15,282 research outputs found
Impact of Internet gambling on problem gambling among adolescents in Italy: Findings from a large-scale nationally representative survey
Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to understand the impact of online gambling on gambling problems in a large-scale nationally representative sample of Italian youth, and to identify and then further examine a subgroup of online gamblers who reported higher rates of gambling problems. Design: Data from the ESPAD®Italia2013 (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) Study were used for analyses of adolescent Internet gambling. Setting: Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a representative sample of high school students, aged 15–19 years. Participants: A total of 14,778 adolescent students. Measurements: Respondents’ problem gambling severity; gambling behavior (participation in eight different gambling activities, the number of gambling occasions and the number of online gambling occasions, monthly gambling expenditure); Socio-demographics (e.g., family structure and financial status); and control variables were measured individually (i.e., use of the Internet for leisure activities and playing video games). Findings: Rates of problem gambling were five times higher among online gamblers than non-online gamblers. In addition, factors that increased the risk of becoming a problem online gambler included living with non-birth parents, having a higher perception of financial family status, being more involved with gambling, and the medium preferences of remote gamblers (e.g., Internet cafes, digital television, and video game console). Conclusions: The online gambling environment may pose significantly greater risk to vulnerable players. Family characteristics and contextual elements concerning youth Internet gambling (e.g., remote mediums) may play a key role in explaining problem online gambling among adolescents
Polarized Diffuse Emission at 2.3 GHz in a High Galactic Latitude Area
Polarized diffuse emission observations at 2.3 GHz in a high Galactic
latitude area are presented. The 2\degr X 2\degr field, centred in
(\alpha=5^h,\delta=-49\degr), is located in the region observed by the
BOOMERanG experiment. Our observations has been carried out with the Parkes
Radio telescope and represent the highest frequency detection done to date in
low emission areas. Because of a weaker Faraday rotation action, the high
frequency allows an estimate of the Galactic synchrotron contamination of the
Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization (CMBP) that is more reliable than that
done at 1.4 GHz. We find that the angular power spectra of the E- and B-modes
have slopes of \beta_E = -1.46 +/- 0.14 and \beta_B = -1.87 +/- 0.22,
indicating a flattening with respect to 1.4 GHz. Extrapolated up to 32 GHz, the
E-mode spectrum is about 3 orders of magnitude lower than that of the CMBP,
allowing a clean detection even at this frequency. The best improvement
concerns the B-mode, for which our single-dish observations provide the first
estimate of the contamination on angular scales close to the CMBP peak (about 2
degrees). We find that the CMBP B-mode should be stronger than synchrotron
contamination at 90 GHz for models with T/S > 0.01. This low level could move
down to 60-70 GHz the optimal window for CMBP measures.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letter
SU(3) symmetry breaking in decay constants and electromagnetic properties of pseudoscalar heavy mesons
In this paper, the decay constants and mean square radii of pseudoscalar
heavy mesons are studied in the SU(3) symmetry breaking. Within the light-front
framework, the ratios and are individually
estimated using the hyperfine splittings in the and
states and the light quark masses, (), to
extract the wave function parameter . The values and are obtained, which are not only
chiefly determined by the ratio of light quark masses , but also
insensitive to the heavy quark masses and the decay constants
. The dependence of on with the
varied charm quark masses is also shown. In addition, the mean square radii are
estimated as well. The values and are obtained, and the sensitivities of on
the heavy and light quark masses are similar to those of the decay constants.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, some typos are corrected, version to
be published in Phys. Rev.
Clinical features of a novel TIMP-3 mutation causing Sorsby's fundus dystrophy: implications for disease mechanism
AIMS: To describe the phenotype in three family members affected by a novel mutation in the gene coding for the enzyme tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3).
METHODS: Three members of the same family were seen with a history of nyctalopia and visual loss due to maculopathy. Clinical features were consistent with Sorsby's fundus dystrophy. Exon 5 of the gene coding for TIMP-3 was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction, single strand conformation polymorphism analysis undertaken and exon 5 amplicons were directly sequenced.
RESULTS: Onset of symptoms was in the third to fourth decade. Five of six eyes had geographic macular atrophy rather than neovascularisation as a cause for central visual loss. Peripheral retinal pigmentary disturbances were present. Scotopic ERGs were abnormal in all three. Mutation analysis showed a GT transversion in all three resulting in a premature termination codon, E139X, deleting most of the carboxy terminal domain of TIMP-3.
CONCLUSIONS: The patients described had a form of Sorsby's fundus dystrophy which fell at the severe end of the spectrum of this disease. Postulated disease mechanisms include deposition of dimerised TIMP-3 protein
"Test me and treat me" - attitudes to vitamin D deficiency and supplementation: a qualitative study
© 2015 BMJ Open, "Test me and treat me"-attitudes to vitamin D deficiency and supplementation: a qualitative study. This manuscript version is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution Licens
Aligned Molecular Clouds towards SS433 and L=348.5 degrees; Possible Evidence for Galactic "Vapor Trail" Created by Relativistic Jet
We have carried out a detailed analysis of the NANTEN 12CO(J=1-0) dataset in
two large areas of ~25 square degrees towards SS433 (l~40 degree) and of ~18
square degrees towards l~348.5 degree, respectively. We have discovered two
groups of remarkably aligned molecular clouds at |b|~1--5 degree in the two
regions. In SS433, we have detected 10 clouds in total, which are well aligned
nearly along the axis of the X-ray jet emanating from SS433. These clouds have
similar line-of-sight velocities of 42--56 km s^-1 and the total projected
length of the feature is ~300 pc, three times larger than that of the X-ray
jet, at a distance of 3 kpc. Towards l~348.5 degree, we have detected four
clouds named as MJG348.5 at line-of-sight velocities of -80 -- -95 km s^-1 in
V_LSR, which also show alignment nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane.
The total length of the feature is ~400 pc at a kinematic distance of 6 kpc. In
the both cases, the CO clouds are distributed at high galactic latitudes where
such clouds are very rare. In addition, their alignments and coincidence in
velocity should be even rarer, suggesting that they are physically associated.
We tested a few possibilities to explain these clouds, including protostellar
outflows, supershells, and interactions with energetic jets. Among them, a
favorable scenario is that the interaction between relativistic jet and the
interstellar medium induced the formation of molecular clouds over the last
~10^5-6 yrs. It is suggested that the timescale of the relativistic jet may be
considerably larger, in the order of 10^5-6 yrs, than previously thought in
SS433. The driving engine of the jet is obviously SS433 itself in SS433,
although the engine is not yet identified in MJG348.5 among possible several
candidates detected in the X-rays and TeV gamma rays.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figures, already published in PASJ, 2008,60, 71
Consistent Quantum Counterfactuals
An analysis using classical stochastic processes is used to construct a
consistent system of quantum counterfactual reasoning. When applied to a
counterfactual version of Hardy's paradox, it shows that the probabilistic
character of quantum reasoning together with the ``one framework'' rule
prevents a logical contradiction, and there is no evidence for any mysterious
nonlocal influences. Counterfactual reasoning can support a realistic
interpretation of standard quantum theory (measurements reveal what is actually
there) under appropriate circumstances.Comment: Minor modifications to make it agree with published version. Latex 8
pages, 2 figure
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