Evidence that process simulations reduce anxiety in patients receiving dental treatment: randomized exploratory trial

Process simulations – mental simulations that ask people to imagine the process of completing a task – have been shown to decrease anxiety in students facing hypothetical or psychological threats in the short term. The aim of the present study was to see whether process simulations could reduce anxiety in a sample of the general population attending a dental practice, and whether these effects could be sustained throughout treatment. Participants (N = 75) were randomized to an experimental condition where they were asked to simulate mentally the process of seeing the dentist, or to a control condition where they were asked to simulate mentally the outcome of seeing the dentist. Findings showed that participants in the experimental condition were significantly less anxious both before and after their consultations. Self-efficacy and self-esteem remained unchanged. This study suggests that process simulation is one active ingredient in anxiety treatment programs and further research is required to enhance its effects

The impact of population-based faecal occult blood test screening on colorectal cancer mortality:a matched cohort study

BACKGROUND: Randomised trials show reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality with faecal occult blood testing (FOBT). This outcome is now examined in a routine, population-based, screening programme. METHODS: Three biennial rounds of the UK CRC screening pilot were completed in Scotland (2000–2007) before the roll out of a national programme. All residents (50–69 years) in the three pilot Health Boards were invited for screening. They received a FOBT test by post to complete at home and return for analysis. Positive tests were followed up with colonoscopy. Controls, selected from non-pilot Health Boards, were matched by age, gender, and deprivation and assigned the invitation date of matched invitee. Follow-up was from invitation date to 31 December 2009 or date of death if earlier. RESULTS: There were 379 655 people in each group (median age 55.6 years, 51.6% male). Participation was 60.6%. There were 961 (0.25%) CRC deaths in invitees, 1056 (0.28%) in controls, rate ratio (RR) 0.90 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83–0.99) overall and 0.73 (95% CI 0.65–0.82) for participants. Non-participants had increased CRC mortality compared with controls, RR 1.21 (95% CI 1.06–1.38). CONCLUSION: There was a 10% relative reduction in CRC mortality in a routine screening programme, rising to 27% in participants

Minor industrial crops in the Southern Africa region: an appraisal of developmental potential with special reference to interregional trade. (June-July 1995). Vol.1: The main report

This report presents the findings and conclusions arising from a team study carried out in June-August 1995 of the potential for development of 'minor industrial crops' in the Southern Africa region. The study focussed on spices, essential oils, gums, resins, natural colourants and castor oil. Information was gathered on markets and production by means of field studies in South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia and was supplemented by examination of trade statistics and discussions with overseas traders. Time constraints on the study precluded a thorough investigation of all topics and, therefore, the conclusions reached must be regarded as a first phase overview of the regional market and a preliminary identification of the more promising crops for future development

Investigating microstructural variation in the human hippocampus using non-negative matrix factorization

In this work we use non-negative matrix factorization to identify patterns of microstructural variance in the human hippocampus. We utilize high-resolution structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data from the Human Connectome Project to query hippocampus microstructure on a multivariate, voxelwise basis. Application of non-negative matrix factorization identifies spatial components (clusters of voxels sharing similar covariance patterns), as well as subject weightings (individual variance across hippocampus microstructure). By assessing the stability of spatial components as well as the accuracy of factorization, we identified 4 distinct microstructural components. Furthermore, we quantified the benefit of using multiple microstructural metrics by demonstrating that using three microstructural metrics (T1-weighted/T2-weighted signal, mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) produced more stable spatial components than when assessing metrics individually. Finally, we related individual subject weightings to demographic and behavioural measures using a partial least squares analysis. Through this approach we identified interpretable relationships between hippocampus microstructure and demographic and behavioural measures. Taken together, our work suggests non-negative matrix factorization as a spatially specific analytical approach for neuroimaging studies and advocates for the use of multiple metrics for data-driven component analyses

Psychologic modulation of the human immune response to varicella zoster

Psychoimmunology, the interrelationship between the brain/mind/psyche and the immune system, is now an established area of scientific research. Based on prior investigations we hypothesized that an experienced meditator could affect her delayed hypersensitivity reaction by a psychological process. A single-case study design was employed in which the subject was skin tested weekly with varicella zoster skin test reagent. After baseline immunologic studies, she was able, as hypothesized, to significantly reduce both the induration of her delayed hypersensitivity skin test reaction and in vitro lymphocyte stimulation to varicella zoster. Then, as predicted, she was able to allow her reaction to return to baseline. As a confirmation of what is to our knowledge this previously undescribed phenomenon, she was able to reproduce the entire sequence nine months later. It appears that this subject can intentionally modulate her immune response by a psychologic mechanism

QCD Sum Rule Analysis of Heavy Quarkonium Hybrids

We have studied the charmonium and bottomonium hybrid states with various $J^{PC}$ quantum numbers in QCD sum rules. At leading order in $\alpha_s$, the two-point correlation functions have been calculated up to dimension six including the tri-gluon condensate and four-quark condensate. After performing the QCD sum rule analysis, we have confirmed that the dimension six condensates can stabilize the hybrid sum rules and allow the reliable mass predictions. We have updated the mass spectra of the charmonium and bottomonium hybrid states and identified that the negative-parity states with $J^{PC}=(0, 1, 2)^{-+}, 1^{--}$ form the lightest hybrid supermultiplet while the positive-parity states with $J^{PC}=(0, 1)^{+-}, (0, 1, 2)^{++}$ belong to a heavier hybrid supermultiplet.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figures. Some minor edits have been made. Presentation at the DPF 2013 Meeting of the American Physical Society Division of Particles and Fields, Santa Cruz, California, August 13-17, 201

Exploring the Spectrum of Heavy Quarkonium Hybrids with QCD Sum Rules

QCD Laplace sum rules are used to calculate heavy quarkonium (charmonium and bottomonium) hybrid masses in several distinct $J^{PC}$ channels. Previous studies of heavy quarkonium hybrids did not include the effects of dimension-six condensates, leading to unstable sum rules and unreliable mass predictions in some channels. We have updated these sum rules to include dimension-six condensates, providing new mass predictions for the spectra of heavy quarkonium hybrids. We confirm the finding of other approaches that the negative-parity $J^{PC}=(0,1,2)^{-+},\,1^{--}$ states form the lightest hybrid supermultiplet and the positive-parity $J^{PC}=(0,1)^{+-},\,(0,1,2)^{++}$ states are members of a heavier supermultiplet. Our results disfavor a pure charmonium hybrid interpretation of the $X(3872)$, in agreement with previous work.Comment: Presented by RTK at the Theory Canada 9 Conference, held at Wilfrid Laurier University in June 2014. Submitted for the conference proceedings to be published in the Canadian Journal of Physics. 5 pages, 1 figure. Version 2: reference added, typo correcte