Evidence for the h_b(1P) meson in the decay Upsilon(3S) --> pi0 h_b(1P)

Using a sample of 122 million Upsilon(3S) events recorded with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+e- collider at SLAC, we search for the $h_b(1P)$ spin-singlet partner of the P-wave chi_{bJ}(1P) states in the sequential decay Upsilon(3S) --> pi0 h_b(1P), h_b(1P) --> gamma eta_b(1S). We observe an excess of events above background in the distribution of the recoil mass against the pi0 at mass 9902 +/- 4(stat.) +/- 2(syst.) MeV/c^2. The width of the observed signal is consistent with experimental resolution, and its significance is 3.1sigma, including systematic uncertainties. We obtain the value (4.3 +/- 1.1(stat.) +/- 0.9(syst.)) x 10^{-4} for the product branching fraction BF(Upsilon(3S)-->pi0 h_b) x BF(h_b-->gamma eta_b).Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communications

Measurement of the Top Pair Production Cross Section in the Dilepton Decay Channel in ppbar Collisions at sqrt s = 1.96 TeV

Submitted to Phys. Rev. DA measurement of the \ttbar production cross section in \ppbar collisions at $\sqrt{{\rm s}}$ = 1.96 TeV using events with two leptons, missing transverse energy, and jets is reported. The data were collected with the CDF II Detector. The result in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity 2.8 fb$^{-1}$ is: \sigma_{\ttbar} = 6.27 $\pm$ 0.73(stat) $\pm$ 0.63(syst) $\pm$ 0.39(lum) pb. for an assumed top mass of 175 GeV/$c^{2}$.A measurement of the tt̅ production cross section in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV using events with two leptons, missing transverse energy, and jets is reported. The data were collected with the CDF II detector. The result in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity 2.8  fb-1 is σtt̅ =6.27±0.73(stat)±0.63(syst)±0.39(lum)  pb. for an assumed top mass of 175  GeV/c2.Peer reviewe

The embryo as moral work object: PGD/IVF staff views and experiences

Copyright @ 2008 the authors. This article is available in accordance with the Creative Commons Deed, Attribution 2.5, see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/deed.en_CA.We report on one aspect of a study that explored the views and experiences of practitioners and scientists on social, ethical and clinical dilemmas encountered when working in the field of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for serious genetic disorders. The study produced an ethnography based on observation, interviews and ethics discussion groups with staff from two PGD/IVF Units in the UK. We focus here on staff perceptions of work with embryos that entails disposing of ‘affected’ or ‘spare’ embryos or using them for research. A variety of views were expressed on the ‘embryo question’ in contrast to polarised media debates. We argue that the prevailing policy acceptance of destroying affected embryos, and allowing research on embryos up to 14 days leaves some staff with rarely reported, ambivalent feelings. Staff views are under-researched in this area and we focus on how they may reconcile their personal moral views with the ethical framework in their field. Staff construct embryos in a variety of ways as ‘moral work objects’. This allows them to shift attention between micro-level and overarching institutional work goals, building on Casper's concept of ‘work objects’ and focusing on negotiation of the social order in a morally contested field.The Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Programme, who funded the projects‘Facilitating choice, framing choice: the experience of staff working in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis’ (no: 074935), and ‘Ethical Frameworks for Embryo Donation:the views and practices of IVF/PGD staff’ (no: 081414)

A política pública de saúde brasileira: representação e memória social de profissionais Brazilian National Health Policy: health professionals' social representations

A política pública brasileira de saúde, conhecida como Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), foi criada há 15 anos, objetivando prover o acesso universal aos cuidados de saúde. Este trabalho objetiva caracterizar o conteúdo das representações sociais construídas pelos profissionais de saúde sobre a implantação do SUS, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Ele foi embasado na Teoria de Representação e Memória Social. O estudo foi desenvolvido em cinco instituições de saúde com cem profissionais. Os dados foram coletados através de entrevistas em profundidade e analisados através da análise lexical com o uso do programa Alceste, versão 4.7. Os resultados apontaram dois blocos temáticos, o SUS formal e o real. O primeiro compreende as temáticas relacionadas à política de recursos humanos, às definições e princípios do sistema de saúde e à participação social. O segundo abarca a relação profissional-cliente e a estrutura do atendimento, a hierarquização e a regionalização da assistência e a estrutura do atendimento e o perfil da clientela. Os resultados refletem as principais características do sistema e permitem identificar representações e memórias que o diferencia do anterior.<br>The Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) was created 15 years ago with the aim of promoting universal access to health care. This study analyzes the content of social representations by health professionals from Rio de Janeiro concerning the system's implementation. The study was based on social representation and social memory theory and was conducted in five health care institutions with 100 professionals. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed through lexical analysis using the Alceste 4.7 software. The results showed two thematic blocks, namely the formal and real SUS. The formal representation discusses themes related to human resources policy, health system definitions and principles, and social participation. The real representation discusses the health professional-client relationship and health care structure, hierarchical and regional organization of care, and client profile. The results reflect the main characteristics of the SUS and allow the identification of representations and memories that differentiate it from the previous system