Measuring the hadronic cross section via radiative return

Recently it has been demonstrated that particle factories, such as DAPHNE and PEP-II, operating at fixed center-of-mass energies, are able to measure hadronic cross sections as a function of the hadronic system energy using the raditive return. This paper is an experimental overview of the progress in this aera. Preliminary results from KLOE for the process e+e- -> \rho \gamma -> \pi+\pi-\gamma and a fit to the pion form factor are presented. Some first results from the BABAR collaboration are also shown.Comment: Invited talk presented at RADCOR/Loops and Legs 2002, Kloster Banz/Germany, September 8-13 2002, 6 pages, 2 Figures; v1: references added, typos correcte

Photon pair production at flavour factories with per mille accuracy

We present a high-precision QED calculation, with 0.1% theoretical accuracy, of two photon production in $e^+ e^-$ annihilation, as required by more and more accurate luminosity monitoring at flavour factories. The accuracy of the approach, which is based on the matching of exact next-to-leading order corrections with a QED Parton Shower algorithm, is demonstrated through a detailed analysis of the impact of the various sources of radiative corrections to the experimentally relevant observables. The calculation is implemented in the latest version of the event generator BabaYaga, available for precision simulations of photon pair production at $e^+ e^-$ colliders of moderately high energies.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Limited effect of patient and disease characteristics on compliance with hospital antimicrobial guidelines

Objective: Physicians frequently deviate from guidelines that promote prudent use of antimicrobials. We explored to what extent patient and disease characteristics were associated with compliance with guideline recommendations for three common infections. Methods: In a 1-year prospective observational study, 1,125 antimicrobial prescriptions were analysed for compliance with university hospital guidelines. Results: Compliance varied significantly between and within the groups of infections studied. Compliance was much higher for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs; 79%) than for sepsis (53%) and urinary tract infections (UTIs; 40%). Only predisposing illnesses and active malignancies were associated with more compliant prescribing, whereas alcohol/ intravenous drug abuse and serum creatinine levels > 130 mu mol/l were associated with less compliant prescribing. Availability of culture results had no impact on compliance with guidelines for sepsis but was associated with more compliance in UTIs and less in LRTIs. Narrowing initial broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy to cultured pathogens was seldom practised. Most noncompliant prescribing concerned a too broad spectrum of activity when compared with guideline-recommended therapy. Conclusion: Patient characteristics had only a limited impact on compliant prescribing for a variety of reasons. Physicians seemed to practise defensive prescribing behaviour, favouring treatment success in current patients over loss of effectiveness due to resistance in future patients

inPractice: a practical nursing package for clinical decisions

This paper examines the recent development of a computer-assisted learning program-in Practice-at the School of Health Science, in the University of Wales Swansea. The project, which began in 2001, was developed in close collaboration with The Meningitis Trust, the aim being to produce a software package to increase nursing students knowledge of meningitis-related illnesses, and to enhance their decision-making and problem-solving skills by using lifelike scenarios. It incorporates two multimedia meningitis modules incorporating the use of text, film, and sound, in which students are presented with information about the illness (symptoms, treatment etc.), and are required to use their knowledge to make decisions at various key points. A general discussion of decision-making theories and CAL design principles is presented, which has provided a foundation for the main design aspects of the package. This is followed by an outline of how the program was created to promote students application of knowledge and their decision-making and problem-solving skills. Results from an evaluation questionnaire are presented. Consideration is also given as to how the program can be extended