Study of the kaon contribution to the T2K neutrino beam using neutrino interactions in the Near Detector

T2K is a long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. It uses an accelerator- produced neutrino beam, whereby a beam of protons impinges on a nuclear target, producing kaon and pion mesons that decay to neutrinos. The main neutrino detectors are situated at 2.50 off-axis from the centre of the beam. An accurate flux prediction for this off-axis beam is crucial to achieve the sensitivity required for the goals of T2K. External experiments reduce the major flux uncertainty (hadronic interactions in the target), but are inherently independent of the real and variable beamline conditions of T2K. Therefore, in situ measurements are required to validate the flux. This thesis uses data from the T2K near detector (ND280) to validate the ux prediction. The normalisation of K+-originating neutrinos at the ND280 is measured. The K+ beam component is important since K+ daughters dominate the high energy part of the μ beam and contribute to the intrinsic e contamination. As many aspects of the beam simulation affect this measurement, including the hadron production at the target and the off-axis angle, it is used to validate the entire system. The November 2010 to March 2011 data set is used, corresponding to 7:837 x 1019 protons on target. μ charged-current interactions are selected (with 86.3% purity) using the ND280 tracker and binned according to the momentum and angle of the muon candidate. The Monte Carlo (MC) is fitted to the data to extract the normalisations of both K+ and π+ originating neutrinos, bK and bπ respectively. The flux, cross-section and detector systematic errors are considered. The best fit point is at bK = 0:86 and bπ = 0:78, consistent with the nominal MC at the 1σ level. Additionally, results of the first time calibration of the ND280 detector, primarily of the ECal sub-detector, are presented

Understanding the Role of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in Mathematics Methods and Mathematics Content Courses for Prospective Teachers

The reform efforts brought about by the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) necessitate inquiry into how these standards are (or are not) being addressed in teacher preparation courses. This study examines the extent that the CCSSM are emphasized in mathematics content and mathematics methods courses for prospective teachers. We implemented a web-based survey and follow-up interviews of faculty from institutions across the nation. Results indicate a moderate level of variability in opportunities that prospective teachers have to learn about the CCSSM. Additionally, results show that mathematics teacher educators have changed their courses to include discussions around the CCSSM and emphasize the standards for mathematical practice. More research studying how the CCSSM are being addressed is needed across the nation and across various teacher preparation programs

\u27It\u27s Time For One of Us\u27: A Feminist Rhetorical Analysis of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez\u27s First Term in Congress

Although the U.S. political sphere remains predominantly white and predominantly male, it has grown more diverse with each recent election cycle. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been one of those new voices in Congress, advocating for progressive policies such as the Green New Deal, the abolition of ICE, and universal healthcare. This study sought to better understand the rhetorical strategies Ocasio-Cortez utilized throughout her first term in Congress to challenge hegemonies. Through a feminist critique, I contend she utilized variations of reframing, generating new perspectives, enacting, and juxtaposing incongruities to maneuver issues mainly of sexism and classism. These strategies, in turn, signal that meaningful resistance can be achieved within existing institutions through active rhetorical strategies

Will the NHS continue to function in an influenza pandemic? A survey of healthcare workers in the West Midlands, UK

If UK healthcare services are to respond effectively to pandemic influenza, levels of absenteeism amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) must be minimised. Current estimates of the likelihood that HCWs will continue to attend work during a pandemic are subject to scientific and predictive uncertainty, yet an informed evidence base is needed if contingency plans addressing the issues of HCW absenteeism are to be prepared

Methods for differentiating prion types in food-producing animals

Prions are an enigma amongst infectious disease agents as they lack a genome yet confer specific pathologies thought to be dictated mainly, if not solely, by the conformation of the disease form of the prion protein (PrPSc). Prion diseases affect humans and animals, the latter including the food-producing ruminant species cattle, sheep, goats and deer. Importantly, it has been shown that the disease agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is zoonotic, causing variant Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans. Current diagnostic tests can distinguish different prion types and in food- producing animals these focus on the differentiation of BSE from the non-zoonotic agents. Whilst BSE cases are now rare, atypical forms of both scrapie and BSE have been reported, as well as two types of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids. Typing of animal prion isolates remains an important aspect of prion diagnosis and is now becoming more focused on identifying the range of prion types that are present in food-producing animals and also developing tests that can screen for emerging, novel prion diseases. Here, we review prion typing methodologies in light of current and emerging prion types in food-producing animals

Histotripsy of the Prostate in a Canine Model: Characterization of Post-Therapy Inflammation and Fibrosis

Introduction: Histotripsy is a nonthermal, noninvasive, pulsed ultrasound technology that homogenizes tissue within the targeted volume. From previous experiments, it appeared that the resultant fibrotic response from histotripsy was limited compared with the typical tissue response seen after thermoablation. The objective of this study was to characterize the inflammatory response and quantify patterns of collagen deposition 6 weeks after in vivo canine prostate histotripsy. Methods: Histotripsy was applied to the left half of eight canine prostates to produce an intraparenchymal zone of tissue homogenization. Six weeks after treatment, prostates were harvested, sectioned, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic evaluation, CD3, CD20, and Mac387 immunohistochemistry to characterize the inflammatory components, and picrosirius red staining to identify collagen. Results: Seven of eight treated prostates exhibited only minimal residual inflammation. Visual microscopic analysis of picrosirius red slides revealed a band of dense collagen (0.5?mm wide) immediately adjacent to the cavity produced by histotripsy. This was surrounded by a second band (1?mm wide) of less dense collagen interspersed among glandular architecture. A lobar distribution of epithelial atrophy and basal cell hyperplasia reminiscent of periurethral glands and ducts was apparent surrounding the margin of the treatment cavities. Tissue loss (-31%) was apparent on the treated side of all prostates while four demonstrated a net decrease in collagen content. Conclusions: In vivo histotripsy of canine prostate produced a decrease in prostate volume coupled with a limited inflammatory and fibrotic response. A narrow (1.5?mm) band of fibrosis around the empty, reepithelialized treatment cavity was observed 6 weeks after treatment. In four cases, an overall reduction in collagen content was measured. Further studies are planned to correlate these histologic findings with alteration in mechanical tissue properties and to explore histotripsy strategies for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia that optimize tissue volume removal with minimization of fibrosis.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140079/1/end.2014.0585.pd

Typicality within well defined categories in aphasia

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the nature of category typicality in well defined categories in patients with aphasia: (a) an online category verification experiment, and (b) a naming treatment experiment. Results of the online category verification experiment illustrated that atypical shapes were consistently more difficult to judge than typical examples and other atypical examples (females, body parts). Results of the treatment experiment showed that training atypical examples of shapes and their semantic features resulted in generalization to naming of typical examples of the category in two patients. Training typical examples and their semantic features, however, did not result in generalization to atypical examples in one participant

Lee Silverman Voice Treatment versus standard speech and language therapy versus control in Parkinson’s disease: preliminary cost-consequence analysis of the PD COMM pilot randomised controlled trial

Additional file 1: Table S1. Speech and language therapy (SLT) set-up costs. Table S2. Derivation of unit costs: sources and assumptions. Table S3. Resource use per patient over 12 months (NHS and social care funded). Table S4. Mean medication costs by drug type over 12 months, per patient (2014/15 costs). Table S5. Resource use per patient over 12 months (privately funded). Table S6. Patient funded care costs and out of pocket expenses over 12 months, per patient. Table S7. Convergence between index scores of EQ-5D-3L and ICECAP-O dimensions (Spearman’s rank correlation). Table S8. Convergence between index scores of PDQ39 dimensions and ICECAP-O responses (Spearman’s rank correlation). Table S9. Convergence between index scores of PDQ39 dimensions and EQ-5D-3L responses (Spearman’s rank correlation

Protocol for the feasibility and acceptability of a brief routine weight management intervention for postnatal women embedded within the national child immunisation programme: randomised controlled cluster feasibility trial with nested qualitative study (PIMMS-WL)

Introduction On average women retain 5-9kg one year after giving birth which can increase the risk of later obesity and chronic diseases. Some previous trials in this population have been effective in reducing weight, but are too intensive and costly to deliver at scale. There is a need for low-cost interventions to facilitate weight loss in this population. Methods and analysis The primary aim is to assess the feasibility of delivering a weight management intervention for overweight/obese postnatal women within child immunisation appointments. We will conduct a randomised controlled cluster feasibility trial with a nested qualitative study to assess study recruitment and acceptability of the intervention. GP practice (cluster) will be the unit of randomisation, with practices randomised to offer usual care plus the intervention or usual care only. 80 women will be recruited. The intervention group will be offered brief support that encourages self-management of weight when attending child immunisation appointments. Practice nurses will encourage women to weigh themselves weekly and record this, and to make healthy lifestyle choices through using an online weight management programme. Women will be advised to aim for 0.5-1kg/week weight loss. At each child immunisation the nurse will assess progress by weighing women. The comparator group will receive a healthy lifestyle leaflet. Data on weight, body fat, depression, anxiety, body-image, eating behaviours and physical activity will be collected at baseline and follow-up. Women and nurses will be interviewed to ascertain their views about the intervention. The decision to proceed to the phase III trial will be based on pre-specified stop-go criteria. Ethics and Dissemination Data will be stored securely at the University of Birmingham. Results will be disseminated through academic publications and presentations and will inform a possible phase III trial. The National Research Ethics Committee approved the study protocol. Trial Registration number: ISRCTN1220933