Microscopic calculations of isospin-breaking corrections to superallowed beta-decay

The superallowed beta-decay rates that provide stringent constraints on physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics are affected by nuclear structure effects through isospin-breaking corrections. The self-consistent isospin- and angular-momentum-projected nuclear density functional theory is used for the first time to compute those corrections for a number of Fermi transitions in nuclei from A=10 to A=74. The resulting leading element of the CKM matrix, |V_{ud}|= 0.97447(23), agrees well with the recent result by Towner and Hardy [Phys. Rev. C {\bf 77}, 025501 (2008)].Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; replaced with accepted versio

o Processo Pré-transição a Aposentadoria: Desenvolvimento de Escalas Psicométricas e Correlatos Psicossociais.

RESUMO Rafalski, J. C. (2015). O processo pré-transição para a aposentadoria: desenvolvimento de escalas psicométricas e correlatos psicossociais (Dissertação de Mestrado). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia da Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória. O envelhecimento da população e a diminuição das taxas de natalidade e fertilidade contribuíram para que a temática da aposentadoria crescesse em importância em diversas áreas como a saúde e políticas públicas, políticas organizacionais e a previdência social. Esse trabalho teve como foco compreender o processo pré-transição da aposentadoria nas suas fases de percepção, decisão e planejamento, e observar as variáveis demográficas, de saúde e trabalho que atuam de modo a influenciar essas passagens. Para tanto, a dissertação está estruturada em três artigos. O primeiro foi destinado ao desenvolvimento e validação da Escala de Percepção de Futuro da Aposentadoria (EPFA), que apresentou estrutura de cinco dimensões: Percepções de Saúde, Desligamento do Trabalho, Finanças, Relacionamentos Interpessoais e Perdas na Aposentadoria. A escala apresentou índices favoráveis de confiabilidade em todas as subscalas (acima de 0,70) e relação com outras variáveis. O segundo artigo apresenta a adaptação da Escala de Processo de Planejamento da Aposentadoria (EPPlA) do inglês para o português e a relação desta escala com estilos de tomada de decisão. A EPPlA foi adaptada satisfatoriamente e os resultados mostram a capacidade dos estilos de decisão em predizer maior planejamento para a aposentadoria. O terceiro artigo teve como objetivo entender como as três etapas do processo da aposentadoria se relacionam entre si e com variáveis demográficas e de saúde mental. Os resultados apontaram que as variáveis que influenciam o processo pré-transição da aposentadoria são mutáveis dependendo da dimensão de planejamento a ser observada, mas a predição das percepções e dos motivos para aposentar e os estilos de decisão sobre o planejamento foi confirmada em todas as 4 dimensões (saúde, estilo de vida, psicossocial e finanças). De forma geral, o estudo permitiu verificar a existência da tríade pré-transição para a aposentadoria no Brasil, enfocando a influência de fatores demográficos, como a idade, e pessoais, como as percepções, o estilo de decisão e os motivos para aposentar no sequente planejamento para a vida pós trabalho. Destaca-se a necessidade de pesquisas adicionais, a fim de verificar a existência de outras variáveis psicossociais que possam estar relacionadas ao processo da aposentadoria nos trabalhadores brasileiros. Palavras-Chave: Aposentadoria; Planejamento da Aposentadoria; Carreira; Envelhecimento; Escalas Psicométricas

Isospin mixing in nuclei around N=Z and the superallowed beta-decay

Theoretical approaches that use one-body densities as dynamical variables, such as Hartree-Fock or the density functional theory (DFT), break isospin symmetry both explicitly, by virtue of charge-dependent interactions, and spontaneously. To restore the spontaneously broken isospin symmetry, we implemented the isospin-projection scheme on top of the Skyrme-DFT approach. This development allows for consistent treatment of isospin mixing in both ground and exited nuclear states. In this study, we apply this method to evaluate the isospin impurities in ground states of even-even and odd-odd N~Z nuclei. By including simultaneous isospin and angular-momentum projection, we compute the isospin-breaking corrections to the 0+ --> 0+ superallowed beta-decay.Comment: Presented at the International Conference on Nuclear Structure "Nuclear Landscape at the Limits", Zakopane, Poland, 201

The Association Between an Established Chief Experience Officer Role and Hospital Patient Experience Scores

The healthcare industry is currently reacting to multiple stakeholders demanding improvements to the patient experience. Some healthcare organizations are implementing new management structures, i.e., the role of Chief Experience Officer (CXO). This study statistically reviewed descriptors associated with hospitals that have and have not created and filled the role of CXO and, more importantly, measured the association between the CXO role and results of patients’ perceptions of their experience of care as measured by publicly reported Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) results. This study was conducted utilizing data gather on hospitals in three states, California, Florida, and New York. The results of the study yield insight into the organization characteristics of hospitals and the market factors associated with those hospitals that have filled the CXO role. Hospitals with a formal CXO role are larger, more likely to be for profit, and operate in metro areas of these states with higher per capita income. In addition, hospitals that have a formal CXO role are also more likely to have higher HCAHPS scores as determined by the patient recommendation question as well as the hospital overall rating question included in the HCAHPS survey

The association between an established Chief Experience Officer role and hospital patient experience scores

The healthcare industry is currently reacting to multiple stakeholders demanding improvements to the patient experience. Some healthcare organizations are implementing new management structures, i.e., the role of Chief Experience Officer (CXO). This study statistically reviewed descriptors associated with hospitals that have and have not created and filled the role of CXO and, more importantly, measured the association between the CXO role and results of patients’ perceptions of their experience of care as measured by publicly reported Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) results. This study was conducted utilizing data gather on hospitals in three states, California, Florida, and New York. The results of the study yield insight into the organization characteristics of hospitals and the market factors associated with those hospitals that have filled the CXO role. Hospitals with a formal CXO role are larger, more likely to be for profit, and operate in metro areas of these states with higher per capita income. In addition, hospitals that have a formal CXO role are also more likely to have higher HCAHPS scores as determined by the patient recommendation question as well as the hospital overall rating question included in the HCAHPS survey. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Culture & Leadership lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this len

Root ideotype influences nitrogen transport and assimilation in maize

Published: 24 April 2018Maize (Zea mays, L.) yield is strongly influenced by external nitrogen inputs and their availability in the soil solution. Overuse of nitrogen-fertilizers can have detrimental ecological consequences through increased nitrogen pollution of water and the release of the potent greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide. To improve yield and overall nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), a deeper understanding of nitrogen uptake and utilization is required. This study examines the performance of two contrasting maize inbred lines, B73 and F44. F44 was selected in Florida on predominantly sandy acidic soils subject to nitrate leaching while B73 was selected in Iowa on rich mollisol soils. Transcriptional, enzymatic and nitrogen transport analytical tools were used to identify differences in their N absorption and utilization capabilities. Our results show that B73 and F44 differ significantly in their genetic, enzymatic, and biochemical root nitrogen transport and assimilatory pathways. The phenotypes show a strong genetic relationship linked to nitrogen form, where B73 showed a greater capacity for ammonium transport and assimilation whereas F44 preferred nitrate. The contrasting phenotypes are typified by differences in root system architecture (RSA) developed in the presence of both nitrate and ammonium. F44 crown roots were longer, had a higher surface area and volume with a greater lateral root number and density than B73. In contrast, B73 roots (primary, seminal, and crown) were more abundant but lacked the defining features of the F44 crown roots. An F1 hybrid between B73 and F44 mirrored the B73 nitrogen specificity and root architecture phenotypes, indicating complete dominance of the B73 inbred. This study highlights the important link between RSA and nitrogen management and why both variables need to be tested together when defining NUE improvements in any selection program.Julie Dechorgnat, Karen L. Francis, Kanwarpal S. Dhugga, J. A. Rafalski, Stephen D. Tyerman and Brent N. Kaise