CUPID-0: the first array of enriched scintillating bolometers for 0decay investigations

The CUPID-0 detector hosted at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy, is the first large array of enriched scintillating cryogenic detectors for the investigation of82Se neutrinoless double-beta decay (0). CUPID-0 aims at measuring a background index in the region of interest (RoI) for 0at the level of 10- 3 counts/(keV kg years), the lowest value ever measured using cryogenic detectors. CUPID-0 operates an array of Zn82Se scintillating bolometers coupled with bolometric light detectors, with a state of the art technology for background suppression and thorough protocols and procedures for the detector preparation and construction. In this paper, the different phases of the detector design and construction will be presented, from the material selection (for the absorber production) to the new and innovative detector structure. The successful construction of the detector lead to promising preliminary detector performance which is discussed here

Санитарно-эпидемиологическая экспертиза импортной пищевой продукции и продовольственного сырья как составляющая профилактического направления транспортной медицины

Санітарно епідеміологічна експертиза імпортної харчової продукції й продовольчої сировини (далі експертиза) є одним з пріоритетних напрямів діяльності транспортних підрозділів санепідслужби. Здійснюючи функцію по контролю, виявленню та попередженню впливу небезпечних факторів, пов’язаних з перевезенням вантажів, вона є однією зі складових частин профілактичного напряму транспортної медицини. Експертиза імпортованої продукції харчового призначення нерозривно пов’язана та базується на загальних принципах всієї державної політики у сфері безпеки харчової продукції та продовольчої сировини. Основою для проведення усього комплексу робіт санітарно епідеміологічного направлення є нормативна база, яка була сформована в нашій країні кілька десятиліть назад. Механізм визначення безпеки продукції та ті критерії оцінки, які були закладені в її основі, вимагають перегляду у відповідності з вимогами сьогодення та враховуючи розвиток міжнародних відносин. Зроблені деякі кроки у цьому напрямку. Наприклад, визначення експертизи у законі «Про внесення змін до закону України «Про якість та безпеку харчових продуктів та продовольчої сировини» поряд зі встановленням відповідності продукції нормативним вимогам передбачає оцінку ризику дії шкідливих факторів у процесі обігу харчових продуктів, що відповідає сучас ним вимогам до вирішення задач профілактичного напрямку, запобігання шкідливого впливу факторів, керування санітарно-епідеміологічною ситуацією взагалі та на етапі транспортування харчових грузів зокрема. Такий підхід потрібно враховувати при подальшому необхідному перегляді та формуванні нової нормативної бази.Sanіtarу epidemiological examination of imported foodstuffs and edible raw materials (then «examination») is one of the priority directions of transport sanіtarу epidemiological servise. Examination controls, discovers and prevents an influence of dangerous factors while in transportation of loads. So it’s one of the component of the transport medicine preventive activity. Examination of import foodstuffs and edible raw materials inseparably linked with and based on general principles of the food safety state policy. The foundation of the sanitary service work is the normative base, that was formed in our country about twenty years ago. It is necessary to review the mechanism of the food safety determination and its criteria in accordance with requirements of present day time and with account of the development of the international relations. One of taken steps in this direction is a characteristic of examination in law «About contributing the modification to law of the Ukraine «About quality and safety of foodstuffs and foodraw materials» where along with determination of the products correspondence to the normative requirements is provided forrisk assessment of the harmful factors in process of the turn of the food stuffs. Such approach corresponds with modern requests to decision of the prophylactic problems, prevention bad influence dangerous factors, management sanіtarу epidemiological situation in general and in step of transportation food cargo in particular. And it should be taken into account during the further necessary process of revision and forming the new normative base

Inotropes and Vasopressors Use in Critical Care and Perioperative Medicine: Evidence-Based Approach (Review)

Inotropes and vasopressors are frequently required in critically ill patients and in patients undergoing major surgery. Several molecules are currently available, including catecholamines, phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors, vasopressin and its analogues, and calcium sensitizers.We will review current evidence on inotropes use in perioperative and critically ill patients, with focus on most recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs).Despite being widely used in anesthesia and intensive care, evidences on safety and efficacy of inotropes are scarce. Data from observational studies suggest that inotropes administration may increase mortality in cardiac surgery, acute heart failure, and cardiogenic shock patients. However, randomized controlled trials did not confirm these findings in acute care settings.Epinephrine has been associated with increased mortality especially in cardiogenic shock, but randomized trials failed to show evidence of increased mortality associated with epinephrine use. Norepinephrine has been traditionally considered contraindicated in patients with ventricular dysfunction, but recent trials suggested hemodynamic effects similar to epinephrine in patients with cardiogenic shock. Dopamine has no additional advantages over norepinephrine and increases the risk of tachyarrhythmias and may increase mortality in cardiogenic shock. Phosphodiesterase-3 (PDE-3) inhibitors are equivalent to catecholamines in terms of major outcomes. Levosimendan is the most investigated inotrope of the last 30 years, but despite promising early studies, high-quality multicenter RCTs repeatedly failed to show any superiority over available agents. There is no highquality RCT clearly demonstrating superiority of one agent over another. In summary, current evidence suggest that the choice of inotrope is unlikely to affect outcome, as long as the target hemodynamic goals are achieved.Finally, in recent years, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has become increasingly popular. Thanks to improvement in technology, the safety and biocompatibility of devices are constantly growing. MCS devices have theoretical advantages over inotropes, but their use is limited by costs, availability, and invasiveness.Conclusion. Future studies should investigate safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of primary MCS versus primary inotropes in patients with acute cardiovascular failure

Monte Carlo simulations of measured electron energy-loss spectra of diamond and graphite: Role of dielectric-response models

N.M.P. is supported by the European Research Council PoC 2015 ”Silkene” No. 693670, by the European Commission H2020 under the Graphene Flagship Core 1 No. 696656 (WP14 ”Polymer Nanocomposites”) and under the FET Proactive ”Neurofibres” No. 732344. M.D., G.G., and S.T acknowledge funding from the Graphene Flagship (WP14 “Polymer composites”, no. 696656). This work used the ARCHER UK National Supercomputing Service (http://www.archer.ac.uk). Access to computing and storage facilities owned by parties and projects contributing to the National Grid Infrastructure MetaCentrum provided under the programme ”Projects of Large Research, Development, and Innovations Infrastructures” (CESNET LM2015042), is greatly appreciated (https://www.metacentrum.cz/en/). Furthermore, we acknowledge FBK for providing unlimited access to the KORE computing facility

Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay of 130^{130}Te with CUORE-0

We report the results of a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in a 9.8~kg$\cdot$yr exposure of $^{130}$Te using a bolometric detector array, CUORE-0. The characteristic detector energy resolution and background level in the region of interest are $5.1\pm 0.3{\rm~keV}$ FWHM and $0.058 \pm 0.004\,(\mathrm{stat.})\pm 0.002\,(\mathrm{syst.})$~counts/(keV$\cdot$kg$\cdot$yr), respectively. The median 90%~C.L. lower-limit sensitivity of the experiment is $2.9\times 10^{24}~{\rm yr}$ and surpasses the sensitivity of previous searches. We find no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{130}$Te and place a Bayesian lower bound on the decay half-life, $T^{0\nu}_{1/2}>$~$2.7\times 10^{24}~{\rm yr}$ at 90%~C.L. Combining CUORE-0 data with the 19.75~kg$\cdot$yr exposure of $^{130}$Te from the Cuoricino experiment we obtain $T^{0\nu}_{1/2} > 4.0\times 10^{24}~\mathrm{yr}$ at 90%~C.L.~(Bayesian), the most stringent limit to date on this half-life. Using a range of nuclear matrix element estimates we interpret this as a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass, $m_{\beta\beta}< 270$ -- $760~\mathrm{meV}$.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, updated version as published in PR

CUORE and beyond: bolometric techniques to explore inverted neutrino mass hierarchy

The CUORE (Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events) experiment will search for neutrinoless double beta decay of $^{130}$Te. With 741 kg of TeO$_2$ crystals and an excellent energy resolution of 5 keV (0.2%) at the region of interest, CUORE will be one of the most competitive neutrinoless double beta decay experiments on the horizon. With five years of live time, CUORE projected neutrinoless double beta decay half-life sensitivity is $1.6\times 10^{26}$ y at $1\sigma$ ($9.5\times10^{25}$ y at the 90% confidence level), which corresponds to an upper limit on the effective Majorana mass in the range 40--100 meV (50--130 meV). Further background rejection with auxiliary light detector can significantly improve the search sensitivity and competitiveness of bolometric detectors to fully explore the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy with $^{130}$Te and possibly other double beta decay candidate nuclei.Comment: Submitted to the Proceedings of TAUP 2013 Conferenc

Exploring the Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay in the Inverted Neutrino Hierarchy with Bolometric Detectors

Neutrinoless double beta decay (0nubb) is one of the most sensitive probes for physics beyond the Standard Model, providing unique information on the nature of neutrinos. In this paper we review the status and outlook for bolometric 0nubb decay searches. We summarize recent advances in background suppression demonstrated using bolometers with simultaneous readout of heat and light signals. We simulate several configurations of a future CUORE-like bolometer array which would utilize these improvements and present the sensitivity reach of a hypothetical next-generation bolometric 0nubb experiment. We demonstrate that a bolometric experiment with the isotope mass of about 1 ton is capable of reaching the sensitivity to the effective Majorana neutrino mass (|mee|) of order 10-20 meV, thus completely exploring the so-called inverted neutrino mass hierarchy region. We highlight the main challenges and identify priorities for an R&D program addressing them.Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures, submitted to EPJ

CUORE-0 results and prospects for the CUORE experiment

With 741 kg of TeO2 crystals and an excellent energy resolution of 5 keV (0.2%) at the region of interest, the CUORE (Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events) experiment aims at searching for neutrinoless double beta decay of 130Te with unprecedented sensitivity. Expected to start data taking in 2015, CUORE is currently in an advanced construction phase at LNGS. CUORE projected neutrinoless double beta decay half-life sensitivity is 1.6E26 y at 1 sigma (9.5E25 y at the 90% confidence level), in five years of live time, corresponding to an upper limit on the effective Majorana mass in the range 40-100 meV (50-130 meV). Further background rejection with auxiliary bolometric detectors could improve CUORE sensitivity and competitiveness of bolometric detectors towards a full analysis of the inverted neutrino mass hierarchy. CUORE-0 was built to test and demonstrate the performance of the upcoming CUORE experiment. It consists of a single CUORE tower (52 TeO2 bolometers of 750 g each, arranged in a 13 floor structure) constructed strictly following CUORE recipes both for materials and assembly procedures. An experiment its own, CUORE-0 is expected to reach a sensitivity to the neutrinoless double beta decay half-life of 130Te around 3E24 y in one year of live time. We present an update of the data, corresponding to an exposure of 18.1 kg y. An analysis of the background indicates that the CUORE performance goal is satisfied while the sensitivity goal is within reach.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of NEUTRINO 2014, 26th International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics, 2-7 June 2014, held at Boston, Massachusetts, US

Status of the CUORE and results from the CUORE-0 neutrinoless double beta decay experiments

CUORE is a 741 kg array of TeO2 bolometers for the search of neutrinoless double beta decay of 130Te. The detector is being constructed at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy, where it will start taking data in 2015. If the target background of 0.01 counts/keV/kg/y will be reached, in five years of data taking CUORE will have a 1 sigma half life sensitivity of 10E26 y. CUORE-0 is a smaller experiment constructed to test and demonstrate the performances expected for CUORE. The detector is a single tower of 52 CUORE-like bolometers that started taking data in spring 2013. The status and perspectives of CUORE will be discussed, and the first CUORE-0 data will be presented.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, to be published in the proceedings of ICHEP 2014, 37th International Conference on High Energy Physics, Valencia (Spain) 2-9 July 201

Search for 14.4 keV solar axions from M1 transition of Fe-57 with CUORE crystals

We report the results of a search for axions from the 14.4 keV M1 transition from Fe-57 in the core of the sun using the axio-electric effect in TeO2 bolometers. The detectors are 5x5x5 cm3 crystals operated at about 10 mK in a facility used to test bolometers for the CUORE experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. An analysis of 43.65 kg d of data was made using a newly developed low energy trigger which was optimized to reduce the detectors energy threshold. An upper limit of 0.63 c kg-1 d-1 was established at 95% C.L.. From this value, a lower bound at 95% C.L. was placed on the Peccei-Quinn energy scale of fa >= 0.76 10**6 GeV for a value of S=0.55 for the flavor-singlet axial vector matrix element. Bounds are given for the interval 0.15 < S < 0.55.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to JCA