Fermion Mass Matrices in term of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa Matrix and Mass Eigenvalues

A parameter free, model independent analysis of quark mass matrices is carried out. We find a representation in terms of a diagonal mass matrix for the down (up) quarks and a suitable matrix for the up (down) quarks, such that the mass parameters only depend on the six quark masses and the three angles and phase appearing in the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. The results found may also be applied to the Dirac mass matrices of the leptons.Comment: 7 pages LaTeX, no figures. Title changed, Particle Data Group parametrization of CKM matrix used in equation (8), numerical values in table 1 evaluated using the quark mass values at the Z^o mass scale, equation (21) eliminated and 2 references change

Quark-lepton symmetry and complementarity

We argue that the difference between the observed approximate quark-lepton complementarity and the theoretical prediction based on realistic quark-lepton symmetry within the seesaw mechanism may be adjusted by means of a triplet contribution in the seesaw formula.Comment: 7 pages, RevTex

Opportunity for development or necessary nuisance? The case for viewing working with interpreters as a bonus in therapeutic work

This paper explores the central role a language interpreter can play in the process of the therapeutic relationship. Although others have described the changes to the therapeutic dyad that the presence of a third party (an interpreter) brings, little attention has been paid to the advantages and additional opportunities of this altered therapeutic situation. This paper details these gains and further argues that clinicians who are willing to gain experience of working with interpreters will find that benefits accrue at the micro and macro levels: at the micro level, through enhancement of their work with individual non English speaking clients, and at the macro level through learning about different cultural perspectives, idioms of distress and the role of language in the therapeutic endeavour. This is in addition to developing skills to fulfil legal and professional requirements relating to equity of service provision. Some ideas are offered to explain the negative slant than runs throughout the literature in this area and tends to colour the overall discussion of therapeutic work with interpreters and, before the final section, makes some specific suggestions which may help maximise the gains possible in such work while reducing difficulties

Leptogenesis within a generalized quark-lepton symmetry

Quark-lepton symmetry has been shown to be inconsistent with baryogenesis via leptogenesis in natural schemes of the see-saw mechanism. Within the phenomenological approach of textures, we relax this strict symmetry and propose weaker conditions, namely models of the neutrino Dirac mass matrix $M_D$ which have the same hierarchy as the matrix elements of $M_u$. We call this guide-line generalized $hierarchical$ quark-lepton symmetry. We consider in detail particular cases in which the moduli of the matrix elements of $M_D$ are equal to those of $M_u$. Within the phenomenological approach of textures, we try for the heavy Majorana mass matrix diagonal and off-diagonal forms. We find that an ansatz for $M_D$ preserving the hierarchy, together with an off-diagonal model for the heavy Majorana neutrino mass, is consistent with neutrino masses, neutrino mixing and baryogenesis via leptogenesis for an intermediate mass scale $m_R \sim 10^{12}$ GeV. The preservation of the hierarchical structure could come from a possible symmetry scheme.Comment: 12 pages, RevTex4. Title and abstract changed. Revised and enlarged versio

Leave the Gun. Take the Cannoli: A Perspective on Traumatic Injury in The Godfather

[EN] Introduction: The Godfather is one of the most popular American movies of all time. The aims of this study are to describe the morbidity and mortality portrayed in The Godfather with a thorough video review. Methods: In this descriptive study, The Godfather was viewed for incidents of traumatic mechanisms. On-screen traumatic mechanisms were documented by time in the movie. Characters that died during the film were evaluated for type of mechanism and cause of death. Comparisons by timing and gender were made with Chi-Square tests, using an α = 0.05. Results: There were 24 incidents of on-screen traumatic mechanisms for 21 unique characters. A total of 22/24(92%) of the mechanisms involved male characters whereas 2/24(8%) of the mechanisms involved female characters (p<0.001). There were 7/24(29%) incidents of a traumatic mechanism in the first half of the film with 17/24(71%) incidents of a traumatic mechanism in the second half of the film (p=0.03). A Chi-square test showed a higher proportion of deaths in the second half of the film (p=0.01). A total of 17/18(94%) of the mortalities involved male characters whereas 1/18(6%) of the mortalities involved a female character (p<0.001). Penetrating injury was the cause of 67% of the deaths. Blunt injury was the cause of 17% of the deaths. Conclusions: There are gender differences in the characters that suffer a traumatic mechanism and death in The Godfather. A majority of injuries are penetrating in mechanism, and are more deadly in the second half of the film. [ES] Introduction: El Padrino es una de las películas americanas más populares de todos los tiempos. Este trabajo pretende describir la morbilidad y mortalidad retratada en ella mediante su análisis. Methods: en este estudio descriptivo se proyectó El Padrino en busca de incidentes relacionados con mecanismos de lesión traumática. Los mecanismos que aparecen en escena fueron documentados en función del punto de la película en el que se produjeron. Los personajes que murieron durante el transcurso de la acción fueron evaluados en busca del mecanismo y causa del fallecimiento. Las comparaciones entre el momento de la acción y el género se llevaron a cabo mediante pruebas χ², utilizando la fórmula α = 0,05. Results: en pantalla se aprecian un total de 24 incidentes con mecanismos traumáticos relacionados con 21 personajes diferentes. Un total de 22/24 (92%) de estos mecanismos, se producen en personajes masculinos, mientras que en solamente 2/24 (8%) de ellos estaban involucrados personajes femeninos (p<0,001). Durante la primera mitad de la película se dan 7/24 (29%) de los incidentes relacionados con lesiones traumáticas, dándose el resto, 17/24 (71%), en la segunda mitad (p=0,03). Mediante una prueba χ² se comprueba que se produce una tasa más alta de muertes en la segunda mitad de la película (p=0,01). Un total de 17/18 (94%) de las muertes las sufren personajes masculinos, mientras que en solamente 1/18 (6%) se trata de un personaje femenino (p<0,001). El 67% de las muertes se producen por lesiones penetrantes, mientras que el 17% se producen por un traumatismo cerrado. Conclusions: en El Padrino se dan diferencias en cuanto al género de los personajes que sufren muertes relacionadas con lesiones traumáticas. La mayoría son debidas a lesiones de penetración, produciendo estos mecanismos mayor cantidad de efectos letales durante la segunda mitad de la película

A Study on the Relationship Between Elementary Teacher Engagement and Collective Teacher Efficacy

School leaders are continually looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Collective teacher efficacy has shown to have a high effect size on student learning. However, as educators focus on building collective teacher efficacy and helping students, these same teachers may not be completely engaged in their work. With the complexity of building collective efficacy and potentially a disengaged staff, this poses a challenge to principals who have limited time and resources to make the biggest difference they can. If a positive relationship exists between the two, then principals could focus on increasing teacher engagement which would result in increased collective teacher efficacy. Therefore, the purpose of this correlational research study was to discover to what degree a relationship exists between teacher engagement and collective teacher efficacy. To explore the relationship between teacher engagement and collective teacher efficacy, participants in this study completed two surveys focused on each of these concepts. These surveys were utilized to answer three questions for this study: How positive are teachers\u27 collective teacher efficacy beliefs? How positive are teachers\u27 engagement? How strong is the relationship between a teacher\u27s engagement, measured by job, team, principal and school district, with their collective beliefs, measured through instructional strategies and classroom discipline? Results from the survey indicated that overall both collective teacher efficacy and teacher engagement are positive. In addition, relationships between the different subgroups had varying levels of strengths ranging from strong to weak. The findings from this study have implications for teachers, principals, and school districts. The conclusions and recommendations included can provide insight on ways to increase teacher engagement and collective teacher efficacy

KRAS early testing. Consensus initiative and cost-effectiveness evaluation for metastatic colorectal patients in an italian setting

KRAS testing is relevant for the choice of the most appropriate first-line therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Strategies for preventing unequal access to the test should be implemented, but their relevance in the practice is related to economic sustainability. The study adopted the Delphi technique to reach a consensus on several topics. Issues related to execution of KRAS testing were identified by an expert's board and proposed to 108 Italian oncologists and pathologists through two subsequent questionnaires. The emerging proposal was evaluated by decision analyses models employed by technology assessment agencies in order to assess cost-effectiveness. Alternative therapeutic strategies included most commonly used chemotherapy regimens alone or in combination with cetuximab or bevacizumab. The survey indicated that time interval for obtaining KRAS test should not exceed 15 days, 10 days being an optimal interval. To assure the access to proper treatment, a useful strategy should be to anticipate the test after radical resection in patients at high risk of relapse. Early KRAS testing in high risk CRC patients generates incremental cost-effectiveness ratios between 6,000 and 13,000 Euro per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained. In extensive sensitivity analyses ICER's were always below 15,000 Euro per QALY gained, far within the threshold of 60,000 Euro/QALY gained accepted by regulatory institutions in Italy. In metastatic CRC a time interval higher than 15 days for result of KRAS testing limits access to therapeutic choices. Anticipating KRAS testing before the onset of metastatic disease in patients at high risk does not affect the sustainability and cost-effectiveness profile of cetuximab in first-line mCRC. Early KRAS testing may prevent this inequality in high-risk patients, whether they develop metastases, and is a cost-effective strategy. Based on these results, present joined recommendations of Italian societies of Oncology and Pathology should be updated including early KRAS testing

A preliminary evaluation of LANDSAT-4 thematic mapper data for their geometric and radiometric accuracies

Some LANDSAT thematic mapper data collected over the eastern United States were analyzed for their whole scene geometric accuracy, band to band registration and radiometric accuracy. Band ratio images were created for a part of one scene in order to assess the capability of mapping geologic units with contrasting spectral properties. Systematic errors were found in the geometric accuracy of whole scenes, part of which were attributable to the film writing device used to record the images to film. Band to band registration showed that bands 1 through 4 were registered to within one pixel. Likewise, bands 5 and 7 also were registered to within one pixel. However, bands 5 and 7 were misregistered with bands 1 through 4 by 1 to 2 pixels. Band 6 was misregistered by 4 pixels to bands 1 through 4. Radiometric analysis indicated two kinds of banding, a modulo-16 stripping and an alternate light dark group of 16 scanlines. A color ratio composite image consisting of TM band ratios 3/4, 5/2, and 5/7 showed limonitic clay rich soils, limonitic clay poor soils, and nonlimonitic materials as distinctly different colors on the image