249 research outputs found
Measurements and optimization of the light yield of a TeO crystal
Bolometers have proven to be good instruments to search for rare processes
because of their excellent energy resolution and their extremely low intrinsic
background. In this kind of detectors, the capability of discriminating alpha
particles from electrons represents an important aspect for the background
reduction. One possibility for obtaining such a discrimination is provided by
the detection of the Cherenkov light which, at the low energies of the natural
radioactivity, is only emitted by electrons. This paper describes the method
developed to evaluate the amount of light produced by a crystal of TeO when
hit by a 511 keV photon. The experimental measurements and the results of a
detailed simulation of the crystal and the readout system are shown and
compared. A light yield of about 52 Cherenkov photons per deposited MeV was
measured. The effect of wrapping the crystal with a PTFE layer, with the aim of
maximizing the light collection, is also presented
The CUORE Cryostat: A 1-Ton Scale Setup for Bolometric Detectors
The cryogenic underground observatory for rare events (CUORE) is a 1-ton
scale bolometric experiment whose detector consists of an array of 988 TeO2
crystals arranged in a cylindrical compact structure of 19 towers. This will be
the largest bolometric mass ever operated. The experiment will work at a
temperature around or below 10 mK. CUORE cryostat consists of a cryogen-free
system based on pulse tubes and a custom high power dilution refrigerator,
designed to match these specifications. The cryostat has been commissioned in
2014 at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories and reached a record temperature
of 6 mK on a cubic meter scale. In this paper, we present results of CUORE
commissioning runs. Details on the thermal characteristics and cryogenic
performances of the system will be also given.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, LTD16 conference proceedin
The CUORE cryostat: an infrastructure for rare event searches at millikelvin temperatures
The CUORE experiment is the world's largest bolometric experiment. The
detector consists of an array of 988 TeO2 crystals, for a total mass of 742 kg.
CUORE is presently taking data at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso,
Italy, searching for the neutrinoless double beta decay of 130Te. A large
custom cryogen-free cryostat allows reaching and maintaining a base temperature
of about 10 mK, required for the optimal operation of the detector. This
apparatus has been designed in order to achieve a low noise environment, with
minimal contribution to the radioactive background for the experiment. In this
paper, we present an overview of the CUORE cryostat, together with a
description of all its sub-systems, focusing on the solutions identified to
satisfy the stringent requirements. We briefly illustrate the various phases of
the cryostat commissioning and highlight the relevant steps and milestones
achieved each time. Finally, we describe the successful cooldown of CUORE
Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay of Te with CUORE-0
We report the results of a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in a
9.8~kgyr exposure of Te using a bolometric detector array,
CUORE-0. The characteristic detector energy resolution and background level in
the region of interest are FWHM and ~counts/(keVkgyr), respectively. The
median 90%~C.L. lower-limit sensitivity of the experiment is and surpasses the sensitivity of previous searches. We find
no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Te and place a
Bayesian lower bound on the decay half-life, ~ at 90%~C.L. Combining CUORE-0 data with the 19.75~kgyr
exposure of Te from the Cuoricino experiment we obtain at 90%~C.L.~(Bayesian), the most stringent
limit to date on this half-life. Using a range of nuclear matrix element
estimates we interpret this as a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass,
-- .Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, updated version as published in PR
Analysis Techniques for the Evaluation of the Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Lifetime in Te with CUORE-0
We describe in detail the methods used to obtain the lower bound on the
lifetime of neutrinoless double-beta () decay in Te and
the associated limit on the effective Majorana mass of the neutrino using the
CUORE-0 detector. CUORE-0 is a bolometric detector array located at the
Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso that was designed to validate the
background reduction techniques developed for CUORE, a next-generation
experiment scheduled to come online in 2016. CUORE-0 is also a competitive
decay search in its own right and functions as a platform to
further develop the analysis tools and procedures to be used in CUORE. These
include data collection, event selection and processing, as well as an
evaluation of signal efficiency. In particular, we describe the amplitude
evaluation, thermal gain stabilization, energy calibration methods, and the
analysis event selection used to create our final decay search
spectrum. We define our high level analysis procedures, with emphasis on the
new insights gained and challenges encountered. We outline in detail our
fitting methods near the hypothesized decay peak and catalog
the main sources of systematic uncertainty. Finally, we derive the
decay half-life limits previously reported for CUORE-0,
yr, and in combination with the Cuoricino
limit, yr.Comment: 18 pages, 18 figures. (Version 3 reflects only minor changes to the
text. Few additional details, no major content changes.
Measurement of the Two-Neutrino Double Beta Decay Half-life of Te with the CUORE-0 Experiment
We report on the measurement of the two-neutrino double beta decay half-life
of Te with the CUORE-0 detector. From an exposure of 33.4 kgy of
TeO, the half-life is determined to be = [8.2 0.2
(stat.) 0.6 (syst.)] 10y. This result is obtained after a
detailed reconstruction of the sources responsible for the CUORE-0 counting
rate, with a specific study of those contributing to the Te
neutrinoless double beta decay region of interest.Comment: Corrected typo in section 9: 3.43E5 Bq/kg should have read 3.43E-5
Bq/k
Calcium-Dependent Increases in Protein Kinase-A Activity in Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells Are Mediated by Multiple Adenylate Cyclases
Neurons undergo long term, activity dependent changes that are mediated by activation of second messenger cascades. In particular, calcium-dependent activation of the cyclic-AMP/Protein kinase A signaling cascade has been implicated in several developmental processes including cell survival, axonal outgrowth, and axonal refinement. The biochemical link between calcium influx and the activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway is primarily mediated through adenylate cyclases. Here, dual imaging of intracellular calcium concentration and PKA activity was used to assay the role of different classes of calcium-dependent adenylate cyclases (ACs) in the activation of the cAMP/PKA pathway in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Surprisingly, depolarization-induced calcium-dependent PKA transients persist in barrelless mice lacking AC1, the predominant calcium-dependent adenylate cyclase in RGCs, as well as in double knockout mice lacking both AC1 and AC8. Furthermore, in a subset of RGCs, depolarization-induced PKA transients persist during the inhibition of all transmembrane adenylate cyclases. These results are consistent with the existence of a soluble adenylate cyclase that plays a role in calcium-dependent activation of the cAMP/PKA cascade in neurons
Antipsychotic prescribing for vulnerable populations: a clinical audit at an acute Australian mental health unit at two-time points
Background: Antipsychotics are recognised as a critical intervention for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Guidelines globally endorse the routine practice of antipsychotic monotherapy, at the minimum effective dose. Even in treatmentresistant schizophrenia, clozapine use is endorsed before combining antipsychotics. This aim of this study was to review antipsychotic polytherapy alone, high-dose therapy alone, polytherapy and highdose prescribing patterns in adults discharged from an inpatient mental health unit at two time-points, and the alignment of this prescribing with clinical guideline recommendations. Additionally, associations with polytherapy and high-dose antipsychotic prescribing, including patient and clinical characteristics, were explored.
Methods: A retrospective clinical audit of 400 adults (200 patients at two different time-points) discharged with at least one antipsychotic. Preliminary findings and education sessions were provided to physicians between Cohorts. Outcomes (polytherapy alone, high-dose therapy alone, polytherapy and high-dose therapy) were compared between
study Cohorts using chi-squared and rank-sum tests. Associations between outcomes and covariates were assessed
using multivariable logistic regression.
Results: Most patients (62.5%) were discharged on a single antipsychotic within the recommended dose range. There
was a clear preference for prescribing second generation antipsychotics, and in this respect, prescribing is aligned with current evidence-based guidelines. However, sub-optimal prescribing practices were identified for both Cohorts in relation to polytherapy and high-dose antipsychotic rates. Involuntary treatment, frequent hospitalisations and previous clozapine use significantly increased the risk of all three prescribing outcomes at discharge.
Conclusions: In a significant minority, antipsychotic prescribing did not align with clinical guidelines despite increased training, indicating that the education program alone was ineffective at positively influencing antipsychotic prescribing practices. Further consideration should be given when prescribing antipsychotics for involuntary patients, people with frequent hospitalisations, and those who have previously trialled clozapine
Results from the CUORE experiment
Neutrinoless double beta decay (0¿ßß) is a rare, second-order nuclear transition that occurs only if neutrinos are massive Majorana particles or through new physics beyond Standard Model. This process explicitly violates the lepton number (L) by two units and, therefore, the observation of 0¿ßß would demonstrate that L is not a symmetry of nature. Combined with flavour mixing and cosmological measurements, it can provide unique contraints on neutrino mass scale and establish whether neutrinos are Dirac or Majorana particles. The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is an experiment located at the LNGS searching for 0¿ßß decay of 130Te. CUORE exploits the bolometric technique to reach high resolution around the Q-value (2527.5 keV). It consists of an array of 988 natural TeO2 cubic crystals grouped into 19 towers. With a total active mass of 742 kg (~206 kg of 130Te), CUORE is operated at very low temperature with a new 3He/4He refrigerator. Data taking started at the beginning of 2017. After a brief introduction on the detector and the way data analysis is performed, I describe CUORE first results for the search of the 0¿ßß decay that were published in March 2018
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