Unintegrated parton distributions and pion production in pppp collisions at SPS and RHIC energies

Inclusive cross sections for pion production in $pp$ collisions are calculated for the first time fully based on unintegrated gluon, quark and antiquark distributions (uPDF). We use recently developed Kwieci\'nski uPDF's and different phenomenological fragmentation functions (FF) from the literature. In addition to the $gg \to g$ diagram we include also $g q \to q$ and $q g \to q$ diagrams for inclusive parton production. The cross section for pions is obtained then by convoluting the inclusive parton distributions and FFs. Applications for SPS and RHIC are shown.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, a talk presented at the Quark Matter 2005 conference, Budapest, August 200

Genesis and Gappa: processing, analyzing and visualizing phylogenetic (placement) data

We present genesis, a library for working with phylogenetic data, and gappa, an accompanying command-line tool for conducting typical analyses on such data. The tools target phylogenetic trees and phylogenetic placements, sequences, taxonomies and other relevant data types, offer high-level simplicity as well as lowlevel customizability, and are computationally efficient, well-tested and field-proven

Health Literacy Levels Among Adult Support Group Members and the General Adult Public : A Focus Group Approach

Health literacy has been identified as lacking in 47% of Americans (The National Academies, 2004). While health literacy reports of studies conducted in the southern section of the United States are available (DeWalt et al., 2004; Kennen et al. 2005), this research team found limited research that provides health literacy levels of the southeast, rural Georgia population. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine and compare health literacy of health-related support group members and non group members in southeast Georgia utilizing a focus group methodology developed by Kreuger (1994). After Institutional Review Board approval at a local university, the research team utilized 5-10 established Health-related Support Groups of 6-10 individuals in the southeastern part of the United States. An additional four focus groups composed of persons not associated with a health-related support group were also used for comparative purposes. Participants were recruited with the assistance of local health care providers. The initial open-ended questions consisted of items such as: “Describe your experience reading health resources.” What makes a health resource difficult to read, as well as easy to read? The moderator utilized additional probing questions and reframing comments as necessary (Kreuger, 1994). The data were analyzed by the qualitative content analysis method described by Berg (1989). The themes that emerged across groups reflected confusion about medication directions, health terms, and communication from health care providers and doubt about the integrity of and inability to read the small print of health information. Prevention and faith in God were identified as important to self-care. Rationales for themes and future research ideas are discussed

Behaviour and stress in three breeds of laying hens kept in the same environment

The aim of the study was to determine whether birds of different breeds, with different preferences for environmental elements and kept in identical conditions, would exhibit different behaviour and stress levels. The research material consisted of 50 laying hens of the Green-legged partridge (Zk), Polbar (Pb), and Leghorn (Lg) breeds. The birds were provided with identical environmental conditions. They were kept on litter in separate boxes, with 25 individuals of one breed per box, in the same building. An open field test was used in determining the behaviour of the birds. Levels of cortisol in serum and corticosterone in feathers were evaluated, and haematological and biochemical analyses of blood were performed. Leghorns proved to be a highly excitable and active breed whose needs cannot be fully satisfied in the standard conditions of large farms. Based on a differential leukocyte count, their hyperactivity was associated with increased stress. The Green-legged partridge exhibited the lowest stress levels. Birds kept in the same environmental conditions were found to differ significantly in the level of stress, probably because of differences in their behavioural needs and the possibilities of satisfying them. To reduce stress levels and improve the welfare of hens, it is necessary to verify their preferences first. Stress indicators are elevated in highly excitable birds, and the conditions on large farms are not conducive to meeting their behavioural needs. Keywords: behavioural test, blood indices, corticosterone, laying hen

Active Aircraft Pylon Noise Control System

An active pylon noise control system for an aircraft includes a pylon structure connecting an engine system with an airframe surface of the aircraft and having at least one aperture to supply a gas or fluid therethrough, an intake portion attached to the pylon structure to intake a gas or fluid, a regulator connected with the intake portion via a plurality of pipes, to regulate a pressure of the gas or fluid, a plenum chamber formed within the pylon structure and connected with the regulator, and configured to receive the gas or fluid as regulated by the regulator, and a plurality of injectors in communication with the plenum chamber to actively inject the gas or fluid through the plurality of apertures of the pylon structure

Clinical presentation, echocardiographic findings, treatment strategies, and prognosis of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease presented with pericardial effusion due to suspected left atrial tear: a retrospective case–control study

Introduction/objectives: Left atrial tear (LAT) is a life-threatening complication in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). The study objective was to describe clinical presentation, echocardiographic findings, treatment strategies, and survival in dogs with LAT compared to a control group of dogs with a similar stage of MMVD but no LAT. ANIMALS AND MATERIALS AND METHODS: two-center retrospective case-controlled study including 15 dogs with and 15 dogs without LAT was conducted. Clinical and echocardiographic data were reviewed, and survival information were collected. Results: Nine dogs in each group were in stage C of MMVD, while the remaining were in stage B2. No differences between groups were found regarding age, body weight, sex, kidney values, and echocardiography-derived cardiac dimensions. Most reported clinical signs associated with LAT included weakness, respiratory signs, and syncope. Treatment varied and was mainly focused on the management of congestive heart failure. Three dogs with LAT received a pericardiocentesis. All 15 dogs with LAT had died of cardiac causes, 5 dogs during the first 7 days after admission. The median survival time for all 15 dogs with LAT was 52 days compared to 336 days in the control group (P=0.103). When excluding 5 dogs with LAT that died during the first 7 days, the median survival increased to 407 days, not different compared to the control group (P=0.549). Conclusions: Dogs with MMVD and LAT have a high short-term mortality; however, when surviving the acute phase, the long-term prognosis may not differ from dogs with a similarly advanced degree of MMVD but without LAT

Clinical presentation, echocardiographic findings, treatment strategies, and prognosis of dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease presented with pericardial effusion due to suspected left atrial tear: a retrospective case-control study

Introduction/objectives: Left atrial tear (LAT) is a life-threatening complication in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). The study objective was to describe clinical presentation, echocardiographic findings, treatment strategies, and survival in dogs with LAT compared to a control group of dogs with a similar stage of MMVD but no LAT. ANIMALS AND MATERIALS AND METHODS: two-center retrospective case-controlled study including 15 dogs with and 15 dogs without LAT was conducted. Clinical and echocardiographic data were reviewed, and survival information were collected. Results: Nine dogs in each group were in stage C of MMVD, while the remaining were in stage B2. No differences between groups were found regarding age, body weight, sex, kidney values, and echocardiography-derived cardiac dimensions. Most reported clinical signs associated with LAT included weakness, respiratory signs, and syncope. Treatment varied and was mainly focused on the management of congestive heart failure. Three dogs with LAT received a pericardiocentesis. All 15 dogs with LAT had died of cardiac causes, 5 dogs during the first 7 days after admission. The median survival time for all 15 dogs with LAT was 52 days compared to 336 days in the control group (P=0.103). When excluding 5 dogs with LAT that died during the first 7 days, the median survival increased to 407 days, not different compared to the control group (P=0.549). Conclusions: Dogs with MMVD and LAT have a high short-term mortality; however, when surviving the acute phase, the long-term prognosis may not differ from dogs with a similarly advanced degree of MMVD but without LAT