The CeRN (RHCE*02.10) allele was described as resulting from hybrid RHCE-D-CE genes, involving either exon 4 alone or exon 4 and part of exon 3. No solution allows to distinguish between the two reported CeRN alleles. The objectives of this study were to determine the existence of both alleles, their genetic sequence and their frequencies. We investigated 17 heterozygous CeRN samples and 10 homozygous CeRN samples, and described the junction between the RHCE and RHD genes. Analysis combined classical PCR associated with Sanger sequencing, and Oxford Nanopore NGS applied to long-range PCR. We also explored CeRN allelic frequency in sub-Saharan populations from the 1000 Genomes Project and the International Genome Sample Resource. One CeRN allele sequence was observed, involving exon 4 alone with an RHCE-RHD junction approximately 400 base-pairs upstream of exon 4. We observed the CeRN allele in Gambian ethnic groups, with a maximum allelic frequency of 6.0% in the Fula group. The CeRN allele involving exon 4 and part of exon 3 was not observed here, supporting at least a low frequency, as our sample size limited the power to investigate this putative second CeRN variant. The homogeneity of the CeRN sequence observed in DNA samples and the high allelic frequency are consistent with a single genetic founder event in the Fula ancestral group.Nearly 20% of individuals in The Gambia have abnormal hemoglobin. Knowledge of CeRN genetic architecture and frequency may have significant implications for more precise molecular diagnostics and transfusion therapy. The probabilistic pipeline developed here, based on subset of samples for which both DNA and WGS data were available, showed that WGS low-coverage data can be used to investigate complex genetic variants in population studies.
How do organized scientific interests shape the agenda of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy in the European Union (EU)? I address this question by investigating how the so-called "CERN for Artificial Intelligence (AI)" initiative, a proposal to organize Europe's AI research in a CERN-like ecosystem, made it onto the agenda of EU policymakers. Drawing on the interest group as well as agenda-setting scholarship and triangulating data from multiple sources, I argue that the Confederation of Laboratories for AI Research in Europe, a scientific interest group, pushed the initiative onto the EU's informal (pre-decisional) policy agenda through direct and indirect lobbying. I also demonstrate that CERN for AI has so far failed to enter Brussel's formal (decision) agenda because of turf battles between organized scientific interests; a lack of experience, resources, and time among its advocates; the fragmentation of EU AI research policy and funding; as well as the initiative's framing. My findings add to the study of STI policymaking in the EU, which has so far focused on individual policymakers, bureaucrats, or political institutions as policy entrepreneurs while neglecting to study the role of organized scientific interests in STI policy agenda-setting. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11024-024-09568-6.
Salvage therapies for adults with recurrent ependymoma are limited. A prior retrospective review of patients with recurrent ependymomas treated with bevacizumab and carboplatin reported a 75% radiographic response rate. This prospective single-arm, open-label Phase 2 study was designed to assess clinical efficacy of this regimen. Twenty-two patients were evaluated in this CERN Adult Clinical Trials network study. Adult patients (age ≥18) with recurrent ependymomas received carboplatin (AUC = 5-6) every 4 weeks and bevacizumab 10mg/kg every 2 weeks for 6 cycles, after which carboplatin was discontinued, while bevacizumab could be continued at physician's discretion. Imaging of areas involved and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) with the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (brain and/or spine modules) were assessed at baseline and every 2 cycles. With a median follow-up time of 25.9 months (mo), the primary endpoint of 12-mo progression-free survival rate (PFS-12) greater than 50% was reached, with a rate of 76.4% (95% CI, 52.2, 89.4). The median PFS of this cohort was 18.0 mo. Two patients achieved objective partial responses (9.1%). There were no treatment-related grade ≥4 toxicities. Brain tumor responders (radiographic objective response or stable disease) experienced improved cognitive and neurological symptoms, while spine tumor patients reported worsening symptom outcomes regardless of response. Treatment with carboplatin and bevacizumab in adult recurrent ependymomas met the PFS-12 clinical efficacy endpoint. However, symptomatic worsening in spinal tumors suggests imaging stability and symptom improvement in brain disease may be related to bevacizumab pseudo-response.
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Detecting Rh variants in transfusion recipients is essential to prevent alloimmunization. This study compared the serological reactivity of various monoclonal antibodies using two techniques (gel column agglutination and microplate technology at room temperature) in relation to genetically confirmed Rh variants. Over an 18-month period, all EDTA blood samples referred to the molecular laboratory were analysed. RHD and RHCE genotyping was performed, and samples carrying at least one variant allele underwent serological testing. Statistical analysis was performed using the McNemar test (p < 0.05). Among 610 samples, 118 (19%) carried at least one Rh variant. The most frequent alleles were RHCE*CeRN (n = 39) and RHD*weak D type 1 (n = 14). Weak RhD (types 1 and 3) and partial RhD from RHD*DAR were serologically weakened (<4+) with both methods. Homozygosity for RHCE*CeRN was suggested by serological weakening of RH5 with both methods, whereas heterozygosity was indicated by serological weakening of RH2 with microplate only. Other variants with a few samples (RH1 of RHD*weak D type 2 and 5, RH2 of RHD*RHD-CE (4-7)-D, RH3 of RHCE*cEIV, RH4 of RHCE*ceJAL and RH5 of RHCE*ceMO.01 and RHCE*ceAR) showed weak serological intensities but lacked statistical confirmation. Finally, 39% of Rh variants were not detected as serologically weakened by both serological methods. Phenotyping remains the first-line screening tool. Weak serological intensities help guide molecular investigations. However, detection of Rh variants using serology alone is highly variable. Combining different clones and techniques improves sensitivity.
Particle nucleation from trace atmospheric vapours is important for climate since it gives rise to more than half of global cloud condensation nuclei. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) has long been recognised to drive particle nucleation in the atmosphere and, more recently, highly oxygenated products of biogenic vapours-in particular monoterpenes such as α-pinene (C10H16)-have also been shown to nucleate under atmospheric conditions, without requiring additional vapours. This raises the question of whether a nucleation synergy exists between α-pinene oxygenated organic molecules (AP-OOM) and H2SO4, as has been suggested by early studies. Here we report new particle formation from AP-OOM and H2SO4 in the absence of base vapours such as ammonia (NH3), measured in experiments performed with the CERN CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber at cool boundary layer temperatures of -10 °C and +5 °C. We find that AP-OOM nucleation rates increase strongly when H2SO4 concentrations exceed around 106 cm-3. The enhancement is synergistic and cannot be explained as a simple linear addition of independent chemical systems. Above this threshold, the nucleation rate depends approximately linearly on H2SO4 concentration, in contrast with the strong sensitivity to H2SO4 for H2SO4-NH3 nucleation. Nucleation rates are 10-100-fold higher in the presence of ions from galactic cosmic rays or from the CERN pion beam. Based on these measurements, we have parameterised a temperature-dependent H2SO4-AP-OOM nucleation rate in the absence of base vapours and implemented it in the EMAC (ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry) Earth system model. In comparison with a parameterisation developed in an earlier study [Riccobono et al., Science, 2014, 344, 717-721.], the new parameterisation indicates sharply reduced nucleation rates in the boundary layer over warm regions, and increased rates over northern boreal forests.
Objective.Very high-energy electrons (VHEEs) offer deep penetration, low scattering, and the potential for ultra-high dose rate delivery, making them promising candidates for future radiotherapy. However, the collimation of VHEE beams to achieve sharp beam penumbra remains poorly characterized. This study experimentally and computationally investigates how collimator material, thickness, and beam characteristics affect penumbra and out-of-field dose for VHEEs and establishes an initial foundation for the design of clinically feasible VHEE collimators.Approach.Tungsten, lead, and brass 5 mm diameter collimators were evaluated using film dosimetry with a 200 MeV electron beam delivered at the CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research and validated through Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Experimental measurements of penumbra and out-of-field dose were compared with simulations that systematically varied material (tungsten, lead, brass), thickness (20-80 mm), and beam energy (150-250 MeV). Additional sensitivity tests quantified the impact of beam instability on field shaping.Main results.For measurements in air, penumbrae increased linearly with distance from the collimator and was smallest for tungsten. Out-of-field dose decreased with increasing thickness, falling below 0.5% for a 40 mm thick tungsten collimator. Brass exhibited the highest out-of-field dose (up to 4.8%) and broadest penumbra. MC models reproduced experimental trends within 5% for penumbrae but underestimated out-of-field dose, particularly for brass. The simulations indicated that VHEE beam divergence, beam size and collimator misalignment strongly influence beam penumbra and out-of-field dose.Significance.The presented work demonstrates that collimator material and geometry play a critical role in defining VHEE beam quality. Tungsten provided optimal attenuation and sharpness compared to brass and lead. These results establish quantitative benchmarks for VHEE collimator design and emphasize the importance of beam stability.
Dimethylsulfide (DMS; CH3SCH3) from marine phytoplankton is a major source of atmospheric sulfur 1. Its oxidation products include sulfuric acid (SA; H2SO4) and methanesulfonic acid (MSA; CH3SO3H), which has a higher yield than SA below 10 °C 2. Whereas SA is known to drive the formation of new particles 3, which may subsequently grow and act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), the role of MSA remains unclear 4. Here, in experiments performed under atmospheric conditions at the CERN CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber, we show that MSA nucleates together with ammonia (NH3) below -10 °C, at rates comparable to SA-NH3. Moreover, MSA and SA nucleate synergistically below -10 °C, forming multi-acid molecular clusters with NH3. Even at ultra-low NH3 levels, MSA drives particle growth at or near the kinetic limit below 9 °C and above 40 % relative humidity (RH). Since MSA and SA generally coexist at similar concentrations in cool marine regions, our findings indicate that nucleation rates may be accelerated up to tenfold and growth rates up to twofold compared with SA-NH3 alone. Our global model simulations indicate that MSA can enhance CCN concentrations, especially in polar regions. We propose that MSA might be an important driver of biogenic particles in cool, pristine marine regions of both the present-day and pre-industrial atmospheres, and yet is unaccounted for in global climate models 5.
This paper presents an open-source redesign of a three‑phase induction motor for poultry farm ventilation fan applications that targets thermal stability, vibration reduction, and higher efficiency. The motor maintains a rated mechanical output of approximately 2 kW, while increases the stator outer diameter (160 → 190  mm) and shortening the axial core length (190 → 110  mm) to conserve D2L and shorten the thermal path. The rotor/shaft were shortened accordingly to raise stiffness and the critical speed, lowering vibration. Aluminum die-cast endcaps and a finned AL6063-T5 aluminum housing (a high-conductivity alloy commonly used for motor cooling applications) raised the effective heat-transfer area and conductivity relative to cast iron. Rewinding with a larger wire gauge (0.70  mm × 2) halved phase resistance (18.63  Ω → 8.57  Ω), cutting copper loss. Under full load, input power decreased from 3,420 W to 2,632 W, a reduction of approximately 788 W (23%), and the hottest coil fell by up to 24 °C W (∼16.2%), with rear-section vibration reduced by up to 5.5  mm/s. Complete CAD files, bill of materials, and step‑by‑step build/validation instructions were released under the open-source CERN-OHL-S v2 license (a share-alike hardware license that permits reproduction, modification, and redistribution), enabling replication and adaptation. This work offers a practical template for cost‑effective, thermally robust small induction motors.
In the standard model of particle physics, the masses of the W and Z bosons, the carriers of the weak interaction, are uniquely related. A precise determination of their masses is important because quantum loops of heavy, undiscovered particles could modify this relationship. Although the Z mass is known to the remarkable precision of 22 parts per million (2.0 MeV), the W mass is known much less precisely. A global fit to measured electroweak observables predicts the W mass with 6 MeV uncertainty1-3. Reaching a comparable experimental precision would be a sensitive and fundamental test of the standard model, made even more urgent by a recent challenge to the global fit prediction by a measurement from the CDF Collaboration at the Fermilab Tevatron collider4. Here we report the measurement of the W mass by the CMS Collaboration at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, based on a large data sample of W → μν events collected in 2016 at the proton-proton collision energy of 13 TeV. The measurement exploits a high-granularity maximum likelihood fit to the kinematic properties of muons produced in W decays. By combining an accurate determination of experimental effects with marked in situ constraints of theoretical inputs, we reach a precise measurement of the W mass, of 80,360.2 ± 9.9 MeV, in agreement with the standard model prediction.
Healthcare professionals using fluoroscopic imaging systems rank among the most highly exposed workers to ionising radiations, yet current radiation protection detectors fail to provide accurate measurements in these scenarios. The pulsed structure of the X-ray beam produced by these medical devices poses significant challenges to conventional instruments in measuring and characterising time-structured radiation fields. Furthermore, radiation protection detectors consistently overestimate staff exposure at these low energies (< 100 keV) due to the inherent limitations of the dosimetric system currently in-use. In this study, we present a new hybrid pixel detector, originally developed for particle tracking and timing measurements in high-energy physics experiments at CERN, to overcome the above-mentioned challenges. By integrating single-photon energy measurement and precise timing capabilities, the detector enables highly accurate dose quantification across a broad range of diagnostic X-ray conditions while simultaneously resolving the spectral structure of radiation fields. Our findings demonstrate the detector's suitability for advanced dosimetry assessment in clinical environments. It uniquely measures photon fluence and energy spectra in clinical X-ray fields, enabling accurate, pulse-independent determination of any exposure-related quantity. By giving access to fundamental radiation field parameters, this work lays the foundation for next-generation detectors that enhance staff safety and advance radiation epidemiology.
The outcomes of modern particle physics experiments, such as proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), depend crucially on the precise description of the scattering processes in terms of the fundamental forces. Among all the known forces that contribute, the limited understanding of the strong nuclear force is a key source of inaccuracy. At the fundamental level, the strong force is described by quantum chromodynamics, the theory of quarks and gluons. Their coupling, αs, becomes weaker at high energies (asymptotic freedom), enabling power series expansions in αs, but the confinement of quarks in hadronic bound states usually requires additional model assumptions. Consequently, determinations of αs from experiment mostly remain with large systematic theory errors1,2. Here we report the model-free determination of αs with unprecedented precision from low-energy experimental input combined with large-scale numerical simulations of the first-principles formulation of quantum chromodynamics on a space-time lattice. The uncertainty, about half that of all other results combined3, originates predominantly from the statistical Monte Carlo evaluation and has a clear probabilistic interpretation. The result for αs describes both low-energy hadronic physics with the help of lattice quantum chromodynamics and high-energy scattering using the perturbative expansion. By removing a source of theoretical uncertainty, our estimate of αs could enable markedly improved analyses of many high-energy experiments4. This will contribute to the likelihood that small effects of yet unknown physics are uncovered, as well as enable stringent precision tests of the Standard Model.
Experimental observations of the low-lying states in ^{12}Be and their accurate modeling play an essential role in understanding the disappearance of the N=8 magic number. Long-standing experimental ambiguities have been clarified using an one-neutron adding (d, p) reaction on ^{11}Be using the ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer at CERN's HIE-ISOLDE facility. The single-particle energies of 1s_{1/2}, 0d_{5/2}, and 0p_{1/2} orbitals in ^{12}Be have been determined from the extracted spectroscopic factors. A significant reduction between the separation of 1s_{1/2} and 0p_{1/2} orbitals is found in comparison with the carbon isotones, highlighting the breakdown of the N=8 shell. These observations serve as an important test of different effects incorporated in theoretical models. It is found that two synergistic mechanisms, core deformation and weak binding, are responsible for the N=8 shell breaking and the exotic near-threshold phenomena observed in ^{12}Be, including the narrow unnatural-parity resonance 0_{1}^{-} and the possible halolike nature of the 0_{2}^{+} isomer.
We construct a novel effective field theory for a compact body coupled to gravity, whose key feature is that the dynamics of gravitational perturbations is explicitly determined by known solutions in black hole perturbation theory in four dimensions. In this way, the physics of gravitational perturbations in curved space are already encoded in the effective field theory, thus bypassing the need for the higher-order calculations that constitute a major hurdle in standard approaches. Concretely, we model the compact body as a spherical shell, whose finite size regulates short-distance divergences in four dimensions and whose tidal responses are described by higher-dimensional operators. As an application, we consider scalar perturbations and derive new results for scalar Love numbers through O(G^{9}) for Schwarzschild black holes and for generic compact bodies. Finally, our analysis reveals an intriguing structure of the scalar black-hole Love numbers in terms of the Riemann zeta function, which we conjecture to hold to all orders.
A novel machine-learning-based flavor-tagging algorithm combining same-side and opposite-side tagging is used to obtain the equivalent of 27 500 tagged B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ(1020) decays from pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected by the CMS experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 96.5  fb^{-1}. A time- and flavor-dependent angular analysis of the μ^{+}μ^{-}K^{+}K^{-} final state, consistent with a ϕ(1020)→K^{+}K^{-} decay, is used to measure parameters of the B_{s}^{0}-B[over ¯]_{s}^{0} system. The weak phase is measured to be ϕ_{s}=-73±22(stat)±10(syst)  mrad, which, combined with the sqrt[s]=8  TeV CMS result, gives ϕ_{s}=-75±23  mrad. This value differs from zero by 3.2 standard deviations, providing the first evidence for mixing-induced CP violation in B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ(1020) decays. All measured physics parameters are found to agree with standard model predictions where available.
Constraints on Wilson coefficients (WCs) corresponding to dimension-6 operators of the standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) are determined from a simultaneous fit to seven sets of CMS measurements probing Higgs boson, electroweak vector boson, top quark, and multijet production. Measurements of electroweak precision observables are also included and provide complementary constraints to those from the CMS experiment. The CMS measurements, using LHC proton-proton collision data at s = 13 Te , corresponding to integrated luminosities of 36.3 or 138 fb - 1 , are chosen to provide sensitivity to a broad set of operators, for which consistent SMEFT predictions can be derived. These are primarily measurements of differential cross sections which are parameterized as functions of the WCs. In measurements targeting t ( t ¯ ) X production, SMEFT effects are modelled at the detector level. Individual constraints on 64 WCs, and constraints on 43 linear combinations of WCs, are obtained.
The energy density generated by a vector current is characterized by a single parameter a_{E} bounded by unitarity to -1/2≤a_{E}≤1, with extremal values saturated by free theories of different matter content. Through confinement, QCD transmutes fermionic matter into scalars, revealing a nontrivial flow between extremal correlators. We reconstruct this flow using perturbative QCD and chiral perturbation theory. The observable is accessible with currently available experimental data.
The topological string/spectral theory correspondence establishes a precise, non-perturbative duality between topological strings on local Calabi-Yau threefolds and the spectral theory of quantized mirror curves. While this duality has been rigorously formulated for the closed topological string sector, the open string sector remains less understood. Building on the results of Marino and Zakany (J Phys A 50:325401, 2017. 10.1088/1751-8121/aa791e, JHEP 05:014, 2019. 10.1007/JHEP05(2019)014) and François and Grassi (Ann Henri Poincaré 26:2117, 2025. 10.1007/s00023-024-01469-4), we make further progress in this direction by constructing entire, off-shell eigenfunctions for the quantized mirror curve from open topological string partition functions. We focus on local F 0 , whose mirror curve corresponds to the Baxter equation of the two-particle, relativistic Toda lattice. We then study the standard and dual four-dimensional limits, where the quantum mirror curve for local F 0 degenerates into the modified Mathieu and McCoy-Tracy-Wu operators, respectively. In these limits, our framework provides a way to construct entire, off-shell eigenfunctions for the difference equations associated with these operators. Furthermore, we find a simple relation between the on-shell eigenfunctions of the modified Mathieu and McCoy-Tracy-Wu operator, leading to a functional relation between the operators themselves.
Physical function-the capacity to perform tasks requiring endurance and/or strength-is a key determinant of fitness that has directly influenced Homo sapiens' survival, reproduction and health throughout our evolutionary journey. However, the last 200-300 years of global industrialization has transformed human habitats at an unprecedented rate and may now be compromising key functions that underpin our fitness (Environmental Mismatch Hypothesis). Although industrialization has delivered a range of benefits, it has simultaneously introduced novel environmental challenges (e.g., air pollution, microplastics) and reduced contact with beneficial aspects of nature (e.g., phytoncides). While negative effects of industrialization have been demonstrated for other determinants of fitness, its impact on physical function remains almost completely unexplored. We conducted a randomized, counterbalanced crossover study to determine whether brief exposure to an industrialized environment would impair endurance performance relative to a forest environment (used as a proxy for non-industrial ancestral conditions). Twenty-five healthy adults (19 females, 6 males) completed two test sessions, each involving a 90 min environmental exposure followed by a standardized laboratory cycling test of endurance. Endurance performance was significantly reduced following industrial exposure (time-to-exhaustion: 13.5 ± 0.9 min) compared to forest exposure (14.6 ± 1.0 min; p = 0.007). Industrial exposure also worsened mood and led to volitional exhaustion at a lower perceived exertion, while cardiorespiratory markers recorded during the endurance test (e.g., V̇O) did not differ significantly between conditions. These results suggest that acute exposure to industrialized environments may reduce physical capacity, with potential consequences for evolutionary fitness.
We present MicroBooNE's first search for dark sector e^{+}e^{-} explanations of the long-standing MiniBooNE anomaly. The MiniBooNE anomaly has garnered significant attention over the past 20 years including previous MicroBooNE investigations into both anomalous electron and photon excesses, but its origin still remains unclear. In this Letter, we provide the first direct test of dark sector models in which dark neutrinos, produced through neutrino-induced scattering, decay into missing energy and visible e^{+}e^{-} pairs comprising the MiniBooNE anomaly. Many such models have recently gained traction as a viable solution to the anomaly while evading past bounds. Using an exposure of 6.87×10^{20} protons-on-target in the Booster Neutrino Beam, we implement a selection targeting forward-going, coherently produced e^{+}e^{-} events. After unblinding, we observe 95 events, which we compare with the constrained background-only prediction of 69.7±17.3. This analysis sets the world's first direct limits on these dark sector models and, at the 95% confidence level, excludes the entirety of the single dark neutrino and majority of the dual dark neutrino, parameter space that is viable as a solution to the MiniBooNE anomaly.