2,436 research outputs found
The impact of changing work schedules on American firefighters’ sleep patterns and well-being
Across the nation, fire departments are adopting the 48/96 work schedule, in which firefighters work 48 consecutive hours with the following 96 hours off. Our study objective was to explain and quantify the impact of switching from the Kelly schedule to the 48/96 schedule by measuring changes in sleep, feelings of daytime function, as well as perceptions of professional and personal well-being for American firefighters. Sleep diaries and self-reported surveys were administered to firefighters at an urban fire department. Sleep diaries measuring the number of hours slept and feelings of refreshment were compared one month before and four months after implementation of the 48/96 schedule. The self-reported surveys measured sleepiness levels via the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Secondary study objectives included changes in professional and personal well-being time for personal schedules, satisfaction, and health habits before and after the 48/96 schedule was implemented. The 59 firefighters included in the study reported an increase in sleep on-shift after the new schedule implementation (5.8 to 6.6 hours/night, p < 0.001). Participants also reported increased feelings of refreshment on days off (p < 0.001) and decreased daytime sleepiness (p < 0.001). We also found a general trend of improved perceptions of satisfaction, less shift interference with personal schedules and decreased feelings of burnout. American firefighters appeared to benefit from a 48/96 schedule, with short-term improvements in sleep patterns, feelings of burnout, and time for personal schedules
Measurement of the hadronic photon structure function F_{2}^{γ} at LEP2
The hadronic structure function of the photon F_{2}^{γ} (x, Q²) is measured as a function of Bjorken x and of the photon virtuality Q² using deep-inelastic scattering data taken by the OPAL detector at LEP at e⁺e⁻ centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. Previous OPAL measurements of the x dependence of F_{2}^{γ} are extended to an average Q² of 〈Q²〉=780 GeV² using data in the kinematic range 0.15<x<0.98. The Q² evolution of F_{2}^{γ} is studied for 12.1<〈Q²〉<780 GeV² using three ranges of x. As predicted by QCD, the data show positive scaling violations in F_{2}^{γ} with F_{2}^{γ} (Q²)/α = (0.08±0.02⁺⁰·⁰⁵_₀.₀₃) + (0.13±0.01⁺⁰·⁰¹_₀.₀₁) lnQ², where Q² is in GeV², for the central x region 0.10–0.60. Several parameterisations of F_{2}^{γ} are in qualitative agreement with the measurements whereas the quark-parton model prediction fails to describe the data
Measurement of the charm structure function F_{2,c)^{γ} of the photon at LEP
The production of charm quarks is studied in deep-inelastic electron–photon scattering using data recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP at nominal e⁺e⁻ centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. The charm quarks have been identified by full reconstruction of charged D* mesons using their decays into D⁰π with the D⁰ observed in two decay modes with charged particle final states, Kπ and Kπππ. The cross-section σ^{D*} for production of charged D* in the reaction e⁺e⁻→e⁺e⁻D*Χ is measured in a restricted kinematical region using two bins in Bjorken x, 0.00140.1 the perturbative QCD calculation at next-to-leading order agrees perfectly with the measured cross-section. For x<0.1 the measured cross-section is 43.8±14.3±6.3±2.8 pb with a next-to-leading order prediction of 17.0⁺²·⁹_₂.₃ pb
Measurement of the partial widths of the Z into up- and down-type quarks
Using the entire OPAL LEP1 on-peak Z hadronic decay sample, Z -> qbarq gamma
decays were selected by tagging hadronic final states with isolated photon
candidates in the electromagnetic calorimeter. Combining the measured rates of
Z -> qbarq gamma decays with the total rate of hadronic Z decays permits the
simultaneous determination of the widths of the Z into up- and down-type
quarks. The values obtained, with total errors, were Gamma u = 300 ^{+19}_{-18}
MeV and Gamma d = 381 ^{+12}_{-12} MeV. The results are in good agreement with
the Standard Model expectation.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Phys. Letts.
Scaling violations of quark and gluon jet fragmentation functions in e+e- annihilations at sqrt(s) = 91.2 and 183-209 GeV
Flavour inclusive, udsc and b fragmentation functions in unbiased jets, and
flavour inclusive, udsc, b and gluon fragmentation functions in biased jets are
measured in e+e- annihilations from data collected at centre-of-mass energies
of 91.2, and 183-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. The unbiased jets are
defined by hemispheres of inclusive hadronic events, while the biased jet
measurements are based on three-jet events selected with jet algorithms.
Several methods are employed to extract the fragmentation functions over a wide
range of scales. Possible biases are studied in the results are obtained. The
fragmentation functions are compared to results from lower energy e+e-
experiments and with earlier LEP measurements and are found to be consistent.
Scaling violations are observed and are found to be stronger for the
fragmentation functions of gluon jets than for those of quarks. The measured
fragmentation functions are compared to three recent theoretical
next-to-leading order calculations and to the predictions of three Monte Carlo
event generators. While the Monte Carlo models are in good agreement with the
data, the theoretical predictions fail to describe the full set of results, in
particular the b and gluon jet measurements.Comment: 46 pages, 17 figures, Submitted to Eur. Phys J.
Search for Yukawa Production of a Light Neutral Higgs Boson at LEP
Within a Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) a search for a light Higgs boson in
the mass range of 4-12 GeV has been performed in the Yukawa process e+e- -> b
bbar A/h -> b bbar tau+tau-, using the data collected by the OPAL detector at
LEP between 1992 and 1995 in e+e- collisions at about 91 GeV centre-of-mass
energy. A likelihood selection is applied to separate background and signal.
The number of observed events is in good agreement with the expected
background. Within a CP-conserving 2HDM type II model the cross-section for
Yukawa production depends on xiAd = |tan beta| and xihd = |sin alpha/cos beta|
for the production of the CP-odd A and the CP-even h, respectively, where tan
beta is the ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets and
alpha is the mixing angle between the neutral CP-even Higgs bosons. From our
data 95% C.L. upper limits are derived for xiAd within the range of 8.5 to 13.6
and for xihd between 8.2 to 13.7, depending on the mass of the Higgs boson,
assuming a branching fraction into tau+tau- of 100%. An interpretation of the
limits within a 2HDM type II model with Standard Model particle content is
given. These results impose constraints on several models that have been
proposed to explain the recent BNL measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic
moment.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, Submitted to Euro. Phys. J.
Tests of model of color reconnection and a search for glueballs using gluon jets with a rapidity gap
Gluon jets with a mean energy of 22 GeV and purity of 95% are selected from
hadronic Z0 decay events produced in e+e- annihilations. A subsample of these
jets is identified which exhibits a large gap in the rapidity distribution of
particles within the jet. After imposing the requirement of a rapidity gap, the
gluon jet purity is 86%. These jets are observed to demonstrate a high degree
of sensitivity to the presence of color reconnection, i.e. higher order QCD
processes affecting the underlying color structure. We use our data to test
three QCD models which include a simulation of color reconnection: one in the
Ariadne Monte Carlo, one in the Herwig Monte Carlo, and the other by Rathsman
in the Pythia Monte Carlo. We find the Rathsman and Ariadne color reconnection
models can describe our gluon jet measurements only if very large values are
used for the cutoff parameters which serve to terminate the parton showers, and
that the description of inclusive Z0 data is significantly degraded in this
case. We conclude that color reconnection as implemented by these two models is
disfavored. The signal from the Herwig color reconnection model is less clear
and we do not obtain a definite conclusion concerning this model. In a separate
study, we follow recent theoretical suggestions and search for glueball-like
objects in the leading part of the gluon jets. No clear evidence is observed
for these objects.Comment: 42 pages, 18 figure
Measurement of triple gauge boson couplings from WW production at LEP energies up to 189 GeV
A measurement of triple gauge boson couplings is presented, based on W-pair
data recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP during 1998 at a centre-of-mass
energy of 189 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 183 pb^-1. After combining
with our previous measurements at centre-of-mass energies of 161-183 GeV we
obtain k_g=0.97 +0.20 -0.16, g_1^z=0.991 +0.060 -0.057 and lambda_g=-0.110
+0.058 -0.055, where the errors include both statistical and systematic
uncertainties and each coupling is determined by setting the other two
couplings to their SM values. These results are consistent with the Standard
Model expectations.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Eur. Phys. J.
Measurement of Rb in e+e- Collisions at 182 - 209 GeV
Measurements of Rb, the ratio of the bbbar cross-section to the qqbar cross-
section in e+e- collisions, are presented. The data were collected by the OPAL
experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 182 GeV and 209 GeV.
Lepton, lifetime and event shape information is used to tag events containing b
quarks with high efficiency. The data are compatible with the Standard Model
expectation. The mean ratio of the eight measurements reported here to the
Standard Model prediction is 1.055+-0.031+-0.037, where the first error is
statistical and the second systematic.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Phys. Letts
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