We study B^{+}→π^{+}π^{0}π^{0} using 711 fb^{-1} of data collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. We measure an inclusive branching ...fraction of (19.0±1.5±1.4)×10^{-6} and an inclusive CP asymmetry of (9.2±6.8±0.7)%, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic, and a B^{+}→ρ(770)^{+}π^{0} branching fraction of (11.2±1.1±0.9_{-1.6}^{+0.8})×10^{-6}, where the third uncertainty is due to possible interference with B^{+}→ρ(1450)^{+}π^{0}. We present the first observation of a structure around 1 GeV/c^{2} in the π^{0}π^{0} mass spectrum, with a significance of 6.4σ, and measure a branching fraction to be (6.9±0.9±0.6)×10^{-6}. We also report a measurement of local CP asymmetry in this structure.
We search for a light Higgs boson (A^{0}) decaying into a τ^{+}τ^{-} or μ^{+}μ^{-} pair in the radiative decays of ϒ(1S). The production of ϒ(1S) mesons is tagged by ϒ(2S)→π^{+}π^{-}ϒ(1S) ...transitions, using 158×10^{6} ϒ(2S) events accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy electron-positron collider. No significant A^{0} signals in the mass range from the τ^{+}τ^{-} or μ^{+}μ^{-} threshold to 9.2 GeV/c^{2} are observed. We set the upper limits at 90% credibility level (C.L.) on the product branching fractions for ϒ(1S)→γA^{0} and A^{0}→τ^{+}τ^{-} varying from 3.8×10^{-6} to 1.5×10^{-4}. Our results represent an approximately twofold improvement on the current world best upper limits for the ϒ(1S)→γA^{0}(→τ^{+}τ^{-}) production. For A^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-}, the upper limits on the product branching fractions for ϒ(1S)→γA^{0} and A^{0}→μ^{+}μ^{-} are at the same level as the world average limits, and vary from 3.1×10^{-7} to 1.6×10^{-5}. The upper limits at 90% credibility level on the Yukawa coupling f_{ϒ(1S)} and mixing angle sinθ_{A^{0}} are also given.
Two placebo-controlled trials involving pregnant women with subclinical hypothyroidism or hypothyroxinemia showed that levothyroxine beginning between 8 and 20 weeks of gestation did not ...significantly improve cognitive outcomes in children through 5 years of age.
Observational studies spanning almost three decades suggest that subclinical thyroid disease during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes.
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In 1999, interest in undiagnosed maternal thyroid dysfunction was heightened by studies suggesting an association between subclinical thyroid hypofunction and impaired fetal neuropsychological development.
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In one report, children of women whose serum thyrotropin levels during pregnancy were greater than the 98th percentile had a lower IQ than children of matched controls who had a normal thyrotropin level.
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In another study, children whose mothers had a serum free thyroxine (T
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) level of less than the 10th percentile in early . . .
We report new measurements of the production cross sections of pairs of charged pions and kaons as a function of their fractional energies using various fractional-energy definitions. Two different ...fractional-energy definitions were used and compared to the conventional fractional-energy definition reported previously. The new variables aim at either identifying dihadron cross sections in terms of single-hadron fragmentation functions, or to provide a means of characterizing the transverse momentum created in the fragmentation process. The results were obtained applying the updated initial-state radiation correction used in other recent Belle publications on light-hadron production cross sections. In addition, production cross sections of single charged pions, kaons, and protons were also updated using this initial-state radiation correction. The cross sections are obtained from a 558 fb-1 data sample collected at the Υ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider.
Purpose To determine (1) whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection significantly improves validated patient-reported outcomes in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) at 6 and 12 ...months postinjection, (2) differences in outcomes between PRP and corticosteroid injections or viscosupplementation or placebo injections at 6 and 12 months postinjection, and (3) similarities and differences in outcomes based on the PRP formulations used in the analyzed studies. Methods PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SCOPUS, and Sport Discus were searched for English-language, level I evidence, human in vivo studies on the treatment of symptomatic knee OA with intra-articular PRP compared with other options, with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. A quality assessment of all articles was performed using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score (average, 83.3/100), and outcomes were analyzed using 2-proportion z -tests. Results Six articles (739 patients, 817 knees, 39% males, mean age of 59.9 years, with 38 weeks average follow-up) were analyzed. All studies met minimal clinical important difference criteria and showed significant improvements in statistical and clinical outcomes, including pain, physical function, and stiffness, with PRP. All but one study showed significant differences in clinical outcomes between PRP and hyaluronic acid (HA) or PRP and placebo in pain and function. Average pretreatment Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were 52.36 and 52.05 for the PRP and HA groups, respectively ( P = .420). Mean post-treatment WOMAC scores for PRP were significantly better than for HA at 3 to 6 months (28.5 and 43.4, respectively; P = .0008) and at 6 to 12 months (22.8 and 38.1, respectively; P = .0062). None of the included studies used corticosteroids. Conclusions In patients with symptomatic knee OA, PRP injection results in significant clinical improvements up to 12 months postinjection. Clinical outcomes and WOMAC scores are significantly better after PRP versus HA at 3 to 12 months postinjection. There is limited evidence for comparing leukocyte-rich versus leukocyte-poor PRP or PRP versus steroids in this study. Level of Evidence Level I, systematic review of Level I studies.
Whether ignited by lightning or by Native Americans, fire once shaped many North American ecosystems. Euro-American settlement and 20th-century fire suppression practices drastically altered historic ...fire regimes, leading to excessive fuel accumulation and uncharacteristically severe wildfires in some areas and diminished flammability resulting from shifts to more fire-sensitive forest species in others. Prescribed fire is a valuable tool for fuel management and ecosystem restoration, but the practice is fraught with controversy and uncertainty. Here, we summarize fire use in the forests and woodlands of North America and the current state of the practice, and explore challenges associated with the use of prescribed fire. Although new scientific knowledge has reduced barriers to prescribed burning, societal aversion to risk often trumps known, long-term ecological benefits. Broader implementation of prescribed burning and strategic management of wildfires in fire-dependent ecosystems will require improved integration of science, policy, and management, and greater societal acceptance through education and public involvement in land-management issues.
Investigating Differences in General Comprehension Skill Gernsbacher, Morton Ann; Varner, Kathleen R; Faust, Mark E
Journal of experimental psychology. Learning, memory, and cognition,
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Journal Article
Recenzirano
For adults, skill at comprehending written language correlates highly with skill at comprehending spoken language. Does this general comprehension skill extend beyond language-based modalities? And ...if it does, what cognitive processes and mechanisms differentiate individuals who are more versus less proficient in general comprehension skill? In our first experiment, we found that skill in comprehending written and auditory stories correlates highly with skill in comprehending nonverbal, picture stories. This finding supports the hypothesis that general comprehension skill extends beyond language. We also found support for the hypotheses that poorer access to recently comprehended information marks less proficient general comprehension skill (Experiment 2) because less skilled comprehenders develop too many mental substructures during comprehension (Experiment 3), perhaps because they inefficiently suppress irrelevant information (Experiment 4). Thus, the cognitive processes and mechanisms involved in capturing and representing the structure of comprehensible information provide one source of individual differences in general comprehension skill.