Probing exotic phenomena at the interface of nuclear and particle physics with the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms: A unique window to hadronic and semi-leptonic CP violation

The current status of electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms which involves the synergy between atomic experiments and three different theoretical areas -- particle, nuclear and atomic is reviewed. Various models of particle physics that predict CP violation, which is necessary for the existence of such electric dipole moments, are presented. These include the standard model of particle physics and various extensions of it. Effective hadron level combined charge conjugation (C) and parity (P) symmetry violating interactions are derived taking into consideration different ways in which a nucleon interacts with other nucleons as well as with electrons. Nuclear structure calculations of the CP-odd nuclear Schiff moment are discussed using the shell model and other theoretical approaches. Results of the calculations of atomic electric dipole moments due to the interaction of the nuclear Schiff moment with the electrons and the P and time-reversal (T) symmetry violating tensor-pseudotensor electron-nucleus are elucidated using different relativistic many-body theories. The principles of the measurement of the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms are outlined. Upper limits for the nuclear Schiff moment and tensor-pseudotensor coupling constant are obtained combining the results of atomic experiments and relativistic many-body theories. The coefficients for the different sources of CP violation have been estimated at the elementary particle level for all the diamagnetic atoms of current experimental interest and their implications for physics beyond the standard model is discussed. Possible improvements of the current results of the measurements as well as quantum chromodynamics, nuclear and atomic calculations are suggested.Comment: 46 pages, 19 tables and 16 figures. A review article accepted for EPJ

Validity Assessment of an Automated Brain Morphometry Tool for Patients with De Novo Memory Symptoms.

Automated volumetric analysis of structural MR imaging allows quantitative assessment of brain atrophy in neurodegenerative disorders. We compared the brain segmentation performance of the AI-Rad Companion brain MR imaging software against an in-house FreeSurfer 7.1.1/Individual Longitudinal Participant pipeline. T1-weighted images of 45 participants with de novo memory symptoms were selected from the OASIS-4 database and analyzed through the AI-Rad Companion brain MR imaging tool and the FreeSurfer 7.1.1/Individual Longitudinal Participant pipeline. Correlation, agreement, and consistency between the 2 tools were compared among the absolute, normalized, and standardized volumes. Final reports generated by each tool were used to compare the rates of detection of abnormality and the compatibility of radiologic impressions made using each tool, compared with the clinical diagnoses. We observed strong correlation, moderate consistency, and poor agreement between absolute volumes of the main cortical lobes and subcortical structures measured by the AI-Rad Companion brain MR imaging tool compared with FreeSurfer. The strength of the correlations increased after normalizing the measurements to the total intracranial volume. Standardized measurements differed significantly between the 2 tools, likely owing to differences in the normative data sets used to calibrate each tool. When considering the FreeSurfer 7.1.1/Individual Longitudinal Participant pipeline as a reference standard, the AI-Rad Companion brain MR imaging tool had a specificity of 90.6%-100% and a sensitivity of 64.3%-100% in detecting volumetric abnormalities. There was no difference between the rate of compatibility of radiologic and clinical impressions when using the 2 tools. The AI-Rad Companion brain MR imaging tool reliably detects atrophy in cortical and subcortical regions implicated in the differential diagnosis of dementia

Study of methodological variations in apparent nutrient metabolism determination in broiler chickens Estudo de variações metodológicas na determinação do metabolismo aparente de nutrientes em frangos de corte

An experiment was conducted to define a protocol to determine metabolizable nutrient and energy values of diets. The metabolizability (M) was calculated of the dry matter (DM); crude protein (CP); gross energy (GE) and AMEn of a single diet. Eighty-one 21-day old (d) male birds were used. The tested methodologies were: Cr2O3 (0.5%) as an indicator (partial collection) or Fe2O3 (1%) as a marker; fasting (0, 4, 6 and 8 h) prior to excreta collection and at the end of the feeding period on the last day of collection (total collection). The excreta collection periods were also tested (3 and 5 days). Twenty 31-day old male broilers from the same group of birds were used to assess the effect of fasting on digestive organ weight. At the end of fasting the digestive organs were removed and weighed. Metabolism coefficients and energy were not different between 3 and 5 days of total collection. CPM was lower for marker utilization and 3 days excreta collection compared to the total collection. Eight hours fasting resulted in significantly lower CPM compared to the other periods or the no fasting. With the methodology of partial collection with 5 days of collection, the lowest values were observed for all the responses, compared to the 3 day collection period. The use of the total collection methodology produced the highest DMM and CPM compared to partial collection. No influence of fasting was observed on the digestive organ sizes, indicating that until 8 hours of fasting no changes were observed in either relative or absolute organ weight. However, the relative jejunum weight of birds submitted to 4 hours fasting was higher than that of birds under no fasting. Total collection, during a 3 day period, without fasting and marker use, is the best methodology for ingredient and feed evaluation of growing birds.<br>Realizou-se um ensaio com frangos de corte para a definição de um protocolo de determinação da metabolizabilidade dos nutrientes e da energia da dieta. Foram estimados os coeficientes de metabolizabilidade de matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), energia bruta (EB) e a energia metabolizável aparente corrigida para nitrogênio (EMAn) de uma mesma dieta, utilizando-se 81 aves, de 21 dias de idade. As metodologias testadas foram as seguintes: utilização de 0,5% de Cr2O3 como indicador (coleta parcial) ou 1% de Fe2O3 como marcador e aplicação ou não de jejum (0, 4, 6 e 8 horas) pré-início de coleta e após a última refeição, no último dia de coleta (coletas totais). Períodos de coleta de três ou cinco dias também foram testados. Retiradas do mesmo grupo original, 20 aves de 31 dias de idade foram usadas para avaliar o efeito do jejum sobre o tamanho dos órgãos digestivos. Após o jejum, os órgãos foram retirados e pesados. Os coeficientes de metabolizabilidade e a EMAn determinados pelo método de coleta total não diferiram dos obtidos pelo método de três ou cinco dias de coleta. O uso do marcador e três dias de coleta resultou em menor metabolizabilidade da PB em relação à coleta total sem marcador. Jejum de 8 horas resultou em metabolizabilidade da PB significativamente menor em comparação aos demais períodos de jejum ou à ausência de jejum. Na coleta parcial de cinco dias, os coeficientes de metabolizabilidade foram menores para todas as respostas. Pelo método de coleta total, obtiveram-se maiores metabolizabilidades da MS e PB em comparação ao método de coleta parcial. Não foi observada influência do jejum sobre o peso absoluto ou relativo da maioria dos órgãos. No entanto, o peso relativo do jejuno das aves submetidas a 4 horas de jejum foi maior que o das aves sem jejum. A coleta total de excretas durante três dias, sem jejum e sem o uso de marcador, consiste no melhor método de avaliação de ingredientes e ração em frangos de corte em crescimento

Diminuição do teor de óxido de crômio (III) usado como marcador externo Reduction in chromium (III) oxide level as an external marker

A sensibilidade do método espectrofotométrico da s-difenilcarbazida de determinação do crômio permite que esse metal possa ser determinado em teores e em massas de amostras tão pequenas que as concentrações atualmente usadas de óxido de crômio (III) como marcador externo em ensaios biológicos poderiam ser drasticamente diminuídas. Utilizando-se do piauçu (Leporinus macrocephalus) para um estudo sobre o coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente (CDA) da fração protéica, seis níveis de óxido de crômio (III) - 0,01% - 0,02% - 0,03% - 0,05% - 0,1% e 0,2% - foram incorporados em dietas isoprotéica e isoenergética, objetivando-se verificar se o cálculo do CDA seria afetado pela variação do teor do marcador. Os seis tratamentos foram dispostos em um delineamento em blocos inteiramente casualisados, sendo as fezes coletadas durante 16 dias. Verificou-se que os resultados do coeficiente de digestibilidade aparente da fração protéica não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas significativas devidas aos teores incorporados do marcador à ração e aos dias de coleta. Conseqüentemente, e em experimentos dessa natureza, nada impede que seja reduzido o teor de óxido de crômio (III) ao menos até 0,01%: além da economia relativa ao consumo do mesmo e da facilidade na manipulação de menor quantidade de amostras de fezes, o método espectrofotométrico da s-difenilcarbazida permite dosar esse nível (e até menor do que 0,01%) de modo simples e rápido, com precisão e exatidão.<br>The objective of this study was to reduce the level of the biological marker Cr2O3 in animal diets, due to the sensibility of the sdiphenylcarbazide spectrophotometric method for chromium determination in feces, recently developed. Six levels of marker, chromium (III) oxide (0.01% - 0.02% - 0.03% - 0.05% - 0.1% and 0.2%), were incorporated into isoproteic and isoenergetic diets, for the apparent digestibility assay of the "piauçu" (Leporinus macrocephalus), in a design of entirely randomized groups. Feces were collected during sixteen days. The statistical analysis did not show significant differences in the apparent digestibility of the proteinic fraction due to the concentration levels of the marker incorporated into the diets and the collection days. Consequently, there is nothing to stop us from reducing Cr2O3 rate to at least 0.01% in these digestibility assays: spectrophotometry of sdiphenilcarbazide allows us to determine this level or even smaller levels in an accurate, simple, and quick manner