2,918 research outputs found
Dispersion of longitudinal momentum distributions induced in fragmentation reactions
On the basis of systematic measurements of fragmentation reactions, which
provide a detailed overview on the velocity distributions of residual nuclei,
an improved description of the kinematical properties of the fragmentation
residues is established. This work is dedicated to the fluctuations of their
momentum distributions. In contrast to previous investigations, limited to
close-to-projectile fragments, we extended our study to the entire production
range, down to the lightest observed fragments. In this context, beside the
contribution of abrasion and evaporation processes, we considered the effect of
the thermal break-up on the width of the momentum distributions. Using
approximated theoretical descriptions of the different reaction stages, a new
analytical formula for the variance of the momentum distribution is derived,
which is well adapted to technical applications.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, background info. at
http://www-wnt.gsi.de/charms
The psychophysics of absolute threshold and signal duration: A probabilistic approach
The absolute threshold for a tone depends on its duration; longer tones have lower thresholds. This effect has traditionally been explained in terms of ?temporal integration? involving the summation of energy or perceptual information over time. An alternative probabilistic explanation of the process is formulated in terms of simple equations that predict not only the time=duration dependence but also the shape of the psychometric function at absolute threshold. It also predicts a tight relationship between these two functions. Measurements made using listeners with either normal or impaired hearing show that the probabilistic equations adequately fit observed threshold-duration functions and psychometric functions. The mathematical formulation implies that absolute threshold can be construed as a two-valued function: (a) gain and (b) sensory threshold, and both parameters can be estimated from threshold-duration data. Sensorineural hearing impairment is sometimes associated with a smaller threshold=duration effect and sometimes with steeper psychometric functions. The equations explain why these two effects are expected to be linked. The probabilistic approach has the potential to discriminate between hearing deficits involving gain reduction and those resulting from a raised sensory threshold
Xenogeneic, extracorporeal liver perfusion in primates improves the ratio of branched-chain amino acids to aromatic amino acids (Fischer's ratio)
In fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), the development of hepatic encephalopathy is associated with grossly abnormal concentrations of plasma amino acids (PAA). Normalization of the ratio of branched-chain amino acids to aromatic amino acids (Fischer's ratio) correlates with clinical improvement. This study evaluated changes in PAA metabolism during 4 h of isolated, normothermic extracorporeal liver perfusion using a newly designed system containing human blood and a rhesus monkey liver. Bile and urea production were within the physiological range. Release of the transaminases AST, ALT and LDH were minimal. The ratio of branched (valine, leucine, isoleucine) to aromatic (tyrosine, phenylalanine) amino acids increased significantly. These results indicate that a xenogeneic extracorporeal liver perfusion system is capable of significantly increasing Fischer's ratio and may play a role in treating and bridging patients in FHF in the future
Telescopic actions
A group action H on X is called "telescopic" if for any finitely presented
group G, there exists a subgroup H' in H such that G is isomorphic to the
fundamental group of X/H'.
We construct examples of telescopic actions on some CAT[-1] spaces, in
particular on 3 and 4-dimensional hyperbolic spaces. As applications we give
new proofs of the following statements:
(1) Aitchison's theorem: Every finitely presented group G can appear as the
fundamental group of M/J, where M is a compact 3-manifold and J is an
involution which has only isolated fixed points;
(2) Taubes' theorem: Every finitely presented group G can appear as the
fundamental group of a compact complex 3-manifold.Comment: +higher dimension
Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Xe Atom
We report on a new measurement of the CP-violating permanent Electric Dipole
Moment (EDM) of the neutral Xe atom. Our experimental approach is based
on the detection of the free precession of co-located nuclear spin-polarized
He and Xe samples. The EDM measurement sensitivity benefits
strongly from long spin coherence times of several hours achieved in diluted
gases and homogeneous weak magnetic fields of about 400~nT. A finite EDM is
indicated by a change in the precession frequency, as an electric field is
periodically reversed with respect to the magnetic guiding field. Our result,
ecm, is consistent with zero and is
used to place a new upper limit on the Xe EDM: ecm (95% C.L.). We also discuss the implications of this result for
various CP-violating observables as they relate to theories of physics beyond
the standard model
Strain and family effects on resistance of "Leghorn" hens against different dissae
International audienc
Prenatal exposure to methadone or buprenorphine: Early childhood developmental outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Methadone and buprenorphine are recommended to treat opioid use disorders during pregnancy. However, the literature on the relationship between longer-term effects of prenatal exposure to these medications and childhood development is both spare and inconsistent.
METHODS: Participants were 96 children and their mothers who participated in MOTHER, a randomized controlled trial of opioid-agonist pharmacotherapy during pregnancy. The present study examined child growth parameters, cognition, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament from 0 to 36 months of the child\u27s life. Maternal perceptions of parenting stress, home environment, and addiction severity were also examined.
RESULTS: Tests of mean differences between children prenatally exposed to methadone vs. buprenorphine over the three-year period yielded 2/37 significant findings for children. Similarly, tests of mean differences between children treated for NAS relative to those not treated for NAS yielded 1/37 significant finding. Changes over time occurred for 27/37 child outcomes including expected child increases in weight, head and height, and overall gains in cognitive development, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament. For mothers, significant changes over time in parenting stress (9/17 scales) suggested increasing difficulties with their children, notably seen in increasing parenting stress, but also an increasingly enriched home environment (4/7 scales).
CONCLUSIONS: Findings strongly suggest no deleterious effects of buprenorphine relative to methadone or of treatment for NAS severity relative to not-treated for NAS on growth, cognitive development, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament. Moreover, findings suggest that prenatal opioid agonist exposure is not deleterious to normal physical and mental development
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