Angular distributions of the polarized photons and electron in the decays of the 3D3^3D_3 state of charmonium

We calculate the combined angular distribution functions of the polarized photons ($\gamma_1$ and $\gamma_2$) and electron ($e^-$) produced in the cascade process $\bar{p}p\rightarrow$ $^3D_3\rightarrow$ $^3P_2+\gamma_1\rightarrow$ $(\psi+\gamma_2)+\gamma_1\rightarrow(e^++e^-)+\gamma_1+\gamma_2$, when the colliding $\bar{p}$ and $p$ are unpolarized. Our results are independent of any dynamical models and are expressed in terms of the spherical harmonics whose coefficients are functions of the angular-momentum helicity amplitudes of the individual processes. Once the joint angular distribution of ($\gamma_1$, $\gamma_2$) and that of ($\gamma_2$, $e^-$) with the polarization of either one of the two particles are measured, our results will enable one to determine the relative magnitudes as well as the relative phases of all the angular-momentum helicity amplitudes in the radiative decay processes $^3D_3\rightarrow$ $^3P_2+\gamma_1$ and $^3P_2\rightarrow\psi+\gamma_2$

Angular distributions in the radiative decays of the 3D3^3D_3 state of charmonium originating from polarized pˉp\bar{p}p collisions

Using the helicity formalism, we calculate the combined angular distribution function of the two gamma photons ($\gamma_1$ and $\gamma_2$) and the electron ($e^-$) in the triple cascade process $\bar{p}p\rightarrow{}^3D_3\rightarrow{}^3P_2+\gamma_1\rightarrow(\psi+\gamma_2) +\gamma_1 \rightarrow (e^- + e^+) +\gamma_2 +\gamma_1$, when $\bar{p}$ and $p$ are arbitrarily polarized. We also derive six different partially integrated angular distribution functions which give the angular distributions of one or two particles in the final state. Our results show that by measuring the two-particle angular distribution of $\gamma_1$ and $\gamma_2$ and that of $\gamma_2$ and $e^-$, one can determine the relative magnitudes as well as the relative phases of all the helicity amplitudes in the two charmonium radiative transitions ${}^3D_3\rightarrow{}^3P_2+\gamma_1$ and $^3P_2\rightarrow \psi+\gamma_2$.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1311.464

Neutral Pion-hadron Correlations in 200 GeV Au + Au Collisions

In a newly explored kinematic condition which is extremely hot and dense, the asymptotic freedom feature of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) predicts a deconfined phase of nuclear matter, known as quark-gluon plasma (QGP), where quarks and gluons can move freely like a perfect liquid. The QGP can be produced using the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. During these collisions, high momentum partons are produced. These partons fragment into jets which are collimated sprays of particles. In the case that the QGP is formed, these hard partons lose energy when traversing the QGP. Therefore, the resulting jets are modified, which is observed as a angular broadening and modification of momentum distribution of jet particles. Hence, the study of jet modifications helps to understand the properties of the QGP. In this research, jets are studied using pi0-hadron azimuth correlations which use high momentum neutral pions as triggers to indicate the present of a jet. The azimuth correlations, known as jet functions, between the trigger pi0 and the charged hadrons are corrected for detector efficiency and underlying flow harmonics up to the fourth order. The jet functions are used to extract angular width and per trigger yields of the jets. This research found the angular broadening and enhancement of soft jet particles in Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV compared to p+p results, while hard jet particles are suppressed but no significant angular broadening is observed. To be able to fully interpret the modification observed in heavy-ion collisions, a deeper understanding of the initial state of confined quarks in the nuclei is needed. Therefore, the next era of nuclear physics requires an Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) to construct the comprehensive nucleon tomography in different phase spaces. This dissertation details work performed to develop a compact aerogel ring-imaging Cherenkov detector called the mRICH with a focusing Fresnel lens to overcome the space limitation in the EIC detector

Comparison of New-Onset Peripheral Artery Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Exposed to Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors, or Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists:A Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2Is), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4Is), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists have been associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes and prognosis. The comparative risks of new-onset peripheral artery disease (PAD) between these medications remain unknown. This real-world study compared the risks of PAD in patients exposed to SGLT2I and DPP4I. METHODS AND RESULTS: This was a retrospective population-based cohort study of patients with type 2 diabetes on either an SGLT2I or a DPP4I between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015, using a territory-wide database from Hong Kong. The primary outcome was new-onset PAD. The secondary outcomes were cardiovascular hospitalization, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death. Propensity score matching (1:1 ratio) using the nearest neighbor search was performed. Multivariable Cox regression with time-weighted variables was used to identify significant associations. A 3-arm analysis including the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist cohort was conducted. This cohort included 75470 patients with type 2 diabetes (median age, 62.3±12.8years; 55.79% men). The SGLT2I and DPP4I groups consisted of 28753 patients and 46717 patients, respectively. After matching, 186 and 256 patients had PAD in the SGLT2I and DPP4I groups, respectively, over a median follow-up of 5.6years. SGLT2I use was associated with lower risks of PAD (hazard ratio [HR], 0.79 [95% CI, 0.66–0.93]) compared with DPP4I use after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, medications, renal function, and glycemic tests. The association remained consistent regardless of sex, age, and other metabolic diseases. In the 3-arm analysis, the risk of PAD was not statistically different between SGLT2Is and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (HR, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.52–2.68]). The results remained consistent in the competing risk and the sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: SGLT2I use among patients with type 2 diabetes was associated with lower risks of new-onset PAD and PAD-related outcomes when compared with DPP4Is after adjustments.</p

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Handgrip strength assessment at baseline in addition to bone parameters could potentially predict the risk of curve progression in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

IntroductionAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is characterized by deranged bone and muscle qualities, which are important prognostic factors for curve progression. This retrospective case–control study aims to investigate whether the baseline muscle parameters, in addition to the bone parameters, could predict curve progression in AIS.MethodsThe study included a cohort of 126 female patients diagnosed with AIS who were between the ages of 12 and 14 years old at their initial clinical visit. These patients were longitudinally followed up every 6 months (average 4.08 years) until they reached skeletal maturity. The records of these patients were thoroughly reviewed as part of the study. The participants were categorized into two sub-groups: the progressive AIS group (increase in Cobb angle of ≥6°) and the stable AIS group (increase in Cobb angle &lt;6°). Clinical and radiological assessments were conducted on each group.ResultsCobb angle increase of ≥6° was observed in 44 AIS patients (34.9%) prior to skeletal maturity. A progressive AIS was associated with decreased skeletal maturity and weight, lower trunk lean mass (5.7%, p = 0.027) and arm lean mass (8.9%, p &lt; 0.050), weaker dominant handgrip strength (8.8%, p = 0.027), deranged cortical compartment [lower volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) by 6.5%, p = 0.002], and lower bone mechanical properties [stiffness and estimated failure load lowered by 13.2% (p = 0.005) and 12.5% (p = 0.004)]. The best cut-off threshold of maximum dominant handgrip strength is 19.75 kg for distinguishing progressive AIS from stable AIS (75% sensitivity and 52.4% specificity, p = 0.011).DiscussionPatients with progressive AIS had poorer muscle and bone parameters than patients with stable AIS. The implementation of a cut-off threshold in the baseline dominant handgrip strength could potentially be used as an additional predictor, in addition to bone parameters, for identifying individuals with AIS who are at higher risk of experiencing curve progression

Diversidade e Estrutura Genéticas de Bryconamericus aff. Iheringii (Characiformes: Characidae) na Área de Influência do Reservatório da Itaipu

Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso apresentado ao Instituto Latino-Americano de Ciências da Vida e Natureza da Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana, como requisito parcial à obtenção do título de Bacharel em Ciências Biológicas – Ecologia e Biodiversidade.A diversidade genética é necessária para que as populações evoluam e se adaptem às mudanças ambientais, e comumente, está distribuída em um padrão dentro e entre populações que é referido como estrutura genética. O isolamento e a existência de poucos caminhos migratórios entre águas doces implicam na estruturação genética, principalmente, para peixes que possuem baixa mobilidade. Peixes de pequeno porte (≤ 15 cm de comprimento), que habitam riachos, representam, no mínimo 50% de toda a ictiofauna sul-americana e apresentam um alto grau de endemismo, devido, em parte, à sua baixa capacidade de deslocamento. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho objetivou avaliar a diversidade e a estrutura genéticas do caracídeo Bryconamericus aff. iheringii na área de influência do reservatório da Itaipu Binacional. Para isto, foram analisados 47 espécimes, 23 coletados em riachos da margem direita (Paraguai) e 24 coletados em riachos da margem esquerda (Brasil) do reservatório da Itaipu. Para acessar sua diversidade genética, foi empregado o marcador molecular D-loop, sendo estimado o número de haplótipos, os índices de diversidade haplotípica e nucleotídica e o nível de estruturação entre as diferentes amostras. B. aff. iheringii apresentou níveis de diversidade genética dentro do padrão relatado para a espécie, com moderados (amostras do Paraguai) a altos (amostras do Brasil) níveis de diversidade, o que se deve, sobretudo, ao fato de que quase todos os riachos paraguaios analisados são de uma única microbacia, enquanto os riachos brasileiros são de quatro microbacias diferentes. As populações não parecem ter respondido a eventos drásticos recentes, pois mesmo as presentes em regiões sob a pressão de atividades agrícolas, mostram variações no DNA mitocondrial. Foram encontrados altos níveis de estruturação genética entre o conjunto de amostras paraguaio e brasileiro e entre as microbacias dentro de cada país, o que se deve, principalmente, aos processos de colonização destas drenagens, os quais possivelmente envolvem fundadores com diferentes linhagens haplotípicas. Além disso, parece plausível que o rio Paraná (reservatório da Itaipu) funciona como uma barreira ao fluxo gênico entre as diferentes margens e entre suas microbacias. Deste modo, a identificação de linhagens é de grande importância, pois a manutenção da diversidade genética de uma espécie depende de sua preservação. Considerando a importância de estudos genético-populacionais para a conservação de espécies, espera-se que este trabalho possa servir como base para futuros estudos mais amplos com peixes de riachos