Long continuously chirped fibre Bragg gratings for compensation of linear- and 3rd order-dispersion

For the first time long broadband chirped fibre Bragg gratings with a dispersion profile designed to compensate 3rd order-dispersion are presented. These results demonstrate how the increased demands for dispersion compensation at very high bit-rates can be met using chirped fibre Bragg grating

Multi-Partite Entanglement Inequalities via Spin Vector Geometry

We introduce inequalities for multi-partite entanglement, derived from the geometry of spin vectors. The criteria are constructed iteratively from cross and dot products between the spins of individual subsystems, each of which may have arbitrary dimension. For qubit ensembles the maximum violation for our inequalities is larger than that for the Mermin-Klyshko Bell inequalities, and the maximally violating states are different from Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger states. Our inequalities are violated by certain bound entangled states for which no Bell-type violation has yet been found.Comment: 4 pages, 2 tables, 1 figure. A truncated version is published in Physical Review Letters, volume 95 issue 18, 180402 (October 2005

Carbohydrate mouth rinse improves resistance exercise capacity in the glycogen-lowered state

The effect of carbohydrate mouth rinse (CHO MR) on resistance exercise performance is equivocal, and may be moderated by carbohydrate availability. This study determined the effect of CHO MR on low-load resistance exercise capacity completed in a fed but glycogen-lowered state. Twelve resistance-trained men (age: 22±4 years; height: 1.79±0.05m; weight: 78.7±7.8kg; bench press 1-RM: 87±21kg; squat 1-RM: 123±19kg) completed two fed-state resistance exercise bouts consisting of 6 sets of bench press and 6 sets of squat to failure at 40% 1-RM. Each bout was preceded by glycogen-depleting cycling the evening before, with feeding controlled to create acute energy deficit and maintain low muscle glycogen. During resistance exercise, participants rinsed with either a 6% CHO MR solution or a taste-matched placebo (PLA) between sets. Total volume workload was greater with CHO MR (9354±2051kg vs. 8525±1911kg, p=0.010). Total number of repetitions of squat were greater with CHO MR (107±26 vs. 92±16, p=0.017); the number of repetitions of bench press were not significantly different (CHO MR: 120±24 vs. PLA: 115±22, p=0.146). This was independent of differences in feeling or arousal. CHO MR may be an effective ergogenic aid for athletes completing resistance exercise when in energy deficit and with low carbohydrate availability. Novelty • CHO MR can increase low-load resistance exercise capacity undertaken in a glycogen-lowered but fed state. • This effect was driven by a greater number of repetitions-to-failure in the squat – using muscles lowered in glycogen content with exhaustive cycling on the evening prior to resistance exercise – but not bench press

Impact of Emotional Distress on Prescription Opioid Abuse in a Rural Juvenile Drug Court Sample

Background: Ohio is at the epicenter of the opioid epidemic, and the current crisis disproportionately burdens rural areas. The Self-Medication Hypothesis and work examining adverse childhood experiences posit that drug use may be understood as a coping strategy to address emotional distress.Methods: Juvenile drug court participants in a Northwest Ohio county were administered a standardized biopsychosocial assessment. Intake interviews from January 2010 and November 2018 were used to evaluate the relationship between emotional distress reported using the Emotional Problem Scale (EPS) and lifetime nonmedical use of prescription opioids. Linear regression was used to examine temporal trends in EPS scores. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between EPS scores and prescription opioid misuse, controlling for temporal trends.Results: Linear regression showed a significant increase in emotional distress over the study period for both pre-scription opioid users and nonusers. Average scores increased 29.5 points (on a 100 point scale) over the duration of the study (P <0.0001). A 10-point increase in EPS score was associated with a nearly 50% increase in the lifetime odds of pre-scription opioid misuse (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.19-1.82, P = 0.0004). The odds of prescription opioid misuse declined each year (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48-0.81, P = 0.0006).Conclusion: Rates of prescription opioid misuse have decreased over time despite a significant association be-tween emotional distress and opioid misuse and trend toward increasing EPS scores. While efforts to reduce prescription opioid misuse appear to have been effective in this population, significant work is needed to reduce underlying risk fac-tors

Preferred Measurements: Optimality and Stability in Quantum Parameter Estimation

We explore precision in a measurement process incorporating pure probe states, unitary dynamics and complete measurements via a simple formalism. The concept of `information complement' is introduced. It undermines measurement precision and its minimization reveals the system properties at an optimal point. Maximally precise measurements can exhibit independence from the true value of the estimated parameter, but demanding this severely restricts the type of viable probe and dynamics, including the requirement that the Hamiltonian be block-diagonal in a basis of preferred measurements. The curvature of the information complement near a globally optimal point provides a new quantification of measurement stability.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, in submission. Substantial Extension and replacement of arXiv:0902.3260v1 in response to Referees' remark

Checking behaviours, prospective memory and executive functions

Explanations implicating memory in the causes and severity of checking symptoms have focused primarily on retrospective memory, and relatively little attention has been paid to prospective memory. Limited research has examined the relationship between prospective memory and executive functions. We assessed whether impairments in prospective memory and executive function predict checking symptoms in a sample of 106 adults. Checking symptoms were assessed using the Padua Inventory Washington State University Revision (PI-WSUR). All participants completed the prospective memory questionnaire (PMQ) and four computerised executive function tasks from the CANTAB, measuring inhibition, planning, attention set-shifting and working memory. Prospective memory and inhibition predicted checking symptom severity. Importantly, there were no correlations between internally cued prospective memory and inhibition or between prospective memory aiding strategies and inhibition. These variables appear to have an independent role in checking. The current findings highlight prospective memory and inhibition as key contributors to the checking symptom profile and provide the first evidence that these cognitive processes may independently contribute to checking symptoms. These findings have implications for a model in which memory performance is thought to be secondary to impairments in executive functions

The effects of Compassionate Mind Training on student psychotherapists

Purpose: This study examines pre and post outcome measures following a course of Compassionate Mind Training (CMT). Participants were students enrolled on a Post Graduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP). The aim of the research was to explore whether CMT would increase self-compassion, compassion for others, dispositional empathy and reduce self-critical judgement. Method: Twenty-one participants who had enrolled on the CBP programme took part in the study. Data were collected using the Self-Compassion Scale, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Compassion for Others Scale. Findings: Results reveal an overall statistically significant increase in self-compassion scores and statistically significant reduction in self-critical judgement scores post training. There was no statistically significant difference post training on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index or the Compassion for Others Scale. Research limitations/implications: CMT training may help students develop healthy coping strategies, which they can use to balance their affect regulation systems when faced with organisational, placement, client, academic, personal and supervision demands. Further research and longitudinal studies, using larger sample sizes are needed to explore if cultivating compassion whilst on psychotherapy training helps students build resilience and provide a barrier against empathic distress fatigue, compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout. Practical Implications: Incorporating CMT into a CBP programme may bring changes in student levels of self-compassion and self-critical judgement. Originality/value of the paper: This inaugural study examines whether incorporating CMT into a CBP programme impacts on students levels of compassion, dispositional empathy and self-critical judgement. The findings from this preliminary study suggest the potential benefits of training students in compassion focused practices