Environmental variables, pesticide pollution and meiofaunal community structure in two contrasting temporarily open/closed false bay estuaries

Environmental variables (including natural and anthropogenic stressors) and meiobenthic communities were sampled in a ‘natural’ (Rooiels) and a ‘disturbed’ (Lourens) estuary in the Western Cape, South Africa, bimonthly for 20 months. A primary aim of the study was to assess if the meiobenthic community structure is driven by different variables when comparing ‘natural’ versus ‘disturbed’ system. Due to the much smaller catchment of the Rooiels Estuary, many environmental variables were significantly different (p<0.001) from the variables in the Lourens Estuary, e.g. salinity, temperature, pH, total suspended solids, nitrate and depth. No pesticide concentrations were expected in the Rooiels Estuary due to the absence of agricultural development in the catchment. However, chlorpyrifos (8.9 µg/kg), prothiofos (22.0 µg/kg) and cypermethrin concentrations (0.42 µg/kg) were detected frequently, with the highest concentrations recorded during the summer months. Principal response curve analysis showed that temporal variability between sampling dates explained 42% of the variance in environmental variables and pesticide concentrations and spatial variability between the 2 estuaries explained 58%. Variables contributing most to the differences were higher concentrations of endosulfan, p,p-DDE and nitrate concentrations in the Lourens Estuary and larger grain size and higher salinity at the bottom in the Rooiels Estuary. In general the meiofaunal community in the Rooiels Estuary showed a significantly higher number of taxa (p<0.001), a significantly higher Shannon Wiener Diversity Index (

Interactive sections of an Internet-based intervention increase empowerment of chronic back pain patients: Randomized controlled trial

Background Chronic back pain (CBP) represents a significant public health problem. As one of the most common causes of disability and sick leave, there is a need to develop cost-effective ways, such as Internet-based interventions, to help empower patients to manage their disease. Research has provided evidence for the effectiveness of Internet-based interventions in many fields, but it has paid little attention to the reasons why they are effective. Objective This study aims to assess the impact of interactive sections of an Internet-based self-management intervention on patient empowerment, their management of the disease, and, ultimately, health outcomes. Methods A total of 51 patients were recruited through their health care providers and randomly assigned to either an experimental group with full access to the Internet-based intervention or a control group that was denied access to the interactive sections and knew nothing thereof. The intervention took 8 weeks. A baseline, a mid-term after 4 weeks, and a final assessment after 8 weeks measured patient empowerment, physical exercise, medication misuse, and pain burden. Results All patients completed the study. Overall, the intervention had a moderate effect (F =2.83, P=.03, η =0.30, d=0.55). Compared to the control group, the availability of interactive sections significantly increased patient empowerment (midterm assessment: mean difference=+1.2, P=.03, d=0.63; final assessment: mean difference=+0.8, P=.09, d=0.44) and reduced medication misuse (midterm assessment: mean difference=−1.5, P=.04, d=0.28; final assessment: mean difference=−1.6, P=.03, d=−0.55) in the intervention group. Both the frequency of physical exercise and pain burden decreased, but to equal measures in both groups. Conclusions Results suggest that interactive sections as part of Internet-based interventions can positively alter patients’ feelings of empowerment and help prevent medication misuse. Detrimental effects were not observed. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02114788; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02114788 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ROXYVoPR)

Study protocol for a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial of SKY breathing meditation versus cognitive processing therapy for PTSD among veterans

Introduction Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating, highly prevalent condition. Current clinical practice guidelines recommend trauma-focused psychotherapy (eg, cognitive processing therapy; CPT) as the first-line treatment for PTSD. However, while these treatments show clinically meaningful symptom improvement, the majority of those who begin treatment retain a diagnosis of PTSD post-treatment. Perhaps for this reason, many individuals with PTSD have sought more holistic, mind–body, complementary and integrative health (CIH) interventions. However, there remains a paucity of high-quality, active controlled efficacy studies of CIH interventions for PTSD, which precludes their formal recommendation. Methods and analyses We present the protocol for an ongoing non-inferiority parallel group randomised controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of a breathing meditation intervention (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga [SKY]) to a recommended evidence-based psychotherapy (CPT) for PTSD among veterans. Assessors are blinded to treatment group. The primary outcome measure is the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version and a combination of clinical, self-report, experimental and physiological outcome measures assess treatment-related changes across each of the four PTSD symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, negative cognitions or mood and hyperarousal/reactivity). Once the RCT is completed, analyses will use both an intent-to-treat (using the ‘last observation carried forward’ for missing data) and a per-protocol or ‘treatment completers’ procedure, which is the most rigorous approach to non-inferiority designs. Ethics and dissemination To the best of our knowledge, this is this first non-inferiority RCT of SKY versus CPT for PTSD among veterans. The protocol is approved by the Stanford University Institutional Review Board. All participants provided written informed consent prior to participation. Results from this RCT will inform future studies including larger multi-site efficacy RCTs of SKY for PTSD and other mental health conditions, as well as exploration of cost-effectiveness and evaluation of implementation issues. Results will also inform evidence-based formal recommendations regarding CIH interventions for PTSD

Emotion dysregulation and heart rate variability improve in US veterans undergoing treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder: Secondary exploratory analyses from a randomised controlled trial

Background Emotion regulation (ER) is a key process underlying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet, little is known about how ER changes with PTSD treatment. Understanding these effects may shed light on treatment processes. Methods We recently completed a non-inferiority design randomised controlled trial demonstrating that a breathing-based yoga practice (Sudarshan kriya yoga; SKY) was not clinically inferior to cognitive processing therapy (CPT) across symptoms of PTSD, depression, or negative affect. Here, in secondary exploratory analyses (intent-to-treat N = 85; per protocol N = 59), we examined whether self-reported ER (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; DERS) and physiological ER (heart rate variability; HRV) improved with treatment for clinically significant PTSD symptoms among US Veterans. Results DERS-Total and all six subscales improved with small-to-moderate effect sizes (d = .24–.66) following CPT or SKY, with no differences between treatment groups. Following SKY (but not CPT), HR max–min (average difference between maximum and minimum beats per minute), LF/HF (low-to-high frequency) ratio, and normalised HF-HRV (high frequency power) improved (moved towards a healthier profile; d = .42–.55). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that a breathing-based yoga (SKY) improved both voluntary/intentional and automatic/physiological ER. In contrast, trauma-focused therapy (CPT) only reliably improved self-reported ER. Findings have implications for PTSD treatment and interventions for emotional disorders more broadly. Trial registration Secondary analyses of ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02366403

Causes, coping, and culture : a comparative survey study on representation of back pain in three Swiss language regions

Introduction: This study intends to contribute to a research tradition that asks how causal attributions of illnesses affect coping behavior. Causal attributions are understood as the most important element of illness representations and coping as a means to preserve quality of life. The issue is applied to a condition so far often neglected in research on illness representations-back pain-and a third concept is added to the picture: culture. Aim: The aim of this study is (a) to explore the causal factors to which persons with back pain attribute the further course of their illness, (b) to find out whether the attributed causes are predictors of coping maxims, and (c) to find out whether cultural factors affect attributions and coping and moderate the relationship between the two. Methods: A total of 1259 gainfully employed or self-employed persons with recent episodes of back pain were recruited in the three language regions of Switzerland. They were asked to complete a structured online interview, measuring among many other variables attributed causes, coping maxims, and affiliation to one of the Swiss micro-cultures (German-, Frenchor Italian-speaking). Results: Attributed causes of the illness that can be influenced by a patient go along with more active coping styles. Cultural affiliation impacts on coping maxims independently, but culture moderates the relationship of attributed causes and coping maxims only in two of twenty possible cases. Implications: The results show that cultural differences can be analytically incorporated in the models of illness representations. Results may help to improve healthcare providers' communication with patients and plan public health campaigns. The approach to micro-cultural differences and the substantive relationships between alterability of causes and activity in coping may help the further development of models of illness representations. \ua9 2013 Schulz et al

Anisotropy of ultra-thin ferromagnetic films and the spin reorientation transition

The influence of uniaxial anisotropy and the dipole interaction on the direction of the magnetization of ultra-thin ferromagnetic films in the ground-state is studied. The ground-state energy can be expressed in terms of anisotropy constants which are calculated in detail as function of the system parameters and the film thickness. In particular non-collinear spin arrangements are taken into account. Conditions for the appearance of a spin reorientation transition are given and analytic results for the width of the canted phase and its shift in applied magnetic fields associated with this transition are derived.Comment: 6 pages, RevTeX

H1N1 influenza pandemic in Italy revisited : has the willingness to get vaccinated suffered in the long run?

Background. The aim of the study is to assess the long-term secondary effects of personal experience with the H1N1 pandemic of 2009/2010 and the perception of the institutional reaction to it on Italians\u2019 willingness to get vaccinated in case of a novel influenza pandemic. Design and Methods. We conducted 140 face-to-face interviews in the Registry Office of the Municipality of Milan, Italy, from October to December 2012. Results. Willingness to get vaccinated during a novel influenza pandemic was best predicted by having been vaccinated against the seasonal flu in the past (OR=5.18; 95%CI: 1.40 to 19.13) and fear of losing one\u2019s life in case of an infection with H1N1 (OR=4.09; 95%CI: 1.68 to 9.97). It was unaffected by the assessment of institutional performance. Conclusions. The findings of this study do not point to long-term secondary effects of the institutional handling of the H1N1 pandemic. The results highlight the fact that behavioural intention is not the same as behaviour, and that the former cannot simply be taken as an indicator of the latter

Attractor Solution of Phantom Field

In light of recent study on the dark energy models that manifest an equation of state $w<-1$, we investigate the cosmological evolution of phantom field in a specific potential, exponential potential in this paper. The phase plane analysis show that the there is a late time attractor solution in this model, which address the similar issues as that of fine tuning problems in conventional quintessence models. The equation of state $w$ is determined by the attractor solution which is dependent on the $\lambda$ parameter in the potential. We also show that this model is stable for our present observable universe.Comment: 9 pages, 3 ps figures; typos corrected, references updated, this is the final version to match the published versio

Schwinger boson theory of anisotropic ferromagnetic ultrathin films

Ferromagnetic thin films with magnetic single-ion anisotropies are studied within the framework of Schwinger bosonization of a quantum Heisenberg model. Two alternative bosonizations are discussed. We show that qualitatively correct results are obtained even at the mean-field level of the theory, similar to Schwinger boson results for other magnetic systems. In particular, the Mermin-Wagner theorem is satisfied: a spontaneous magnetization at finite temperatures is not found if the ground state of the anisotropic system exhibits a continuous degeneracy. We calculate the magnetization and effective anisotropies as functions of exchange interaction, magnetic anisotropies, external magnetic field, and temperature for arbitrary values of the spin quantum number. Magnetic reorientation transitions and effective anisotropies are discussed. The results obtained by Schwinger boson mean-field theory are compared with the many-body Green's function technique.Comment: 14 pages, including 7 EPS figures, minor changes, final version as publishe

Phantom Cosmology with Non-minimally Coupled Real Scalar Field

We find that the expansion of the universe is accelerating by analyzing the recent observation data of type \textsc{I}a supernova(SN-Ia) .It indicates that the equation of state of the dark energy might be smaller than -1,which leads to the introduction of phantom models featured by its negative kinetic energy to account for the regime of equation of state parameter $w<-1$.In this paper the possibility of using a non-minimally coupled real scalar field as phantom to realize the equation of state parameter $w<-1$ is discussed.The main equations which govern the evolution of the universe are obtained.Then we rewrite them with the observable quantities.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Gen.Rel.Gra