Forty years of antiprotons

The discovery of the antiproton some 40 years ago and the almost synchronous fall of parity (P) and charge conjugation (C) symmetries were soon followed by the realization that CPT rather than C invariance is the fundamental symmetry connecting matter and antimatter, and that consequently any measurement of the antiproton ' s properties can be interpreted as a test of that symmetry. It is the latter view of the antiproton, as an object of study in its own right, rather than as a means to such other ends as the production of gauge bosons and meson resonances, that is presented here. The authors review the technical steps that have led from the handful of antiprotons observed by Chamberlain, Segre, Wiegand, and Ypsilantis to the intense, high-quality beams available today and show how the state of rest and isolation required for high precision high-quality beams available today and show how the state of rest and isolation required for high precision measurements of their properties can be achieved by confining them in electromagnetic traps or in their microscopic counterparts, exotic atoms. The test bench role of antiprotons and antihydrogen atoms for both CPT symmetry and the gravitational weak equivalence principle is discussed, and the body of experimental results obtained since 1955 critically reviewed from this standpoint. Future experiments are then discussed in the light of the closure of the CERN Low Energy Antiproton Ring (LEAR), its replacement in 1999 by the Antiproton Decelerator (AD), and the likely antiproton source at the Japan Hadron Facility

An Agent Allocation System for the West Virginia University Extension Service

Extension recognizes the importance of data in guiding programing decisions at the local level. However, allocating personnel resources and specializations at the state level is a more complex process. The West Virginia University Extension Service has adopted a data-driven process to determine the number, location, and specializations of county agents across the state. While local desires will always be part of the process, new metrics and methods encourage discussion and guide those decisions. The expected result is an improved matching of agents with local needs, thus improving the ability of Extension to fulfill its service mission statewide

Inequalities in pediatric avoidable hospitalizations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in Australia: a population data linkage study

Background: Australian Aboriginal children experience a disproportionate burden of social and health disadvantage. Avoidable hospitalizations present a potentially modifiable health gap that can be targeted and monitored using population data. This study quantifies inequalities in pediatric avoidable hospitalizations between Australian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. Methods: This statewide population-based cohort study included 1 121 440 children born in New South Wales, Australia, between 1 July 2000 and 31 December 2012, including 35 609 Aboriginal children. Using linked hospital data from 1 July 2000 to 31 December 2013, we identified pediatric avoidable, ambulatory care sensitive and non-avoidable hospitalization rates for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. Absolute and relative inequalities between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children were measured as rate differences and rate ratios, respectively. Individual-level covariates included age, sex, low birth weight and/or prematurity, and private health insurance/patient status. Area-level covariates included remoteness of residence and area socioeconomic disadvantage. Results: There were 365 386 potentially avoidable hospitalizations observed over the study period, most commonly for respiratory and infectious conditions; Aboriginal children were admitted more frequently for all conditions. Avoidable hospitalization rates were 90.1/1000 person-years (95 % CI, 88.9–91.4) in Aboriginal children and 44.9/1000 person-years (44.8–45.1) in non-Aboriginal children (age and sex adjusted rate ratio = 1.7 (1.7–1.7)). Rate differences and rate ratios declined with age from 94/1000 person-years and 1.9, respectively, for children aged <2 years to 5/1000 person-years and 1.8, respectively, for ages 12- < 14 years. Findings were similar for the subset of ambulatory care sensitive hospitalizations, but in contrast, non-avoidable hospitalization rates were almost identical in Aboriginal (10.1/1000 person-years, (9.6–10.5)) and non-Aboriginal children (9.6/1000 person-years (9.6–9.7)). Conclusions: We observed substantial inequalities in avoidable hospitalizations between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children regardless of where they lived, particularly among young children. Policy measures that reduce inequities in the circumstances in which children grow and develop, and improved access to early intervention in primary care, have potential to narrow this gap

Mice Transgenic for the Human Carcinoembryonic Antigen Gene Maintain Its Spatiotemporal Expression Pattern

The tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is predominantly expressed in epithelial cells along the gastrointestinal tract and in a variety of adenocarcinomas. As a basis for investigating its in vivo regulation and for establishing an animal model for tumor immunotherapy, transgenic mice were generated with a 33-kilobase cosmid clone insert containing the complete human CEA gene and flanking sequences. CEA was found in the tongue, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, cecum, colon, and trachea and at low levels in the lung, testis, and uterus of adult mice of independent transgenic strains. CEA was first detected at day 10.5 of embryonic development (embryonic day 10.5) in primary trophoblast giant cells and was found in the developing gut, urethra, trachea, lung, and nucleus pulposus of the vertebral column from embryonic day 14.5 onwards. From embryonic day 16.5 CEA was also visible in the nasal mucosa and tongue. Because this spatiotemporal expression pattern correlates well with that known for humans, it follows that the transferred genomic region contains all of the regulatory elements required for the correct expression of CEA. Furthermore, although mice apparently lack an endogenous CEA gene, the entire repertoire of transcription factors necessary for correct expression of the CEA transgene is conserved between mice and humans. After tumor induction, these immunocompetent mice will serve as a model for optimizing various forms of immunotherapy, using CEA as a target antigen

Process evaluation of a primary healthcare validation study of a culturally adapted depression screening tool for use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: study protocol

Process evaluations are conducted alongside research projects to identify the context, impact and consequences of research, determine whether it was conducted per protocol and to understand how, why and for whom an intervention is effective. We present a process evaluation protocol for the Getting it Right research project, which aims to determine validity of a culturally adapted depression screening tool for use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In this process evaluation, we aim to: (1) explore the context, impact and consequences of conducting Getting It Right, (2) explore primary healthcare staff and community representatives' experiences with the research project, (3) determine if it was conducted per protocol and (4) explore experiences with the depression screening tool, including perceptions about how it could be implemented into practice (if found to be valid). We also describe the partnerships established to conduct this process evaluation and how the national Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research is met. Realist and grounded theory approaches are used. Qualitative data include semistructured interviews with primary healthcare staff and community representatives involved with Getting it Right. Iterative data collection and analysis will inform a coding framework. Interviews will continue until saturation of themes is reached, or all participants are considered. Data will be triangulated against administrative data and patient feedback. An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Group guides this research. Researchers will be blinded from validation data outcomes for as long as is feasible. The University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee, Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales and six state ethics committees have approved this research. Findings will be submitted to academic journals and presented at conferences. ACTRN12614000705684. [Abstract copyright: © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Hyperfine structure measurements of antiprotonic helium and antihydrogen

This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of alpha-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may - through comparison with these theories - determine the magnetic moment of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measured physical quantities, will directly yield a precise value for the magnetic moment of the antiproton, and also compare the internal structure of proton and antiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the antiproton to the ground state hyperfine splitting.This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of alpha-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may - through comparison with these theories - determine the magnetic moment of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measured physical quantities, will directly yield a precise value for the magnetic moment of the antiproton, and also compare the internal structure of proton and antiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the antiproton to the ground state hyperfine splitting.This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of alpha-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may - through comparison with these theories - determine the magnetic moment of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measured physical quantities, will directly yield a precise value for the magnetic moment of the antiproton, and also compare the internal structure of proton and antiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the antiproton to the ground state hyperfine splitting.This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of alpha-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may - through comparison with these theories - determine the magnetic moment of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measured physical quantities, will directly yield a precise value for the magnetic moment of the antiproton, and also compare the internal structure of proton and antiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the antiproton to the ground state hyperfine splitting.This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of alpha-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may - through comparison with these theories - determine the magnetic moment of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and a positron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measured physical quantities, will directly yield a precise value for the magnetic moment of the antiproton, and also compare the internal structure of proton and antiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the antiproton to the ground state hyperfine splitting.This paper describes measurements of the hyperfine structure of two antiprotonic atoms that are planned at the Antiproton Decelerator (AD) at CERN. The first part deals with antiprotonic helium, a three-body system of α-particle, antiproton and electron that was previously studied at LEAR. A measurement will test existing three-body calculations and may— through comparison with these theories— determine the magnetic moment $\mu _{\overline {\text{p}} }$of the antiproton more precisely than currently available, thus providing a test of CPT invariance. The second system, antihydrogen, consisting of an antiproton and apositron, is planned to be produced at thermal energies at the AD. A measurement of the ground-state hyperfine splitting $v_{{\text{HF}}} \left( {\overline {\text{H}} } \right)$, which for hydrogen is one of the most accurately measuredp hysical quantities, will directly yielda precise value for $\mu _{\overline {\text{p}} }$, andalso compare the internal structure of proton andan tiproton through the contribution of the magnetic size of the $\overline {\text{p}} {\mathbf{ }}{\text{to}}{\mathbf{ }}\nu _{{\text{HF}}} \left( {\overline {\text{H}} } \right)$

Anomalies in the decay rates of antiprotonic helium-atom states

Six resonance transitions of the antiprotonic helium atom in helium gas at densities of 3*10/sup 20/-3*10/sup 21/ cm/sup -3/ were studied at the antiproton decelerator (AD) of CERN. The decay rates of the daughter states of these transitions were determined either from the time distributions of the resonance spikes or from the widths of the resonance lines. Whereas most of the observed decay rates agree with theoretical calculations of Auger rates, two states, (n, l)=(37,33) and (32,31), were found to have decay rates two orders of magnitude larger than predicted by these calculations. The effect of coupling with near-lying electron-excited states is considered to be the reason for the anomaly of the (37, 33) state, as pointed out by Kartavtsev et al. Phys. Rev. A 61, 062507 (2000) (25 refs)