Solar neutrino with Borexino: results and perspectives

Borexino is a unique detector able to perform measurement of solar neutrinos fluxes in the energy region around 1 MeV or below due to its low level of radioactive background. It was constructed at the LNGS underground laboratory with a goal of solar $^{7}$Be neutrino flux measurement with 5\% precision. The goal has been successfully achieved marking the end of the first stage of the experiment. A number of other important measurements of solar neutrino fluxes have been performed during the first stage. Recently the collaboration conducted successful liquid scintillator repurification campaign aiming to reduce main contaminants in the sub-MeV energy range. With the new levels of radiopurity Borexino can improve existing and challenge a number of new measurements including: improvement of the results on the Solar and terrestrial neutrino fluxes measurements; measurement of pp and CNO solar neutrino fluxes; search for non-standard interactions of neutrino; study of the neutrino oscillations on the short baseline with an artificial neutrino source (search for sterile neutrino) in context of SOX project.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

The Main Results of the Borexino Experiment

The main physical results on the registration of solar neutrinos and the search for rare processes obtained by the Borexino collaboration to date are presented.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figgures, To be published as Proceedings of the Third Annual Large Hadron Collider Physics Conference, St. Petersburg, Russia, 201

Spectroscopy of geo-neutrinos from 2056 days of Borexino data

We report an improved geo-neutrino measurement with Borexino from 2056 days of data taking. The present exposure is $(5.5\pm0.3)\times10^{31}$ proton$\times$yr. Assuming a chondritic Th/U mass ratio of 3.9, we obtain $23.7 ^{+6.5}_{-5.7} (stat) ^{+0.9}_{-0.6} (sys)$ geo-neutrino events. The null observation of geo-neutrinos with Borexino alone has a probability of $3.6 \times 10^{-9}$ (5.9$\sigma$). A geo-neutrino signal from the mantle is obtained at 98\% C.L. The radiogenic heat production for U and Th from the present best-fit result is restricted to the range 23-36 TW, taking into account the uncertainty on the distribution of heat producing elements inside the Earth.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Steroid treatment in the management of destructive thyrotoxicosis induced by PD1 blockade

Objective: Destructive thyroiditis is the most common endocrine immune related adverse event (iRAEs) in patients treated with anti-PD1/PD-L1 agents. Given its self-limited course, current guidelines recommend no treatment for this iRAE. Nevertheless in patients with enlarged thyroid volume and a poor performance status, thyrotoxicosis may be particularly severe and harmful. Aim of the study is to evaluate if steroid treatment might be useful in improving thyrotoxicosis in subjects with a poor performance status. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, comparing the course of thyrotoxicosis of 4 patients treated with oral prednisone at the dosage of 25 mg/d (tapered to discontinuation in three weeks) and an enlarged thyroid volume to that of 8 patients with similar thyroid volume who were left untreated. Results: The levels of thyroid hormones were lower in subjects treated compared to those untreated at time 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 60 and 90 days (P<0.05 at each time). The time to remission of thyrotoxicosis was 24 days in patients treated with steroids and 120 days in untreated patients (P<0.001). At 6 months, the rate of evolution to hypothyroidism was similar in the 2 groups (4/4 in steroid group vs 7/8 in untreated group, P=0.74) and no difference was found in tumor progression (P=0.89). Conclusions: Our preliminary data suggest that in patients with a poor performance status experiencing a severe destructive thyrotoxicosis induced by PD-1 blockade, a short period of administration of oral prednisone is effective in obtaining a quick reduction of the levels of thyroid hormones

Bollettino Sismico Italiano: Analisys of Early Aftershocks of the 2016 MW 6.0 Amatrice, MW 5.9 Visso and MW 6.5 Norcia earthquakes in Central Italy

The Amatrice-Visso-Norcia seismic sequence is the most important of the last 30 years in Italy. The seismic sequence started on 24 August, 2016 and still is ongoing in central Apennines. At the end of February 2017 more than 57,000 events were located, 80,000 events up to the end of September 2017 (Fig. 1). The mainshocks of the sequence occurred on 24 August 2016 (Mw 6.0 and Mw 5.4), 26 October 2016 (Mw 5.4 and Mw 5.9), 30 October 2016 (Mw 6.5), 18 January 2017 (four earthquakes Mw≥ 5.0). In this seismic sequence, all the waveforms recorded by temporary stations deployed by the SISMIKO emergency group (stations T12**; Moretti et al., 2016) where available in real- time at the surveillance room of INGV. Because of the high level of seismicity and the dense seismic network installed in the region, more than 150 events per day were located at the end of February 2017; still 60 events per day were located up to the end of August 2017.The Amatrice-Visso-Norcia is the most important seismic sequence since 2015, the time when the analysis procedures of the BSI group (Bollettino Sismico Italiano) were revised (Nardi et al., 2015). BSI is now available every four months on the web: bulletins contain revised earthquakes (location and magnitude) with ML≥ 1.5, quasi-real time revision of ML≥ 3.5 earthquakes and phase arrivals from waveforms recorded on seismic stations available from the European Integrated Data Archive (EIDA), (Mazza et al., 2012). These last procedures allow the integration of signals from temporary seismic stations (Moretti et al., 2014) installed by the emergency group SISMIKO (Moretti and Sismiko working group, 2016), even when they are not in real time transmission, if they are rapidly archived in EIDA, together with real time signals from the seismic stations of the permanent INGV network. The analysis strategy of the BSI group for the Amatrice -Visso - Norcia seismic sequence (AVN.s.s in the following) was to select the earthquakes located in the box with min/max latitude: 42.2/43.2 - and min/max longitude: 12.4/14.1 to prepare a special volume of BSI on the seismic sequence.PublishedTrieste, Italy1SR. TERREMOTI - Servizi e ricerca per la Societ

The 2021 European Group on Graves’ orbitopathy (EUGOGO) clinical practice guidelines for the medical management of Graves’ orbitopathy

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is the main extrathyroidal manifestati on of Graves' disease (GD). Choice of treatment should be based on the assessment of clinical activity and seve rity of GO. Early referral to specialized centers is fundamental for most patients with GO. Risk factors include smo king, thyroid dysfunction, high serum level of thyrotropin receptor antibodies, radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment, and hypercholesterolemia. In mild and active GO, control of risk factors, local treatments, and selenium (seleni um-deficient areas) are usually sufficient; if RAI treatment is selected to manage GD, low-dose oral prednisone prophylaxis is needed, especially if risk factors coexist. For both active moderate-to-severe and sight-threatening GO, antithyroid drugs are preferred when managing Graves' hyperthyroidism. In moderate-to-severe and active GO i.v. gluco corticoids are more effective and better tolerated than oral glucocorticoids. Based on current evidence and efficacy/safe ty profile, costs and reimbursement, drug availability, long-term effectiveness, and patient choice after extensive coun seling, a combination of i.v. methylprednisolone and mycophenolate sodium is recommended as first-line treatment. A c umulative dose of 4.5 g of i.v. methylprednisolone in 12 weekly infusions is the optimal regimen. Alternatively, h igher cumulative doses not exceeding 8 g can be used as monotherapy in most severe cases and constant/inconstant diplop ia. Second-line treatments for moderate-to-severe and active GO include (a) the second course of i.v. methylpredn isolone (7.5 g) subsequent to careful ophthalmic and biochemical evaluation, (b) oral prednisone/prednisolone combined with either cyclosporine or azathioprine; (c) orbital radiotherapy combined with oral or i.v. glucocorticoids, (d) te protumumab; (e) rituximab and (f) tocilizumab. Sight-threatening GO is treated with several high single doses of i.v . methylprednisolone per week and, if unresponsive, with urgent orbital decompression. Rehabilitative surgery (orbital decompression, squint, and eyelid surgery) is indicated for inactive residual GO manifestations

Borexino : geo-neutrino measurement at Gran Sasso, Italy

Geo-neutrinos, electron anti-neutrinos produced in beta-decays of naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in the Earth, are a unique direct probe of our planet's interior. After a brief introduction of the geo-neutrinos' properties and of the main aims of their study, we discuss the features of a detector which has recently provided breakthrough achievements in the field, Borexino, a massive, calorimetric liquid scintillator detector installed at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory. With its unprecedented radiopurity levels achieved in the core of the detection medium, it is the only experiment in operation able to study in real time solar neutrino interactions in the challenging sub-MeV energy region. Its superior technical properties allowed Borexino also to provide a clean detection of terrestrial neutrinos. Therefore, the description of the characteristics of the detected geo-neutrino signal and of the corresponding geological implications are the main core of the discussion contained in this work

Rapporto Sulle Attività Svolte Dal Gruppo Bollettino Sismico Italiano A Seguito Della Sequenza Sismica Del Centro Italia 2016-2017 Nel Periodo Tra Il 23-9-2016 Ed Il 16-01-2017

La sequenza sismica del centro Italia, successivamente al terremoto di Amatrice di fine agosto, è stata caratterizzata da altri forti terremoti alla fine del mese di ottobre 2016. Il 26 ottobre due eventi di Mw 5.4 e 5.9 hanno interessato l’area posta al confine Marche-Umbria tra i Comuni di Castelsantangelo sul Nera (MC), Norcia (PG) e Arquata del Tronto (AP). La mattina del 30 ottobre un terremoto di Mw 6.5 con epicentro non lontano da Norcia ha interessato l’intera area già profondamente colpita dalla sequenza; questo è stato il più forte terremoto registrato negli ultimi 30 in Italia. A 5 mesi dall’inizio dell’emergenza sismica, il Bollettino Sismico Italiano ha portato a termine la revisione di tutti gli eventi con ML≥ 3.5: parte di questi (insieme alla revisione delle ore che hanno seguito il primo mainshock) sono stati oggetto del primo report (3 ottobre 2016) e del lavoro Marchetti et al. (2016), un’altra parte degli eventi “forti” è stata pubblicata il 17 novembre in ISIDe e nella pagina CNT.ingv.it (insieme anche alla revisione delle prime ore del 30 ottobre, fino alle 7:30 UTC) con relativo comunicato fatto dal funzionario INGV. I restanti eventi già rivisti dagli analisti del BSI sono elencati in questo report e saranno pubbicati a fine gennaio. Gli eventi rivisti integrano all’interno del BSI tutte le stazioni i cui dati sono archiviati nello European Integrated Data Archive, cioè oltre alle stazioni delle varie reti permanenti che costituiscono la Rete Sismica Nazionale Italiana vengono integrate le stazioni delle reti permanenti presenti nelle Marche e le stazioni temporanee installate dal gruppo di emergenza SISMIKO, le cui registrazioni vengono archiviate in EIDA, in tempi brevi, insieme alle stazioni trasmesse in real-time. Durante la sequenza molti degli analisti del BSI sono stati impegnati a coprire la turnazione prevista per lo svolgimento del servizio di sorveglianza nella sala sismica dell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) di Roma e in DICOMAC; questa esigenza non ha consentito di procedere rapidamente nella revisione dell’intera sequenza ma grazie al supporto di personale INGV generalmente non impiegato nel BSI si sta organizzando la revisione della stessa che sarà realizzata nel corso del 2017. A partire dal 23 settembre 2016 (facendo quindi riferimento all’ultimo report del BSI) fini al 16 gennaio 2017 sono stati analizzati e ricontrollati 221 eventi in generale di magnitudo ML≥ 3.5 (con qualche eccezione...INGV DPCPublished1SR. TERREMOTI - Servizi e ricerca per la Societ

Comprehensive measurement of pp-chain solar neutrinos with Borexino

A comprehensive measurement of solar neutrino fluxes has been completed using the Borexino Phase-II data in an extended energy range. The measurement reports pp, 7Be and pep neutrino fluxes with the highest precision ever achieved, 8B with the lowest energy threshold, the first Borexino limit on hep neutrinos, as well as the best limit on CNO neutrinos. These results and their physics interpretations concerning the so-called solar metallicity puzzle and the electron-neutrino survival probability, as well as other highlights of the analysis, have been summarized in this talk