Population size of humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, in waters off the Pacific coast of Mexico

Volume: 97Start Page: 1017End Page: 102

Symptom severity and quality of life in the management of vulvovaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women

Objectives: To evaluate the association between treatments for vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and symptom frequency and severity, quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning in postmenopausal women. Study design: Cross-sectional survey conducted in postmenopausal women aged 45\u201375 years. Data on demographic and clinical variables, as well as vaginal, vulvar and urinary symptoms were collected. The EuroQoL questionnaire (EQ5D3L), the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA), the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Female Sexual Distress Scale - revised (FSDS-R) were filled out. Main outcome measures: Association between treatments for VVA and symptom frequency. Results: Women on VVA treatment presented with more severe symptoms. The sexual function score was higher in the treated women (FSFI: 15.6 vs 16.7; p=0.010), as was the score for sexual distress (FSDS-R: 9.2 vs 12.3, p < 0.0005). The systemic hormone group presented with fewer VVA symptoms, lower vaginal impact (DIVA), and better sexual function (FSFI and FSDS-R) and vaginal health. The rates of sexual distress and vulvar atrophy were higher in the non-hormonal treatment group. No significant differences were found according to treatment duration. Conclusions: Postmenopausal women with VVA receiving treatment complained of more severe symptoms than those untreated. Women on systemic treatment had fewer and milder VVA symptoms and presented with better vaginal and vulvar health than women on other treatments. Many women request effective local treatment too late, when VVA symptoms are already severe. Our data suggest that VVA treatments should ideally be initiated when symptoms commence and cause distress, rather tha

Femtoscopy of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=0.9 and 7\ua0TeV at the LHC with two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations

We report on the high statistics two-pion correlation functions from pp collisions at root s = 0.9 TeV and root s = 7 TeV, measured by the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The correlation functions as well as the extracted source radii scale with event multiplicity and pair momentum. When analyzed in the same multiplicity and pair transverse momentum range, the correlation is similar at the two collision energies. A three-dimensional femtoscopic analysis shows an increase of the emission zone with increasing event multiplicity as well as decreasing homogeneity lengths with increasing transverse momentum. The latter trend gets more pronounced as multiplicity increases. This suggests the development of space-momentum correlations, at least for collisions producing a high multiplicity of particles. We consider these trends in the context of previous femtoscopic studies in high-energy hadron and heavy-ion collisions and discuss possible underlying physics mechanisms. Detailed analysis of the correlation reveals an exponential shape in the outward and longitudinal directions, while the sideward remains a Gaussian. This is interpreted as a result of a significant contribution of strongly decaying resonances to the emission region shape. Significant nonfemtoscopic correlations are observed, and are argued to be the consequence of "mini-jet"-like structures extending to low p(t). They are well reproduced by the Monte-Carlo generators and seen also in pi(+)pi(-) correlations

Transverse Momentum Distribution and Nuclear Modification Factor of Charged Particles in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02\u2009\u2009TeV

The transverse momentum (pT) distribution of primary charged particles is measured in minimum bias (non-single-diffractive) p+Pb collisions at 1asNN=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The p T spectra measured near central rapidity in the range 0.5<p T<20 GeV/c exhibit a weak pseudorapidity dependence. The nuclear modification factor RpPb is consistent with unity for pT above 2 GeV/c. This measurement indicates that the strong suppression of hadron production at high pT observed in Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC is not due to an initial-state effect. The measurement is compared to theoretical calculations

Centrality dependence of \u3c0, K, and p production in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

In this paper measurements are presented of \u3c0\ub1, K\ub1, p, and p(bar) production at midrapidity (|y| < 0.5), in Pb-Pb collisions at 1asNN= 2.76 TeV as a function of centrality. The measurement covers the transverse-momentum (pT ) range from 100, 200, and 300 MeV/c up to 3, 3, and 4.6 GeV/c for \u3c0, K, and p, respectively. The measured pT distributions and yields are compared to expectations based on hydrodynamic, thermal and recombination models. The spectral shapes of central collisions show a stronger radial flow than measured at lower energies, which can be described in hydrodynamic models. In peripheral collisions, the pT distributions are not well reproduced by hydrodynamic models. Ratios of integrated particle yields are found to be nearly independent of centrality. The yield of protons normalized to pions is a factor 3c1.5 lower than the expectation from thermal models

J/\u3c8 Elliptic Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76\u2009\u2009TeV

We report on the first measurement of inclusive J/\u3c8 elliptic flow v2 in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in Pb-Pb collisions at 1asNN=2.76 TeV in the rapidity range 2,5<y<4,0. The dependence of the J=c v2 on the collision centrality and on the J/\u3c8 transverse momentum is studied in the range 0 64pT 64 10 GeV/c. For semicentral Pb-Pb collisions at 1asNN=2.76 TeV, an indication of nonzero v2 is observed with a largest measured value of v2=0.116 \ub1 0.046 (stat) \ub1 0:029 (syst) for J/\u3c8 in the transverse momentum range 2 64 pT 64 4 GeV/c. The elliptic flow measurement complements the previously reported ALICE results on the inclusive J/\u3c8 nuclear modification factor and favors the scenario of a significant fraction of J/\u3c8 production from charm quarks in a deconfined partonic phase

3D simulation of the fluted mixer element behavior

One of the most important, yet problematic, issues in the extrusion process is achieving good mixing. Considerable prior efforts have been made to understand different types of mixing elements for single-screw and twin-screw extrusion. However, there is still a lack of good process values or criteria that can be used for design purposes. The focus of this work is to better quantify the mixing behavior, using 3D FEM analysis, to develop some design criteria. This study will focus on the fluted mixer, comparing common design variations and the effect of material viscosity and process conditions

Relationship between the mineralogical composition of the clay fraction of some andalusian caracteristic soils and theri behaviour in relation to potassium

12 páginas, 7 figuras, 3 tablas, 7 referencias.[ES]: Se estudia la fracción arcilla de los suelos más característicos de nuestra región y su comportamiento frente al potasio, relacionándolo con la composición mineralógica de dicha fracción. Exceptuando el suelo fersialítico, los diferentes horizontes de cada suelo no presentan variaciones importantes en su comportamiento frente al potasio. Los suelos vérticos litomorfos y vérticos topomorfos presentan los valores más altos de Kx, lo que está de acuerdo con una mayor edafización y con altas concentraciones de montmorillonita e ilita. El suelo calcimorfo, a pesar de poseer composición mineralógica simlar, está muy poco evolucionado y presenta valores más bajos de Kx, similares a los del suelo aluvial, que está asimismo poco evolucionado, con alta proporción de ilita, a la que acompañan pequeñas proporciones de montmorillonita y caolinita. En el suelo fersialítico lavado disminuye el valor de Kx, al descender en el perfil, en el mismo sentido en que disminuye la ilita y aumenta la montmorillonita. Los horizontes C de los suelos de gran desarrollo edafogenético presentan en relación con los horizontes superiores, a pesar de poseer composición mineralógica similar, valores muy pequeños de Kx. El grado de desarrollo del suelo es el que tiene mayor influencia en los valores de Kx. Los tratamientos de eliminación de materia orgánica y/o geles producen un aumento muy apreciable de los valores de Kx.[EN]: The clay fractions of soils caracteristic of western Anclalucía and their behaviour in relation to potassium are studied, and the latter in related to the mineralogical composition of the former. Except the "fersialitico soil" (Rhocloxeralfs), the various horizons of each soil do not present distinct variations in their behaviour in relation to potassium. The "vertisol litomorfo" (chromoxererts) and «topomorfo» (Pelloxererts) soils present the highest values of Kx which agrees with the strong weathering of these soils and their nigh proportions of montmoillonite and illite. The "calcimorfo soil" (Calciorthids) is little weathered and present lower values of Kx, despite its mineralogical composition, which is analogous to the preceding soils. Similarly low values of Kx are obtained for the «aluvial soil» (Xerofluvents), also little weathered, which contains high proportion of illite, with small amounts of montmorillonite and kaolinite. The value of Kx and the proportion of illite for the leached fersialitico soil decrease and the proportion of montmorillonite increases as getting down across the profile. C horizons of soils with high podogenic development present much lower values of Kx than upper horizona, despite the analogy of their mineralogical compositions. The degree of development of soils has the highest influence on Kx, values. Treatments for removing organic matter and/or gels originate important increases in Kx values.Peer reviewe