65 research outputs found
Magnetic Properties of Dilute Alloys: Equations for Magnetization and its Structural Fluctuations
The dilute Heisenberg ferromagnet is studied taking into account fluctuations
of magnetization caused by disorder. A self-consistent system of equations for
magnetization and its mean quadratic fluctuations is derived within the
configurationally averaged two-time temperature Green's function method. This
system of equations is analised at low concentration of non-magnetic
impurities. Mean relative quadratic fluctuations of magnetization are revealed
to be proportional to the square of concentration of impurities.Comment: 16 pages, LaTe
Evaluation of a website providing information on regional health care services for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an observational study
Studies on the effectiveness of information provision for patients with arthritis through the Internet are scarce. This study aimed to describe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients’ knowledge and information needs before and after launching a website providing information on regional health care services for patients with rheumatic conditions. The intervention consisted of a weekly updated website comprising practical information on regional health care services for patients with arthritis. In addition, patients were offered information leaflets and an information meeting. Before (T1) and 24 months after (T2) the website was launched, a random sample of 400 RA patients filled in a questionnaire regarding knowledge and information need (scores 0–18) about accessibility and contents of 18 regional health care services. Two hundred and fifty-one patients returned the questionnaire (response rate 63%) at T1 and 200 patients (50%) at T2, respectively, with 160 paired observations (112 females (70%), mean age 60.4 years (SD 9.9)). The total score for insufficient knowledge about contents decreased from 9.3 (SD 4.9) to 8.5 (SD 4.8; p = 0.03) and for accessibility from 8.6 (SD 4.7) to 8.4 (SD 4.9; p = 0.59). Total score for information need about contents decreased from 4.2 (SD 4.5) to 1.9 (SD 2.9; p < 0.01) and for accessibility from 3.6 (SD 4.5) to 1.4 (SD 2.4; p < 0.01) (paired t-tests)
Partition Functions of Holographic Minimal Models
The partition function of the W_N minimal model CFT is computed in the large
N 't Hooft limit and compared to the spectrum of the proposed holographic dual,
a 3d higher spin gravity theory coupled to massive scalar fields. At finite N,
the CFT contains additional light states that are not visible in the
perturbative gravity theory. We carefully define the large N limit, and give
evidence that, at N = infinity, the additional states become null and decouple
from all correlation functions. The surviving states are shown to match
precisely (for all values of the 't Hooft coupling) with the spectrum of the
higher spin gravity theory. The agreement between bulk and boundary is
partially explained by symmetry considerations involving the conjectured
equivalence between the W_N algebra in the large N limit and the higher spin
algebra of the Vasiliev theory.Comment: 56 page
Home Telehealth Uptake and Continued Use Among Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: a Systematic Review
Background
Home telehealth has the potential to benefit heart failure (HF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, however large-scale deployment is yet to be achieved.
Purpose
The aim of this review was to assess levels of uptake of home telehealth by patients with HF and COPD and the factors that determine whether patients do or do not accept and continue to use telehealth.
Methods
This research performs a narrative synthesis of the results from included studies.
Results
Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies that reported rates of refusal and/or withdrawal found that almost one third of patients who were offered telehealth refused and one fifth of participants who did accept later abandoned telehealth. Seven barriers to, and nine facilitators of, home telehealth use were identified.
Conclusions
Research reports need to provide more details regarding telehealth refusal and abandonment, in order to understand the reasons why patients decide not to use telehealth
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