Demonstrating Agreement between Radio and Fluorescence Measurements of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We show, for the first time, radio measurements of the depth of shower maximum (X_{max}) of air showers induced by cosmic rays that are compared to measurements of the established fluorescence method at the same location. Using measurements at the Pierre Auger Observatory we show full compatibility between our radio and the previously published fluorescence dataset, and between a subset of air showers observed simultaneously with both radio and fluorescence techniques, a measurement setup unique to the Pierre Auger Observatory. Furthermore, we show radio X_{max} resolution as a function of energy and demonstrate the ability to make competitive high-resolution X_{max} measurements with even a sparse radio array.

Establishment and validation of a high-throughput micro-neutralization assay for respiratory syncytial virus (subtypes A and B).

The validation of a bioanalytical method allows us to determine its validity for a designated purpose and to guarantee the reliability of its analytical results. The virus neutralization assay has proved to be suitable for the detection and quantification of specific serum-neutralizing antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus subtypes A and B. Respiratory syncytial virus is a negative-sense RNA virus and is responsible for the majority of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and older adults worldwide.

Flow cytometry as an integrative method for the evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity: A validation approach.

The applied bioanalytical assays used for the evaluation of human immune responses from samples collected during clinical trials must be well characterized, fully validated and properly documented to provide reliable results. Even though recommendations for the standardization of flow cytometry instrumentation and assay validation for its clinical application have been published by several organizations, definitive guidelines are not available yet. The aim of the present paper is to provide a validation approach for flow cytometry, examining parameters such as linearity, relative accuracy, repeatability, intermediate precision, range and detection limits and specificity, in order to demonstrate and document its applicability for clinical research purposes and its possible use as one of the methods for the evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity.

Limits to Gauge Coupling in the Dark Sector Set by the Nonobservation of Instanton-Induced Decay of Super-Heavy Dark Matter in the Pierre Auger Observatory Data.

Instantons, which are nonperturbative solutions to Yang-Mills equations, provide a signal for the occurrence of quantum tunneling between distinct classes of vacua. They can give rise to decays of particles otherwise forbidden. Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory, we search for signatures of such instanton-induced processes that would be suggestive of super-heavy particles decaying in the Galactic halo.

Cosmic Ray Background Removal With Deep Neural Networks in SBND.

In liquid argon time projection chambers exposed to neutrino beams and running on or near surface levels, cosmic muons, and other cosmic particles are incident on the detectors while a single neutrino-induced event is being recorded. In practice, this means that data from surface liquid argon time projection chambers will be dominated by cosmic particles, both as a source of event triggers and as the majority of the particle count in true neutrino-triggered events. In this work, we demonstrate a novel application of deep learning techniques to remove these background particles by applying deep learning on full detector images from the SBND detector, the near detector in the Fermilab Short-Baseline Neutrino Program.

Measurement of the Fluctuations in the Number of Muons in Extensive Air Showers with the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We present the first measurement of the fluctuations in the number of muons in extensive air showers produced by ultrahigh energy cosmic rays. We find that the measured fluctuations are in good agreement with predictions from air shower simulations. This observation provides new insights into the origin of the previously reported deficit of muons in air shower simulations and constrains models of hadronic interactions at ultrahigh energies.

Effect of Repeated Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Influenza Virus Antibodies.

Vaccine effectiveness relies on various serological tests, whose aim is the measurement of antibody titer in serum samples collected during clinical trials before and after vaccination. Among the serological assays required by the regulatory authorities to grant influenza vaccine release there are: Hemagglutination inhibition (HAI), microneutralization (MN), and Single Radial Hemolysis (SRH). Although antibodies are regarded to be relatively stable, limited evidences on the effect of multiple freeze-thaw cycles on the stability of antibodies in frozen serum samples are available so far.

Features of the Energy Spectrum of Cosmic Rays above 2.5×10^{18} eV Using the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We report a measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 2.5×10^{18}  eV based on 215 030 events. New results are presented: at about 1.

Testing Hadronic Interactions at Ultrahigh Energies with Air Showers Measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Ultrahigh energy cosmic ray air showers probe particle physics at energies beyond the reach of accelerators. Here we introduce a new method to test hadronic interaction models without relying on the absolute energy calibration, and apply it to events with primary energy 6-16 EeV (E_{CM}=110-170  TeV), whose longitudinal development and lateral distribution were simultaneously measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory. The average hadronic shower is 1.

Measurement of the Radiation Energy in the Radio Signal of Extensive Air Showers as a Universal Estimator of Cosmic-Ray Energy.

We measure the energy emitted by extensive air showers in the form of radio emission in the frequency range from 30 to 80 MHz. Exploiting the accurate energy scale of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we obtain a radiation energy of 15.8±0.

Search for patterns by combining cosmic-ray energy and arrival directions at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Energy-dependent patterns in the arrival directions of cosmic rays are searched for using data of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We investigate local regions around the highest-energy cosmic rays with [Formula: see text] eV by analyzing cosmic rays with energies above [Formula: see text] eV arriving within an angular separation of approximately 15[Formula: see text]. We characterize the energy distributions inside these regions by two independent methods, one searching for angular dependence of energy-energy correlations and one searching for collimation of energy along the local system of principal axes of the energy distribution.

Measurement of the proton-air cross section at √s=57 TeV with the Pierre Auger Observatory.

We report a measurement of the proton-air cross section for particle production at the center-of-mass energy per nucleon of 57 TeV. This is derived from the distribution of the depths of shower maxima observed with the Pierre Auger Observatory: systematic uncertainties are studied in detail. Analyzing the tail of the distribution of the shower maxima, a proton-air cross section of [505±22(stat)(-36)(+28)(syst)] mb is found.

Measurement of the depth of maximum of extensive air showers above 10{18} eV.

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, X{max}, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost 4000 events above 10;{18} eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106{-21}{+35}) g/cm{2}/decade below 10{18.

Observation of the suppression of the flux of cosmic rays above 4 x 10 (19) eV.

The energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 2.5 x 10;{18} eV, derived from 20,000 events recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory, is described. The spectral index gamma of the particle flux, J proportional, variantE;{-gamma}, at energies between 4 x 10;{18} eV and 4 x 10;{19} eV is 2.

Upper limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory.

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau neutrinos that interact in Earth's crust. Tau leptons from nu(tau) charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 are used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of nu(tau) at EeV energies.

Correlation of the highest-energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic objects.

Using data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory during the past 3.7 years, we demonstrated a correlation between the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energy above 6 x 10(19) electron volts and the positions of active galactic nuclei (AGN) lying within approximately 75 megaparsecs. We rejected the hypothesis of an isotropic distribution of these cosmic rays with at least a 99% confidence level from a prescribed a priori test.

Determinants of antithrombin consumption in cardiac operations requiring cardiopulmonary bypass.

Antithrombin (AT) is a natural anticoagulant that is consumed during cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study is an observational trial aimed at identifying the factors determining the magnitude of the AT consumption during cardiac operations. Two hundred and fifty consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac operations with CPB were admitted to the study.

Closed, phosphorylcholine-coated circuit and reduction of systemic heparinization for cardiopulmonary bypass: the intraoperative ECMO concept.

Cardiopulmonary bypass with heparin-bonded circuits reduces systemic heparinization which is associated to a better clinical outcome in cardiac operations. In the present study, a novel biocompatible treatment, based on a phosphorylcholine coating without heparin, has been used to reduce systemic heparinization during cardiopulmonary bypass. Sixty patients underwent coronary revascularization with a fully phosphorylcholine-coated circuit.

Left main coronary artery disease. Clinical and angiographic features. A retrospective study regarding two groups of patients with left main coronary artery disease and three-vessel disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the ability of clinical and instrumental features to identify patients with left main coronary artery disease (LMCD) compared with a three-vessel coronary artery disease group.

Methods: A cohort of 70 patients with LMCD was matched with another one of 66 patients with three-vessel disease. A history of angina before angiography was similar in both groups; the higher degrees of stable angina and the forms of unstable angina were moderately prevalent in the group with LMCD.

[Non-invasive evaluation of coronary reperfusion. Analysis of the ST segment before and after thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarct].

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the role of the ST segment elevation resolution > 50% between the ECG before and 2 hours after thrombolytic therapy as a predictor of acute myocardial infarction (AMI)-related artery patency, assessed by a coronary angiography performed 1 month after AMI.

Materials And Methods: This study enrolled 95 patients, 75 men and 20 women, 58 years mean aged, admitted to the coronary care unit with diagnosis of AMI. Patients were treated with thrombolysis within 6 hours from the onset of chest pain, according to the GUSTO trial.

[Diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism by transesophageal echocardiography. Report of a case].

We describe the case of a 73-year-old man, admitted after several days of moderate dyspnea, followed by sincopal episode. Transesophageal echocardiography clearly demonstrated a high resolution image indicating thromboembolus of the proximal right main pulmonary artery. The patient's clinical conditions were moderately impaired; a treatment with heparin followed by warfarin was started.

[Return migrations in the Italian migration system: a reexamination].

The authors discuss trends in return migration in Italy, with a focus on regional differences. "On a regional level, the effects of return migration are very much connected with socio-economic structure. Only highly developed and autonomous regions can absorb productive investments and changes brought about by return migration.

[Bacterial endocarditis in pregnancy. Report of a clinical case diagnosed postpartum].

Bacterial endocarditis in pregnancy shows a low incidence; it is often associated with a prior history of rheumatic or congenital heart disease. In the large part of reports the illness tends to run a subacute course and to recognize a major frequency in the third trimester of pregnancy. We presented the case of a 29 year-old woman with mitral and aortic bacterial endocarditis.