Bulk Etch Rate Measurements and Calibrations of Plastic Nuclear Track Detectors

New calibrations of CR39 and Makrofol nuclear track detectors have been obtained using 158 A GeV Pb (82+) and In (49+) ions; a new method for the bulk etch rate determination, using both cone height and base diameter measurements was developed. The CR39 charge resolution based on the etch-pit base area measurement is adequate to identify nuclear fragments in the interval 7 <= Z/beta <= 49. For CR39 the detection threshold is at REL~50 MeV cm^2/g, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta~7. Base cone area distributions for Makrofol foils exposed to Pb (82+) ions have shown for the first time all peaks due to nuclear fragments with Z > 50; the distribution of the etched cone heights shows well separated individual peaks for Z/beta = 78 - 83 (charge pickup). The Makrofol detection threshold is at REL 2700 MeV cm^2/g, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta~50.Comment: 11 pages, 5 EPS figures. Submitted to Nucl. Instr. Meth.

New MACRO results on atmospheric neutrino oscillations

The final results of the MACRO experiment on atmospheric neutrino oscillations are presented and discussed. The data concern different event topologies with average neutrino energies of ~3 and ~50 GeV. Multiple Coulomb Scattering of the high energy muons in absorbers was used to estimate the neutrino energy of each event. The angular distributions, the L/E_nu distribution, the particle ratios and the absolute fluxes all favour nu_mu --> nu_tau oscillations with maximal mixing and Delta m^2 =0.0023 eV^2. A discussion is made on the Monte Carlos used for the atmospheric neutrino flux. Some results on neutrino astrophysics are also briefly discussed.Comment: Invited Paper at the NANP03 Int. Conf., Dubna, 200

Results of the Search for Strange Quark Matter and Q-balls with the SLIM Experiment

The SLIM experiment at the Chacaltaya high altitude laboratory was sensitive to nuclearites and Q-balls, which could be present in the cosmic radiation as possible Dark Matter components. It was sensitive also to strangelets, i.e. small lumps of Strange Quark Matter predicted at such altitudes by various phenomenological models. The analysis of 427 m^2 of Nuclear Track Detectors exposed for 4.22 years showed no candidate event. New upper limits on the flux of downgoing nuclearites and Q-balls at the 90% C.L. were established. The null result also restricts models for strangelets propagation through the Earth atmosphere.Comment: 14 pages, 11 EPS figure

On dicraeosaurid (sauropoda) vertebra from the la amarga formation (barremian–aptian, lower cretaceous), Neuquén basin, patagonia, Argentina

Field works carried out by Dr. Bonaparte and collaborators in the La Amarga Formation (Barremian–Aptian) in 2000, allowed the collecting of a vertebral element not previously communicated. This material has not been properly protected, so it is broken and kept in paleontological collection of Museo Provincial “Olsacher” of Zapala city. The descriptions were based solely on a photograph. The parapophyses are located on the dorsal part of the centrum, like in the anterior dorsal vertebrae of Dicraeosaurus hansemanni Janensch and Amargasaurus cazaui Salgado and Bonaparte. The posterior articular surface of the centrum is strongly concave with an elliptical outline. The neural arch bears two deep and wide centropostzygapophyseal fossae with a triangular outline. These fossae are framed laterally by stout centropostzygapophyseal laminae, project dorsoventrally like a massive columnar bone. The transverse processes are inclined dorsally more than 30° from the horizontal axis, as in the dorsal vertebrae of D. hansemanni, A. cazaui, Brachytrachelopan mesai Rauhut, Remes, Fechner, Cladera and Puerta and Pilmatueia faundezi Coria, Windholz, Ortega and Currie. The element bears an elongate bifid neural spine, character that share with the most of presacral vertebrae of the dicraeosaurids. This structure is straight, dorsoanteriorly oriented and its degree of development reminds to the presacral vertebrae of A. cazaui. This element is similar to the anterior dorsal vertebrae of A. cazaui, although it could be comparable with Amargatitanis macni Apesteguía, come from the same locality and lithostratigraphic unit, whose presacral vertebrae are unknown.Fil: Windholz, Guillermo Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Plaza Huincul. Museo "Carmen Funes"; ArgentinaFil: Baiano, Mattia Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Plaza Huincul. Museo "Carmen Funes"; ArgentinaFil: Bellardini, Flavio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; Argentina. Gobierno de la Provincia de la Pampa. Secretaria de Cultura. Direccion Provincial de Patrimonio Cultural.; ArgentinaFil: Meso, Jorge Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Juáres Valieri, R.. Gobierno de la Provincia de Río Negro. Ministerio de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte. Secretaría de Cultura; Argentina. Museo de Ciencias de Añelo; ArgentinaFil: Porfiri, J.. Museo de Ciencias de Añelo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Filippi, L.. Gobierno de la Provincia del Neuquén. Municipalidad de Rincón de Los Sauces. Secretaria de Turismo y Patrimonio. Museo Municipal Argentino Urquiza; ArgentinaFil: Garrido, A.. Provincia de Neuquén. Ministerio de Energía, Ambiente y Servicios Públicos. Dirección Provincial de Minería. Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales Prof. "Dr. Juan A. Olsacher"; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Geología y Petróleo; Argentina2das Jornadas de Paleovertebrados de la Cuenca NeuquinaNeuquénArgentinaAsociación Paleontológica Argentin

Testing the persistence of Carcharodontosauridae (Theropoda) in the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia based on dental evidence

The deposits corresponding to the Upper Cretaceous Neuquén and San Jorge Gulf basins from northern and central Patagonia have provided two of the most complete sequences of terrestrial vertebrate faunas of all Gondwanan landmasses. Among the carnivorous components, the carcharodontosaurid theropods appeared as common elements during the Early Cretaceous and the earliest Late Cretaceous in northern and central Patagonia. Although recorded mostly in the lower Turonian, isolated teeth suggest their presence in younger strata in northern and central Patagonia, reaching the clade in the region as late as the early Maastrichtian. Here, we verify the assignment of such isolated teeth previously identified as belonging to Carcharodontosauridae from the Upper Cretaceous strata of northern and central Patagonia. Using three different methods, namely a cladistic analysis performed on a dentition-based data matrix, and discriminant and cluster analyses conducted on a large dataset of theropod crown measurements, we assign a tooth from Candeleros Formation to carcharodontosaurid theropods and teeth from Cerro Lisandro, Bajo Barreal, Portezuelo, Plottier and Allen formations to abelisaurid theropods. These new reappraisals provide additional evidence about the extinction of Carcharodontosauridae in South America at about the late Turonian–earliest Coniacian as part of a general faunistic turnover event, with the last clear evidence of this lineage in Patagonia coming from the early–middle Turonian.Fil: Meso, Jorge Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Juárez Valieri, R. D.. Gobierno de la Provincia de Río Negro. Ministerio de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte. Secretaría de Cultura; ArgentinaFil: Porfiri, Juan Domingo. Museo del Desierto Patagónico; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Museo de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Da Silva Correa, Samuel Aparecido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Martinelli, Agustín Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Casal, G. A.. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Canudo, J. I.. Universidad de Zaragoza; EspañaFil: Poblete, F.. Museo del Desierto Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Dos Santos, D.. Museo del Desierto Patagónico; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Museo de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Ingeniería; Argentin

Dinosaur Speed Demon: The Caudal Musculature of Carnotaurus sastrei and Implications for the Evolution of South American Abelisaurids

In the South American abelisaurids Carnotaurus sastrei, Aucasaurus garridoi, and, to a lesser extent Skorpiovenator bustingorryi, the anterior caudal ribs project at a high dorsolateral inclination and have interlocking lateral tips. This unique morphology facilitated the expansion of the caudal hypaxial musculature at the expense of the epaxial musculature. Distinct ridges on the ventrolateral surfaces of the caudal ribs of Aucasaurus garridoi are interpreted as attachment scars from the intra caudofemoralis/ilio-ischiocaudalis septa, and confirm that the M. caudofemoralis of advanced South American abelisaurids originated from a portion of the caudal ribs. Digital muscle models indicate that, relative to its overall body size, Carnotaurus sastrei had a substantially larger M. caudofemoralis than any other theropod yet studied. In most non-avian theropods, as in many extant sauropsids, the M. caudofemoralis served as the primary femoral retractor muscle during the locomotive power stroke. This large investment in the M. caudofemoralis suggests that Carnotaurus sastrei had the potential for great cursorial abilities, particularly short-burst sprinting. However, the tightly interlocking morphology of the anterior caudal vertebrae implies a reduced ability to make tight turns. Examination of these vertebral traits in evolutionary context reveals a progressive sequence of increasing caudofemoral mass and tail rigidity among the Abelisauridae of South America

Euclid preparation. XVIII. The NISP photometric system

Euclid will be the first space mission to survey most of the extragalactic sky in the 0.95-2.02 $\mu$m range, to a 5$\sigma$ point-source median depth of 24.4 AB mag. This unique photometric data set will find wide use beyond Euclid's core science. In this paper, we present accurate computations of the Euclid Y_E, J_E and H_E passbands used by the Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP), and the associated photometric system. We pay particular attention to passband variations in the field of view, accounting among others for spatially variable filter transmission, and variations of the angle of incidence on the filter substrate using optical ray tracing. The response curves' cut-on and cut-off wavelengths - and their variation in the field of view - are determined with 0.8 nm accuracy, essential for the photometric redshift accuracy required by Euclid. After computing the photometric zeropoints in the AB mag system, we present linear transformations from and to common ground-based near-infrared photometric systems, for normal stars, red and brown dwarfs, and galaxies separately. A Python tool to compute accurate magnitudes for arbitrary passbands and spectral energy distributions is provided. We discuss various factors from space weathering to material outgassing that may slowly alter Euclid's spectral response. At the absolute flux scale, the Euclid in-flight calibration program connects the NISP photometric system to Hubble Space Telescope spectrophotometric white dwarf standards; at the relative flux scale, the chromatic evolution of the response is tracked at the milli-mag level. In this way, we establish an accurate photometric system that is fully controlled throughout Euclid's lifetime.Comment: 33 pages, 25 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Euclid preparation: XXII. Selection of Quiescent Galaxies from Mock Photometry using Machine Learning

The Euclid Space Telescope will provide deep imaging at optical and near-infrared wavelengths, along with slitless near-infrared spectroscopy, across ~15,000 sq deg of the sky. Euclid is expected to detect ~12 billion astronomical sources, facilitating new insights into cosmology, galaxy evolution, and various other topics. To optimally exploit the expected very large data set, there is the need to develop appropriate methods and software. Here we present a novel machine-learning based methodology for selection of quiescent galaxies using broad-band Euclid I_E, Y_E, J_E, H_E photometry, in combination with multiwavelength photometry from other surveys. The ARIADNE pipeline uses meta-learning to fuse decision-tree ensembles, nearest-neighbours, and deep-learning methods into a single classifier that yields significantly higher accuracy than any of the individual learning methods separately. The pipeline has `sparsity-awareness', so that missing photometry values are still informative for the classification. Our pipeline derives photometric redshifts for galaxies selected as quiescent, aided by the `pseudo-labelling' semi-supervised method. After application of the outlier filter, our pipeline achieves a normalized mean absolute deviation of ~< 0.03 and a fraction of catastrophic outliers of ~< 0.02 when measured against the COSMOS2015 photometric redshifts. We apply our classification pipeline to mock galaxy photometry catalogues corresponding to three main scenarios: (i) Euclid Deep Survey with ancillary ugriz, WISE, and radio data; (ii) Euclid Wide Survey with ancillary ugriz, WISE, and radio data; (iii) Euclid Wide Survey only. Our classification pipeline outperforms UVJ selection, in addition to the Euclid I_E-Y_E, J_E-H_E and u-I_E,I_E-J_E colour-colour methods, with improvements in completeness and the F1-score of up to a factor of 2. (Abridged)Comment: 37 pages (including appendices), 26 figures; accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Euclid preparation: XXII. Selection of Quiescent Galaxies from Mock Photometry using Machine Learning

The Euclid Space Telescope will provide deep imaging at optical and near-infrared wavelengths, along with slitless near-infrared spectroscopy, across ~15,000 sq deg of the sky. Euclid is expected to detect ~12 billion astronomical sources, facilitating new insights into cosmology, galaxy evolution, and various other topics. To optimally exploit the expected very large data set, there is the need to develop appropriate methods and software. Here we present a novel machine-learning based methodology for selection of quiescent galaxies using broad-band Euclid I_E, Y_E, J_E, H_E photometry, in combination with multiwavelength photometry from other surveys. The ARIADNE pipeline uses meta-learning to fuse decision-tree ensembles, nearest-neighbours, and deep-learning methods into a single classifier that yields significantly higher accuracy than any of the individual learning methods separately. The pipeline has `sparsity-awareness', so that missing photometry values are still informative for the classification. Our pipeline derives photometric redshifts for galaxies selected as quiescent, aided by the `pseudo-labelling' semi-supervised method. After application of the outlier filter, our pipeline achieves a normalized mean absolute deviation of ~< 0.03 and a fraction of catastrophic outliers of ~< 0.02 when measured against the COSMOS2015 photometric redshifts. We apply our classification pipeline to mock galaxy photometry catalogues corresponding to three main scenarios: (i) Euclid Deep Survey with ancillary ugriz, WISE, and radio data; (ii) Euclid Wide Survey with ancillary ugriz, WISE, and radio data; (iii) Euclid Wide Survey only. Our classification pipeline outperforms UVJ selection, in addition to the Euclid I_E-Y_E, J_E-H_E and u-I_E,I_E-J_E colour-colour methods, with improvements in completeness and the F1-score of up to a factor of 2. (Abridged)Comment: 37 pages (including appendices), 26 figures; accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Oncoplastic and reconstructive surgery in SENONETWORK Italian breast centers: lights and shadows

Highlights: • Despite the significance of oncoplastic procedure, an italian database is lacking. • Senonetwork established a multidisciplinary survey to assess their safety and efficacy. • Reconstructive outcomes were positive across low and high-volume centers. • After mastectomy, implant-based techniques are common. DTI reconstruction is advantageuos. • This contributes to the global understanding of effective strategies against breast cancer