Scintillation light detection in the 6-m drift-length ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon TPC

DUNE is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. ProtoDUNE Dual Phase (DP) is a 6  ×  6  ×  6 m 3 liquid argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) that recorded cosmic-muon data at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2019-2020 as a prototype of the DUNE Far Detector. Charged particles propagating through the LArTPC produce ionization and scintillation light. The scintillation light signal in these detectors can provide the trigger for non-beam events. In addition, it adds precise timing capabilities and improves the calorimetry measurements. In ProtoDUNE-DP, scintillation and electroluminescence light produced by cosmic muons in the LArTPC is collected by photomultiplier tubes placed up to 7 m away from the ionizing track. In this paper, the ProtoDUNE-DP photon detection system performance is evaluated with a particular focus on the different wavelength shifters, such as PEN and TPB, and the use of Xe-doped LAr, considering its future use in giant LArTPCs. The scintillation light production and propagation processes are analyzed and a comparison of simulation to data is performed, improving understanding of the liquid argon properties.

Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment: DUNE Collaboration

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach.

Effects of a combined oral contraceptive containing oestradiol valerate/dienogest on hormone withdrawal-associated symptoms: results from the multicentre, randomised, double-blind, active-controlled HARMONY II study

The objective of this multicentre, randomised, double-blind study was to compare a combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing oestradiol valerate/dienogest (E2V/DNG) administered in a dynamic dosing regimen with a monophasic COC containing ethinyloestradiol/levonorgestrel (EE/LNG), with regard to their ability to reduce the frequency and intensity of headache and pelvic pain in women with hormone withdrawal-associated symptoms (HWAS). Women aged 18-50 years received E2V/DNG in an oestrogen step-down and progestin step-up regimen (26/2 regimen; n = 223) or EE 20 μg/LNG 100 μg (21/7 regimen; n = 218) over six cycles. Headache and pelvic pain were assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) during cycle days 22-28. Rescue medication use was also assessed. E2V/DNG was superior to EE/LNG with regard to reducing the frequency and intensity of headache and pelvic pain from baseline to cycle 6 (change from baseline in the average of the three highest VAS values [mean ± standard deviation]: 47.7 ± 29.4 vs 34.5 ± 25.7 mm, respectively; p < 0.0001). The use of rescue medication was also significantly reduced with E2V/DNG compared with EE/LNG (p < 0.05). E2V/DNG may be a good option for women who experience HWAS with traditional 21/7-day regimen COCs.

Effective treatment of heavy and/or prolonged menstrual bleeding with an oral contraceptive containing estradiol valerate and dienogest: a randomized, double-blind Phase III trial

BACKGROUND

This double-blind trial investigated the efficacy and safety of estradiol valerate/dienogest (E(2)V/DNG) for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding without recognizable organic pathology.

METHODS

Otherwise healthy women with idiopathic heavy, prolonged or frequent menstrual bleeding, confirmed during a 90-day run-in phase, were randomized (2:1) according to a permuted-block, computer-generated schedule to E(2)V/DNG or placebo for 196 days at 34 centres in Europe and Australia. The primary efficacy end-point was the proportion of women with a 'complete' response (i.e. a return to 'menstrual normality') during a 90-day efficacy phase. Secondary end-points included changes in measured menstrual blood loss (MBL) and iron metabolism parameters.

RESULTS

The intention-to-treat population comprised 231 women. The E(2)V/DNG response rate was much higher than with placebo (P < 0.0001). The mean reduction in MBL volume in E(2)V/DNG recipients was 69.4% (median 79.2%) versus 5.8% (median 7.4%) in placebo recipients. The between-treatment difference in MBL volume was 373 ml in favour of E(2)V/DNG (95% confidence interval 490, 255 ml; P < 0.0001). Significant improvements in iron metabolism parameters were observed with E(2)V/DNG but not placebo. Overall, 14 women (9.7%) treated with E(2)V/DNG and 5 (6.2%) treated with placebo prematurely discontinued treatment because of adverse events, headache being the most prevalent. Serious adverse events occurred in both the E(2)V/DNG and placebo groups (each n = 2).

CONCLUSIONS

E(2)V/DNG is an effective treatment in women with heavy and/or prolonged menstrual bleeding without organic pathology. Further study of E(2)V/DNG compared with an active comparator is warranted. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00307801.

Fifty years of paediatric malignant bone tumours in the West Midlands, UK, 1957-2006: incidence, treatment and outcome

Malignant bone tumours in the paediatric age group (0-14 years) are uncommon; various aetiological theories exist and few reports of incidence, age and sex distributions have been published. We examined the incidence of childhood malignant bone tumours in one large single region of the UK over an extended period of 50 years. The West Midlands specialist regional children's tumour registry holds data on all malignancies and benign brain tumours in children under 15 years in the West Midlands region, which has a population of around 1 million children. Demographic and clinical data have been abstracted and diagnoses reviewed by a panel of expert pathologists. During the period 1957-2006, 259 cases of malignant paediatric bone tumours were diagnosed. There were 153 osteosarcomas, 78 Ewing sarcomas and 28 other primary bone tumours. The overall age standardised rate was 4.66, with no increase over time, although there was a significant increase in the incidence of Ewing sarcomas in the period 1965-92. Sixty-eight per cent of tumours were in patients over 10 years, whereas the incidence in patients under 10 years showed a non-significant increase. Survival rates increased dramatically post-chemotherapy introduction, with Ewing sarcoma demonstrating better survival overall. This is a large study giving an overview of malignant bone tumours in the childhood population of a single region over an extended period, showing results consistent with national reports. It also examines late effects, which were mostly mobility/orthopaedic, although almost one-fifth of patients had cardiac problems and five went on to develop second malignancies.

Subversion of the innate immune system by a retrovirus

Retroviruses evolve rapidly to avoid the immune response of the infected host. We show here that the wild-type mouse mammary tumor virus MMTV(C3H) persisted indefinitely in C3H/HeN mice. However, it was rapidly lost in mice of the closely related C3H/HeJ strain and was replaced by a virus recombinant with an endogenous Mtv provirus. Maintenance of the wild-type virus was dependent on Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) signaling, which triggered production of the immunosuppressive cytokine interleukin-10. In the presence of mutant TLR4 in C3H/HeJ mice, wild-type virus was eliminated by the cytotoxic immune response, promoting selection of the immune escape recombinant MMTV variants. Thus, subversion of the innate immune system is yet another survival strategy used by retroviruses.

Solving inequities in provider distribution: loan repayment

The distribution of primary health care professionals in England and Wales is inequitable, with relatively lower concentrations of professionals in deprived areas. The objective of the present study was to determine whether graduate health professionals would be willing to work in under-served areas in return for educational loan repayment. The study group consisted of a convenience sample of 50 newly qualified and trainee general practitioners, and 50 newly qualified community nurses and health visitors in mid- and west Wales. At interview, the subjects were presented with descriptions of general practices and asked to indicate their preferred practice. Practice descriptions varied systematically in terms of location (i.e. urban, suburban and rural), population deprivation (i.e. deprived or mixed affluent/deprived) and availability of loan repayment (i.e. none or loans paid off over a period of between one and 4 years). The main outcome was the probability that a practice with loan repayment was chosen. Compared with a suburban practice, a one-year loan repayment option made the rural and urban deprived practices 1.6 times and 1.2 times more likely to be chosen, respectively. Nurses were generally more willing than doctors to work in a deprived area in return for loan repayment. The findings suggest that loan repayment may offset health professionals' aversion to working in deprived areas. Such a scheme needs to be piloted to see whether it does offer value for money in recruiting health professionals to under-served areas.

pp(macro)-->tt(macro)H: a discovery mode for the Higgs boson at the Fermilab Tevatron

The production of a standard model Higgs boson in association with a top quark pair at the upcoming high luminosity run ( 15 fb(-1) integrated luminosity) of the Fermilab Tevatron ( square root of s = 2.0 TeV) is revisited. For Higgs masses below 140 GeV we demonstrate that the production cross section times branching ratio for H-->bb macro decays yields a significant number of events and that this mode is competitive with and complementary to the searches using pp(macro) -->WH,ZH associated production. For higher mass Higgs bosons the H-->W(+)W(-) decays are more difficult but have the potential to provide a few spectacular events.