Spectroscopy Of Short-lived Radioactive Molecules

Molecules containing heavy and octupole deformed radioactive nuclei are predicted to provide enhanced sensitivity to investigate the violation of fundamental symmetries and to search for physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. However, experimental measurements of such radioactive systems are scarce. Octupole deformed nuclei are very rare in nature or do not occur naturally. Thus, their study requires to overcome major experimental challenges. This contribution will discuss the recent achievements in laser spectroscopy of radioactive molecules at CRIS, ISOLDE-CERN. This talk will discuss recent spectroscopy measurements of short-lived radium fluoride molecules (RaF) alongside future perspectives in the study of other radioactive molecules. The impact of these developments in fundamental physics research will be discussed

Modelling of transient interference phenomena in collinear laser spectroscopy

Collinear laser spectroscopy of fast atomic beams has been established as one of the main tools to perform precision experiments with atoms containing short-lived nuclei. Although highly sensitive, the spectral resolution of these techniques is typically limited to several MHz. Here, we study the use of transient interference phenomena to potentially improve the experimental resolution. Previous attempts to implement Ramsey-type measurements with fast beams were limited by the lack of understanding of the observed line shapes. By using a simple model, we provide a satisfactory description of the previously observed line shapes, and propose alternative experimental schemes to improve the resolution in fast ion-beam experiments.Comment: 7 pages without references, 8 figure

Precision Spectroscopy of Fast, Hot Exotic Isotopes Using Machine Learning Assisted Event-by-Event Doppler Correction

We propose an experimental scheme for performing sensitive, high-precision laser spectroscopy studies on fast exotic isotopes. By inducing a step-wise resonant ionization of the atoms travelling inside an electric field and subsequently detecting the ion and the corresponding electron, time- and position-sensitive measurements of the resulting particles can be performed. Using a Mixture Density Network (MDN), we can leverage this information to predict the initial energy of individual atoms and thus apply a Doppler correction of the observed transition frequencies on an event-by-event basis. We conduct numerical simulations of the proposed experimental scheme and show that kHz-level uncertainties can be achieved for ion beams produced at extreme temperatures ($> 10^8$ K), with energy spreads as large as $10$ keV and non-uniform velocity distributions. The ability to perform in-flight spectroscopy, directly on highly energetic beams, offers unique opportunities to studying short-lived isotopes with lifetimes in the millisecond range and below, produced in low quantities, in hot and highly contaminated environments, without the need for cooling techniques. Such species are of marked interest for nuclear structure, astrophysics, and new physics searches

The nuclear magnetic moment of ²⁰⁸Bi and its relevance for a test of bound-state strong-field QED

The hyperfine structure splitting in the 6p2 4S3/2 -> 6p27s 4P1/2 transition at 307 nm in atomic 208Bi was measured with collinear laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE, CERN. The hyperfine A and B factors of both states were determined with an order of magnitude improved accuracy. Based on these measurements, theoretical input for the hyperfine structure anomaly, and results from hyperfine measurements on hydrogen-like and lithium-like 209Bi80+,82+, the nuclear magnetic moment of 208Bi has been determined to μ(208Bi) =+4.570(10) μN . Using this value, the transition energy of the ground-state hyperfine splitting in hydrogen-like and lithium-like 208Bi80+,82+ and their specific difference of −67.491(5)(148) meV are predicted. This provides a means for an experimental confirmation of the cancellation of nuclear structure effects in the specific difference in order to exclude such contributions as the cause of the hyperfine puzzle, the recently reported 7-σ discrepancy between experiment and bound-state strong-field QED calculations of the specific difference in the hyperfine structure splitting of 209Bi80+,82+

Nuclear charge radii of potassium isotopes beyond N = 28

We report on the measurement of optical isotope shifts for ³⁸, ³⁹, ⁴², ⁴⁴, ⁴⁶⁻⁵¹K relative to ⁴⁷K from which changes in the nuclear mean square charge radii across the N = 28 shell closure are deduced. The investigation was carried out by bunched-beam collinear laser spectroscopy at the CERN-ISOLDE radioactive ion-beam facility. Mean square charge radii are now known from ³⁷K to ⁵¹K, covering all ν f₇/₂-shell as well as all ν p₃/₂-shell nuclei. These measurements, in conjunction with those of Ca, Cr, Mn and Fe, provide a first insight into the Z dependence of the evolution of nuclear size above the shell closure at N = 28

Quadrupole moments of odd-A ⁵³⁻⁶³Mn: Onset of collectivity towards N = 40

The spectroscopic quadrupole moments of the odd–even Mn isotopes between N=28 and N=38 have been measured using bunched-beam collinear laser spectroscopy at ISOLDE, CERN. In order to increase sensitivity to the quadrupole interaction, the measurements have been done using a transition in the ion rather than in the atom, with the additional advantage of better spectroscopic efficiency. Since the chosen transition is from a metastable state, optical pumping in ISOLDE’s cooler and buncher (ISCOOL) was used to populate this state. The extracted quadrupole moments are compared to large-scale shell model predictions using three effective interactions, GXPF1A, LNPS and modified A3DA. The inclusion of both the 1νg9/2and 2νd5/2orbitals in the model space is shown to be necessary to reproduce the observed increase in the quadrupole deformation from N=36 onwards. Specifically, the inclusion of the 2νd5/2orbital induces an increase in neutron and proton excitations across the reduced gaps at N=40and Z=28, leading to an increase in deformation above N=36

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Rare coding variants in PLCG2, ABI3, and TREM2 implicate microglial-mediated innate immunity in Alzheimer's disease

We identified rare coding variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in a 3-stage case-control study of 85,133 subjects. In stage 1, 34,174 samples were genotyped using a whole-exome microarray. In stage 2, we tested associated variants (P<1×10-4) in 35,962 independent samples using de novo genotyping and imputed genotypes. In stage 3, an additional 14,997 samples were used to test the most significant stage 2 associations (P<5×10-8) using imputed genotypes. We observed 3 novel genome-wide significant (GWS) AD associated non-synonymous variants; a protective variant in PLCG2 (rs72824905/p.P522R, P=5.38×10-10, OR=0.68, MAFcases=0.0059, MAFcontrols=0.0093), a risk variant in ABI3 (rs616338/p.S209F, P=4.56×10-10, OR=1.43, MAFcases=0.011, MAFcontrols=0.008), and a novel GWS variant in TREM2 (rs143332484/p.R62H, P=1.55×10-14, OR=1.67, MAFcases=0.0143, MAFcontrols=0.0089), a known AD susceptibility gene. These protein-coding changes are in genes highly expressed in microglia and highlight an immune-related protein-protein interaction network enriched for previously identified AD risk genes. These genetic findings provide additional evidence that the microglia-mediated innate immune response contributes directly to AD development

Outcomes of elective liver surgery worldwide: a global, prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study

Background: The outcomes of liver surgery worldwide remain unknown. The true population-based outcomes are likely different to those vastly reported that reflect the activity of highly specialized academic centers. The aim of this study was to measure the true worldwide practice of liver surgery and associated outcomes by recruiting from centers across the globe. The geographic distribution of liver surgery activity and complexity was also evaluated to further understand variations in outcomes. Methods: LiverGroup.org was an international, prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study following the Global Surgery Collaborative Snapshot Research approach with a 3-month prospective, consecutive patient enrollment within January–December 2019. Each patient was followed up for 90 days postoperatively. All patients undergoing liver surgery at their respective centers were eligible for study inclusion. Basic demographics, patient and operation characteristics were collected. Morbidity was recorded according to the Clavien–Dindo Classification of Surgical Complications. Country-based and hospital-based data were collected, including the Human Development Index (HDI). (NCT03768141). Results: A total of 2159 patients were included from six continents. Surgery was performed for cancer in 1785 (83%) patients. Of all patients, 912 (42%) experienced a postoperative complication of any severity, while the major complication rate was 16% (341/2159). The overall 90-day mortality rate after liver surgery was 3.8% (82/2,159). The overall failure to rescue rate was 11% (82/ 722) ranging from 5 to 35% among the higher and lower HDI groups, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first to our knowledge global surgery study specifically designed and conducted for specialized liver surgery. The authors identified failure to rescue as a significant potentially modifiable factor for mortality after liver surgery, mostly related to lower Human Development Index countries. Members of the LiverGroup.org network could now work together to develop quality improvement collaboratives