Baryon chemical potential and in-medium properties of BPS skyrmions

We continue the investigation of thermodynamical properties of the BPS Skyrme model. In particular, we analytically compute the baryon chemical potential both in the full field theory and in a mean-field approximation. In the full field theory case, we find that the baryon chemical potential is always exactly proportional to the baryon density, for arbitrary solutions. We further find that, in the mean-field approximation, the BPS Skyrme model approaches the Walecka model in the limit of high density - their thermodynamical functions as well as the equation of state agree in this limit. This fact allows to read off some properties of the $\omega$-meson from the BPS Skyrme action, even though the latter model is entirely based on the (pionic) $SU(2)$ Skyrme field. On the other hand, at low densities, at the order of the usual nuclear matter density, the equations of state of the two models are no longer universal, such that a comparison depends on some model details. Still, also the BPS Skyrme model gives rise to nuclear saturation in this regime, leading, in fact, to an exact balance between repulsive and attractive forces. The perfect fluid aspects of the BPS Skyrme model, which, together with its BPS properties, form the base of our results, are shown to be in close formal analogy with the Eulerian formulation of relativistic fluid dynamics. Within this analogy, the BPS Skyrme model, in general, corresponds to a non-barotropic perfect fluid.Comment: Latex, 28 pages, 3 figure

On the interplay among ambient temperature basal metabolic rate and body mass

One of the most generalized conclusions arising from studies analyzing the ecological variation of energy metabolism in endotherms is the apparent negative correlation between ambient temperature and mass-independent basal metabolic rate (residual BMR). As a consequence, ambient temperature has been considered the most important external factor driving the evolution of residual BMR. It is not clear, however, whether this relationship is size dependent, and artifacts such as the biased sampling of body masses in physiological data sets could cause us to overstate the ubiquity of the relationship. Accordingly, here we used published data on body mass (mb), BMR, and annual mean temperature (Tmean) for 458 mammal species (and/or subspecies) to examine the size dependence of the relationship between temperature and BMR. We found a significant interaction between mb and Tmean as predictors of residual BMR, such that the effect of Tmean on residual BMR decreases as a function of mb. In line with this, the amount of residual variance in BMR explained by Tmean decreased with increasing mb, from 20%–30% at body sizes of less than 100 g to almost 0 at body sizes greater than 1,000 g. These data suggest that our current understanding of the importance of broad-scale variation in ambient temperature as a driver of metabolic evolution in endotherms probably is affected by the large number of small species in both nature and physiological data sets

Eksplorasi Pengalaman Stress Pada Individu Yang Berperilaku Bruksisme (Studi Kualitatif Dengan Pendekatan Fenomenologis)

Penelitian ini bermaksud mengeksplorasi pengalaman stres dari seorang yang berperilaku bruksisme melalui sudut pandang pengalaman stres yang dialami masing-masing subjek. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif fenomenologi deskriptif. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan metode wawancara semi terstruktur. Subjek penelitian berjumlah tiga orang yang merupakan seorang dengan kebiasaan berperilaku bruksisme saat tidur (sleep bruxism). Peneliti menggunakan teknik purposive yaitu teknik pemilihan subjek dengan menetapkan kriteria tertentu kriteria tertentu yang harus dipenuhi oleh individu yang akan dijadikan subjek penelitian. Hasil penelitian menemukan bahwa pengalaman stres masing-masing subjek dipengaruhi oleh faktor internal dan eksternal yang mengakibatkan bermacam dampak. Ketiga subjek memunculkan reaksi berupa coping, yaitu katarsis, emotion-focused coping dan problem-focused coping. Pengalaman stres masing-masing subjek juga dipengaruhi oleh self concept dan lingkungan sosial dari masing-masing individu

TGRS Observations of Positron Annihilation in Classical Novae

The TGRS experiment on board the Wind spacecraft has many advantages as a sky monitor --- broad field of view (~2 pi) centered on the south ecliptic pole), long life (1994-present), and stable low background and continuous coverage due to Wind's high altitude high eccentricity orbit. The Ge detector has sufficient energy resolution (3-4 keV at 511 keV) to resolve a cosmic positron annihilation line from the strong background annihilation line from beta-decays induced by cosmic ray impacts on the instrument, if the cosmic line is Doppler-shifted by this amount. Such lines (blueshifted) are predicted from nucleosynthesis in classical novae. We have searched the entire TGRS database for 1995-1997 for this line, with negative results. In principle such a search could yield an unbiased upper limit on the highly-uncertain Galactic nova rate. We carefully examined the times around the known nova events during this period, also with negative results. The upper limit on the nova line flux in a 6-hr interval is typically <3.8 E-3 photon/(cm2 s) at 4.6 sigma. We performed the same analysis for times around the outburst of Nova Vel 1999, obtaining a worse limit due to recent degradation of the detector response caused by cosmic ray induced damage.Comment: 5 pp. inc. 3 figs. Proc. 5th Compton Symposium (AIP Conf. Series), ed. M. McConnell, in pres

A country-level national needs assessment of the Indonesian pharmacy workforce

Background: Conducting a systematic country-level workforce needs-assessment is a way to develop coherent strategic and justifiable workforce planning. / Objective(s): This article describes a country-level needs-assessment process using a systematic approach (via the FIP Development Goals (FIP DGs) workforce element) as an analytical framework. The needs-assessment aimed to prioritise gaps toward transforming the pharmacy workforce as a prelude to practice and pharmaceutical services reform in Indonesia. / Methods: The needs assessment consisted of three stages: needs identification, needs analysis, and needs prioritisation. The needs (workforce development gaps) were defined as the discrepancies between the perceived workforce challenges and the existing national workforce development projects. Interviews or group discussions were conducted to gather the workforce challenges of individual pharmacists. A structured workshop was conducted to identify workforce challenges and existing organisations' projects, with main stakeholders contributing to pharmacists' development in Indonesia. Perceived challenges findings and identified national workforce projects were mapped to the FIP DGs workforce element. The needs prioritisation was conducted by comparing the proportional mapping to the FIP DGs workforce element. / Results: There were forty-three individual pharmacists and 7 principal stakeholder categories that provided information related to perceived workforce challenges; thirty national projects were identified from stakeholders. While this study identified perceived challenges with workforce “competency development” and “pharmacy workforce intelligence,” there were no active ongoing national projects mapped to those goals. The framework mapping analysis showed there are workforce development gaps centred on “competency development” initiatives, “advanced and specialist development” initiatives, and strategic pharmacy workforce intelligence data gathering. Additionally, there were policy gaps with initiatives for strengthening “working with others” and a lack of clarity on infrastructure for early-career training strategies and workforce impact. / Conclusions: This study prioritises the gaps in developing pharmacists in Indonesia. This process could be used in conducting needs assessment of pharmacy workforce development in other Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

BPS Skyrmions as neutron stars

The BPS Skyrme model has been demonstrated already to provide a physically intriguing and quantitatively reliable description of nuclear matter. Indeed, the model has both the symmetries and the energy–momentum tensor of a perfect fluid, and thus represents a field theoretic realization of the “liquid droplet” model of nuclear matter. In addition, the classical soliton solutions together with some obvious corrections (spin–isospin quantization, Coulomb energy, proton–neutron mass difference) provide an accurate modeling of nuclear binding energies for heavier nuclei. These results lead to the rather natural proposal to try to describe also neutron stars by the BPS Skyrme model coupled to gravity. We find that the resulting self-gravitating BPS Skyrmions provide excellent results as well as some new perspectives for the description of bulk properties of neutron stars when the parameter values of the model are extracted from nuclear physics. Specifically, the maximum possible mass of a neutron star before black-hole formation sets in is a few solar masses, the precise value of which depends on the precise values of the model parameters, and the resulting neutron star radius is of the order of 10 km

Once-daily budesonide/formoterol in a single inhaler in adults with moderate persistent asthma

AbstractPatients with moderate persistent asthma (n = 523; mean FEV1 77.4%) not fully controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS; 400–1000 μg/day) were randomized to receive either once-daily budesonide/formoterol (160/4.5 μg, two inhalations); or twice-daily budesonide/formoterol (160/4.5 μg, one inhalation); or budesonide (400 μg) once-daily for 12 weeks. Once-daily dosing was administered in the evening and twice-daily dosing was administered in the morn-ing and evening. All patients received twice-daily budesonide (200 μg) during a 2-week run-in. Compared with budesonide alone, change in mean morning and evening peak expiratory flow was greater in the once-daily budesonide/formoterol group (27 and 17 1 min−1, respectively; P<0.001) and twice-daily budesonide/formoterol group (23 and 24 1 min−1, respectively; P<0.001). Night awakenings, symptom-free days, reliever-use-free days and asthma-control days were all improved during once-daily budesonide/formoterol therapy vs. budesonide (P≤0.05). Similar improvements were also seen with twice-daily budesonide/formoterol (P≤0.05). The risk of a mild exacerbation was reduced after once- and twice-daily budesonide/formoterol vs. budesonide (38% and 35%, respectively; P<0.002). All treatments were well tolerated. Budesonide/formoterol, once- or twice-daily, in a single inhaler improved asthma symptoms and exacerbations compared with budesonide. In the majority of patients with moderate persistent asthma requiring ICS and long-actingβ -agonists, once-daily formoterol/budesonide provided sustained efficacy over 24 h, similar to twice-daily dosing

A unified approach to nuclei : the BPS Skyrme Model.

We present a concrete model of a low energy effective field theory of QCD, the well-known Skyrme Model. Specifically, we will work with the BPS submodel in order to describe the binding energies of nuclei. This BPS Skyrme model is characterized by having a saturated bound for the energy proportional to the baryon number of the nuclei. After presenting this classical result, we will proceed with a semi-classical quantization of the coordinates of spin and isospin. Then, with the further inclusion of the Coulomb interaction as well as a small explicit breaking of the isospin symmetry, we finally calculate the binding energies of nuclei, where an excellent agreement has been found for the nuclei with high baryon number. Besides this, we also apply this model to the study of some thermodynamic properties and to neutron stars