A systematic investigation of Planacon MCP-PMTs was performed using 64 XP85002/FIT-Q photosensors. These devices are equipped with microchannel plates of reduced resistance. Results of a study of ...their gain stability over time and saturation level in terms of the average anode current are presented. This information allows one to determine the lower limit of the MCP resistance for stable Planacon operation. The spread of the electron multiplication characteristics for the entire production batch is also presented, indicating the remarkably low voltage requirements of these MCP-PMTs. Detection efficiency and noise characteristics, such as dark count rate and afterpulsing level, are also reviewed.
How has the interface between genetics and assisted reproduction technology (ART) evolved since 2005?
The interface between ART and genetics has become more entwined as we increase our understanding ...about the genetics of infertility and we are able to perform more comprehensive genetic testing.
In March 2005, a group of experts from the European Society of Human Genetics and European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology met to discuss the interface between genetics and ART and published an extended background paper, recommendations and two Editorials.
An interdisciplinary workshop was held, involving representatives of both professional societies and experts from the European Union Eurogentest2 Coordination Action Project.
In March 2012, a group of experts from the European Society of Human Genetics, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology and the EuroGentest2 Coordination Action Project met to discuss developments at the interface between clinical genetics and ART.
As more genetic causes of reproductive failure are now recognized and an increasing number of patients undergo testing of their genome prior to conception, either in regular health care or in the context of direct-to-consumer testing, the need for genetic counselling and PGD may increase. Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) thus far does not have evidence from RCTs to substantiate that the technique is both effective and efficient. Whole genome sequencing may create greater challenges both in the technological and interpretational domains, and requires further reflection about the ethics of genetic testing in ART and PGD/PGS. Diagnostic laboratories should be reporting their results according to internationally accepted accreditation standards (ISO 15189). Further studies are needed in order to address issues related to the impact of ART on epigenetic reprogramming of the early embryo.
The legal landscape regarding assisted reproduction is evolving, but still remains very heterogeneous and often contradictory. The lack of legal harmonization and uneven access to infertility treatment and PGD/PGS fosters considerable cross-border reproductive care in Europe, and beyond.
This continually evolving field requires communication between the clinical genetics and IVF teams and patients to ensure that they are fully informed and can make well-considered choices.
Funding was received from ESHRE, ESHG and EuroGentest2 European Union Coordination Action project (FP7 - HEALTH-F4-2010-26146) to support attendance at this meeting.
Light dark matter in the context of dark sector theories is an attractive candidate for the dark matter thought to make up the bulk of the mass of our universe. We explore here the possibility of ...using a low-pressure, negative-ion, time projection chamber detector to search for light dark matter behind the beam dump of an electron accelerator. The sensitivity of a 10 m long detector is several orders of magnitude better than existing limits. This sensitivity includes regions of parameter space where light dark matter is predicted to have a required relic density consistent with measured dark matter density. Backgrounds at shallow depth will need to be considered carefully. However, several signatures exist, including a powerful directional signature, which will allow a detection even in the presence of backgrounds.
Recoil imaging entails the detection of spatially resolved ionization tracks generated by particle interactions. This is a highly sought-after capability in many classes of detector, with broad ...applications across particle and astroparticle physics. However, at low energies, where ionization signatures are small in size, recoil imaging only seems to be a practical goal for micro-pattern gas detectors. This white paper outlines the physics case for recoil imaging, and puts forward a decadal plan to advance towards the directional detection of low-energy recoils with sensitivity and resolution close to fundamental performance limits. The science case covered includes: the discovery of dark matter into the neutrino fog, directional detection of sub-MeV solar neutrinos, the precision study of coherent-elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, the detection of solar axions, the measurement of the Migdal effect, X-ray polarimetry, and several other applied physics goals. We also outline the R&D programs necessary to test concepts that are crucial to advance detector performance towards their fundamental limit: single primary electron sensitivity with full 3D spatial resolution at the \(\sim\)100 micron-scale. These advancements include: the use of negative ion drift, electron counting with high-definition electronic readout, time projection chambers with optical readout, and the possibility for nuclear recoil tracking in high-density gases such as argon. We also discuss the readout and electronics systems needed to scale-up such detectors to the ton-scale and beyond.
We present updated measurements of the CP-violating parameters S_pipi and C_pipi in B0 -> pi+pi- decays. Using a sample of 227 million Y(4S) -> BBbar decays collected with the BaBar detector at the ...PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+e- collider at SLAC, we observe 467 +- 33 signal decays and measure S_pipi = -0.30 +- 0.17 (stat) +- 0.03 (syst), and C_pipi = -0.09 +- 0.15 (stat) +- 0.04 (syst).
We present an observation of the decay $B^{0} \to \pi^{0} \pi^{0}$ based on a sample of 124 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs recorded by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy $B$ Factory at ...SLAC. We observe $46 \pm 13 \pm 3$ events, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic, corresponding to a significance of 4.2 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties. We measure the branching fraction $\BR(B^{0} \to \pi^{0} \pi^{0}) = (2.1 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-6}$, averaged over $B^{0}$ and $\bar{B}^{0}$ decays.
The sixth report of the ESHRE PGD Consortium is presented, relating to cycles collected for the calendar year 2003 and follow-up of the pregnancies and babies born up to October 2004. Since the ...beginning of the data collections, there has been a steady rise in the number of cycles, pregnancies and babies reported. For this report, 50 centres participated, reporting on 2984 cycles, 501 pregnancies and 373 babies born. Five hundred and twenty-nine cycles were reported for chromosomal abnormalities, 516 cycles were reported for monogenic diseases, 137 cycles were reported for sexing for X-linked diseases, 1722 cycles were reported for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and 80 cycles were reported for social sexing. Data VI is compared to the cumulative data for data collections I–V.
The discovery of nucleated erythrocytes in maternal circulation provides a potential source for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. We have evaluated the use of a three-stage procedure to determine the ...number of cells that are of fetal rather than maternal origin. First, monoclonal antibodies specific for CD45 and CD14 were used in conjunction with a magnetic (MACS) column to deplete unwanted leukocytes from maternal blood. This was followed by a positive MACS enrichment for nucleated erythrocytes, using an anti-CD71 (transferrin receptor) monoclonal antibody. To discriminate between fetal nucleated erythrocytes and those of maternal origin, enriched fractions were simultaneously stained with an anti-fetal haemoglobin (HbF) antibody and hybridized with probes specific for X and Y chromosomes. Samples were then subjected to blind analysis along with negative control samples from non-pregnant volunteers. Using this dual analysis, we were able to determine that less than one nucleated erythrocyte per ml of maternal blood was of fetal origin. Small numbers of these fetal cells were found in 87.5% of pregnancies, ranging from 6 to 35 weeks gestational age. Comparison of HbF and X/Y probe data also suggests that the fetal cells are less suitable for fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) analysis than similar preparations from other sources.
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