We present new sets of fragmentation functions for charged pions, charged kaons, and protons, both at the leading and next-to-leading orders. They are fitted to the scaled-momentum distributions of ...these hadrons measured in
e
+
e
− annihilation on the
Z-boson resonance at CERN LEP1 and SLAC SLC. These data partly come as light-, charm-, bottom-quark-enriched and gluon-jet samples, which allows us to treat all partons independently, after imposing the SU(2) flavour symmetry relations. In order to gain sensitivity to the scaling violation in fragmentation, we also include data from SLAC PEP, with center-of-mass energy
s
=29
GeV, in our fits. This allows us to also determine the strong-coupling constant, with a competitive error. LEP1 data on the longitudinal cross section as well as DESY DORIS and PETRA data at lower energies nicely agree with theoretical predictions based on our fragmentation functions.
Using fragmentation functions for charged pions, charged kaons, and (anti)protons recently extracted from experimental data of
e
+e
−
annihilation at the
Z-boson resonance and at centre-of-mass ...energy
s
=29
GeV, we perform a global study of inclusive charged-hadron production in
p
p
̄
,
γp, and
γγ collisions at next-to-leading order in the parton model of quantum chromodynamics. Comparisons of our results with
p
p
̄
data from CERN S
p
p
̄
S and the Fermilab Tevatron,
γp data from DESY HERA, and
γγ data from CERN LEP2 allow us to test the universality of the fragmentation functions predicted by the factorization theorem. Furthermore, we perform comparisons with
e
+e
−
-annihilation data from LEP2 so as to test the scaling violations predicted by the Altarelli–Parisi evolution equations.
Why do some democracies reflect their citizens' foreign policy preferences better than others? What roles do the media, political parties, and the electoral system play in a democracy's decision to ...join or avoid a war?War and Democratic Constraintshows that the key to how a government determines foreign policy rests on the transmission and availability of information. Citizens successfully hold their democratic governments accountable and a distinctive foreign policy emerges when two vital institutions-a diverse and independent political opposition and a robust media-are present to make timely information accessible.
Matthew Baum and Philip Potter demonstrate that there must first be a politically potent opposition that can blow the whistle when a leader missteps. This counteracts leaders' incentives to obscure and misrepresent. Second, healthy media institutions must be in place and widely accessible in order to relay information from whistle-blowers to the public. Baum and Potter explore this communication mechanism during three different phases of international conflicts: when states initiate wars, when they respond to challenges from other states, or when they join preexisting groups of actors engaged in conflicts.
Examining recent wars, including those in Afghanistan and Iraq,War and Democratic Constraintlinks domestic politics and mass media to international relations in a brand-new way.
Aims
The clinical relevance of diabetes‐distress is increasingly recognized, but little is known about the efficacy of interventions specifically targeted to treat elevated diabetes‐distress. ...Therefore, this systematic review sought to determine the efficacy of psychological interventions aimed at treating elevated diabetes‐distress in people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
Methods
We systematically searched literature from five databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with an English , describing the results of a psychological intervention in adults with diabetes were included. Articles were eligible for inclusion if the primary outcome was diabetes‐distress measured by the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID‐5/PAID‐20) or the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS‐17). Only mean group diabetes‐distress values above cut‐off at baseline or the results of a subgroup above cut‐off (PAID‐5 ≥ 8, PAID‐20 ≥ 40 or DDS‐17 ≥ 3) were included.
Results
The search yielded 8907 articles. After removing 2800 duplicates, 6107 articles remained. Titles and s were screened, leaving 394 potential articles of interest, nine of which were RCTs. In a random‐effects meta‐analysis, the pooled effect size for diabetes‐distress was 0.48 (Cohen's d), Z = 3.91, P < 0.0001. Statistical heterogeneity was I² = 46.67% (confidence intervals 45.06% to 48.28%). Diabetes‐tailored psychological interventions reduced HbA1c (Cohen's d = 0.57), whereas mindfulness‐based interventions did not (Cohen's d = 0.11).
Conclusions
This systematic review shows that specifically diabetes‐tailored psychological interventions are effective in reducing elevated diabetes‐distress and HbA1c. More rigorous studies are warranted to establish the full potential of these interventions.
PROSPERO database registration ID: CRD42017075290.
What's new?
The clinical relevance of diabetes‐distress is increasingly recognized.
This is the first review to investigate the effect of psychological interventions targeting elevated diabetes‐distress.
There was a stable medium‐sized effect on diabetes‐distress (Cohen's d ≥ 0.45).
In contrast to mindfulness‐based interventions, diabetes‐tailored interventions improved HbA1c (Cohen's d = 0.57).
These findings suggest combined glycaemic and mental health benefits of psychological treatment of elevated diabetes‐distress.
Steroid sulfatase (STS) is responsible for the hydrolysis of aryl and alkyl steroid sulfates and therefore has a pivotal role in regulating the formation of biologically active steroids. The enzyme ...is widely distributed throughout the body, and its action is implicated in physiological processes and pathological conditions. The crystal structure of the enzyme has been resolved, but relatively little is known about what regulates its expression or activity. Research into the control and inhibition of this enzyme has been stimulated by its important role in supporting the growth of hormone-dependent tumors of the breast and prostate. STS is responsible for the hydrolysis of estrone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate to estrone and dehydroepiandrosterone, respectively, both of which can be converted to steroids with estrogenic properties (i.e., estradiol and androstenediol) that can stimulate tumor growth. STS expression is increased in breast tumors and has prognostic significance. The role of STS in supporting tumor growth prompted the development of potent STS inhibitors. Several steroidal and nonsteroidal STS inhibitors are now available, with the irreversible type of inhibitor having a phenol sulfamate ester as its active pharmacophore. One such inhibitor, 667 COUMATE, has now entered a phase I trial in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The skin is also an important site of STS activity, and deficiency of this enzyme is associated with X-linked ichthyosis. STS may also be involved in regulating part of the immune response and some aspects of cognitive function. The development of potent STS inhibitors will allow investigation of the role of this enzyme in physiological and pathological processes.
► Torrefaction of corn stover, as agricultural residue feedstock was investigated. ► Process temperature and time, and raw biomass moisture content were investigated. ► We conclude that temperature ...has the strongest effect followed by moisture content. ► Biomass chemical properties were improved via torrefaction.
Biomass is a primary source of renewable carbon that can be utilized as a feedstock for biofuels or biochemicals production in order to achieve energy independence. The low bulk density, high moisture content, degradation during storage and low energy density of raw lignocellulosic biomass are all significant challenges in supplying agricultural residues as a cellulosic feedstock. Torrefaction is a thermochemical process conducted in the temperature range between 200 and 300°C under an inert atmosphere which is currently being considered as a biomass pretreatment. Competitiveness and quality of biofuels and biochemicals may be significantly increased by incorporating torrefaction early in the production chain while further optimization of the process might enable its autothermal operation. In this study, torrefaction process parameters were investigated in order to improve biomass energy density and reduce its moisture content. The biomass of choice (corn stover) was torrefied at three moisture content levels (30%, 45% and 50%), three different temperatures (200, 250 and 300°C), and three unique reaction times (10, 20 and 30min). Solid, gaseous, and liquid products were analyzed, and the mass and energy balance of the reaction was quantified. An overall increase in energy density (2–19%) and decrease in mass and energy yield (3–45% and 1–35% respectively) was observed with the increase in process temperature. Mass and energy losses also increased with an increase in the initial biomass moisture content.
We present the spectroscopic evolution of AT 2017gfo, the optical counterpart of the first binary neutron star (BNS) merger detected by LIGO and Virgo, GW170817. While models have long predicted that ...a BNS merger could produce a kilonova (KN), we have not been able to definitively test these models until now. From one day to four days after the merger, we took five spectra of AT 2017gfo before it faded away, which was possible because it was at a distance of only 39.5 Mpc in the galaxy NGC 4993. The spectra evolve from blue (∼6400 K) to red (∼3500 K) over the three days we observed. The spectra are relatively featureless-some weak features exist in our latest spectrum, but they are likely due to the host galaxy. However, a simple blackbody is not sufficient to explain our data: another source of luminosity or opacity is necessary. Predictions from simulations of KNe qualitatively match the observed spectroscopic evolution after two days past the merger, but underpredict the blue flux in our earliest spectrum. From our best-fit models, we infer that AT 2017gfo had an ejecta mass of 0.03 M , high ejecta velocities of 0.3c, and a low mass fraction ∼10−4 of high-opacity lanthanides and actinides. One possible explanation for the early excess of blue flux is that the outer ejecta is lanthanide-poor, while the inner ejecta has a higher abundance of high-opacity material. With the discovery and follow-up of this unique transient, combining gravitational-wave and electromagnetic astronomy, we have arrived in the multi-messenger era.
Geochemical and hydrological data from abandoned mine watersheds demonstrated that (1) point sources of pollution fail to account for total receiving watercourse metal load at higher flows and (2) an ...inverse relationship exists between river flow and pH due to peatland runoff. Quantifying the varying importance of point and diffuse pollution sources enabled prediction of treatment benefits for a major point source of pollution in one watershed. Instream zinc load increases with river flow (∼3 to 14 kg Zn/d) due to diffuse groundwater and surface runoff pollution sources at higher flows. Lab tests demonstrated that metal release from the streambed, driven by pH decreases at higher flows, also contribute to increased downstream metal loads. Predicting point source treatment benefits demonstrates major instream improvements at low flow (zinc decreases from >800 to 120 μg Zn/L). At higher flows treatment benefits diminish (Zn decreases from 240 to only 200 μg Zn/L) due to the greater influence of diffuse sources. A quantitative understanding of the variable importance of point and diffuse sources of pollution, and instream processes of metal attenuation and release, is crucial to evaluating the benefits of treatment to downstream water quality.
JetViP 2.1: the hbook version POTTER, B
Computer physics communications,
12/2000, Letnik:
133, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
We present an update of the
JetViP 1.1 program for performing fixed NLO calculations in jet production including direct and resolved components in a continuous range of photon virtuality
Q
2. The new ...version allows to access the full event record on the parton level. The program is set up such that
hbook can be used to fill histograms. The phase space generator has been optimized and the azimuthal dependence of the cross sections is taken into account in LO. We comment on recent comparisons between various NLO programs for jet production at HERA. We demonstrate that the ∑
E
T
cut for dijet cross sections is not infrared safe.
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