53 research outputs found
Reining in Punitive Discipline: Recent Trends in Exclusionary School Discipline Disparities
Concerns around disparities in suspensions and expulsions from schools in the United States have resulted in a concerted effort to reduce the use of exclusionary school discipline. In this article, the authors describe trends in the use of exclusionary discipline in Indiana and Oregon, two U.S. states with different school discipline policy climates. The findings point to a substantial decline in the use of suspensions and other forms of exclusionary discipline in both states. The authors further find that racial and socioeconomic disparities have recently narrowed in both states, though Black students and students who were identified as economically disadvantaged remain likely to be disproportionately exposed to exclusionary discipline. These trends, and their timing, illustrate the broad-based change in disciplinary norms that has occurred in the U.S. over the past decade
Exact beta function from the holographic loop equation of large-N QCD_4
We construct and study a previously defined quantum holographic effective
action whose critical equation implies the holographic loop equation of large-N
QCD_4 for planar self-avoiding loops in a certain regularization scheme. We
extract from the effective action the exact beta function in the given scheme.
For the Wilsonean coupling constant the beta function is exacly one loop and
the first coefficient agrees with its value in perturbation theory. For the
canonical coupling constant the exact beta function has a NSVZ form and the
first two coefficients agree with their value in perturbation theory.Comment: 42 pages, latex. The exponent of the Vandermonde determinant in the
quantum effective action has been changed, because it has been employed a
holomorphic rather than a hermitean resolution of identity in the functional
integral. Beta function unchanged. New explanations and references added,
typos correcte
Helicity Amplitudes of the Lambda(1670) and two Lambda(1405) as dynamically generated resonances
We determine the helicity amplitudes A_1/2 and radiative decay widths in the
transition Lambda(1670) to gamma Y (Y=Lambda or Sigma^0). The Lambda(1670) is
treated as a dynamically generated resonance in meson-baryon chiral dynamics.
We obtain the radiative decay widths of the Lambda(1670) to gamma Lambda as 3
\pm 2 keV and to gamma Sigma^0 as 120 \pm 50 keV. Also, the Q^2 dependence of
the helicity amplitudes A_1/2 is calculated. We find that the K Xi component in
the Lambda(1670) structure, mainly responsible for the dynamical generation of
this resonance, is also responsible for the significant suppression of the
decay ratio Gamma_{gamma Lambda}/Gamma_{gamma Sigma^0}. A measurement of the
ratio would, thus, provide direct access to the nature of the Lambda(1670). To
compare the result for the Lambda(1670), we calculate the helicity amplitudes
A_1/2 for the two states of the Lambda(1405). Also, the analytic continuation
of Feynman parameterized integrals of more complicated loop amplitudes to the
complex plane is developed which allows for an internally consistent evaluation
of A_1/2.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
Twisted local systems solve the (holographic) loop equation of large-N QCD_4
We construct a holographic map from the loop equation of large-N QCD in d=2
and d=4, for planar self-avoiding loops, to the critical equation of an
equivalent effective action. The holographic map is based on two ingredients:
an already proposed holographic form of the loop equation, such that the
quantum contribution is reduced to a regularized residue; a new conformal map
from the region encircled by the based loop to a cuspidal fundamental domain in
the upper half-plane, such that the regularized residue vanishes at the cusp.
As a check, we study the first coefficient of the beta function and that part
of the second coefficient which arises from the rescaling anomaly, in passing
from the Wilsonian to the canonically normalised (holographic) effective
action.Comment: 42 pages, latex; abstract shortened and a reference added as
suggested by the referee; typos in Eq.(72,76,77,82,83,84) correcte
Role of N*(1650) in the near threshold pp --> p Lambda K+ and pp --> p Sigma0 K+ reactions
We investigate the pp --> p Lambda K+ and pp --> p Sigma0 K+ reactions at
beam energies near their thresholds within an effective Lagrangian model, where
the strangeness production proceeds via the excitation of N*(1650), N*(1710),
and N*(1720) baryonic resonances. It is found that the (1650) resonance
dominates both these reactions at near threshold energies. The contributions
from this resonance together with the final state interaction among the
outgoing particles are able to explain the observed beam energy dependence of
the ratio of the cross sections of the two reactions in the near threshold
region.Comment: Revised version, Fig. 4 is updated with the revised data, to appear
in Phys. Rev. C (Rapid Communications
Solving loop equations by Hitchin systems via holography in large-N QCD_4
For (planar) closed self-avoiding loops we construct a "holographic" map from
the loop equations of large-N QCD_4 to an effective action defined over
infinite rank Hitchin bundles. The effective action is constructed densely
embedding Hitchin systems into the functional integral of a partially quenched
or twisted Eguchi-Kawai model, by means of the resolution of identity into the
gauge orbits of the microcanonical ensemble and by changing variables from the
moduli fields of Hitchin systems to the moduli of the corresponding holomorphic
de Rham local systems. The key point is that the contour integral that occurs
in the loop equations for the de Rham local systems can be reduced to the
computation of a residue in a certain regularization. The outcome is that, for
self-avoiding loops, the original loop equations are implied by the critical
equation of an effective action computed in terms of the localisation
determinant and of the Jacobian of the change of variables to the de Rham local
systems. We check, at lowest order in powers of the moduli fields, that the
localisation determinant reproduces exactly the first coefficient of the beta
function.Comment: 65 pages, late
Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy programme to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis: a multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial
BACKGROUND: Depression is three to four times more prevalent in patients with neurological and inflammatory disorders than in the general population. For example, in patients with multiple sclerosis, the 12-month prevalence of major depressive disorder is around 25% and it is associated with a lower quality of life, faster disease progression, and higher morbidity and mortality. Despite its clinical relevance, there are few treatment options for depression associated with multiple sclerosis and confirmatory trials are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a multiple sclerosis-specific, internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) programme for the treatment of depressive symptoms associated with the disease. METHODS: This parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial of an iCBT programme to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis was carried out at five academic centres with large outpatient care units in Germany and the USA. Patients with a neurologist-confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and depressive symptoms were randomly assigned (1:1:1; automated assignment, concealed allocation, no stratification, no blocking) to receive treatment as usual plus one of two versions of the iCBT programme Amiria (stand-alone or therapist-guided) or to a control condition, in which participants received treatment as usual and were offered access to the iCBT programme after 6 months. Masking of participants to group assignment between active treatment and control was not possible, although raters were masked to group assignment. The predefined primary endpoint, which was analysed in the intention-to-treat population, was severity of depressive symptoms as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at week 12 after randomisation. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02740361, and is complete. FINDINGS: Between May 3, 2017, and Nov 4, 2020, we screened 485 patients for eligibility. 279 participants were enrolled, of whom 101 were allocated to receive stand-alone iCBT, 85 to receive guided iCBT, and 93 to the control condition. The dropout rate at week 12 was 18% (50 participants). Both versions of the iCBT programme significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared with the control group (BDI-II between-group mean differences: control vs stand-alone iCBT 6·32 points [95% CI 3·37-9·27], p<0·0001, effect size d=0·97 [95% CI 0·64-1·30]; control vs guided iCBT 5·80 points [2·71-8·88], p<0·0001, effect size d=0·96 [0·62-1·30]). Clinically relevant worsening of depressive symptoms was observed in three participants in the control group, one in the stand-alone iCBT group, and none in the guided iCBT group. No occurrences of suicidality were observed during the trial and there were no deaths. INTERPRETATION: This trial provides evidence for the safety and efficacy of a multiple sclerosis-specific iCBT tool to reduce depressive symptoms in patients with the disease. This remote-access, scalable intervention increases the therapeutic options in this patient group and could help to overcome treatment barriers
Strategies for Controlled Placement of Nanoscale Building Blocks
The capability of placing individual nanoscale building blocks on exact substrate locations in a controlled manner is one of the key requirements to realize future electronic, optical, and magnetic devices and sensors that are composed of such blocks. This article reviews some important advances in the strategies for controlled placement of nanoscale building blocks. In particular, we will overview template assisted placement that utilizes physical, molecular, or electrostatic templates, DNA-programmed assembly, placement using dielectrophoresis, approaches for non-close-packed assembly of spherical particles, and recent development of focused placement schemes including electrostatic funneling, focused placement via molecular gradient patterns, electrodynamic focusing of charged aerosols, and others
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