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282 results on '"Sefcik, P."'

1. First constraints on general neutrino interactions based on KATRIN data

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Beisenkötter, J., Biassoni, M., Bieringer, B., Biondi, Y., Block, F., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Carminati, M., Chatrabhuti, A., Chilingaryan, S., Daniel, B. A., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Fengler, C., Fiorini, C., Formaggio, J. A., Forstner, C., Fränkle, F. M., Gagliardi, G., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gutknecht, N., Hannen, V., Hasselmann, L., Helbing, K., Henke, H., Heyns, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Khosonthongkee, K., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Kovač, N., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Lauer, J., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Li, G., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., McMichael, K., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mohanty, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Nava, A., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Onillon, A., Parno, D. S., Pavan, M., Pinsook, U., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schürmann, J., Schütz, A. K., Schwemmer, A., Schwenck, A., Seeyangnok, J., Šefčík, M., Siegmann, D., Simon, F., Songwadhana, J., Spanier, F., Spreng, D., Sreethawong, W., Steidl, M., Štorek, J., Stribl, X., Sturm, M., Suwonjandee, N., Jerome, N. Tan, Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wetter, M., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadorozhny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Abstract

The precision measurement of the tritium $\beta$-decay spectrum performed by the KATRIN experiment provides a unique way to search for general neutrino interactions (GNI). All theoretical allowed GNI terms involving neutrinos are incorporated into a low-energy effective field theory, and can be identified by specific signatures in the measured tritium $\beta$-spectrum. In this paper an effective description of the impact of GNI on the $\beta$-spectrum is formulated and the first constraints on the effective GNI parameters are derived based on the 4 million electrons collected in the second measurement campaign of KATRIN in 2019. In addition, constraints on selected types of interactions are investigated, thereby exploring the potential of KATRIN to search for more specific new physics cases, including a right-handed W boson, a charged Higgs or leptoquarks.

Published
2024

2. Measurement of the electric potential and the magnetic field in the shifted analysing plane of the KATRIN experiment

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Beisenkötter, J., Biassoni, M., Bieringer, B., Biondi, Y., Block, F., Bobien, S., Böttcher, M., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Caldwell, T. S., Carminati, M., Chatrabhuti, A., Chilingaryan, S., Daniel, B. A., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Fengler, C., Fiorini, C., Formaggio, J. A., Forstner, C., Fränkle, F. M., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Hasselmann, L., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Heyns, S., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Khosonthongkee, K., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Kovač, N., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Lauer, J., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Li, G., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., McMichael, K., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mohanty, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Nava, A., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Parno, D. S., Pavan, M., Pinsook, U., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Pozzi, S., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schürmann, J., Schütz, A. K., Schwemmer, A., Schwenck, A., Šefčík, M., Siegmann, D., Simon, F., Spanier, F., Spreng, D., Sreethawong, W., Steidl, M., Štorek, J., Stribl, X., Sturm, M., Suwonjandee, N., Jerome, N. Tan, Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadorozhny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The projected sensitivity of the effective electron neutrino-mass measurement with the KATRIN experiment is below 0.3 eV (90 % CL) after five years of data acquisition. The sensitivity is affected by the increased rate of the background electrons from KATRIN's main spectrometer. A special shifted-analysing-plane (SAP) configuration was developed to reduce this background by a factor of two. The complex layout of electromagnetic fields in the SAP configuration requires a robust method of estimating these fields. We present in this paper a dedicated calibration measurement of the fields using conversion electrons of gaseous $^\mathrm{83m}$Kr, which enables the neutrino-mass measurements in the SAP configuration., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures

Published
2024

3. Direct neutrino-mass measurement based on 259 days of KATRIN data

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Beisenkötter, J., Biassoni, M., Bieringer, B., Biondi, Y., Block, F., Bobien, S., Böttcher, M., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Caldwell, T. S., Carminati, M., Chatrabhuti, A., Chilingaryan, S., Daniel, B. A., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Fengler, C., Fiorini, C., Formaggio, J. A., Forstner, C., Fränkle, F. M., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grohmann, S., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Gutknecht, N., Hannen, V., Hasselmann, L., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Henke, H., Heyns, S., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Khosonthongkee, K., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Kohpeiß, J., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Kovač, N., Kovalík, A., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Lauer, J., Le, T., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Li, G., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mohanty, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Nava, A., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Onillon, A., Parno, D. S., Pavan, M., Pinsook, U., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. Lopez, Pozzi, S., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schnurr, U., Schrank, M., Schürmann, J., Schütz, A., Schwemmer, A., Schwenck, A., Šefčík, M., Siegmann, D., Simon, F., Spanier, F., Spreng, D., Sreethawong, W., Steidl, M., Štorek, J., Stribl, X., Sturm, M., Suwonjandee, N., Jerome, N. Tan, Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Tirolf, S., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadorozhny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The fact that neutrinos carry a non-vanishing rest mass is evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model of elementary particles. Their absolute mass bears important relevance from particle physics to cosmology. In this work, we report on the search for the effective electron antineutrino mass with the KATRIN experiment. KATRIN performs precision spectroscopy of the tritium $\beta$-decay close to the kinematic endpoint. Based on the first five neutrino-mass measurement campaigns, we derive a best-fit value of $m_\nu^{2} = {-0.14^{+0.13}_{-0.15}}~\mathrm{eV^2}$, resulting in an upper limit of $m_\nu < {0.45}~\mathrm{eV}$ at 90 % confidence level. With six times the statistics of previous data sets, amounting to 36 million electrons collected in 259 measurement days, a substantial reduction of the background level and improved systematic uncertainties, this result tightens KATRIN's previous bound by a factor of almost two., Comment: 61 pages, 20 figures, 2 tables

Published
2024

7. Gamma-ray energies and intensities observed in decay chain $^{83}Rb$/$^{83m}Kr$/$^{83}Kr$

Author

Šefčík, M., Vénos, D., Lebeda, O., Noll, C., and Ráliš, J.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

Radioactive sources of the monoenergetic low-energy conversion electrons from the decay of isomeric $^{83m}Kr$ are frequently used in the systematic measurements, particularly in the neutrino mass and dark matter experiments. For this purpose, the isomer is obtained by the decay of its parent radionuclide $^{83}Rb$. In order to get more precise data on the gamma-rays occuring in the $^{83}Rb$/$^{83m}Kr$ chain, we re-measured the relevant gamma-ray spectra, because the previous measurement took place in 1976. The obtained intensities are in fair agreement with this previous measurement. We have, however, improved the uncertainties by a factor of 4.3, identified a new gamma transition and determined more precisely energies of weaker gamma transitions., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Published
2023
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8. Operation Modes of the KATRIN Experiment Tritium Loop System using $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr

Author

Marsteller, Alexander, Bornschein, Beate, Böttcher, Matthias, Drahoslav, Vénos, Enomoto, Sanshiro, Fengler, Caroline, Machatschek, Moritz, Ondřej, Lebeda, Priester, Florian, Ráliš, Jan, Röllig, Marco, Röttele, Carsten, Schlösser, Magnus, Šefčík, Michal, and Sturm, Michael

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment aims to search for the effective electron antineutrino mass with a sensitivity of 0.2 eV (90 % C.L.). In order to achieve this goal, KATRIN measurement phases focusing on the neutrino mass search are alternated with phases of investigations of systematic effects. During these phases, metastable $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr is used as a calibration source. The monoenergetic conversion electrons emitted accompanying the decay of $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr allow a direct access to the starting conditions of $\beta$-electrons produced inside the windowless gaseous tritium source (WGTS) of KATRIN. To make use of $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr in the WGTS, the Tritium Loop System, which provides a stable flow of tritium to the WGTS, needs to be operated in special modes. This paper focuses on the technical implementation of these modes and their performance with regard to the achievable $^{83\mathrm{m}}$Kr-rates, gas densities, and gas compositions inside the WGTS., Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures

Published
2022
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9. Search for keV-scale Sterile Neutrinos with first KATRIN Data

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schwemmer, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wetter, M., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

In this work we present a keV-scale sterile-neutrino search with the first tritium data of the KATRIN experiment, acquired in the commissioning run in 2018. KATRIN performs a spectroscopic measurement of the tritium $\beta$-decay spectrum with the main goal of directly determining the effective electron anti-neutrino mass. During this commissioning phase a lower tritium activity facilitated the search for sterile neutrinos with a mass of up to $1.6\, \mathrm{keV}$. We do not find a signal and set an exclusion limit on the sterile-to-active mixing amplitude of down to $\sin^2\theta < 5\cdot10^{-4}$ ($95\,\%$ C.L.), improving current laboratory-based bounds in the sterile-neutrino mass range between 0.1 and $1.0\, \mathrm{keV}$.

Published
2022

10. Search for Lorentz-Invariance Violation with the first KATRIN data

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schwemmer, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wetter, M., Wickles, J., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment, High Energy Physics - Experiment, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Abstract

Some extensions of the Standard Model of Particle Physics allow for Lorentz invariance and Charge-Parity-Time (CPT)-invariance violations. In the neutrino sector strong constraints have been set by neutrino-oscillation and time-of-flight experiments. However, some Lorentz-invariance-violating parameters are not accessible via these probes. In this work, we focus on the parameters $(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{00}$, $(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{10}$ and $(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{11}$ which would manifest themselves in a non-isotropic beta-decaying source as a sidereal oscillation and an overall shift of the spectral endpoint. Based on the data of the first scientific run of the KATRIN experiment, we set the first limit on $\left|(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{11}\right|$ of $< 3.7\cdot10^{-6}$ GeV at 90\% confidence level. Moreover, we derive new constraints on $(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{00}$ and $(a_{\text{of}}^{(3)})_{10}$.

Published
2022
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11. Integrated Continuous Process Design for Crystallisation, Spherical Agglomeration, and Filtration of Lovastatin

Author

Brown, Cameron J., McGinty, John, Islam, Muhammad T., Rajoub, Nazer, Arjmandi-Tash, Omid, Ottoboni, Sara, Shahid, Muhid, Urwin, Stephanie J., Lee, Ye Seol, Chong, Magdalene W. S., Papathanasiou, Foteini, Prakash, Aruna S., Prasad, Elke, Spence, Bronwyn, Sefcik, Jan, Robertson, John, Smith, Rachel, Litster, James D., Price, Chris J., Nordon, Alison, Adjiman, Claire S., and Florence, Alastair J.

Published
2024
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12. Understanding Academic Integrity Education: Case Studies from Two Australian Universities

Author

Striepe, Michelle, Thomson, Sheona, and Sefcik, Lesley

Abstract

An increase in Academic Integrity (AI) breaches has resulted in higher education institutions implementing solutions to improve AI competence. It has been argued that to improve students' AI understanding, concepts and skills should be taught at the classroom level and contextual factors should be considered. This article presents an investigation on how AI is taught at the classroom level across a range of disciplines, how contextual factors inform approaches to AI education, and how the approaches align with evidence-based recommendations. Purposeful sampling procedures were employed to select units of study from disciplines at two Australian universities. Qualitative data collection methods were used to capture ways AI education was approached and the collected data were analysed through grounded theory methods. The findings show that AI was primarily taught through explicit instruction and personal storytelling and assessed through summative assessment. Such approaches appear to be influenced by personal philosophies, institutional mandates and student backgrounds. While the approaches align with the notion that best practice includes an educative approach, other facets of best practice that have been promoted to combat the rise in AI breaches such as collusion, assessment outsourcing and cheating in exams were not evident.

Published
2023
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13. KATRIN: Status and Prospects for the Neutrino Mass and Beyond

Author

Aker, M., Balzer, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Biassoni, M., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bombelli, L., Bormann, D., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brofferio, C., Bruch, C., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carminati, M., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Cremonesi, O., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Fink, D., Fiorini, C., Formaggio, J. A., Forstner, C., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grande, A., Grössle, R., Gugiatti, M., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Hartmann, J., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., King, P., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Lasserre, T., La Cascio, L., Lebeda, O., Lechner, P., Lehnert, B., Le, T. L., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Manfrin, D., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Mazzola, E., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Nava, A., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Onillon, A., Parno, D. S., Pavan, M., Pigliafreddo, A., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Pozzi, S., Priester, F., Puritscher, M., Radford, D. C., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R. W. J., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schütz, A. K., Schwemmer, A., Sedlak, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Spreng, D., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Trigilio, P., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Voigt, P., Weinheimer, C., Weiss, E., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wunderl, L., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

The Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment is designed to measure a high-precision integral spectrum of the endpoint region of T2 beta decay, with the primary goal of probing the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. After a first tritium commissioning campaign in 2018, the experiment has been regularly running since 2019, and in its first two measurement campaigns has already achieved a sub-eV sensitivity. After 1000 days of data-taking, KATRIN's design sensitivity is 0.2 eV at the 90% confidence level. In this white paper we describe the current status of KATRIN; explore prospects for measuring the neutrino mass and other physics observables, including sterile neutrinos and other beyond-Standard-Model hypotheses; and discuss research-and-development projects that may further improve the KATRIN sensitivity., Comment: Contribution to Snowmass 2021. 70 pages excluding references; 35 figures. Author list updated June 2023

Published
2022
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14. New Constraint on the Local Relic Neutrino Background Overdensity with the First KATRIN Data Runs

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, F., Kellerer, J., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schwemmer, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wetter, M., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Nuclear Experiment, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We report on the direct cosmic relic neutrino background search from the first two science runs of the KATRIN experiment in 2019. Beta-decay electrons from a high-purity molecular tritium gas source are analyzed by a high-resolution MAC-E filter around the kinematic endpoint at 18.57 keV. The analysis is sensitive to a local relic neutrino overdensity of 9.7e10 (1.1e11) at a 90% (95%) confidence level. A fit of the integrated electron spectrum over a narrow interval around the kinematic endpoint accounting for relic neutrino captures in the Tritium source reveals no significant overdensity. This work improves the results obtained by the previous kinematic neutrino mass experiments at Los Alamos and Troitsk. We furthermore update the projected final sensitivity of the KATRIN experiment to <1e10 at 90% confidence level, by relying on updated operational conditions., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures

Published
2022
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15. Improved eV-scale Sterile-Neutrino Constraints from the Second KATRIN Measurement Campaign

Author

Aker, M., Batzler, D., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gavin, A. S., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kleifges, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., La Cascio, L., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ráliš, J., Ramachandran, S., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Salomon, R., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, M., Schlösser, K., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schwemmer, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wetter, M., Wiesinger, C., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Wydra, J., Xu, W., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

We present the results of the light sterile neutrino search from the second KATRIN measurement campaign in 2019. Approaching nominal activity, $3.76 \times 10^6$ tritium $\beta$-electrons are analyzed in an energy window extending down to $40\,$eV below the tritium endpoint at $E_0 = 18.57\,$keV. We consider the $3\nu+1$ framework with three active and one sterile neutrino flavor. The analysis is sensitive to a fourth mass eigenstate $m_4^2\lesssim1600\,$eV$^2$ and active-to-sterile mixing $|U_{e4}|^2 \gtrsim 6 \times 10^{-3}$. As no sterile-neutrino signal was observed, we provide improved exclusion contours on $m_4^2$ and $|U_{e4}|^2$ at $95\,$% C.L. Our results supersede the limits from the Mainz and Troitsk experiments. Furthermore, we are able to exclude the large $\Delta m_{41}^2$ solutions of the reactor antineutrino and gallium anomalies to a great extent. The latter has recently been reaffirmed by the BEST collaboration and could be explained by a sterile neutrino with large mixing. While the remaining solutions at small $\Delta m_{41}^2$ are mostly excluded by short-baseline reactor experiments, KATRIN is the only ongoing laboratory experiment to be sensitive to relevant solutions at large $\Delta m_{41}^2$ through a robust spectral shape analysis., Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables

Published
2022
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16. Wood- and Manure-Derived Biochars Reduce Antibiotic Residues and Shift Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Microbial Communities in Manure Applied Forage–Soil Systems

Author

Gyucheol Choi, Jeff A. Brady, Olabiyi Obayomi, Emily Green, Caroly Leija, Kristin Sefcik, Daisy A. Gonzalez, Cosette B. Taggart, James P. Muir, and Eunsung Kan

Subjects
antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant genes, biochar, microbial community structure, soil remediation, sustainable agriculture, Agriculture
Abstract

The increasing use of antibiotics in livestock poses environmental risks, leading to contamination of agricultural soils and propagation of microbial antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). This study examined the impacts of wood- and manure-derived biochar (BC) on antibiotic residues, ARGs, and microbial communities in sandy loam and clay loam soils amended with manure in Cynodon dactylon pastures. We hypothesized that BC amendments would influence the degradation of antibiotics and the structure of microbial communities based on their physicochemical properties and soil types. Our results demonstrated that wood BC reduced the concentrations of tetracycline and sulfonamides, particularly in sandy loam soil, due to its larger surface area and hydrophobic properties. In contrast, manure BC provided additional nutrients and supported atmospheric nitrogen-fixing microbial groups, especially in clay loam soil, while exhibiting variable efficiency in reducing antibiotic residues due to its lower surface area and higher ash content. These findings underscore the differential impacts of each BC type, emphasizing the need for tailored BC applications based on soil type to effectively mitigate antibiotic contamination and promote sustainable agricultural practices. In conclusion, wood BC was more effective in enhancing soil health by reducing antibiotic residues and improving microbial diversity, particularly in sandy loam soils, while manure BC was beneficial for nutrient cycling in clay loam soils.

Published
2024
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17. Working status and seasonal meteorological conditions predict physical activity levels in people living with HIV

Author

Wang, Tongyao, Voss, Joachim, Perazzo, Joseph, Phillips, J Craig, Musanti, Rita, Orton, Penelope, Hamilton, Mary Jane, Chaiphibalsarisdi, Puangtip, Schnall, Rebecca, Dawson-Rose, Carol, Nokes, Kathleen M, Tufts, Kimberly Adam, Portillo, Carmen, Sefcik, Elizabeth, and Webel, Allison R

Subjects
Public Health, Health Sciences, Prevention, Cities, Exercise, HIV Infections, Humans, Seasons, Weather, Climate change, HIV, physical activity, weather, work, Public Health and Health Services, Psychology, Public health, Sociology, Clinical and health psychology
Abstract

Little is known about how demographic, employment and meteorological factors impact physical activity. We conducted an analysis to explore these associations from participants (N = 447) from six cities in the United States and matched their activity data with abstracted local meteorological data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather reports. Participants were purposively recruited in 3-month blocks, from December 2015 to October 2017, to reflect physical activity engagement across the seasons. We calculated total physical activity (minutes/week) based on 7-day physical activity recall. Mild correlations were observed between meteorological factors and correlated with lower physical activity. Participants were least active in autumn (Median = 220 min/week) and most active in spring (Median = 375 min/week). In addition to level of education and total hours of work, maximum temperature, relative humidity, heating degree day, precipitation and sunset time together explained 17.6% of variance in total physical activity. Programs assisting in employment for PLHIV and those that promote indoor physical activity during more strenuous seasons are needed. Additional research to better understand the selection, preferences, and impact of indoor environments on physical activity is warranted.

Published
2022

18. Improving a neural network model by explanation-guided training for glioma classification based on MRI data

Author

Sefcik, Frantisek and Benesova, Wanda

Subjects
Computer Science - Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
Abstract

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) systems have come to the forefront. These systems, mostly based on Deep learning (DL), achieve excellent results in areas such as image processing, natural language processing, or speech recognition. Despite the statistically high accuracy of deep learning models, their output is often a decision of "black box". Thus, Interpretability methods have become a popular way to gain insight into the decision-making process of deep learning models. Explanation of a deep learning model is desirable in the medical domain since the experts have to justify their judgments to the patient. In this work, we proposed a method for explanation-guided training that uses a Layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) technique to force the model to focus only on the relevant part of the image. We experimentally verified our method on a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for low-grade and high-grade glioma classification problems. Our experiments show promising results in a way to use interpretation techniques in the model training process., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures

Published
2021

19. First direct neutrino-mass measurement with sub-eV sensitivity

Author

Aker, M., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., La Cascio, L., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Gupta, V., Höhn, T., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, F., Kellerer, J., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Kunka, N., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Menshikov, A., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Schäfer, P., Schaller, A., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schulz, B., Schwemmer, A., Šefčík, M., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Sun, M., Tcherniakhovski, D., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Xu, W., Yen, Y. -R., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

We report the results of the second measurement campaign of the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment. KATRIN probes the effective electron anti-neutrino mass, $m_{\nu}$, via a high-precision measurement of the tritium $\beta$-decay spectrum close to its endpoint at $18.6\,\mathrm{keV}$. In the second physics run presented here, the source activity was increased by a factor of 3.8 and the background was reduced by $25\,\%$ with respect to the first campaign. A sensitivity on $m_{\nu}$ of $0.7\,\mathrm{eV/c^2}$ at $90\,\%$ confidence level (CL) was reached. This is the first sub-eV sensitivity from a direct neutrino-mass experiment. The best fit to the spectral data yields $m_{\nu}^2 = (0.26\pm0.34)\,\mathrm{eV^4/c^4}$, resulting in an upper limit of $m_{\nu}<0.9\,\mathrm{eV/c^2}$ ($90\,\%$ CL). By combining this result with the first neutrino mass campaign, we find an upper limit of $m_{\nu}<0.8\,\mathrm{eV/c^2}$ ($90\,\%$ CL)., Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables

Published
2021

20. Precision measurement of the electron energy-loss function in tritium and deuterium gas for the KATRIN experiment

Author

Aker, M., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Block, F., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., Carney, R. M. D., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Miniawy, A. El, Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gil, W., Glück, F., Groh, S., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Heizmann, F., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kleesiek, M., Klein, M., Köhler, C., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Kunka, N., Lasserre, T., La Cascio, L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Le, T. L., Lokhov, A., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Meier, M., Melzer, C., Menshikov, A., Mertens, S., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Poyato, J. M. L., Priester, F., Ranitzsch, P. C. -O., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Schäfer, P., Schaller, A., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schrank, M., Schulz, B., Schwachtgen, C., Šefčík, M., Seitz-Moskaliuk, H., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Sun, M., Tcherniakhovski, D., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Trost, N., Urban, K., Valerius, K., Vénos, D., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Weinheimer, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Xu, W., Yen, Y. -R., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The KATRIN experiment is designed for a direct and model-independent determination of the effective electron anti-neutrino mass via a high-precision measurement of the tritium $\beta$-decay endpoint region with a sensitivity on $m_\nu$ of 0.2$\,$eV/c$^2$ (90% CL). For this purpose, the $\beta$-electrons from a high-luminosity windowless gaseous tritium source traversing an electrostatic retarding spectrometer are counted to obtain an integral spectrum around the endpoint energy of 18.6$\,$keV. A dominant systematic effect of the response of the experimental setup is the energy loss of $\beta$-electrons from elastic and inelastic scattering off tritium molecules within the source. We determined the \linebreak energy-loss function in-situ with a pulsed angular-selective and monoenergetic photoelectron source at various tritium-source densities. The data was recorded in integral and differential modes; the latter was achieved by using a novel time-of-flight technique. We developed a semi-empirical parametrization for the energy-loss function for the scattering of 18.6-keV electrons from hydrogen isotopologs. This model was fit to measurement data with a 95% T$_2$ gas mixture at 30$\,$K, as used in the first KATRIN neutrino mass analyses, as well as a D$_2$ gas mixture of 96% purity used in KATRIN commissioning runs. The achieved precision on the energy-loss function has abated the corresponding uncertainty of $\sigma(m_\nu^2)<10^{-2}\,\mathrm{eV}^2$ [arXiv:2101.05253] in the KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement to a subdominant level., Comment: 12 figures, 18 pages; to be submitted to EPJ C

Published
2021
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21. The Design, Construction, and Commissioning of the KATRIN Experiment

Author

Aker, M., Altenmüller, K., Amsbaugh, J. F., Arenz, M., Babutzka, M., Bast, J., Bauer, S., Bechtler, H., Beck, M., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Bender, B., Berendes, R., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bettin, C., Bieringer, B., Blaum, K., Block, F., Bobien, S., Bohn, J., Bokeloh, K., Bolz, H., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Bouquet, H., Boyd, N. M., Brunst, T., Burritt, T. H., Caldwell, T. S., Chaoui, Z., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Corona, T. J., Cox, G. A., Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Barrero, D. Díaz, Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Dunmore, J. A., Dyba, S., Edzards, F., Eichelhardt, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Erhard, M., Eversheim, D., Fedkevych, M., Felden, A., Fischer, S., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Frenzel, H., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gehring, R., Gil, W., Glück, F., Görhardt, S., Grimm, J., Grohmann, S., Groh, S., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hackenjos, M., Häßler, D., Hannen, V., Harms, F., Harper, G. C., Hartmann, J., Haußmann, N., Heizmann, F., Helbing, K., Held, M., Hickford, S., Hilk, D., Hillen, B., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Höhn, T., Holzmann, S., Horn, S., Hötzel, M., Houdy, T., Howe, M. A., Huber, A., James, T., Jansen, A., Kaiser, M., Karl, C., Kazachenko, O., Kellerer, J., Kippenbrock, L., Kleesiek, M., Kleifges, M., Kleinfeller, J., Klein, M., Köllenberger, L., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kosmider, A., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Kraus, M., Kuckert, L., Kumb, A., Kunka, N., Lasserre, T., La Cascio, L., Lebeda, O., Leber, M. L., Lehnert, B., Leiber, B., Letnev, J., Lewis, R. J., Le, T. L., Lichter, S., Lokhov, A., Poyato, J. M. Lopez, Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Mehret, K., Meloni, M., Melzer, C., Menshikov, A., Mertens, S., Minter, L. I., Monreal, B., Mostafa, J., Müller, K., Myers, A. W., Naumann, U., Neumann, H., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Off, A., Ortjohann, H. -W., Osipowicz, A., Ostrick, B., Parno, D. S., Peterson, D. A., Plischke, P., Poon, A. W. P., Prall, M., Priester, F., Ranitzsch, P. C. -O., Reich, J., Renschler, P., Rest, O., Rinderspacher, R., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodejohann, W., Rodenbeck, C., Rohr, P., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Rupp, S., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Sagawe, M., Schäfer, P., Schaller, A., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schneidewind, S., Schön, H., Schönung, K., Schrank, M., Schulz, B., Schwarz, J., Šefčík, M., Seitz-Moskaliuk, H., Seller, W., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Sun, M., Tcherniakhovski, D., Telle, H. H., Thorne, L. A., Thümmler, T., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Trost, N., Valerius, K., VanDevender, B. A., Van Wechel, T. D., Vénos, D., Verbeek, A., Vianden, R., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Vogt, K., Wall, B. L., Wandkowsky, N., Weber, M., Weingardt, H., Weinheimer, C., Weiss, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wierman, K. J., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Wüstling, S., Xu, W., Yen, Y. -R., Zacher, M., Zadoroghny, S., Zboril, M., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, High Energy Physics - Experiment
Abstract

The KArlsruhe TRItium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which aims to make a direct and model-independent determination of the absolute neutrino mass scale, is a complex experiment with many components. More than 15 years ago, we published a technical design report (TDR) [https://publikationen.bibliothek.kit.edu/270060419] to describe the hardware design and requirements to achieve our sensitivity goal of 0.2 eV at 90% C.L. on the neutrino mass. Since then there has been considerable progress, culminating in the publication of first neutrino mass results with the entire beamline operating [arXiv:1909.06048]. In this paper, we document the current state of all completed beamline components (as of the first neutrino mass measurement campaign), demonstrate our ability to reliably and stably control them over long times, and present details on their respective commissioning campaigns., Comment: Added missing acknowledgement, corrected performance statement in chapter 4.2.5, updated author list and references

Published
2021
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22. Analysis methods for the first KATRIN neutrino-mass measurement

Author

Aker, M., Altenmüller, K., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Blaum, K., Block, F., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Böttcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., La Cascio, L., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Barrero, D. Díaz, Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Dyba, S., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Fedkevych, M., Felden, A., Formaggio, J. A., Fränkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gil, W., Glück, F., Grössle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Höhn, T., Hannen, V., Haußmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Köllenberger, L., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kippenbrock, L., Klein, M., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalík, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Poyato, J. M. Lopez, Müller, K., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Osipowicz, A., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Priester, F., Röllig, M., Röttele, C., Rest, O., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodenbeck, C., Ryšavý, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Schaller, A., Schäfer, P., Schimpf, L., Schlösser, K., Schlösser, M., Schlüter, L., Schrank, M., Schulz, B., Šefčík, M., Seitz-Moskaliuk, H., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezák, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Sun, M., Telle, H. H., Thümmler, T., Thorne, L. A., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Trost, N., Vénos, D., Valerius, K., Hernández, A. P. Vizcaya, Wüstling, S., Weber, M., Weinheimer, C., Weiss, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Xu, W., Yen, Y. -R., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
High Energy Physics - Experiment, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, Nuclear Experiment, Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
Abstract

We report on the data set, data handling, and detailed analysis techniques of the first neutrino-mass measurement by the Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino (KATRIN) experiment, which probes the absolute neutrino-mass scale via the $\beta$-decay kinematics of molecular tritium. The source is highly pure, cryogenic T$_2$ gas. The $\beta$ electrons are guided along magnetic field lines toward a high-resolution, integrating spectrometer for energy analysis. A silicon detector counts $\beta$ electrons above the energy threshold of the spectrometer, so that a scan of the thresholds produces a precise measurement of the high-energy spectral tail. After detailed theoretical studies, simulations, and commissioning measurements, extending from the molecular final-state distribution to inelastic scattering in the source to subtleties of the electromagnetic fields, our independent, blind analyses allow us to set an upper limit of 1.1 eV on the neutrino-mass scale at a 90\% confidence level. This first result, based on a few weeks of running at a reduced source intensity and dominated by statistical uncertainty, improves on prior limits by nearly a factor of two. This result establishes an analysis framework for future KATRIN measurements, and provides important input to both particle theory and cosmology., Comment: 36 pages with 26 figures. Accepted to Phys. Rev. D

Published
2021
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23. Bound on 3+1 active-sterile neutrino mixing from the first four-week science run of KATRIN

Author

Aker, M., Altenmueller, K., Beglarian, A., Behrens, J., Berlev, A., Besserer, U., Bieringer, B., Blaum, K., Block, F., Bornschein, B., Bornschein, L., Boettcher, M., Brunst, T., Caldwell, T. S., La Cascio, L., Chilingaryan, S., Choi, W., Barrero, D. Diaz, Debowski, K., Deffert, M., Descher, M., Doe, P. J., Dragoun, O., Drexlin, G., Dyba, S., Edzards, F., Eitel, K., Ellinger, E., Engel, R., Enomoto, S., Felden, M. Fedkevych A., Formaggio, J. A., Fraenkle, F. M., Franklin, G. B., Friedel, F., Fulst, A., Gauda, K., Gil, W., Glueck, F., Groessle, R., Gumbsheimer, R., Hoehn, T., Hannen, V., Haussmann, N., Helbing, K., Hickford, S., Hiller, R., Hillesheimer, D., Hinz, D., Houdy, T., Huber, A., Jansen, A., Koellenberger, L., Karl, C., Kellerer, J., Kippenbrock, L., Klein, M., Kopmann, A., Korzeczek, M., Kovalik, A., Krasch, B., Krause, H., Lasserre, T., Le, T. L., Lebeda, O., Guennic, N. Le, Lehnert, B., Lokhov, A., Poyato, J. M. Lopez, Mueller, K., Machatschek, M., Malcherek, E., Mark, M., Marsteller, A., Martin, E. L., Melzer, C., Mertens, S., Niemes, S., Oelpmann, P., Osipowicz, A., Parno, D. S., Poon, A. W. P., Priester, F., Roellig, M., Roettele, C., Rest, O., Robertson, R. G. H., Rodenbeck, C., Rysavy, M., Sack, R., Saenz, A., Schaller, A., Schaefer, P., Schimpf, L., Schloesser, M., Schloesser, K., Schlueter, L., Schrank, M., Schulz, B., Sefcik, M., Seitz-Moskaliuk, H., Sibille, V., Siegmann, D., Slezak, M., Spanier, F., Steidl, M., Sturm, M., Sun, M., Telle, H. H., Thuemmler, T., Thorne, L. A., Titov, N., Tkachev, I., Trost, N., Venos, D., Valerius, K., Hernandez, A. P. Vizcaya, Wuestling, S., Weber, M., Weinheimer, C., Weiss, C., Welte, S., Wendel, J., Wilkerson, J. F., Wolf, J., Xu, W., Yen, Y. -R., Zadoroghny, S., and Zeller, G.

Subjects
High Energy Physics - Experiment, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

We report on the light sterile neutrino search from the first four-week science run of the KATRIN experiment in~2019. Beta-decay electrons from a high-purity gaseous molecular tritium source are analyzed by a high-resolution MAC-E filter down to 40 eV below the endpoint at 18.57 keV. We consider the framework with three active neutrinos and one sterile neutrino of mass $m_{4}$. The analysis is sensitive to a fourth mass state $m^2_{4} \lesssim$ 1000 eV$^2$ and to active-to-sterile neutrino mixing down to $|U_{e4}|^2 \gtrsim 2\cdot10^{-2}$. No significant spectral distortion is observed and exclusion bounds on the sterile mass and mixing are reported. These new limits supersede the Mainz results and improve the Troitsk bound for $m^2_{4} <$ 30 eV$^2$. The reactor and gallium anomalies are constrained for $ 100 < \Delta{m}^2_{41} < 1000$ eV$^2$., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

Published
2020
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24. Dorsomedial fracture dislocation of the tarsal navicular: A rare orthopaedic injury

Author

R. Sefcik, B. Schach, and J. Junko

Subjects
Navicular, Fracture-dislocation, Reduction, Fixation, Fusion, Surgery, RD1-811
Abstract

Dorsomedial fracture dislocations of the tarsal navicular are extremely rare injuries which commonly occur secondary to high energy, complex multidirectional forces involving an abduction force to a pronated and plantar-flexed foot. A 44-year-old female presented in the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident with a dorsomedial fracture dislocation of her navicular. Management required acute fusion of the talonavicular joint. There are few reports in the literature discussing the treating, outcomes, and complications of these injuries. Our report represents one method of treating these rare injuries with a favorable outcome.

Published
2023
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25. Advance care planning and outpatient visits among older adults across cognitive levels

Author

Zahra Rahemi, Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu, Justine S. Sefcik, Maryam S. Sadafipoor, George Demiris, and Swann Arp Adams

Subjects
Cognitive impairment, Advance care planning, Outpatient visits, Healthcare use, Health and retirement Study, Geriatrics, RC952-954.6
Abstract

Advance care planning (ACP) can help reduce end-of-life care challenges for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia and their care partners. Building on our previous work, we examined the impact of ACP on outpatient/doctor visits in older adults with dementia/impaired cognition and normal cognition. Using datasets from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted a cross-sectional study of 17,698 participants aged 51 years and older. Our analyses included survey descriptive and logistic regression procedures. Our findings indicated that having at least one ACP measure was significantly associated with a higher mean number of outpatient visits in both cognition groups. Based on our findings, we recommend considering healthcare access and use as an intervening variable in future ACP research.

Published
2023
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26. Social media use as a predictor of higher body mass index in persons living with HIV

Author

Schnall, Rebecca, Porras, Tiffany, Musanti, Rita, Tufts, Kimberly Adams, Sefcik, Elizabeth, Hamilton, Mary Jane, Dawson-Rose, Carol, Portillo, Carmen, Philips, J Craig, Chaiphibalsarisdi, Puangtip, Orton, Penelope, Perazzo, Joseph, and Webel, Allison R

Subjects
Public Health, Health Sciences, Prevention, Pediatric, Obesity, Behavioral and Social Science, Nutrition, Good Health and Well Being, Adult, Aged, Body Mass Index, Body Weight, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, HIV Infections, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Overweight, Sedentary Behavior, Social Media, United States, Social media, technology, body mass index, Public Health and Health Services, Psychology, Public health, Sociology, Clinical and health psychology
Abstract

Social media tools have been touted as an approach to bring more democratic communication to health care. We conducted a multi-site cross-sectional study among persons living with HIV (PLWH) to desrcibe technology use among PLWH in the US and the association between social media use and body-mass index (BMI). Our primary predictor variable was social media use. Our primary outcome was BMI measured through height and weight. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the demographic profiles of the study participants and linear regression models were used to analyze associations between the outcome and predictor variables controlling for demographic characteristics. Study participants (N = 606) across 6 study sites in the United States were predominately 50-74 years old (67%). Thirty-three percent of study participants had a normal weight (BMI 18.5-25), 33% were overweight (BMI 25-30), and 32% were obese (BMI > 30). Participants used several social media sites with Facebook (45.6%) predominating. Social media use was associated with higher BMI in study participants (p

Published
2021

27. GEMAS: Chemical weathering of silicate parent materials revealed by agricultural soil of Europe

Author

Albanese, S., Andersson, M., Baritz, R., Batista, M.J., Bel-lan, A., Cicchella, D., De Vivo, B., De Vos, W., Dinelli, E., Ďuriš, M., Dusza-Dobek, A., Eklund, M., Ernstsen, V., Filzmoser, P., Flem, B., Flight, D.M.A., Forrester, S., Fuchs, M., Fügedi, U., Gilucis, A., Gosar, M., Gregorauskiene, V., De Groot, W., Gulan, A., Halamić, J., Haslinger, E., Hayoz, P., Hoffmann, R., Hoogewerff, J., Hrvatovic, H., Husnjak, S., Janik, L., Jordan, G., Kaminari, M., Kirby, J., Kivisilla, J., Klos, V., Krone, F., Kwećko, P., Kuti, L., Lima, A., Locutura, J., Lucivjansky, D.P., Mann, A., Mackovych, D., Matschullat, J., McLaughlin, M., Malyuk, B.I., Maquil, R., Meuli, R.G., Mol, G., O'Connor, P., Oorts, R.K., Ottesen, R.T., Pasieczna, A., Petersell, W., Pfleiderer, S., Poňavič, M., Pramuka, S., Prazeres, C., Rauch, U., Radusinović, S., Salpeteur, I., Scanlon, R., Schedl, A., Scheib, A.J., Schoeters, I., Šefčik, P., Sellersjö, E., Skopljak, F., Slaninka, I., Šorša, A., Srvkota, R., Stafilov, T., Tarvainen, T., Trendavilov, V., Valera, P., Verougstraete, V., Vidojević, D., Zissimos, A., Zomeni, Z., Négrel, Philippe, Ladenberger, Anna, Reimann, Clemens, Demetriades, Alecos, Birke, Manfred, and Sadeghi, Martiya

Published
2023
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28. An Examination of Student User Experience (UX) and Perceptions of Remote Invigilation during Online Assessment

Author

Sefcik, Lesley, Veeran-Colton, Terisha, Baird, Michael, Price, Connie, and Steyn, Steve

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the effects of a custom-developed, artificial intelligence-based, asynchronous remote invigilation system on the student user experience. The study was conducted over 3 years at a large Australian university, and findings demonstrate that familiarity with the system over time improved student attitudes towards remote invigilation. Positive experiences were found to be related to ease of use and convenience for test sitting. The majority of students reported that it was important for the institution to have approaches such as remote invigilation to discourage cheating and they believed that the system was useful in this regard. Perceived technical problems were found to invoke feelings of anxiety with being remotely invigilated, and students suggested that greater clarity on expectations of appropriate behaviour, privacy and data security would help alleviate discomfort and improve the system.

Published
2022
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29. Contract Cheating and Blackmail: A Risky Business?

Author

Yorke, Jonathan, Sefcik, Lesley, and Veeran-Colton, Terisha

Abstract

This study examines the emergent issue of blackmail and contract cheating through a scenario-based online exercise completed by 587 university students in Western Australia. Participants were presented with two consecutive scenarios, each involving a difficult assignment. The possibility of blackmail was introduced prior to (and within) the second scenario. The exercise included survey questions which examined participants' knowledge and attitudinal perspectives towards the issue of contract cheating and blackmail. Although a small percentage of students (2.4%) elected to cheat in this study, almost 90% claimed not to have been aware of the risk of blackmail. Knowledge of the risk of blackmail reduced the number of students willing to cheat by half. Some participants had direct or indirect experience of blackmail, revealing new insights into the providers of cheating services. Possible approaches to the issue of blackmail are examined in the light of the implications of this research.

Published
2022
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30. Fusion of laser diffraction and chord length distribution data for estimation of particle size distribution using multi-objective optimisation

Author

Agimelen, Okpeafoh S., Ferreira, Carla, Ahmed, Bilal, Cardona, Javier, Chen, Yi-chieh, Florence, Alastair J., Andonovic, Ivan, Sefcik, Jan, and Mulholland, Anthony J.

Subjects
Physics - Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Abstract

The in situ measurement of the particle size distribution (PSD) of a suspension of particles presents huge challenges. Various effects from the process could introduce noise to the data from which the PSD is estimated. This in turn could lead to the occurrence of artificial peaks in the estimated PSD. Limitations in the models used in the PSD estimation could also lead to the occurrence of these artificial peaks. This could pose a significant challenge to in situ monitoring of particulate processes, as there will be no independent estimate of the PSD to allow a discrimination of the artificial peaks to be carried out. Here, we present an algorithm which is capable of discriminating between artificial and true peaks in PSD estimates based on fusion of multiple data streams. In this case, chord length distribution and laser diffraction data have been used. The data fusion is done by means of multi-objective optimisation using the weighted sum approach. The algorithm is applied to two different particle suspensions. The estimated PSDs from the algorithm are compared with offline estimates of PSD from the Malvern Mastersizer and Morphologi G3. The results show that the algorithm is capable of eliminating an artificial peak in a PSD estimate when this artificial peak is sufficiently displaced from the true peak. However, when the artificial peak is too close to the true peak, it is only suppressed but not completely eliminated., Comment: 20 pages, 3 figures, manuscript to be submitted to the Journal of Chemical Engineering Science

Published
2018

31. A qualitative description of service providers’ experiences of ethical issues in HIV care

Author

Sabone, Motshedisi B, Mogobe, Keitshokile Dintle, Matshediso, Ellah, Shaibu, Sheila, Ntsayagae, Esther I, Corless, Inge B, Cuca, Yvette P, Holzemer, William L, Dawson-Rose, Carol, Baez, Solymar S Soliz, Rivero-Mendz, Marta, Webel, Allison R, Eller, Lucille Sanzero, Reid, Paula, Johnson, Mallory O, Kemppainen, Jeanne, Reyes, Darcel, Nokes, Kathleen, Wantland, Dean, Nicholas, Patrice K, Lingren, Teri, Portillo, Carmen J, Sefcik, Elizabeth, and Long-Middleton, Ellen

Subjects
Health Services and Systems, Philosophy and Religious Studies, Health Sciences, Applied Ethics, Health Services, Basic Behavioral and Social Science, Infectious Diseases, Behavioral and Social Science, Clinical Research, HIV/AIDS, 7.1 Individual care needs, 8.3 Policy, ethics, and research governance, Health and social care services research, Management of diseases and conditions, 8.1 Organisation and delivery of services, Infection, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, Adult, Aged, Beneficence, Botswana, Female, Focus Groups, HIV, HIV Infections, Health Personnel, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Qualitative Research, Social Justice, United States, Clinical ethics, confidentiality, ethics of care, care ethics, professional ethics, qualitative research, ethics of care/care ethics, Nursing, Applied ethics
Abstract

BackgroundManaging HIV treatment is a complex multi-dimensional task because of a combination of factors such as stigma and discrimination of some populations who frequently get infected with HIV. In addition, patient-provider encounters have become increasingly multicultural, making effective communication and provision of ethically sound care a challenge.PurposeThis article explores ethical issues that health service providers in the United States and Botswana encountered in their interaction with patients in HIV care.Research designA descriptive qualitative design was used to collect data from health service providers and patients using focused group discussions. This article is based on responses from health service providers only.Participants and contextThis article is based on 11 focused group discussions with a total sample of 71 service providers in seven US sites and one Botswana site.Ethical considerationsEthical review boards at all the study sites reviewed the study protocol and approved it. Ethical review boards of the study's coordinating centers, Rutgers University and the University of California at San Francisco, also approved it. The study participants provided a written informed consent to participate.FindingsHIV service providers encountered ethical challenges in all the four Beauchamp and Childress' biomedical ethics of respect for patients' autonomy, beneficence, justice, and nonmaleficence.DiscussionThe finding that HIV service providers encounter ethical challenges in their interaction with patients is supported by prior studies. The ethical challenges are particularly prominent in multicultural care and resource-constrained care environments.ConclusionProvision of HIV care is fraught with ethical challenges that tend to pose different issues depending on a given care environment. It is important that strong partnerships are developed among key stakeholders in HIV care. In addition, health service providers need to be provided with resources so they can provide quality and ethically sound care.

Published
2019

32. The ALICE trigger system for LHC Run 3

Author

Krivda, M., Evans, D., Graham, K. L., Jusko, A., Lietava, R., Baillie, O. Villalobos, Zardoshti, N., Bombara, M., Sefcik, M., Kralik, I, and Moreno, L. A. Perez

Subjects
Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors, Nuclear Experiment
Abstract

The ALICE Central Trigger Processor (CTP) is going to be upgraded for LHC Run 3 with completely new hardware and a new Trigger and Timing Control (TTC-PON) system based on a Passive Optical Network (PON) system. The new trigger system has been designed as dead time free and able to transmit trigger data at 9.6 Gbps. A new universal trigger board has been designed, where by changing the FMC card, it can function as a CTP or as a LTU. It is based on the Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale FPGA and upgraded TTC-PON. The new trigger system and the prototype of the trigger board will be presented., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Submitted to Proceedings of the Topical Workshop on Electronics for Particle Physics (TWEPP 2017), University of Santa Cruz, California USA, September 11th-14th 2017

Published
2017

33. Monitoring crystal breakage in wet milling processes using inline imaging and chord length distribution measurements

Author

Agimelen, Okpeafoh S., Svoboda, Vaclav, Ahmed, Bilal, Cardona, Javier, Dziewierz, Jerzy, Brown, Cameron J., McGlone, Thomas, Cleary, Alison, Tachtatzis, Christos, Michie, Craig, Florence, Alastair J., Andonovic, Ivan, Mulholland, Anthony J., and Sefcik, Jan

Subjects
Physics - Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Abstract

The success of the various secondary operations involved in the production of particulate products depends on the production of particles with a desired size and shape from a previous primary operation such as crystallisation. This is because these properties of size and shape affect the behaviour of the particles in the secondary processes. The size and the shape of the particles are very sensitive to the conditions of the crystallisation processes, and so control of these processes is essential. This control requires the development of software tools that can effectively and efficiently process the sensor data captured in situ. However, these tools have various strengths and limitations depending on the process conditions and the nature of the particles. In this work, we employ wet milling of crystalline particles as a case study of a process which produces effects typical to crystallisation processes. We study some of the strengths and limitations of our previously introduced tools for estimating the particle size distribution (PSD) and the aspect ratio from chord length distribution (CLD) and imaging data. We find situations where the CLD tool works better than the imaging tool and vice versa. However, in general both tools complement each other, and can therefore be employed in a suitable multi-objective optimisation approach to estimate PSD and aspect ratio., Comment: 33 pages, 18 figures, to be submitted to Elsevier

Published
2017

34. Mapping the Landscape of Those Left Behind When a Person With Dementia Dies: Roles of Race and Ethnicity.

Author

Baker, Zachary G., Han, SeungYong, Sefcik, Justine S., Petrovsky, Darina V., Ma, Kris Pui Kwan, Smith, Matthew Lee, Bacsu, Juanita-Dawne R., Rahemi, Zahra, and Saenz, Joseph

Abstract

Introduction: People with dementia can have many family and friends who might be affected by their deaths. Pursuing the long-term aim of understanding how dementia deaths affect close family and friends, this project lays groundwork through estimates of who those close family and friends are, with special attention to race and ethnicity. Method: Regression models estimated associations between dementia, race/ethnicity, and close family and friend network size, controlling for age, sex, education, marital status, and household wealth for 1386 deceased people with dementia from the Health and Retirement Study (2004 to 2018). Results: Persons with dementia had an average of 9.4 close family and friends at death. But patterns of close family and friends were different among non-Latino Black (10.8), Latino (9.9), and non-Latino White (9.2) people with dementia at death. Notably, non-Latino White persons with dementia had the fewest close family (3.7), followed by non-Latino Black (5.1), and Latino (7.7) persons with dementia. Discussion: Knowing who might be affected by dementia deaths is the first step to explore how dementia-related deaths impact close family and friends. Future work can now sample bereaved family and friends of people with dementia to explore their experiences and develop culturally appropriate supports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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35. Nucleation and Growth Kinetics of Sodium Chloride Crystallization from Water and Deuterium Oxide

Author

James M. Flannigan, Daniel MacIver, Hikaru Jolliffe, Mark D. Haw, and Jan Sefcik

Subjects
sodium chloride, water, deuterium oxide, primary nucleation, secondary nucleation, growth, Crystallography, QD901-999
Abstract

Despite the ubiquity of the crystallization of sodium chloride (NaCl) throughout history, few detailed, well-controlled quantitative studies of the kinetics of NaCl crystallization have been published. Taking advantage of recent advances in technology such as image analysis for crystallite counting and ‘high-throughput’ techniques for characterizing the highly stochastic nucleation process, we report on a detailed examination of the primary and secondary nucleation kinetics of NaCl, crystallized from solution, in water (H2O) and in the isotopologue D2O. We show that crystallization conditions, especially sample agitation, have a very significant effect on crystallization kinetics. We also critically evaluate the workflow employed and the associated nucleation/growth models used to interpret its results, comparing outcomes from NaCl with those from organic crystal systems with which the workflow was originally developed and demonstrated. For primary nucleation, some key assumptions of the workflow and data interpretation are called into question for the NaCl system. Even so, it can still provide direct measurements of secondary nucleation and crystal growth from crystal counting and sizing, providing valuable characterization under consistent controlled conditions to enhance and ‘bring up to date’ the literature on the crystallization of this ubiquitous system.

Published
2023
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36. Mapping the Landscape of Academic Integrity Education Programs: What Approaches Are Effective?

Author

Sefcik, Lesley, Striepe, Michelle, and Yorke, Jonathan

Abstract

Research has shown that academic integrity education programs can have a positive impact on student attitudes and reduce breaches of academic integrity. Although programs vary across institutions, there is relatively little research on their comparative efficacy. Accordingly, this study examines how higher education institutions in Australia and New Zealand approach academic integrity education in order to identify particular features that are considered to be most effective. Forty-four institutions are represented in this research, with data collected via a survey and semi-structured interviews with selected participants. The findings reveal that, in many cases, current academic integrity education programs appear to lack comprehensive information on values, the potential risks to integrity and the pitfalls of assessment outsourcing. Instead, curricula tended to focus on plagiarism, student responsibilities and referencing. Institutions employ a range of different communication and administration strategies to encourage uptake, and it was found that centrally administered programs that employed sanctions for non-completion appeared to be the most effective method for achieving compliance. Whilst the use of sanctions may support completion, it is argued that future academic integrity programs should also be collaboratively designed, drawing on a timely educational approach for skill development that incorporates learner feedback into the process with a greater emphasis on underpinning values.

Published
2020
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37. Modelling of artefacts in estimations of particle size of needle-like particles from laser diffraction measurements

Author

Agimelen, Okpeafoh S., Mulholland, Anthony J., and Sefcik, Jan

Subjects
Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter, Condensed Matter - Materials Science, Physics - Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Abstract

Manufacturing of particulate products across many industries relies on accurate measurements of particle size distributions in dispersions or powders. Laser diffraction (or small angle light scattering) is commonly used, usually off-line, for particle size measurements. The estimation of particle sizes by this method requires the solution of an inverse problem using a suitable scattering model that takes into account size, shape and optical properties of the particles. However, laser diffraction instruments are usually accompanied by software that employs a default scattering model for spherical particles, which is then used to solve the inverse problem even though a significant number of particulate products occur in strongly non-spherical shapes such as needles. In this work, we demonstrate that using the spherical model for the estimation of sizes of needle-like particles can lead to the appearance of artefacts in the form of multimodal populations of particles with size modes much smaller than those actually present in the sample. This effect can result in a significant under-estimation of the mean particle size and in false modes in estimated particles size distributions., Comment: 28 pages 8 figures accepted in the journal of Chemical Engineering Science

Published
2016

39. Determinants of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia: A scoping review of the evidence

Author

Kolanowski, Ann, Boltz, Marie, Galik, Elizabeth, Gitlin, Laura N, Kales, Helen C, Resnick, Barbara, Van Haitsma, Kimberly S, Knehans, Amy, Sutterlin, Jane E, Sefcik, Justine S, Liu, Wen, Petrovsky, Darina V, Massimo, Lauren, Gilmore-Bykovskyi, Andrea, MacAndrew, Margaret, Brewster, Glenna, Nalls, Vycki, Jao, Ying-Ling, Duffort, Naomi, and Scerpella, Danny

Subjects
Health Services and Systems, Nursing, Health Sciences, Mental Health, Acquired Cognitive Impairment, Brain Disorders, Behavioral and Social Science, Dementia, Neurodegenerative, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease including Alzheimer's Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD), Neurosciences, Aging, Neurological, Good Health and Well Being, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aggression, Alzheimer Disease, Apathy, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Psychomotor Agitation, Psychotic Disorders, Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, Determinants, Scoping review
Abstract

BackgroundBehavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are prevalent in people with neurodegenerative diseases.PurposeIn this scoping review the Kales, Gitlin and Lykestos framework is used to answer the question: What high quality evidence exists for the patient, caregiver and environmental determinants of five specific BPSD: aggression, agitation, apathy, depression and psychosis?MethodAn a priori review protocol was developed; 692 of 6013 articles retrieved in the search were deemed eligible for review. Gough's Weight of Evidence Framework and the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias were used. The findings from 56 high quality/low bias articles are summarized.DiscussionEach symptom had its own set of determinants, but many were common across several symptoms: neurodegeneration, type of dementia, severity of cognitive impairments, and declining functional abilities, and to a lesser extent, caregiver burden and communication.ConclusionResearch and policy implications are relevant to the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

Published
2017

40. 90-90-90-Plus: Maintaining Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapies

Author

Corless, Inge B, Hoyt, Alex J, Tyer-Viola, Lynda, Sefcik, Elizabeth, Kemppainen, Jeanne, Holzemer, William L, Eller, Lucille Sanzero, Nokes, Kathleen, Phillips, J Craig, Dawson-Rose, Carol, Rivero-Mendez, Marta, Iipinge, Scholastika, Chaiphibalsarisdi, Puangtip, Portillo, Carmen J, Chen, Wei-Ti, Webel, Allison R, Brion, John, Johnson, Mallory O, Voss, Joachim, Hamilton, Mary Jane, Sullivan, Kathleen M, Kirksey, Kenn M, and Nicholas, Patrice K

Subjects
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Nursing, Health Sciences, Clinical Research, Pediatric AIDS, Mental Health, Pediatric, HIV/AIDS, Behavioral and Social Science, Infectious Diseases, 7.1 Individual care needs, Management of diseases and conditions, Infection, Adult, Anti-HIV Agents, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Female, HIV Infections, Humans, Life Change Events, Logistic Models, Male, Medication Adherence, Middle Aged, Self Efficacy, Self Report, Social Isolation, Social Stigma, Social Support, Socioeconomic Factors, Stress, Psychological, Surveys and Questionnaires, Viral Load, adherence, 90-90-90, ART, predictors, Public Health and Health Services, Virology, Clinical sciences, Public health
Abstract

Medication adherence is the "Plus" in the global challenge to have 90% of HIV-infected individuals tested, 90% of those who are HIV positive treated, and 90% of those treated achieve an undetectable viral load. The latter indicates viral suppression, the goal for clinicians treating people living with HIV (PLWH). The comparative importance of different psychosocial scales in predicting the level of antiretroviral adherence, however, has been little studied. Using data from a cross-sectional study of medication adherence with an international convenience sample of 1811 PLWH, we categorized respondent medication adherence as None (0%), Low (1-60%), Moderate (61-94%), and High (95-100%) adherence based on self-report. The survey contained 13 psychosocial scales/indices, all of which were correlated with one another (p

Published
2017

41. Sexual transmission‐risk behaviour among HIV‐positive persons: a multisite study using social action theory

Author

Sullivan, Kathleen M, Rose, Carol Dawson, Phillips, J Craig, Holzemer, William L, Webel, Allison R, Nicholas, Patrice, Corless, Inge B, Kirksey, Kenn, Eller, Lucille Sanzero, Voss, Joachim, Tyer‐Viola, Lynda, Portillo, Carmen, Johnson, Mallory O, Brion, John, Sefcik, Elizabeth, Nokes, Kathleen, Reid, Paula, Rivero‐Mendez, Marta, and Chen, Wei‐Ti

Subjects
Public Health, Health Sciences, Behavioral and Social Science, Pediatric, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Prevention, Pediatric AIDS, HIV/AIDS, Infectious Diseases, Clinical Research, 7.1 Individual care needs, Aetiology, 3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote wellbeing, Management of diseases and conditions, 2.3 Psychological, social and economic factors, Prevention of disease and conditions, and promotion of well-being, Infection, Good Health and Well Being, Adolescent, Adult, Condoms, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, HIV Infections, Health Risk Behaviors, Humans, Male, Models, Theoretical, Self Report, Sexual Partners, Social Theory, Unsafe Sex, condom use, HIV prevention, HIV self-management, HIV-positive adults, HIV-transmission risk, nursing, self-efficacy, sexual behaviour, Social Action Theory, Nursing, Midwifery
Abstract

AimSexual risk behaviour was explored and described using Social Action Theory.BackgroundThe sexual transmission of HIV is complex and multi-factorial. Social Action Theory provides a framework for viewing self-regulation of modifiable behaviour such as condom use. Condom use is viewed within the context of social interaction and interdependence.DesignCross-sectional survey.MethodsSelf-report questionnaire administered to adults living with HIV/AIDS, recruited from clinics, service organizations and by active outreach, between 2010 - 2011.FindingsHaving multiple sex partners with inconsistent condom use during a 3-month recall period was associated with being male, younger age, having more years of education,substance use frequency and men having sex with men being a mode of acquiring HIV. In addition, lower self-efficacy for condom use scores were associated with having multiple sex partners and inconsistent condom use.ConclusionSocial Action Theory provided a framework for organizing data from an international sample of seropositive persons. Interventions for sexually active, younger, HIV positive men who have sex with men, that strengthen perceived efficacy for condom use, and reduce the frequency of substance use, may contribute to reducing HIV-transmission risk.

Published
2017

42. GEMAS: Geochemical distribution of Mg in agricultural soil of Europe

Author

Albanese, S., Andersson, M., Baritz, R., Batista, M.J., Bel-lan, A., Cicchella, D., De Vivo, B., De Vos, W., Dinelli, E., Ďuriš, M., Dusza-Dobek, A., Eklund, M., Ernstsen, V., Filzmoser, P., Flem, B., Flight, D.M.A., Forrester, S., Fuchs, M., Fügedi, U., Gilucis, A., Gosar, M., Gregorauskiene, V., De Groot, W., Gulan, A., Halamić, J., Haslinger, E., Hayoz, P., Hoffmann, R., Hoogewerff, J., Hrvatovic, H., Husnjak, S., Janik, L., Jordan, G., Kaminari, M., Kirby, J., Kivisilla, J., Klos, V., Krone, F., Kwećko, P., Kuti, L., Lima, A., Locutura, J., Lucivjansky, D.P., Mann, A., Mackovych, D., Matschullat, J., McLaughlin, M., Malyuk, B.I., Maquil, R., Meuli, R.G., Mol, G., O'Connor, P., Oorts, R.K., Ottesen, R.T., Pasieczna, A., Petersell, W., Pfleiderer, S., Poňavič, M., Pramuka, S., Prazeres, C., Rauch, U., Radusinović, S., Salpeteur, I., Scanlon, R., Schedl, A., Scheib, A.J., Schoeters, I., Šefčik, P., Sellersjö, E., Skopljak, F., Slaninka, I., Šorša, A., Srvkota, R., Stafilov, T., Tarvainen, T., Trendavilov, V., Valera, P., Verougstraete, V., Vidojević, D., Zissimos, A., Zomeni, Z., Négrel, Philippe, Ladenberger, Anna, Reimann, Clemens, Birke, Manfred, Demetriades, Alecos, and Sadeghi, Martiya

Published
2021
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43. Continuous crystallisation of organic salt polymorphs

Author

John McGinty, Vaclav Svoboda, Pol MacFhionnghaile, Helen Wheatcroft, Chris J. Price, and Jan Sefcik

Subjects
organic salt, reactive crystallisation, Polymorphism, continuous crystallisation, particle engineering, Technology, Chemical technology, TP1-1185
Abstract

Organic salt crystallisation is of great importance to the pharmaceutical industry as many pharmaceutical products are marketed as salts with salt formation being an essential step in drug development. The model compound used in this work is the polymorphic organic salt ethylenediammonium 3,5-dinitrobenzoate (EDNB) which is the 2:1 salt of 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid with ethylenediamine. Crystallisation of the two EDNB polymorphs, the stable monoclinic form and the metastable triclinic form, was performed in both semi-batch and continuous processes using continuous mixing approaches. It was demonstrated that continuous mixing approaches, using various types of continuous mixers (co-axial, Ehrfeld, X-mixer) can be used to crystallise the EDNB salt with consistent yield and particle size distribution while achieving control over polymorphic form. The experiments were designed with use of a solution speciation model which provided process understanding and insight to guide development of salt crystallisation processes.

Published
2022
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44. Integration of in situ Imaging and Chord Length Distribution Measurements for Estimation of Particle Size and Shape

Author

Agimelen, Okpeafoh S., Jawor-Baczynska, Anna, McGinty, John, Tachtatzis, Christos, Dziewierz, Jerzy, Haley, Ian, Sefcik, Jan, and Mulholland, Anthony J.

Subjects
Physics - Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability, 65K10, 65K99
Abstract

Efficient processing of particulate products across various manufacturing steps requires that particles possess desired attributes such as size and shape. Controlling the particle production process to obtain required attributes will be greatly facilitated using robust algorithms providing the size and shape information of the particles from in situ measurements. However, obtaining particle size and shape information in situ during manufacturing has been a big challenge. This is because the problem of estimating particle size and shape (aspect ratio) from signals provided by in-line measuring tools is often ill posed, and therefore it calls for appropriate constraints to be imposed on the problem. One way to constrain uncertainty in estimation of particle size and shape from in-line measurements is to combine data from different measurements such as chord length distribution (CLD) and imaging. This paper presents two different methods for combining imaging and CLD data obtained with in-line tools in order to get reliable estimates of particle size distribution and aspect ratio, where the imaging data is used to constrain the search space for an aspect ratio from the CLD data., Comment: 60 pages, 32 figures, accepted in the Chemical Engineering Science journal

Published
2015

45. Dairy Manure-Derived Biochar in Soil Enhances Nutrient Metabolism and Soil Fertility, Altering the Soil Prokaryote Community

Author

Olabiyi Obayomi, Cosette B. Taggart, Shengquan Zeng, Kristin Sefcik, Bianca Willis, James P. Muir, Eunsung Kan, and Jeff A. Brady

Subjects
biochar, dairy manure, soil, microbial communities, microbial functions, Agriculture
Abstract

Although various studies have investigated biochar (BC) soil amendments for improving soil microbial abundance, functions, and community structure, a comparison of dairy manure biochar (MBC) to wood biochar (WBC) is warranted given the large volume of manure produced in high-intensity dairy production. Additionally, the synergistic effects of different BC sources and loading percentages on microbial functions and community composition using massively parallel 16S DNA sequencing in BC-amended soils with different types of crops are limited. In this study, the synergistic effects of BC type, BC loading percentage, and crop types on soil fertility, prokaryote community diversity, and functions were investigated in a greenhouse study. The MBC and WBC were used to amend sandy loam soils at increasing BC loading percentages (0, 5, and 10%) to grow the cool-season forages crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum; an annual legume) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.; an annual forage grass) for 120 days. High nutrient concentrations in MBC shifted microbial communities towards r-strategists and alkaliphiles, potentially increasing the rate of nutrient bioremediation from high nitrogen- and phosphorus-containing soil amendments. This study enables emerging biochar agronomic use recommendations with different crops.

Published
2023
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46. Estimation of Particle Size Distribution and Aspect Ratio of Non-Spherical Particles From Chord Length Distribution

Author

Agimelen, Okpeafoh S., Hamilton, Peter, Haley, Ian, Nordon, Alison, Vasile, Massimiliano, Sefcik, Jan, and Mulholland, Anthony J.

Subjects
Physics - Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability
Abstract

Information about size and shape of particles produced in various manufacturing processes is very important for process and product development because design of downstream processes as well as final product properties strongly depend on these geometrical particle attributes. However, recovery of particle size and shape information in situ during crystallisation processes has been a major challenge. The focused beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) provides the chord length distribution (CLD) of a population of particles in a suspension flowing close to the sensor window. Recovery of size and shape information from the CLD requires a model relating particle size and shape to its CLD as well as solving the corresponding inverse problem. This paper presents a comprehensive algorithm which produces estimates of particle size distribution and particle aspect ratio from measured CLD data. While the algorithm searches for a global best solution to the inverse problem without requiring further a priori information on the range of particle sizes present in the population or aspect ratio of particles, suitable regularisation techniques based on relevant additional information can be implemented as required to obtain physically reasonable size distributions. We used the algorithm to analyse CLD data for samples of needle-like crystalline particles of various lengths using two previously published CLD models for ellipsoids and for thin cylinders to estimate particle size distribution and shape. We found that the thin cylinder model yielded significantly better agreement with experimental data, while estimated particle size distributions and aspect ratios were in good agreement with those obtained from imaging., Comment: 30 pages, 9 figures, accepted in the Chemical Engineering Science Journal

Published
2014

50. A Cross-Sectional Relationship Between Social Capital, Self-Compassion, and Perceived HIV Symptoms.

Author

Webel, Allison, Wantland, Dean, Rose, Carol, Kemppainen, Jeanne, Holzemer, William, Nicholas, Patrice, Eller, Lucille, Chaiphibalsarisdi, Puangtip, Sefcik, Elizabeth, Nokes, Kathleen, Corless, Inge, Tyer-Viola, Lynda, Kirksey, Kenn, Voss, Joachim, Sullivan, Kathy, Rivero-Méndez, Marta, Brion, John, Iipinge, Scholastika, Phillips, J, Portillo, Carmen, Johnson, Mallory, and Chen, Wei-Ti

Subjects
HIV, Symptom, self-compassion, social capital, Adult, Canada, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Culture, Empathy, Female, HIV Infections, Humans, Internationality, Middle Aged, Namibia, Perception, Self Concept, Severity of Illness Index, Social Capital, Thailand, United States, Young Adult
Abstract

CONTEXT: Individual resources of social capital and self-compassion are associated with health behaviors and perceived symptoms, suggesting that both are positive resources that can be modified to improve a persons symptom experience. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to examine the relationship between self-compassion and social capital and its impact on current HIV symptom experience in adult people living with HIV (PLWH). We further explored the impact of age on this relationship. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2182 PLWH at 20 sites in five countries. Social capital, self-compassion, and HIV symptom experience were evaluated using valid and reliable scales. To account for inflated significance associated with a large sample size, we took a random sample of 28% of subjects (n = 615) and conducted correlation analyses and zero-inflated Poisson regression, controlling for known medical and demographic variables impacting HIV symptom experience. RESULTS: Controlling for age, sex at birth, year of HIV diagnosis, comorbid health conditions, employment, and income, our model significantly predicted HIV symptom experience (overall model z = 5.77, P

Published
2015

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