STRAW-b (STRings for Absorption length in Water-b): the second pathfinder mission for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment

Since 2018, the potential for a high-energy neutrino telescope, named the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE), has been thoroughly examined by two pathfinder missions, STRAW and STRAW-b, short for short for Strings for Absorption Length in Water. The P-ONE project seeks to install a neutrino detector with a one cubic kilometer volume in the Cascadia Basin's deep marine surroundings, situated near the western shores of Vancouver Island, Canada. To assess the environmental conditions and feasibility of constructing a neutrino detector of that scale, the pathfinder missions, STRAW and STRAW-b, have been deployed at a depth of 2.7 km within the designated site for P-ONE and were connected to the NEPTUNE observatory, operated by Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). While STRAW focused on analyzing the optical properties of water in the Cascadia Basin, \ac{strawb} employed cameras and spectrometers to investigate the characteristics of bioluminescence in the deep-sea environment. This report introduces the STRAW-b concept, covering its scientific objectives and the instrumentation used. Furthermore, it discusses the design considerations implemented to guarantee a secure and dependable deployment process of STRAW-b. Additionally, it showcases the data collected by battery-powered loggers, which monitored the mechanical stress on the equipment throughout the deployment. The report also offers an overview of STRAW-b's operation, with a specific emphasis on the notable advancements achieved in the data acquisition (DAQ) system and its successful integration with the server infrastructure of ONC.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, 2 table

Validation of highly sensitive simultaneous targeted and untargeted analysis of keto-steroids by Girard P derivatization and stable isotope dilution-liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry

A multiplexed quantitative method for the analysis of three major unconjugated steroids in human serum by stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was developed and validated on a Q. Exactive Plus hybrid quadrupole/Orbitrap mass spectrometer. This quantification utilized isotope dilution and Girard P derivatization on the keto-groups of testosterone (T), androstenedione (AD) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to improve ionization efficiency using electrospray ionization. Major isomeric compounds to T and DHEA; the inactive epimer of testosterone (epiT), and the metabolite of AD, 5α-androstanedione (5α-AD) were completely resolved on a biphenyl column within an 18 min method. Inter- and intra-day method validation using LC-HRMS with qualifying product ions was performed and acceptable analytical performance was achieved. The method was further validated by comparing steroid levels from 100 μL of serum from young vs older subjects. Since this approach provides high-dimensional HRMS data, untargeted analysis by age group was performed. DHEA and T were detected among the top analytes most significantly different across the two groups after untargeted LC-HRMS analysis, as well as a number of other still unknown metabolites, indicating the potential for combined targeted/untargeted analysis in steroid analysis

Gender bias in children receiving growth hormone treatment

This study assessed weight and height changes among underweight children who received a locally produced, cereal-based, ready-to-use supplementary food

Two-year optical site characterization for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE) in the Cascadia Basin

The STRings for Absorption length in Water (STRAW) are the first in a series of pathfinders for the Pacific Ocean Neutrino Experiment (P-ONE), a future large-scale neutrino telescope in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean. STRAW consists of two $$150\,\mathrm {m}$$ long mooring lines instrumented with optical emitters and detectors. The pathfinder is designed to measure the attenuation length of the water and perform a long-term assessment of the optical background at the future P-ONE site. After 2 years of continuous operation, measurements from STRAW show an optical attenuation length of about 28 m at $$450\,\mathrm {nm}$$. Additionally, the data allow a study of the ambient undersea background. The overall optical environment reported here is comparable to other deep-water neutrino telescopes and qualifies the site for the deployment of P-ONE