Achieving ultra-low and -uniform residual magnetic fields in a very large magnetically shielded room for fundamental physics experiments.

High-precision searches for an electric dipole moment of the neutron (nEDM) require stable and uniform magnetic field environments. We present the recent achievements of degaussing and equilibrating the magnetically shielded room (MSR) for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. We present the final degaussing configuration that will be used for n2EDM after numerous studies. The optimized procedure results in a residual magnetic field that has been reduced by a factor of two. The ultra-low field is achieved with the full magnetic-field-coil system, and a large vacuum vessel installed, both in the MSR. In the inner volume of ∼1.4m3, the field is now more uniform and below 300 pT. In addition, the procedure is faster and dissipates less heat into the magnetic environment, which in turn, reduces its thermal relaxation time from 12h down to 1.5h.

A large 'Active Magnetic Shield' for a high-precision experiment: nEDM collaboration.

We present a novel Active Magnetic Shield (AMS), designed and implemented for the n2EDM experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The experiment will perform a high-sensitivity search for the electric dipole moment of the neutron. Magnetic-field stability and control is of key importance for n2EDM. A large, cubic, 5 m side length, magnetically shielded room (MSR) provides a passive, quasi-static shielding-factor of about 105 for its inner sensitive volume. The AMS consists of a system of eight complex, feedback-controlled compensation coils constructed on an irregular grid spanned on a volume of less than 1000 m3 around the MSR. The AMS is designed to provide a stable and uniform magnetic-field environment around the MSR, while being reasonably compact. The system can compensate static and variable magnetic fields up to ±50µT (homogeneous components) and ±5µT/m (first-order gradients), suppressing them to a few µT in the sub-Hertz frequency range. The presented design concept and implementation of the AMS fulfills the requirements of the n2EDM experiment and can be useful for other applications, where magnetically silent environments are important and spatial constraints inhibit simpler geometrical solutions.

Neutron Valence Structure from Nuclear Deep Inelastic Scattering.

Mechanisms of spin-flavor SU(6) symmetry breaking in quantum chromodynamics (QCD) are studied via an extraction of the free neutron structure function from a global analysis of deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data on the proton and on nuclei from A=2 (deuterium) to 208 (lead). Modification of the structure function of nucleons bound in atomic nuclei (known as the EMC effect) are consistently accounted for within the framework of a universal modification of nucleons in short-range correlated (SRC) pairs. Our extracted neutron-to-proton structure function ratio F_{2}^{n}/F_{2}^{p} becomes constant for x_{B}≥0.6, equaling 0.47±0.04 as x_{B}→1, in agreement with theoretical predictions of perturbative QCD and the Dyson-Schwinger equation, and in disagreement with predictions of the scalar diquark dominance model. We also predict F_{2}^{^{3}He}/F_{2}^{^{3}H}, recently measured, as yet unpublished, by the MARATHON Collaboration, the nuclear correction function that is needed to extract F_{2}^{n}/F_{2}^{p} from F_{2}^{^{3}He}/F_{2}^{^{3}H}, and the theoretical uncertainty associated with this extraction.

Probing the core of the strong nuclear interaction.

The strong nuclear interaction between nucleons (protons and neutrons) is the effective force that holds the atomic nucleus together. This force stems from fundamental interactions between quarks and gluons (the constituents of nucleons) that are described by the equations of quantum chromodynamics. However, as these equations cannot be solved directly, nuclear interactions are described using simplified models, which are well constrained at typical inter-nucleon distances1-5 but not at shorter distances. This limits our ability to describe high-density nuclear matter such as that in the cores of neutron stars6. Here we use high-energy electron scattering measurements that isolate nucleon pairs in short-distance, high-momentum configurations7-9, accessing a kinematical regime that has not been previously explored by experiments, corresponding to relative momenta between the pair above 400 megaelectronvolts per c (c, speed of light in vacuum). As the relative momentum between two nucleons increases and their separation thereby decreases, we observe a transition from a spin-dependent tensor force to a predominantly spin-independent scalar force. These results demonstrate the usefulness of using such measurements to study the nuclear interaction at short distances and also support the use of point-like nucleon models with two- and three-body effective interactions to describe nuclear systems up to densities several times higher than the central density of the nucleus.

Direct Observation of Proton-Neutron Short-Range Correlation Dominance in Heavy Nuclei.

We measured the triple coincidence A(e,e^{'}np) and A(e,e^{'}pp) reactions on carbon, aluminum, iron, and lead targets at Q^{2}>1.5 (GeV/c)^{2}, x_{B}>1.1 and missing momentum >400 MeV/c. This was the first direct measurement of both proton-proton (pp) and neutron-proton (np) short-range correlated (SRC) pair knockout from heavy asymmetric nuclei. For all measured nuclei, the average proton-proton (pp) to neutron-proton (np) reduced cross-section ratio is about 6%, in agreement with previous indirect measurements. Correcting for single-charge exchange effects decreased the SRC pairs ratio to ∼3%, which is lower than previous results. Comparisons to theoretical generalized contact formalism (GCF) cross-section calculations show good agreement using both phenomenological and chiral nucleon-nucleon potentials, favoring a lower pp to np pair ratio. The ability of the GCF calculation to describe the experimental data using either phenomenological or chiral potentials suggests possible reduction of scale and scheme dependence in cross-section ratios. Our results also support the high-resolution description of high-momentum states being predominantly due to nucleons in SRC pairs.

Tiempo de pinzamiento del cordón umbilical y complicaciones neonatales, un estudio prospectivo / Time of cord clamping and neonatal complications, a prospective study

OBJETIVO: Evaluar los efectos del pinzamiento precoz o tardío del cordón umbilical en recién nacidos a término y su correlación con los niveles de hemoglobina, hematocrito, ferritina y ciertas complicaciones neonatales. PACIENTES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio prospectivo en recién nacidos sanos, a término, nacidos por parto eutócico o distócico en nuestro hospital, entre mayo del 2009 y mayo del 2010. Se asignó a los pacientes según el tiempo de pinzamiento: grupo 1 (< 60 s), grupo 2 (1 a <2 min) y grupo 3 (2 a 3 min). Se realizaron análisis al momento del nacimiento y a las 48 h de vida, valorando los niveles de hemoglobina, hematocrito, ferritina y bilirrubina. Se evalúo el riesgo de aparición de policitemia, síndrome distrés respiratorio, fototerapia o ingreso en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos neonatal y el tiempo de estancia hospitalaria. RESULTADOS: Se incluyó a 242 pacientes: grupo 1 (g1=80), grupo 2 (g2=31) y grupo 3 (g3=131). Los antecedentes maternos y las características neonatales fueron similares en todas las categorías. El primer análisis demostró diferencias significativas en los niveles de ferritina de aquellos recién nacidos con pinzamiento más tardío (g1: 111 mg/dl, g2: 125 mg/dl, g3: 173 mg/dl; p < 0,01). En el segundo análisis los valores de hemoglobina (g1: 17,3 g/dl, g2: 18,9 g/dl, g3: 19,2 g/dl; p < 0,01), hematocrito (g1: 53,4%, g2: 58%, g3: 59%; p < 0,01) y ferritina (g1: 254 mg/dl, g2: 254,7 mg/dl, g3: 313 mg/dl; p = 0,008), fueron estadísticamente mayores en este mismo grupo. Al evaluar las complicaciones, observamos un aumento significativo en el número de casos de policitemia asintomática en el grupo 3. CONCLUSIONES: El pinzamiento tardío del cordón umbilical se asocia a un aumento en los niveles de hemoglobina, hematocrito y ferritina a las 48 h de vida y en el número de casos de policitemia asintomática

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of early or late clamping of the umbilical cord in term newborns, assessing the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin, and their correlation with some of the complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study of healthy newborns at term or born by dystotic or eutocic delivery in our hospital between May 2009 until May 2010. Patients were assigned according to the time of clamping, group 1 (< 60 seconds), group 2 (1 to < 2 minutes), and group 3 (2 to 3 minutes). Laboratory tests were performed at birth and at 48hours of life, assessing the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, and bilirubin. The risk of polycythemia, respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal phototherapy or admission to the Intensive Care Unit and the hospital stay, were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 242 patients were included: group 1 (g1 = 80), group 2 (g2 = 31) y group 3 (g3=131). The background maternal and neonatal characteristics were similar in all sets. The first test showed significant differences in ferritin levels in those infants with delayed clamping (g1: 111 mg/dl, g2: 125 mg/dl, g3: 173 mg/dl; p < 0.01). In the second analysis the values of hemoglobin (g1: 17.3 g/dl, g2: 18.9 g/dl, g3: 19.2 g/dl; p < 0.01), hematocrit (g1: 53.4%, g2: 58%, g3: 59%; p < 0.01) and ferritin (g1: 254 mg/dl, g2: 254.7 mg/dl, g3: 313 mg/dl; p = 0.008) were statistically higher in this group. As regards complications, a significant increase was observed in the number of cases of polycythemia symptoms in group 3. CONCLUSIONS: The late cord clamping is associated with an increase in hematocrit, hemoglobin and ferritin at 48hours of life, as well as an increased risk of polycythemia present with symptoms

[Time of cord clamping and neonatal complications, a prospective study]. / Tiempo de pinzamiento del cordón umbilical y complicaciones neonatales, un estudio prospectivo.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of early or late clamping of the umbilical cord in term newborns, assessing the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and ferritin, and their correlation with some of the complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study of healthy newborns at term or born by dystotic or eutocic delivery in our hospital between May 2009 until May 2010. Patients were assigned according to the time of clamping, group 1 (<60 seconds), group 2 (1 to<2 minutes), and group 3 (2 to 3 minutes). Laboratory tests were performed at birth and at 48 hours of life, assessing the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, and bilirubin. The risk of polycythemia, respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal phototherapy or admission to the Intensive Care Unit and the hospital stay, were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 242 patients were included: group 1 (g1=80), group 2 (g2=31) y group 3 (g3=131). The background maternal and neonatal characteristics were similar in all sets. The first test showed significant differences in ferritin levels in those infants with delayed clamping (g1: 111 mg/dl, g2: 125 mg/dl, g3: 173 mg/dl; p<0.01). In the second analysis the values of hemoglobin (g1: 17.3 g/dl, g2: 18.9 g/dl, g3: 19.2 g/dl; p<0.01), hematocrit (g1: 53.4%, g2: 58%, g3: 59%; p<0.01) and ferritin (g1: 254 mg/dl, g2: 254.7 mg/dl, g3: 313 mg/dl; p = 0.008) were statistically higher in this group. As regards complications, a significant increase was observed in the number of cases of polycythemia symptoms in group 3. CONCLUSIONS: The late cord clamping is associated with an increase in hematocrit, hemoglobin and ferritin at 48 hours of life, as well as an increased risk of polycythemia present with symptoms.

Reacción de hipersensibilidad retardada por enoxaparina sódica subcutánea / Delayed hypersensitivity reaction due to subcutaneous sodium enoxiparin

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