16 research outputs found
Internet competency predicts practical hearing aid knowledge and skills in first-time hearing aid users
Purpose. The purpose of the study was to assess whether Internet competency predicted practical hearing aid knowledge and handling skills in first-time hearing aid users.
Method. The design was a prospective, randomized controlled trial of a multimedia educational intervention consisting of interactive video tutorials (or reusable learning objects [RLOs]). RLOs were delivered through DVD for TV or PC, and online. Internet competency was measured at the hearing aid fitting appointment, whereas hearing aid knowledge and practical handling skills were assessed 6 weeks postfitting.
Results. Internet competency predicted practical hearing aid knowledge and handling skills, controlling for age, hearing sensitivity, educational status, and gender for the group that received the RLOs. Internet competency was inversely related to the number of times the RLOs were watched.
Conclusion. Associations between Internet competency and practical hearing aid knowledge, handling skills, and watching the RLOs fewer times may have arisen because of improved self-efficacy. Therefore, first-time hearing aid users who are more competent Internet users may be better equipped to apply newly learned information to effectively manage their hearing loss
A Transient Sub-Eddington Black Hole X-ray Binary Candidate in the Dust Lanes of Centaurus A
We report the discovery of a bright X-ray transient, CXOU J132527.6-430023,
in the nearby early-type galaxy NGC 5128. The source was first detected over
the course of five Chandra observations in 2007, reaching an unabsorbed
outburst luminosity of 1-2*10^38 erg/s in the 0.5-7.0 keV band before returning
to quiescence. Such luminosities are possible for both stellar-mass black hole
and neutron star X-ray binary transients. Here, we attempt to characterize the
nature of the compact object. No counterpart has been detected in the optical
or radio sky, but the proximity of the source to the dust lanes allows for the
possibility of an obscured companion. The brightness of the source after a >100
fold increase in X-ray flux makes it either the first confirmed transient
non-ULX black hole system in outburst to be subject to detailed spectral
modeling outside the Local Group, or a bright (>10^38 erg/s) transient neutron
star X-ray binary, which are very rare. Such a large increase in flux would
appear to lend weight to the view that this is a black hole transient. X-ray
spectral fitting of an absorbed power law yielded unphysical photon indices,
while the parameters of the best-fit absorbed disc blackbody model are typical
of an accreting ~10 Msol black hole in the thermally dominant state.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
X-ray emission from the Sombrero galaxy: discrete sources
We present a study of discrete X-ray sources in and around the
bulge-dominated, massive Sa galaxy, Sombrero (M104), based on new and archival
Chandra observations with a total exposure of ~200 ks. With a detection limit
of L_X = 1E37 erg/s and a field of view covering a galactocentric radius of ~30
kpc (11.5 arcminute), 383 sources are detected. Cross-correlation with Spitler
et al.'s catalogue of Sombrero globular clusters (GCs) identified from HST/ACS
observations reveals 41 X-rays sources in GCs, presumably low-mass X-ray
binaries (LMXBs). We quantify the differential luminosity functions (LFs) for
both the detected GC and field LMXBs, whose power-low indices (~1.1 for the
GC-LF and ~1.6 for field-LF) are consistent with previous studies for
elliptical galaxies. With precise sky positions of the GCs without a detected
X-ray source, we further quantify, through a fluctuation analysis, the GC LF at
fainter luminosities down to 1E35 erg/s. The derived index rules out a
faint-end slope flatter than 1.1 at a 2 sigma significance, contrary to recent
findings in several elliptical galaxies and the bulge of M31. On the other
hand, the 2-6 keV unresolved emission places a tight constraint on the field
LF, implying a flattened index of ~1.0 below 1E37 erg/s. We also detect 101
sources in the halo of Sombrero. The presence of these sources cannot be
interpreted as galactic LMXBs whose spatial distribution empirically follows
the starlight. Their number is also higher than the expected number of cosmic
AGNs (52+/-11 [1 sigma]) whose surface density is constrained by deep X-ray
surveys. We suggest that either the cosmic X-ray background is unusually high
in the direction of Sombrero, or a distinct population of X-ray sources is
present in the halo of Sombrero.Comment: 11 figures, 5 tables, ApJ in pres
Information retention and overload in first-time hearing aid users: an interactive multimedia educational solution
Purpose: An educational intervention to improve knowledge of hearing aids and communication in first-time hearing aid users was assessed. This intervention was based on the concept of reusable learning objects (RLOs).
Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. One group received the educational intervention, and the other acted as a control group. RLOs were delivered online and through DVD for television and personal computer. Knowledge of both practical and psychosocial aspects of hearing aids and communication was assessed using a free-recall method 6 weeks postfitting.
Results: Knowledge of both practical and psychosocial issues was significantly higher in the group that received the RLOs than in the control group. Moderate to large effect sizes indicated that these differences were clinically significant.
Conclusion: An educational intervention that supplements clinical practice results in improved knowledge in first-time hearing aid users
Isotropic AGN Heating with Small Radio Quiet Bubbles in the NGC 5044 Group
(abridged) A Chandra observation of the X-ray bright group NGC 5044 shows
that the X-ray emitting gas has been strongly perturbed by recent outbursts
from the central AGN and also by motion of the central dominant galaxy relative
to the group gas. The NGC 5044 group hosts many small radio quiet cavities with
a nearly isotropic distribution, cool filaments, a semi-circular cold front and
a two-armed spiral shaped feature of cool gas. A GMRT observation of NGC 5044
at 610 MHz shows the presence of extended radio emission with a "torus-shaped"
morphology. The largest X-ray filament appears to thread the radio torus,
suggesting that the lower entropy gas within the filament is material being
uplifted from the center of the group. The radio emission at 235 MHz is much
more extended than the emission at 610 MHz, with little overlap between the two
frequencies. One component of the 235 MHz emission passes through the largest
X-ray cavity and is then deflected just behind the cold front. A second
detached radio lobe is also detected at 235 MHz beyond the cold front. All of
the smaller X-ray cavities in the center of NGC 5044 are undetected in the GMRT
observations. Since the smaller bubbles are probably no longer momentum driven
by the central AGN, their motion will be affected by the group "weather" as
they buoyantly rise outward. Hence, most of the enthalpy within the smaller
bubbles will likely be deposited near the group center and isotropized by the
group weather. The total mechanical power of the smaller radio quiet cavities
is erg s which is sufficient to suppress about
one-half of the total radiative cooling within the central 10 kpc. This is
consistent with the presence of H emission within this region which
shows that at least some of the gas is able to cool
Low-Mass X-ray Binaries and Globular Clusters in Centaurus A
We present results of Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory
observations of globular clusters (GCs) and low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) in
the central regions of Centaurus A. Out of 440 GC candidates we find that 41
host X-ray point sources that are most likely LMXBs. We fit King models to our
GC candidates in order to measure their structural parameters. We find that GCs
that host LMXBs are denser and more compact, and have higher encounter rates
and concentrations than the GC population as a whole. We show that the higher
concentrations and masses are a consequence of the dependence of LMXB incidence
on central density and size plus the general trend for denser GCs to have
higher masses and concentrations. We conclude that neither concentration nor
mass are fundamental variables in determining the presence of LMXBs in GCs, and
that the more fundamental parameters relate to central density and size.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Convalescent plasma in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised controlled, open-label, platform trial
SummaryBackground Azithromycin has been proposed as a treatment for COVID-19 on the basis of its immunomodulatoryactions. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of azithromycin in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19.Methods In this randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial (Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19Therapy [RECOVERY]), several possible treatments were compared with usual care in patients admitted to hospitalwith COVID-19 in the UK. The trial is underway at 176 hospitals in the UK. Eligible and consenting patients wererandomly allocated to either usual standard of care alone or usual standard of care plus azithromycin 500 mg once perday by mouth or intravenously for 10 days or until discharge (or allocation to one of the other RECOVERY treatmentgroups). Patients were assigned via web-based simple (unstratified) randomisation with allocation concealment andwere twice as likely to be randomly assigned to usual care than to any of the active treatment groups. Participants andlocal study staff were not masked to the allocated treatment, but all others involved in the trial were masked to theoutcome data during the trial. The primary outcome was 28-day all-cause mortality, assessed in the intention-to-treatpopulation. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, 50189673, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04381936.Findings Between April 7 and Nov 27, 2020, of 16 442 patients enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, 9433 (57%) wereeligible and 7763 were included in the assessment of azithromycin. The mean age of these study participants was65·3 years (SD 15·7) and approximately a third were women (2944 [38%] of 7763). 2582 patients were randomlyallocated to receive azithromycin and 5181 patients were randomly allocated to usual care alone. Overall,561 (22%) patients allocated to azithromycin and 1162 (22%) patients allocated to usual care died within 28 days(rate ratio 0·97, 95% CI 0·87–1·07; p=0·50). No significant difference was seen in duration of hospital stay (median10 days [IQR 5 to >28] vs 11 days [5 to >28]) or the proportion of patients discharged from hospital alive within 28 days(rate ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·98–1·10; p=0·19). Among those not on invasive mechanical ventilation at baseline, nosignificant difference was seen in the proportion meeting the composite endpoint of invasive mechanical ventilationor death (risk ratio 0·95, 95% CI 0·87–1·03; p=0·24).Interpretation In patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19, azithromycin did not improve survival or otherprespecified clinical outcomes. Azithromycin use in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 should be restrictedto patients in whom there is a clear antimicrobial indication
Shakespeare's homeland; sketches of Stratford-upon-Avon, the forest of Arden, and the Avon valley,
Mode of access: Internet
Historic Worcestershire : Worcestershire historical, bibliographical, traditional, legendary and romantic / by W. Salt Brassington.
Electronic reproduction. Canberra, A.C.T. : National Library of Australia, 2012