Energy-dependent partial-wave analysis of all antiproton-proton scattering data below 925 MeV/c

We present a new energy-dependent partial-wave analysis of all antiproton-proton elastic and charge-exchange scattering data below 925 MeV/c antiproton laboratory momentum. The long-range parts of the chiral one- and two-pion exchange interactions are included exactly. The short-range interactions, including the coupling to the mesonic annihilation channels, are parametrized by a complex boundary condition at a radius of r=1.2 fm. The updated database, which includes significantly more high-quality charge-exchange data, contains 3749 scattering data. The fit results in chi^2_min/N_df=1.048, where N_df=3578 is the number of degrees of freedom. We discuss the description of the experimental data and we present the antiproton-proton phase-shift parameters

Enhancement factor for the electric dipole moment of the electron in the BaOH and YbOH molecules

Polyatomic polar molecules are promising systems for future experiments that search for violation of time-reversal and parity symmetries due to their advantageous electronic and vibrational structure, which allows laser cooling, full polarization of the molecule, and reduction of systematic effects [Kozyryev and Hutzler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 133002 (2017)]. In this paper we investigate the enhancement factor of the electric dipole moment of the electron (E_(eff)) in the triatomic monohydroxide molecules BaOH and YbOH within the high-accuracy relativistic coupled cluster method. The recommended E_(eff) values of the two systems are 6.42 ± 0.15 and 23.4 ± 1.0 GV/cm, respectively. We compare our results with similar calculations for the isoelectronic diatomic molecules BaF and YbF, which are currently used in the experimental search for P,T-odd effects in molecules. The E_(eff) values prove to be very close, within about 1.5% difference in magnitude between the diatomic and the triatomic compounds. Thus, BaOH and YbOH have similar enhancements of the electron electric dipole moment, while benefiting from experimental advantages, and can serve as excellent candidates for next-generation experiments

High accuracy theoretical investigations of CaF, SrF, and BaF and implications for laser-cooling

The NL-eEDM collaboration is building an experimental setup to search for the permanent electric dipole moment of the electron in a slow beam of cold barium fluoride molecules [Eur. Phys. J. D, 72, 197 (2018)]. Knowledge of molecular properties of BaF is thus needed to plan the measurements and in particular to determine an optimal laser-cooling scheme. Accurate and reliable theoretical predictions of these properties require incorporation of both high-order correlation and relativistic effects in the calculations. In this work theoretical investigations of the ground and the lowest excited states of BaF and its lighter homologues, CaF and SrF, are carried out in the framework of the relativistic Fock-space coupled cluster (FSCC) and multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) methods. Using the calculated molecular properties, we determine the Franck-Condon factors (FCFs) for the $A^2\Pi_{1/2} \rightarrow X^2\Sigma^{+}_{1/2}$ transition, which was successfully used for cooling CaF and SrF and is now considered for BaF. For all three species, the FCFs are found to be highly diagonal. Calculations are also performed for the $B^2\Sigma^{+}_{1/2} \rightarrow X^2\Sigma^{+}_{1/2}$ transition recently exploited for laser-cooling of CaF; it is shown that this transition is not suitable for laser-cooling of BaF, due to the non-diagonal nature of the FCFs in this system. Special attention is given to the properties of the $A'^2\Delta$ state, which in the case of BaF causes a leak channel, in contrast to CaF and SrF species where this state is energetically above the excited states used in laser-cooling. We also present the dipole moments of the ground and the excited states of the three molecules and the transition dipole moments (TDMs) between the different states.Comment: Minor changes; The following article has been submitted to the Journal of Chemical Physics. After it is published, it will be found at https://publishing.aip.org/resources/librarians/products/journals

“Catch 22”: biosecurity awareness, interpretation and practice amongst poultry catchers

Campylobacter contamination of chicken on sale in the UK remains at high levels and has a substantial public health impact. This has prompted the application of many interventions in the supply chain, including enhanced biosecurity measures on-farm. Catching and thinning are acknowledged as threats to the maintenance of good biosecurity, yet the people employed to undertake this critical work (i.e. ‘catchers’) are a rarely studied group. This study uses a mixed methods approach to investigate catchers’ (n = 53) understanding of the biosecurity threats posed by the catching and thinning, and the barriers to good biosecurity practice. It interrogated the role of training in both the awareness and practice of good biosecurity. Awareness of lapses in biosecurity was assessed using a Watch-&-Click hazard awareness survey (n = 53). Qualitative interviews (n = 49 catchers, 5 farm managers) explored the understanding, experience and practice of catching and biosecurity. All of the catchers who took part in the Watch-&-Click study identified at least one of the biosecurity threats with 40% detecting all of the hazards. Those who had undergone training were significantly more likely to identify specific biosecurity threats and have a higher awareness score overall (48% compared to 9%, p = 0.03). Crucially, the individual and group interviews revealed the tensions between the high levels of biosecurity awareness evident from the survey and the reality of the routine practice of catching and thinning. Time pressures and a lack of equipment rather than a lack of knowledge appear a more fundamental cause of catcher-related biosecurity lapses. Our results reveal that catchers find themselves in a ‘catch-22′ situation in which mutually conflicting circumstances prevent simultaneous completion of their job and compliance with biosecurity standards

Arm hand skilled performance in cerebral palsy: activity preferences and their movement components

Background: Assessment of arm-hand use is very important in children with cerebral palsy (CP) who encounter arm-hand problems. To determine validity and reliability of new instruments to assess actual performance, a set of standardized test situations including activities of daily living (ADL) is required. This study gives information with which such a set for upper extremity skill research may be fine-tuned, relative to a specific research question. Aim of this study is to a) identify upper extremity related ADL children with CP want to improve on, b) determine the 10 most preferred goals of children with CP, and c) identify movement components of all goals identified. Method: The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure was used to identify upper extremity-related ADL preferences (goals) of 53 children with CP encountering arm-hand problems (mean age 9 +/- 4.5 year). Goals were ranked based on importance attributed to each goal and the number of times a goal was mentioned, resulting in a gross list with goals. Additionally, two studies were performed, i.e. study A to determine the 10 most preferred goals for 3 age groups (2.5-5 years; 6-11 years, 12-19 years), based on the total preference score, and study B to identify movement components, like reaching and grasping, of all goals identified for both the leading and the assisting arm-hand. Results: Seventy-two goals were identified. The 10 most preferred goals differed with age, changing from dressing and leisure-related goals in the youngest children to goals regarding personal care and eating for children aged 6-11 years. The oldest children preferred goals regarding eating, personal care and computer use. The movement components 'positioning', 'reach', 'grasp', and 'hold' were present in most tasks. 'Manipulating' was more important for the leading arm-hand, whereas 'fixating' was more important for the assisting arm-hand. Conclusion: This study gave insight into the preferences regarding ADL children with CP would like to improve on, and the movement components characterizing these activities. This information can be used to create a set of standardized test situations, which can be used to assess the validity and reliability of new measurement instruments to gauge actual arm-hand skilled performance

On the pion-nucleon coupling constant

In view of persisting misunderstanding about the determination of the pion-nucleon coupling constants in the Nijmegen multienergy partial-wave analyses of pp, np, and pbar-p scattering data, we present additional information which may clarify several points of discussion. We comment on several recent papers addressing the issue of the pion-nucleon coupling constant and criticizing the Nijmegen analyses.Comment: 19 pages, Nijmegen preprint THEF-NYM-92-0

B-cell dysregulation in Crohn's disease is partially restored with infliximab therapy

Background: B-cell depletion can improve a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases, but does not appear beneficial for patients with Crohn's disease. Objective: To elucidate the involvement of B cells in Crohn's disease, we here performed an 'in depth' analysis of intestinal and blood B-cells in this chronic inflammatory disease. Methods: Patients with Crohn's disease were recruited to study B-cell infiltrates in intestinal biopsies (n = 5), serum immunoglobulin levels and the phenotype and molecular characteristics of blood B-cell subsets (n = 21). The effects of infliximab treatment were studied in 9 patients. Results: Granulomatous tissue showed infiltrates of B lymphocytes rather than Ig-secreting plasma cells. Circulating transitional B cells and CD21low B cells were elevated. IgM memory B cells were reduced and natural effector cells showed decreased replication histories and somatic hypermutation (SHM) levels. In contrast, IgG and IgA memory B cells were normally present and their Ig gene transcripts carried increased SHM levels. The numbers of transitional and natural effector cells were normal in patients who responded clinically well to infliximab. Conclusions: B cells in patients with Crohn's disease showed signs of chronic stimulation with localization to granulomatous tissue and increased molecular maturation of IgA and IgG. Therapy with TNFα-blockers restored the defect in IgM memory B-cell generation and normalized transitional B-cell levels, making these subsets candidate markers for treatment monitoring. Together, these results suggest a chronic, aberrant B-cell response in patients with Crohn's disease, which could be targeted with new therapeutics that specifically regulate B-cell function

From Urban Façade to Green Foundation: Re-Imagining the Garden City to Manage Climate Risks

Climate risk management evolves rapidly from one additional challenge for urban planning into a radical driver of urban development. In addition to fundamental changes in urban planning to increase long-term resilience, the creation of new opportunities for sustainable transformation is imperative. While urban planners increasingly add climate risks to their menu, implementation of effective action is lagging. To reduce urban infrastructure's vulnerability to heat and flooding, cities often rely on short-term incremental adjustments rather than considering longer-term transformative solutions. The transdisciplinary co-development of inspiring urban visions with local stakeholders over timescales of decades or more, can provide an appealing prospect of the city we desire - a city that is attractive to live and work in, and simultaneously resilient to climate hazards. Taking an historic perspective, we argue that re-imagining historical urban planning concepts, such as the late 19th-century garden city until early 21st century urban greening through nature-based solutions, is a pertinent example of how climate risk management can be combined with a wide-range of socio-economic and environmental goals. Climate knowledge has expanded rapidly over the last decades. However, climate experts mainly focus on the refinement of and access to observations and model results, rather than on translating their knowledge effectively to meet today’s urban planning needs. In this commentary we discuss how the two associated areas (urban planning and climate expertise) should be more fully integrated to address today’s long-term challenges effectively