Search

Abstract We present a comprehensive study of the nonproportionality of NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors within the context of dark matter search experiments. Our investigation, which integrates COSINE-100 data with supplementary $$\gamma $$ γ spectroscopy, measures light yields across diverse energy levels from full-energy $$\gamma $$ γ peaks produced by the decays of various isotopes. These $$\gamma $$ γ peaks of interest were produced by decays supported by both long and short-lived isotopes. Analyzing peaks from decays supported only by short-lived isotopes presented a unique challenge due to their limited statistics and overlapping energies, which was overcome by long-term data collection and a time-dependent analysis. A key achievement is the direct measurement of the 0.87 keV light yield, resulting from the cascade following electron capture decay of $$\mathrm {^{22}Na}$$ 22 Na from internal contamination. This measurement, previously accessible only indirectly, deepens our understanding of NaI(Tl) scintillator behavior in the region of interest for dark matter searches. This study holds substantial implications for background modeling and the interpretation of dark matter signals in NaI(Tl) experiments.

The AMoRE-II experiment will search for the 0νββ decay of 100Mo nuclei using molybdate crystal scintillators, operating at milli-Kelvin (mK) temperatures, with a total of 80 kg of 100Mo. The background goal for the experiment is 10–4 counts/keV/kg/year in the region of interest around the 0νββ decay Q-value of 3,034 keV. To achieve this level, the rate of background signals arising from emissions produced by decays of radioactive impurities in the detector and shielding materials must be strictly controlled. To do this, concentrations of such impurities are measured and are controlled through materials selection and purification. In this paper, we describe the design and the construction materials used to build the AMoRE-II detector and shielding system, including active and passive shielding, the cryostat, and the detector holders and instrumentation, and we report on measurements of radioactive impurities within candidate and selected materials.

Abstract Introduction Endometrial lesions are morphologically diverse and uncommon on cervical smears, with its detection rate and associated diagnostic categories uncharacterized. In this study, cervical smears matched to histologically proven endometrial hyperplasias and carcinomas were reviewed and compared with cervical in‐situ‐carcinomas/carcinomas, aiming to detail the diagnostic performance of cervical smears for upper tract and glandular lesions. Methods Pathology reports of cervical smears, hysterectomies, endometrial and cervical biopsies from 1995 to 2021 were retrieved. Diagnoses of cervical smears were matched to endometrial hyperplasias and carcinomas, or cervical carcinomas and reviewed. Results Totally 832 cervical smears (272 cervical carcinomas, 312 endometrial carcinomas, and 248 hyperplasias) were included. Considering all cytologic glandular diagnosis as positive, the detection rate of cervical adenocarcinoma‐in‐situ was the highest (64.3%), followed by cervical adenocarcinoma (63.8%), endometrial carcinoma (31.7%), and hyperplasia (with atypia–8.5%; without atypia–2.3%) (p

The Surface Urban Energy and Water Balance Scheme (SUEWS) has recently been introduced to include a bottom-up approach to modeling carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and uptake in urban areas. In this study, SUEWS is evaluated against the measured eddy covariance (EC) turbulent fluxes of sensible heat (QH), latent heat (QE), and CO2 (FC) in a densely built neighborhood in Beijing. The model sensitivity to maximum conductance (gmax) and leaf area index (LAI) is examined. Site-specific gmax is obtained from observations over local vegetation species, and LAI parameters are extracted by optimization with remotely sensed LAI obtained from a Landsat 7 data product. For the simulation of anthropogenic CO2 components, local traffic and population data are collected. In the model evaluation, the mismatch between the measurement source area and simulation domain is also considered. Using the optimized gmax and LAI, the modeling of heat fluxes is noticeably improved, showing higher correlation with observations, lower bias, and more realistic seasonal dynamics of QE and QH. The effect of the gmax adjustment is more significant than the LAI adjustment. Compared to heat fluxes, the FC module shows lower sensitivity to the choices of gmax and LAI. This can be explained by the low relative contribution of vegetation to the net FC in the modeled area. SUEWS successfully reproduces the average diurnal cycle of FC and annual cumulative sums. Depending on the size of the simulation domain, the modeled annual accumulated FC ranges from 7.4 to 8.7 kgCm-2yr-1, compared to 7.5 kgCm-2yr-1 observed by EC. Traffic is the dominant CO2 source, contributing 59 %–70 % to the annual total CO2 emissions, followed by human metabolism (14 %–18 %), buildings (11 %–14 %), and CO2 release by vegetation and soil respiration (6 %–10 %). Vegetation photosynthesis offsets only 5 %–10 % of the total CO2 emissions. We highlight the importance of choosing the optimal LAI parameters and gmax when SUEWS is used to model surface fluxes. The FC module of SUEWS is a promising tool in quantifying urban CO2 emissions at the local scale and therefore assisting in mitigating urban CO2 emissions.

When an inflammatory response occurs in the body, primary immune cells, such as macrophages, phagocytize and present antigens, and secondary immune cells, such as T cells, produce antibodies against the presented antigens to prevent infection in the body. Abnormalities in the immune system releases pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6, leading to rheumatoid arthritis and sepsis. This study aimed to confirm the change in inflammatory activity across innate immunity and acquired immunity while investigating the effects of pulsed magnetic field (PMF) on the immune system to regulate excessive inflammation. Raw 264.7 and EL4 cells were co-cultured in a DMEM medium using permeable cell culture inserts and inflammation was induced using LPS. Our PMF stimulator has the maximum intensity of 4700 G at a transition time of 136 μs with pulse intervals of 1 Hz. In order to confirm anti-inflammatory effects of PMF, the level of IL-6, pH and mitochondrial respiration rate (MRR) were measured using ELISA, pH meter and MTT assay, respectively. It was observed in vitro that inflammation-induced macrophages induce activation of T cells, as evidenced by the faster acidification in pH, increased IL-6 expression, and enhanced MRR, compared to T cells. But after PMF stimulation, pH levels improved, the concentration of IL-6 reduced, and MRR decreased in both macrophages and T-cells, which indicates inflammation relief. Our results show that macrophages, the primary immune cells, are first involved in the inflammatory response and recovery and influence T cells, the secondary immune cells. Therefore PMF stimulus is thought to affect the immune system of the human body by balancing the activation and suppression of immune cells and improve anti-inflammation. For clinical use, non-invasive PMF can be developed as a medical devices modulating immune system with optimizing the PMF conditions such as pulse shape, duration, or repetition rate.

Abstract Neutrino elastic scattering observation with NaI (NEON) is an experiment designed to detect neutrino-nucleus coherent scattering using reactor electron antineutrinos. NEON is based on an array of six NaI(Tl) crystals with a total mass of 13.3 kg, located at the tendon gallery that is 23.7 m away from a reactor core with a thermal power of 2.8 GW in the Hanbit nuclear power complex. The installation of the NEON detector was completed in December 2020, and since May 2021, the detector has acquired data at full reactor power. Based on the observed light yields of the NaI crystals of approximately 22, number of photoelectrons per unit keV electron-equivalent energy (keVee), and 6 counts/kg/keV/day background level at 2–6 keVee energy, coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE $$\nu $$ ν NS) observation sensitivity is evaluated as more than 3 $$\sigma $$ σ assuming 1-year reactor-on and 100 days reactor-off data, 0.2 keVee energy threshold, and 7 counts/keV/kg/day background in the signal region of 0.2 $$-$$ - 0.5 keVee. This paper describes the design of the NEON detector, including the shielding arrangement, configuration of NaI(Tl) crystals, and associated operating systems. The initial performance and associated sensitivity of the experiment are also presented.

Precise Point Positioning (PPP) is a technique that process Global Positioning System (GPS) observation that can achieve sub-decimetre accuracy. Precise ephemerides that contain satellite clock and position plays a vital role in minimising orbital and clock error in PPP. This study hypothesize that the efficiency of ephemerides varies across region, influenced by the density of stations involved in generating the ephemerides. GPS observations from stations in five different regions were processed using PPP technique by using RTKLIB. Four types of ephemerides were used namely broadcast, ultra-rapid, rapid, and final ephemerides during the processing of each station. Root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of 3D error of the PPP solution for the stations in each region is quantified. Among the five regions selected, Europe has the lowest RMSE of 155.67 cm, 27.93 cm, 27.38 cm and 27.06 cm for broadcast, ultra-rapid, rapid, and final ephemeris respectively. This high accuracy can be attributed to the density of International GNSS Service (IGS) stations in Europe that are available for the generation of ephemerides. Position Dilution of Precision (PDOP) was also found to contribute to the accuracy of PPP solution in a region, whereby a low PDOP often promises higher positioning accuracy. More regional stations are suggested to be involved in the generation of ephemerides to improve the efficiency of ephemerides in that region.

Abstract The Advanced Mo-based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE)-Pilot experiment is an initial phase of the AMoRE search for neutrinoless double beta decay of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo, with the purpose of investigating the level and sources of backgrounds. Searches for neutrinoless double beta decay generally require ultimately low backgrounds. Surface $$\alpha $$ α decays on the crystals themselves or nearby materials can deposit a continuum of energies that can be as high as the Q-value of the decay itself and may fall in the region of interest (ROI). To understand these background events, we studied backgrounds from radioactive contaminations internal to and on the surface of the crystals or nearby materials with Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulations. In this study, we report on the measured $$\alpha $$ α energy spectra fitted with the corresponding simulated spectra for six crystal detectors, where sources of background contributions could be identified through high energy $$\alpha $$ α peaks and continuum parts in the energy spectrum for both internal and surface contaminations. We determine the low-energy contributions from internal and surface $$\alpha $$ α contaminations by extrapolating from the $$\alpha $$ α background fitting model.

In the present work, a new hydrazone compound, namely N'-[(Z)-(4-chlorophenyl)methylidene]-2-(5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)acetohydrazide, noted HTH, was selected to protect carbon steel against corrosion in 1.0 mol/L HCl. Different chemical, electrochemical, and surface characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscope coupled with X-ray energy dispersion (SEM/EDX) were used to investigate the corrosion inhibition performance. Electrochemical data showed that the effectiveness of the inhibitor improved with increasing concentration, reaching 98% at the optimal concentration of 10-3 mol/L. The results of potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed that hydrazone acted as a mixed-type inhibitor. The EIS results showed an increase in polarization resistance accompanied by a noticeable decrease in Ceff,dl values. In the temperature range of 303 K-333 K, hydrazone protected carbon steel by 89%, showing high resistance to temperature effect. The analysis of the steel surface by SEM/EDX confirmed that the effectiveness of the hydrazone was attributed to the formation of a protective layer on the surface of the metal. Quantum chemical calculations revealed insights into the chemical reactivity of the tested hydrazone while first-principles density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation supported the experimental conclusions and showed outstanding adsorption ability of HTH on the Fe(110) surface. First-principles DFT simulations showed that the HTH molecule was more stable in a parallel adsorption mode.

Satellite measurements in nadir and limb viewing geometry provide a complementary view of the atmosphere. An effective combination of the limb and nadir measurements can give new information about atmospheric composition. In this work, we present tropospheric ozone column datasets that have been created using a combination of total ozone columns from OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) and TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) with stratospheric ozone column datasets from several available limb-viewing instruments: MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder), OSIRIS (Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging System), MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding), SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY), OMPS-LP (Ozone Mapping and Profiles Suite – Limb Profiler), and GOMOS (Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars). We have developed further the methodological aspects of the assessment of tropospheric ozone using the residual method supported by simulations with the chemistry transport model SILAM (System for Integrated modeLling of Atmospheric coMposition). It has been shown that the accurate assessment of ozone in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere (UTLS) is of high importance for detecting the ground-level ozone patterns. The stratospheric ozone column is derived from a combination of ozone profiles from several satellite instruments in limb-viewing geometry. We developed a method for the data homogenization, which includes the removal of biases and a posteriori estimation of random uncertainties, thus making the data from different instruments compatible with each other. The high-horizontal- and vertical-resolution dataset of ozone profiles is created via interpolation of the limb profiles from each day to a 1∘×1∘ horizonal grid. A new kriging-type interpolation method, which takes into account data uncertainties and the information about natural ozone variations from the SILAM-adjusted ozone field, has been developed. To mitigate the limited accuracy and coverage of the limb profile data in the UTLS, a smooth transition to the model data is applied below the tropopause. This allows for the estimation of the stratospheric ozone column with full coverage of the UTLS. The derived ozone profiles are in very good agreement with collocated ozonesonde measurements. The residual method was successfully applied to OMI and TROPOMI clear-sky total ozone data in combination with the stratospheric ozone column from the developed high-resolution limb profile dataset. The resulting tropospheric ozone column is in very good agreement with other satellite data. The global distributions of tropospheric ozone exhibit enhancements associated with the regions of high tropospheric ozone production. The main datasets created are (i) a monthly 1∘×1∘ global tropospheric ozone column dataset (from ground to 3 km below the tropopause) using OMI and limb instruments, (ii) a monthly 1∘×1∘ global tropospheric ozone column dataset using TROPOMI and limb instruments, and (iii) a daily 1∘×1∘ interpolated stratospheric ozone column from limb instruments. Other datasets, which are created as an intermediate step of creating the tropospheric ozone column data, are (i) a daily 1∘×1∘ clear-sky and total ozone column from OMI and TROPOMI, (ii) a daily 1∘×1∘ homogenized and interpolated dataset of ozone profiles from limb instruments, and (iii) a daily 1∘×1∘ dataset of ozone profiles from SILAM simulations with adjustment to satellite data. These datasets can be used in various studies related to variability and trends in ozone distributions in both the troposphere and the stratosphere. The datasets are processed from the beginning of OMI and TROPOMI measurements until December 2020 and are planned to be regularly extended in the future.

Broadcast orbits are compared against final orbit to get the error of broadcast orbit. The errors are analysed by presenting the error over space, especially longitude. The satellite trajectory is divided into three sector namely northern, southern, and transitional sectors. Spatial analysis show that the error is correlated with the latitude and longitude. Some consistency pattern can be observed from the distribution of the error in the spatial analysis. Standard deviation (SD) is used to quantify the consistency, providing more quantitative insights into the spatial analysis. Four patterns can be observed in the error distribution, namely consistency in northern and southern sector, consistency of transitional sector, changes after transitional sector, and correlation between ΔX component and ΔY component. The spatial analysis shows potential to be used in broadcast orbit error estimation and prediction. A model that uses this predicted broadcast orbit error as a correction will be designed in the future to improve the broadcast orbit accuracy.

The COSINE-100 experiment has been operating with 106 kg of low-background NaI(Tl) detectors to test the results from the DAMA/LIBRA experiment, which claims to have observed dark matter. However, since the background of the NaI(Tl) crystals used in the COSINE-100 experiment is 2–3 times higher than that in the DAMA detectors, no conclusion regarding the claimed observation from the DAMA/LIBRA experiment could be reached. Therefore, we plan to upgrade the current COSINE-100 experiment to the next phase, COSINE-200, by using ultra-low background NaI(Tl) detectors. The basic principle was already proved with the commercially available Astro-grade NaI powder from Sigma-Aldrich (now Merck) company. However, we have developed a mass production process of ultra-pure NaI powder at the Center for Underground Physics (CUP) of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Korea, using the direct purification of the raw NaI powder. We plan to produce more than 1,000 kg of ultra-pure powder for the COSINE-200 experiment. With our crystal grower installed at CUP, we have successfully grown a low-background crystal using our purification technique for the NaI powder. We have assembled a low-background NaI(Tl) detector. In this article, we report the performance of this ultra-pure NaI(Tl) crystal detector produced at IBS, Korea.

Abstract We present a background model for dark matter searches using an array of NaI(Tl) crystals in the COSINE-100 experiment that is located in the Yangyang underground laboratory. The model includes background contributions from both internal and external sources, including cosmogenic radionuclides and surface $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb contamination. To build the model in the low energy region, with a threshold of 1 keV, we used a depth profile of $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb contamination in the surface of the NaI(Tl) crystals determined in a comparison between measured and simulated spectra. We also considered the effect of the energy scale errors propagated from the statistical uncertainties and the nonlinear detector response at low energies. The 1.7 years COSINE-100 data taken between October 21, 2016 and July 18, 2018 were used for this analysis. Our Monte Carlo simulation provides a non-Gaussian peak around 50 keV originating from beta decays of bulk $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb in a good agreement with the measured background. This model estimates that the activities of bulk $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb and $$^{3}$$ 3 H are dominating the background rate that amounts to an average level of $$2.85\pm 0.15$$ 2.85 ± 0.15 counts/day/keV/kg in the energy region of (1–6) keV, using COSINE-100 data with a total exposure of 97.7 kg $$\cdot $$ · years.

Abstract A physically plausible lower bound on the spatially varying geostrophic mesoscale eddy energy dissipation time‐scale within the ocean, related to the geographical energy transfer rate out of the geostrophic mesoscales, is provided by means of a simple and computational inexpensive inverse calculation. Data diagnosed from a high resolution global configuration ocean simulation is supplied to a parameterized model of the geostrophic mesoscale eddy energy, from which the dissipation time‐scale results as a solution to an optimization calculation. We find that the dissipation time‐scale is shortest in the Southern Ocean, in the Western Boundary Currents, and on the western boundaries, consistent with the expectation that these regions are notable sites of baroclinic activity with processes leading to energy transfer out of the geostrophic mesoscales. Although our solution should be interpreted as a lower bound given the assumptions going into the calculation, it serves as an important physically consistent base line reference for further investigations into ocean energetics, as well as for an intended inference calculation that is more complete but also much more complex.

The concentration of 222Rn in the air has been measured in the 700 m-deep Yangyang underground laboratory between October 2004 and May 2022. The average concentrations (spreads) in two experimental areas, called A6 and A5, were measured to be 53.4 Bq/m3 (13.9 Bq/m3) and 33.5 Bq/m3 (7.9 Bq/m3), respectively. The lower value in the A5 area reflects the presence of better ventilation. The radon concentrations sampled within the two A5 experimental rooms’ air are found to be correlated to the local tunnel temperature outside of the rooms, with correlation coefficients r = 0.22 and r = 0.70. Therefore, the radon concentrations display a seasonal variation, because the local temperature driven by the overground season influences air ventilation in the experimental areas. A sinusoidal function with a period of 1 year was used to fit the radon concentration data of both underground areas finding a maximum amplitude on August, 31 ± 6 days.

Abstract We report the identification of metastable isomeric states of $$^{228}$$ 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 $$\beta $$ β -decay of $$^{228}$$ 228 Ra, a component of the $$^{232}$$ 232 Th decay chain, with $$\beta $$ β Q-values of 39.52 keV, 39.13 keV and 25.61 keV, respectively. Due to the low Q-value of $$^{228}$$ 228 Ra as well as the relative abundance of $$^{232}$$ 232 Th and their progeny in low background experiments, these observations potentially impact the low-energy background modeling of dark matter search experiments.

In this paper, we discuss the method for validation of random uncertainties in the remote sensing measurements based on evaluation of the structure function, i.e., root-mean-square differences as a function of increasing spatiotemporal separation of the measurements. The limit at the zero mismatch provides the experimental estimate of random noise in the data. At the same time, this method allows probing of the natural variability of the measured parameter. As an illustration, we applied this method to the clear-sky total ozone measurements by the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board the Sentinel-5P satellite. We found that the random uncertainties reported by the TROPOMI inversion algorithm, which are in the range 1–2 DU, agree well with the experimental uncertainty estimates by the structure function. Our analysis of the structure function has shown the expected results on total ozone variability: it is significantly smaller in the tropics compared to mid-latitudes. At mid-latitudes, ozone variability is much larger in winter than in summer. The ozone structure function is anisotropic (being larger in the latitudinal direction) at horizontal scales larger than 10–20 km. The structure function rapidly grows with the separation distance. At mid-latitudes in winter, the ozone values can differ by 5 % at separations 300–500 km. The method discussed is a powerful tool in experimental estimates of the random noise in data and studies of natural variability, and it can be used in various applications.

Abstract LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a second-generation direct dark matter experiment with spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering sensitivity above $${1.4 \times 10^{-48}}\, {\hbox {cm}}^{2}$$ 1.4 × 10 - 48 cm 2 for a WIMP mass of $${40}\, \hbox {GeV}/{\hbox {c}}^{2}$$ 40 GeV / c 2 and a $${1000}\, \hbox {days}$$ 1000 days exposure. LZ achieves this sensitivity through a combination of a large $${5.6}\, \hbox {t}$$ 5.6 t fiducial volume, active inner and outer veto systems, and radio-pure construction using materials with inherently low radioactivity content. The LZ collaboration performed an extensive radioassay campaign over a period of six years to inform material selection for construction and provide an input to the experimental background model against which any possible signal excess may be evaluated. The campaign and its results are described in this paper. We present assays of dust and radon daughters depositing on the surface of components as well as cleanliness controls necessary to maintain background expectations through detector construction and assembly. Finally, examples from the campaign to highlight fixed contaminant radioassays for the LZ photomultiplier tubes, quality control and quality assurance procedures through fabrication, radon emanation measurements of major sub-systems, and bespoke detector systems to assay scintillator are presented.

Abstract The annual modulation signal observed by the DAMA experiment is a long-standing question in the community of dark matter direct detection. This necessitates an independent verification of its existence using the same detection technique. The COSINE-100 experiment has been operating with 106 kg of low-background NaI(Tl) detectors providing interesting checks on the DAMA signal. However, due to higher backgrounds in the NaI(Tl) crystals used in COSINE-100 relative to those used for DAMA, it was difficult to reach final conclusions. Since the start of COSINE-100 data taking in 2016, we also have initiated a program to develop ultra-pure NaI(Tl) crystals for COSINE-200, the next phase of the experiment. The program includes efforts of raw powder purification, ultra-pure NaI(Tl) crystal growth, and detector assembly techniques. After extensive research and development of NaI(Tl) crystal growth, we have successfully grown a few small-size (0.61–0.78 kg) thallium-doped crystals with high radio-purity. A high light yield has been achieved by improvements of our detector assembly technique. Here we report the ultra-pure NaI(Tl) detector developments at the Institute for Basic Science, Korea. The technique developed here will be applied to the production of NaI(Tl) detectors for the COSINE-200 experiment.

Abstract The advanced molybdenum-based rare process experiment (AMoRE) aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay ($$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ ) of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo with $$\sim 100\,\hbox {kg}$$ ∼100kg of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo-enriched molybdenum embedded in cryogenic detectors with a dual heat and light readout. At the current, pilot stage of the AMoRE project we employ six calcium molybdate crystals with a total mass of 1.9 kg, produced from $$^{48}$$ 48 Ca-depleted calcium and $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo-enriched molybdenum ($$^{48{{\text {depl}}}}\hbox {Ca}^{100}\hbox {MoO}_{4}$$ 48deplCa100MoO4 ). The simultaneous detection of heat (phonon) and scintillation (photon) signals is realized with high resolution metallic magnetic calorimeter sensors that operate at milli-Kelvin temperatures. This stage of the project is carried out in the Yangyang underground laboratory at a depth of 700 m. We report first results from the AMoRE-Pilot $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ search with a 111 kg day live exposure of $$^{48{{\text {depl}}}}\hbox {Ca}^{100}\hbox {MoO}_{4}$$ 48deplCa100MoO4 crystals. No evidence for $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ decay of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo is found, and a upper limit is set for the half-life of $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0νββ of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo of $$T^{0\nu }_{1/2} > 9.5\times 10^{22}~\hbox {years}$$ T1/20ν>9.5×1022years at 90% C.L. This limit corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass limit in the range $$\langle m_{\beta \beta }\rangle \le (1.2-2.1)\,\hbox {eV}$$ ⟨mββ⟩≤(1.2-2.1)eV .

Abstract Limits on the cross section for weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) elastic scattering on nuclei in NaI(Tl) detectors at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory are obtained from a 2967.4 kg·day data exposure. The nuclei recoiling from the scattering process are identified by the pulse shape of the scintillation light signals that they produce. The data are consistent with a no nuclear-recoil hypothesis, and WIMP-mass-dependent 90% confidence-level upper-limits are set on WIMP-nuclei elastic scattering cross sections. These limits partially exclude the DAMA/LIBRA allowed region for WIMP-sodium interactions with the same NaI(Tl) target material. The 90% confidence level upper limit on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section is 3.26×10−4 pb for a WIMP mass of 10 GeV/c2.

The present work was designed to synthesize novel NaY and Ni modified NaY (Ni-NaY) zeolites for efficient removal of phenol from aqueous solution. The Ni-NaY (FAU, Si/Al = 2.56) was prepared by ion-exchange method at 873 K and pH = 5.8. The characterization of NaY and Ni-NaY was done by EDX, FTIR, ATD/TGA, BET, SEM, and XRD. Characterization results revealed that Ni-NaY showed an increased surface area and pore volume compared to NaY. The phenol adsorption reached the equilibrium within 2 h at pH = 4. A comparative study indicated that Ni-NaY exhibited a high adsorption capacity of phenol compared to NaY, with an average removal of 77.20% and 88.79% by NaY and Ni-NaY, respectively. The low coordination number of Ni cations in NaY structure and the ability of this zeolite to stabilize Ni cations in low-valence states were the main reasons for its superior adsorption performance compared with NaY. The experimental adsorption data were applied to different adsorption and kinetic models to understand the adsorption mechanism. Results indicated that the Freundlich model and pseudo-second order fited the adsorption of phenol on NaY and Ni-NaY. The phenol adsorption on NaY and Ni-NaY zeolite was mediated principally via hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl (OH) group of phenol and silanol groups of the Ni-NaY zeolite surface. Results also showed that after 5 cycles of regeneration, Ni-NaY had a removal efficiency higher than 90%, which demonstrated an excellent reproducibility of modified zeolite as an adsorbent.

Background:Statins can cause muscle symptoms resulting in poor adherence to therapy and increased cardiovascular risk. We hypothesize that combinations of potentially functional SNPs (pfSNPs), rather than individual SNPs, better predict myalgia in patients on atorvastatin. This study assesses the value of potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (pfSNPs) and employs six machine learning algorithms to identify the combination of SNPs that best predict myalgia.Methods: Whole genome sequencing of 183 Chinese, Malay and Indian patients from Singapore was conducted to identify genetic variants associated with atorvastatin induced myalgia. To adjust for confounding factors, demographic and clinical characteristics were also examined for their association with myalgia. The top factor, sex, was then used as a covariate in the whole genome association analyses. Variants that were highly associated with myalgia from this and previous studies were extracted, assessed for potential functionality (pfSNPs) and incorporated into six machine learning models. Predictive performance of a combination of different models and inputs were compared using the average cross validation area under ROC curve (AUC). The minimum combination of SNPs to achieve maximum sensitivity and specificity as determined by AUC, that predict atorvastatin-induced myalgia in most, if not all the six machine learning models was determined.Results: Through whole genome association analyses using sex as a covariate, a larger proportion of pfSNPs compared to non-pf SNPs were found to be highly associated with myalgia. Although none of the individual SNPs achieved genome wide significance in univariate analyses, machine learning models identified a combination of 15 SNPs that predict myalgia with good predictive performance (AUC >0.9). SNPs within genes identified in this study significantly outperformed SNPs within genes previously reported to be associated with myalgia. pfSNPs were found to be more robust in predicting myalgia, outperforming non-pf SNPs in the majority of machine learning models tested.Conclusion: Combinations of pfSNPs that were consistently identified by different machine learning models to have high predictive performance have good potential to be clinically useful for predicting atorvastatin-induced myalgia once validated against an independent cohort of patients.

Although proper exercise training induces positive physiological effects, improper exercise can lead to injury, fatigue, and poor performance. The frequency, intensity, time/duration, type, volume, and progression (FITT-VP) are the essential components of exercise training to maintain or improve physical fitness and health. The purpose of this study was to develop specific exercise programs by applying the FITT-VP principle and to examine the effects on heart rate (HR) and hematological and biochemical parameters in dogs. The healthy male Beagles (n = 4) included in this study performed continuous and interval exercises, comprising 12 protocols. The HR monitoring elicited an affirmative response to activities but varied depending on the protocols. The hematologic parameters (e.g., red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) were within the reference ranges both before and after exercise. The creatine kinase level significantly increased, and the cholesterol level decreased after exercises. In conclusion, the continuous and interval exercise program elicits an appropriate HR reaction, has no adverse effects on the serum parameters, and provides valuable insight for healthcare in dogs.

Abstract A single crystal of $$\hbox {Na}_2\hbox {W}_2\hbox {O}_7$$ Na2W2O7 (NWO) was grown by a low-thermal-gradient Czochralski technique (LTG-CZ). The scintillation properties of the crystal were evaluated for the first time as a potential material for dark matter search experiments. The luminescence and scintillation characteristics of the crystal were studied at room temperature and low temperatures by using a light-emitting diode (LED) and a $${}^{90}\hbox {Sr}$$ 90Sr beta source. The luminescence and scintillation light yield at 10 K were significantly higher than those at room temperature. The crystal showed higher light yield at 10 K than a CaMoO$$_4$$ 4 (CMO) crystal. The decay time of the crystal was investigated at temperatures between 10 and 300 K. The sensitivity to spin-independent weakly interacting massive particle-nucleon interactions based on 10 kg (2 months) and 50 kg (12 months) data for the NWO crystal detectors was estimated by a simulated experiment using the standard halo model. The luminescence, scintillation, and sensitivity results revealed that the NWO crystal is a promising candidate for a dark matter search experiment in the near future.

Abstract The COSINE-100 dark matter search experiment is an array of NaI(Tl) crystal detectors located in the Yangyang Underground Laboratory (Y2L). To understand measured backgrounds in the NaI(Tl) crystals we have performed Monte Carlo simulations using the Geant4 toolkit and developed background models for each crystal that consider contributions from both internal and external sources, including cosmogenic nuclides. The background models are based on comparisons of measurement data with Monte Carlo simulations that are guided by a campaign of material assays and are used to evaluate backgrounds and identify their sources. The average background level for the six crystals (70 kg total mass) that are studied is 3.5 counts/day/keV/kg in the (2–6) keV energy interval. The dominant contributors in this energy region are found to be $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb and $$^3$$ 3 H.

Abstract COSINE is a dark matter search experiment based on an array of low background NaI(Tl) crystals located at the Yangyang underground laboratory. The assembly of COSINE-100 was completed in the summer of 2016 and the detector is currently collecting physics quality data aimed at reproducing the DAMA/LIBRA experiment that reported an annual modulation signal. Stable operation has been achieved and will continue for at least 2 years. Here, we describe the design of COSINE-100, including the shielding arrangement, the configuration of the NaI(Tl) crystal detection elements, the veto systems, and the associated operational systems, and we show the current performance of the experiment.

Abstract We have developed ultra-low-background NaI(Tl) crystals to reproduce the DAMA results with the ultimate goal of achieving purity levels that are comparable to or better than those of the DAMA/LIBRA crystals. Even though the achieved background level does not approach that of DAMA/LIBRA, it is crucial to have a quantitative understanding of the backgrounds. We have studied background simulations toward a deeper understanding of the backgrounds and developed background models for a 9.16-kg NaI(Tl) crystal used in the test arrangement. In this paper we describe the contributions of background sources quantitatively by performing Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations that are fitted to the measured data to quantify the unknown fractions of the background compositions. In the fitted results, the overall simulated background spectrum well describes the measured data with a 9.16-kg NaI(Tl) crystal and shows that the background sources are dominated by surface $$^{210}$$ 210 Pb and internal $$^{40}$$ 40 K in the 2–6-keV energy interval, which produce 2.4 counts/day/keV/kg (dru) and 0.5 dru, respectively.

To understand the precise mechanism by what the soot is removed when the triple point passed over the smoked inner wall foil or smoked end-on glass and promote the research on spinning detonation structure, smoked end-on glasses and inner wall smoked foils were established to record the trajectories of triple-shock Mach intersections of spinning detonation. Detonation records of unstable, a little stable and very stable premixed mixtures were obtained in wall foils and end-on glasses. Smoked end-on glass of 2H2 + O2 + 3Ar gave clear records. Sing-head spinning detonation records of 2H2 + O2 + 3Ar indicates that the internal structure of the spinning detonation is not stable while the inner wall results are similar. The cause why soot can be adsorbed on foils and glasses is one factor. Another factor is that reaction characteristics performance of different mixtures should be considered according to above experimental results. The soot can be removed when bond energy is bigger than adsorption energy between the soot and the foil or glass surface. What's more, the carbon molecules particles in detonation front reaction may lead to carbon accumulation and affect the records. In another hand, the strength of reflected shock wave may affect the clarity of the records. Finally, the precise mechanism is affected by characteristics of mixtures. Using appropriate surface roughness and soot particle size according to mixtures characteristics can give satisfying detonation structure records.

CH4 is a typical and special detonation mixture. Based on the experimental method, digital image processing was performed to study the detonation stability theory of methane. A premixed CH4 + 2O2 mixture was ignited in a tube with an inner diameter of 50.8 mm under different initial pressures. Smoked foils were used to record the cellular structure of spinning detonation. The average detonation velocity measured is similar with the CJ detonation velocity and it demonstrates that steady detonation happens when the initial pressure is higher than 5 kPa. The triple point trajectory leaves a very irregular pattern in smoked foils. In order to decrease human error, the digital processing technology was utilized and improved. The CH4 + 2O2 mixture shows high degree of irregularity in the computation of histograms and the autocorrelation function. The cellular size and gap of the unstable premixed CH4 + 2O2 were given. It is found that the results measured by digital image processing are accurate and by eyes are too big. The research can calculate the cellular size and the degree of instability of the unstable premixed CH4 + 2O2 and improves the quantitative irregular calculation method.

A 67-year-old woman presented with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding. Full body imaging demonstrated an intrauterine mass with deep myometrial invasion but no nodal or other metastatic disease. Uterine curettage was performed. Histologically, the tumor was an endometrioid adenocarcinoma with sarcomatous element and a hepatoid component, the latter was immunohistochemically positive for alpha-fetoprotein, HepPar-1, and arginase-1. The patient underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Serum alpha-fetoprotein level decreased from 31896 ug/l preoperatively to 2063 ug/l postoperatively. Eight weeks later, a rise in serum alpha-fetoprotein was detected, and a biopsy-proven vaginal recurrence was diagnosed. Palliative chemotherapy led to tumor shrinkage and a concurrent decrease in the serum alpha-fetoprotein level. A rise in serum alpha-fetoprotein, refractory to second-line chemotherapy, was accompanied by subsequent development of ureteric obstruction, ascites, and radiological evidence of peritoneal metastases. This is an unusual case of uterine carcinosarcoma with an alpha-fetoprotein-producing hepatoid adenocarcinoma component. Serum alpha-fetoprotein level corresponds to disease recurrence and progression.