Despite severe population declines and an overall range contraction, some populations of large carnivores have managed to survive in human‐modified landscapes. From a conservation perspective, it is ...important to identify the factors allowing for this coexistence, including the relevant habitat characteristics associated with the presence of large carnivores. We evaluated the role of several environmental factors describing habitat quality for wolves Canis lupus in the humanised Iberian Peninsula, which currently holds an important wolf population at European level. We used maximum entropy and generalized linear model approaches in a nested‐scale design to identify the environmental factors that are related to wolf presence at three spatial scales and resolutions: (1) distribution range: wolf presence on a 10 × 10 km grid resolution, (2) wolf habitat use: wolf occurrence on a 2 × 2 km grid and (3) dens/rendezvous sites: breeding locations on a 1 × 1 km grid. Refuge availability, as defined by topography, seemed to be the key factor determining wolf presence at the multiple scales analysed. As a result, wolf populations may coexist with humans in modified landscapes when the topography is complex. We found that a significant amount of favourable habitat is not currently occupied, suggesting that the availability of suitable habitat is not the limiting factor for wolves in the Iberian Peninsula. Habitat suitability outside the current range indicates that other factors, such as direct persecution and other sources of anthropogenic mortality, may be hampering its expansion. We suggest that priorities for conservation should follow two general lines: (1) protect good quality habitat within the current range; and (2) allow dispersal to unoccupied areas of good quality habitat by reducing human‐induced mortality rates. Finally, we still need to improve our understanding of how wolves coexist with humans in modified landscapes at fine spatiotemporal scales, including its relationship with infrastructures, land uses and direct human presence.
Wolf populations may coexist with humans in modified landscapes when the topography is complex. A significant amount of favourable habitat is not currently occupied. Habitat suitability outside the current range indicates that other factors, such as direct persecution and other sources of anthropogenic mortality, may be hampering its expansion. Photo Credit : Joaquim Pedro Ferreira
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) are widely employed for several applications, such as High Energy Physics experiments, as well as other research and industrial fields. SiPMs operating at ...low temperature, in particular, are the most interesting application for the new large particle detectors for neutrinos and dark matter experiments. In this work we present a low-noise, high-speed front-end electronics (Front-End Boards, FEBs) for large area SiPMs to be employed in the JUNO-TAO experiment for rare event searching. The FEBs are able to manage the signals coming from a 25 cm 2 SiPM tile, showing single photoelectron resolution better than 13% and dynamic range up to 250 photoelectrons. A careful approach to the front-end electronics design has shown to be critical in order to fully keep the exceptional performances of the SiPMs in terms of single photon detection, dynamic range, and fast timing properties. The sub-nanosecond timing properties make them suitable to work with the typical mixtures of liquid scintillators currently being used in particle and astroparticle physics experiments. The JUNO-TAO detector will achieve an energy resolution better than 2% at 1 MeV by the use of state-of-the-art SiPMs operating at -50°C. A dedicated readout system has been developed in order to collect and digitize the ∼8,000 channels needed to ensure the requested performances. A complete test report about the performance of the pre-production FEBs batch will be presented, showing the solution taken to ensure a high stability and reproducibility of the results.
We have observed a significant enhancement in the energy deposition by 25–
100
GeV
photons in a
1
cm
thick tungsten crystal oriented along its
⟨
111
⟩
lattice axes. At
100
GeV
, this enhancement, ...with respect to the value observed without axial alignment, is more than twofold. This effect, together with the measured huge increase in secondary particle generation is ascribed to the acceleration of the electromagnetic shower development by the strong axial electric field. The experimental results have been critically compared with a newly developed Monte Carlo adapted for use with crystals of multi-
X
0
thickness. The results presented in this paper may prove to be of significant interest for the development of high-performance photon absorbers and highly compact electromagnetic calorimeters and beam dumps for use at the energy and intensity frontiers.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The recent application of manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) in plant protection products (PPPs) enhances stability of the active substance (a.s.), minimizes application losses, reduces the quantities ...of a.s., increases coverage on leaf surface, improves precise application, etc. Besides offering benefits, there is high concern about the potential risk for human and environment associated with the use of nanopesticides. In this study, a panel of complementary methodologies were used to determine size distribution and chemical identification of four different formulations of nanopesticides. Measurements were performed by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), asymmetric field flow fractionation-multi angle light scattering (AF4-FFF-MALS), gas/liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS) or diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results indicated average size values in the ranges: 27.4–148.7 nm by DLS; 39.1–82.0 nm by AF4-FFF-MALS; and 42–90 nm by TEM. Linked to these nanosized particles both organic active ingredients and inorganic ones were identified. In addition, the obtained data revealed that all the four PPPs contained more than 50% of particles with number size distribution between 1 and 100 nm and, according to the European Commission definition, they can be defined as nanopesticides.
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•Risks of nanomaterials used in plant protection products (PPPs) are still unknown.•Different formulations of PPPs were analysed applying state-of-the-art techniques in a tiered approach.•PPPs formulations contained more than 50% in number of particles smaller than 100 nm.•Results provided the basis for the exposure assessment to PPPs nanoformulations.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Background
We assessed the clinical effectiveness of cefiderocol (CFDC) in comparison with colistin (COL) for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
(CRAB) bloodstream ...infections (BSI).
Materials/methods
Retrospective cohort study including adults with CRAB-BSI. Outcomes were mortality, clinical cure and adverse events during therapy. The average treatment effect of CFDC compared to COL was weighted with the inverse-probability treatment weight (IPTW).
Results
Overall, 104 patients were included (50 CFDC, 54 COL), median age 66.5 years, median Charlson Comorbidity Index 5, septic shock in 33.6% of patients. Primary BSI accounted for 43.3% of cases, followed by ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) (26%), catheter-related BSI (20.2%) and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) (9.6%). Although not significantly, mortality at all time points was lower for CFDC than COL, while clinical cure was higher in CFDC than COL (66% vs. 44.4%,
p
= 0.027). Adverse events were more frequent in COL than CFDC-group (38.8% vs. 10%,
p
< 0.0001), primarily attributed to acute kidney injury (AKI) in the COL group. Patients with bacteremic HAP/VAP treated with CFDC had a significant lower 30-d mortality and higher clinical cure than COL (
p
= 0.008 and
p
= 0.0008, respectively). Increment of CCI (
p
= 0.005), ICU (
p
= 0.025), SARS-CoV2 (
p
= 0.006) and ECMO (
p
< 0.0001) were independently associated with 30-d mortality, while receiving CFDC was not associated with survival.
Conclusions
CFDC could represent an effective and safe treatment option for CRAB BSI, especially in patients with bacteremic HAP/VAP and frail patients where the risk of acute renal failure during therapy should be avoided.
Key summary points
Increasing real-life data support the clinical effectiveness and safety of cefiderocol (CFDC) for carbapenem resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
(CRAB) infections.
We investigated CFDC in comparison with colistin (COL) for the treatment of CRAB bloodstream infections (BSI).
Clinical cure was higher in CFDC than COL group.
Patients with hospital acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia treated with CFDC had a statistically significant lower 30-d mortality and higher clinical cure than those treated with COL.
Adverse events were more frequent in COL than in CFDC-group.
CFDC could be an effective and safe treatment option for CRAB BSI, especially in patients with HAP/VAP and frail patients where the risk of acute renal failure during therapy should be avoided.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We report on the performance of commercial SiPM-based photo-detector Multi-Pixel Photon Counter (MPPC) S13360-6075CS by Hamamatsu Photonics from room temperature down to -50 °C at INFN - Sezione di ...Roma Tre. The work presented here is focused on the realization of 10 m
2
SiPM surface for the Taishan Antineutrino Observatory (TAO) near detector in the framework of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) neutrino experiment.
In this work we present a low noise high speed readout electronics for large area Silicon Photomultipiers (SiPMs) to be used in a cryogenic environment. The board is able to manage the signals coming ...from a 25 cm
2
SiPM tile, showing ¡10% SPE resolution and wide dynamic. The sub-nanosecond timing properties make them suitable to work with the typical mixtures of Liquid Scintillators currently being used in particle and astroparticle physics experiments. The boards have been tested with several types of SiPMs from room temperature down to -70 C showing excellent single photo-electron resolution in all the enviroments. The board’s PCBs have been developed with ultra low background material in order to be used in rare event searches.
The ATLAS collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has endorsed the resistive-strip micromegas technology for the high luminosity upgrade of the first muon station in the high-rapidity ...region, the so called “New Small Wheel” project. It requires detectors with a spatial resolution of ∼100μm, fully efficient up to a particle rate of ∼20kHz/cm2. In order to demonstrate that the resistive-strip micromegas technology fulfils these requirements, small resistive bulk micromegas have been studied with radioactive sources and with high energy beams. The micromegas chambers were operated with an Ar+7%CO2 gas mixture and read out using the APV25 chip. Results on the detection efficiency and the position resolution are presented for track impact angles from 0° to 40°. A position reconstruction method has been developed for inclined tracks, called the “micro-TPC method”. A description of the method along with performance studies is presented. In addition, the impact of the unavoidable presence of pillars and the relative alignment of readout and resistive strips on the micromegas performance has been quantified. In view of the fact that the micromegas detectors will also contribute to the trigger in ATLAS their time response has been studied.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The search for a novel technology, which is able to detect and reconstruct nuclear recoil events in the keV energy range, has become increasingly important now that vast regions of high mass ...weakly-interacting-massive-particle-like dark matter candidates have been excluded. Gaseous time projection chambers (TPC) with optical readout are very promising candidates combining the complete event information provided by the TPC technique with the high sensitivity and granularity of the latest generation light sensors. A TPC with an amplification at the anode, obtained with gas electron multipliers (GEMs), was tested at the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. Photons and neutrons from radioactive sources were employed to induce recoiling nuclei and electrons with kinetic energy in the range 1-100 keV. A He-CF4 (60/40) gas mixture was used at atmospheric pressure and the light produced during the multiplication in the GEM channels was acquired by a high-position resolution and low-noise complementary metal-oxide semiconductor camera and a photomultiplier. A multi-stage pattern recognition algorithm based on an advanced clustering technique is presented here. A number of cluster-shaped observables are used to identify nuclear recoils induced by neutrons, which originated from a AmBe source against x-ray 55Fe photoelectrons. An efficiency of 18% to detect nuclear recoils with an energy of about 6 keV is reached, while suppressing 96% of the 55Fe photoelectrons, making this optical read-out gas TPC a very promising candidate for future investigations of ultra-rare events such as directional direct dark matter searches.
Pixelated resistive Micromegas detector for high-rate environment Alviggi, M.; Camerlingo, M.T.; Pietra, M. Della ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
10/2022, Volume:
1041
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
The R&D work reported in this paper has been devoted to the production and test of pixelated resistive micromegas detectors able to track particles in a high-rate environment, up to 10MHz/cm2, ...keeping a stable gain and a good spatial resolution. To pursue our goal, we had to reduce the occupancy by increasing the detector granularity and this has been done by changing the read-out anodes from the usual strips to pads. This minor change in the electrodes layout drastically increased the difficulty of implementing a resistive structure to protect the anodes from sparking. We present the results of the tests performed on four prototypes, with different protection schemes, showing it is possible to reach the desired rate with high gain, high efficiency and good position resolution. The response to X-rays from low (55Fe source) to high (X-rays generator) rates, as well as to beams of ionizing particles is reported.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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