Understanding Bull Breeding Soundness Exams

Controversy still exists about Breeding Soundness Examinations (BSE) and what they can and cannot do. At times they are not used because of a lack of understanding of their value while at other times they are used with unrealistic expectations. First, BSE is performed to identify bulls with reduced fertility not just to find those which are sterile. Very few bulls are sterile but a significant percent have reduced fertility

Nonperturbative corrections to moments of the decay B -> X_s l^+ l^-

We study nonperturbative corrections to the inclusive rare decay B -> X_s l^+ l^- by performing an operator product expansion (OPE) to O(1/m_b^3). The values of the matrix elements entering at this order are unknown and introduce uncertainties into physical quantities. We study uncertainties introduced into the partially integrated rate, moments of the hadronic spectrum, as well as the forward-backward asymmetry. We find that for large dilepton invariant mass q^2 > M_{\psi'}^2 these uncertainties are large. We also assess the possibility of extracting the HQET parameters \lambda_1 and \bar{\Lambda} using data from this process.Comment: 24 pages, revtex, 4 figures, added an appendix with details, results unchange

Implementation of a Single-Patient-Use Airway Taping Product in the Operating Room

BACKGROUND: Anesthesia providers use adhesive tape to secure advanced airway devices. Rolls of adhesive tape serve as reservoirs for pathogens. Rolls of tape do not have instructions on how they are to be reused, cannot be disinfected, and should not be repurposed. The re-use of rolls of tape poses a risk to patient safety. LOCAL PROBLEM: The project facility was an academic medical center in the Southeast region of the United States. The facility does not have taping practice guidelines in place. Rolls of tape are handled without gloves, used by several providers, placed on multiple patients’ faces, and stored in areas that are not routinely cleaned. The purpose of this evidence-based practice quality improvement project was to implement a single-patient-use taping product for anesthesia providers to utilize when securing advanced airways. The AIM was: After six weeks of implementation of a single-patient-use taping product in the main operating rooms of the facility, 60% of providers will report satisfaction and compliance with the new taping product. METHODS: The Evidence-Based Practice Improvement model was used to outline this project. The measured outcomes were anesthesia provider satisfaction and compliance with the single-patient-use taping product, which was evaluated by a questionnaire. INTERVENTIONS: A single-patient-use taping product was distributed to anesthesia providers to secure advanced airway devices perioperatively. Providers then completed a questionnaire designed to assess their satisfaction and compliance with the product. RESULTS: The project AIM for satisfaction and compliance were met as 61% of anesthesia providers agreed that they would continue using the product if available, and 61% of providers were satisfied with the product. CONCLUSIONS: Anesthesia providers were satisfied and compliant with the product. Incorporating a single-patient-use product aligns with accrediting agencies’ strategic goals and priorities and allows anesthesia providers to increase patient safety. To sustain product use, the facility would need to continue to purchase the product at non-educational pricing

Fall Calving in the Intermountain West

Fall calving has been practiced by beef producers for many years, although in small numbers relative to spring calving. The spring calf crop has been a traditional event for most beef producers and probably will continue to be. There are distinct advantages, however, to fall calving which producers could take advantage of. The potential for higher conception and weaning rates, price premiums and the elimination of calf scours are among the reasons some beef producers have switched from spring calving their herd to fall calving

Nonperturbative corrections to B -> X_s l^+ l^- with phase space restrictions

We study nonperturbative corrections up to O(1/m_b^3) in the inclusive rare B decay B -> X_s l^+ l^- by performing an operator product expansion. The values of the matrix elements entering at this order are unknown and introduce uncertainties into physical quantities. Imposing a phase space cut to eliminate the $c \bar{c}$ resonances we find that the O(1/m_b^3) corrections introduce an O(10%) uncertainty in the measured rate. We also find that the contributions arising at O(1/m_b^3) are comparable to the ones arising at O(1/m_b^2) over the entire region of phase space.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, revte

Phenomenology of B -> pi pi, pi K Decays at O(alpha^2 beta_0) in QCD Factorization

We study O(alpha^2 beta_0) perturbative corrections to matrix elements entering two-body exclusive decays of the form B -> pi pi, pi K in the QCD factorization formalism, including chirally enhanced power corrections, and discuss the effect of these corrections on direct CP asymmetries, which receive their first contribution at O(alpha). We find that the O(alpha^2 beta_0) corrections are often as large as the O(alpha) corrections. We find large uncertainties due to renormalization scale dependence as well as poor knowledge of the non-perturbative parameters. We assess the effect of the perturbative corrections on the direct CP violation parameters of B -> pi^+ pi^-.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures. Updated input parameters and added citations; expanded discussio