Improving zero-error classical communication with entanglement

Given one or more uses of a classical channel, only a certain number of messages can be transmitted with zero probability of error. The study of this number and its asymptotic behaviour constitutes the field of classical zero-error information theory, the quantum generalisation of which has started to develop recently. We show that, given a single use of certain classical channels, entangled states of a system shared by the sender and receiver can be used to increase the number of (classical) messages which can be sent with no chance of error. In particular, we show how to construct such a channel based on any proof of the Bell-Kochen-Specker theorem. This is a new example of the use of quantum effects to improve the performance of a classical task. We investigate the connection between this phenomenon and that of ``pseudo-telepathy'' games. The use of generalised non-signalling correlations to assist in this task is also considered. In this case, a particularly elegant theory results and, remarkably, it is sometimes possible to transmit information with zero-error using a channel with no unassisted zero-error capacity.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Version 2 is the same as the journal version plus figure 1 and the non-signalling box exampl

Obstetrics Emergency Labor and Delivery Case Simulations with Normal Vaginal Delivery Demonstration: A Hands-on Simulation for Clerkship Students

Introduction: Simulation is rarely used for medical student education in the field of obstetrics. This method is an effective model of learning for topics that are encountered in clinical situations and for topics that pose significant risk to patients when an untrained individual is involved. Methods: A 2-hour obstetric delivery simulation session was developed and incorporated into the third-year obstetrics and gynecology clerkship rotation at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. Medical students completed self-guided content reviews with resources provided prior to the session. During the session, each medical student conducted a normal vaginal delivery and one of the emergent cases (umbilical cord prolapse, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, shoulder dystocia, and postpartum hemorrhage). During each case the Resident facilitator followed a script which included asking questions using gamification strategies to promote a low-stress learning environment. Critical action checklists were used to ensure students gained a strong understanding of topics. Simulation sessions were conducted both remotely and in-person. The simulation experience was evaluated using surveys and quizzes completed prior to and after participating in the simulation session. Results: Students reported that the simulation experience increased their comfort with emergent obstetric situations, increased their medical knowledge, and was beneficial to their education. Discussion: Simulation is an untapped learning method in obstetrics. We developed simulations for obstetric events to provide medical students with hands-on exposure to important obstetric experiences. This simulation session provides the framework for other medical schools to incorporate these obstetric simulations into their clerkship curriculum

NRG Oncology/RTOG 0921: A phase 2 study of postoperative intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concurrent cisplatin and bevacizumab followed by carboplatin and paclitaxel for patients with endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: The current study was conducted to assess acute and late adverse events (AEs), overall survival (OS), pelvic failure, regional failure, distant failure, and disease-free survival in a prospective phase 2 clinical trial of bevacizumab and pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with chemotherapy in patients with high-risk endometrial cancer. METHODS: Patients underwent a hysterectomy and lymph node removal, and had ≥1 of the following high-risk factors: grade 3 carcinoma with \u3e50% myometrial invasion, grade 2 or 3 disease with any cervical stromal invasion, or known extrauterine extension confined to the pelvis. Treatment included pelvic IMRT and concurrent cisplatin on days 1 and 29 of radiation and bevacizumab (at a dose of 5 mg/kg on days 1, 15, and 29 of radiation) followed by adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel for 4 cycles. The primary endpoint was grade ≥3 AEs occurring within the first 90 days (toxicity was graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [version 4.0]). RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were accrued from November 2009 through December 2011, 30 of whom were eligible and received study treatment. Seven of 30 patients (23.3%; 1-sided 95% confidence interval, 10.6%-36.0%) developed grade ≥3 treatment-related nonhematologic toxicities within 90 days; an additional 6 patients experienced grade ≥3 toxicities between 90 and 365 days after treatment. The 2-year OS rate was 96.7% and the disease-free survival rate was 79.1%. No patient developed a within-field pelvic failure and no patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I to IIIA disease developed disease recurrence after a median follow-up of 26 months. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative bevacizumab added to chemotherapy and pelvic IMRT appears to be well tolerated and results in high OS rates at 2 years for patients with high-risk endometrial carcinoma

Acculturation, Dietary Behaviors, and Macronutrient intake among Mexican americans With Prediabetes: the Starr County Diabetes Prevention initiative

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to examine the influences of sex and acculturation on dietary behaviors, macronutrient intake, and dietary quality in participants enrolled in a diabetes prevention initiative in Starr County, Texas. METHODS: Baseline data from the Starr County diabetes prevention study (N = 300) were analyzed-acculturation (country of origin, years in Starr County, language and food preferences), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), healthy eating self-efficacy (Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire-Short Form), diet quality (USDA Healthy Eating Index), fat avoidance (Fat Avoidance Scale, Spanish version), and macronutrients. Descriptive statistics and univariate analysis of covariance were used to examine differences based on acculturation, controlling for sex. RESULTS: Participants were predominantly female (73%) and, on average, 51 years of age. Language and food preferences favored Spanish language and Hispanic foods, respectively. The majority (71%) was born in Mexico but had resided in Starr County for 33 years, on average. Depressive symptoms were moderate, and eating self-efficacy scores suggested low confidence in making healthy food choices, particularly for saturated fats. Spanish language preference was associated with worse dietary habits. The mean dietary quality score was lower than the national average (54 vs 59 nationally); females had slightly higher dietary quality than males and a higher mean fat avoidance score, although differences were not clinically significant. Intakes of carbohydrate, saturated fats, and cholesterol were higher than recommended daily allowances. CONCLUSIONS: The overall preference for speaking Spanish and the influence of language on dietary intake should inform future dietary interventions. Accommodating cultural norms and food preferences remain major challenges to improving dietary quality among the diverse Hispanic ethnic groups

The Effects of Gender and Country of origin On acculturation, Psychological Factors, Lifestyle Factors, and Diabetes-Related Physiological Outcomes among Mexican americans: the Starr County Diabetes Prevention initiative

OBJECTIVES: Examine acculturation and psychological, lifestyle, and physiological factors based on gender and country of origin (U.S. vs. Mexico). METHODS: Baseline data from the Starr County diabetes prevention study ( RESULTS: Participants were: predominantly female (73%); 51 years of age, on average; born in Mexico (71%); and Spanish-speaking. Individuals spent 11 of their waking hours (range = 0-18 h) in sedentary activities. Compared to females, more males spoke English and reported fewer hours in sedentary activities. Compared to participants born in Mexico, those born in the U.S. were more likely to: speak English; report depressive symptoms; and exhibit elevated BMI and insulin resistance rates. Two distinct models significantly predicted DISCUSSION: Significant gender and country-of-origin differences were found. Future research on diabetes prevention should examine other Hispanic subgroups and strategies for addressing individual differences, while employing cost-effective group interventions that incorporate these differences and reach more at-risk individuals

Transitioning From an in-Person intervention to augmented Text Messaging During Covid-19 in Mexican americans With Prediabetes: the Starr County Diabetes Prevention Randomized Clinical Trial

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility of using commonly available technology, such as text messaging, for diabetes prevention in rural Mexican American communities during COVID-19. METHODS: Participants were selected from a diabetes prevention study funded by the National Institutes of Health that, prior to COVID-19, involved in-person group intervention sessions. Participants were predominantly female adults born in Mexico and Spanish-speaking. A subsample (n = 140) was divided into 3 cohorts: (1) 50 who completed the initial in-person intervention prior to the COVID-19 research pause, (2) 60 who needed additional support sessions to complete the intervention and thus received 10 text messages with links to relevant online diabetes prevention videos (TM+), and (3) 30 who received enhanced usual care involving health guidance offered during data collection (control). Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to evaluate cohort differences at 24 months post baseline. RESULTS: No significant cohort differences were found for depression, eating self-efficacy, alcohol intake, fat avoidance, or sedentary behaviors. Differences in A1C showed both in-person and TM+ cohorts having lower mean A1C levels (5.5%) than the control cohort (5.7%). The TM+ cohort had lower body mass index than other cohorts and a lower diabetes conversion rate (22.2%) compared to the control cohort (28%). Participants indicated preferences for in-person/TM+ combination interventions. The strongest positive feedback was for the TM+ intervention cooking demonstration videos. CONCLUSIONS: Augmented text messaging combined with in-person sessions had similar outcomes to the all in-person strategy and thus has the potential for expanding the reach of diabetes prevention to many Mexican American communities

Superconducting phase diagram and FFLO signature in λ\lambda-(BETS)2_2GaCl4_4 from rf penetration depth measurements

We report the phase diagram of $\lambda$-(BETS)$_2$GaCl$_4$ from rf penetration depth measurements with a tunnel diode oscillator in a pulsed magnetic field. We examined four samples with 1100 field sweeps in a range of angles with the magnetic field parallel and perpendicular to the conducting planes. In the parallel direction, $H_{c2}$ appears to include a tricritical point at 1.6 K and 10 T with a phase line that increases to 11 T as the temperature is decreased to} 500 mK. The second phase line forms a clearly defined high field low temperature region satisfying several of the conditions of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state. We show remarkably good fits of $H_{c2}$ to WHH in the reentrant $\alpha>1$, $\lambda_{so}=0$ regime. We also note a sharp angle dependence of the phase diagram about the field parallel orientation that characterizes Pauli paramagnetic limiting and further supports the possibility of FFLO behavior. Unrelated to the FFLO study, at fields and temperatures below $H_{c2}$ and $T_c$, we find rich structure in the penetration depth data that we attribute to impurities at the surface altering the superconducting properties while maintaining the same crystallographic axes as $H_{c2}$.Comment: Fina

Patient Self-Testing of Kidney Function at Home, a Prospective Clinical Feasibility Study in Kidney Transplant Recipients

IntroductionPeople with long-term health conditions often attend clinics for kidney function tests. The Self-Testing Own Kidneys (STOK) study assessed feasibility of kidney transplant recipients using hand-held devices to self-test kidney function at home and investigated agreement between home self-test and standard clinic test results.MethodsA prospective, observational, single-center, clinical feasibility study (TRN: ISRCTN68116915), with N = 15 stable kidney transplant recipients, investigated blood potassium and creatinine results agreement between index self-tests at home (patient self-testing of capillary blood, using Abbott i-STAT Alinity analyzers [i-STAT]) and reference tests in clinic (staff sampled venous blood, analyzed with laboratory Siemens Advia Chemistry XPT analyzer) using Bland-Altman and error grid analysis.ResultsThe mean within-patient difference between index and reference test in creatinine was 2.25 μmol/l (95% confidence interval [CI]: −12.13, 16.81 μmol/l) and in potassium was 0.66 mmol/l (95% CI: −1.47, 2.79 mmol/l). All creatinine pairs and 27 of 40 (67.5%) potassium pairs were judged clinically equivalent. Planned follow-up analysis suggests that biochemical variables associated with potassium measurement in capillary blood were predominant sources of paired test result differences. Paired patient and nurse i-STAT capillary blood test potassium results were not statistically significantly different.ConclusionsThis small feasibility study observed that training selected patients to competently use hand-held devices to self-test kidney function at home is possible. Self-test creatinine results showed good analytical and clinical agreement with standard clinic test results. Self-test potassium results showed poorer agreement with standard clinic test results; however, patient use of hand-held devices to self-test at home was not a statistically significant source of paired potassium test result differences

Report of Seminar on Law and Medicine

Reports from the UK/CLE Seminar on Law and Medicine held May 26-28, 1976