Search

We report on the activities performed during 2022 and the plans for 2023 for the GBAR experiment.

We present results of a search for bosonic super-weakly interacting massive particles (BSW) as keV scale dark matter candidates that is based on an exposure of 97.7 kg$\cdot$year from the COSINE experiment. In this search, we employ, for the first time, Compton-like as well as absorption processes for pseudoscalar and vector BSWs. No evidence for BSWs is found in the mass range from 10 $\mathrm{keV/c}^2$ to 1 $\mathrm{MeV/c}^2$, and we present the exclusion limits on the dimensionless coupling constants to electrons $g_{ae}$ for pseudoscalar and $\kappa$ for vector BSWs at 90% confidence level. Our results show that these limits are improved by including the Compton-like process in masses of BSW, above $\mathcal{O}(100\,\mathrm{keV/c}^2)$.

We search for energetic electron recoil signals induced by boosted dark matter (BDM) from the galactic center using the COSINE-100 array of NaI(Tl) crystal detectors at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory. The signal would be an excess of events with energies above 4MeV over the well-understood background. Because no excess of events are observed in a 97.7 kg$\cdot$years exposure, we set limits on BDM interactions under a variety of hypotheses. Notably, we explored the dark photon parameter space, leading to competitive limits compared to direct dark photon search experiments, particularly for dark photon masses below 4MeV and considering the invisible decay mode. Furthermore, by comparing our results with a previous BDM search conducted by the Super- Kamionkande experiment, we found that the COSINE-100 detector has advantages in searching for low-mass dark matter. This analysis demonstrates the potential of the COSINE-100 detector to search for MeV electron recoil signals produced by the dark sector particle interactions., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures

We present results from a search for solar bosonic dark matter using the annual modulation method with the COSINE-100 experiment. The results were interpreted considering three dark sector bosons models: solar dark photon; DFSZ and KSVZ solar axion; and Kaluza-Klein solar axion. No modulation signal that is compatible with the expected from the models was found from a data-set of 2.82 yr, using 61.3 kg of NaI(Tl) crystals. Therefore, we set a 90$\%$ confidence level upper limits for each of the three models studied. For the solar dark photon model, the most stringent mixing parameter upper limit is $1.61 \times 10^{-14}$ for dark photons with a mass of 215 eV. For the DFSZ and KSVZ solar axion, and the Kaluza-Klein axion models, the upper limits exclude axion-electron couplings, $g_{ae}$, above $1.61 \times 10^{-11}$ for axion mass below 0.2 keV; and axion-photon couplings, $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$, above $1.83 \times 10^{-11}$ GeV$^{-1}$ for an axion number density of $4.07 \times 10^{13}$ cm$^{-3}$. This is the first experimental search for solar dark photons and DFSZ and KSVZ solar axions using the annual modulation method. The lower background, higher light yield and reduced threshold of NaI(Tl) crystals of the future COSINE-200 experiment are expected to enhance the sensitivity of the analysis shown in this paper. We show the sensitivities for the three models studied, considering the same search method with COSINE-200., Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures

A mega-constellation of low-altitude earth orbit (LEO) satellites (SATs) are envisaged to provide a global coverage SAT network in beyond fifth-generation (5G) cellular systems. However, such wide coverage rather makes it difficult to apply existing multiple access protocols, such as random access channel (RACH). To overcome this issue, in this paper, we propose a novel random access solution for LEO SAT networks, called as S-RACH. In contrast to existing standardized protocols, S-RACH is a model-free approach using deep reinforcement learning (DRL). Compared to RACH, we show from various simulations that our proposed S-RACH yields around 2x lower average access delay.

A convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture is developed to improve the pulse shape discrimination (PSD) power of the gadolinium-loaded organic liquid scintillation detector to reduce the fast neutron background in the inverse beta decay candidate events of the NEOS-II data. A power spectrum of an event is constructed using a fast Fourier transform of the time domain raw waveforms and put into CNN. An early data set is evaluated by CNN after it is trained using low energy $\beta$ and $\alpha$ events. The signal-to-background ratio averaged over 1-10 MeV visible energy range is enhanced by more than 20% in the result of the CNN method compared to that of an existing conventional PSD method, and the improvement is even higher in the low energy region., Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures

Two-dimensional (2D) resonant gratings enable dual angular tunability by controlling the plane of incidence (POI) under linear polarization. If the POI is set to be perpendicular to the electric field vector (s-polarization or transverse electric (TE) polarization), an excited TE mode provides spectral tuning. The orthogonally propagating TM mode is robust in angle. Conversely, if the POI is set for p-polarization, an ex-cited TM mode provides the tuning. Detailed explanations of the underlying physical processes are set forth by decomposing the 2D lattice into equivalent 1D gratings using second-order effective-medium theory (EMT). This is shown to work extremely well even for a strongly modulated lattice with refractive-index contrast of 3. With proper design and corresponding experiments, a widely tunable notch filter covering longwave infrared bands is demonstrated. Experimentally varying the incidence angle up to 16 degree, a notch channel in TM polarization tunes across a band exceeding 0.5 um with the TE channel remaining at a constant wavelength. The interesting appearance of a resonance channel originating in diagonally propagating leaky modes is briefly examined. The analysis and experiments presented will be useful for realizing diverse 2D tunable filters while furnishing methodology for detailed understanding of the attendant near fields and mode structure.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) results in progressive cognitive decline owing to the accumulation of amyloid plaques and hyperphosphorylated tau. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have attracted attention as a putative diagnostic and therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. However, existing meta-analyses on AD and its association with miRNAs have produced inconsistent results. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the magnitude and consistency of differences in miRNA levels between AD patients, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and healthy controls (HC). Articles investigating miRNA levels in blood, brain tissue, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of AD and MCI patients versus HC were systematically searched in PubMed/Medline from inception to February 16(th), 2021. Fixed- and random-effects meta-analyses were complemented with the I(2) statistic to measure the heterogeneity, assessment of publication bias, sensitivity subgroup analyses (AD severity, brain region, post-mortem versus ante-mortem specimen for CSF and type of analysis used to quantify miRNA) and functional enrichment pathway analysis. Of the 1512 miRNAs included in 61 articles, 425 meta-analyses were performed on 334 miRNAs. Fifty-six miRNAs were significantly upregulated (n = 40) or downregulated (n = 16) in AD versus HC and all five miRNAs were significantly upregulated in MCI versus HC. Functional enrichment analysis confirmed that pathways related to apoptosis, immune response and inflammation were statistically enriched with upregulated pathways in participants with AD relative to HC. This study confirms that miRNAs' expression is altered in AD and MCI compared to HC. These findings open new diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives for this disorder.

Fundamental effects in nanophotonic resonance systems focused on singular states and their properties are presented. Strongly related to lattice geometry and material composition, there appear resonant bright channels and non-resonant dark channels in the spectra. The bright state corresponds to high reflectivity guided-mode resonance (GMR) whereas the dark channel represents a bound state in the continuum (BIC). Even in simple systems, singular states with tunable bandwidth appear as isolated spectral lines that are widely separated from other resonance features. Under moderate lattice modulation, there ensues leaky-band metamorphosis, merging modal bands and resulting in offset dark states and reflective BICs along with transmissive BICs within a high-reflectance wideband. Rytov-type effective medium theory (EMT) is shown to be a powerful means to describe, formulate, and understand the collective GMR/BIC fundamentals in resonant photonic systems. Particularly, the discarded Rytov analytical solution for asymmetric fields is shown here to predict the dark BIC states essentially exactly for considerable modulation levels. The propagation constant of an equivalent EMT homogeneous film provides a quantitative evaluation of the eminent, oft-cited embedded BIC eigenvalue. The work concludes with experimental verification of key effects., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures

The physics reach of a low threshold (100 eV) scintillating argon bubble chamber sensitive to Coherent Elastic neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE$\nu$NS) from reactor neutrinos is studied. The sensitivity to the weak mixing angle, neutrino magnetic moment, and a light $Z'$ gauge boson mediator are analyzed. A Monte Carlo simulation of the backgrounds is performed to assess their contribution to the signal. The analysis shows that world-leading sensitivities are achieved with a one-year exposure for a 10 kg chamber at 3 m from a 1 MW$_{th}$ research reactor or a 100 kg chamber at 30 m from a 2000 MW$_{th}$ power reactor. Such a detector has the potential to become the leading technology to study CE$\nu$NS using nuclear reactors., Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. v2: figures added, minor changes. Matches published version

We report the identification of metastable isomeric states of $^{228}$Ac at 6.28 keV, 6.67 keV and 20.19 keV, with lifetimes of an order of 100 ns. These states are produced by the $\beta$-decay of $^{228}$Ra, a component of the $^{232}$Th decay chain, with $\beta$ Q-values of 39.52 keV, 39.13 keV and 25.61 keV, respectively. Due to its low Q-value as well as the relative abundance of $^{232}$Th and their progeny in low background experiments, these observations potentially impact the low-energy background modeling of dark matter search experiments., Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is about to start operations at the summit of Haleakala (Hawaii). DKIST will join the early science phases of the NASA and ESA Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter encounter missions. By combining in-situ measurements of the near-sun plasma environment and detail remote observations of multiple layers of the Sun, the three observatories form an unprecedented multi-messenger constellation to study the magnetic connectivity inside the solar system. This white paper outlines the synergistic science that this multi-messenger suite enables.

NaI(Tl) crystals are used as particle detectors in a variety of rare-event search experiments because of their superb light-emission quality. The crystal light yield is generally high, above 10 photoelectrons per keV, and its emission spectrum is peaked around 400 nm, which matches well to the sensitive region of bialkali photocathode photomultiplier tubes. However, since NaI(Tl) crystals are hygroscopic, a sophisticated method of encapsulation has to be applied that prevents moisture from chemically attacking the crystal and thereby degrading the emission. In addition, operation with low energy thresholds, which is essential for a number of new phenomenon searches, is usually limited by the crystal light yield; in these cases higher light yields can translate into lower thresholds that improve the experimental sensitivity. Here we describe the development of an encapsulation technique that simplifies the overall design by attaching the photo sensors directly to the crystal so that light losses are minimized. The light yield of a NaI(Tl) crystal encapsulated with this technique was improved by more than 30%, and as many as 22 photoelectrons per keV have been measured. Consequently, the energy threshold can be lowered and the energy resolution improved. Detectors with this higher light yield are sensitive to events with sub-keV energies and well suited for low-mass dark matter particle searches and measurements of neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures (minor edits)

Son y��llarda, ekran bask��l�� elektrotlar��n (SPE) d������k maliyet, kullan��m kolayl������, ta����nabilirlik ve basit kullan��m ��zellikleri bu elektrotlar��n elektrokimyasal sens��r geli��tirme s��re��lerinde kullan��m��n�� giderek artt��rmaktad��r. SPE���lerin elektrokimyasal davran����lar��n�� ayd��nlatmak i��in kullan��lan analitik y��ntemlerden biri d��n������ml�� voltametri (CV) y��ntemidir. Bu ��al����mada SPE���lerin yayg��n olarak kullan��lan ekran bask��l�� karbon elektrodu (SPCE) kullan��larak, farkl�� deri��imlerde (1 mM, 10 mM ve 100 mM) haz��rlanan K���Fe(CN)���, K���Fe(CN)��� ve K���Fe(CN)���/ K���Fe(CN)��� redoks problar��n��n elektrokimyasal davran������ CV y��ntemi ile incelenmi��tir. 1 mM deri��imindeki K���Fe(CN)��� ve K���Fe(CN)���/K���Fe(CN)��� redoks problar��n��n kullan��lmas��yla elde edilen voltamogramlarda anodik pik ak��m�� katodik pik ak��m��na g��re daha net olarak g��zlemlenebilirken, 10 mM deri��imdeki redoks probunun kullan��lmas�� durumunda hem anodik hem de katodik pik ak��mlar�� g��zlemlenebilmi��tir. Redoks problar��n��n deri��iminin 100 mM oldu��u durumda ise, K���Fe(CN)������ya k��yasla K���Fe(CN)��� ve K���Fe(CN)���/K���Fe(CN)������de katodik pik ak��m�� anodik pik ak��m��na g��re daha net bir ��ekilde g��zlemlenmi��tir. Yap��lan bu ��al����mada, SPCE���ler kullan��larak ger��ekle��tirilen CV analizlerinde bu ��artlarda 10 mM deri��imindeki redoks problar��n��n hem anodik hem katodik pik ak��mlar��n��n net olarak g��zlemlenebilmesi i��in optimum deri��im de��eri oldu��u saptanm����t��r. B��ylece, elektrokimyasal sens��rlerin indirgenme-y��kseltgenme mekanizmalar��n��n incelenmesinde kullan��lan redoks problar��n��n deri��imlerinin dikkate al��nmas�� gereken bir parametre oldu��u saptanm����t��r.

We present new constraints on the dark matter-induced annual modulation signal using 1.7 years, of COSINE-100 data with a total exposure of 97.7 kg$\cdot$years. The COSINE-100 experiment, consisting of 106 kg of NaI(Tl) target material, is designed to carry out a model-independent test of DAMA/LIBRA's claim of WIMP discovery by searching for the same annual modulation signal using the same NaI(Tl) target. The crystal data show a 2.7 cpd/kg/keV background rate on average in the 2--6 keV energy region of interest. Using a $\chi$-squared minimization method we observe best fit values for modulation amplitude and phase of 0.0092$\pm$0.0067 cpd/kg/keV and 127.2$\pm$45 d, respectively., Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, revised version as published in PRL

Background: The beneficial effects of endovascular therapy (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke have been demonstrated in recent clinical trials using new-generation thrombectomy devices. However, the comparative effectiveness and safety of preceding intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in this population has rarely been evaluated. Methods: From a prospective multicenter stroke registry database in Korea, we identified patients with acute ischemic stroke who were treated with EVT within 8 h of onset and admitted to 14 participating centers during 2008-2013. The primary outcome was a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months. Major secondary outcomes were successful recanalization defined as a modified Treatment in Cerebral Ischemia score of 2b-3, functional independence (mRS score 0-2), mortality at 3 months, and symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation (SHT) during hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression analyses using generalized linear mixed models were performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of preceding IVT. Results: Of the 639 patients (male, 61%; age 69 ± 12; National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 15 [11-19]) who met the eligibility criteria, 458 received preceding IVT. These patients showed lower mRS scores (adjusted common OR, 1.38 [95% CI 0.98-1.96]). Preceding IVT was associated with successful recanalization (1.96 [1.23-3.11]) and reduced 3-month mortality (0.58 [0.35-0.97]) but not with SHT (0.96 [0.48-1.93]). Conclusion: In patients treated with EVT within 8 of acute ischemic stroke onset, preceding IVT may enhance survival and successful recanalization without additional risk of SHT, and mitigate disability at 3 months.

Reports investigating whether the response rates to palliative radiation therapy (rt) for painful bone metastases from gastrointestinal (gi) cancers are similar to rates for bone metastases from other primary cancer sites have been limited. The present study evaluated response rates for symptomatic bone metastases from gi cancers after palliative outpatient rt in the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program (rrrp). We identified 69 patients with bone metastases from gi primaries who received palliative rt in the rrrp clinic during 1999&ndash, 2006. We extracted records for 31 of these patients during 1999&ndash, 2003 from an rrrp database that used the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (esas). Record for the remaining 38 patients during 2003&ndash, 2006 were extracted from an rrrp database that used the Brief Pain Inventory (bpi). Eligibility criteria for encryption in the two rrrp databases and for collection of patient demographic information (age, sex, primary cancer site, and Karnofsky performance status) were identical. Response rates for this cohort of metastatic gi patients were then compared to rates for 479 patients receiving palliative rt for bone metastases from other primary cancer sites. Pain scores from the esas and bpi and data on analgesic consumption were collected at baseline and by telephone follow-up at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after rt for all patients. Complete (cr), partial (pr), and overall (cr+pr) responses were evaluated according to International Consensus Endpoints. Assessment of the 69 patients with metastatic gi cancers revealed cr, pr, and cr+pr rates of 18%, 42%, and 61% at 4 weeks, 22%, 35%, and 57% at 8 weeks, and 50%, 21%, and 71% at 12 weeks for evaluable patients. The 479 evaluable patients with metastatic cancer from other primary cancer sites had cr, pr, and cr+pr rates of 25%, 27%, and 51% at 4 weeks, 26%, 22%, and 48% at 8 weeks, and 22%, 29%, and 51% at 12 weeks. No statistically significant differences were observed in rt response rates for bone metastases from gi cancers than from other primary cancer sites. After palliative rt, bone metastases from gi cancers demonstrate response rates that are similar to rates for metastases from other primary cancer sites. Patients with symptomatic bone metastases from gi malignancies should be referred for palliative rt as readily as patients with osseous metastases from other primary cancer sites.

Mechanical properties such as Young`s modulus and hardness of thin film in coated steel are difficult to determine by nano-indentation from the conventional analysis using the load-displacement curve. Therefore, an analysis of the nano-indentation loading-unloading curve was used to determine the Young`s modulus, hardness. A new method is recently being developed for elastic-plastic properties of materials from nano-indentation. Elastic modulus of the thin films shows relatively small influence whereas yield strength is found to have significant effect on measured data. The load-displacement curves of material tested with a Berkovich indenter and nano-indentation continuous stiffness method is used to measure the modulus and hardness through thin films, and then these are computed using the analysis procedure. The developed neural networks apply also to obtain reliable mechanical properties.

Introduction: We have previously shown that a tag single nucleotide polymorphism (rs10235235), which maps to\ud the CYP3A locus (7q22.1), was associated with a reduction in premenopausal urinary estrone glucuronide levels and\ud a modest reduction in risk of breast cancer in women age ≤50 years.\ud Methods: We further investigated the association of rs10235235 with breast cancer risk in a large case control study of\ud 47,346 cases and 47,570 controls from 52 studies participating in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. Genotyping\ud of rs10235235 was conducted using a custom Illumina Infinium array. Stratified analyses were conducted to determine\ud whether this association was modified by age at diagnosis, ethnicity, age at menarche or tumor characteristics.\ud Results: We confirmed the association of rs10235235 with breast cancer risk for women of European ancestry but found\ud no evidence that this association differed with age at diagnosis. Heterozygote and homozygote odds ratios (ORs) were\ud OR = 0.98 (95% CI 0.94, 1.01; P = 0.2) and OR = 0.80 (95% CI 0.69, 0.93; P = 0.004), respectively (Ptrend = 0.02). There was\ud no evidence of effect modification by tumor characteristics. rs10235235 was, however, associated with age at menarche\ud in controls (Ptrend = 0.005) but not cases (Ptrend = 0.97). Consequently the association between rs10235235 and breast\ud cancer risk differed according to age at menarche (Phet = 0.02); the rare allele of rs10235235 was associated with a\ud reduction in breast cancer risk for women who had their menarche age ≥15 years (ORhet = 0.84, 95% CI 0.75, 0.94;\ud ORhom = 0.81, 95% CI 0.51, 1.30; Ptrend = 0.002) but not for those who had their menarche age ≤11 years (ORhet = 1.06,\ud 95% CI 0.95, 1.19, ORhom = 1.07, 95% CI 0.67, 1.72; Ptrend = 0.29).\ud Conclusions: To our knowledge rs10235235 is the first single nucleotide polymorphism to be associated with both\ud breast cancer risk and age at menarche consistent with the well-documented association between later age at menarche\ud and a reduction in breast cancer risk. These associations are likely mediated via an effect on circulating hormone levels.

A large genotyping project within the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) recently identified 41 associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and overall breast cancer (BC) risk. We investigated whether the effects of these 41 SNPs, as well as six SNPs associated with estrogen receptor (ER) negative BC risk are modified by 13 environmental risk factors for BC. Data from 22 studies participating in BCAC were pooled, comprising up to 26,633 cases and 30,119 controls. Interactions between SNPs and environmental factors were evaluated using an empirical Bayes-type shrinkage estimator. Six SNPs showed interactions with associated p-values (p(int))

Sterile neutrinos are one candidate to explain anomalies in neutrino oscillations. The mass-difference-driving oscillation between flavors can be probed only within specific combinations of baseline and flight energy. For a neutrino whose mass is completely unknown, it is necessary to scan all available ranges in spectrum and all accessible baselines. Here, we present four-neutrino analysis of the results announced by RENO and Daya Bay, which performed the definitive measurements of $\theta_{13}$ based on the disappearance of the inverse-beta-decay antineutrino at km-order baselines. Our results within 3+1 scheme include the exclusion curve of $\Delta m_{41}$ vs. $\theta_{14}$, and the adjustment of $\theta_{13}$ due to the contribution of $\theta_{14}$ to the disappearance of electron antineutrinos., Comment: 6 figures

The RENO experiment has been in operation since August 2011 to measure reactor antineutrino disappearance using identical near and far detectors. For accurate measurements of neutrino mixing parameters and efficient data taking, it is crucial to monitor and control the detector in real time. Environmental conditions also need to be monitored for stable operation of detectors as well as for safety reasons. In this article, we report the design, hardware, operation, and performance of the slow control system.

Porphyromonas gingivalis can invade and survive within its host epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to test our hypothesis that persistent presence of intracellular periodontal pathogens in gingival tissue causes the chronic inflammation and that an inappropriate immune response is a risk factor for periodontitis.Together with the presence of P. gingivalis, the distribution of B cells, plasma cells, and CD4(+), CD8(+), and FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells was evaluated in gingival tissues from healthy (n = 7) and periodontitis (n = 8) sites by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, respectively.Porphyromonas gingivalis was detected in proximity to inflammatory infiltrates in three and seven biopsies from the healthy and periodontitis sites, respectively. Compared with healthy sites, periodontal lesions contained a significantly increased number of each immune cell studied with a relative dominance of plasma cells over T cells.Persistent bacterial invasion of gingival tissues in combination with a plasma cell-dominant immune response may be involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

We present the science case for a broadband X-ray imager with high-resolution spectroscopy, including simulations of X-ray spectral diagnostics of both active regions and solar flares. This is part of a trilogy of white papers discussing science, instrument (Bandler et al. 2010), and missions (Bookbinder et al. 2010) to exploit major advances recently made in transition-edge sensor (TES) detector technology that enable resolution better than 2 eV in an array that can handle high count rates. Combined with a modest X-ray mirror, this instrument would combine arcsecondscale imaging with high-resolution spectra over a field of view sufficiently large for the study of active regions and flares, enabling a wide range of studies such as the detection of microheating in active regions, ion-resolved velocity flows, and the presence of non-thermal electrons in hot plasmas. It would also enable more direct comparisons between solar and stellar soft X-ray spectra, a waveband in which (unusually) we currently have much better stellar data than we do of the Sun., Comment: 7 pages, white paper submitted the Solar and Heliophsyics Decadal Survey

We present the science case for a broadband X-ray imager with high-resolution spectroscopy, including simulations of X-ray spectral diagnostics of both active regions and solar flares. This is part of a trilogy of white papers discussing science, instrument (Bandler et al. 2010), and missions (Bookbinder et al. 2010) to exploit major advances recently made in transition-edge sensor (TES) detector technology that enable resolution better than 2 eV in an array that can handle high count rates. Combined with a modest X-ray mirror, this instrument would combine arcsecondscale imaging with high-resolution spectra over a field of view sufficiently large for the study of active regions and flares, enabling a wide range of studies such as the detection of microheating in active regions, ion-resolved velocity flows, and the presence of non-thermal electrons in hot plasmas. It would also enable more direct comparisons between solar and stellar soft X-ray spectra, a waveband in which (unusually) we currently have much better stellar data than we do of the Sun.

MathGirls is a pedagogical-agent-based environment designed for high-school girls learning introductory algebra. Since females are in general more interested in interactive computing and more positive about the social presence of pedagogical agents, the environment provides a girl-friendly social learning environment, where pedagogical agents encourage the girls to build constructive views of learning math. This study investigated the impact of agent presence on changes in the girls’ math attitude, their math self-efficacy, and their learning; on the girls’ choice of their agents; and, on their perceptions of agent affability. The results revealed that the girls with an agent developed a more positive attitude and increased self-efficacy significantly, compared to the girls without an agent. Both groups showed significant increase in their learning. The study also showed that the girls chose female agents significantly more than male agents as their learning partners and perceived peer-like agents as more affable than teacher-like agents. The finding confirms the instructional value of pedagogical agents functioning as a social cognitive tool.

This paper suggests how an advanced technology called pedagogical agents can be applied to English education to benefit learners across ages through computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and content-based language learning (CBLL). CALL, when designed appropriately, has positively influenced the development of a learner’s linguistic proficiency and communicative competence (Chun, 1994; Fotos & Browne, 2004). CBLL integrates language learning with subject-matter learning to make language learning more meaningful (Snow, 2001; Swain, 1998). However, the conventional CALL programs are often criticized for the lacking a social context, considered essential for successful language learning ( Warschauer, 2004). Also, CBLL seems rarely applied to EFL contexts, especially Korean English Education, mainly due to the lack of resources. Pedagogical agents (PAs), defined as animated life-like characters embedded in computer-based applications, might be able to overcome those constraints. Given the similarity between human/computer interaction and human-to-human interaction in the real world (Reeves & Nass, 1996), PAs can be designed to emulate social interaction and play simulated instructional roles, through which learners may find learning English engaging and relevant.

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) aboard the {\it SOHO} satellite has observed very fast Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) associated with X-class flares. These events show spectral signatures different than those seen in most other CMEs in terms of very rapid disruption of the pre-CME streamer, very high Doppler shifts and high temperature plasma visible in the [Fe XVIII] emission line. This paper describes three very similar events on 21 April, 23 July and 24 August 2002 associated with X-class flares. We determine the physical parameters of the pre-CME streamers and discuss the geometrical and physical nature of the streamer blowouts. In the 21 April event, the hot plasma seen as [Fe XVIII] is not related to the structure seen in [Fe XXI] by SUMER at lower heights. It has the form of a rapidly expanding fan, quite likely a current sheet. In the August event, on the other hand, the [Fe XVIII] is probably a bubble of hot plasma formed by reconnection in the wake of the CME. C III emission from the July 23 flare is detected as stray light in the UVCS aperture. It precedes the hard X-ray brightening by about 2 minutes., Comment: 14 pages plus 7 figures. ApJ, in press

The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) Collaboration is developing liquid-noble bubble chambers for the quasi-background-free detection of low-mass (GeV-scale) dark matter and coherent scattering of low-energy (MeV-scale) neutrinos (CE$\nu$NS). The first physics-scale demonstrator of this technique, a 10-kg liquid argon bubble chamber dubbed SBC-LAr10, is now being commissioned at Fermilab. This device will calibrate the background discrimination power and sensitivity of superheated argon to nuclear recoils at energies down to 100 eV. A second functionally-identical detector with a focus on radiopure construction is being built for SBC's first dark matter search at SNOLAB. The projected spin-independent sensitivity of this search is approximately $10^{-43}$ cm$^2$ at 1 GeV$/c^2$ dark matter particle mass. The scalability and background discrimination power of the liquid-noble bubble chamber make this technique a compelling candidate for future dark matter searches to the solar neutrino fog at 1 GeV$/c^2$ particle mass (requiring a $\sim$ton-year exposure with non-neutrino backgrounds sub-dominant to the solar CE$\nu$NS signal) and for high-statistics CE$\nu$NS studies at nuclear reactors., Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures, contributed white paper to Snowmass 2021 (final version for Snowmass proceedings)

In order to replace the central venous line necessary for continuous infusion of vincristine and doxorubicin with high-dose dexamethasone (VAD) and to avoid hospitalization, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of oral idarubicin, vincristine and dexamethasone (VID) in patients with multiple myeloma. Vincristine (1.6 mg/m2, max 2 mg) was given as a bolus injection on day 1. Idarubicin was given in capsules 10 mg/m2/day for days 1-4 with an intraindividual dose escalation, 40 mg dexamethasone were given on days 1-4, 9-12, 17-20. Treatment cycles were repeated every 28 days. At this interim analysis, 53 patients have been entered into the ongoing trial; 46 patients are evaluable for toxicity. The median age was 60 years (interquartile range, 52-65). 46% were primary or secondary refractory, 20% had previously been treated with VAD and 30% had previously untreated disease, 4% had two or more relapses. Four patients died within 2 months from entry and were considered as early deaths (8.7%). 45% of the 42 patients evaluable for efficacy achieved a partial remission and 26% a minor remission. The median reduction of the M-component was 43% (interquartile range, 25-64%). VID is an effective and convenient alternative to VAD even in relapsed or refractory patients.

ProtoDUNE-SP is the single-phase DUNE Far Detector prototype that is under construction and will be operated at the CERN Neutrino Platform (NP) starting in 2018. ProtoDUNE-SP, a crucial part of the DUNE effort towards the construction of the first DUNE 10-kt fiducial mass far detector module (17 kt total LAr mass), is a significant experiment in its own right. With a total liquid argon (LAr) mass of 0.77 kt, it represents the largest monolithic single-phase LArTPC detector to be built to date. It's technical design is given in this report., 165 pages, fix references, author list and minor numbers