We present the results of a search for extraterrestrial electron antineutrinos (v sub(e)'s) in the energy range 8.3 MeV < Ev sub(e) < 31.8 MeV using the KamLAND detector. In an exposure of 4.53 ...kton-year, we identify 25 candidate events. All of the candidate events can be attributed to background, most importantly neutral current atmospheric neutrino interactions, setting an upper limit on the probability of super(8)B solar converting into v sub(e)'s at 5.3 x 10 super(-5) (90% CL), if we assume an undistorted v sub(e) shape. This limit corresponds to a solar v sub(e) flux of 93 cm super(-2) s super(-1) or an event rate of 1.6 events (kton - year) super(-1) above the energy threshold Ev sub(e) > or =, slanted 8.3 MeV. The present data also allows us to set more stringent limits on the diffuse supernova neutrino flux and on the annihilation rates for light dark matter particles.
Tobacco use among women during pregnancy leading to poor maternal and child health outcomes has been well documented. However, factors influencing use of smokeless tobacco in Nepal has not yet been ...well established. This study aims at exploring the factors related to smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in rural southern Terai of Nepal.
A community-based cross-sectional study was performed at 52 wards within 6 Village Development Committee in Dhanusha district of Nepal. A total of 426 expectant mothers in their second trimester were selected using a multistage cluster sampling method. Descriptive and regression analyses were done to explore the factors that influence smokeless tobacco use.
In a total of 426 pregnant mothers, one in five used tobacco in any form. Among the users, 13.4% used smokeless tobacco. Pregnant mothers who were smoking tobacco (AOR 6.01; 95% CI (1.88-19.23), having alcohol consumption (AOR 3.86; 95% CI (1.23-12.08), stressed (AOR 5.04; 95% CI (1.81-14.03), non-vegetarian (AOR 3.31;(1.84-13.03), not attending regular mothers' group meetings (AOR 4.63; (1.41-15.19), and not-exposed to mass media (AOR 5.02; (1.89-13.33) were significantly associated with smokeless tobacco use. Similarly, mothers of age group 20-34 years, dalit, aadibasi and janajati, hill origin, no education and primary education were more likely to use smokeless tobacco than their counterparts.
Factors such as smoking tobacco, alcohol consumption, stress, and poor education were found to be significantly associated with smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in southern Terai of Nepal. This requires an immediate attention develop an effective strategy to prevent and control smokeless tobacco use among pregnant women in southern Terai of Nepal.
Introduction
The unemployment rate following the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales is increasing and there is a positive link between unemployment and longstanding illnesses. This study aimed to project the ...percentage of adults with longstanding illnesses and chronic health conditions following COVID-19 associated with the economic consequences.
Methods
We retrieved historical data on the unemployment rates and status of longstanding illnesses among adults from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and National Survey for Wales (NSW), and used time-series models to project the unemployment rates and percentage of adults with longstanding illnesses and chronic health conditions over a three year period (2020/21 - 2022/23).
Results
Without reparative interventions, the unemployment rate is expected to increase sharply from 3.8% in 2019 to about 7% in 2020 following COVID-19 and then gradually increase over the projected period.
With increased unemployment, longstanding illness (LSI) would be expected to increase gradually following COVID-19, with an estimated increase of around or exceeding 4% over three years depending on the LSI measure. There would be a higher increment in the percentage of adults with limiting LSI compared with adults with any LSI, suggesting implications for wider health and social care services.
With current unemployment predictions, the percentage of adults with chronic health conditions is projected to increase following the COVID-19 pandemic over the projected period, with a higher increment for mental health and endocrine/metabolic conditions
Conclusions
The longstanding illnesses and chronic health conditions are expected to increase in the coming years following COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, preventative measures for longstanding illnesses and chronic health conditions should be a priority for a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19.
Key messages
Without reparative interventions, the unemployment rate is expected to increase following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The projected prevalence of limiting longstanding illness in adults following COVID-19 suggests implications for wider health and social care services.
The CUORE experiment, a ton-scale cryogenic bolometer array, recently began operation at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. The array represents a significant advancement in this ...technology, and in this work we apply it for the first time to a high-sensitivity search for a lepton-number-violating process: ^{130}Te neutrinoless double-beta decay. Examining a total TeO_{2} exposure of 86.3 kg yr, characterized by an effective energy resolution of (7.7±0.5) keV FWHM and a background in the region of interest of (0.014±0.002) counts/(keV kg yr), we find no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay. Including systematic uncertainties, we place a lower limit on the decay half-life of T_{1/2}^{0ν}(^{130}Te)>1.3×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.); the median statistical sensitivity of this search is 7.0×10^{24} yr. Combining this result with those of two earlier experiments, Cuoricino and CUORE-0, we find T_{1/2}^{0ν}(^{130}Te)>1.5×10^{25} yr (90% C.L.), which is the most stringent limit to date on this decay. Interpreting this result as a limit on the effective Majorana neutrino mass, we find m_{ββ}<(110-520) meV, where the range reflects the nuclear matrix element estimates employed.
We have demonstrated a self-starting, passively mode-locked Tm/Ho codoped fiber laser that lases at one of two center wavelengths. An amplified 1.56 μm distributed feedback laser pumps a ring laser ...cavity which contains 1 m of Tm/Ho codoped silica fiber. Mode locking is obtained via nonlinear polarization rotation using a c-band polarization sensitive isolator with two polarization controllers. The laser is able to pulse separately at either 1.97 or 2.04 μm by altering the intracavity polarization during the initiation of mode locking. The codoped fiber permits pulsing at one of two wavelengths, where the shorter is due to the Tm(3+) emission and the longer due to the Ho(3+) emission. The laser produces a stable pulse train at 28.4 MHz with 25 mW average power, and a pulse duration of 966 fs with 9 nm bandwidth.
We report the results of a search for neutrinoless double-beta decay in a 9.8 kg yr exposure of Te-130 using a bolometric detector array, CUORE-0. The characteristic detector energy resolution and ...background level in the region of interest are 5.1 +/- 0.3 keV FWHM and 0.058 +/- 0.004(stat) +/- 0.002(syst)counts/(keV kg yr), respectively. The median 90% C.L. lower-limit half-life sensitivity of the experiment is 2.9 x 10(24) yr and surpasses the sensitivity of previous searches. We find no evidence for neutrinoless double-beta decay of Te-130 and place a Bayesian lower bound on the decay half-life, T-1/2(0 nu) > 2.7 x 10(24) yr at 90% C.L. Combining CUORE-0 data with the 19.75 kg yr exposure of Te-130 from the Cuoricino experiment we obtain T-1/2(0 nu) > 4.0 x 10(24) yr 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, m beta beta < 270-760 meV.
Background
A nationally representative COVID-19 Public Engagement Survey for Wales, led by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Investment for Health and Well-being at Public Health ...Wales, has been ongoing from April 2020, helping to inform a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. A data analysis was performed as part of the Welsh Health Equity Status Report initiative focusing on income and job security, which influences living conditions and lifestyle behaviours.
Methods
A Generalized Linear Model was used to calculate the predicted probability of response for variables of interest, e.g. whether an individual reported being in a worse financial situation due to the pandemic, across the life course, socio-economic gradient and sex. Data collected via telephone between 03 April - 25 July 2020 produced a sample ranging between approx. 2,500 - 7,500 participants. The sample was weighted according to deprivation quintile (using the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation), age group and sex.
Results
A significantly higher proportion of survey respondents (18 - 24 years of age) reported being worried about losing their job or not being able to find one, than any other age group. A significantly higher proportion of survey respondents in the most deprived population fifth (33.7%) reported being in a worse financial situation as a result of the restrictions, compared to the least deprived fifth (21.7%).
Conclusions
COVID-19 has had a major impact on people's lives and livelihoods in Wales, hitting the most deprived and vulnerable the most. It has increased job insecurity, especially among younger/working age people. The government has taken unprecedented financial and other measures to address inequities; nevertheless, most are temporary and not specifically targeted to support specific (vulnerable) groups. Measures to promote sustainable economic recovery, job security and safeguarding due to the COVID-19 pandemic need continuity and consistency
Key messages
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on income and job security in Wales, disproportionately affecting the most deprived.
To mitigate COVID-19 harms, a continuous and consistent focus on equity is essential to promote sustainable economic recovery.
We describe in detail the methods used to obtain the lower bound on the lifetime of neutrinoless double-beta (0 nu beta beta) decay in Te-130 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 0 nu beta beta 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 0 nu beta beta 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 0 nu beta beta decay peak and catalog the main sources of systematic uncertainty. Finally, we derive the 0 nu beta beta decay half-life limits previously reported for CUORE-0, T-1/2(0 nu) > 2.7 x 10(24) yr, and in combination with the Cuoricino limit, T-1/2(0 nu) > 4.0 x 10(24) yr.
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