A Computing and Detector Simulation Framework for the HIBEAM/NNBAR Experimental Program at the ESS

The HIBEAM/NNBAR program is a proposed two-stage experiment at the European Spallation Source focusing on searches for baryon number violation via processes in which neutrons convert to antineutrons. This paper outlines the computing and detector simulation framework for the HIBEAM/NNBAR program. The simulation is based on predictions of neutron flux and neutronics together with signal and background generation. A range of diverse simulation packages are incorporated, including Monte Carlo transport codes, neutron ray-tracing simulation packages, and detector simulation software. The common simulation package in which these elements are interfaced together is discussed. Data management plans and triggers are also described.Comment: Contribution to CHEP2021. Accepted for publication in the European Physical Journal (EPJ) Web of Conference

Development of a High Intensity Neutron Source at the European Spallation Source: The HighNESS project

The European Spallation Source (ESS), presently under construction in Lund, Sweden, is a multidisciplinary international laboratory that will operate the world's most powerful pulsed neutron source. Supported by a 3M Euro Research and Innovation Action within the EU Horizon 2020 program, a design study (HighNESS) is now underway to develop a second neutron source below the spallation target. Compared to the first source, located above the spallation target and designed for high cold and thermal brightness, the new source will provide higher intensity, and a shift to longer wavelengths in the spectral regions of cold (2 /- 20 {\AA}), very cold (VCN, 10 /- 120 {\AA}), and ultra cold (UCN, > 500 {\AA}) neutrons. The core of the second source will consist of a large liquid deuterium moderator to deliver a high flux of cold neutrons and to serve secondary VCN and UCN sources, for which different options are under study. The features of these new sources will boost several areas of condensed matter research and will provide unique opportunities in fundamental physics. Part of the HighNESS project is also dedicated to the development of future instruments that will make use of the new source and will complement the initial suite of instruments in construction at ESS. The HighNESS project started in October 2020. In this paper, the ongoing developments and the results obtained in the first year are described.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 14th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Applications of Accelerators, November 30 to December 4, 2021, Washington, D

The Development of the NNBAR Experiment

The NNBAR experiment for the European Spallation Source will search for free neutrons converting to antineutrons with a sensitivity improvement of three orders of magnitude compared to the last such search. This paper describes progress towards a conceptual design report for NNBAR. The design of a moderator, neutron reflector, beamline, shielding and annihilation detector is reported. The simulations used form part of a model which will be used for optimisation of the experiment design and quantification of its sensitivity.Comment: 30 pages, 26 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Instrumentation (JINST

A tutorial for olfaction-based multisensorial media application design and evaluation

© ACM, 2017. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of ACM for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in PUBLICATION, {VOL50, ISS5, September 2017} https://doi.org/10.1145/310824

New high-sensitivity searches for neutrons converting into antineutrons and/or sterile neutrons at the HIBEAM/NNBAR experiment at the European Spallation Source

The violation of baryon number, B, is an essential ingredient for the preferential creation of matter over antimatter needed to account for the observed baryon asymmetry in the Universe. However, such a process has yet to be experimentally observed. The HIBEAM/NNBAR program is a proposed two-stage experiment at the European Spallation Source to search for baryon number violation. The program will include high-sensitivity searches for processes that violate baryon number by one or two units: free neutron-antineutron oscillation (n -> (n) over bar) via mixing, neutron-antineutron oscillation via regeneration from a sterile neutron state (n -> [n',(n) over bar'] -> (n) over bar), and neutron disappearance (n -> n'); the effective Delta B = 0 process of neutron regeneration (n ->[n',(n) over bar'] -> n) is also possible. The program can be used to discover and characterize mixing in the neutron, antineutron and sterile neutron sectors. The experiment addresses topical open questions such as the origins of baryogenesis and the nature of dark matter, and is sensitive to scales of new physics substantially in excess of those available at colliders. A goal of the program is to open a discovery window to neutron conversion probabilities (sensitivities) by up to three orders of magnitude compared with previous searches. The opportunity to make such a leap in sensitivity tests should not be squandered. The experiment pulls together a diverse international team of physicists from the particle (collider and low energy) and nuclear physics communities, while also including specialists in neutronics and magnetics.Peer reviewe

Lung-Derived Mediators Induce Cytokine Production in Downstream Organs via an NF-κB-Dependent Mechanism

In the setting of acute lung injury, levels of circulating inflammatory mediators have been correlated with adverse outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated that injured, mechanically ventilated lungs represent the origin of the host inflammatory response; however, mechanisms which perpetuate systemic inflammation remain uncharacterized. We hypothesized that lung-derived mediators generated by mechanical ventilation (MV) are amplified by peripheral organs in a “feed forward” mechanism of systemic inflammation. Herein, lung-derived mediators were collected from 129X1/SVJ mice after 2 hours of MV while connected to the isolated perfused mouse lung model setup. Exposure of liver endothelial cells to lung-derived mediators resulted in a significant increase in G-CSF, IL-6, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, and MCP-1 production compared to noncirculated control perfusate media (P<0.05). Furthermore, inhibition of the NF-κB pathway significantly mitigated this response. Changes in gene transcription were confirmed using qPCR for IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2. Additionally, liver tissue obtained from mice subjected to 2 hours of in vivo MV demonstrated significant increases in hepatic gene transcription of IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2 compared to nonventilated controls. Collectively, this data demonstrates that lung-derived mediators, generated in the setting of MV, are amplified by downstream organs in a feed forward mechanism of systemic inflammation

A Full Genome Scan for Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease

We have genotyped 292 affected sibling pairs (ASPs) with Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria and with onset ages of >/=65 years using 237 microsatellite markers separated by an average distance of 16.3 cM. Data were analysed by SPLINK and MAPMAKER/SIBS on the whole sample of 292 ASPs and subsets of 162 ASPs where both members possessed an apolipoprotein E (APOE)straightepsilon4 allele and 63 pairs where neither possessed anstraightepsilon4 allele. Sixteen peaks with a multipoint lod score (MLS) >1 either in the whole sample, the straightepsilon4-positive or -negative subgroups were observed on chromosomes 1 (two peaks), 2, 5, 6, 9 (two peaks), 10 (two peaks), 12, 13, 14, 19, 21 and X (two peaks). Simulation studies revealed that these findings exceeded those expected by chance, although many are likely to be false positives. The highest lod scores on chromosomes 1 (MLS 2.67), 9 (MLS 2.38), 10 (MLS 2.27) and 19 (MLS 1.79) fulfilLander and Kruglyak's definition of 'suggestive' in that they would be expected to occur by chance once or less per genome scan. Several other peaks were only marginally less significant than this, in particular those on chromosomes 14 (MLS 2.16), 5 (MLS 2.00), 12, close to alpha2-macroglobulin (MLS 1.91), and 21, close to amyloid precursor protein (MLS 1.77). This is the largest genome scan to date in AD and shows for the first time that this is a genetically complex disorder involving several, perhaps many, genes in addition to APOE. Moreover, our data will be of interest to those hoping to identify positional candidate genes using information emerging from neurobiological studies of AD

The development of the NNBAR experiment

The NNBAR experiment for the European Spallation Source will search for free neutrons converting to antineutrons with a sensitivity improvement of three orders of magnitude compared to the last such search. This paper describes progress towards a conceptual design report for NNBAR. The design of a moderator, neutron reflector, beamline, shielding and annihilation detector is reported. The simulations used form part of a model which will be used for optimisation of the experiment design and quantification of its sensitivity