Many of the most sensitive physics experiments searching for rare events, like neutrinoless double beta (
0
ν
β
β
) decay, coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering and dark matter interactions, ...rely on cryogenic macro-calorimeters operating at the mK-scale. Located underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), in central Italy, CUORE (Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events) is one of the leading experiments for the search of
0
ν
β
β
decay, implementing the low-temperature calorimetric technology. We present a novel multi-device analysis to correlate environmental phenomena with the low-frequency noise of low-temperature calorimeters. Indeed, the correlation of marine and seismic data with data from a couple of CUORE detectors indicates that cryogenic detectors are sensitive not only to intense vibrations generated by earthquakes, but also to the much fainter vibrations induced by marine microseisms in the Mediterranean Sea due to the motion of sea waves. Proving that cryogenic macro-calorimeters are sensitive to such environmental sources of noise opens the possibility of studying their impact on the detectors physics-case sensitivity. Moreover, this study could pave the road for technology developments dedicated to the mitigation of the noise induced by marine microseisms, from which the entire community of cryogenic calorimeters can benefit.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background
The role of central and/or peripheral nervous system dysfunction is basically fundamental in fibromyalgia.
Aim
The aim of this position statement on behalf of the Neuropathic Pain Study ...Group of the Italian Society of Neurology is to give practical guidelines for the clinical and instrumental assessment of fibromyalgia (FM) in the neurological clinical practice, taking into consideration recent studies.
Methods
Criteria for study selection and consideration were original studies, case-controls design, use of standardized methodologies for clinical practice, and FM diagnosis with ACR criteria (2010, 2011, 2016).
Results
ACR criteria were revised. For diagnostic procedure of small-fiber pathology, 47 studies were totally considered.
Recent diagnostic criteria should be applied (ACR, 2016). A rheumatologic visit seems mandatory. The involvement of small fibers should request at least 2 among HRV + SSR and/or laser-evoked responses and/or skin biopsy and/or corneal confocal microscopy, eventually followed by monitoring of metabolic and/or immunological/ and or/paraneoplastic basis, to be repeated at 1-year follow-up.
Conclusions
The correct diagnostic approach to FM could promote the exclusion of the known causes of small-fiber impairment. The research toward common genetic factors would be useful to promote a more specific therapeutic approach.
Next-generation experiments searching for rare events must satisfy increasingly stringent requirements on the bulk and surface radioactive contamination of their active and structural materials. The ...measurement of surface contamination is particularly challenging, as no existing technology is capable of separately measuring parts of the 232Th and 238U decay chains that are commonly found to be out of secular equilibrium. We will present the results obtained with a detector prototype consisting of 8 silicon wafers of 150 mm diameter instrumented as bolometers and operated in a low-background dilution refrigerator at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory of INFN, Italy. The prototype was characterized by a baseline energy resolution of few keV and a background <100 nBq/cm2 in the full range of α energies, obtained with simple procedures for cleaning of all employed materials and no specific measures to prevent recontamination. Such performance, together with the modularity of the detector design, demonstrate the possibility to realize an alpha detector capable of separately measuring all alpha emitters of the 232Th and 238U chains, possibly reaching a sensitivity of few nBq/cm2.
•Material screening.•Bolometric alpha detector.•Low-radioactivity measurements.
We present the application of a simplified thermal model for the description of the response function of low-temperature calorimeters consisting of
TeO
2
crystals read-out by NTD thermistors operated ...at temperatures
T
∼
10
mK. Relying on both the analysis of the NTD load curves (from which we measured the main thermal conductances of the system) (Biassoni et al. in J Low Temp Phys 206:80–96, 2022) and on the analysis of the shape of thermal pulses acquired at different temperatures, we identified and quantified the physical parameters that determine the characteristic time constants of the pulses. In particular, we identified three different contributions to the heat capacity of the detector: the crystal phonon system (scaling as
T
3
), the NTD electron system (scaling as
T
) and a term related to the metalization process of the NTD electrodes (scaling as
T
-
2
).
RES-NOVA is a newly proposed experiment for detecting neutrinos from astrophysical sources, mainly Supernovae, using an array of cryogenic detectors made of PbWO
4
crystals produced from ...archaeological Pb. This unconventional material, characterized by intrinsic high radiopurity, enables low-background levels in the region of interest for the neutrino detection via Coherent Elastic neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CE
ν
NS). This signal lies at the detector energy threshold,
O
(1 keV), and it is expected to be hidden by naturally occurring radioactive contaminants of the crystal absorber. Here, we present the results of a radiopurity assay on a 0.84 kg PbWO
4
crystal produced from archaeological Pb operated as a cryogenic detector. The crystal internal radioactive contaminations are:
232
Th <40
μ
Bq/kg,
238
U <30
μ
Bq/kg,
226
Ra 1.3 mBq/kg and
210
Pb 22.5 mBq/kg. We also present a background projection for the final experiment and possible mitigation strategies for further background suppression. The achieved results demonstrate the feasibility of realizing this new class of detectors.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Core-collapse Supernovae (SNe) are one of the most energetic events in the Universe, during which almost all the star's binding energy is released in the form of neutrinos. These particles are direct ...probes of the processes occurring in the stellar core and provide unique insights into the gravitational collapse. RES-NOVA will revolutionize how we detect neutrinos from astrophysical sources, by deploying the first ton-scale array of cryogenic detectors made from archaeological lead. Pb offers the highest neutrino interaction cross-section via coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS). Such process will enable RES-NOVA to be equally sensitive to all neutrino flavours. For the first time, we propose the use archaeological Pb as sensitive target material in order to achieve an ultra-low background level in the region of interest (O(1 keV)). All these features make possible the deployment of the first cm-scale neutrino telescope for the investigation of astrophysical sources. In this contribution, we will characterize the radiopurity level and the performance of a small-scale proof-of-principle detector of RES-NOVA, consisting in a PbWO
crystal made from archaeological-Pb operated as cryogenic detector.
The ACCESS (Array of Cryogenic Calorimeters to Evaluate Spectral Shapes) project aims to establish a novel technique to perform precision measurements of forbidden
β
-decays, which can serve as an ...important benchmark for nuclear physics calculations and represent a significant background in astroparticle physics experiments. ACCESS will operate a pilot array of cryogenic calorimeters based on natural and doped crystals containing
β
-emitting radionuclides. In this way, natural (e.g.
113
Cd and
115
In) and synthetic isotopes (e.g.
99
Tc) will be simultaneously measured with a common experimental technique. The array will also include further crystals optimised to disentangle the different background sources, thus reducing the systematic uncertainty. In this paper, we give an overview of the ACCESS research program, discussing a detector design study and promising results of
115
In.
Thermal detectors are a powerful instrument for the search of rare particle physics events. Inorganic crystals are classically used as thermal detectors held in supporting frames made of copper. In ...this work, a novel approach to the operation of thermal detectors is presented, where TeO
2
crystals are cooled down to
∼
10 mK in a light structure built with plastic materials. The advantages of this approach are discussed.
Small fibre pathology is frequently described in fibromyalgia (FM), but its evolution and its role in clinical outcome of the disease are unclear. This longitudinal observational real-life study ...aimed to monitor the evolution of skin nerve fibre density in FM, in view of the clinical data.
Sixty-two FM patients were controlled by means of skin biopsy and clinical assessment after 18 months of follow-up.
At T0 intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) was normal in 10 patients, reduced at thigh-proximal-site in 46 cases and decreased at proximal and foot-distal-site in 6 patients. At follow up-T1-the IENFD was unchanged, while Brief Pain Inventory-BPI-pain sub score, DN4 and fatigue were improved. Reduced IENFD at proximal and distal sites, together with fatigue and BPI-motor and work sub scores were predictors of more severe disability measured with Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) at T1. Reduced IENFD influenced a minor effect of drugs-antiepileptics and/or antidepressants, and physical exercise on fatigue.
Small fibre impairment seems stable in medium term in FM. A possible influence of small fibre dysfunction on motor performance could have a role in FM evolution. The beneficial effect of physical exercise could be limited in patients with reduced IENFD.
In this paper, we present the application of a simplified thermal model in order to extract some of the fundamental parameters needed to understand the response function of low-temperature ...calorimeters consisting of
TeO
2
crystals read-out by neutron transmutation doped (NTD) thermistors operated at temperatures
T
∼
10
mK. To this aim, four detectors were hosted in two different holders, one made of copper and the other made of Stratasys
VeroClear
TM
, a 3D-printed plastic material very similar to acrylic. The static characterization of the detectors through the analysis of their load curves at different temperatures, guided by the thermal model, enabled the identification of the main thermal link to the heat sink of the two systems: the glue between the crystal and the copper frame (scaling as
T
3
) for the detectors in the copper holder, and the NTD gold read-out wires (scaling as
T
2.5
) for the detectors in the plastic holder. As a subdominant contribution, we could also extract the electron–phonon decoupling characteristic of our NTDs, described by a thermal conductance scaling as
T
4
.
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