scholarly journals Calibration of the Gerda experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 81 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Agostini ◽  
G. Araujo ◽  
A. M. Bakalyarov ◽  
M. Balata ◽  
I. Barabanov ◽  
...  

AbstractThe GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) collaboration searched for neutrinoless double-$$\beta $$ β decay in $$^{76}$$ 76 Ge with an array of about 40 high-purity isotopically-enriched germanium detectors. The experimental signature of the decay is a monoenergetic signal at $$Q_{\beta \beta }$$ Q β β $$=2039.061(7)$$ = 2039.061 ( 7 )  keV in the measured summed energy spectrum of the two emitted electrons. Both the energy reconstruction and resolution of the germanium detectors are crucial to separate a potential signal from various backgrounds, such as neutrino-accompanied double-$$\beta $$ β decays allowed by the Standard Model. The energy resolution and stability were determined and monitored as a function of time using data from regular $$^{228}$$ 228 Th calibrations. In this work, we describe the calibration process and associated data analysis of the full Gerda dataset, tailored to preserve the excellent resolution of the individual germanium detectors when combining data over several years.

Author(s):  
Joshua Simmons ◽  
Kristen Splinter

Physics-based numerical models play an important role in the estimation of storm erosion, particularly at beaches for which there is little historical data. However, the increasing availability of pre-and post-storm data for multiple events and at a number of beaches around the world has opened the possibility of using data-driven approaches for erosion prediction. Both physics-based and purely data-driven approaches have inherent strengths and weaknesses in their ability to predict storm-induced erosion. It is vital that coastal managers and modelers are aware of these trade-offs as well as methods to maximise the value from each modelling approach in an increasingly data-rich environment. In this study, data from approximately 40 years of coastal monitoring at Narrabeen-Collaroy Beach (SE Australia)has been used to evaluate the individual performance of the numerical erosion models SBEACH and XBeach, and a data-driven modelling technique. The models are then combined using a simple weighting technique to provide a hybrid estimate of erosion.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/v53dZiO8Y60


Author(s):  
Brynne D. Ovalle ◽  
Rahul Chakraborty

This article has two purposes: (a) to examine the relationship between intercultural power relations and the widespread practice of accent discrimination and (b) to underscore the ramifications of accent discrimination both for the individual and for global society as a whole. First, authors review social theory regarding language and group identity construction, and then go on to integrate more current studies linking accent bias to sociocultural variables. Authors discuss three examples of intercultural accent discrimination in order to illustrate how this link manifests itself in the broader context of international relations (i.e., how accent discrimination is generated in situations of unequal power) and, using a review of current research, assess the consequences of accent discrimination for the individual. Finally, the article highlights the impact that linguistic discrimination is having on linguistic diversity globally, partially using data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and partially by offering a potential context for interpreting the emergence of practices that seek to reduce or modify speaker accents.


1975 ◽  
Vol 34 (03) ◽  
pp. 740-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. M Prentice ◽  
C. D Forbes ◽  
Sandra Morrice ◽  
A. D McLaren

SummaryBetting odds for possible carriers of haemophilia have been calculated using data derived from normal and known carrier populations. For each possible carrier the concentration of factor VIII-related antigen and factor VIII biological activity was measured and used to determine the probability of the individual being a carrier. The calculations indicated that, of the 32 possible carriers, 11 were likely to be normal (odds of more than 5:1) while 11 were likely to be haemophilia carriers (again odds of more than 5:1).


Author(s):  
I. P. Korenkov ◽  
A. I. Ermakov ◽  
A. B. Mayzik ◽  
T. N. Laschenova ◽  
V. N. Klochkov ◽  
...  

The aim of the study is to evaluate the volume activity of radioactive waste (RW) by surface and specific alpha contamination using portable gamma-spectrometry.Materials and methods. Methods of rapid assessment of the content of α-emitting radionuclides in solid waste of various morphologies using gamma-spectrometers based on germanium detectors are considered. Computational methods for determining the effectiveness of radionuclide registration are presented.Results. The possibility of using portable gamma-ray spectrometry to assess the surface and specific activity of various materials contaminated with α-emitters (232Th, 235U, 238U, 237Np, 239Pu, 240Pu and 241Am) is shown. The calculated values of the registration efficiency of low-energy gamma-emitters obtained by modeling the spatial-energy parameters of the detector are given.To simplify the solution of this problem, the calculation program used 20 standard templates of various geometries (rectangular, cylindrical, conical, spherical, etc.). The main sources of error in the survey of contaminated surfaces, largesized equipment and building structures were investigated.Conclusions. The possibilities of portable γ-spectrometry for estimating the volume of RW based on the surface density of contamination of materials with radionuclides of uranium and transuranic elements are investigated. When using γ-spectrometer with a high-purity germanium detector with a range of γ-quanta extended in the low-energy region, radionuclides such as 232Th, 235U,238U, 237Np, 241Am were determined by their own radiation or by the radiation of their daughter products.The “problem” element is plutonium, for rapid evaluation of which it is proposed, in accordance with the radionuclide vector methodology, to use 241Am, which accumulates during the β-decay of 241Pu.According to calculations, the most likely value of the activity ratio 239Pu/241Am for the object where the work was performed (scaling factor) varies in the range from 5.0 to 9.0.Based on the results of calculations and experimental studies, the parameters of the efficiency of registration of various α-emitting radionuclides by portable γ-spectrometers. It has been found that for germanium detectors with an absolute efficiency of registering a point source of 7÷15%, it is n×10–5÷n×10–4%.


2014 ◽  
Vol 143 (8) ◽  
pp. 1681-1691 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. ARNOLD ◽  
R. J. GOSLING ◽  
F. MARTELLI ◽  
D. MUELLER-DOBLIES ◽  
R. H. DAVIES

SUMMARYThere has been a rapid rise in the prevalence of cases of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium (mST) in both humans and farm animals, and it has been found in pigs, cattle and poultry. It is therefore vital to have a good understanding of how to efficiently detect infected farms. The objective of this project was to determine sample type sensitivity in the detection of Salmonella to detect infected groups of animals on both pig (breeder, grower and finisher sites) and cattle (beef and dairy) farms, using data collected from a study investigating farms that were positive for mST, and to explore any variation between different age groups and management practices. A Bayesian approach in the absence of a gold standard was adopted to analyse the individual and pooled faecal sample data collected from each epidemiological group on each of the farms. The sensitivity of pooled sampling depended on the prevalence of infection in the group being sampled, with a higher prevalence leading to higher sensitivity. Pooled sampling was found to be more efficient at detecting positive groups of animals than individual sampling, with the probability of a random sample from a group of animals with 5% prevalence testing positive being equal to 15·5% for immature pigs (3·6% for an individual faecal sample, taking into account the sensitivity and infection prevalence), 7·1% for adult pigs (1·2% for individual sampling), 30% for outdoor cattle (2% for individual sampling) and 34% for indoor cattle (1% for individual sampling). The mean prevalence of each epidemiological group was higher in outdoor farms than indoor for both pigs and cattle (mean within-farm prevalence of 29·4% and 38·7% for outdoor pigs and cattle, respectively, compared to 19·8% and 22·1% for indoor pigs and cattle)


2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (supp01b) ◽  
pp. 825-827
Author(s):  
◽  
JOÃO GUIMARÃES DA COSTA

The Tevatron is expected to be most sensitive to the Standard Model Higgs in its associated production with a W or Z boson. The Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) has performed individual searches for such production in each decay channel of the vector boson, assuming that the Higgs decays to [Formula: see text]. These searches use data collected by CDF during the 1992-95 run. The individual results are reviewed, and a combined cross section limit is presented.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1770-1796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin J. Nelson ◽  
Jeremy E. Uecker

Using data from the 2014 Baylor Religion Survey, we examine the relationship between various aspects of religion and parenting satisfaction. Results confirm prior research findings that personal religiosity is positively associated with parenting satisfaction. We also find that religious heterogamy among couples is associated with lower odds of being a satisfied parent. Furthermore, parents who view their parenting as holy or sacred have much higher odds of reporting being satisfied as parents, and the observed relationships between religiosity and parenting satisfaction at both the individual and couple levels are no longer statistically significant in models controlling for parenting sanctification. The religiously unaffiliated have higher odds than evangelical Protestants of having high parenting satisfaction, suggesting the possible presence of parenting pressures within religious communities with a strong emphasis on family life.


2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Madalozzo ◽  
Carolina Flores Gomes

Consensual union, also known as cohabitation, has become more frequent in recent decades in Brazil and many other countries. In this context, some studies have analyzed the impact of marriage on women's wages. This article analyzes the effects of marital status on Brazilian women's wages by specifically investigating the individual characteristics of these effects using data from the 2000 Brazilian Census Database. This study concludes that wages differ by up to 15 per cent between married and single women and up to 3 per cent between married and cohabiting women.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masataka Taguri ◽  
John Featherstone ◽  
Jing Cheng

In many health studies, researchers are interested in estimating the treatment effects on the outcome around and through an intermediate variable. Such causal mediation analyses aim to understand the mechanisms that explain the treatment effect. Although multiple mediators are often involved in real studies, most of the literature considered mediation analyses with one mediator at a time. In this article, we consider mediation analyses when there are causally non-ordered multiple mediators. Even if the mediators do not affect each other, the sum of two indirect effects through the two mediators considered separately may diverge from the joint natural indirect effect when there are additive interactions between the effects of the two mediators on the outcome. Therefore, we derive an equation for the joint natural indirect effect based on the individual mediation effects and their interactive effect, which helps us understand how the mediation effect works through the two mediators and relative contributions of the mediators and their interaction. We also discuss an extension for three mediators. The proposed method is illustrated using data from a randomized trial on the prevention of dental caries.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002202212110447
Author(s):  
Plamen Akaliyski ◽  
Christian Welzel ◽  
Michael Harris Bond ◽  
Michael Minkov

Nations have been questioned as meaningful units for analyzing culture due to their allegedly limited variance-capturing power and large internal heterogeneity. Against this skepticism, we argue that culture is by definition a collective phenomenon and focusing on individual differences contradicts the very concept of culture. Through the “miracle of aggregation,” we can eliminate random noise and arbitrary variation at the individual level in order to distill the central cultural tendencies of nations. Accordingly, we depict national culture as a gravitational field that socializes individuals into the orbit of a nation’s central cultural tendency. Even though individuals are also exposed to other gravitational forces, subcultures in turn gravitate within the limited orbit of their national culture. Using data from the World Values Survey, we show that individual values cluster in concentric circles around their nation’s cultural gravity center. We reveal the miracle of aggregation by demonstrating that nations capture the bulk of the variation in the individuals’ cultural values once they are aggregated into lower-level territorial units such as towns and sub-national regions. We visualize the gravitational force of national cultures by plotting various intra-national groups from five large countries that form distinct national clusters. Contrary to many scholars’ intuitions, alternative social aggregates, such as ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups, as well as diverse socio-demographic categories, add negligible explained variance to that already captured by nations.


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