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Abstract Ethical issues arise in the context of implementation science that may differ from those encountered in other research settings. This report, developed out of a workshop convened by the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science within the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, identifies six key themes that are important to the assessment of ethical dimensions of implementation science. First, addressing ethical challenges in implementation science does not require new ethical principles, commitments, or regulations. However, it does require understanding of the specific contexts arising in implementation research related to both study design and the intervention being implemented. Second, implementation research involves many different types of people in research, including patients, clinicians, administrators, the social networks of any of these, and the general population. These individuals play different roles that may entail different ethical considerations, obligations, and vulnerabilities. Third, the appropriateness of and need for informed consent in implementation research is connected to the role of the subject/participant, the nature of the intervention, and the design of the study. Even where traditional “full” consent processes are unnecessary or inappropriate, communication and engagement are critical. Similarly, even when research is exempt and informed consent unnecessary, Data Safety and Monitoring Board oversight of implementation studies may be advisable to ensure quality, address unexpected consequences, and identify overwhelming evidence of benefit. Fourth, implementation science is often explicitly designed to encourage specific behaviors and discourage others. There is a need for clarity regarding when efforts at behavioral change enhance or threaten autonomy and how to protect participants whose autonomy is threatened. Fifth, there is significant overlap between implementation science and quality improvement, and the ideal regulatory oversight structure for implementation science remains unclear. It is critical to encourage learning and growth while assuring appropriate protections. Sixth, implementation research takes place across a range of social and cultural contexts. Engagement and collaboration with stakeholders in designing and executing implementation trials and studies- especially when vulnerabilities exist- is essential. Attention to these themes will help ensure that implementation science fulfills its goal of advancing the practice of health care within a sound ethical framework.

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

Seasonal variation in westward-propagating quasi-10 d waves (Q10DWs) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) high-latitude regions is investigated using meteor radar (MR) observations for the period of 2012–2016 and using the Specified Dynamics (SD) version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). The phase difference in meridional winds measured by two MRs located in Antarctica gives observational estimates of the amplitude and phase of the Q10DW with zonal wavenumber 1 (W1). The amplitude of the observed Q10DW-W1 is large around equinoxes. In order to elucidate the variations in the observed Q10DW-W1 and its possible amplification mechanism, we carry out two SD-WACCM experiments nudged towards the MERRA-2 reanalysis from the surface up to ∼ 60 km (EXP60) and ∼ 75 km (EXP75). Results of the EXP75 indicate that the observed Q10DW-W1 can be amplified around regions of barotropic and/or baroclinic instability in the middle mesosphere around 60–70° S. In the EXP60 experiment, it was also found that the Q10DW-W1 is amplified around the regions of instability, but the amplitude is too large compared to MR observations. The large-scale instability in the EXP60 in the SH summer mesosphere is stronger than that in the EXP75 and Microwave Limb Sounder observations. The larger instability in the EXP60 is related to the large meridional and vertical variations in polar mesospheric zonal winds in association with gravity wave parameterization (GWP). Given uncertainties inherent in GWP, these results can suggest that it is possible for models to spuriously generate traveling planetary waves such as the Q10DW, especially in summer, due to excessively strong large-scale instability in the SH high-latitude mesosphere.

​​​​​​​In climate modelling, the reality of simulated flows in the middle atmosphere is largely affected by the model's representation of gravity wave processes that are unresolved, while these processes are usually simplified to facilitate computations. The simplification commonly applied in existing climate models is to neglect wave propagation in horizontal direction and time. Here we use a model that fully represents the propagation of unresolved waves in all directions, thereby elucidating its dynamical effect upon the most important climate mode in the tropical stratosphere, i.e. the quasi-biennial oscillation. Our simulation shows that the waves in the equatorial stratosphere, which are known to drive this climate mode, can originate far away from the Equator in the troposphere. The waves propagating obliquely toward the Equator are found to play a huge role in the phase progression of the quasi-biennial oscillation as well as in its penetration into the lower stratosphere. Such waves will require further attention, given that current climate models are struggling to simulate the quasi-biennial oscillation down to the lower stratosphere, which may be needed to reproduce its observed impacts on the surface climate.

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

Statistical bias correction (BC) is a widely used tool to post-process climate model biases in heat-stress impact studies, which are often based on the indices calculated from multiple dependent variables. This study compares four BC methods (three univariate and one multivariate) with two correction strategies (direct and indirect) for adjusting two heat-stress indices with different dependencies on temperature and relative humidity using multiple regional climate model simulations over South Korea. It would be helpful for reducing the ambiguity involved in the practical application of BC for climate modeling and end-user communities. Our results demonstrate that the multivariate approach can improve the corrected inter-variable dependence, which benefits the indirect correction of heat-stress indices depending on the adjustment of individual components, especially those indices relying equally on multiple drivers. On the other hand, the direct correction of multivariate indices using the quantile delta mapping univariate approach can also produce a comparable performance in the corrected heat-stress indices. However, our results also indicate that attention should be paid to the non-stationarity of bias brought by climate sensitivity in the modeled data, which may affect the bias-corrected results unsystematically. Careful interpretation of the correction process is required for an accurate heat-stress impact assessment.

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

A total of 20 urban neighbourhood-scale eddy covariance flux tower datasets are made openly available after being harmonized to create a 50 site–year collection with broad diversity in climate and urban surface characteristics. Variables needed as inputs for land surface models (incoming radiation, temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind and precipitation) are quality controlled, gap-filled and prepended with 10 years of reanalysis-derived local data, enabling an extended spin up to equilibrate models with local climate conditions. For both gap filling and spin up, ERA5 reanalysis meteorological data are bias corrected using tower-based observations, accounting for diurnal, seasonal and local urban effects not modelled in ERA5. The bias correction methods developed perform well compared to methods used in other datasets (e.g. WFDE5 or FLUXNET2015). Other variables (turbulent and upwelling radiation fluxes) are harmonized and quality controlled without gap filling. Site description metadata include local land cover fractions (buildings, roads, trees, grass etc.), building height and morphology, aerodynamic roughness estimates, population density and satellite imagery. This open collection can help extend our understanding of urban environmental processes through observational synthesis studies or in the evaluation of land surface environmental models in a wide range of urban settings. These data can be accessed from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7104984 (Lipson et al., 2022).

We analysed all-sky camera images observed at Mt. Bohyun observatory (36.2∘ N, 128.9∘ E) for the period 2017–2019. The image data were acquired with a narrowband filter centred at 557.7 nm for the OI airglow emission at ∼ 96 km altitude. A total of 150 wave events were identified in the images of 144 clear nights. The interquartile ranges of wavelength, phase speed and periods of the identified waves are 20.5–35.5 km, 27.4–45.0 m s−1 and 10.8–13.7 min with the median values of 27.8 km, 36.3 m s−1 and 11.7 min, respectively. The summer and spring bias of propagation directions of north-eastward and northward, respectively, can be interpreted as the effect of filtering by the prevailing winds in the lower atmosphere. In winter the subdominant north-westward waves may be observed due to a nullified filtering effect by slow northward background wind or secondary waves generated in the upper atmosphere. Intrinsic phase speeds and periods of the waves were also derived by using the wind data simultaneously observed by a nearly co-located meteor radar. The nature of vertical propagation was evaluated in each season. The majority of observed waves are found to be freely propagating and thus can be attributed to wave sources in the lower or upper atmosphere.

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

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

BackgroundAssessment of capacity for treatment and discharge decisions is common in the general hospital. Liaison psychiatrists are often asked to support the treating medical or surgical team in difficult capacity assessments. However, empirical research on identification and resolution of difficult capacity cases is limited. Some studies have identified certain patient, decisional, and interpersonal factors which cause difficulty, but no study has explored how these issues are resolved in practice. Our study therefore aimed to describe how experienced liaison psychiatrists identify and resolve difficult capacity cases in a general hospital setting.MethodsWe carried out semi-structured interviews with 26 liaison psychiatrists from England, Scotland, and New Zealand, on their most difficult capacity cases. Thematic analysis was used to examine types of difficulty and how these were resolved in practice. Summaries were prepared and example quotes extracted to illustrate phenomena described.ResultsWe identified four types of difficulty in capacity assessment, spanning both clinical and ethical domains: 1) Difficulty determining whether the decision is the patient's own or driven by illness, 2) Difficulty in applying ethical principles, 3) Difficulty in avoiding personal bias, and 4) Procedural difficulties. The liaison psychiatrists presented as self-reflective and aware of challenges and pitfalls in hard cases. We summarized their creative strategies to resolve difficulty in assessment.ConclusionPractitioners approaching difficult capacity cases require both clinical skills, e.g., to uncover subtle illness impairing decision-making and to consider interpersonal dynamics, and ethical skills, e.g., to negotiate the role of values and risks in capacity assessment. Education and training programmes should incorporate both aspects and could include the resolution strategies identified in our study. Practitioners, supported by health and social care systems, should work to develop self-aware and reflective capacity assessment practice.

BackgroundThe concept of decision-making capacity (DMC) or competence remains controversial, despite widespread use. Risk-sensitive DMC assessment (RS-DMC)—the idea that the higher the risk involved in a decision, the greater the decisional abilities required for DMC—has been particularly controversial. We conducted a systematic, descriptive review of the arguments for and against RS-DMC to clarify the debate.MethodsWe searched PubMed/MEDLINE (National Library of Medicine), PsycInfo (American Psychological Association) and Philpapers, updating our search to February 15th, 2022. We targeted peer-reviewed publications in English that argue for or against RS-DMC. Two reviewers independently screened the publications and extracted data from each eligible manuscript.ResultsOf 41 eligible publications, 22 supported a risk-sensitive threshold in DMC assessment. Most arguments for RS-DMC rely on its intuitive appeal and practical merits. The arguments against RS-DMC primarily express concerns about paternalism and the seeming asymmetry between consent and refusal; critics of RS-DMC support epistemic, rather than substantive (i.e., variable threshold), risk-sensitivity; counterarguments responding to criticisms of RS-DMC address charges of paternalism and exhibit a notable variety of responses to the issue of asymmetry. Authors used a variety of frameworks regarding the definition of DMC, its elements, and its relation to decisional authority, and these frameworks were significantly associated with positions on RS-DMC. A limitation of our review is that the coding relies on judgment and interpretation.ConclusionThe review suggests that some of the debate about RS-DMC stems from differences in underlying frameworks. Most defenses of RS-DMC rely on its intuitive appeal, while most criticisms reflect concerns about paternalism or the asymmetry between consent and refusal. Defenses of RS-DMC respond to the asymmetry problem in a variety of ways. Further research is needed on the implications of underlying frameworks, the asymmetry problem, and the distinction between epistemic and substantive models of RS-DMC.

In this study we explore the seasonal variability of the mean winds and diurnal and semidiurnal tidal amplitude and phases, as well as the Reynolds stress components during 2019, utilizing meteor radars at six Southern Hemisphere locations ranging from midlatitudes to polar latitudes. These include Tierra del Fuego, King Edward Point on South Georgia island, King Sejong Station, Rothera, Davis, and McMurdo stations. The year 2019 was exceptional in the Southern Hemisphere, due to the occurrence of a rare minor stratospheric warming in September. Our results show a substantial longitudinal and latitudinal seasonal variability of mean winds and tides, pointing towards a wobbling and asymmetric polar vortex. Furthermore, the derived momentum fluxes and wind variances, utilizing a recently developed algorithm, reveal a characteristic seasonal pattern at each location included in this study. The longitudinal and latitudinal variability of vertical flux of zonal and meridional momentum is discussed in the context of polar vortex asymmetry, spatial and temporal variability, and the longitude and latitude dependence of the vertical propagation conditions of gravity waves. The horizontal momentum fluxes exhibit a rather consistent seasonal structure between the stations, while the wind variances indicate a clear seasonal behavior and altitude dependence, showing the largest values at higher altitudes during the hemispheric winter and two variance minima during the equinoxes. Also the hemispheric summer mesopause and the zonal wind reversal can be identified in the wind variances.

This study developed a model of total electron content (TEC) over the African region. The TEC data were obtained from radio occultation measurements done by the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) satellites. Data during geomagnetically quiet time (Kp < 3 and Dst > −20 nT) for the years 2008–2011 and 2013–2017 were binned according to local time, seasons, solar flux level, and geographic longitude and latitude. B splines were fitted to the binned data to obtain model coefficients. The model was validated using actual COSMIC TEC data of the years 2012 and 2018. The validation exercise revealed that approximation of observed TEC data by our model produces a root mean square error of 5.02 TECU (total electron content unit). Moreover, the modeled TEC data correlated highly with the observed TEC data (r=0.93). Due to the extensive input data and the applied modeling technique, we were able to reproduce well-known TEC features such as local time, seasonal, solar activity cycle, and spatial variations over the African region. Further validation of our model using TEC measured by ionosonde stations over South Africa at Hermanus, Grahamstown, and Louisville revealed r values > 0.92 and root mean square error (RMSE) < 5.56 TECU. These validation results imply that our model can estimate TEC fairly well that would be measured by ionosondes over locations which do not have the instrument. Another element of the significance of this study is the fact that it has shown the potential of using basis spline functions for modeling ionospheric parameters such as TEC over the entire African region.

Purpose of Investigation: The purpose of this study is to compare neonatal outcomes and oxidative stress markers of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) treated with third-generation cephalosporin plus metronidazole (regimen A) with those treated with third-generation cephalosporin plus clarithromycin (regimen B). Materials and Methods: The present study included patients with singleton pregnancies with PPROM at earlier than 34 gestational weeks who were admitted to the Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea, between February 2007 and December 2015. Latency period, neonatal outcomes, and oxidative stress markers (including oxygen radical absorbance capacity, malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, and interleukin-6) were compared between two groups. Results: Latency period from PPROM to delivery did not differ between the groups (11.0 ± 13.1 vs. 11.5 ± 8.6, p = 0.791). However, there were no significant differences in rate of latency period longer than seven days. More women were delivered after 48 hour in the regimen B group than in the regimen A group (83.6% vs. 94.7%, p = 0.022). However, there were no significant differences in rate of latency period longer than seven days. There was no significant difference in oxidative stress markers after the administration of antibiotics between regimens A and B. Conclusion: The present results show that there was no difference between the two regimens on the latency period and improvement of neonatal outcomes. Although there was no significant difference in neonatal outcomes, the regimen using third-generation cephalosporin plus clarithromycin may have a beneficial effect for short-term prolongation of pregnancy (up to 48 hours) to allow for the administration of antenatal corticosteroids and transfer to the tertiary center.

Experimental fission studies for reaction physics or nuclear spectroscopy can profit from fast, efficient, and radiation-resistant fission fragment (FF) detectors. When such experiments are performed in-beam in intense thermal neutron beams, additional constraints arise in terms of target-detector interface, beam-induced background, etc. Therefore, wide gap semi-conductor detectors were tested with the aim of developing innovative instrumentation for such applications. The detector characterization was performed with mass- and energy-separated fission fragment beams at the ILL (Institut Laue Langevin) LOHENGRIN spectrometer. Two single crystal diamonds, three polycrystalline and one diamond-on-iridium as well as a silicon carbide detector were characterized as solid state ionization chamber for FF detection. Timing measurements were performed with a 500-µm thick single crystal diamond detector read out by a broadband amplifier. A timing resolution of ∼10.2 ps RMS was obtained for FF with mass A = 98 at 90 MeV kinetic energy. Using a spectroscopic preamplifier developed at INFN-Milano, the energy resolution measured for the same FF was found to be slightly better for a ∼50-µm thin single crystal diamond detector (∼1.4% RMS) than for the 500-µm thick one (∼1.6% RMS), while a value of 3.4% RMS was obtained with the 400-µm silicon carbide detector. The Pulse Height Defect (PHD), which is significant in silicon detectors, was also investigated with the two single crystal diamond detectors. The comparison with results from α and triton measurements enabled us to conclude that PHD leads to ∼50% loss of the initial generated charge carriers for FF. In view of these results, a possible detector configuration and integration for in-beam experiments has been discussed.

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

Equatorial Kelvin and mixed Rossby–gravity (MRG) waves in the tropical tropopause layer and stratosphere represented in recent reanalyses for the period of 1981–2010 are compared in terms of spectral characteristics, spatial structures, long-term variations, and their forcing of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO). For both wave types, the spectral distributions are broadly similar among most of the reanalyses, while the peak amplitudes exhibit considerable spread. The longitudinal distributions and spatial patterns of wave perturbations show reasonable agreement between the reanalyses. A few exceptions to the similarity of the spectral shapes and spatial structures among them are also noted. While the interannual variations of wave activity appear to be coherent for both the Kelvin and MRG waves, there is substantial variability in long-term trends among the reanalyses. Most of the reanalyses which assimilate satellite data exhibit large increasing trends in wave variance (∼15 %–50 % increase in 30 years at 100–10 hPa), whereas one reanalysis (Japanese 55-year Reanalysis assimilating conventional observations only; JRA-55C) produced without satellite data does not. Several discontinuities are found around 1998 in the time series of the Kelvin and MRG wave variances, which manifest in different ways depending on the reanalysis, and are indicative of impacts of the transition of satellite measurements during that year. The equatorial wave forcing of the QBO, estimated by the Eliassen–Palm (EP) flux divergence, occurs in similar phase-speed ranges in the lower stratosphere among the reanalyses. However, the EP flux and its divergence are found to be dependent on the zonal-mean winds represented in reanalyses, exhibiting different magnitudes, altitudes, and phase-speed ranges of the Kelvin wave forcing between the reanalyses, especially at 20–10 hPa. In addition, at around 20 hPa, a wave signal which appears only in easterly mean winds with westward phase speeds is found and discussed.

High ambient temperature (AT) is a major constraint on efficiency of farming in pig production. Results of reported studies assessing the influences of high AT on pig performance are highly variable, particularly in pigs with different body weight (BW). Therefore, a meta-analysis from ISI Web of Science and PubMed was operated to explain variations of average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG) in the reports across literatures during high AT in growing or finishing pigs. Pigs were divided to three BW categories as LOW (46 to 65 kg), MED (65< to 85 kg), and HGH (85< kg). The significant effect of AT on ADG were observed in LOW, MED, and HGH categories. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) for multiple linear regression shows significance of linear relationships between both ADG and ADFI, and AT and BW as: ADGLOW= 1260-19.9*AT+2.09*BW, ADGMED= 1546-22.5*AT-0.88*W, ADGHGH= 1893-31.9*AT-2.40*BW, ADFILOW= 1756-35.0*AT+24.6*BW, ADFIMED= 2793-49.6*AT+12.5*BW, and ADFIHGH= 4172-59.0*AT+0.74*BW. The significant effect of temperature on gain to feed ratio (G:F) was observed in LOW and HGH categories. The ANOVA for multiple regression revealed evidence on high significance of linear relationships between G:F and AT: G:FLOW =0.80+0.02*AT+0.02*BW, G:FMED= 0.95+0.02*AT+0.02*BW, and G:FHGH= 0.78+0.05*AT+0.01*BW. The overall results of mixed model analysis show that the significant interaction between BW and AT means that pigs in heavier category have lower G:F when temperature increases. In conclusion, high AT linearly decrease the ADG, ADFI, and G:F of growing and finishing pigs.

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

Transition metal compounds are known to be tricky for ab initio calculations mainly because of the strongly localized nature of transition metal d electrons. Nonetheless, the bulk of current theoretical studies of MXenes (transition metal carbide or nitride) relies on the density functional theory using a semilocal PBE functional, whose notorious self-interaction error grossly misrepresents electronic and magnetic properties of many well-known transition metal compounds. Although several studies have adopted Hubbard-U corrections to MXenes, the lack of systematic guidelines on how to determine the U parameters has led to a cornucopia of different results. To shed some light on the reliability of different methods (different functionals or different U parameters), we performed ab initio calculations for 22 carbide MXenes (M2CT2 with M= Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo, W, and T= O, F) using density functional theory and four different methods: PBE, SCAN, HSE06, and PBE+U. In addition to trivial improvement of electronic structures of MXenes by SCAN, HSE06, and PBE+U, we found new ground-state structures for two MXenes (Hf2CF2 and Ta2CF2) and magnetic states for three MXenes (V2CO2, V2CF2, and Mo2CF2), which have not previously been reported. In addition, we found that SCAN, HSE06, and PBE+U dramatically improve the dynamical stability of V2CO2 and Mo2CF2 compared with PBE. This paper offers an overview of a broad range of MXenes with a systematic verification of various methods.

Background/objectivesMany jurisdictions use a functional model of capacity with similar legal criteria, but there is a lack of agreed understanding as to how to apply these criteria in practice. We aimed to develop a typology of capacity rationales to describe court practice in making capacity determinations and to guide professionals approaching capacity assessments.MethodsWe analysed all published cases from courts in England and Wales [Court of Protection (CoP) judgments, or Court of Appeal cases from the CoP] containing rationales for incapacity or intact capacity(n = 131). Qualitative content analysis was used to develop a typology of capacity rationales or abilities. Relationships between the typology and legal criteria for capacity [Mental Capacity Act (MCA)] and diagnoses were analysed.ResultsThe typology had nine categories (reliability: kappa = 0.63): 1) to grasp information or concepts, 2) to imagine/ abstract, 3) to remember, 4) to appreciate, 5) to value/ care, 6) to think through the decision non-impulsively, 7) to reason, 8) to give coherent reasons, and 9) to express a stable preference. Rationales most frequently linked to MCA criterion 'understand' were ability to grasp information or concepts (43%) or to appreciate (42%), and to MCA criterion 'use or weigh' were abilities to appreciate (45%) or to reason (32%). Appreciation was the most frequently cited rationale across all diagnoses. Judges often used rationales without linking them specifically to any MCA criteria (42%).ConclusionsA new typology of rationales could bridge the gap between legal criteria for decision-making capacity and phenomena encountered in practice, increase reliability and transparency of assessments, and provide targets for decision-making support.

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

The Stratosphere–troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate (SPARC) Quasi-Biennial Oscillation initiative (QBOi) aims to improve the fidelity of tropical stratospheric variability in general circulation and Earth system models by conducting coordinated numerical experiments and analysis. In the equatorial stratosphere, the QBO is the most conspicuous mode of variability. Five coordinated experiments have therefore been designed to (i) evaluate and compare the verisimilitude of modelled QBOs under present-day conditions, (ii) identify robustness (or alternatively the spread and uncertainty) in the simulated QBO response to commonly imposed changes in model climate forcings (e.g. a doubling of CO2 amounts), and (iii) examine model dependence of QBO predictability. This paper documents these experiments and the recommended output diagnostics. The rationale behind the experimental design and choice of diagnostics is presented. To facilitate scientific interpretation of the results in other planned QBOi studies, consistent descriptions of the models performing each experiment set are given, with those aspects particularly relevant for simulating the QBO tabulated for easy comparison.

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

An idealized baroclinic instability case is simulated using a ∼ 10 km resolution global model to investigate the characteristics of gravity waves generated in the baroclinic life cycle. Three groups of gravity waves appear around the high-latitude surface trough at the mature stage of the baroclinic wave. They have horizontal and vertical wavelengths of 40–400 and 2.9–9.8 km, respectively, in the upper troposphere. The two-dimensional phase-velocity spectrum of the waves is arc shaped with a peak at 17 m s−1 eastward. These waves have difficulty in propagating upward through the tropospheric westerly jet. At the breaking stage of the baroclinic wave, a midlatitude surface low is isolated from the higher-latitude trough, and two groups of quasi-stationary gravity waves appear near the surface low. These waves have horizontal and vertical wavelengths of 60–400 and 4.9–14 km, respectively, and are able to propagate vertically for long distances. The simulated gravity waves seem to be generated by surface fronts, given that the structures and speeds of wave phases are coherent with those of the fronts.

Charging and coagulation influence one another and impact the particle charge and size distributions in the atmosphere. However, few investigations to date have focused on the coagulation kinetics of atmospheric particles accumulating charge. This study presents three approaches to include mutual effects of charging and coagulation on the microphysical evolution of atmospheric particles such as radioactive particles. The first approach employs ion balance, charge balance, and a bivariate population balance model (PBM) to comprehensively calculate both charge accumulation and coagulation rates of particles. The second approach involves a much simpler description of charging, and uses a monovariate PBM and subsequent effects of charge on particle coagulation. The third approach is further simplified assuming that particles instantaneously reach their steady-state charge distributions. It is found that compared to the other two approaches, the first approach can accurately predict time-dependent changes in the size and charge distributions of particles over a wide size range covering from the free molecule to continuum regimes. The other two approaches can reliably predict both charge accumulation and coagulation rates for particles larger than about 0.04 micrometers and atmospherically relevant conditions. These approaches are applied to investigate coagulation kinetics of particles accumulating charge in a radioactive neutralizer, the urban atmosphere, and an atmospheric system containing radioactive particles. Limitations of the approaches are discussed.

The ground-based microwave sounding radiometers installed at nine weather stations of Korea Meteorological Administration alongside with the wind profilers have been operating for more than 4 years. Here we apply a process to assess the characteristics of the observation data by comparing the measured brightness temperature (Tb) with reference data. For the current study, the reference data are prepared by the radiative transfer simulation with the temperature and humidity profiles from the numerical weather prediction model instead of the conventional radiosonde data. Based on the 3 years of data, from 2010 to 2012, we were able to characterize the effects of the absolute calibration on the quality of the measured Tb. We also showed that when clouds are present the comparison with the model has a high variability due to presence of cloud liquid water therefore making cloudy data not suitable for assessment of the radiometer's performance. Finally we showed that differences between modeled and measured brightness temperatures are unlikely due to a shift in the selection of the center frequency but more likely due to spectroscopy issues in the wings of the 60 GHz absorption band. With a proper consideration of data affected by these two effects, it is shown that there is an excellent agreement between the measured and simulated Tb. The regression coefficients are better than 0.97 along with the bias value of better than 1.0 K except for the 52.28 GHz channel which shows a rather large bias and variability of −2.6 and 1.8 K, respectively.

The present study investigated the effects of back-fat thickness at d 107 of gestation and housing types during gestation on reproductive performance and behavior of sows. A total of 64 crossbred sows (Landrace×Yorkshire) in their 3 to 4 parities were allotted to one of four treatments (n = 16) over two consecutive parities. During each parity, sows were assigned to two gestational housing types (stall or group housing) and two level of back-fat thickness (