1,372 research outputs found
Pion Scalar Density and Chiral Symmetry Restoration at Finite Temperature and Density
This paper is devoted to the evaluation of the pionic scalar density at
finite temperature and baryonic density. We express the latter effect in terms
of the nuclear response evaluated in the random phase approxima- tion. We
discuss the density and temperature evolution of the pionic density which
governs the quark condensate evolution. Numerical evalua- tions are performed.Comment: 13 pages, Latex File, 10 eps Figure
MicroTCA implementation of synchronous Ethernet-Based DAQ systems for large scale experiments
Large LAr TPCs are among the most powerful detectors to address open problems
in particle and astro-particle physics, such as CP violation in leptonic
sector, neutrino properties and their astrophysical implications, proton decay
search etc. The scale of such detector implies severe constraints on their
readout and DAQ system. In this article we describe a data acquisition scheme
for this new generation of large detectors. The main challenge is to propose a
scalable and easy to use solution able to manage a large number of channels at
the lowest cost. It is interesting to note that these constraints are very
similar to those existing in Network Telecommunication Industry. We propose to
study how emerging technologies like ATCA and TCA could be used in
neutrino experiments. We describe the design of an Advanced Mezzanine Board
(AMC) including 32 ADC channels. This board receives 32 analogical channels at
the front panel and sends the formatted data through the TCA backplane
using a Gigabit Ethernet link. The gigabit switch of the MCH is used to
centralize and to send the data to the event building computer. The core of
this card is a FPGA (ARIA-GX from ALTERA) including the whole system except the
memories. A hardware accelerator has been implemented using a NIOS II P
and a Gigabit MAC IP. Obviously, in order to be able to reconstruct the tracks
from the events a time synchronisation system is mandatory. We decided to
implement the IEEE1588 standard also called Precision Timing Protocol, another
emerging and promising technology in Telecommunication Industry. In this
article we describe a Gigabit PTP implementation using the recovered clock of
the gigabit link. By doing so the drift is directly cancelled and the PTP will
be used only to evaluate and to correct the offset.Comment: Talk presented at the 2009 Real Time Conference, Beijing, May '09,
submitted to the proceeding
Do alcohol product labels stating lower strength verbal description, percentage alcoholâbyâvolume, or their combination affect wine consumption? A bar laboratory adaptive randomised controlled trial
A previous research study concluded that wine and beer labelled as lower in strength increase consumption compared with the same drinks labelled as regular strength. The label included both a verbal and numerical descriptor of strength. The present study aimed to estimate the effect of each of these label components. Adaptive, parallel group randomised controlled trial, comprising an internal pilot sample (N = 90) and a confirmatory sample (N = 57). University bar laboratory in London UK. One-hundred and forty-seven weekly wine drinkers were sampled from a nationally representative English panel. Participants were randomised to one of three groups to taste test wine in a bar-laboratory, varying only in the label displayed: (i) verbal descriptor only (Super Low); (ii) numerical descriptor only (4%ABV); and (iii) verbal descriptor and numerical descriptor combined (Super Low 4%ABV) [each group n = 49]. The primary outcome was total volume (ml) of wine consumed. Participants randomised to the numerical descriptor label group (4%ABV: M = 155.12ml, B = 20.30, 95% CI = 3.92, 36.69, p-value = 0.016) and combined verbal and numerical descriptor label group (Super Low 4%ABV: M = 154.59ml, B = 20.68, 95%CI = 4.32, 37.04, p-value = 0.014) drank significantly greater amounts than those randomised to the verbal descriptor label group (Super Low: M = 125.65ml). This bar laboratory study estimated that a greater quantity of 'lower' strength wine was consumed when the label included a numerical strength descriptor compared with a verbal only strength descriptor. [Abstract copyright: This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Muons tomography applied to geosciences and volcanology
Imaging the inner part of large geological targets is an important issue in
geosciences with various applications. Dif- ferent approaches already exist
(e.g. gravimetry, electrical tomography) that give access to a wide range of
informations but with identified limitations or drawbacks (e.g. intrinsic
ambiguity of the inverse problem, time consuming deployment of sensors over
large distances). Here we present an alternative and complementary tomography
method based on the measurement of the cosmic muons flux attenuation through
the geological structures. We detail the basics of this muon tomography with a
special emphasis on the photo-active detectors.Comment: Invited talk at the 6th conference on New Developments In
Photodetection (NDIP'11), Lyon-France, July 4-8, 2011; Nuclear Instruments
and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 201
Do alcohol product labels stating lower strength verbal description, percentage alcoholâbyâvolume, or their combination affect wine consumption? A bar laboratory adaptive randomised controlled trial
Background and Aims A previous research study concluded that wine and beer labelled as lower in strength increase consumption compared with the same drinks labelled as regular strength. The label included both a verbal and numerical descriptor of strength. The present study aimed to estimate the effect of each of these label components. Design Adaptive, parallel group randomised controlled trial, comprising an internal pilot sample (n1 = 90) and a confirmatory sample (n2 = 57). Setting University bar laboratory in London, United Kingdom (UK). Participants A total of 147 weekly wine drinkers were sampled from a nationally representative English panel. Intervention Participants were randomised to one of three groups to taste test wine in a barâlaboratory, varying only in the label displayed: (i) verbal descriptor only (Super Low); (ii) numerical descriptor only (4% alcohol by volume (ABV)); and (iii) verbal descriptor and numerical descriptor combined (Super Low 4%ABV) (each group n = 49). Measurements The primary outcome was total volume (ml) of wine consumed. Findings Participants randomised to the numerical descriptor label group (4%ABV: M = 155.12 ml, B = 20.30; 95% CI = 3.92, 36.69; P value = 0.016) and combined verbal and numerical descriptor label group (Super Low 4%ABV: M = 154.59 ml, B = 20.68; 95% CI = 4.32, 37.04; P value = 0.014) drank significantly greater amounts than those randomised to the verbal descriptor label group (Super Low: M = 125.65 ml). Conclusions This bar laboratory study estimated that a greater quantity of âlowerâ strength wine was consumed when the label included a numerical strength descriptor compared with a verbal only strength descriptor
Determination of buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, naloxone, and their glucuronides in urine by liquid chromatographyâtandem mass spectrometry
Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Drug Testing and Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.A liquid chromatographyâtandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of buprenorphine (BUP), norbuprenorphine (NBUP), naloxone (NAL), and their glucuronide conjugates BUP-G, NBUP-G, and NAL-G in urine samples was developed. The method, omitting a hydrolysis step, involved non-polar solid-phase extraction, liquid chromatography on a C18 column, electrospray positive ionization, and mass analysis by multiple reaction monitoring. Quantification was based on the corresponding deuterium-labelled internal standards for each of the six analytes. The limit of quantification was 0.5 Όg/L for BUP and NAL, 1 Όg/L for NAL-G, and 3 Όg/L for NBUP, BUP-G, and NBUP-G. Using the developed method, 72 urine samples from buprenorphine-dependent patients were analysed to cover the concentration ranges encountered in a clinical setting. The median (maximum) concentration was 4.2 Όg/L (102 ÎŒg/L) for BUP, 74.7 Όg/L (580 ÎŒg/L) for NBUP, 0.9 Όg/L (85.5 Όg/L) for NAL, 159.5 Όg/L (1370 ÎŒg/L) for BUP-G, 307.5 Όg/L (1970 ÎŒg/L) for NBUP-G, and 79.6 Όg/L (2310 ÎŒg/L) for NAL-G.Peer reviewe
Use and cumulation of evidence from modelling studies to inform policy on food taxes and subsidies: biting off more than we can chew?
Abstract
Background
Food tax-subsidy policies are proposed to hold promise for helping to produce healthier patterns of food purchasing and consumption at population level. Evidence for their effects derives largely from simulation studies that explore the potential effects of untried policies using a mathematical modelling framework. This paper provides a critique first of the nature of the evidence derived from such simulation studies, and second of the challenges of cumulating that evidence to inform public health policy.
Discussion
Effects estimated by simulation studies of food taxes and subsidies can be expected to diverge in potentially important ways from those that would accrue in practice because these models are simplified, typically static, representations of complex adaptive systems. The level of confidence that can be placed in modelled estimates of effects is correspondingly low, and the level of associated uncertainty is high. Moreover, evidence from food tax-subsidy simulation studies cannot meaningfully be cumulated using currently available quantitative evidence synthesis methods, to reduce uncertainty about effects.
Summary
Simulation studies are critical for the initial phases of an incremental research process, for drawing together diverse evidence and exploring potential longer-term effects. While simulation studies of food taxes and subsidies provide a valuable and necessary input to the formulation of public health policy in this area, they are unlikely to be sufficient, and policy makers should not place excessive reliance on evidence from such studies, either singly or cumulatively. To reflect known and unknown limitations of the models, results of such studies should be interpreted cautiously as tentative projections. Modelling studies should increasingly be integrated with more empirical studies of the effects of food tax and subsidy policies in practice
Are sweet snacks more sensitive to price increases than sugar-sweetened beverages: analysis of British food purchase data
This is the final published version. Available from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this record.The data for this study were purchased from Kantar Worldpanel but its use is restricted to the persons named in the purchase contract which forbids the users to share the data with other potential (unnamed on the contract) users. Data access requests should be directed to Kantar Worldpanel.Objectives Taxing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)
is now advocated, and implemented, in many countries
as a measure to reduce the purchase and consumption
of sugar to tackle obesity. To date, there has been little
consideration of the potential impact that such a measure
could have if extended to other sweet foods, such as
confectionery, cakes and biscuits that contribute more
sugar to the diet than SSBs. The objective of this study is
to compare changes in the demand for sweet snacks and
SSBs arising from potential price increases.
Setting Secondary data on household itemised purchases
of all foods and beverages from 2012 to 2013.
Participants Representative sample of 32249 households in
Great Britain.
Primary and secondary outcome measures Change in
food and beverage purchases due to changes in their own
price and the price of other foods or beverages measured
as price elasticity of demand for the full sample and by
income groups.
Results Chocolate and confectionery, cakes and biscuits
have similar price sensitivity as SSBs, across all income
groups. Unlike the case of SSBs, price increases in these
categories are also likely to prompt reductions in the purchase
of other sweet snacks and SSBs, which magnify the overall
impact. The effects of price increases are greatest in the lowincome group.
Conclusions Policies that lead to increases in the price of
chocolate and confectionery, cakes and biscuits may lead to
additional and greater health gains than similar increases in
the price of SSBs through direct reductions in the purchases
of these foods and possible positive multiplier effects that
reduce demand for other products. Although some uncertainty
remains, the associations found in this analysis are sufficiently
robust to suggest that policiesâand researchâconcerning
the use of fiscal measures should consider a broader range of
products than is currently the case.Department of Health in England Policy Research Programme (Policy Research Unit in Behaviour and HealthMedical Research Council (MRC
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