Low radioactivity techniques for Large TPCs in rare event searches

The investigation of rare phenomena requires an effective suppression of all the background components entangling the expected signal. This has compelled the development of a wide range of low radioactivity techniques and background mitigation strategies. Some examples of those applied to Large Time Projection Chambers (TPCs) will be discussed here, including the operation of experiments deep underground, the exhaustive control of material radiopurity and the implementation of discrimination techniques.Comment: Proceedings of the 11th international symposium on "Large TPCs for low-energy rare event detection", Paris, December 202

Study of cosmogenic activation above ground of Ar for DarkSide-20k

The production of long-lived radioactive isotopes due to the exposure to cosmic rays on the Earth's surface is an hazard for experiments searching for rare events like the direct detection of galactic dark matter particles. The use of large amounts of liquid Argon is foreseen in different projects, like the DarkSide-20k experiment, intended to look for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. Here, results from the study of the cosmogenic activation of Argon carried out in the context of DarkSide-20k are presented. The induced activity of several isotopes, including 39Ar, and the expected counting rates in the detector have been deduced, considering exposure conditions as realistic as possible.Comment: Proceedings of LIDINE 2023 (LIght Detection In Noble Elements) conference. Final version as publishe

Using Wavelets to reject background in Dark Matter experiments

A method based on wavelet techniques has been developed and applied to background rejection in the data of the IGEX dark matter experiment. The method is presented and described in some detail to show how it efficiently rejects events coming from noise and microphonism through a mathematical inspection of their recorded pulse shape. The result of the application of the method to the last data of IGEX is presented.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Astrop. Phy

The NEXT double beta decay experiment

NEXT (Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC) is a neutrinoless double- beta (ßß0¿) decay experiment at Laboratorio Subterra ´neo de Canfranc (LSC). It is an electroluminescent Time Projection Chamber filled with high pressure 136Xe gas with separated function capabilities for calorimetry and tracking. Energy resolution and background suppression are the two key features of any neutrinoless double beta decay experiment. NEXT has both good energy resolution (< 1% FWHM) and an extra handle for background identification provided by track reconstruction. We expect a background rate of 4 × 10-4 counts keV-1 kg-1 yr-1, and a sensitivity to the Majorana neutrino mass of between 80–160 meV (depending on NME) after a run of 3 effective years of the 100 kg scale NEXT-100 detector. The initial phase of NEXT-100, called NEW, is currently being commissioned at LSC. It will validate the NEXT background rate expectations and will make first measurements of the two neutrino ßß2¿ mode of 136Xe. Furthermore, the NEXT technique can be extrapolated to the tonne scale, thus allowing the full exploration of the inverted hierarchy of neutrino masses. These proceedings review NEXT R&D results, the status of detector commissioning at LSC and the NEXT physics case

The association of parental genetic, lifestyle, and social determinants of health with offspring overweight

In the UK, the number of comorbidities seen in children has increased along with the worsening obesity rate. These comorbidities worsen into adulthood. Genomewide association studies have highlighted single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with the weight status of adults and offspring individually. To date, in the UK, parental genetic, lifestyle, and social determinants of health have not been investigated alongside one another as influencers of offspring weight status. A comprehensive obesity prevention scheme would commence prior to conception and involve parental intervention including all known risk factors. This current study aims to identify the proportion of overweight that can be explained by known parental risk factors, including genetic, lifestyle, and social determinants of health with offspring weight status in the UK. Methods: A crosssectional study was carried out on 123 parents. Parental and offspring anthropometric data and parental lifestyle and social determinants of health data were self-reported. Parental genetic data were collected by use of GeneFiX saliva collection vials and genotype were assessed for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene rs6265, melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene rs17782313, transmembrane protein 18 (TMEM18) gene rs2867125, and serine/threonine-protein kinase (TNN13K) gene rs1514175. Associations were assessed between parental data and the weight status of offspring. Results: Maternal body mass index modestly predicted child weight status (p < 0.015; R2 = 0.15). More mothers of overweight children carried the MC4R rs17782313 risk allele (77.8%; p = 0.007) compared to mothers of normal-weight children. Additionally, fathers who were not Caucasian and parents who slept for < 7 h/night had a larger percentage of overweight children when compared to their counterparts (p = 0.039; p = 0.014, respectively). Conclusion: Associations exist between the weight status of offspring based solely on parental genetic, lifestyle, and social determinants of health data. Further research is required to appropriately address future interventions based on genetic and lifestyle risk groups on a pre-parent cohort