli X gate as
multiplicative inversion, and the Pauli Z gate as additive inversion.Comment: In Proceedings HPC 2010, arXiv:1103.226
Surface Screening Charge and Effective Charge
The charge on an atom at a metallic surface in an electric field is defined
as the field-derivative of the force on the atom, and this is consistent with
definitions of effective charge and screening charge. This charge can be found
from the shift in the potential outside the surface when the atoms are moved.
This is used to study forces and screening on surface atoms of Ag(001)
c -- Xe as a function of external field. It is found that at low
positive (outward) fields, the Xe with a negative effective charge of -0.093
is pushed into the surface. At a field of 2.3 V \AA the charge
changes sign, and for fields greater than 4.1 V \AA the Xe experiences
an outward force. Field desorption and the Eigler switch are discussed in terms
of these results.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, RevTex (accepted by PRL
Revival of the magnetar PSR J1622-4950: observations with MeerKAT, Parkes, XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and NuSTAR
New radio (MeerKAT and Parkes) and X-ray (XMM-Newton, Swift, Chandra, and
NuSTAR) observations of PSR J1622-4950 indicate that the magnetar, in a
quiescent state since at least early 2015, reactivated between 2017 March 19
and April 5. The radio flux density, while variable, is approximately 100x
larger than during its dormant state. The X-ray flux one month after
reactivation was at least 800x larger than during quiescence, and has been
decaying exponentially on a 111+/-19 day timescale. This high-flux state,
together with a radio-derived rotational ephemeris, enabled for the first time
the detection of X-ray pulsations for this magnetar. At 5%, the 0.3-6 keV
pulsed fraction is comparable to the smallest observed for magnetars. The
overall pulsar geometry inferred from polarized radio emission appears to be
broadly consistent with that determined 6-8 years earlier. However, rotating
vector model fits suggest that we are now seeing radio emission from a
different location in the magnetosphere than previously. This indicates a novel
way in which radio emission from magnetars can differ from that of ordinary
pulsars. The torque on the neutron star is varying rapidly and unsteadily, as
is common for magnetars following outburst, having changed by a factor of 7
within six months of reactivation.Comment: Published in ApJ (2018 April 5); 13 pages, 4 figure
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