On dynamical net-charge fluctuations within a hadron resonance gas approach

The dynamical net-charge fluctuations (${\nu}_{dyn}$) in different particle ratios $K/{\pi}$, $K/p$, and $p/{\pi}$ are calculated from the hadron resonance gas (HRG) model and compared with STAR central Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=7.7-200~$GeV and NA49 central Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=6.3-17.3~$GeV. The three charged-particle ratios ($K/{\pi}$, $K/p$, and $p/{\pi}$) are determined as total and average of opposite and average of same charges. We find an excellent agreement between the HRG calculations and the experimental measurements, especially from STAR beam energy scan (BES) program, while the strange particles in the NA49 experiment at lower Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) energies are not reproduced by the HRG approach. We conclude that the utilized HRG version seems to take into consideration various types of correlations including strong interactions through the heavy resonances and their decays especially at BES energies.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Advances in High Energy Physic

Comparison of different dietary sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on immune response in broiler chickens

The study aims to research the effects of varied dietary sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on the immune response in broiler chickens with stress on natural killer (NK) cell activity. Diets supplemented with one of the four sources of n-3 PUFA: linseed oil-, echium oil-, fish oil (FO) or algal biomass-enriched diets at levels of 18, 18, 50 and 15 g/kg fresh weight, were provided for one-d-old male Ross 308 broilers, totaling 340 in number, until they were slaughtered. The analyses included total lipid profile using gas chromatography (GC) for plasma, spleen, thymus, and blood. Additionally, NK cell activity and cell proliferation were investigated for thymocytes and splenocytes. The results indicated that the source of n-3 PUFA had a strong influence on fatty acid composition across all tissues. NK activity was highest in splenocytes and PBMCs from broilers fed linseed oil, followed by those fed algal biomass or echium oil, and lowest for those from broilers fed FO. The proliferative response of lymphocytes from algal biomass-fed chickens tended to be the highest, followed by those fed linseed oil in most cases. Lymphocytes from chickens fed fish oil showed the lowest proliferative response. These results could mean that a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich algal product might enrich chicken meat with n-3 PUFA without significant damaging effects on chicken immunity

Eigenvalue bounds for a class of singular potentials in N dimensions

The eigenvalue bounds obtained earlier [J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 31 (1998) 963] for smooth transformations of the form V(x) = g(x^2) + f(1/x^2) are extended to N-dimensions. In particular a simple formula is derived which bounds the eigenvalues for the spiked harmonic oscillator potential V(x) = x^2 + lambda/x^alpha, alpha > 0, lambda > 0, and is valid for all discrete eigenvalues, arbitrary angular momentum ell, and spatial dimension N.Comment: 10 pages (plain tex with 2 ps figures). J.Phys.A:Math.Gen.(In Press

Barriers to Health Care Utilization Facing Prostate Cancer Survivors Living in Gaza Strip

There are several studies that aimed to identify barriers to health care utilization, but none of them was conducted in a developing country that addressed barriers to health care utilization facing prostate cancer survivors. This study aimed at identifying barriers to health care utilization facing prostate cancer survivors who live in Gaza Strip. A qualitative approach with a semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Participants reported several barriers to health care utilization. These barriers were categorized under the following major categories: 1) barriers due to unavailability, 2) organizational barriers, 3) communication barriers, 4) geographical barriers, 5) socioeconomic barriers, and 6) barriers related directly to the blockade imposed on Gaza Strip. Within each category several subcategories emerged

Quality of Life and Barriers to Health Care of Prostate Cancer Survivors Residing in Gaza Strip

Prostate cancer is the second common type of cancer worldwide and in Palestine. The use of different treatment options helped prostate cancer survivors to get cured or to live for longer periods of time. Because of the several complications of treatment options, issues related to quality of life (QOL) became highly important in the decision of which option to use

The American higher educational model in Lebanon : organisational cultures and their impact on student outcomes and satisfaction

Differences between two types of organisational cultures – American and American-based universities – were studied in Lebanon. American and American-based universities are American in both academic and administrative structures. American universities operate in Lebanon; however they are subject to the laws of the State of New York, particularly in terms of the management of the institution. American-based universities are local entities subject to rules and regulations delegated through the Near East church authorities. In both types of organisations, academics share exactly the same values, beliefs and assumptions. American higher education organisations exhibit greater cohesive administrative and academic cultures than the American-based institutes (Nauffal, 2005). The study highlights the differences between the two institutional types in relation to student perceptions of quality and satisfaction with their overall educational experience, such as teaching and learning experiences, and quality of services and facilitiespeer-reviewe

Identifying and Prioritizing the Research Needs Related to Mental Health in Gaza Strip-Palestine

Background: An important function of research is to identify community needs in certain fields. As mental health is a vital issue to us, identifying and prioritizing mental health needs is important to policy makers to help them in setting goals for different programs that meet the needs of a specific community in a certain health area. Purpose: To identify the health research needs in the field of mental health in Gaza Strip, Palestine. Design and Methods: The design was a qualitative design using focus group, need assessment and non-structured interview for data collection. Participants: Participants included three focus groups. First group consisted of students enrolled in a master program of community mental health nursing; second group included seven faculty members who were specialists in mental health; and third group included six key persons from the ministry of health and the chair of community mental health program in WHO at Gaza Strip. Results: Results of this qualitative study revealed several themes that emerged from the thematic analysis. Many health research needs were identified by participants. These needs included the following topics: stigma, family integration, aggression of children born to substance-abuse fathers, post-partum depression, counseling, talking therapy in clinical practice, behavioral problems, tramadole abuse, risk factors leading to drug dependence, autism, exploring the role of religion in mental health, and Wellness Recovery Action Plan. Implication for Practice: Well designed studies will help to identify and prioritize the health needs for a specific community. Identifying the needs related to community mental health is one of the first steps to help in pushing these needs into the agenda of health policy makers, who then will work to set goals and design policies and programs that aiming to meet the needs of the community, which hopefully will produce a community with less mental health problems.Background: An important function of research is to identify community needs in certain fields. As mental health is a vital issue to us, identifying and prioritizing mental health needs is important to policy makers to help them in setting goals for different programs that meet the needs of a specific community in a certain health area. Purpose: To identify the health research needs in the field of mental health in Gaza Strip, Palestine. Design and Methods: The design was a qualitative design using focus group, need assessment and non-structured interview for data collection. Participants: Participants included three focus groups. First group consisted of students enrolled in a master program of community mental health nursing; second group included seven faculty members who were specialists in mental health; and third group included six key persons from the ministry of health and the chair of community mental health program in WHO at Gaza Strip. Results: Results of this qualitative study revealed several themes that emerged from the thematic analysis. Many health research needs were identified by participants. These needs included the following topics: stigma, family integration, aggression of children born to substance-abuse fathers, post-partum depression, counseling, talking therapy in clinical practice, behavioral problems, tramadole abuse, risk factors leading to drug dependence, autism, exploring the role of religion in mental health, and Wellness Recovery Action Plan. Implication for Practice: Well designed studies will help to identify and prioritize the health needs for a specific community. Identifying the needs related to community mental health is one of the first steps to help in pushing these needs into the agenda of health policy makers, who then will work to set goals and design policies and programs that aiming to meet the needs of the community, which hopefully will produce a community with less mental health problems

An evidenced-based study :Measuring the effect of implementing an Infection Control Program on health care providers ' Compliance to Infection Control Measures'

In Palestinian, 10% of deaths among children under the age of five are related to infections. Practice of infection prevention and control reduces the number of hospital-acquired infections. The purposes of this study were to explore health care team perceptions of causes of hospital-acquired infections and to develop, implement and measure the impact of infection prevention program in the ICU of a specialty pediatric hospital in Gaza Strip. A quasi experimental with pretest-posttest design was used. All nurses and physicians were included in this study. Five dimensions were measured and investigated pre and post-intervention. An infection control educational program was designed and implemented. After implementing the staff-developed program, the five dimensions were improved: using sharp box increased from 46.6% to 90%, doing gloves and scrubbing improved from 53.3% to 55%, frequency of hand washing increased from 47.2% to 79.3%, awareness of Palestinian protocol of infection prevention increased from 27.5 to 80% and positive swabs cultures decreased from 56% to 34.6%. The study recommends rebuilding an the infection control committee, motivating and encouraging work team to apply control infection measures through training and continuous education, providing the necessary medical supplies. These are besides continuous monitoring and follow up from the administration.In Palestinian, 10% of deaths among children under the age of five are related to infections. Practice of infection prevention and control reduces the number of hospital-acquired infections. The purposes of this study were to explore health care team perceptions of causes of hospital-acquired infections and to develop, implement and measure the impact of infection prevention program in the ICU of a specialty pediatric hospital in Gaza Strip. A quasi experimental with pretest-posttest design was used. All nurses and physicians were included in this study. Five dimensions were measured and investigated pre and post-intervention. An infection control educational program was designed and implemented. After implementing the staff-developed program, the five dimensions were improved: using sharp box increased from 46.6% to 90%, doing gloves and scrubbing improved from 53.3% to 55%, frequency of hand washing increased from 47.2% to 79.3%, awareness of Palestinian protocol of infection prevention increased from 27.5 to 80% and positive swabs cultures decreased from 56% to 34.6%. The study recommends rebuilding an the infection control committee, motivating and encouraging work team to apply control infection measures through training and continuous education, providing the necessary medical supplies. These are besides continuous monitoring and follow up from the administration

Susceptibility Amplitude Ratios Near a Lifshitz Point

The susceptibility amplitude ratio in the neighborhood of a uniaxial Lifshitz point is calculated at one-loop level using field-theoretic and $\epsilon_{L}$-expansion methods. We use the Schwinger parametrization of the propagator in order to split the quadratic and quartic part of the momenta, as well as a new special symmetry point suitable for renormalization purposes. For a cubic lattice (d = 3), we find the result $\frac{C_{+}}{C_{-}} = 3.85$.Comment: 7 pages, late

Particle production and chemical freezeout from the hybrid UrQMD approach at NICA energies

The energy dependence of various particle ratios is calculated within the Ultra-Relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics approach and compared with the hadron resonance gas (HRG) model and measurements from various experiments, including RHIC-BES, SPS and AGS. It is found that the UrQMD particle ratios agree well with the experimental results at the RHIC-BES energies. Thus, we have utilized UrQMD in simulating particle ratios at other beam energies down to 3 GeV, which will be accessed at NICA and FAIR future facilities. We observe that the particle ratios for crossover and first-order phase transition, implemented in the hybrid UrQMD v3.4, are nearly indistinguishable, especially at low energies (at large baryon chemical potentials or high density).Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, one reference is added and one paragraph is rephrased. To appear in EPJ