166 research outputs found
First measurement of interference fragmentation on a transversely polarized hydrogen target
The HERMES experiment has measured for the first time single target-spin
asymmetries in semi-inclusive two-pion production using a transversely
polarized hydrogen target. These asymmetries are related to the product of two
unknowns, the transversity distribution function and the interference
fragmentation function. In the invariant mass range 0.51 GeV < M_inv < 0.97 GeV
the measured asymmetry deviates significantly from zero, indicating that
two-pion semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering can be used to probe
transversity.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the proceedings of the
International Workshop on Transverse Polarisation Phenomena in Hard Processes
(Transversity 2005), Como, Italy, Sep 7 - 10, 200
Two-hadron single target-spin asymmetries: first measurement by HERMES
Single target-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive two-pion production were
measured for the first time by the HERMES experiment, using a longitudinally
polarized deuterium target. These asymmetries relate to the unknown
transversity distribution function through, also unknown, interference
fragmentation functions. The presented results are compared with a model for
the dependence of one of these interference fragmentation functions on the
invariant mass of the pion pair.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, contribution to the proceedings for the 16th
international spin physics symposium (SPIN'2004
Final state interactions and hadron quenching in cold nuclear matter
I examine the role of final state interactions in cold nuclear matter in
modifying hadron production on nuclear targets with leptonic or hadronic beams.
I demonstrate the extent to which available experimental data in
electron-nucleus collisions can give direct information on final state effects
in hadron-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions. For hadron-nucleus
collisions, a theoretical estimate based on a parton energy loss model tested
in lepton-nucleus collisions shows a large effect on mid-rapidity hadrons at
fixed target experiments. At RHIC energy, the effect is large for negative
rapidity hadrons, but mild at midrapidity. This final state cold hadron
quenching needs to be taken into account in jet tomographic analysis of the
medium created in nucleus-nucleus collisions.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
Results of the standard set forpulmonary sarcoidosis: Feasibility and multicentre outcomes
Our study presents findings on a previously developed standard set of clinical outcome data for pulmonary sarcoidosis patients. We aimed to assess whether changes in outcome varied between the different centres and to evaluate the feasibility of collecting the standard set retrospectively. This retrospective observational comparative benchmark study included six interstitial lung disease expert centres based in the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK and the USA. The standard set of outcome measures included 1) mortality, 2) changes in pulmonary function (forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide), 3) soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) change, 4) weight changes, 5) quality-of-life (QoL) measures, 6) osteoporosis and 7) clinical outcome status (COS). Data collection was considered feasible if the data were collected in ⩾80% of all patients. 509 patients were included in the retrospective cohort. In total six patients died, with a mean survival of 38±23.4 months after the diagnosis. Centres varied in mean baseline FVC, ranging from 110 (95% CI 92–124)% predicted to 99 (95% CI 97–123)% pred. Mean baseline body mass index (BMI) of patients in the different centres varied between 27 (95% CI 23.6–29.4) kg·m−2 and 31.8 (95% CI 28.1–35.6) kg·m−2. 310 (60.9%) patients were still on systemic therapy 2 years after the diagnosis. It was feasible to measure mortality, changes in pulmonary function, weight changes and COS. It is not (yet) feasible to retrospectively collect sIL-2R, osteoporosis and QoL data internationally. This study shows that data collection for the standard set of outcome measures for pulmonary sarcoidosis was feasible for four out of seven outcome measures. Trends in pulmonary function and BMI were similar for different hospitals when comparing different practices
The asymptotic behaviour of a distributive sorting method
In the distributive sorting method of Dobosiewicz, both the interval between the minimum and the median of the numbers to be sorted and the interval between the median and the maximum are partitioned inton/2 subintervals of equal length; the procedure is then applied recursively on each subinterval containing more than three numbers. We refine and extend previous analyses of this method, e.g., by establishing its asymptotic linear behaviour under various probabilistic assumptions
First patient-centred set of outcomes for pulmonary sarcoidosis: a multicentre initiative
Introduction Routine and international comparison of
clinical outcomes enabling identification of best practices
for patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis is lacking. The aim
of this study was to develop a standard set of outcome
measures for pulmonary sarcoidosis, using the valuebased healthcare principles.
Methods Six expert clinics for interstitial lung diseases in
four countries participated in a consensus-driven RANDmodified Delphi study. A mixed-method approach was
applied for the identification of an outcome measures
set and initial conditions for patients with pulmonary
sarcoidosis. The expert team consisted of multidisciplinary
professionals (n=14) from Cleveland Clinic, Cincinnati MC,
Erasmus MC, Leuven UZ, Royal Brompton and St. Antonius
Hospital. During a ranking process, participants were
instructed to rank variables on a scale from 1 to 10 based
on whether it has (1) impact of the outcome on quality of
life, (2) impact of quality of care on the outcome and (3) the
number of patients negatively affected by the outcome.
Results An outcome measures set was defined consisting
of seven outcome measures: mortality, pulmonary function,
soluble interleukin-2 receptor change as an activity
biomarker, weight gain, quality of life, osteoporosis and
clinical outcome status.
Discussion Collecting outcomes in pulmonary sarcoidosis
internationally and the use of a broadly accepted set can
enable international comparison. Differences in outcomes
can potentially be used as a starting point for quality
improvement initiatives
Buprenorphine versus dihydrocodeine for opiate detoxification in primary care: a randomised controlled trial
Background
Many drug users present to primary care requesting detoxification from illicit opiates. There are a number of detoxification agents but no recommended drug of choice. The purpose of this study is to compare buprenorphine with dihydrocodeine for detoxification from illicit opiates in primary care.
Methods
Open label randomised controlled trial in NHS Primary Care (General Practices), Leeds, UK. Sixty consenting adults using illicit opiates received either daily sublingual buprenorphine or daily oral dihydrocodeine. Reducing regimens for both interventions were at the discretion of prescribing doctor within a standard regimen of not more than 15 days. Primary outcome was abstinence from illicit opiates at final prescription as indicated by a urine sample. Secondary outcomes during detoxification period and at three and six months post detoxification were recorded.
Results
Only 23% completed the prescribed course of detoxification medication and gave a urine sample on collection of their final prescription. Risk of non-completion of detoxification was reduced if allocated buprenorphine (68% vs 88%, RR 0.58 CI 0.35–0.96, p = 0.065). A higher proportion of people allocated to buprenorphine provided a clean urine sample compared with those who received dihydrocodeine (21% vs 3%, RR 2.06 CI 1.33–3.21, p = 0.028). People allocated to buprenorphine had fewer visits to professional carers during detoxification and more were abstinent at three months (10 vs 4, RR 1.55 CI 0.96–2.52) and six months post detoxification (7 vs 3, RR 1.45 CI 0.84–2.49).
Conclusion
Informative randomised trials evaluating routine care within the primary care setting are possible amongst drug using populations. This small study generates unique data on commonly used treatment regimens
Longitudinal double-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of electrons and positrons by protons and deuterons
A comprehensive collection of results on longitudinal double-spin asymmetries is presented for charged pions and kaons produced in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of electrons and positrons on the proton and deuteron, based on the full HERMES data set. The dependence of the asymmetries on hadron transverse momentum and azimuthal angle extends the sensitivity to the flavor structure of the nucleon beyond the distribution functions accessible in the collinear framework. No strong dependence on those variables is observed. In addition, the hadron charge-difference asymmetry is presented, which under certain model assumptions provides access to the helicity distributions of valence quarks
Let's get connected: A new graph theory-based approach and toolbox for understanding braided river morphodynamics
Our understanding of braided river morphodynamics has improved significantly in recent years, however, there are still large knowledge gaps relating to both long‐term and event‐based change in braided river morphologies. Furthermore, we still lack methods that can take full advantage of the increasing availability of remotely sensed datasets that are well suited to braided river research. Network analysis based on graph theory, the mathematics of networks, offers a largely unexplored toolbox that can be applied to remotely sensed data to quantify the structure and function of braided rivers across nearly the full range of spatiotemporal scales relevant to braided river evolution. In this article, important commonalities between braided rivers and other types of complex network are described, providing a compelling argument for the wider uptake of complex network analysis methods in the study of braided rivers. We provide an overview of the extraction of graph representations of braided river networks from remotely sensed data and detail a suite of metrics for quantitative analysis of these networks. Application of these metrics as new tools for multiscale characterization of braided river planforms that improve upon traditional, spatially averaged approaches is discussed and potential approaches to network‐based analysis of braided river dynamics are proposed, drawing on a range of different concepts from braided river research and other network sciences. Finally, the potential for using graph theory metrics to validate numerical models of braided rivers is discussed
Single-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a transversely polarized hydrogen target
Single-spin asymmetries for semi-inclusive electroproduction of charged pions
in deep-inelastic scattering of positrons are measured for the first time with
transverse target polarization. The asymmetry depends on the azimuthal angles
of both the pion () and the target spin axis () about the virtual
photon direction and relative to the lepton scattering plane. The extracted
Fourier component \cmpi is a signal of the previously unmeasured quark
transversity distribution, in conjunction with the so-called Collins
fragmentation function, also unknown. The Fourier component \smpi of the
asymmetry arises from a correlation between the transverse polarization of the
target nucleon and the intrinsic transverse momentum of quarks, as represented
by the previously unmeasured Sivers distribution function. Evidence for both
signals is observed, but the Sivers asymmetry may be affected by exclusive
vector meson productio
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