Pitfalls and potentials in simulation studies: Questionable research practices in comparative simulation studies allow for spurious claims of superiority of any method

Comparative simulation studies are workhorse tools for benchmarking statistical methods. As with other empirical studies, the success of simulation studies hinges on the quality of their design, execution, and reporting. If not conducted carefully and transparently, their conclusions may be misleading. In this paper, we discuss various questionable research practices, which may impact the validity of simulation studies, some of which cannot be detected or prevented by the current publication process in statistics journals. To illustrate our point, we invent a novel prediction method with no expected performance gain and benchmark it in a preregistered comparative simulation study. We show how easy it is to make the method appear superior over well-established competitor methods if questionable research practices are employed. Finally, we provide concrete suggestions for researchers, reviewers, and other academic stakeholders for improving the methodological quality of comparative simulation studies, such as preregistering simulation protocols, incentivizing neutral simulation studies, and code and data sharing.

Characterization of a kg-scale archaeological lead-based PbWO4 cryogenic detector for the RES-NOVA experiment

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 PbWO₄ crystal made from archaeological-Pb operated as cryogenic detector.

Field Mixing in Curved Spacetime and Dark Matter

An extensive review of recent results concerning the quantum field theory of particle mixing in curved spacetime is presented. The rich mathematical structure of the theory for both fermions and bosons, stemming from the interplay of curved space quantization and field mixing, is discussed, and its phenomenological implications are shown. Fermionic and bosonic oscillation formulae for arbitrary globally hyperbolic spacetimes are derived and the transition probabilities are explicitly computed on some metrics of cosmological and astrophysical interest. The formulae thus obtained are characterized by a pure QFT correction to the amplitudes, which is absent in quantum mechanics, where only the phase of the oscillations is affected by the gravitational background. Their deviation from the flat space probabilities is demonstrated, with the aid of numerical analyses. The condensate structure of the flavor vacuum of mixed fermions is studied, assessing its role as a possible dark matter component in a cosmological context. It is shown that the flavor vacuum behaves as a barotropic fluid, satisfying the equation of the state of cold dark matter. New experiments on the cosmic neutrino background, as PTOLEMY, may validate these theoretical results.

Heavy-Flavour Jets in High-Energy Nuclear Collisions

Reconstructed jets initiated from heavy quarks provide a powerful tool to probe the properties of the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) and to explore the mass hierarchy of jet quenching. In this article, we review the recent theoretical progresses on heavy-flavour jets in high-energy nuclear collisions at the RHIC and LHC. We focus on the yields and substructures of charm and bottom quark jets with jet-quenching effects, such as the nuclear modification factors, transverse momentum imbalance, angular correlation, radial profiles, fragmentation functions, the “dead-cone” effect, etc.

Preparation and labelling of red blood cells with [68Ga]Ga-oxine for PET/CT imaging of the human spleen

INTRODUCTION

With the introduction of automated synthetization methods, the in-house production of several ⁶⁸Ga-based tracers became feasible in hospital laboratories. We describe a possible standard operating procedure (SOP) for [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine-labeled heat-denaturated erythrocytes, which can be used for selective imaging in patients with splenic disorders.

METHODS

Heat-denaturated erythrocytes were labeled with [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine, which was produced from ⁶⁸Ga and 8-hydroxyquinoline on an automated synthesizer. The workflow was validated in a good manufacturing/good radiopharmaceutical practice (GMP/GRP) certified laboratory. A patient underwent [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine-erythrocyte PET/CT for differentiation of an intrapancreatic mass.

RESULTS

[⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine and [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine-labeled erythrocytes could be synthesized reproducibly and reliably. The products met GMP quality standards. The tracer showed high accumulation in the intrapancreatic mass, consistent with an accessory spleen.

CONCLUSIONS

PET/CT imaging with [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-oxine-labeled, heat-denaturated erythrocytes can be a backup method for the differentiation of functioning splenic tissue from tumors. An SOP for the production of the tracer in a clinical setting could be established.

Study on the accidents analyses of a single channel for XADS by using MPC-LBE code

Accelerator Driven sub-critical System (ADS), which employs the high-energy proton beam generated by accelerator to bombard the target nucleus and generate spallation neutrons as external neutrons to drive and maintain the operation of its sub-critical reactor, is of great significance in nuclear waste treatment and disposal. As the instability of proton beam would affect the power level of the reactor and threaten the safety of ADS, Beam Trip (BT) and Beam OverPower (BOP) are commonly considered to be its two typical transient accidents. As for the sub-critical reactor, the Transient OverPower (TOP) is also one of typical transient accidents that should be considered, which is mainly caused by reactivity insertion under certain cases, such as SGTR (Steam Generator Tube Rupture) accident. For the subcritical reactors, the transient evolution behaviors are strongly affected by the subcriticality value. On the one hand, the subcriticality values of ADS design should take safety margin and power gain into consideration. On the other hand, the subcriticality value is variable with the burnup of reactors. So it is necessary to study the safety characteristics of the subcritical reactors under different subcriticality values, in this paper, the transient safety characteristics of a single channel for XADS under BT, BOP and TOP accidents of different subcriticality values were investigated by using MPC-LBE code.

The Effects of Galactic Cosmic Rays on the Central Nervous System: From Negative to Unexpectedly Positive Effects That Astronauts May Encounter

Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) pose a serious threat to astronauts’ health during deep space missions. The possible functional alterations of the central nervous system (CNS) under GCR exposure can be critical for mission success. Despite the obvious negative effects of ionizing radiation, a number of neutral or even positive effects of GCR irradiation on CNS functions were revealed in ground-based experiments with rodents and primates. This review is focused on the GCR exposure effects on emotional state and cognition, emphasizing positive effects and their potential mechanisms. We integrate these data with GCR effects on adult neurogenesis and pathological protein aggregation, forming a complete picture. We conclude that GCR exposure causes multidirectional effects on cognition, which may be associated with emotional state alterations. However, the irradiation in space-related doses either has no effect or has performance enhancing effects in solving high-level cognition tasks and tasks with a high level of motivation. We suppose the model of neurotransmission changes after irradiation, although the molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon are not fully understood.

Gravitational Waves from the Merger of Two Primordial Black Hole Clusters

The orbital evolution of a binary system consisting of two primordial black hole clusters is investigated. Such clusters are predicted in some theoretical models with broken symmetry in the inflation Lagrangian. A cluster consists of the most massive central black hole surrounded by many smaller black holes. Similar to single primordial black holes, clusters can form gravitationally bounded pairs and merge during their orbital evolution. The replacement of single black holes by such clusters significantly changes the entire merger process and the final rate of gravitational wave bursts in some parameter ranges (with sufficiently large cluster radii). A new important factor is the tidal gravitational interaction of the clusters. It leads to an additional dissipation of the orbital energy, which is transferred into the internal energy of the clusters or carried away by black holes flying out of the clusters. Comparison with the data of gravitational-wave telescopes allows one to constrain the fractions of primordial black holes in clusters, depending on their mass and compactness. Even the primordial black hole fraction in the composition of dark matter ≃1 turns out to be compatible with LIGO/Virgo observational data, if the black holes are in clusters.

“Semi-Long-Periodical” Tabulated Version of Chemical Elements Periodic System

A possible modification of the tabulated version of the Chemical Elements Periodical System, proposed to overcome deficiencies of the two most used versions—the “short-periodical” proposed by Mendeleev and the “long-periodical” introduced by Werner and recommended by IUPAC at the present time—is discussed in this paper.

Neural network potentials for chemistry: concepts, applications and prospects

Artificial Neural Networks (NN) are already heavily involved in methods and applications for frequent tasks in the field of computational chemistry such as representation of potential energy surfaces (PES) and spectroscopic predictions. This perspective provides an overview of the foundations of neural network-based full-dimensional potential energy surfaces, their architectures, underlying concepts, their representation and applications to chemical systems. Methods for data generation and training procedures for PES construction are discussed and means for error assessment and refinement through transfer learning are presented. A selection of recent results illustrates the latest improvements regarding accuracy of PES representations and system size limitations in dynamics simulations, but also NN application enabling direct prediction of physical results without dynamics simulations. The aim is to provide an overview for the current state-of-the-art NN approaches in computational chemistry and also to point out the current challenges in enhancing reliability and applicability of NN methods on a larger scale.

The Symmetry Energy: Current Status of Ab Initio Predictions vs. Empirical Constraints

Infinite nuclear matter is a suitable laboratory to learn about nuclear forces in many-body systems. In particular, modern theoretical predictions of neutron-rich matter are timely because of recent and planned experiments aimed at constraining the equation of state of isospin-asymmetric matter. For these reasons, we have taken a broad look at the equation of state of neutron-rich matter and the closely related symmetry energy, which is the focal point of this article. Its density dependence is of paramount importance for a number of nuclear and astrophysical systems, ranging from neutron skins to the structure of neutron stars. We review and discuss ab initio predictions in relation to recent empirical constraints. We emphasize and demonstrate that free-space nucleon–nucleon data pose stringent constraints on the density dependence of the neutron matter equation of state, which essentially determines the slope of the symmetry energy at saturation.

Niobium: The Focus on Catalytic Application in the Conversion of Biomass and Biomass Derivatives

The world scenario regarding consumption and demand for products based on fossil fuels has demonstrated the imperative need to develop new technologies capable of using renewable resources. In this context, the use of biomass to obtain chemical intermediates and fuels has emerged as an important area of research in recent years, since it is a renewable source of carbon in great abundance. It has the benefit of not contributing to the additional emission of greenhouse gases since the CO2 released during the energy conversion process is consumed by it through photosynthesis. In the presented review, the authors provide an update of the literature in the field of biomass transformation with the use of niobium-containing catalysts, emphasizing the versatility of niobium compounds for the conversion of different types of biomass.

Gravitational Baryogenesis: Problems and Possible Resolution

The coupling of baryonic current to the derivative of the curvature scalar, R, inherent to gravitational baryogenesis (GBG), leads to a fourth-order differential equation of motion for R instead of the algebraic one of general relativity (GR). The fourth-order differential equation is generically unstable. We consider a possible mechanism of stabilization of GBG by the modification of gravity, introducing an R2 term into the canonical action of GR. It is shown that this mechanism allows for the stabilization of GBG with bosonic and fermionic baryon currents. We establish the region of the model parameters leading to the stabilization of R. Still, the standard cosmology would be noticeably modified.

PET/CT of the Spleen with Gallium-Oxine-Labeled, Heat-Damaged Red Blood Cells: Clinical Experience and Technical Aspects

Several scintigraphic techniques have been supplemented or replaced by PET/CT methods because of their superior sensitivity, high resolution, and absolute activity quantification capability. The purpose of this project was the development of a PET tracer for splenic imaging, its radiopharmaceutical validation, and its application in selected patients in whom unclear constellations of findings could not be resolved with established imaging methods. Heat-damaged red blood cells (RBCs) were labeled with [⁶⁸Ga]gallium-oxine, which was produced from [⁶⁸Ga]gallium and 8-Hydroxyquinoline (oxine) on an automated synthesizer. Ten patients underwent [⁶⁸Ga]gallium-oxine-RBC-PET/CT for the classification of eleven unclear lesions (3 intra-, 8 extrapancreatic). [⁶⁸Ga]gallium-oxine and [68Ga]gallium-oxine-labeled RBCs could be synthesized reproducibly and reliably. The products met GMP quality standards. The tracer showed high accumulation in splenic tissue. Of the 11 lesions evaluated by PET/CT, 3 were correctly classified as non-splenic, 6 as splenic, 1 as equivocal, and 1 lesion as a splenic hypoplasia. All lesions classified as non-splenic were malignant, and all lesions classified as splenic did not show malignant features during follow-up. PET/CT imaging of the spleen with [⁶⁸Ga]gallium-oxine-labeled, heat-damaged RBCs is feasible and allowed differentiation of splenic from non-splenic tissues, and the diagnosis of splenic anomalies.

Dilepton Program with Time-of-Flight Detector at the STAR Experiment

Pairs of lepton and antilepton (dilepton) in a continuous mass range are one of the most experimentally challenging and golden probes of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) produced in heavy ion collisions because they do not strongly interact with the hot and dense medium, and reflect the properties of the medium at the time the dilepton is generated. The measurements of dileptons require lepton identification with high purity and high efficiency at large detector acceptance. STAR is one of two large experiments at the relativistic heavy ion collider with a primary goal of searching for the QGP and studying its properties. The STAR experiment launched a comprehensive dielectron (e+e−) program enabled by the time-of-flight (TOF) detector that had been fully installed in 2010. In this article, we review the decade-long R&D, the construction and performance of the STAR TOF detector, and dielectron measurements, including thermal dielectron production and dielectron production from the Breit–Wheeler process. Future perspectives are also discussed.

Measurement of the axial vector form factor from antineutrino-proton scattering

Scattering of high energy particles from nucleons probes their structure, as was done in the experiments that established the non-zero size of the proton using electron beams¹. The use of charged leptons as scattering probes enables measuring the distribution of electric charges, which is encoded in the vector form factors of the nucleon². Scattering weakly interacting neutrinos gives the opportunity to measure both vector and axial vector form factors of the nucleon, providing an additional, complementary probe of their structure. The nucleon transition axial form factor, F_A, can be measured from neutrino scattering from free nucleons, ν_μn → μ^-p and [Formula: see text], as a function of the negative four-momentum transfer squared (Q²). Up to now, F_A(Q²) has been extracted from the bound nucleons in neutrino-deuterium scattering^3-9, which requires uncertain nuclear corrections¹⁰. Here we report the first high-statistics measurement, to our knowledge, of the [Formula: see text] cross-section from the hydrogen atom, using the plastic scintillator target of the MINERvA¹¹ experiment, extracting F_A from free proton targets and measuring the nucleon axial charge radius, r_A, to be 0.73 ± 0.17 fm. The antineutrino-hydrogen scattering presented here can access the axial form factor without the need for nuclear theory corrections, and enables direct comparisons with the increasingly precise lattice quantum chromodynamics computations^12-15. Finally, the tools developed for this analysis and the result presented are substantial advancements in our capabilities to understand the nucleon structure in the weak sector, and also help the current and future neutrino oscillation experiments^16-20 to better constrain neutrino interaction models.

Perspectives on fundamental cosmology from Low Earth Orbit and the Moon

The next generation of space-based experiments will go hunting for answers to cosmology's key open questions which revolve around inflation, dark matter and dark energy. Low earth orbit and lunar missions within the European Space Agency's Human and Robotic Exploration programme can push our knowledge forward in all of these three fields. A radio interferometer on the Moon, a cold atom interferometer in low earth orbit and a gravitational wave interferometer on the Moon are highlighted as the most fruitful missions to plan and execute in the mid-term.

Spin Hyperpolarization in Modern Magnetic Resonance

Magnetic resonance techniques are successfully utilized in a broad range of scientific disciplines and in various practical applications, with medical magnetic resonance imaging being the most widely known example. Currently, both fundamental and applied magnetic resonance are enjoying a major boost owing to the rapidly developing field of spin hyperpolarization. Hyperpolarization techniques are able to enhance signal intensities in magnetic resonance by several orders of magnitude, and thus to largely overcome its major disadvantage of relatively low sensitivity. This provides new impetus for existing applications of magnetic resonance and opens the gates to exciting new possibilities. In this review, we provide a unified picture of the many methods and techniques that fall under the umbrella term "hyperpolarization" but are currently seldom perceived as integral parts of the same field. Specifically, before delving into the individual techniques, we provide a detailed analysis of the underlying principles of spin hyperpolarization. We attempt to uncover and classify the origins of hyperpolarization, to establish its sources and the specific mechanisms that enable the flow of polarization from a source to the target spins. We then give a more detailed analysis of individual hyperpolarization techniques: the mechanisms by which they work, fundamental and technical requirements, characteristic applications, unresolved issues, and possible future directions. We are seeing a continuous growth of activity in the field of spin hyperpolarization, and we expect the field to flourish as new and improved hyperpolarization techniques are implemented. Some key areas for development are in prolonging polarization lifetimes, making hyperpolarization techniques more generally applicable to chemical/biological systems, reducing the technical and equipment requirements, and creating more efficient excitation and detection schemes. We hope this review will facilitate the sharing of knowledge between subfields within the broad topic of hyperpolarization, to help overcome existing challenges in magnetic resonance and enable novel applications.

CP Asymmetry in the Ξ Hyperon Sector

The Standard Model of particle physics has achieved great success in describing the fundamental particles and their interactions, but there are still some issues that have not been addressed yet. One of the key puzzles is to figure out why there is so much more matter than antimatter in the Universe, regarded as the CP asymmetry. The Ξ hyperon with strangeness S=−2, sometimes so-called the doubly-strange baryon, can provide key information to probe the asymmetry of the matter and antimatter. In this review, we discuss the studies of CP asymmetry in Ξ hyperon decay at E756, HyperCP and BESIII experiments.

The Proxy-SU(3) Symmetry in Atomic Nuclei

The microscopic origins and the current predictions of the proxy-SU(3) symmetry model of atomic nuclei were reviewed. Beginning with experimental evidence for the special roles played by nucleon pairs with maximal spatial overlap, the proxy-SU(3) approximation scheme is introduced; its validity is demonstrated through Nilsson model calculations and its connection to the spherical shell model. The major role played by the highest weight-irreducible representations of SU(3) in shaping up the nuclear properties is pointed out, resulting in parameter-free predictions of the collective variables β and γ for even–even nuclei in the explanation of the dominance of prolate over oblate shapes in the ground states of even–even nuclei, in the prediction of a shape/phase transition from prolate to oblate shapes below closed shells, and in the prediction of specific islands on the nuclear chart in which shape coexistence is confined. Further developments within the proxy-SU(3) scheme are outlined.

Polarization in heavy ion collisions: A theoretical review

In these proceedings I discuss the recent progress in the theory of spin polarization in relativistic fluids. To date, a number of studies have begun to examine the impact of the shear tensor on the local spin polarization and whether this contribution can restore agreement between the measurements and the predictions obtained from a polarization induced by the gradients of the plasma. I present the derivation of the spin polarization vector of a fermion at local thermal equilibrium and I discuss the role of pseudo-gauge transformations and of dissipative effects. I list what we can learn from the polarization measured at lower energies. Finally, I discuss possible applications of spin polarization measurements in relativistic heavy ion collisions.

Investigation of a light Dark Boson existence: The New JEDI project

Several experiments around the world are looking for a new particle, named Dark Boson, which may do the link between the Ordinary Matter (which forms basically stars, planets, interstellar gas...) and the Hidden Sectors of the Universe. This particle, if it exists, would act as the messenger of a new fundamental interaction of nature. In this paper, the underlying Dark Sectors theory will be introduced first. A non-exhaustive summary of experimental studies carried out to date and foreseen in the incoming years will be presented after,including the 8Be anomaly. The last section will provide a status of the New JEDI**** project which aims to investigate the existence or not of a Dark Boson in the MeV range.

Understanding the initial state effects by the measurement of the Drell-Yan process in pPb collisions with CMS

The Drell-Yan process is considered as an essential probe to understand initial-state protons, usually described by the parton distribution functions (PDFs) for stand-alone protons and by the nuclear PDFs (nPDFs) for protons confined in the nucleus. In the LHC era, Z and W boson production in pPb and PbPb collisions have been used to investigate the initial-state effects. In this presentation, we report results for the Drell-Yan process in pPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8.16 TeV with the CMS detector. Differential cross sections are presented as functions of dimuon pT, rapidity and ϕ∗ in a wider dimuon mass region which includes not only the Z boson mass range but also the lower mass region down to 15 GeV. In addition, the forward-backward asymmetries are shown in both mass regions, and the uncertainties are found to be smaller than in the model calculations. The results in the Z mass region are the most precise to date, while the measurements in the lower mass region allow access to a new phase space of nPDF studies at a lower longitudinal momentum fraction x and lower energy scale Q2. The results are compared to the EPPS16 and nCTEQ15WZ nPDFs, and the free-proton PDF CT14. An improved understanding of the nuclear PDF and the modeling of pPb collisions is achieved.

Collectivity in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion collisions

We present full (3+1 )D dynamical simulations to study collective behavior in ultra-peripheral nucleus-nucleus collisions (UPC) at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with the 3DGlauber+MUSIC+UrQMD framework [1, 2]. By extrapolating from asymmetric p+Pb collisions, we simulate a quasi-real photon γ* interacting with the Pb nucleus in an ultra-peripheral collision at the LHC, assuming strong final-state effects. We study the elliptic flow hierarchy between p+Pb and γ*+Pb collisions, which is dominated by the difference in longitudinal flow decorrelations. Our theoretical framework provides a quantitative tool to study collectivity in small asymmetric collision systems at current and future collider experiments.

Heavy-flavour jet properties and correlations from small to large systems measured by ALICE

The early production of heavy-flavour partons makes them an excellent probes for investigating the evolution of QCD systems. Jets tagged by the presence of a heavy-flavour hadron give access to the kinematics of the heavy partons and allow for comparisons of their production, propagation and fragmentation across different systems. Whilst traversing the quark-gluon plasma (QGP), charm and bottom quarks lose energy through interactions with the medium, at a different rate relative to light quarks and gluons. To constrain the energy loss in the QGP. the nuclear modification factor of D0-tagged jets is measured in the 0-10% most central Pb-Pb collisions at √SNN = 5.02 GeV/c. The properties of charm fragmentation are also investigated in pp collisions at √S = 5.02 GeV/c through measurements of the production and the momentum fraction of the D0 with respect to its jet.

Trojan Horse Method: A general introduction

Owing the presence of the Coulomb barrier at astrophysically relevant kinetic energies, it is very difficult, or sometimes impossible to measure astrophysical reaction cross sections in laboratories, especially for the presence of the electron screening effect. This is why different indirect techniques are being used along with direct measurements. The Trojan Horse Method (THM)is a unique indirect technique allowing one to measure astrophysical rearrangement reactions down to astrophysical relevant energies. The basic principle and a review of the main applications of the THM are presented.

Measurement of nonprompt and prompt D0 azimuthal anisotropy in Pb-Pb collisions at √SNN = 5.02 TeV

Heavy quarks are primarily produced via initial hard scatterings, and thus carry information about the early stages of the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP). Measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy of the final-state heavy flavor hadrons provide information about the initial collision geometry, its fluctuation, and more importantly, the mass dependence of energy loss in QGP. Due to the larger bottom quark mass as compared to the charm quark mass, separate measurements of charm and bottom hadron azimuthal anisotropy can shed new light on understanding the dependence of the heavy quark and medium interaction. Because of the high branching ratio and large D0 mass, measurements of D0 meson coming from bottom hadron decay (nonprompt D0) can cover a broad kinematic range and be a good proxy of the parent bottom hadrons results. In this talk, we report on the prompt D0 and the first nonprompt D0 measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) coefficients of nonprompt D0 in PbPb collisions at √SNN = 5.02 TeV. The measurements are performed as functions of transverse momentum pT, in three centrality classes, from central to midcentral collisions. Compared to the prompt D0 results, the nonprompt D0 v2 flow coefficients are systematically lower but have a similar dependence on pT and centrality. A non-zero v3 coefficient of the nonprompt D0 is observed. The obtained results are compared with theoretical predictions. The comparison could provide new constraints on the theoretical description of the interaction between heavy quarks and the medium.

Recoil mass separators for nuclear astrophysics: The role of ERNA

The measurements of radiative capture reactions can be performed in inverse kinematic detecting directly the recoil produced in the nuclear reaction using a recoil mass separator (RMS). The development of RMS allows the possibility to overtake both the problems of gamma background signal and purity and production of target. The European Recoil Separator for Nuclear Astrophysics (ERNA) is a RMS designed with the main goal of determining the 12C(α, γ)16O, presently hosted at Center for Isotopics Research and Cultural hEritage laboratory of Department of Mathematics and Physics, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta Italy (CIRCE-DMF). A general discussion on measurement techniques with recoil mass separator will be presented in this contribution with a focus on the ERNA one.

Results of femtoscopic correlations at CMS

The two particle correlations as a function of relative momenta of identified hadrons involving Ks0 and Λ/Λ¯ are measured in PbPb collisions at √SNN = 5.02 TeV with the data samples collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Such correlations are sensitive to the quantum statistics and possible final state interactions between the particles. The source radii are extracted from KS0KS0 correlations in different centrality regions and found to decrease from central to peripheral collisions. The strong interaction scattering parameters are extracted from ΛKS0KS0⊕Λ¯KS0 and ΛΛ⊕ΛΛ¯ correlations using the Lednicky-Lyuboshits model, and compared with other experimental and theoretical results. In addition, we present results for the source radii of charged hadrons considering the Levy type source distributions in PbPb collisions at √SNN = 5.02 TeV.

Fast-neutron capture cross section data measurement of minor actinides for development of nuclear transmutation systems

The neutron capture cross sections of 237Np, 243Am and 241Am in the keV energy region were measured by the time-of-flight method at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). Characterization of the minor actinide samples were made to reduce the uncertainties of the cross section. A neutron beam filter system was developed and installed in ANNRI to solve the double-bunch mode issue of J-PARC. The pulse-height weighting technique was employed to determine the neutron capture cross sections. The neutron capture cross sections of 237Np, 243Am and 241Am were determined with higher accuracies than the past experiments.

Heavy-flavor jets in heavy-ion collisions

Heavy-flavor jets are a unique tool to study dynamical evolution of QCD systems via heavy-flavor particles, allowing one to access to the original parton kinematics and to separate out production and fragmentation effects. In these proceedings, various heavy-flavor jet results in pp, pA, and AA collisions are presented, extending the scope of heavy-flavor studies discussed at this conference series, the Strangeness in Quark Matter.

Production of K∗0 in Au+Au collisions at √SNN = 19.6 GeV from RHIC BES-II

We present the study of K∗0 in Au+Au collisions at √SNN = 19.6 GeV from RHIC BES-II. The ratio of resonanse to non-resonance (K∗0/K) is shown as function of centrality and center-of-mass energy, which implies the dominance of hadronic re-scattering over regeneration in central A+A collisions. The lower limit of hadronic phase lifetime (tkin − tchem) is also reported using a toy model ansartz. The results are compared with previous RHIC and LHC measurements.

Probing neutron skin and symmetry energy with relativistic isobar collisions

In these proceedings, we present the three proposed observables to probe the neutron skin and symmetry energy with relativistic isobar collisions, namely, the isobar ratios of the produced hadron multiplicities (Nch), the mean transverse momenta (〈p⊥〉), and the net charge multiplicities (ΔQ). Our findings suggest potentially significant improvement to neutron skin and symmetry energy determination over traditional low energy methods.

STEREO neutrino spectrum of 235U fission rejects sterile neutrino hypothesis

Anomalies in past neutrino measurements have led to the discovery that these particles have non-zero mass and oscillate between their three flavours when they propagate. In the 2010s, similar anomalies observed in the antineutrino spectra emitted by nuclear reactors have triggered the hypothesis of the existence of a supplementary neutrino state that would be sterile, that is, not interacting by means of the weak interaction1. The STEREO experiment2-6 was designed to investigate this conjecture, which would potentially extend the standard model of particle physics. Here we present an analysis of the full set of data generated by STEREO, confirming observed anomalies while rejecting the hypothesis of a light sterile neutrino. Installed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) research reactor, STEREO accurately measures the antineutrino energy spectrum associated to the fission of 235U. The segmentation of the detector and its very short distance to the compact core are crucial properties of STEREO for our analysis. The measured antineutrino energy spectrum suggests that anomalies originate from biases in the nuclear experimental data used for the predictions7,8. Our result supports the neutrino content of the standard model and establishes a new reference for the 235U antineutrino energy spectrum. We anticipate that this result will allow progress towards finer tests of the fundamental properties of neutrinos but also to benchmark models and nuclear data of interest for reactor physics9,10 and for observations of astrophysical or geoneutrinos11,12.

Experimental Status of the Chiral Magnetic Effect

Experimental searches for definitive evidence of the Chiral Magnetic Effect in heavy-ion collisions have become increasingly ingenious over the past decade, but a clear separation of any CME signal from flow-related backgrounds remains elusive. Although the isobar analysis by STAR does not appear to show a signal given the current preliminary background estimate, there is a tantalizing statistically significant signal in Au-Au at top RHIC energy using a spectator plane versus participant plane analysis. I discuss the status of these works in some detail, and discuss the possible advantage of an analysis that takes advantage of the expected correlation between the parity-odd event-by-event CME signal and other parity-odd measures such as the net hyperon helicity.

Reducing bias, increasing transparency and calibrating confidence with preregistration

Flexibility in the design, analysis and interpretation of scientific studies creates a multiplicity of possible research outcomes. Scientists are granted considerable latitude to selectively use and report the hypotheses, variables and analyses that create the most positive, coherent and attractive story while suppressing those that are negative or inconvenient. This creates a risk of bias that can lead to scientists fooling themselves and fooling others. Preregistration involves declaring a research plan (for example, hypotheses, design and statistical analyses) in a public registry before the research outcomes are known. Preregistration (1) reduces the risk of bias by encouraging outcome-independent decision-making and (2) increases transparency, enabling others to assess the risk of bias and calibrate their confidence in research outcomes. In this Perspective, we briefly review the historical evolution of preregistration in medicine, psychology and other domains, clarify its pragmatic functions, discuss relevant meta-research, and provide recommendations for scientists and journal editors.

Big Bang nucleosynthesis as a probe of new physics

The Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) model is a cornerstone for the understanding of the evolution of the early universe, making seminal predictions that are in outstanding agreement with the present observation of light element abundances in the universe. Perhaps, the only remaining issue to be solved by theory is the so-called “lithium abundance problem". Dedicated experimental efforts to measure the relevant nuclear cross sections used as input of the model have lead to an increased level of accuracy in the prediction of the light element primordial abundances. The rise of indirect experimental techniques during the preceding few decades has permitted the access of reaction information beyond the limitations of direct measurements. New theoreticaldevelopments have also opened a fertile ground for tests of physics beyond the standard model of atomic,nuclear, statistics, and particle physics. We review the latest contributions of our group for possible solutions of the lithium problem.

Status and Performance of sPHENIX Experiment

sPHENIX is a state-of-the-art experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Hard probes are to be measured in p+p, p+Au and Au+Au collisions to understand the properties of the quark-gluon plasma. sPHENIX covers a wide range of physics programs: jet correlations and substructure, upsilon spectroscopy, open heavy flavor and cold quantum chromodynamics. It provides unique opportunities in the low transverse momentum region and also offer kinematic overlap with the Large Hadron Collider experiments. In these proceedings, the scientific mission of sPHENIX, detector design and key performance parameters are described, and expected projections of some measurements under consideration are presented.

Tracking millisecond pulsars responsible for the Fermi GeV excess

More than 10 years ago, an excess of γ-ray photons coming from the Galactic center was discovered in the Fermi-LAT data. First attributed to dark matter, it has since been shown that it should have at least a partial stellar origin. One hypothesis is the presence of a population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) confined in the Galactic bulge. We here present our recent progress in the selection of MSP candidates.