4,215 research outputs found
Self reported aggravating activities do not demonstrate a consistent directional pattern in chronic non specific low back pain patients: An observational study
Question: Do the self-reported aggravating activities of chronic non-specific low back pain
patients demonstrate a consistent directional pattern? Design: Cross-sectional observational
study. Participants: 240 chronic non specific low back pain patients. Outcome measure: We
invited experienced clinicians to classify each of the three self-nominated aggravating
activities from the Patient Specific Functional Scale by the direction of lumbar spine
movement. Patients were described as demonstrating a directional pattern if all nominated
activities moved the spine into the same direction. Analyses were undertaken to determine if
the proportion of patients demonstrating a directional pattern was greater than would be
expected by chance. Results: In some patients, all tasks did move the spine into the same
direction, but this proportion did not differ from chance (p = 0.328). There were no clinical or
demographic differences between those who displayed a directional pattern and those who did
not (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: Using patient self-reported aggravating activities we were
unable to demonstrate the existence of a consistent pattern of adverse movement in patients
with chronic non-specific low back pain
Microwave Dielectric Loss at Single Photon Energies and milliKelvin Temperatures
The microwave performance of amorphous dielectric materials at very low
temperatures and very low excitation strengths displays significant excess
loss. Here, we present the loss tangents of some common amorphous and
crystalline dielectrics, measured at low temperatures (T < 100 mK) with near
single-photon excitation energies, using both coplanar waveguide (CPW) and
lumped LC resonators. The loss can be understood using a two-level state (TLS)
defect model. A circuit analysis of the half-wavelength resonators we used is
outlined, and the energy dissipation of such a resonator on a multilayered
dielectric substrate is considered theoretically.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letter
The pion form factor in improved lattice QCD
We calculate the electromagnetic form factor of the pion in lattice gauge
theory. The non-perturbatively improved Sheikoleslami-Wohlert lattice action is
used together with the O(a) improved current. The form factor is compared to
results for other choices for the current and features of the structure of the
pion deduced from the 'Bethe-Salpeter wave function' are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, LaTex, 2 figure
- …