Effect of gamma radiation of 60Co on sunflower plants (Helianthus annuus L.) (Asteraceae), from irradiated achenes

In order to know the effect of 60Co gamma irradiation, in the sunflower crop, were irradiated achenes in the Transelektro LGI-01 in the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares. The data was evaluated under a completely randomized design, where the treatments were 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 and 900 Gy and four repetitions (10x4) = 40 experimental units. The response variables were: plant height, root length and volume, dry biomass. The results indicated that germination and sprouting decreased as the radiation increased, adjusting these to a quadratic model. Plant height, length, root volume and dry biomass decreased at high doses. From this investigation it was concluded, that doses of 100 and 200 Gy, have a stimulating effect on plant height and root length, being an important agent, to induce genetic variability in sunflower

Musicoterapia en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales: experiencia benéfica para el binomio

ResumenIntroducciónDesde hace varios años se está utilizando la música como herramienta terapéutica y preventiva en la neonatología, se han documentado en un gran número de artículos de investigación, sin embargo, en México esta técnica es poco utilizada.ObjetivoMejorar las condiciones de los neonatos atendidos en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCIN) y sus familiares, mediante el uso de musicoterapia, para minimizar el estrés y los daños colaterales.Materiales y métodosUn grupo de 2 neonatólogos, 3 residentes de pediatría, 10 enfermeras y un concertista profesional de violín, llevaron a cabo 6 sesiones musicales semanales en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales Externos del Hospital Civil de Guadalajara. Durante el concierto se valoró individualmente a cada neonato, registrando los signos vitales por monitorización electrónica, además se registró el estado anímico de los familiares.ResultadosDurante las sesiones de música los neonatales no presentaron cambios significativos en sus constantes vitales, en el personal de la UCIN y en los padres de recién nacidos hospitalizados se vieron efectos benéficos, refiriendo disminución del estrés y altos índices de satisfacción.ConclusionesLa música puede tener un efecto positivo como terapia coadyuvante en neonatos de alto riesgo, principalmente en prematuros. Se recomienda difundir y aplicar esta metodología en las UCIN del país.AbstractIntroductionSince several years ago, music has been used as a therapeutic and preventive tool in neonatology. A great number of research papers have been written on the subject; however, this technique is rarely used in Mexico.ObjectiveTo improve the condition of neonates at Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and their relatives, in order to minimize any stress and collateral damage.Material and methods: A group of two neonatologists, 3 residents, 10 nurses and a professional concert violinist, conducted six weekly music sessions in the Outpatient Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ONICU) of our institution. During the concert, we individually assessed each newborn, recording vital signs through electronic monitoring; additionally, we recorded the mood of any other family members present.ResultsDuring the music sessions, the neonatal patients showed no significant changes in vital signs; yet, ONICU staff and the parents/relatives of hospitalized newborns showed beneficial effects, reporting decreased stress and high levels of satisfaction.ConclusionsMusic can have a positive effect as adjunctive therapy in high-risk newborns, especially in premature babies. We therefore recommend applying this methodology in the ONICU

Servicio de Control Microbiológico (SCM), como Estrategia Didáctica para el laboratorio de Tecnología de Alimentos [Microbiological Control Service, as Didactic Strategy for Food Technology Lab]

Servicio de Control Microbiológico (SCM) es una Estrategia Didáctica dirigida a alumnos de Laboratorios de: Tecnología de Alimentos (LABTEC) y Microbiología de Alimentos (LMA), en la Facultad de Química (FQ) de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Se basa en el desempeño de roles profesionales, donde alumnos de LABTEC que elaboran alimentos actúan como productores que requieren análisis microbiológicos; los alumnos de LMA actúan como proveedores del servicio de control microbiológico. Se elaboran solicitudes y reportes formales, basados en normas de referencia, para que se pueda concluir sobre la calidad higiénica del alimento. La estrategia ha permitido a los participantes, una experiencia muy cercana al ejercicio profesional, para evaluar buenas prácticas de manufactura, trabajo individual y en equipo. Todos desarrollaron habilidades de comunicación profesional, solución de problemas y conciencia sobre la importancia de la calidad higiénica de los alimentos. El control microbiológico en LABTEC se ha realizado sin recursos adicionales, pues se aplican aquellos destinados a las prácticas de LMA. Además de la experiencia de aprendizaje, se está generando mejora continua en ambas asignaturas. [Microbiological control service (SCM) as a didactic strategy is aimed to those students in laboratories of food technology (LABTEC) and food microbiology (LMA), at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México’s School of Chemistry (FQ). It is based in professional role playing; LABTEC students elaborate the products and act as food producers in need of microbiological analysis; LMA students perform as service providers, for microbiological control. They elaborate formal requests and microbiological analysis report, based on mandatory standards, which can lead to conclusions about product’s hygienic quality. The strategy has given students an experience close to professional practice, to evaluate good manufacturing practices, individual and team work. All developed professional communication skills, problems identification and proposals for solving them, as well as consciousness about the importance of hygienic quality of food. The microbiological control in LABTEC has been carried out without the need for additional resources, since those intended for LMA practices are applied to these real samples. The experience is generating continuous improvement in both courses.

Limits on anomalous trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW, WZ and Wgamma production in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV

We present final searches of the anomalous gammaWW and ZWW trilinear gauge boson couplings from WW and WZ production using lepton plus dijet final states and a combination with results from Wgamma, WW, and WZ production with leptonic final states. The analyzed data correspond to up to 8.6/fb of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 detector in pp-bar collisions at sqrt{s}=1.96 TeV. We set the most stringent limits at a hadron collider to date assuming two different relations between the anomalous coupling parameters Delta\kappa_\gamma, lambda, and Delta g_1^Z for a cutoff energy scale Lambda=2 TeV. The combined 68% C.L. limits are -0.057<Delta\kappa_\gamma<0.154, -0.015<lambda<0.028, and -0.008<Delta g_1^Z<0.054 for the LEP parameterization, and -0.007<Delta\kappa<0.081 and -0.017<lambda<0.028 for the equal couplings parameterization. We also present the most stringent limits of the W boson magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PL

Measurement of the photon+b+b-jet production differential cross section in ppˉp\bar{p} collisions at \sqrt{s}=1.96~\TeV

We present measurements of the differential cross section dsigma/dpT_gamma for the inclusive production of a photon in association with a b-quark jet for photons with rapidities |y_gamma|< 1.0 and 30<pT_gamma <300 GeV, as well as for photons with 1.5<|y_gamma|< 2.5 and 30< pT_gamma <200 GeV, where pT_gamma is the photon transverse momentum. The b-quark jets are required to have pT>15 GeV and rapidity |y_jet| < 1.5. The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.7 fb^-1, recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. The measured cross sections are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations using different sets of parton distribution functions as well as to predictions based on the kT-factorization QCD approach, and those from the Sherpa and Pythia Monte Carlo event generators.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.

Search for pair production of the scalar top quark in muon+tau final states

We present a search for the pair production of scalar top quarks ($\tilde{t}_{1}$), the lightest supersymmetric partners of the top quarks, in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of {7.3 $fb^{-1}$} collected with the \dzero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Each scalar top quark is assumed to decay into a $b$ quark, a charged lepton, and a scalar neutrino ($\tilde{\nu}$). We investigate final states arising from $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\mu\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$ and $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\tau\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$. With no significant excess of events observed above the background expected from the standard model, we set exclusion limits on this production process in the ($m_{\tilde{t}_{1}}$,$m_{\tilde{\nu}}$) plane.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Search for Higgs bosons of the minimal supersymmetric standard model in p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We report results from searches for neutral Higgs bosons produced in p-pbar collisions recorded by the Dzero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We study the production of inclusive neutral Higgs boson in the tautau final state and in association with a b quark in the btautau and bbb final states. These results are combined to improve the sensitivity to the production of neutral Higgs bosons in the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). The data are found to be consistent with expectation from background processes. Upper limits on MSSM Higgs boson production are set for Higgs boson masses ranging from 90 to 300 GeV. We exclude tanBeta>20-30 for Higgs boson masses below 180 GeV. These are the most stringent constraints on MSSM Higgs boson production in p-pbar collisions.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results

Jet size dependence of single jet suppression in lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s(NN)) = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s) = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 7 inverse microbarns, ATLAS has measured jets with a calorimeter over the pseudorapidity interval |eta| < 2.1 and over the transverse momentum range 38 < pT < 210 GeV. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-kt algorithm with values for the distance parameter that determines the nominal jet radius of R = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The centrality dependence of the jet yield is characterized by the jet "central-to-peripheral ratio," Rcp. Jet production is found to be suppressed by approximately a factor of two in the 10% most central collisions relative to peripheral collisions. Rcp varies smoothly with centrality as characterized by the number of participating nucleons. The observed suppression is only weakly dependent on jet radius and transverse momentum. These results provide the first direct measurement of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions and complement previous measurements of dijet transverse energy imbalance at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages plus author list (30 pages total), 8 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Physics Letters B. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/HION-2011-02