A Comprehensive Analysis of Electric Dipole Moment Constraints on CP-violating Phases in the MSSM

We analyze the constraints placed on individual, flavor diagonal CP-violating phases in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) by current experimental bounds on the electric dipole moments (EDMs) of the neutron, Thallium, and Mercury atoms. We identify the four CP-violating phases that are individually highly constrained by current EDM bounds, and we explore how these phases and correlations among them are constrained by current EDM limits. We also analyze the prospective implications of the next generation of EDM experiments. We point out that all other CP-violating phases in the MSSM are not nearly as tightly constrained by limits on the size of EDMs. We emphasize that a rich set of phenomenological consequences is potentially associated with these generically large EDM-allowed phases, ranging from B physics, electroweak baryogenesis, and signals of CP-violation at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and at future linear colliders. Our numerical study takes into account the complete set of contributions from one- and two-loop EDMs of the electron and quarks, one- and two-loop Chromo-EDMs of quarks, the Weinberg 3-gluon operator, and dominant 4-fermion CP-odd operator contributions, including contributions which are both included and not included yet in the CPsuperH2.0 package. We also introduce an open-source numerical package, 2LEDM, which provides the complete set of two-loop electroweak diagrams contributing to the electric dipole moments of leptons and quarks.Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures; v2: references added, minor change

Meeting the Shortage of Human Cells and Tissues: The Andalusian Quality Assurance Programme for Tissue Donation

Background A quality assurance programme for the tissue donation process was launched in Andalusia in 2020 to facilitate the integration of tissue donation into end-of-life care, and to respond to the growing need for human tissue for therapeutic purposes. The results of this programme are presented here.Methods After identifying the hospital departments in which to intensify the detection of tissue donors, expanding training activities and designing a specific data collection system for possible tissue donors who do not donate their tissues, the results of the donation activity were quantified and the causes of non-donation were analysed by applying the critical pathway for deceased tissue donation methodology.Results After an initial drop in activity, which coincided with the coronavirus pandemic, the number of tissue donors increased by 48.4% in 2022 compared to 2019. From the eligible donors, 83% were actual tissue donors and 71% were utilised donors. The modifiable causes of tissue donation loss, in order of frequency, were family refusal, followed by organisational or logistical issues, failure to notify or failure to identify possible donors, and failure to complete donor evaluation.Conclusion As a result of the collaboration of the various professionals involved in the programme, tissue donation activity has increased remarkably, the potential and effectiveness of the donation process have been evaluated, and areas for improvement have been identified, which we hope will lead to continuous improvement of the process

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

Healthy and sustainable territories: contribution to collective health, sustainable development and territorial governance

Submitted by Jaqueline Ferreira de Souza ([email protected]) on 2020-03-23T22:31:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Jorge_Machado_etal.pdf: 226033 bytes, checksum: 98c24c07b0a9b2ef1ab53a49f629a506 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Jaqueline Ferreira de Souza ([email protected]) on 2020-03-25T14:27:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Jorge_Machado_etal.pdf: 226033 bytes, checksum: 98c24c07b0a9b2ef1ab53a49f629a506 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2020-03-25T14:27:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ve_Jorge_Machado_etal.pdf: 226033 bytes, checksum: 98c24c07b0a9b2ef1ab53a49f629a506 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Fiocruz Brasília. Brasília, DF, Brasil.Este ensaio é uma contribuição ao debate teórico-metodológico para o desenvolvimento de territórios saudáveis e sustentáveis. Aborda conceitos já incorporados à saúde coletiva e a outras das ciências humanas e sociais. A construção e a aplicação do conceito de territórios saudáveis e sustentáveis remetem a análise das ações desenvolvidas por instituições de ciência e tecnologia, pesquisa e ensino, movimentos sociais, organizações não-governamentais e governamentais. Exigem ainda pensar como ocorre o envolvimento de múltiplos atores que atuam nos territórios. Na saúde pública, esses conceitos foram incorporados e já norteiam as políticas de Atenção e Vigilância e de Promoção da Saúde do Sistema Único de Saúde. Nessa perspectiva, o objetivo deste ensaio, a partir de reflexões e experiências com pesquisa-ação na região do semiárido para ativação de redes de governança participativa locais e regionais, é o de avançar na definição conceitual e na proposição de estratégias para o desenvolvimento territorial saudável e sustentável, considerando a ação local, o fortalecimento de processos de governança, a avaliação sistêmica dos impactos das políticas públicas regionais e o acompanhamento da Agenda 2030 para o desenvolvimento sustentável da ONU.This essay is a contribution to the theoreticalmethodological debate for the development of healthy and sustainable territories. It addresses concepts that are already incorporated into collective health and other human and social sciences. The construction and putting into practice of healthy and sustainable territories concept refer to the analysis of planned and executed actions by science and technology, research and teaching institutions, social movements, non-governmental and governmental organizations. It urges to think about how the involvement of multiple actors occurs in the territories. In public health, these concepts were incorporated and have already guided Unified Health System (SUS) Surveillance, Health Care and Health Promotion policies. From this perspective and based on analyses and experiences with action-research in the semi-arid region for the activation of local and regional participatory governance networks, the objective of this essay is to advance in the conceptual definition and to propose healthy and sustainable territorial development strategies, considering local actions, the strengthening of governance processes, the impact of systemic evaluation policies and the monitoring of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

APOE Genotype Modulates Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Metabolites in the Aging Brain

BACKGROUND: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) studies on healthy aging have reported inconsistent findings and have not systematically taken into account the possible modulatory effect of APOE genotype. We aimed to quantify brain metabolite changes in healthy subjects in relation to age and the presence of the APOE E4 genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, we examined these measures in relation to cognition. METHODS: We studied a cohort of 112 normal adults between 50 and 86 years old who were genotyped for APOE genetic polymorphism. Measurements of (1)H-MRS metabolites were obtained in the posterior cingulate and precuneus region. Measures of general cognitive functioning, memory, executive function, semantic fluency, and speed of processing were also obtained. RESULTS: General linear model analysis demonstrated that older APOE E4 carriers had significantly higher choline/creatine and myoinositol/creatine ratios than APOE E3 homozygotes. Structural equation modeling resulted in a model with an excellent goodness of fit and in which the APOE × age interaction and APOE status each had a significant effect on (1)H-MRS metabolites (choline/creatine and myo-inositol/creatine). Furthermore, the APOE × age variable modulation of cognition was mediated by (1)H-MRS metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: In a healthy aging normal population, choline/creatine and myo-inositol/creatine ratios were significantly increased in APOE E4 carriers, suggesting the presence of neuroinflammatory processes and greater membrane turnover in older carriers. Structural equation modeling analysis confirmed these possible neurodegenerative markers and also indicated the mediator role of these metabolites on cognitive performance among older APOE E4 carriers

Reproducibility of fluorescent expression from engineered biological constructs in E. coli

We present results of the first large-scale interlaboratory study carried out in synthetic biology, as part of the 2014 and 2015 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competitions. Participants at 88 institutions around the world measured fluorescence from three engineered constitutive constructs in E. coli. Few participants were able to measure absolute fluorescence, so data was analyzed in terms of ratios. Precision was strongly related to fluorescent strength, ranging from 1.54-fold standard deviation for the ratio between strong promoters to 5.75-fold for the ratio between the strongest and weakest promoter, and while host strain did not affect expression ratios, choice of instrument did. This result shows that high quantitative precision and reproducibility of results is possible, while at the same time indicating areas needing improved laboratory practices.Peer reviewe