1,421 research outputs found
Dépistage précoce des troubles développementaux chez les nouveau-nés prématurés : intérêt d'un examen clinique standardisé
A new composition-sensitive parameter for Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays
A new family of parameters intended for composition studies in cosmic ray
surface array detectors is proposed. The application of this technique to
different array layout designs has been analyzed. The parameters make exclusive
use of surface data combining the information from the total signal at each
triggered detector and the array geometry. They are sensitive to the combined
effects of the different muon and electromagnetic components on the lateral
distribution function of proton and iron initiated showers at any given primary
energy. Analytical and numerical studies have been performed in order to assess
the reliability, stability and optimization of these parameters. Experimental
uncertainties, the underestimation of the muon component in the shower
simulation codes, intrinsic fluctuations and reconstruction errors are
considered and discussed in a quantitative way. The potential discrimination
power of these parameters, under realistic experimental conditions, is compared
on a simplified, albeit quantitative way, with that expected from other surface
and fluorescence estimators.Comment: 27 pages, 17 figures. Submitted to a refereed journa
Neural network parametrization of the lepton energy spectrum in semileptonic B meson decays
We construct a parametrization of the lepton energy spectrum in inclusive
semileptonic decays of B mesons, based on the available experimental
information: moments of the spectrum with cuts, their errors and their
correlations, together with kinematical constraints. The result is obtained in
the form of a Monte Carlo sample of neural networks trained on replicas of the
experimental data, which represents the probability density in the space of
lepton energy spectra. This parametrization is then used to extract the b quark
mass m_b^{1S} in a way that theoretical uncertainties are minimized, for which
the value m_b^{1S}=4.84 \pm 0.14^{exp}\pm 0.05^{th} GeV is obtained.Comment: 32 pages, 22 figures, JHEP3 class. v4 version accepted for
publication in JHE
Usefulness of Parent-Completed ASQ for Neurodevelopmental Screening of Preterm Children at Five Years of Age.
International audienceINTRODUCTION: Preterm children are at greater risk of developmental impairment and require close follow-up for early and optimal medical care. Our goal was to examine use of the parent-completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) as a screening tool for neurodevelopmental disabilities in preterm infants at five years of age.PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 648 preterm children (285 were not distinctive for mild delay or normal development. In children with developmental delay, no difference was found when ASQ scores according to maternal education levels were analyzed.CONCLUSIONS: ASQ at five years is a simple and cost-effective tool that can detect severe developmental delay in preterm children regardless of maternal education level, while its capacity to identify children with mild delay appears to be more limited
Multimessenger astronomy with the Einstein Telescope
Gravitational waves (GWs) are expected to play a crucial role in the
development of multimessenger astrophysics. The combination of GW observations
with other astrophysical triggers, such as from gamma-ray and X-ray satellites,
optical/radio telescopes, and neutrino detectors allows us to decipher science
that would otherwise be inaccessible. In this paper, we provide a broad review
from the multimessenger perspective of the science reach offered by the third
generation interferometric GW detectors and by the Einstein Telescope (ET) in
particular. We focus on cosmic transients, and base our estimates on the
results obtained by ET's predecessors GEO, LIGO, and Virgo.Comment: 26 pages. 3 figures. Special issue of GRG on the Einstein Telescope.
Minor corrections include
Transverse Momentum Dependent Parton Distribution/Fragmentation Functions at an Electron-Ion Collider
We present a summary of a recent workshop held at Duke University on Partonic
Transverse Momentum in Hadrons: Quark Spin-Orbit Correlations and Quark-Gluon
Interactions. The transverse momentum dependent parton distribution functions
(TMDs), parton-to-hadron fragmentation functions, and multi-parton correlation
functions, were discussed extensively at the Duke workshop. In this paper, we
summarize first the theoretical issues concerning the study of partonic
structure of hadrons at a future electron-ion collider (EIC) with emphasis on
the TMDs. We then present simulation results on experimental studies of TMDs
through measurements of single spin asymmetries (SSA) from semi-inclusive
deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) processes with an EIC, and discuss the
requirement of the detector for SIDIS measurements. The dynamics of parton
correlations in the nucleon is further explored via a study of SSA in D (`D)
production at large transverse momenta with the aim of accessing the unexplored
tri-gluon correlation functions. The workshop participants identified the SSA
measurements in SIDIS as a golden program to study TMDs in both the sea and
valence quark regions and to study the role of gluons, with the Sivers
asymmetry measurements as examples. Such measurements will lead to major
advancement in our understanding of TMDs in the valence quark region, and more
importantly also allow for the investigation of TMDs in the sea quark region
along with a study of their evolution.Comment: 44 pages 23 figures, summary of Duke EIC workshop on TMDs accepted by
EPJ
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 incidence among blood donors in France, 1992 through 2006: use of an immunoassay to identify recent infections
BACKGROUND: In France, blood donations found to be positive for the presence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) are further tested to detect recent infections (≤180 days) using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA-RI) developed in 2002. The characteristics of recently infected donors, estimates of HIV-1 incidence, and the residual risk of transfusion-transmitted HIV-1 are presented, in both first-time and repeat donors. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Of the 1027 donations found to be HIV-1–positive between 1992 and 2006, a total of 459 could be retrospectively tested with the EIA-RI. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine the donor characteristics associated with recent infection. Incidence rates and residual risk obtained with the EIA-RI were compared to classical cohort estimates derived from repeat donor histories. RESULTS: Of the 459 HIV-1–positive donors studied, 105 (22.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 19.2-27.0) were identified as recently infected. Factors independently associated with recent infection were repeat donor status (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.0; 95% CI, 2.4-6.9) and non-B subtypes (AOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-3.6). Incidence decreased from 4.3 (95% CI, 1.9-9.4) in 1992 through 1994 to 1.3 (95% CI, 0.6-2.8) per 105 in 2004 through 2006 in first-time donors and from 3.2 (95% CI, 2.0-5.0) to 0.8 (95% CI, 0.4-1.4) per 105 in repeat donors. Incidence and residual risk estimates were similar to those obtained with the classical cohort method. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the EIA-RI can be used to estimate HIV-1 incidence in a population with low HIV incidence. The estimated HIV-1 incidence in the blood donor population confirms the extremely low risk (1 in 3,350,000 donations) of HIV-infected blood donations entering the blood supply in France
Understanding hadronic gamma-ray emission from supernova remnants
We aim to test the plausibility of a theoretical framework in which the
gamma-ray emission detected from supernova remnants may be of hadronic origin,
i.e., due to the decay of neutral pions produced in nuclear collisions
involving relativistic nuclei. In particular, we investigate the effects
induced by magnetic field amplification on the expected particle spectra,
outlining a phenomenological scenario consistent with both the underlying
Physics and the larger and larger amount of observational data provided by the
present generation of gamma experiments, which seem to indicate rather steep
spectra for the accelerated particles. In addition, in order to study to study
how pre-supernova winds might affect the expected emission in this class of
sources, the time-dependent gamma-ray luminosity of a remnant with a massive
progenitor is worked out. Solid points and limitations of the proposed scenario
are finally discussed in a critical way.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figures; Several comments, references and a figure added.
Some typos correcte
Women, men and coronary heart disease: a review of the qualitative literature
Aim. This paper presents a review of the qualitative literature which examines the experiences of patients with coronary heart disease. The paper also assesses whether the experiences of both female and male patients are reflected in the literature and summarizes key themes.
Background. Understanding patients' experiences of their illness is important for coronary heart disease prevention and education. Qualitative methods are particularly suited to eliciting patients' detailed understandings and perceptions of illness. As much previous research has been 'gender neutral', this review pays particular attention to gender.
Methods. Published papers from 60 qualitative studies were identified for the review through searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PREMEDLINE, PsychINFO, Social Sciences Citation Index and Web of Science using keywords related to coronary heart disease.
Findings. Early qualitative studies of patients with coronary heart disease were conducted almost exclusively with men, and tended to generalize from 'male' experience to 'human' experience. By the late 1990s this pattern had changed, with the majority of studies including women and many being conducted with solely female samples. However, many studies that include both male and female coronary heart disease patients still do not have a specific gender focus. Key themes in the literature include interpreting symptoms and seeking help, belief about coronary 'candidates' and relationships with health professionals. The influence of social roles is important: many female patients have difficulties reconciling family responsibilities and medical advice, while male patients worry about being absent from work.
Conclusions. There is a need for studies that compare the experiences of men and women. There is also an urgent need for work that takes masculinity and gender roles into account when exploring the experiences of men with coronary heart disease
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