1,537 research outputs found
Quasi-normal frequencies: Key analytic results
The study of exact quasi-normal modes [QNMs], and their associated
quasi-normal frequencies [QNFs], has had a long and convoluted history -
replete with many rediscoveries of previously known results. In this article we
shall collect and survey a number of known analytic results, and develop
several new analytic results - specifically we shall provide several new QNF
results and estimates, in a form amenable for comparison with the extant
literature. Apart from their intrinsic interest, these exact and approximate
results serve as a backdrop and a consistency check on ongoing efforts to find
general model-independent estimates for QNFs, and general model-independent
bounds on transmission probabilities. Our calculations also provide yet another
physics application of the Lambert W function. These ideas have relevance to
fields as diverse as black hole physics, (where they are related to the damped
oscillations of astrophysical black holes, to greybody factors for the Hawking
radiation, and to more speculative state-counting models for the Bekenstein
entropy), to quantum field theory (where they are related to Casimir energies
in unbounded systems), through to condensed matter physics, (where one may
literally be interested in an electron tunelling through a physical barrier).Comment: V1: 29 pages; V2: Reformatted, 31 pages. Title changed to reflect
major additions and revisions. Now describes exact QNFs for the double-delta
potential in terms of the Lambert W function. V3: Minor edits for clarity.
Four references added. No physics changes. Still 31 page
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Dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms with reduced functional potency intensify atrophy in syndrome-specific sites of frontotemporal dementia.
ObjectiveWe aimed to understand the impact of dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) polymorphisms on neurodegeneration in patients with dementia. We hypothesized that DRD4dampened-variants with reduced functional potency would be associated with greater atrophy in regions with higher receptor density. Given that DRD4 is concentrated in anterior regions of the limbic and cortical forebrain we anticipated genotype effects in patients with a more rostral pattern of neurodegeneration.Methods337 subjects, including healthy controls, patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) underwent genotyping, structural MRI, and cognitive/behavioral testing. We conducted whole-brain voxel-based morphometry to examine the relationship between DRD4 genotypes and brain atrophy patterns within and across groups. General linear modeling was used to evaluate relationships between genotype and cognitive/behavioral measures.ResultsDRD4 dampened-variants predicted gray matter atrophy in disease-specific regions of FTD in anterior cingulate, ventromedial prefrontal, orbitofrontal and insular cortices on the right greater than the left. Genotype predicted greater apathy and repetitive motor disturbance in patients with FTD. These results covaried with frontoinsular cortical atrophy. Peak atrophy patterned along regions of neuroanatomic vulnerability in FTD-spectrum disorders. In AD subjects and controls, genotype did not impact gray matter intensity.ConclusionsWe conclude that DRD4 polymorphisms with reduced functional potency exacerbate neuronal injury in sites of higher receptor density, which intersect with syndrome-specific regions undergoing neurodegeneration in FTD
Why alternative teenagers self-harm: exploring the link between non-suicidal self-injury, attempted suicide and adolescent identity
Background:
The term ‘self-harm’ encompasses both attempted suicide and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Specific adolescent subpopulations such as ethnic or sexual minorities, and more controversially, those who identify as ‘Alternative’ (Goth, Emo) have been proposed as being more likely to self-harm, while other groups such as ‘Jocks’ are linked with protective coping behaviours (for example exercise). NSSI has autonomic (it reduces negative emotions) and social (it communicates distress or facilitates group ‘bonding’) functions. This study explores the links between such aspects of self-harm, primarily NSSI, and youth subculture.<p></p>
Methods:
An anonymous survey was carried out of 452 15 year old German school students. Measures included: identification with different youth cultures, i.e. Alternative (Goth, Emo, Punk), Nerd (academic) or Jock (athletic); social background, e.g. socioeconomic status; and experience of victimisation. Self-harm (suicide and NSSI) was assessed using Self-harm Behavior Questionnaire and the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM).<p></p>
Results:
An “Alternative” identity was directly (r ≈ 0.3) and a “Jock” identity inversely (r ≈ -0.1) correlated with self-harm. “Alternative” teenagers self-injured more frequently (NSSI 45.5% vs. 18.8%), repeatedly self-injured, and were 4–8 times more likely to attempt suicide (even after adjusting for social background) than their non-Alternative peers. They were also more likely to self-injure for autonomic, communicative and social reasons than other adolescents.<p></p>
Conclusions:
About half of ‘Alternative’ adolescents’ self-injure, primarily to regulate emotions and communicate distress. However, a minority self-injure to reinforce their group identity, i.e. ‘To feel more a part of a group’
Broad clinical phenotypes associated with TAR-DNA binding protein (TARDBP) mutations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
The finding of TDP-43 as a major component of ubiquitinated protein inclusions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has led to the identification of 30 mutations in the transactive response-DNA binding protein (TARDBP) gene, encoding TDP-43. All but one are in exon 6, which encodes the glycine-rich domain. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of TARDBP mutations in a large cohort of motor neurone disease patients from Northern England (42 non-superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) familial ALS (FALS), nine ALS-frontotemporal dementia, 474 sporadic ALS (SALS), 45 progressive muscular atrophy cases). We identified four mutations, two of which were novel, in two familial (FALS) and two sporadic (SALS) cases, giving a frequency of TARDBP mutations in non-SOD1 FALS of 5% and SALS of 0.4%. Analysis of clinical data identified that patients had typical ALS, with limb or bulbar onset, and showed considerable variation in age of onset and rapidity of disease course. However, all cases had an absence of clinically overt cognitive dysfunction
Idiosyncratic deals for older workers: increased heterogeneity among older workers enhance the need for i-Deals
The rapid aging of the workforce throughout the Western world and parts of Asia,
including Japan and China, poses many challenges on contemporary organizations
(European Commission, 2010 ; Wang & Shultz, 2010 ). The Babyboom generation,
consisting of workers born between 1945 and 1965, constitutes a large part of the
current workforce. Due to decreased fertility rates, there are fewer younger workers
entering the labor market, as a consequence of which the percentage of older workers
is rapidly increasing (Truxillo & Fraccaroli, 2013 ). Consequently, organizations are
increasingly aware that the employee population is changing, and that strategies to
employ, motivate, and retain workers have to be adapted accordingly. It is no longer
suffi cient for organizations to focus on employing younger workers (e.g., through
designing traineeships for graduates), because the infl ux of younger workers in the
labor market is stagnating, which is in particular present in certain sectors, such as
technical occupations and health care (Polat, Bal, & Jansen, 2012 ). Hence, organizations
increasingly will have to rely on older workers, and try to retain older
workers, and motivate them to stay longer in the workforce. Similarly, governments
across Europe are also increasing offi cial retirement ages, and making it fi nancially
less attractive for older workers to retire early (European Commission)
Gravitational collapse and thermalization in the hard wall model
We study a simple example of holographic thermalization in a confining field
theory: the homogeneous injection of energy in the hard wall model. Working in
an amplitude expansion, we find black brane formation for sufficiently fast
energy injection and a scattering wave solution for sufficiently slow
injection. We comment on our expectations for more sophisticated holographic
QCD models.Comment: 33 pages, 5 figure
A New Chanidae (Ostariophysii: Gonorynchiformes) from the Cretaceous of Brazil with Affinities to Laurasian Gonorynchiforms from Spain
Based on specimens originally referred to as “Dastilbe minor”, a nomem-nudum, we describe a new genus of Chanidae †Nanaichthys longipinnus nov. gen. and sp. which exhibits several diagnostic characters such as the absence of orbitosphenoid and basisphenoid, anteriorly displaced quadrate-mandibular articulation, laterally expanded supraneurals, an acute angle between the preopercular limbs, expansion at the angle between the preopercular limbs, and a curved maxillary articular process. Its occurrence and supposed relationship within the Chanidae reinforce the influence of the Mediterranean Tethys over the Gondwanan main rift system prior to the Aptian/Albian highstands
Gastroesophageal reflux disease in 2006: The imperfect diagnosis
There continues to be significant controversy related to diagnostic testing for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Clearly, barium contrast fluoroscopy is superior to any other test in defining the anatomy of the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract. Although fluoroscopy can demonstrate gastroesophageal reflux (GER), this observation does not equate to GERD. Fluoroscopy time should not be prolonged to attempt to demonstrate GER during barium contrast radiography. There are no data to justify prolonging fluoroscopy time to perform provocative maneuvers to demonstrate reflux during barium contrast UGI series. Symptoms of GERD may be associated with physiologic esophageal acid exposure measured by intraesophageal pH monitoring, and a significant percentage of patients with abnormal esophageal acid exposure have no or minimal clinical symptoms of reflux. Abnormal acid exposure defined by pH monitoring over a 24-h period does not equate to GERD. In clinical practice presumptive diagnosis of GERD is reasonably assumed by substantial reduction or elimination of suspected reflux symptoms during therapeutic trial of acid reduction therapy
The utilisation of health research in policy-making: Concepts, examples and methods of assessment
The importance of health research utilisation in policy-making, and of understanding the
mechanisms involved, is increasingly recognised. Recent reports calling for more resources to
improve health in developing countries, and global pressures for accountability, draw greater
attention to research-informed policy-making. Key utilisation issues have been described for at
least twenty years, but the growing focus on health research systems creates additional dimensions.
The utilisation of health research in policy-making should contribute to policies that may eventually
lead to desired outcomes, including health gains. In this article, exploration of these issues is
combined with a review of various forms of policy-making. When this is linked to analysis of
different types of health research, it assists in building a comprehensive account of the diverse
meanings of research utilisation.
Previous studies report methods and conceptual frameworks that have been applied, if with varying
degrees of success, to record utilisation in policy-making. These studies reveal various examples of
research impact within a general picture of underutilisation.
Factors potentially enhancing utilisation can be identified by exploration of: priority setting;
activities of the health research system at the interface between research and policy-making; and
the role of the recipients, or 'receptors', of health research. An interfaces and receptors model
provides a framework for analysis.
Recommendations about possible methods for assessing health research utilisation follow
identification of the purposes of such assessments. Our conclusion is that research utilisation can
be better understood, and enhanced, by developing assessment methods informed by conceptual
analysis and review of previous studies
Consensus review of best practice of transanal irrigation in adults
Study design: Review article.
Objectives: To provide a consensus expert review of the treatment modality for transanal irrigation (TAI).
Methods: A consensus group of specialists from a range of nations and disciplines who have experience in prescribing and monitoring
patients using TAI worked together assimilating both the emerging literature and rapidly accruing clinical expertise. Consensus was
reached by a round table discussion process, with individual members leading the article write-up in the sections where they had particular expertise.
Results: Detailed trouble-shooting tips and an algorithm of care to assist professionals with patient selection, management and follow-up was developed.
Conclusion: This expert review provides a practical adjunct to training for the emerging therapeutic area of TAI. Careful patient selection, directly supervised training and sustained follow-up are key to optimise outcomes with the technique. Adopting a tailored, stepped approach to care is important in the heterogeneous patient groups to whom TAI may be applied.
Sponsorship: The review was financially supported by Coloplast A/S.
Spinal Cord (2013) 51, 732–738; doi:10.1038/sc.2013.86; published online 20 August 201
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