Scintillation light detection in the 6-m drift-length ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon TPC

DUNE is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. ProtoDUNE Dual Phase (DP) is a 6  ×  6  ×  6 m 3 liquid argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) that recorded cosmic-muon data at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2019-2020 as a prototype of the DUNE Far Detector. Charged particles propagating through the LArTPC produce ionization and scintillation light. The scintillation light signal in these detectors can provide the trigger for non-beam events. In addition, it adds precise timing capabilities and improves the calorimetry measurements. In ProtoDUNE-DP, scintillation and electroluminescence light produced by cosmic muons in the LArTPC is collected by photomultiplier tubes placed up to 7 m away from the ionizing track. In this paper, the ProtoDUNE-DP photon detection system performance is evaluated with a particular focus on the different wavelength shifters, such as PEN and TPB, and the use of Xe-doped LAr, considering its future use in giant LArTPCs. The scintillation light production and propagation processes are analyzed and a comparison of simulation to data is performed, improving understanding of the liquid argon properties

Separation of track- and shower-like energy deposits in ProtoDUNE-SP using a convolutional neural network

Liquid argon time projection chamber detector technology provides high spatial and calorimetric resolutions on the charged particles traversing liquid argon. As a result, the technology has been used in a number of recent neutrino experiments, and is the technology of choice for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). In order to perform high precision measurements of neutrinos in the detector, final state particles need to be effectively identified, and their energy accurately reconstructed. This article proposes an algorithm based on a convolutional neural network to perform the classification of energy deposits and reconstructed particles as track-like or arising from electromagnetic cascades. Results from testing the algorithm on experimental data from ProtoDUNE-SP, a prototype of the DUNE far detector, are presented. The network identifies track- and shower-like particles, as well as Michel electrons, with high efficiency. The performance of the algorithm is consistent between experimental data and simulation

Biochemical and pharmacological role of A1adenosine receptors and their modulation as novel therapeutic strategy

Adenosine, the purine nucleoside, mediates its effects through activation of four G-protein coupled adenosine receptors (ARs) named as A1, A2A, A2Band A3. In particular, A1ARs are distributed through the body, primarily inhibitory in the regulation of adenylyl cyclase activity and able to reduce the cyclic AMP levels. Considerable advances have been made in the pharmacological and molecular characterization of A1ARs, which had been proposed as targets for the discovery and drug design of antagonists, agonists and allosteric enhancers. Several lines of evidence indicate that adenosine interacting with A1ARs may be an endogenous protective agent in the human body since it prevents the damage caused by various pathological conditions, such as in ischemia/hypoxia, epileptic seizures, excitotoxic neuronal injury and cardiac arrhythmias in cardiovascular system. It has also been reported that one of the most promising targets for the development of new anxiolytic drugs could be A1ARs, and that their activation may reduce pain signaling in the spinal cord. A1AR antagonists induce diuresis and natriuresis in various experimental models, mediating the inhibition of A1ARs in the proximal tubule which is primarily responsible for reabsorption and fluid uptake. In addition, the results of various studies indicate that adenosine is present within pancreatic islets and is implicated through A1ARs in the regulation of insulin secretion and in glucose concentrations. In the present paper it will become apparent that A1ARs could be implicated in the pharmacological treatment of several pathologies with an important influence on human health