Prospects and status of quark mass renormalization in three-flavour QCD

We present the current status of a revised strategy to compute the running of renormalized quark masses in QCD with three flavours of massless O(a) improved Wilson quarks. The strategy employed uses the standard finite-size scaling method in the Schr\"odinger functional and accommodates for the non-perturbative scheme-switch which becomes necessary at intermediate renormalized couplings as discussed in [arXiv:1411.7648].Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table; Proceedings of the 33rd International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, 14-18 July 2015, Kobe, Japa

Operators' exposure to noise and vibration in the grass cut tasks: comparison between private and public yards

During the green maintenance, the grass cut tasks require the operators to use machines (especially lawn tractors, mowers, blowers and brush cutters) which transmit them high levels of noise and vibration. The requests of the Directive 2003/10/EC for the operators’ noise exposure are difficult to be applied in seasonal variable activities, as grass cut tasks are. The same problem exists in case of the workers’ exposure to vibration sources. Aim of this work was to compare the noise and vibration operators exposure of a public yard with a private one in the grass cut tasks. Data were collected using the requested standards considering all the noisy and vibrating sources of the operators. Moreover, the different work organisation in the two yards was considered. The results showed that there are not significant differences among the two yards types for the noise risk: the limit value was exceeded for almost all the workers: in this case operators must be protected by the hearing protector devices. For the hand-arm vibration risk, the operators of the private yard are conversely slightly more exposed: in this case major problems are present, because it is more difficult to protect the operators

Non-perturbative renormalisation and running of BSM four-quark operators in Nf=2 QCD

We perform a non-perturbative study of the scale-dependent renormalisation factors of a complete set of dimension-six four-fermion operators without power subtractions. The renormalisation-group (RG) running is determined in the continuum limit for a specific Schrödinger Functional (SF) renormalisation scheme in the framework of lattice QCD with two dynamical flavours (Nf= 2). The theory is regularised on a lattice with a plaquette Wilson action and O(a)-improved Wilson fermions. For one of these operators, the computation had been performed in Dimopoulos et al. (JHEP 0805, 065 (2008). arXiv:0712.2429); the present work completes the study for the rest of the operator basis, on the same simulations (configuration ensembles). The related weak matrix elements arise in several operator product expansions; in Δ F= 2 transitions they contain the QCD long-distance effects, including contributions from beyond-Standard Model (BSM) processes. Some of these operators mix under renormalisation and their RG-running is governed by anomalous dimension matrices. In Papinutto et al. (Eur Phys J C 77(6), 376 (2017). arXiv:1612.06461) the RG formalism for the operator basis has been worked out in full generality and the anomalous dimension matrix has been calculated in NLO perturbation theory. Here the discussion is extended to the matrix step-scaling functions, which are used in finite-size recursive techniques. We rely on these matrix-SSFs to obtain non-perturbative estimates of the operator anomalous dimensions for scales ranging from O(Λ QCD) to O(MW)

On the perturbative renormalization of four-quark operators for new physics

We discuss the renormalization properties of the full set of Δ F= 2 operators involved in BSM processes, including the definition of RGI versions of operators that exhibit mixing under RG transformations. As a first step for a fully non-perturbative determination of the scale-dependent renormalization factors and their runnings, we introduce a family of appropriate Schrödinger Functional schemes, and study them in perturbation theory. This allows, in particular, to determine the NLO anomalous dimensions of all Δ F= 1 , 2 operators in these schemes. Finally, we discuss the systematic uncertainties related to the use of NLO perturbation theory for the RG running of four-quark operators to scales in the GeV range, in both our SF schemes and standard MS ¯ and RI-MOM schemes. Large truncation effects are found for some of the operators consideredM.P. acknowledges partial support by the MIUR-PRINGrant 2010YJ2NYW and by the INFN SUMA project. C.P. and D.P. acknowledge support by Spanish MINECO Grants FPA2012-31686 and FPA2015-68541-P (MINECO/FEDER), and MINECO’s “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa” Programme under Grant SEV-2012-024

O canto como comunicação interpessoal e intrapessoal* [Singing as Inter- and Intra-personal Communication]

Human vocalization contains key essences of our musical development and fosters our earliest abilities to communicate musically. Speech melodies are the first linguistic elements experienced and mastered, and are indistinguishable from the melodic precursors of singing as essential elements in intraand inter-personal musical communication. Singing as communication originates in vocal pitch contours whose musical intervals are exploited by caregivers in infant-directed speech to foster language development. Similar, but more explicit, features are evidenced in caregivers’ infant-directed singing, such as in lullabies and play songs. These basic musical elements of communication can be perceived in utero and underpin the infant’s subsequent vocalizations and musical behaviors. Additionally, the underlying integration of emotion with perception and cognition generates a network of linked vocal and emotional behaviors that are central to human communication. The chapter will examine the growing evidence for musical communication as integral to human vocalization and emotional expression. A vocalização humana apresenta pontos chave do nosso desenvolvimento musical e é ela que promove nossas primeiras mani- festações de habilidades para podermos nos comunicar musicalmente. As melodias da fala constituem os primeiros elementos linguís- ticos a serem vivenciados e dominados, e são precursores indistinguíveis do canto melódico, posto que são elementos essenciais na comu- nicação musical intrapessoal e interpessoal. O canto como forma de comunicação tem origem nos contornos melódicos vocais, cujos intervalos musicais são explorados na fala diri- gida do adulto1 (pais, responsáveis ou cuida- dores)2 ao bebê3 (lactente ou criança) para promover o desenvolvimento da linguagem. Características semelhantes, porém, mais explícitas, são evidenciadas no canto dirigido do adulto ao bebê através de canções de ninar e de canções de brincar. Esses elementos musicais básicos da comunicação podem ser percebidos ainda no útero e formam as bases para as vocalizações e comportamentos musicais subsequentes do bebê. Além disso, a integração fundamental da emoção com a percepção e a cognição dá origem a uma rede de comportamentos vocais e emocionais interligados que são centrais para a comu- nicação humana. O capítulo investigará a crescente evidência da comunicação musical como parte integral da vocalização humana e da expressão emocional

Meta-review of systematic and meta-analytic reviews on family psychoeducation for schizophrenia

The purpose of family psychoeducation is to increase patients’ and their families’ knowledge and understanding of their illness and treatment. Improved knowledge of schizophrenia is expected to enable people to cope better with their illness. The aim of this review is to summarize and appraise evidence from published systematic and meta-analytic reviews on family psychoeducation in schizophrenia. Thorough search and analysis of reviews on efficacy of family psychoeducation in schizophrenia were carried out in PubMed/Medline (19872015), Ovid/Psych Info (1987-2015), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. We included only reviews reporting quantitative summary statistics on studies carried out in patients with schizophrenia and written in English. Review methodology was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) checklist. Double check by two independent assessors was applied. Nine reviews meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria were included in the meta-review. Risk of relapse was reduced in protocols that included family members, whether conducted in single family or in multifamily group sessions. However, effectiveness seems not to be maintained at follow-up. Hospital admission/re-hospitalization was less influenced by family psychoeducation, and no reproducible effect on compliance/medication adherence was found. Overall, quality of evidence on the effectiveness of family psychoeducation in schizophrenia is poo

Overview of the benefitsand potential issues of the nonavalent HPV vaccine

HPV-related diseases affect anogenital and oropharyngeal regions, heavily affecting the psychosexual dimension of both male and female individuals. HPV vaccination programs based on a bivalent or quadrivalent vaccine have opened broad perspectives for primary prevention. A nonavalent HPV vaccine (9vHPV), covering nine genotypes (HPV6, HPV11, HPV16, HPV18, HPV31, HPV33, HPV45, HPV52, and HPV58), might provide further improvement in terms of direct protection. In the present report, efficacy and safety data from 9vHPV vaccine development programs are examined. Efficacy data come from a pivotal trial, which was conducted among women aged 16–26 years randomly assigned to receive either the 9vHPV or the quadrivalent HPV (4vHPV) vaccine. The 9vHPV vaccine was shown to have potential benefits as compared with 4vHPV, increasing the overall estimated rate of prevention to 90% for cervical cancer and up to 80% for precancerous cervical lesions. For all other HPV-related pre-invasive and invasive lesions, 9vHPV showed potentially greater disease reduction, depending on the anatomic region examined. Thus, the 9vHPV vaccine shows clinical potential for the prevention of HPV-related diseases in both sexes. Future adoption of 9vHPV will depend on factors including market price, cost-effectiveness data, use of a two-dose schedule, and safety and efficacy monitoring in real-life programs