Marine Toxins: Chemistry, Toxicity, Occurrence and Detection, with Special Reference to the Dutch Situation

Various species of algae can produce marine toxins under certain circumstances. These toxins can then accumulate in shellfish such as mussels, oysters and scallops. When these contaminated shellfish species are consumed severe intoxication can occur. The different types of syndromes that can occur after consumption of contaminated shellfish, the corresponding toxins and relevant legislation are discussed in this review. Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) and Azaspiracid Shellfish Poisoning (AZP) occur worldwide, Neurologic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) is mainly limited to the USA and New Zealand while the toxins causing DSP and AZP occur most frequently in Europe. The latter two toxin groups are fat-soluble and can therefore also be classified as lipophilic marine toxins. A detailed overview of the official analytical methods used in the EU (mouse or rat bioassay) and the recently developed alternative methods for the lipophilic marine toxins is given. These alternative methods are based on functional assays, biochemical assays and chemical methods. From the literature it is clear that chemical methods offer the best potential to replace the animal tests that are still legislated worldwide. Finally, an overview is given of the situation of marine toxins in The Netherlands. The rat bioassay has been used for monitoring DSP and AZP toxins in The Netherlands since the 1970s. Nowadays, a combination of a chemical method and the rat bioassay is often used. In The Netherlands toxic events are mainly caused by DSP toxins, which have been found in Dutch shellfish for the first time in 1961, and have reoccurred at irregular intervals and in varying concentrations. From this review it is clear that considerable effort is being undertaken by various research groups to phase out the animal tests that are still used for the official routine monitoring programs

Prompt K_short production in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=0.9 TeV

The production of K_short mesons in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 0.9 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The luminosity of the analysed sample is determined using a novel technique, involving measurements of the beam currents, sizes and positions, and is found to be 6.8 +/- 1.0 microbarn^-1. The differential prompt K_short production cross-section is measured as a function of the K_short transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0 < pT < 1.6 GeV/c and 2.5 < y < 4.0. The data are found to be in reasonable agreement with previous measurements and generator expectations.Comment: 6+18 pages, 6 figures, updated author lis

Caracterización del Banco de La Concepción

Se integra información hidrográfica, geomorfológica, sedimentológica, biológica, sobre hábitats marinos y pesquera, para establecer las bases ecológicas necesarias para la protección y conservación del Banco de La ConcepciónEl proyecto INDEMARES ha permitido utilizar amplios medios económicos y personales para estudiar en detalle y desde múltiples perspectivas la zona del Banco de La Concepción. Se han aplicado metodologías para el estudio de la hidrografía, caracterizando la región, describiendo sus principales masas de agua y la hidrodinámica de las corrientes. También se ha abordado la geología de la zona, incluyendo levantamientos batimétricos, perfiles sísmicos, muestreos de sedimento y petrológicos, obteniendo modelos digitales del terreno, mapas de tipos de fondo, geomorfológicos. Se han caracterizado las comunidades bentopelágicas, demersales, epibentónicas y endobentónicas, prestando especial atención a aquellas que conforman o estructuran los hábitats sensibles cuyo inventariado y cartografía era objeto principal del proyecto. Los trabajos de identificación de hábitats se han realizado con muestreadores directos, pero también con muestreadores visuales, que han permitido hacer un mayor esfuerzo de muestreo sin aumentar el impacto sobre los fondos de la zona. Por otro lado se ha estudiado la huella pesquera de la zona por medio del análisis de los datos VMS y los cuadernos de pesca proporcionados por la SGP, además de una ardua labor a pie de puerto de entrevistas y encuestas. Toda la información ha sido gestionada y analizada por diferentes grupos de investigación de diferentes centros (Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander y Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga del Instituto Español de Oceanografía, …), aunque el grueso de esta labor, además de la coordinación, se ha llevado a cabo en el Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias del Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Los resultados permiten tener un conocimiento profundo y multidisciplinar de la zona de estudio comparable a pocos proyectos de investigación marina en la macaronesia. El estudio oceanográfico, el geológico, y el de las comunidades biológicas, ha permitido la caracterización de los hábitats de la zona, y su cartografiado mediante el intenso muestreo y la aplicación de análisis de idoneidad de hábitats.INDEMARES Project made possible to bring together economic and staff resources to study in detail, and from multiple perspectives, the area of Banco de La Concepción. Methodologies have been applied to study hydrography, making a regional characterization, depicting main water masses, and current hydrodynamics. Geology has been tackled including bathymetric uplifting, seismic profiles, sediment and petrological sampling, obtaining digital terrain models, type of bottom maps, geomorphological maps, as an output. Benthopelagic, demersal, epibenthic and endobenthic communities have been characterized, paying special attention to sensitive habitats which inventory and mapping was the project’s main aim. Habitat identification has been made with direct and visual samplers, the latter making a major sampling effort possible without an increase of bottom impact. Moreover, fisheries footprint has been identified by Vessel Monitoring System data, together with logbooks from Secretaría General de Pesca (Fisheries Ministry), as well as a hard interviewing and surveying task at landing points. Information has been managed and analysed by different research groups from different Centres (Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander y Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga del Instituto Español de Oceanografía), although the main body of the work, plus coordination, has been made by the Canary Islands Oceanographic Centre, from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography. Results let us have a multidisciplinary profound knowledge of the study zone, comparable to few other marine research projects off Macaronesia. The study about oceanography, geology and biologic communities has allowed the habitats characterization and mapping by means of intensive sampling and habitat suitability analysis.Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Comisión Europea Programa LIFE+, Fundación Biodiversida

Caracterización del Sur de Fuerteventura

Se integra información hidrográfica, geomorfológica, sedimentológica, biológica, sobre hábitats marinos y pesquera, para establecer las bases ecológicas necesarias para la protección y conservación del Sur de Fuerteventura (Montes de Amanay y El Banquete)El proyecto INDEMARES ha permitido utilizar amplios medios económicos y personales para estudiar en detalle y desde múltiples perspectivas la zona del Sur de Fuerteventura (montes de Amanay y El Banquete). Se han aplicado metodologías para el estudio de la hidrografía, caracterizando la región, describiendo sus principales masas de agua y la hidrodinámica de las corrientes. También se ha abordado la geología de la zona, incluyendo levantamientos batimétricos, perfiles sísmicos, muestreos de sedimento y petrológicos, obteniendo modelos digitales del terreno, mapas de tipos de fondo, geomorfológicos. Se han caracterizado las comunidades bentopelágicas, demersales, epibentónicas y endobentónicas, prestando especial atención a aquellas que conforman o estructuran los hábitats sensibles cuyo inventariado y cartografía era objeto principal del proyecto. Los trabajos de identificación de hábitats se han realizado con muestreadores directos, pero también con muestreadores visuales, que han permitido hacer un mayor esfuerzo de muestreo sin aumentar el impacto sobre los fondos de la zona. Por otro lado se ha estudiado la huella pesquera de la zona por medio del análisis de los datos VMS y los cuadernos de pesca proporcionados por la SGP, además de una ardua labor a pie de puerto de entrevistas y encuestas. Toda la información ha sido gestionada y analizada por diferentes grupos de investigación de diferentes centros (Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander y Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga del Instituto Español de Oceanografía, …), aunque el grueso de esta labor, además de la coordinación, se ha llevado a cabo en el Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias del Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Los resultados permiten tener un conocimiento profundo y multidisciplinar de la zona de estudio comparable a pocos proyectos de investigación marina en la Macaronesia. El estudio oceanográfico, el geológico, y el de las comunidades biológicas, ha permitido la caracterización de los hábitats de la zona, y su cartografiado mediante el intenso muestreo y la aplicación de análisis de idoneidad de hábitats.Abstract: INDEMARES Project made possible to bring together economic and staff resources to study in detail, and from multiple perspectives, the area of South of Fuerteventura (Amanay and El Banquete Semounts). Methodologies have been applied to study hydrography, making a regional characterization, depicting main water masses, and current hydrodynamics. Geology has been tackled including bathymetric uplifting, seismic profiles, sediment and petrological sampling, obtaining digital terrain models, type of bottom maps, geomorphological maps, as an output. Benthopelagic, demersal, epibenthic and endobenthic communities have been characterized, paying special attention to sensitive habitats which inventory and mapping was the project’s main aim. Habitat identification has been made with direct and visual samplers, the latter making a major sampling effort possible without an increase of bottom impact. Moreover, fisheries footprint has been identified by Vessel Monitoring System data, together with logbooks from Secretaría General de Pesca (Fisheries Ministry), as well as a hard interviewing and surveying task at landing points. Information has been managed and analysed by different research groups from different Centres (Universidad de La Laguna, Instituto Universitario de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Centro de Investigaciones Medioambientales del Atlántico, Centro Oceanográfico de Santander y Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga del Instituto Español de Oceanografía), although the main body of the work, plus coordination, has been made by the Canary Islands Oceanographic Centre, from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography. Results let us have a multidisciplinary profound knowledge of the study zone, comparable to few other marine research projects off Macaronesia. The study about oceanography, geology and biologic communities has allowed the habitats characterization and mapping by means of intensive sampling and habitat suitability analysis.Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Comisión Europea Programa LIFE+, Fundación Biodiversida

The ATLAS trigger system for LHC Run 3 and trigger performance in 2022

The ATLAS trigger system is a crucial component of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is responsible for selecting events in line with the ATLAS physics programme. This paper presents an overview of the changes to the trigger and data acquisition system during the second long shutdown of the LHC, and shows the performance of the trigger system and its components in the proton-proton collisions during the 2022 commissioning period as well as its expected performance in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions for the remainder of the third LHC data-taking period (2022–2025)

Measurement of the VH,H → ττ process with the ATLAS detector at 13 TeV

A measurement of the Standard Model Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons is presented. This search is based on proton-proton collision data collected at √s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. For the Higgs boson candidate, only final states with at least one τ-lepton decaying hadronically (τ →hadrons + vτ ) are considered. For the vector bosons, only leptonic decay channels are considered: Z → ℓℓ and W → ℓvℓ, with ℓ = e, μ. An excess of events over the expected background is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.2 (3.6) standard deviations, providing evidence of the Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons. The ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model prediction is μττ VH = 1.28 +0.30 −0.29 (stat.) +0.25 −0.21 (syst.). This result represents the most accurate measurement of the VH(ττ) process achieved to date

Searches for exclusive Higgs boson decays into D⁎γ and Z boson decays into D0γ and Ks0γ in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Searches for exclusive decays of the Higgs boson into D⁎γ and of the Z boson into D0γ and Ks0γ can probe flavour-violating Higgs boson and Z boson couplings to light quarks. Searches for these decays are performed with a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136.3 fb−1 collected at s=13TeV between 2016–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. In the D⁎γ and D0γ channels, the observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the respective branching fractions are B(H→D⁎γ)&lt;1.0(1.2)×10−3, B(Z→D0γ)&lt;4.0(3.4)×10−6, while the corresponding results in the Ks0γ channel are B(Z→Ks0γ)&lt;3.1(3.0)×10−6

Combination of searches for heavy spin-1 resonances using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A combination of searches for new heavy spin-1 resonances decaying into diferent pairings of W, Z, or Higgs bosons, as well as directly into leptons or quarks, is presented. The data sample used corresponds to 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV collected during 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Analyses selecting quark pairs (qq, bb, tt¯, and tb) or third-generation leptons (τν and τ τ ) are included in this kind of combination for the frst time. A simplifed model predicting a spin-1 heavy vector-boson triplet is used. Cross-section limits are set at the 95% confdence level and are compared with predictions for the benchmark model. These limits are also expressed in terms of constraints on couplings of the heavy vector-boson triplet to quarks, leptons, and the Higgs boson. The complementarity of the various analyses increases the sensitivity to new physics, and the resulting constraints are stronger than those from any individual analysis considered. The data exclude a heavy vector-boson triplet with mass below 5.8 TeV in a weakly coupled scenario, below 4.4 TeV in a strongly coupled scenario, and up to 1.5 TeV in the case of production via vector-boson fusion

Measurement of vector boson production cross sections and their ratios using pp collisions at √s = 13.6 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract available from publisher's website

Beam-induced backgrounds measured in the ATLAS detector during local gas injection into the LHC beam vacuum

Inelastic beam-gas collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), within a few hundred metres of the ATLAS experiment, are known to give the dominant contribution to beam backgrounds. These are monitored by ATLAS with a dedicated Beam Conditions Monitor (BCM) and with the rate of fake jets in the calorimeters. These two methods are complementary since the BCM probes backgrounds just around the beam pipe while fake jets are observed at radii of up to several metres. In order to quantify the correlation between the residual gas density in the LHC beam vacuum and the experimental backgrounds recorded by ATLAS, several dedicated tests were performed during LHC Run 2. Local pressure bumps, with a gas density several orders of magnitude higher than during normal operation, were introduced at different locations. The changes of beam-related backgrounds, seen in ATLAS, are correlated with the local pressure variation. In addition the rates of beam-gas events are estimated from the pressure measurements and pressure bump profiles obtained from calculations. Using these rates, the efficiency of the ATLAS beam background monitors to detect beam-gas events is derived as a function of distance from the interaction point. These efficiencies and characteristic distributions of fake jets from the beam backgrounds are found to be in good agreement with results of beam-gas simulations performed with theFluka Monte Carlo programme