Heavy Quark Potential from Gauge/Gravity Duality: A Large D Analysis

The heavy-quark potential is calculated in the framework of gauge/gravity duality using the large-D approximation, where D is the number of dimensions transverse to the flux tube connecting a quark and an antiquark in a flat D+2-dimensional spacetime. We find that in the large-D limit the leading correction to the ground-state energy, as given by an effective Nambu-Goto string, arises not from the heavy modes but from the behavior of the massless modes in the vicinity of the quark and the antiquark. We estimate this correction and find that it should be visible in the near-future lattice QCD calculations of the heavy-quark potential.Comment: 22 pages, 5 Figures. v2: references added, typos corrected and, Sec. 4 rewritten with an expanded non-perturbative discussion of the corrections to the Arvis potential arising from the massless modes near the boundary of the qcd strin

Using and reasoning about social strategies in autism spectrum disorder in everyday situations

Although a substantial amount of previous work has been dedicated to the study of the possible theoretical mechanisms underpinning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little research has examined the types of difficulties experienced by individuals in their everyday social functioning. University students with ASD and matched control participants performed the Social Strategy task. In this, they read a range of descriptions of social interactions, all ending with an awkward question asked by the story main character. The types of strategies they used to answer the awkward questions were examined. Compared to control participants, those with ASD used a more negative emotional tone in responding, generated more simple strategies including acquiescence or refusal, and fewer sophisticated strategies that considered all parties' perspectives. In a novel task condition, participants rank-ordered simple and sophisticated strategies, and gave justifications for their use. Rank-ordering did not differentiate the groups. Justifications given by those with ASD for simple strategies were more practical and less often character-based than those given by control participants; the groups did not differ in the justifications given for sophisticated strategies. The possible explanations of these findings and implications for informing current intervention programmes are considered

Going 'Above and Beyond': Are Those High in Autistic Traits Less Pro-social?

Few studies have explored how the cognitive differences associated with autistic spectrum disorder translate into everyday social behaviour. This study investigated pro-social behaviour in students scoring high and low on the autism-spectrum quotient (AQ), using a novel scenario task: 'Above and Beyond'. Each scenario involved an opportunity to behave pro-socially, and thus required balancing the needs of a character against participants' own interests. High AQ participants both generated responses and selected courses of action that were less pro-social than those of the low AQ group. For actions of low pro-social value they gave higher self-satisfaction ratings; conversely, they gave lower self-satisfaction ratings for high pro-social actions. The implications for everyday functioning are considered for those with high autistic traits

QUALITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF SELECTED FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The performance of Food and Beverages manufacturing firms is important to the development of the economy and this has been considered by researchers. In Nigeria, the decline in the performance of this sector in terms of competitive advantage has been noticed which could be as a result of a lack of quality management practices such as leadership behaviour, strategic quality planning, supplier quality management, process management and customer focus. The study investigated the effect of quality management practices on the competitive advantage of selected Food and Beverages manufacturing firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. The survey research design was adopted. The population of the study was 14, 591 top, middle and low-level management employees of the selected Food and Beverages manufacturing firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. A sample size of 491 was determined using the research advisor table. A simple random sampling technique was used. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficients for the constructs ranged from 0.866 to 0.954. The response rate was 100%. Data were statistically analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple and hierarchical regression). Findings revealed that quality management practices had a significant effect on the competitive advantage of Food and Beverages manufacturing firms in Lagos State, (Adj.R2 = 0.117; F (5, 485) = 14.025, p < 0.05). The study concluded that quality management practices affected competitive advantage in Food and Beverages manufacturing firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study recommends that Food and Beverages manufacturing firms should encourage the adoption of quality management practices to enhance competitive advantage.  Article visualizations

Multivariate analysis of histopathological features as prognostic factors in fifty cases of thyroid neoplasm: a retrospective study done at tertiary care centre

Background: Number of prognostic factors for thyroid carcinoma have been identified including age, gender and tumor characteristics, such as histology and stage. The importance of these factors as independent predictors of survival for patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma has been extensively studied but remains uncertain. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 50 thyroid carcinomas was made to assess prognostic factors including histological variants from September 2019 to February 2022 at our centre. The surgical and histopathological data were studied. Results: 72% patients had papillary thyroid cancer. Multivariate analysis was done and factors showing prognostic significance were tumour size, extrathyroid extension, extranodal extension, lymphovascular, perineural invasion, histological type, necrosis, focality, capsular invasion were found to have poor prognosis. Conclusions: There are histopathological factors which can modify the course and influence the line of treatment of thyroid neoplasms

Random matrix ensemble with random two-body interactions in presence of a mean-field for spin one boson systems

For $m$ number of bosons, carrying spin ($S$=1) degree of freedom, in $\Omega$ number of single particle orbitals, each triply degenerate, we introduce and analyze embedded Gaussian orthogonal ensemble of random matrices generated by random two-body interactions that are spin (S) scalar [BEGOE(2)-$S1$]. The embedding algebra is $U(3) \supset G \supset G1 \otimes SO(3)$ with SO(3) generating spin $S$. A method for constructing the ensembles in fixed-($m$, $S$) space has been developed. Numerical calculations show that the form of the fixed-($m$, $S$) density of states is close to Gaussian and level fluctuations follow GOE. Propagation formulas for the fixed-($m$, $S$) space energy centroids and spectral variances are derived for a general one plus two-body Hamiltonian preserving spin. In addition to these, we also introduce two different pairing symmetry algebras in the space defined by BEGOE(2)-$S1$ and the structure of ground states is studied for each paring symmetry.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figure

Impact of tofacitinib on patient outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: review of clinical studies

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive autoimmune disease associated with inflammation and destruction of joints and systemic effects, which result in significant impact on patient\u27s quality of life and function. Tofacitinib was approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the USA in 2012 and subsequently in other countries, but not by the European Medicines Agency. The goal of this review was to evaluate the impact of tofacitinib on patient-reported and patient-specific outcomes from prior clinical studies, focusing on quality of life, functionality, pain, global disease assessment, major adverse consequences, and withdrawals. A total of 13 reports representing 11 clinical studies on tofacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis were identified through PubMed and reference lists in meta-analyses and other reviews. Data on improvements in patient-driven composite tools to measure disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis, such as the Health Assessment Questionnaire, served as a major outcome evaluated in this review and were extracted from each study. Additional data extracted from those clinical studies included patient assessment of pain (using a 0–100 mm visual analog scale), patient global assessment of disease (using a 0–100 mm visual analog scale), patient withdrawals, withdrawals due to adverse effects or lack of effect, and risk of serious adverse effects, serious infections, and deaths. Tofacitinib 5 mg bid appears to have a favorable impact on patient outcomes related to efficacy and safety when compared with baseline values and with comparator disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and placebo. Improvements were seen in the composite and individual measures of disease activity. Serious adverse effects, other adverse consequences, overall withdrawals, and withdrawals due to adverse effects and lack of efficacy are similar or more favorable for tofacitinib versus comparator disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and placebo. At this point, tofacitinib appears to have an important role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis through improvement in these patient outcomes. However, it may require years of additional clinical studies and postmarketing surveillance to fully characterize the benefit-to-risk ratio of tofacitinib in a larger and diverse patient population

Great Expectations: The Role of Rules in Guiding Pro-social Behaviour in Groups with High Versus Low Autistic Traits

Measuring autistic traits in the general population has proven sensitive for examining cognition. The present study extended this to pro-social behaviour, investigating the influence of expectations to help others. A novel task describing characters in need of help was administered to students scoring high versus low on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Scenarios had two variants, describing either a 'clear-cut' or 'ambiguous' social rule. Participants with high versus low autistic traits were less pro-social and sympathetic overall towards the characters. The groups' ratings of characters' expectations were comparable, but those with high autistic traits provided more rule-based rationales in the clear-cut condition. This pattern of relatively intact knowledge in the context of reduced pro-social behaviour has implications for social skill training programmes

Evaluating Interaction of Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells with Functionally Integrated Three-Dimensional Microenvironments

Despite advances in ex vivo expansion of cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (CB-HSPC), challenges still remain regarding the ability to obtain, from a single unit, sufficient numbers of cells to treat an adolescent or adult patient. We and others have shown that CB-HSPC can be expanded ex vivo in two-dimensional (2D) cultures, but the absolute percentage of the more primitive stem cells decreases with time. During development, the fetal liver is the main site of HSPC expansion. Therefore, here we investigated, in vitro, the outcome of interactions of primitive HSPC with surrogate fetal liver environments. We compared bioengineered liver constructs made from a natural three-dimensional-liver-extracellular-matrix (3D-ECM) seeded with hepatoblasts, fetal liver-derived (LvSt), or bone marrow-derived stromal cells, to their respective 2D culture counterparts. We showed that the inclusion of cellular components within the 3D-ECM scaffolds was necessary for maintenance of HSPC viability in culture, and that irrespective of the microenvironment used, the 3D-ECM structures led to the maintenance of a more primitive subpopulation of HSPC, as determined by flow cytometry and colony forming assays. In addition, we showed that the timing and extent of expansion depends upon the biological component used, with LvSt providing the optimal balance between preservation of primitive CB HSPC and cellular differentiation. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2018;7:271–282

Physicality and Cooperative Design

CSCW researchers have increasingly come to realize that material work setting and its population of artefacts play a crucial part in coordination of distributed or co-located work. This paper uses the notion of physicality as a basis to understand cooperative work. Using examples from an ongoing fieldwork on cooperative design practices, it provides a conceptual understanding of physicality and shows that material settings and co-worker’s working practices play an important role in understanding physicality of cooperative design