ICARUS at the Fermilab Short-Baseline Neutrino program: initial operation

The ICARUS collaboration employed the 760-ton T600 detector in a successful 3-year physics run at the underground LNGS laboratory, performing a sensitive search for LSND-like anomalous ν e appearance in the CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso beam, which contributed to the constraints on the allowed neutrino oscillation parameters to a narrow region around 1 eV2 . After a significant overhaul at CERN, the T600 detector has been installed at Fermilab. In 2020 the cryogenic commissioning began with detector cool down, liquid argon filling and recirculation. ICARUS then started its operations collecting the first neutrino events from the booster neutrino beam (BNB) and the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam off-axis, which were used to test the ICARUS event selection, reconstruction and analysis algorithms. ICARUS successfully completed its commissioning phase in June 2022. The first goal of the ICARUS data taking will be a study to either confirm or refute the claim by Neutrino-4 short-baseline reactor experiment. ICARUS will also perform measurement of neutrino cross sections with the NuMI beam and several Beyond Standard Model searches. After the first year of operations, ICARUS will search for evidence of sterile neutrinos jointly with the Short-Baseline Near Detector, within the Short-Baseline Neutrino program. In this paper, the main activities carried out during the overhauling and installation phases are highlighted. Preliminary technical results from the ICARUS commissioning data with the BNB and NuMI beams are presented both in terms of performance of all ICARUS subsystems and of capability to select and reconstruct neutrino events.

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. We use this technique to identify, on a pixel-by-pixel level, whether recorded activity originated from cosmic particles or neutrino interactions.

Association analysis of GH1 and CRP loci polymorphisms with reproductive traits in native Pulawska gilts and sows

The objective of the study was to analyse the association of growth hormone (GH1) and C-reactive protein (CRP) loci polymorphisms with reproductive traits in native Pulawska gilts and sows. In the GH1 locus, two mutations were identified: one in the second intron [single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) = rs340429823 in.742C>T, MspI], and one in the second exon (SNP = rs340087546 c.566G>A, HaeII). In the CRP locus, two mutations were found in exon 2 (SNP = rs340175625, NM_213844.2: c.1271A>G, BstNI; and SNP = rs80928546, NM_213844.2: c.788C>T, HinfI). Analysis of sexual activity showed that intensity of external estrus signs differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) and was the most manifested in gilts with the CT (GH1_MspI) genotype during the second estrus. In case of the CRP gene, statistically significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found in terms of the duration of farrowing. The longest farrowings were reported for the GG (CRP_HinfI) and the TT (CRP_BstNI) genotypes and the shortest for the AA (CRP_HinfI) and CC (CRP_BstNI). The most numerous first litters were produced by sows with the AA genotype (CRP_HinfI), with significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between the AA and GG genotypes. In turn, the CC homozygotes (CRP_BstNI) differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in terms of the number of piglets born and reared to day 21 in the second litters compared to the other genotype groups.

Usefulness of Post-Transplant Hematopoietic Chimera Monitoring by Use of the Quantitative Fluorescence Polymerase Chain Reaction Method

BACKGROUND

In the light of an increasing number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations and more frequent use of reduced-intensity conditioning as preparative regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, post-transplant cell chimera monitoring is considered a necessity.

METHODS

The quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction method, along with the commercial AmpFSTR SGMPlus kit, was applied in research on hematopoietic chimeras.

RESULTS

The total of 102 patients who had undergone allogenic transplantations were investigated. Chimerism monitoring was commenced on the seventh day after transplantation and lasted up to 12 years in some cases, according to the instituted schedule.

CONCLUSIONS

The kit has been shown to be fully sufficient for determining genetic profiles of recipients and donors and selecting informative markers. The method has been proven effective and satisfactory for assessing quantitative chimeras.

Reproductive Performance of Native Pulawska and High Productivity Polish Landrace Sows in the Context of Stress During the Period of Early Pregnancy

Experiments revealed that it is necessary to get rid of genotypes RYR1C/T and RYR1T/T because of problems with meat quality and reproduction of gilts and sows. This phenomenon, however, is of individual nature and is characterized by high variability. The aim of the study was to analyse the influence of stressogenic factors in native Puławska and high productivity Polish Landrace breed sows during the period of low pregnancy on reproductive performance and maternal behaviour. Sows in the 2nd reproduction cycle were assigned into groups of five animals as follows: control (C) of RYR1 C/C genotype and experimental (E) of RYR1 C/T genotype. In all, 30 Puławska breed sows and 30 PL breed sows were analysed. During the early stage of pregnancy (days 42-84), experimental groups were subjected to the action of stressogenic factors: elevated temperature, noisy and rough treatment of sows by service personnel and immobilization stress. The effect of stressogenic factors was referred to the reproductive performance of sows. Puławska and PL breed sows from the experimental groups were subjected to the evaluation of maternal traits on the basis of perinatal behaviour determined with the help of an ethogram. Analysis of the results of reproduction and the behaviour of the sows confirmed the higher resistance to stressogenic factors of the Puławska breed. The performed analysis of reproduction and behaviour confirmed that heterozygotic genotypes in the RYR1 locus exhibited less advantageous reproduction, which corroborates the hypothesis about a negative impact of the T allele on swine productivity.

Fatty acid profile of pork from a local and a commercial breed

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of breed on the fatty acid compositions of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) of gilts and barrows. Although only one muscle was analyzed, the results gave a good indication of the effect that breed and sex may have on the fatty acid compositions of the meat. Breed exhibited a significant effect on the fatty acid composition of pigs, whereas the effects of sex were found to be minor. Higher contents of intramuscular fat (IMF), C16 : 1, C18 : 1 and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs); darker color of meat; and lower cholesterol content, drip loss, C18 : 0, C18 : 2, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), n-6 and n-6 : n-3 ratios were found in the LTL muscle of Pulawska pigs compared with Polish Landrace pigs. Meat of Pulawska pigs is especially suitable for the production of good-quality, cured and smoked loin for longer storage. Fat content was higher in barrows than in gilts, and as a consequence the IMF from barrows had higher saturated fatty acid proportions and hypercholesterolemic acids (OFAs) as well as lower C18 : 1 than that from gilts.

Assessment of selected parameters of biochemistry, hematology, immunology and production of pigs fattened in different seasons

Abstract. The present research objective was to asses the difference of some biochemical, hematological, immune and pork composition parameters in two groups of pigs fattened in winter and summer season. Pig performance was assessed in vivo (fattening and slaughter value) and post mortem studies which showed a season to be a significant factor influencing a level of some hematological and biochemical indices. In winter period, fatteners blood displayed increased leukocyte and immunoglobulin content with decreased red blood cell concentration. Whereas the animals finishing in the summer season had a higher growth rate. As compared to the winter period, the fatteners were found to have a higher content of crude protein, cholesterol and triglycerides as well as GGT, AST and cholinesterase concentration. In both seasons, the finishing pig carcasses had similar level of valuable cuts. A fattening season did not affect the technological value of the slaughter material obtained.

Meat quality and ultrastructure of muscle tissue from fatteners of Wild Boar, Pulawska and its crossbreed Pulawska × (Hamshire × Wild Boar)

Abstract. The investigation included three genetic groups, i.e. Pulawska, Wild boar and Pulawska × (Hampshire × Wild boar) crossbreds. Each group comprised 8 individuals (1: 1 sex ratio). The animals were presented for slaughter at 90 kg body weight. The muscles of the analysed genetic groups have shown good quality, pH 6.07–6.54. Lower diameters were characteristic for both, wild boars and wild pigs, that averaged 33.74 μm and 35.4 μm for m. longissimus dorsi (MLD) and then 42.3 μm and 46.43 μm for m. semimembranosus (MS), respectively. It is likely to arise from their higher rate in the muscles regarding total red fiber content. The shortest sarcomeres were established in a group of wild boars (2.03 μm MLD and 2.31 μm MS) that may confirm the association with their meat tenderness. The most juicy and tender meat was produced by pigs of Pulawska breed, whereas the meat obtained from Pulawska pigs and crossbreds earned the highest score for flavour intensity and taste. Markedly higher sarcosomers number was characteristic for the semimembranosus muscles. Contractile fibres in wild boars’ muscles were separated by greater amount of the sarcoplasma as compared to other animals. The analysis of longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscle microstructure confirmed that the presented genetic groups showed proper structure of the muscle tissue and did not show any degenerative lesions. The muscles visualized the well-preserved sarcomeric structure, appropriate cell nuclei and mitochondria. Besides, the regular cross striation was visible giving evidence of the muscle decontraction.