Low-Energy \Lambda-\p Scattering Parameters from the pp→pK+Λpp \to pK^+\Lambda Reaction

Constraints on the spin-averaged $\Lambda p$ scattering length and effective range have been obtained from measurements of the $pp\to pK^+\Lambda$ reaction close to the production threshold by comparing model phase-space Dalitz plot occupations with experimental ones. The data fix well the position of the virtual bound state in the $\Lambda p$ system. Combining this with information from elastic $\Lambda p$ scattering measurements at slightly higher energies, together with the fact that the hyperdeuteron is not bound, leads to a new determination of the low energy $\Lambda p$ scattering parameters.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figure

Black American Maternal Prenatal Choline, Offspring Gestational Age at Birth, and Developmental Predisposition to Mental Illness

Black Americans have increased risk for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses with prenatal origins. Prenatal choline promotes infant brain development and behavioral outcomes, but choline has not been specifically assessed in Black Americans. Pregnant women (N = 183, N = 25 Black Americans) enrolled in a study of prenatal stressors and interactions with prenatal choline. Black American women had lower 16-week gestation plasma choline than Whites. Lower choline was not related to obesity, income, or metabolic genotypes. Pregnant women in rural Uganda have higher choline levels than Black American women. Black Americans' lower choline was associated with higher hair cortisol, indicative of higher stress. Lower maternal choline was associated with offsprings' lower gestational age at birth and with decreased auditory P50 inhibition, a marker of inhibitory neuron development. Behavioral development was assessed on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-R-SF (IBQ-R) at 3 months. Lower Black American maternal gestational choline was associated with lower infant IBQ-R Orienting/Regulation, indicating decreased attention and relation to caregivers. Additional evidence for developmental effects of choline in Black Americans comes from a randomized clinical trial of gestational phosphatidylcholine supplementation versus placebo that included 15 Black Americans. Phosphatidylcholine increased gestational age at birth and newborn P50 inhibition and decreased Social Withdrawn and Attention problems at 40 months of age in Black Americans' offspring compared to placebo. Inhibitory and behavioral deficits associated with lower prenatal choline in offspring of Black American women indicate potential developmental predispositions to later mental illnesses that might be ameliorated by prenatal choline or phosphatidylcholine supplementation

Author's Response: Targeting Treatments to Health Disparities

These initial data suggest that with prenatal vitamins and choline supplements, we might decrease one risk factor associated with poorer health outcomes disproportionally affecting Black families, ie, preterm birth. Dissemination of this research fulfills the principle of Justice in the Belmont Report, to ensure that participants from different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups receive benefits from research directed to their specific problems

Total Cross Section of the Reaction pp \to pK^+\Lambda Close to Threshold

The energy dependence of the total cross section for the pp \to pK^+\Lambda reaction was measured in the threshold region covering the excess energy range up to 7MeV. Existing model calculations describe the slope of the measured cross sections well, but are too low by a factor of two to three in rate. The data were used for a precise determination of the beam momentum of the COSY-synchrotron.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Comparison of Lambda and Sigma(0) Threshold Production in Proton-Proton Collisions

Threshold measurements of the associated strangeness production reactions pp --> p K(+) Lambda and pp --> p K(+) Sigma(0) are presented. Although slight differences in the shapes of the excitation functions are observed, the most remarkable feature of the data is that at the same excess energy the total cross section for the Sigma(0) production appears to be about a factor of 28 smaller than the one for the Lambda particle. It is concluded that strong Sigma(0)-p final state interactions, and in particular the Sigma-N --> Lambda-p conversion reaction, are the likely cause of the depletion for the yield in the Sigma signal. This hypothesis is in line with other experimental evidence in the literature.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

η′\eta^{\prime} production in proton-proton scattering close to threshold}

The $pp \to pp \eta^{\prime}$ (958) reaction has been measured at COSY using the internal beam and the COSY-11 facility. The total cross sections at the four different excess energies \mbox{$Q = ~1.5 ~MeV, ~1.7 ~MeV, ~2.9 ~MeV,$ and $~4.1 MeV$} have been evaluated to be \mbox{$\sigma = 2.5 \pm 0.5~nb$, $~~~ 2.9 \pm 1.1~nb$, $~~~ 12.7 \pm 3.2~nb$, ~ and $~~~ 25.2 \pm 3.6 ~nb$}, respectively. In this region of excess energy the $\eta^{\prime}$ (958) cross sections are much lower compared to those of the $\pi ^0$ and $\eta$ production.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Factors of competitiveness of polish courier companies

Polish CEP industry has enjoyed steady growth during the past several years. CEP players will have to be more creative and efficient in the way they win and secure that business. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors affecting firm competitiveness in a CEP industry, because competitiveness is considered as a key criterion for assessing the success of companies. The theoretical part of the work contains competitiveness definitions and the description of CEP services market. The research was conducted through surveys, using random sampling method. This study is an attempt to explore the factors that have a high influence on customer’s choice. Strong competition makes courier, if they want to stay in business, they must constantly watch for changes in the business environment and continually analyse consumer needs and preferences in order for them to adjust their offer.Polska branża przesyłek ekspresowych charakteryzuje się stałym wzrostem w ciągu ostatnich kilku lat. Operatorzy muszą być kreatywni i skuteczni w prowadzeniu walki konkurencyjnej. Celem artykułu jest identyfikacja czynników wpływających na konkurencyjność firmy w branży, ponieważ jest ona uznawana za kluczowe kryterium oceny sukcesu firm. Część teoretyczna pracy zawiera definicje i charakterystykę konkurencyjności oraz opis rynku usług KEP. Część empiryczna powstała na podstawie badań ankietowych. Niniejsze badanie stanowi próbę identyfikacji znaczenia czynników, które mają duży wpływ na wybór klienta. Silna konkurencja sprawia, że firma musi stale obserwować zmiany w otoczeniu biznesowym i nieustannie analizować potrzeby i preferencje klientów, aby dostosować do nich ofertę

The innovation of the enterprises in the divisions in manufacturing in the Subcarpathian voivodeship

W artykule zostały zaprezentowane wyniki badań przeprowadzonych wśród przedsiębiorstw należących do sektora przetwórstwa przemysłowego, działających na terenie województwa podkarpackiego. Ich zasadniczym celem była ocena innowacyjności badanych przedsiębiorstw, identyfikacja rodzaju innowacji wprowadzanych w firmach oraz ich źródeł dla wskazania najczęściej stosowanych modeli innowacji. Dokonano także oceny podstawowych czynników stymulujących oraz ograniczających rozwój innowacji.The article presents the results of research conducted among companies belonging to the of the enterprises in the divisions in manufacturing operating in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Its main objective was to assess the innovativeness of the companies investigated, the identification of the type of innovation introduced in companies and their sources to identify the most commonly used models of innovation. There have also been assessing the main factors stimulating and limiting the development of innovations