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Abstract A significant challenge in measurements of neutrino oscillations is reconstructing the incoming neutrino energies. While modern fully-active tracking calorimeters such as liquid argon time projection chambers in principle allow the measurement of all final state particles above some detection threshold, undetected neutrons remain a considerable source of missing energy with little to no data constraining their production rates and kinematics. We present the first demonstration of tagging neutrino-induced neutrons in liquid argon time projection chambers using secondary protons emitted from neutron-argon interactions in the MicroBooNE detector. We describe the method developed to identify neutrino-induced neutrons and demonstrate its performance using neutrons produced in muon-neutrino charged current interactions. The method is validated using a small subset of MicroBooNE’s total dataset. The selection yields a sample with $$60\%$$ 60 % of selected tracks corresponding to neutron-induced secondary protons. At this purity, the integrated efficiency is 8.4% for neutrons that produce a detectable proton.

Abstract New neutrino–nucleus interaction cross-section measurements are required to improve nuclear models sufficiently for future long baseline neutrino experiments to meet their sensitivity goals. A time projection chamber (TPC) filled with a high-pressure gas is a promising detector to characterise the neutrino sources used for such experiments. A gas-filled TPC is ideal for measuring low-energy particles, which travel further in gas than in solid or liquid detectors and using high-pressure increases the target density, resulting in more neutrino interactions. We examine the suitability of multiwire proportional chambers (MWPCs) from the ALICE TPC for use as the readout chambers of a high-pressure gas TPC. These chambers were previously operated at atmospheric pressure. We report the successful operation of an ALICE TPC outer readout chamber (OROC) at pressures up to 4.2 bar absolute (barA) with $$\text {Ar-CH}_4$$ Ar-CH 4 mixtures with a $$\text {CH}_{4}$$ CH 4 content between 2.8 and 5.0%, and so far up to 4 bar absolute with $${\text {Ar-CO}}_2$$ Ar-CO 2 (90-10). The charge gain of the OROC was measured with signals induced by an $$^{55}\text {Fe}$$ 55 Fe source. The largest gain achieved at 4.2 bar was $$(29\pm 1)\cdot 10^{3}$$ ( 29 ± 1 ) · 10 3 in $$\text {Ar-CH}_4$$ Ar-CH 4 with 4.0% $$\text {CH}_{4}$$ CH 4 with an anode voltage of $${2975}\,\hbox {V}$$ 2975 V . In $${\text {Ar-CO}}_2$$ Ar-CO 2 with 10% $$\text {CO}_{2}$$ CO 2 at 4 barA, a gain of $$(4.2\pm 0.1)\cdot 10^{3}$$ ( 4.2 ± 0.1 ) · 10 3 was observed with anode voltage $${2975}\,\hbox {V}$$ 2975 V . We extrapolate that at 10 barA, an interesting pressure for future neutrino experiments, a gain of 5000 in $${\text {Ar-CO}}_2$$ Ar-CO 2 with 10% $$\text {CO}_{2}$$ CO 2 (10,000 in $$\text {Ar-CH}_4$$ Ar-CH 4 with $$\sim \!{4}{\%}$$ ∼ 4 % $$\text {CH}_{4}$$ CH 4 ) may be achieved with anode voltage of $${4.6}\,\hbox {kV}$$ 4.6 kV ( $$\sim \!{3.6}\,\hbox {kV}$$ ∼ 3.6 kV ).

Abstract Background Since its introduction in the diagnostic manuals DSM-5 and ICD-11, the construct of personality functioning has gained increasing attention. However, it remains unclear which factors might predict improvement in personality functioning. Methods We examined a sample of 648 completed psychodynamic psychotherapies conducted by 172 therapists at the Heidelberg Institute for Psychotherapy. A machine learning approach was used to filter for variables that are relevant for the prediction of the improvement of personality functioning from a broad data set of variables collected at the beginning of each psychodynamic psychotherapy. Results On average, we found an improvement of 0.24 (SD = 0.48) in the OPD-SQ. This corresponds to a medium effect in the improvement of personality functioning. Patients with initially high impairment experienced particularly large improvements. Overall, we found a large number of variables that proved to be predictive for the improvement of personality functioning. Limitations in social activity due to physical and emotional problems proved to be one of the most important predictors of improvement. Most of the effect sizes were small. Conclusions Overall, the improvement in personality functioning during psychotherapy is determined more by the sum of a large number of small effects than by individual variables. In particular, variables that capture social areas of life proved to be robust predictors.

Abstract The Aria cryogenic distillation plant, located in Sardinia, Italy, is a key component of the DarkSide-20k experimental program for WIMP dark matter searches at the INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. Aria is designed to purify the argon, extracted from underground wells in Colorado, USA, and used as the DarkSide-20k target material, to detector-grade quality. In this paper, we report the first measurement of argon isotopic separation by distillation with the 26 m tall Aria prototype. We discuss the measurement of the operating parameters of the column and the observation of the simultaneous separation of the three stable argon isotopes: $${}^{36}\hbox {Ar}$$ 36 Ar , $${}^{38}\textrm{Ar}$$ 38 Ar , and $${}^{40}\textrm{Ar}$$ 40 Ar . We also provide a detailed comparison of the experimental results with commercial process simulation software. This measurement of isotopic separation of argon is a significant achievement for the project, building on the success of the initial demonstration of isotopic separation of nitrogen using the same equipment in 2019.

Abstract Primary challenges for current and future precision neutrino experiments using liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs) include understanding detector effects and quantifying the associated systematic uncertainties. This paper presents a novel technique for assessing and propagating LArTPC detector-related systematic uncertainties. The technique makes modifications to simulation waveforms based on a parameterization of observed differences in ionization signals from the TPC between data and simulation, while remaining insensitive to the details of the detector model. The modifications are then used to quantify the systematic differences in low- and high-level reconstructed quantities. This approach could be applied to future LArTPC detectors, such as those used in SBN and DUNE.

Abstract The MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber located at Fermilab is a neutrino experiment dedicated to the study of short-baseline oscillations, the measurements of neutrino cross sections in liquid argon, and to the research and development of this novel detector technology. Accurate and precise measurements of calorimetry are essential to the event reconstruction and are achieved by leveraging the TPC to measure deposited energy per unit length along the particle trajectory, with mm resolution. We describe the non-uniform calorimetric reconstruction performance in the detector, showing dependence on the angle of the particle trajectory. Such non-uniform reconstruction directly affects the performance of the particle identification algorithms which infer particle type from calorimetric measurements. This work presents a new particle identification method which accounts for and effectively addresses such non-uniformity. The newly developed method shows improved performance compared to previous algorithms, illustrated by a 93.7% proton selection efficiency and a 10% muon mis-identification rate, with a fairly loose selection of tracks performed on beam data. The performance is further demonstrated by identifying exclusive final states in ν μ CC interactions. While developed using MicroBooNE data and simulation, this method is easily applicable to future LArTPC experiments, such as SBND, ICARUS, and DUNE.

Abstract Aria is a plant hosting a $${350}\,\hbox {m}$$ 350 m cryogenic isotopic distillation column, the tallest ever built, which is being installed in a mine shaft at Carbosulcis S.p.A., Nuraxi-Figus (SU), Italy. Aria is one of the pillars of the argon dark-matter search experimental program, lead by the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration. It was designed to reduce the isotopic abundance of $${^{39}\hbox {Ar}}$$ 39 Ar in argon extracted from underground sources, called Underground Argon (UAr), which is used for dark-matter searches. Indeed, $${^{39}\hbox {Ar}}$$ 39 Ar is a $$\beta $$ β -emitter of cosmogenic origin, whose activity poses background and pile-up concerns in the detectors. In this paper, we discuss the requirements, design, construction, tests, and projected performance of the plant for the isotopic cryogenic distillation of argon. We also present the successful results of the isotopic cryogenic distillation of nitrogen with a prototype plant.

Bats are particularly susceptible to environmental changes because of their low reproductive rate, longevity, and high metabolic rates, which lead to relatively high food requirements. Thus, bat populations take a relatively long time to recover from increased mortality rates, and monitoring schemes should cover long time periods. In this work, we analyzed the population trajectories of two bat species, Rhinolophus hipposideros and Myotis myotis, the most numerous in five caves in southern Poland, which are known as important bat hibernacula on a continental scale. Data were collected by regular counts in 1985–2020, depending on the particular cave; in addition, previous data on the number of hibernating bats in these caves, available since 1951, were taken from existing publications. We analyzed time-series data using average locality indices and TRIM (TRends and Indices for Monitoring data) methods, and both produced similar results. Generally, the populations of the two studied bat species showed recent increasing trends, especially visible as an effect of recovery after years of decline. The situation recorded in southern Poland is very similar to that described in other places in Europe, where recoveries of bat populations have also been observed in the last decades. Although it is difficult to present results from formal analyses, because of the lack of good data, at least some factors—less exposure to contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals), improving food availability due to climate change, and a lower predation rate (including human pressure), both in the breeding season and during wintering—positively affected both species.

Abstract The electron (anti-)neutrino component of the T2K neutrino beam constitutes the largest background in the measurement of electron (anti-)neutrino appearance at the far detector. The electron neutrino scattering is measured directly with the T2K off-axis near detector, ND280. The selection of the electron (anti-)neutrino events in the plastic scintillator target from both neutrino and anti-neutrino mode beams is discussed in this paper. The flux integrated single differential charged-current inclusive electron (anti-)neutrino cross-sections, dσ/dp and dσ/d cos(θ), and the total cross-sections in a limited phase-space in momentum and scattering angle (p > 300 MeV/c and θ ≤ 45°) are measured using a binned maximum likelihood fit and compared to the neutrino Monte Carlo generator predictions, resulting in good agreement.

Abstract Cosmic ray (CR) interactions can be a challenging source of background for neutrino oscillation and cross-section measurements in surface detectors. We present methods for CR rejection in measurements of charged-current quasielastic-like (CCQE-like) neutrino interactions, with a muon and a proton in the final state, measured using liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). Using a sample of cosmic data collected with the MicroBooNE detector, mixed with simulated neutrino scattering events, a set of event selection criteria is developed that produces an event sample with minimal contribution from CR background. Depending on the selection criteria used a purity between 50 and 80% can be achieved with a signal selection efficiency between 50 and 25%, with higher purity coming at the expense of lower efficiency. While using a specific dataset and selection criteria values optimized for the MicroBooNE detector, the concepts presented here are generic and can be adapted for various studies of exclusive $$\nu _{\mu }$$ νμ CCQE interactions in LArTPCs.

Abstract We measure a large set of observables in inclusive charged current muon neutrino scattering on argon with the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber operating at Fermilab. We evaluate three neutrino interaction models based on the widely used GENIE event generator using these observables. The measurement uses a data set consisting of neutrino interactions with a final state muon candidate fully contained within the MicroBooNE detector. These data were collected in 2016 with the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam, which has an average neutrino energy of $$800~\hbox {MeV}$$ 800MeV , using an exposure corresponding to $$ 5.0\times 10^{19}$$ 5.0×1019 protons-on-target. The analysis employs fully automatic event selection and charged particle track reconstruction and uses a data-driven technique to separate neutrino interactions from cosmic ray background events. We find that GENIE models consistently describe the shapes of a large number of kinematic distributions for fixed observed multiplicity.

Standards and legislation are already in place to provide the necessary building requirements to improve mobility access for everyone. However, these requirements are not always adhered to for a variety of reasons even in cases of new constructions. Moreover, already existing structures and/or historical buildings built prior to such mobility requirements were put into force must be retrofitted. Consequently, a significant number of potential interesting locations are not accessible to persons with reduced mobility. For this reason, the focus of our research is on the expected content and availability of detailed mobility related information and how to improve the communication of accessibility information to users in order to evaluate the accessibility potential of public places and spaces to help persons with reduced mobility plan their outings by taking advantage of smart data and people in cities.

Abstract The development and operation of liquid-argon time-projection chambers for neutrino physics has created a need for new approaches to pattern recognition in order to fully exploit the imaging capabilities offered by this technology. Whereas the human brain can excel at identifying features in the recorded events, it is a significant challenge to develop an automated, algorithmic solution. The Pandora Software Development Kit provides functionality to aid the design and implementation of pattern-recognition algorithms. It promotes the use of a multi-algorithm approach to pattern recognition, in which individual algorithms each address a specific task in a particular topology. Many tens of algorithms then carefully build up a picture of the event and, together, provide a robust automated pattern-recognition solution. This paper describes details of the chain of over one hundred Pandora algorithms and tools used to reconstruct cosmic-ray muon and neutrino events in the MicroBooNE detector. Metrics that assess the current pattern-recognition performance are presented for simulated MicroBooNE events, using a selection of final-state event topologies.

Oxidation flow reactors that use low-pressure mercury lamps to produce hydroxyl (OH) radicals are an emerging technique for studying the oxidative aging of organic aerosols. Here, ozone (O3) is photolyzed at 254 nm to produce O(1D) radicals, which react with water vapor to produce OH. However, the need to use parts-per-million levels of O3 hinders the ability of oxidation flow reactors to simulate NOx-dependent secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation pathways. Simple addition of nitric oxide (NO) results in fast conversion of NOx (NO + NO2) to nitric acid (HNO3), making it impossible to sustain NOx at levels that are sufficient to compete with hydroperoxy (HO2) radicals as a sink for organic peroxy (RO2) radicals. We developed a new method that is well suited to the characterization of NOx-dependent SOA formation pathways in oxidation flow reactors. NO and NO2 are produced via the reaction O(1D) + N2O → 2NO, followed by the reaction NO + O3 → NO2 + O2. Laboratory measurements coupled with photochemical model simulations suggest that O(1D) + N2O reactions can be used to systematically vary the relative branching ratio of RO2 + NO reactions relative to RO2 + HO2 and/or RO2 + RO2 reactions over a range of conditions relevant to atmospheric SOA formation. We demonstrate proof of concept using high-resolution time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-CIMS) measurements with nitrate (NO3−) reagent ion to detect gas-phase oxidation products of isoprene and α-pinene previously observed in NOx-influenced environments and in laboratory chamber experiments.

We present studies of proton fluxes in the T10 beamline at CERN. A prototype high pressure gas time projection chamber (TPC) was exposed to the beam of protons and other particles, using the 0.8 GeV/c momentum setting in T10, in order to make cross section measurements of low energy protons in argon. To explore the energy region comparable to hadrons produced by GeV-scale neutrino interactions at oscillation experiments, i.e., near 0.1 GeV of kinetic energy, methods of moderating the T10 beam were employed: the dual technique of moderating the beam with acrylic blocks and measuring scattered protons off the beam axis was used to decrease the kinetic energy of incident protons, as well as change the proton/minimum ionising particle (MIP) composition of the incident flux. Measurements of the beam properties were made using time of flight systems upstream and downstream of the TPC. The kinetic energy of protons reaching the TPC was successfully changed from ∼0.3 GeV without moderator blocks to less than 0.1 GeV with four moderator blocks (40 cm path length). The flux of both protons and MIPs off the beam axis was increased. The ratio of protons to MIPs vary as a function of the off-axis angle allowing for possible optimisation of the detector to select the type of required particles. Simulation informed by the time of flight measurements show that with four moderator blocks placed in the beamline, (5.6 ± 0.1) protons with energies below 0.1 GeV per spill traversed the active TPC region. Measurements of the beam composition and energy are presented.

A model intercomparison activity was inspired by the large suite of observations of atmospheric composition made during the International Polar Year (2008) in the Arctic. Nine global and two regional chemical transport models participated in this intercomparison and performed simulations for 2008 using a common emissions inventory to assess the differences in model chemistry and transport schemes. This paper summarizes the models and compares their simulations of ozone and its precursors and presents an evaluation of the simulations using a variety of surface, balloon, aircraft and satellite observations. Each type of measurement has some limitations in spatial or temporal coverage or in composition, but together they assist in quantifying the limitations of the models in the Arctic and surrounding regions. Despite using the same emissions, large differences are seen among the models. The cloud fields and photolysis rates are shown to vary greatly among the models, indicating one source of the differences in the simulated chemical species. The largest differences among models, and between models and observations, are in NOy partitioning (PAN vs. HNO3) and in oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as acetaldehyde and acetone. Comparisons to surface site measurements of ethane and propane indicate that the emissions of these species are significantly underestimated. Satellite observations of NO2 from the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) have been used to evaluate the models over source regions, indicating anthropogenic emissions are underestimated in East Asia, but fire emissions are generally overestimated. The emission factors for wildfires in Canada are evaluated using the correlations of VOCs to CO in the model output in comparison to enhancement factors derived from aircraft observations, showing reasonable agreement for methanol and acetaldehyde but underestimate ethanol, propane and acetone, while overestimating ethane emission factors.

The correlations among different media, mineral nutrition and morphological features of gerbera flowers in relation to their vase-life period investigated. The bast medium for longevity of cut gerbera flowers was the mixture of composted pine bark and peat moss fertilized with N – 250 mg/1 and Mg – 150 mg/1. It was found that cut gerberas lasted longer when they were the Alkemade type, i.e. with wide petals. Yellow flowers remained fresh longer than red and pink ones. It was also found that the vase-life period of gerberas directly correlated with the length of floral stalk, its ability to grow and the inflorescence diameter. The solution of flower preservative Proflovit-72 was effective 'in extending life at room temperature and improved the quality and longevity of flowers which were previously in coldstorage for 1 to 3 weeks.

The performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting regional model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) in simulating the spatial and temporal variations in aerosol mass, composition, and size over California is quantified using the extensive meteorological, trace gas, and aerosol measurements collected during the California Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Experiment (CalNex) and the Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) conducted during May and June of 2010. The overall objective of the field campaigns was to obtain data needed to better understand processes that affect both climate and air quality, including emission assessments, transport and chemical aging of aerosols, aerosol radiative effects. Simulations were performed that examined the sensitivity of aerosol concentrations to anthropogenic emissions and to long-range transport of aerosols into the domain obtained from a global model. The configuration of WRF-Chem used in this study is shown to reproduce the overall synoptic conditions, thermally driven circulations, and boundary layer structure observed in region that controls the transport and mixing of trace gases and aerosols. Reducing the default emissions inventory by 50% led to an overall improvement in many simulated trace gases and black carbon aerosol at most sites and along most aircraft flight paths; however, simulated organic aerosol was closer to observed when there were no adjustments to the primary organic aerosol emissions. We found that sulfate was better simulated over northern California whereas nitrate was better simulated over southern California. While the overall spatial and temporal variability of aerosols and their precursors were simulated reasonably well, we show cases where the local transport of some aerosol plumes were either too slow or too fast, which adversely affects the statistics quantifying the differences between observed and simulated quantities. Comparisons with lidar and in situ measurements indicate that long-range transport of aerosols from the global model was likely too high in the free troposphere even though their concentrations were relatively low. This bias led to an over-prediction in aerosol optical depth by as much as a factor of 2 that offset the under-predictions of boundary-layer extinction resulting primarily from local emissions. Lowering the boundary conditions of aerosol concentrations by 50% greatly reduced the bias in simulated aerosol optical depth for all regions of California. This study shows that quantifying regional-scale variations in aerosol radiative forcing and determining the relative role of emissions from local and distant sources is challenging during `clean' conditions and that a wide array of measurements are needed to ensure model predictions are correct for the right reasons. In this regard, the combined CalNex and CARES data sets are an ideal test bed that can be used to evaluate aerosol models in great detail and develop improved treatments for aerosol processes.

Raman microscopy enables the delimitation of the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) in human and animal teeth, by using, e.g., the 1 oscillations of PO43- (960 cm-1) for the boundary with the enamel and of stretching modes for C-H2 (~2935 cm-1) for the boundary with the dentin and it can be strictly compared with the optical image of DEJ. In this way, one can observe the distribution of some elements of collagen fibrils crossing DEJ, by using the oscillations for proline ((C-C) of ring at 855 and 921 cm-1), for hydroxyproline ((C-C) of ring at 876 cm-1), and for phenylalanine ((C-C) of ring ~1003 cm-1). The systematic although not identical drop in the concentrations of these amino acids was observed on passing from the dentin to enamel side. Several other oscillations were traced as well (for organic chain fragments, amide groups). The observation was widened on the zones adhering on the enamel side (up to 15 m) and on the dentin side (15 m outside the boundary) to the DEJ. The investigations suggest the reorganization of the organic matter in these zones.

A high-speed photo detector IC for application in Blu-ray/DVD/CD drives is presented. Bandwidths for the highest gain of 254 MHz and 221 MHz for 405 nm (Blu-ray) and 635 nm (DVD) wavelengths, respectively, were achieved by applying novel design methodologies. The combination of this outstanding speed performance with its low power dissipation of 192 mW at 5V supply and the low noise power of −72 dBm at 300 MHz makes it the best in literature reported optical transceiver IC for Blu-ray and Blu-ray/DVD/CD multi drives. Beside the excellent performance results, the usage of the novel design methodologies gave us an increased design efficiency with 25% compared to earlier similar design processes.

By definition, congenital myopathy typically presents with skeletal muscle weakness and hypotonia at birth. Traditionally, congenital myopathy subtypes have been predominantly distinguished on the basis of the pathological hallmarks present on skeletal muscle biopsies. Many genes cause congenital myopathies when mutated, and a burst of new causative genes have been identified because of advances in gene sequencing technology. Recent discoveries include extending the disease phenotypes associated with previously identified genes and determining that genes formerly known to cause only dominant disease can also cause recessive disease. The more recently identified congenital myopathy genes account for only a small proportion of patients. Thus, the congenital myopathy genes remaining to be discovered are predicted to be extremely rare causes of disease, which greatly hampers their identification. Significant progress in the provision of molecular diagnoses brings important information and value to patients and their families, such as possible disease prognosis, better disease management, and informed reproductive choice, including carrier screening of parents. Additionally, from accurate genetic knowledge, rational treatment options can be hypothesised and subsequently evaluated in vitro and in animal models. A wide range of potential congenital myopathy therapies have been investigated on the basis of improved understanding of disease pathomechanisms, and some therapies are in clinical trials. Although large hurdles remain, promise exists for translating treatment benefits from preclinical models to patients with congenital myopathy, including harnessing proven successes for other genetic diseases.