Muon Bremsstrahlung and Muonic Pair Production in Air Showers

The objective of this work is to report on the modifications in air shower development due to muon bremsstrahlung and muonic pair production. In order to do that we have implemented new muon bremsstrahlung and muonic pair production procedures in the AIRES air shower simulation system, and have used it to simulate ultra high energy showers in different conditions. The influence of the mentioned processes in the global development of the air shower is important for primary particles of large zenith angles, while they do not introduce significant changes in the position of the shower maximum.Comment: To be presented at the International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions X

Replacing sodium bicarbonate with half amount of calcareous marine algae in the diet of beef cattle

This study evaluated the effects of feeding calcareous marine algae or sodium bicarbonate as rumen buffer on the performance, behaviour, in vitro diet digestibility, and meat quality of beef cattle. A total of 180 Charolaise bullocks (536-38 kg; 14-1 months of age) were divided into two homogeneous groups and fed a diet with a mineral mix containing 40% sodium bicarbonate or 20% calcareous marine algae (CMA) for the entire fattening period (130 days). Of the in vivo and in vitro parameters evaluated, CMA supplementation improved average daily gain and feed conversion ratio and reduced the prevalence of bloat and lameness. Bullocks fed CMA tended to exhibit a calmer behaviour while in the pen. Supplementation with CMA improved rumen pH and in vitro digestion. Meat from bullocks fed CMA showed a lower pH and higher lightness and tenderness. The results suggest that CMA is more effective than sodium bicarbonate in buffering beef cattle, with a positive impact on growth performance, feed efficiency, health, and meat quality

Deuteron Photodissociation in Ultraperipheral Relativistic Heavy-Ion on Deuteron Collisions

In ultraperipheral relativistic deuteron on heavy-ion collisions, a photon emitted from the heavy nucleus may dissociate the deuterium ion. We find deuterium breakup cross sections of 1.38 barns for deuterium-gold collisions at a center of mass energy of 200 GeV per nucleon, as studied at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and 2.49 barns for deuterium-lead collisions at a center of mass energy of 6.2 TeV, as proposed for the Large Hadron Collider. This cross section includes an energy-independent 140 mb contribution from hadronic diffractive dissociation. At the LHC, the cross section is as large as that of hadronic interactions. The estimated error is 5%. Deuteron dissociation could be used as a luminosity monitor and a `tag' for moderate impact parameter collisions.Comment: Final version, to appear in Phys. Rev. C. Diffractive dissociation included 10 pages with 3 figure

‘The oxygen of shared experience’: exploring social support processes within peer support groups for carers of people with non-memory-led and inherited dementias

Objectives: To explore support processes and behaviours taking place during online peer support groups for family carers of people living with rare, non-memory-led and inherited dementias (PLWRD). Methods: Twenty-five family carers of PLWRD participated in a series of ongoing online peer supportgroups on the theme of ‘Independence and Identity’. Transcripts from 16 sessions were analysed using qualitative directed content analysis with a coding framework informed by Cutrona & Suhr’s (2004) Social Support Behaviour Code (SSBC). Results: Most of the social support behaviours outlined in the SSBC were identified within the sessions, along with two novel social support categories – ‘Experiential Support’ and ‘Community Support’ – and novel support behaviours including ‘Advocacy and Collective Action’ and ‘Uses Humour’. The SSBC code ‘Relationship’ appeared to be of central importance. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the unique challenges of the caring context for those affected by non-memory-led and inherited dementias and the significant contributions carers can offer to, and receive from, peers in similar situations. It highlights the importance of services which recognise the value of the informational and emotional expertise of carers of PLWRD and encourages the continued development and delivery of tailored support for these populations

Misdiagnosed and misunderstood’: Insights into rarer forms of dementia through a stepwise approach to co-constructed research poetry

This study investigated co-constructed research poetry as a way to understand the lived experiences of people affected by rarer dementia and as a means to use poetry to convey those experiences to healthcare professionals. Using mixed methods, 71 people living with rarer dementia and care-partners (stakeholders) contributed to co-constructing 27 poems with professional poets; stakeholders’ verbatim words were analysed with descriptive qualitative analysis. Stakeholders were also surveyed and interviewed about their participation. Healthcare professionals (n = 93) were surveyed to elicit their responses to learning through poetry and its acceptability as a learning tool. Poems conveyed a shared narrative of different aspects of lived experience, often owing to atypical symptoms, misunderstandings by professionals, lack of support pathways, and a continuous struggle to adapt. Stakeholder surveys indicated it was a valuable experience to both co-create and respond to the poems, whilst group interviews revealed people’s experiences of the research poetry were characterised by reflection on lived experience, curiosity and exploration. Healthcare professionals’ responses reinforced poetry’s capacity to stimulate cognitive and affective learning specific to rare dementia support and prompt both empathy and critical thinking in practice. As the largest poetry-based study that we are aware of, this novel accessible approach of creating group poems yielded substantial information about the experiences and needs of those affected by rarer dementia and how poetry can contribute to healthcare education and training

Activation of melanocortin receptors MC1 and MC5 attenuates retinal damage in experimental diabetic retinopathy

We hypothesize that melanocortin receptors (MC) could activate tissue protective circuit in a model of streptozotocin- (STZ-) induced diabetic retinopathy (DR) in mice. At 12–16 weeks after diabetes induction, fluorescein angiography (FAG) revealed an approximate incidence of 80% microvascular changes, typical of DR, in the animals, without signs of vascular leakage. Occludin progressively decreased in the retina of mice developing retinopathy. qPCR of murine retina revealed expression of two MC receptors, Mc1r and Mc5r. The intravitreal injection (5 \u1d707L) of the selective MC1 small molecule agonist BMS-470539 (33 \u1d707mol) and the MC5 peptidomimetic agonist PG-901 (7.32 nM) elicited significant protection with regular course and caliber of retinal vessels, as quantified at weeks 12 and 16 after diabetes induction. Mouse retina homogenate settings indicated an augmented release of IL-1\u1d6fc, IL-1\u1d6fd, IL-6, MIP-1\u1d6fc, MIP-2\u1d6fc, MIP-3\u1d6fc, and VEGF from diabetic compared to nondiabetic mice. Application of PG20N or AGRP and MC5 and MC1 antagonist, respectively, augmented the release of cytokines, while the agonists BMS-470539 and PG-901 almost restored normal pattern of these mediators back to nondiabetic values. Similar changes were quantified with respect to Ki-67 staining. Finally, application of MC3-MC4 agonist/antagonists resulted to be inactive with respect to all parameters under assessment

European regulatory agenices should employ full time statisticians

No abstract available

Parton distributions in the virtual photon target up to NNLO in QCD

Parton distributions in the virtual photon target are investigated in perturbative QCD up to the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). In the case $\Lambda^2 \ll P^2 \ll Q^2$, where $-Q^2$ ($-P^2$) is the mass squared of the probe (target) photon, parton distributions can be predicted completely up to the NNLO, but they are factorisation-scheme-dependent. We analyse parton distributions in two different factorisation schemes, namely $\bar{\rm MS}$ and ${\rm DIS}_{\gamma}$ schemes, and discuss their scheme dependence. We show that the factorisation-scheme dependence is characterised by the large-$x$ behaviours of quark distributions. Gluon distribution is predicted to be very small in absolute value except in the small-$x$ region.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, version to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Partial replacement of dietary soybean meal by high‐protein distiller's dried grains (HPDDG) supplemented with protease enzyme for European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax fingerlings

High‐protein distillers dried grains (HPDDG) is a co‐product of ethanol production that uses prefractionation technology. A 70‐day growth trial was conducted to investigate the effect of partial replacement of dietary soybean meal by high‐protein distiller's dried grains (HPDDG) with protease enzyme supplementation (PROXYM ULTRA®) on growth performance, physiological parameters and histological changes of the intestine of European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax fingerlings. The results indicated that increased dietary HPDDG levels up to 50% of HPDDG supplemented with protease significantly increases growth performance and feed utilization and improved FCR of sea bass. In addition, replacement of SBM by HPDDG supplemented with protease enhanced feed intake efficiency and the health status of fish. Haematology and serum biochemistry (haemoglobin (Hb)), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and humeral immune parameters including total protein, globulin, cholesterol, lysozyme activity and total antioxidant capacity significantly increased with increase in HPDDG supplemented with protease in the diets. Results of this study indicated that HPDDG supplemented with protease is a good alternative protein source for aquaculture feed and can be included up to 50% as a replacement of SBM without compromising growth performance and physiological parameters of sea bass