6,394 research outputs found
Neutron spin-echo study of the critical dynamics of spin-5/2 antiferromagnets in two and three dimensions
We report a neutron spin-echo study of the critical dynamics in the
antiferromagnets MnF and RbMnF with three-dimensional (3D) and
two-dimensional (2D) spin systems, respectively, in zero external field. Both
compounds are Heisenberg antiferromagnets with a small uniaxial anisotropy
resulting from dipolar spin-spin interactions, which leads to a crossover in
the critical dynamics close to the N\'eel temperature, . By taking
advantage of the energy resolution of the spin-echo
spectrometer, we have determined the dynamical critical exponents for both
longitudinal and transverse fluctuations. In MnF, both the characteristic
temperature for crossover from 3D Heisenberg to 3D Ising behavior and the
exponents in both regimes are consistent with predictions from the
dynamical scaling theory. The amplitude ratio of longitudinal and transverse
fluctuations also agrees with predictions. In RbMnF, the critical
dynamics crosses over from the expected 2D Heisenberg behavior for
to a scaling regime with exponent , which has not been predicted
by theory and may indicate the influence of long-range dipolar interactions
Hispanic Subgroups, Acculturation, and Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes
This study explored Hispanic subgroup differences in substance use treatment outcomes, and the relationship of acculturation characteristics to these outcomes. Data were from a multisite randomized clinical trial of motivational enhancement therapy versus treatment as usual in a sample of Spanish-speaking substance abusers. Participants were Cuban American (n = 34), Mexican American (n = 209), Puerto Rican (n = 78), and other Hispanic American (n = 54). Results suggested that Cuban Americans and individuals with more connection to Hispanic culture had lower treatment retention. Hispanics born in the U.S and those who spoke English at home had a lower percentage of days abstinent during weeks 5–16, although Puerto Ricans born in the U.S. and Cuban Americans living more years in the U.S. had a higher percentage of days abstinent in weeks 1–4 and 5–16, respectively. Results may inform future hypothesis-driven studies in larger Hispanic treatment seeking samples of the relationship between acculturation and treatment outcome
Extended Timed Up and Go assessment as a clinical indicator of cognitive state in Parkinson\u27s disease
Objective: To evaluate a modified extended Timed Up and Go (extended-TUG) assessment against a panel of validated clinical assessments, as an indicator of Parkinson’s disease (PD) severity and cognitive impairment.
Methods: Eighty-seven participants with idiopathic PD were sequentially recruited from a Movement Disorders Clinic. An extended-TUG assessment was employed which required participants to stand from a seated position, walk in a straight line for 7 metres, turn 180 degrees and then return to the start, in a seated position. The extended-TUG assessment duration was correlated to a panel of clinical assessments, including the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), Quality of Life (PDQ-39), Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s disease (SCOPA-Cog), revised Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Index (ACE-R) and Barratt’s Impulsivity Scale 11 (BIS-11).
Results: Extended-TUG time was significantly correlated to MDS-UPDRS III score and to SCOPA-Cog, ACE-R (p\u3c0.001) and PDQ-39 scores (p\u3c0.01). Generalized linear models determined the extended-TUG to be a sole variable in predicting ACE-R or SCOPA-Cog scores. Patients in the fastest extended-TUG tertile were predicted to perform 8.3 and 13.4 points better in the SCOPA-Cog and ACE-R assessments, respectively, than the slowest group. Patients who exceeded the dementia cut-off scores with these instruments exhibited significantly longer extended-TUG times.
Conclusions: Extended-TUG performance appears to be a useful indicator of cognition as well as motor function and quality of life in PD, and warrants further evaluation as a first line assessment tool to monitor disease severity and response to treatment. Poor extended-TUG performance may identify patients without overt cognitive impairment form whom cognitive assessment is needed
Sharing the transformation: Public relations and the uae come of age
© 2009 Taylor and Francis. Much like the country itself, the practice of public relations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has undergone a profound evolution during its short history of 30 years. As the country has grown, so too has the practice of public relations. Once no agencies existed, but today global multinational public relations firms have established a presence in the UAE, some with an equity relationship with their local partners, some as fully owned branches of global firms based in the United States or Europe, and others through affiliates. Companies like Team: Young and Rubicam, Gulf Hill and Knowlton, and Burston-Marsteller operate alongside local, smaller companies, competing for the same dollars and dirhams
Non-uniqueness of ergodic measures with full Hausdorff dimension on a Gatzouras-Lalley carpet
In this note, we show that on certain Gatzouras-Lalley carpet, there exist
more than one ergodic measures with full Hausdorff dimension. This gives a
negative answer to a conjecture of Gatzouras and Peres
Light trapping in ultrathin plasmonic solar cells
We report on the design, fabrication, and measurement of ultrathin film a-Si:H solar cells with nanostructured plasmonic back contacts, which demonstrate enhanced short circuit current densities compared to cells having flat or randomly textured back contacts. The primary photocurrent enhancement occurs in the spectral range from 550 nm to 800 nm. We use angle-resolved photocurrent spectroscopy to confirm that the enhanced absorption is due to coupling to guided modes supported by the cell. Full-field electromagnetic simulation of the absorption in the active a-Si:H layer agrees well with the experimental results. Furthermore, the nanopatterns were fabricated via an inexpensive, scalable, and precise nanopatterning method. These results should guide design of optimized, non-random nanostructured back reflectors for thin film solar cells
Nature of yrast excitations near N=40: Level structure of Ni-67
Excited states in Ni-67 were populated in deep-inelastic reactions of a Ni-64
beam at 430 MeV on a thick U-238 target. A level scheme built on the previously
known 13 micro-s isomer has been delineated up to an excitation energy of ~5.3
MeV and a tentative spin and parity of (21/2-). Shell model calculations have
been carried out using two effective interactions in the f5/2pg9/2 model space
with a Ni-56 core. Satisfactory agreement between experiment and theory is
achieved for the measured transition energies and branching ratios. The
calculations indicate that the yrast states are associated with rather complex
configurations, herewith demonstrating the relative weakness of the N=40
subshell gap and the importance of multi particle-hole excitations involving
the g9/2 neutron orbital.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review
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