Leveraging Forward Detectors at CERN to Investigate Properties and Extensions of the Standard Model

The remarkable success of the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics lies in its comprehensive description of the dynamics governing the behaviour of microscopic constituents of our Universe, ultimately translated into the discovery of a Higgs boson-like particle at CERN. Despite its predictive power, several SM shortcomings suggest the existence of more complete theory, solving long-standing issues like Dark Matter, baryon-antibaryon asymmetry, and neutrino oscillations, currently unexplained within the framework. As a result, the SM could represent a sensible approximation valid in the low-energy limit below the energy scale of new phenomena. The lack of a New Physics (NP) observation in the high energy domain has broadened the interest of the scientific community, now turning to complementary approaches. High precision measurements with heavy flavour decays represent the strategy of choice when looking for indirect effects of NP at high energy scales, contributing to SM processes. The research conducted in this PhD project follows this approach at first. In this manuscript, we present a sensitivity evaluation for NP in semileptonic $\Lambda_b^0\to\Lambda^+_c\mu^-\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ transitions, alongside its first angular analysis performed with data collected by the LHCb experiment during the Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Furthermore, novel enhancements to the offline LHCb software framework intended for the new LHC conditions are discussed. High energy neutrinos produced at the LHC present an unmatched opportunity to test unexplored regions of the SM where NP could manifest. We describe the observation of muon collider neutrinos with the SND@LHC experiment, paving the way for a new frontier for testing the SM. Under the assumption of NP interacting feebly with the SM, experiments running with high intensity beams could have a privileged access portal to a wealth of hidden particles, potentially including dark matter. In this context, we discuss the sensitivity of the SHiP experimental proposal to light dark matter, focusing on the case of elastic scattering off electrons

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in lumberjack: a systematic review

openPrevalenza dei disordini muscolo-scheletrici nei boscaioli: una revisione sistematicaPrevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in lumberjack: a systematic revie

Professional Nursing Value Development in Nursing Students Who Participate in International Service Learning

Background: International Service Learning (ISL) is becoming widely used in nursing education as a means to provide global learning opportunities. Concrete outcomes for these experiences have not been clearly supported in previous research. Determining if ISL experience facilitate the development of Professional Nursing Values (PNV) can support the use of ISL as a viable pedagogy. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if there were a difference in PNV development in students who participate in ISL as part of their clinical experiences compared to those who do not. The hypothesis was that there was a difference in the two groups. Theoretical framework: The study utilized Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which has a focus on the experiences of students as an impetus for learning. Methods: The research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest, posttest design. Consecutive sampling was utilized for the experimental group and stratified random sampling for the control group. Results: Pretest analysis did not demonstrate any significant difference in the two groups at baseline. Post-test analysis indicated that while the mean PNV of the ISL group was higher, the results were not statistically significant. However, the difference in the pretest and posttest scores across all participants was statistically significant. Conclusions: While the findings were not significant in determining a difference between the two groups, the findings indicated that experiential learning in itself does support the development of PNV. Further research using a larger sample size may support the difference in these two groups and support the use of ISL as a viable pedagogy

The Relationship Between Health Locus of Control and Health Behaviors of Women Who Have Undergone Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Due to the increasing number of women who are diagnosed with heart disease and who are undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, it is important to explore the psychosocial aspects involved in the recovery process of these women. This study examined the relationship between locus of control and health behaviors of women who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting

The Contributing Role of Sleepiness in Highway Vehicle Accidents

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Exploring the Potential of Lactic Acid Fermentation for the Recovery of Exhausted Vanilla Beans

The market value of vanilla is constantly growing, as it is the aroma most appreciated by consumers worldwide. The key component of the aroma of vanilla beans is vanillin, which can be directly extracted from the plant, produced by chemical synthesis, or by bioconversion of natural precursors. Due to the increasing consumers' demand for products labeled as “natural,” extraction from vanilla pods results in a more valuable aroma source. Once the extraction is completed, what remains are the exhausted beans that still contain small seeds and other compounds, including varying amounts of vanillin trapped in the cellular structures of the plant. The application of fermentation of exhausted vanilla beans is proposed here as a strategy to recover “natural” vanillin and other valuable aroma compounds as a result of the metabolic conversion by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The aim of this study was to verify the fermentability of exhausted vanilla beans by-products for their valorization, allowing the recovery of high-value molecules or new applications in food products. Design of Experiment (DoE) was used to screen a library of LAB strains to identify the best condition of fermentation in response to varying cultivation conditions. A comparison between mono and co-culture of LAB was assessed. Moreover, sensory panel tests and the evaluation of the aromatic components by Solid Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis were carried out to better understand the modification of the aroma profile after fermentation. Fermentation with LAB changed the volatile profile and sensory characteristics of the exhausted vanilla beans and represents a promising method for the valorization of these by-products

RhoA controls Wnt upregulation on microstructured titanium surfaces.

Rough topography enhances the activation of Wnt canonical signaling in vitro, and this mediates its effects on cell differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying topography-dependent control of Wnt signaling are still poorly understood. As the small GTPase RhoA controls cytoskeletal reorganization and actomyosin-induced tensional forces, we hypothesized that RhoA could affect the activation of Wnt signaling in cells on micropatterned titanium surfaces. G-LISA assay revealed that RhoA activation was higher in C2C12 cells on rough (SLA) surfaces under basal conditions than on smooth (Polished) titanium. Transfection with dominant negative RhoA decreased Wnt activation by normalized TCF-Luc activity on SLA, whilst transfection with constitutively active RhoA increased TCF-Luc activation on Polished titanium. One mM Myosin II inhibitor Blebbistatin increased RhoA activation but decreased Wnt activation on SLA surfaces, indicating that tension-generating structures are required for canonical Wnt modulation on titanium surfaces. Actin inhibitor Cytochalasin markedly enhanced RhoA and TCF-Luc activation on both surfaces and increased the expression of differentiation markers in murine osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. Taken together, these data show that RhoA is upregulated in cells on rough surfaces and it affects the activation of Wnt canonical signaling through Myosin II modulation