An improved limit on the neutrinoless double-electron capture of 36Ar with GERDA

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment operated enriched high-purity germanium detectors in a liquid argon cryostat, which contains 0.33% of 36 Ar, a candidate isotope for the two-neutrino double-electron capture (2ν ECEC) and therefore for the neutrinoless double-electron capture (0ν ECEC). If detected, this process would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. In the radiative 0ν ECEC of 36 Ar, a monochromatic photon is emitted with an energy of 429.88 keV, which may be detected by the Gerda germanium detectors. We searched for the 36 Ar 0ν ECEC with Gerda data, with a total live time of 4.34 year (3.08 year accumulated during Gerda Phase II and 1.26 year during Gerda Phase I). No signal was found and a 90% CL lower limit on the half-life of this process was established T 1 / 2 > 1.5 · 10 22  year.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1140/epjc/s10052-023-12280-6.

Final Results of GERDA on the Two-Neutrino Double-β Decay Half-Life of ^{76}Ge

We present the measurement of the two-neutrino double-β decay rate of ^{76}Ge performed with the GERDA Phase II experiment. With a subset of the entire GERDA exposure, 11.8 kg yr, the half-life of the process has been determined: T_{1/2}^{2ν}=(2.022±0.018_{stat}±0.038_{syst})×10^{21}  yr. This is the most precise determination of the ^{76}Ge two-neutrino double-β decay half-life and one of the most precise measurements of a double-β decay process. The relevant nuclear matrix element can be extracted: M_{eff}^{2ν}=(0.101±0.001).

Search for tri-nucleon decays of 76Ge in GERDA

We search for tri-nucleon decays of 76 Ge in the dataset from the GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment. Decays that populate excited levels of the daughter nucleus above the threshold for particle emission lead to disintegration and are not considered. The ppp-, ppn-, and pnn-decays lead to 73 Cu, 73 Zn, and 73 Ga nuclei, respectively. These nuclei are unstable and eventually proceed by the beta decay of 73 Ga to 73 Ge (stable). We search for the 73 Ga decay exploiting the fact that it dominantly populates the 66.7 keV 73 m Ga state with half-life of 0.5 s. The nnn-decays of 76 Ge that proceed via 73 m Ge are also included in our analysis. We find no signal candidate and place a limit on the sum of the decay widths of the inclusive tri-nucleon decays that corresponds to a lower lifetime limit of 1.2× 1026  yr  (90% credible interval). This result improves previous limits for tri-nucleon decays by one to three orders of magnitude.

Effect of a Smartphone Application on Physical Activity and Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery-Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

Ways to motivate and support patients in being physically active after bariatric surgery are needed. This trial was aimed at evaluating the effect of using a smartphone application targeting physical activity during 12 weeks on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA, primary outcome) and secondary outcomes of inactivity, light physical activity (LPA), body mass index (BMI), and percent total weight loss (%TWL) after bariatric surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from a randomized controlled trial comprising 146 patients (79.5% women) undergoing bariatric surgery was analyzed. Mean age and BMI pre-surgery were 40.9 years and 40.5 kg/m2, respectively. Participants were randomized 1:1 to an intervention or a control group. Physical activity and body weight were objectively measured at baseline pre-surgery and post-surgery follow-ups after 6 weeks (weight only), 18 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. Linear mixed models were fitted to assess longitudinal differences in outcomes between the groups.

RESULTS

A significant effect of the intervention (group-by-time interaction 16.2, 95% CI 3.5 to 28.9) was seen for MVPA at 18 weeks; the intervention group had increased their MVPA since baseline, while the control group had decreased their MVPA. The control group had lowered their BMI approximately 1 kg/m2 more than the intervention group at follow-up after 18 weeks and 12 months, yet, mean BMI did not differ between the groups. No intervention effect was seen on inactivity, LPA, or %TWL.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that use of a smartphone application targeting physical activity may have the potential to promote short-term MVPA post bariatric surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT03480464.

Liquid argon light collection and veto modeling in GERDA Phase II

The ability to detect liquid argon scintillation light from within a densely packed high-purity germanium detector array allowed the Gerda experiment to reach an exceptionally low background rate in the search for neutrinoless double beta decay of76 Ge. Proper modeling of the light propagation throughout the experimental setup, from any origin in the liquid argon volume to its eventual detection by the novel light read-out system, provides insight into the rejection capability and is a necessary ingredient to obtain robust background predictions. In this paper, we present a model of the Gerda liquid argon veto, as obtained by Monte Carlo simulations and constrained by calibration data, and highlight its application for background decomposition.

A smartphone application to improve adherence to vitamin and mineral supplementation after bariatric surgery

OBJECTIVE

This trial evaluated a smartphone application's effectiveness in improving adherence to vitamin and mineral supplementation postoperatively.

METHODS

This study was a randomized controlled trial comprising 140 patients undergoing bariatric surgery (gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy). Participants were randomized 1:1 to the 12-week intervention, using the smartphone application PromMera, or to standard care. The primary end point was adherence to vitamin and mineral supplementation.

RESULTS

Initiation rate and overall adherence to supplementation were high in both groups. Change in objectively measured adherence rate from before the intervention to 1 year post surgery, measured with pharmacy refill data, did not differ between groups for vitamin B₁₂ (-9.6% [SD = 27%] vs. -9.3% [SD = 30%]; p = 0.48) or calcium/vitamin D (-12.3% [SD = 29%] vs. -11.5% [SD = 32%]; p = 0.44). A modest effect on the secondary end point (subjectively measured adherence, using the Medication Adherence Report Scale-5) was seen immediately after the intervention (intervention group 0.00 [SD = 1.3] vs. control group -1.2 [SD = 3.5]; p = 0.021), but this effect did not persist 1 year post surgery. No differences were detected in the prevalence of biochemical deficiencies.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of the smartphone application PromMera did not obtain a lasting improvement in adherence to vitamin and mineral supplementation 1 year post bariatric surgery.

Women's Reasons to Seek Bariatric Surgery and Their Expectations on the Surgery Outcome - a Multicenter Study from Five European Countries

Purpose

Understanding patients’ reasons for having bariatric surgery and their expectation on surgery outcomes is important to provide the best clinical practice and reduce unrealistic expectations. It is unknown if reasons and expectations differ between countries. We aimed to investigate the reasons for seeking bariatric surgery and expectations of surgical outcomes among patients in five European countries.

Methods

In total, 250 women accepted for bariatric surgery were recruited: 50 women each from Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Participants ranked 14 reasons for seeking surgery, and reported the three primary reasons. They also reported expectations on weight loss and impact of surgery vs. lifestyle on weight loss outcomes.

Results

Mean age and body mass index were 42.9 ± 11.5 years and 45.1 ± 6.2 kg/m², respectively. Weight loss and improved co-morbidity were ranked as the most important reasons. Participants expected to lose between 70.8 and 94.3% of their excessive weight. The expected impact of surgery as a driver of weight loss was higher in Germany and the Netherlands compared to in Finland, Norway, and Sweden where participants expected lifestyle changes to also have an impact.

Conclusion

Weight loss and improved co-morbidities were the main reasons for undergoing bariatric surgery. Expectations on weight loss were generally very high, but expectations of surgery vs. lifestyle as the main driver of weight loss differed between countries. While some patients understand the importance of lifestyle change and maintenance of a healthy lifestyle after surgery in order to obtain a successful weight loss, other may need additional counselling.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11695-022-06280-w.

Erratum: First Search for Bosonic Superweakly Interacting Massive Particles with Masses up to 1 MeV/c^{2} with GERDA [Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 011801 (2020)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.011801.

Pulse shape analysis in Gerda Phase II

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) collaboration searched for neutrinoless double- β decay in 76 Ge using isotopically enriched high purity germanium detectors at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN. After Phase I (2011-2013), the experiment benefited from several upgrades, including an additional active veto based on LAr instrumentation and a significant increase of mass by point-contact germanium detectors that improved the half-life sensitivity of Phase II (2015-2019) by an order of magnitude. At the core of the background mitigation strategy, the analysis of the time profile of individual pulses provides a powerful topological discrimination of signal-like and background-like events. Data from regular 228 Th calibrations and physics data were both considered in the evaluation of the pulse shape discrimination performance. In this work, we describe the various methods applied to the data collected in Gerda Phase II corresponding to an exposure of 103.7 kg year. These methods suppress the background by a factor of about 5 in the region of interest around Q β β = 2039  keV, while preserving ( 81 ± 3 ) % of the signal. In addition, an exhaustive list of parameters is provided which were used in the final data analysis.

Characterization of inverted coaxial 76 Ge detectors in GERDA for future double- β decay experiments

Neutrinoless double- β decay of 76 Ge is searched for with germanium detectors where source and detector of the decay are identical. For the success of future experiments it is important to increase the mass of the detectors. We report here on the characterization and testing of five prototype detectors manufactured in inverted coaxial (IC) geometry from material enriched to 88% in 76 Ge. IC detectors combine the large mass of the traditional semi-coaxial Ge detectors with the superior resolution and pulse shape discrimination power of point contact detectors which exhibited so far much lower mass. Their performance has been found to be satisfactory both when operated in vacuum cryostat and bare in liquid argon within the Gerda setup. The measured resolutions at the Q-value for double- β decay of 76 Ge ( Q β β  = 2039 keV) are about 2.1 keV full width at half maximum in vacuum cryostat. After 18 months of operation within the ultra-low background environment of the GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) experiment and an accumulated exposure of 8.5 kg · year, the background index after analysis cuts is measured to be 4 . 9 - 3.4 + 7.3 × 10 - 4 counts / ( keV · kg · year ) around Q β β . This work confirms the feasibility of IC detectors for the next-generation experiment Legend.

Calibration of the Gerda experiment

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) collaboration searched for neutrinoless double- β decay in 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 β β = 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- 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 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.

Final Results of GERDA on the Search for Neutrinoless Double-β Decay

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment searched for the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless double-β (0νββ) decay of ^{76}Ge, whose discovery would have far-reaching implications in cosmology and particle physics. By operating bare germanium diodes, enriched in ^{76}Ge, in an active liquid argon shield, GERDA achieved an unprecedently low background index of 5.2×10^{-4} counts/(keV kg yr) in the signal region and met the design goal to collect an exposure of 100 kg yr in a background-free regime. When combined with the result of Phase I, no signal is observed after 127.2 kg yr of total exposure. A limit on the half-life of 0νββ decay in ^{76}Ge is set at T_{1/2}>1.8×10^{26}  yr at 90% C.L., which coincides with the sensitivity assuming no signal.

App Technology to Support Physical Activity and Intake of Vitamins and Minerals After Bariatric Surgery (the PromMera Study): Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background

To optimize postoperative outcomes after bariatric surgery, lifestyle changes including increased physical activity are needed. Micronutrient deficiency after surgery is also common and daily supplementation is recommended.

Objective

The aim of the PromMera study is to evaluate the effects of a 12-week smartphone app intervention on promotion of physical activity (primary outcome) and adherence to postsurgery vitamin and mineral supplementation, as well as on other lifestyle factors and overall health in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Methods

The PromMera study is a two-arm, randomized controlled trial comprising patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Participants are randomized postsurgery 1:1 to either the intervention group (ie, use of the PromMera app for 12 weeks) or the control group receiving only standard care. Clinical and lifestyle variables are assessed pre- and postsurgery after 18 weeks (postintervention assessment), 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. Assessments include body composition using Tanita or BOD POD analyzers, muscle function using handgrip, biomarkers in blood, and an extensive questionnaire on lifestyle factors. Physical activity is objectively measured using the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT triaxial accelerometer.

Results

A total of 154 participants have been enrolled in the study. The last study participant was recruited in May 2019. Data collection will be complete in May 2021.

Conclusions

Implementing lifestyle changes are crucial after bariatric surgery and new ways to reach patients and support such changes are needed. An app-based intervention is easily delivered at any time and can be a key factor in the adoption of healthier behavioral patterns in this rapidly growing group of patients.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03480464; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03480464

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/19624

First Search for Bosonic Superweakly Interacting Massive Particles with Masses up to 1 MeV/c^{2} with GERDA

We present the first search for bosonic superweakly interacting massive particles (super-WIMPs) as keV-scale dark matter candidates performed with the GERDA experiment. GERDA is a neutrinoless double-β decay experiment which operates high-purity germanium detectors enriched in ^{76}Ge in an ultralow background environment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) of INFN in Italy. Searches were performed for pseudoscalar and vector particles in the mass region from 60  keV/c^{2} to 1  MeV/c^{2}. No evidence for a dark matter signal was observed, and the most stringent constraints on the couplings of super-WIMPs with masses above 120  keV/c^{2} have been set. As an example, at a mass of 150  keV/c^{2} the most stringent direct limits on the dimensionless couplings of axionlike particles and dark photons to electrons of g_{ae}<3×10^{-12} and α^{'}/α<6.5×10^{-24} at 90% credible interval, respectively, were obtained.

Evaluation of a proficiency test of 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs in maize powder

In 2017, JRC-Geel organised a proficiency test for 120 participants on the massic activity determination of ¹³¹I, ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs in maize powder. The proficiency test reference material was produced by spiking blank maize powder. The material was characterised for its radioactive content using γ-ray spectrometry. The z scores of the reported massic activity were acceptable in 92% of the results for ¹³¹I, and in 94% for both ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs. The ζ scores were consistent with the reference value for 66% of the results for ¹³¹I, 56% for ¹³⁴Cs and 68% for ¹³⁷Cs.

Macroscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation: a prospective multicenter study by the Scandinavian Association for Digestive Endoscopy Study Group for ERCP

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Certain appearances of the major duodenal papilla have been claimed to make cannulation more difficult during ERCP. This study uses a validated classification of the endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla to determine if certain types of papilla predispose to difficult cannulation.

METHODS

Patients with a naïve papilla scheduled for ERCP were included. The papilla was classified into 1 of 4 papilla types before cannulation started. Time to successful bile duct cannulation, attempts, and number of pancreatic duct passages were recorded. Difficult cannulation was defined as after 5 minutes, 5 attempts, or 2 pancreatic guidewire passages.

RESULTS

A total of 1401 patients were included from 9 different centers in the Nordic countries. The overall frequency of difficult cannulation was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39%-44%). Type 2 small papilla (52%; 95% CI, 45%-59%) and type 3 protruding or pendulous papilla (48%; 95% CI, 42%-53%) were more frequently difficult to cannulate compared with type 1 regular papilla (36%; 95% CI, 33%-40%; both P < .001). If an inexperienced endoscopist started cannulation, the frequency of failed cannulation increased from 1.9% to 6.3% (P < .0001), even though they were replaced by a senior endoscopist after 5 minutes.

CONCLUSIONS

The endoscopic appearance of the major duodenal papilla influences bile duct cannulation. Small type 2 and protruding or pendulous type 3 papillae are more frequently difficult to cannulate. In addition, cannulation might even fail more frequently if a beginner starts cannulation. These findings should be taken into consideration when performing studies regarding bile duct cannulation and in training future generations of endoscopists.

Characterization of 30 76 Ge enriched Broad Energy Ge detectors for GERDA Phase II

The GERmanium Detector Array (Gerda) is a low background experiment located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy, which searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76 Ge into 76 Se+2e - . Gerda has been conceived in two phases. Phase II, which started in December 2015, features several novelties including 30 new ⁷⁶Ge enriched detectors. These were manufactured according to the Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detector design that has a better background discrimination capability and energy resolution compared to formerly widely-used types. Prior to their installation, the new BEGe detectors were mounted in vacuum cryostats and characterized in detail in the Hades underground laboratory in Belgium. This paper describes the properties and the overall performance of these detectors during operation in vacuum. The characterization campaign provided not only direct input for Gerda Phase II data collection and analyses, but also allowed to study detector phenomena, detector correlations as well as to test the accuracy of pulse shape simulation codes.

Probing Majorana neutrinos with double-β decay

A discovery that neutrinos are Majorana fermions would have profound implications for particle physics and cosmology. The Majorana character of neutrinos would make possible the neutrinoless double-β (0νββ) decay, a matter-creating process without the balancing emission of antimatter. The GERDA Collaboration searches for the 0νββ decay of ⁷⁶Ge by operating bare germanium detectors in an active liquid argon shield. With a total exposure of 82.4 kg⋅year, we observe no signal and derive a lower half-life limit of T _1/2 > 0.9 × 10²⁶ years (90% C.L.). Our T _1/2 sensitivity, assuming no signal, is 1.1 × 10²⁶ years. Combining the latter with those from other 0νββ decay searches yields a sensitivity to the effective Majorana neutrino mass of 0.07 to 0.16 electron volts.

Improved Limit on Neutrinoless Double-β Decay of ^{76}Ge from GERDA Phase II

The GERDA experiment searches for the lepton-number-violating neutrinoless double-β decay of ^{76}Ge (^{76}Ge→^{76}Se+2e^{-}) operating bare Ge diodes with an enriched ^{76}Ge fraction in liquid argon. The exposure for broad-energy germanium type (BEGe) detectors is increased threefold with respect to our previous data release. The BEGe detectors feature an excellent background suppression from the analysis of the time profile of the detector signals. In the analysis window a background level of 1.0_{-0.4}^{+0.6}×10^{-3}  counts/(keV kg yr) has been achieved; if normalized to the energy resolution this is the lowest ever achieved in any 0νββ experiment. No signal is observed and a new 90% C.L. lower limit for the half-life of 8.0×10^{25}  yr is placed when combining with our previous data. The expected median sensitivity assuming no signal is 5.8×10^{25}  yr.

Measurement of absolute γ-ray emission probabilities in the decay of 235U

Accurate measurements were performed of the photon emission probabilities following the α decay of ²³⁵U to ²³¹Th. Sources of highly enriched ²³⁵U were characterised in terms of isotopic composition by mass spectrometry and their activities were standardised by means of alpha-particle counting at a low defined solid angle. The standardised sources were subsequently measured by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry with calibrated high-purity germanium detectors to determine the photon emission probabilities. Four laboratories participated in this work and reported emission probabilities for 33 γ-ray lines. Most of them agree with previously published evaluated data. In addition, new values are proposed for γ-lines which have been measured only once in the past.

A gamma-ray spectrometry analysis software environment

At the JRC-Geel's RadioNuclide Metrology sector, a Monte Carlo code based on EGSnrc, and a general purpose calculation sheet implemented in Microsoft Excel^®, have been developed to make the quantitative gamma-ray spectrometry analysis of samples simpler and more robust. The further aim is that the software can be used by non-experts in gamma-ray spectrometry e.g. external researchers using JRC-Geel's facilities through the EUFRAT transnational access scheme. This paper presents the developed Monte Carlo software and the functionality included in the calculation sheet.

Evidence against solar influence on nuclear decay constants

The hypothesis that proximity to the Sun causes variation of decay constants at permille level has been tested and disproved. Repeated activity measurements of mono-radionuclide sources were performed over periods from 200 days up to four decades at 14 laboratories across the globe. Residuals from the exponential nuclear decay curves were inspected for annual oscillations. Systematic deviations from a purely exponential decay curve differ from one data set to another and are attributable to instabilities in the instrumentation and measurement conditions. The most stable activity measurements of alpha, beta-minus, electron capture, and beta-plus decaying sources set an upper limit of 0.0006% to 0.008% to the amplitude of annual oscillations in the decay rate. Oscillations in phase with Earth's orbital distance to the Sun could not be observed within a 10^-6 to 10^-5 range of precision. There are also no apparent modulations over periods of weeks or months. Consequently, there is no indication of a natural impediment against sub-permille accuracy in half-life determinations, renormalisation of activity to a distant reference date, application of nuclear dating for archaeology, geo- and cosmochronology, nor in establishing the SI unit becquerel and seeking international equivalence of activity standards.

A new large-volume metal reference standard for radioactive waste management

A new large-volume metal reference standard has been developed. The intended use is for calibration of free-release radioactivity measurement systems and is made up of cast iron tubes placed inside a box of the size of a Euro-pallet (80 × 120 cm). The tubes contain certified activity concentrations of (60)Co (0.290 ± 0.006 Bq g(-1)) and (110m)Ag (3.05 ± 0.09 Bq g(-1)) (reference date: 30 September 2013). They were produced using centrifugal casting from a smelt into which (60)Co was first added and then one piece of neutron irradiated silver wire was progressively diluted. The iron castings were machined to the desirable dimensions. The final material consists of 12 iron tubes of 20 cm outer diameter, 17.6 cm inner diameter, 40 cm length/height and 245.9 kg total mass. This paper describes the reference standard and the process of determining the reference activity values.

Search for Pompe disease among patients with undetermined myopathies

OBJECTIVE

Pompe disease is a rare treatable glycogen storage disease with in adults - a limb-girdle muscle weakness. Muscle biopsy may fail to show the typical vacuolar myopathy. We asked if we had un-diagnosed patients with Pompe disease in western Sweden.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We searched the muscle biopsy registry during the time period 1986 until 2006 including 3665 biopsies and included patients at our Neuromuscular Center with unspecified myopathy or limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. The dry blood spot test was used to identify patients with Pompe disease.

RESULTS

A total of 82 patients (46 from the biopsy register and 36 from our center) were seen and dry blood spot test was obtained. No patient with Pompe disease was found. The dry blood spot test was low in three cases (11, 16, and 18% of normal) but a second blood sample showed a normal result based on GAA enzyme activity in lymphocytes in all three patients. In one patient with low normal result of the analysis in lymphocytes a genetic test showed no pathogenic mutations. Further investigation gave a definite diagnose of another myopathy in 12 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of Pompe disease in western Sweden (3 in 1.27 million or 0.24 per 100.000 inhabitants) is lower than in the Netherlands and New York. Re-evaluation of patients with myopathies but without definite diagnosis is rewarding since 12 of 82 patients in our study had a definite molecular diagnosis after workup.

The change in eating behaviors in a Web-based weight loss program: a longitudinal analysis of study completers

Background

Eating behaviors are essential components in weight loss programs, but limited research has explored eating behaviors in Web-based weight loss programs.

Objectives

The aim was to evaluate an interactive Web-based weight loss program on eating behaviors using the 18-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised (TFEQ-R18) which measures uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, and cognitive restrained eating. Our Web-based weight loss program is comprised of information about healthy lifestyle choices, weekly chats with experts, social networking features, databases for recipe searches, and features allowing members to self-report and track their weight, physical activity, and dietary intake on the website.

Methods

On registering for the weight loss program, 23,333 members agreed to take part in the research study. The participants were then asked to complete the TFEQ-R18 questionnaire at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of participation. All data collection was conducted online, with no face-to-face contact. To study changes in TFEQ-R18 eating behaviors we restricted our study to those members who completed all 3 TFEQ-R18 questionnaires. These participants were defined as “completers” and the remaining as “noncompleters.” The relationships between sex, change in eating behaviors, and total weight loss were studied using repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results

In total, 22,800 individuals participated (females: 19,065/22,800, 83.62%; mean age 39.6, SD 11.4 years; BMI 29.0 kg/m²; males: 3735/22,800, 16.38%; mean age 43.2, SD 11.7 years; BMI 30.8 kg/m²). Noncompleters (n=22,180) were younger and reported a lower score of uncontrolled eating and a higher score of cognitive restrained eating. Over time, completers (n=620) decreased their uncontrolled eating score (from 56.3 to 32.0; P<.001) and increased their cognitive restrained eating (from 50.6 to 62.9; P<.001). Males decreased their emotional eating (from 57.2 to 35.9; P<.001), but no significant change was found among females. The baseline cognitive restrained eating score was significantly and positively associated with weight loss for completers in both men (P=.02) and women (P=.002).

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the largest TFEQ sample that has been documented. This Web-based weight loss intervention suggests that eating behaviors (cognitive restrained eating, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating) measured by TFEQ-R18 were significantly changed during 6 months of participation. Our findings indicate differences in eating behaviors with respect to sex, but should be interpreted with caution because attrition was high.

Results on neutrinoless double-β decay of 76Ge from phase I of the GERDA experiment

Neutrinoless double beta decay is a process that violates lepton number conservation. It is predicted to occur in extensions of the standard model of particle physics. This Letter reports the results from phase I of the Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory (Italy) searching for neutrinoless double beta decay of the isotope (76)Ge. Data considered in the present analysis have been collected between November 2011 and May 2013 with a total exposure of 21.6 kg yr. A blind analysis is performed. The background index is about 1 × 10(-2) counts/(keV kg yr) after pulse shape discrimination. No signal is observed and a lower limit is derived for the half-life of neutrinoless double beta decay of (76)Ge, T(1/2)(0ν) >2.1 × 10(25) yr (90% C.L.). The combination with the results from the previous experiments with (76)Ge yields T(1/2)(0ν)>3.0 × 10(25) yr (90% C.L.).

First fusion proton measurements in TEXTOR plasmas using activation technique

MeV particle loss measurements from fusion plasmas, in particular alpha particles, remain difficult in large fusion devices and further R&D is needed for ITER. This paper describes the first attempt to measure 3 MeV escaping fusion protons emitted from TEXTOR tokamak plasmas using activation technique. This technique was successfully demonstrated, initially, in 2006 on the JET tokamak. An ion camera equipped with a collimator and several types of activation detectors was installed inside the TEXTOR vacuum vessel to perform these measurements. After irradiation, the detectors were analyzed using ultra low level gamma-ray spectrometry at the HADES underground laboratory. 3 MeV escaping fusion protons were detected in larger number -~6 times more--compared to earlier measurements using this technique on JET. Another major progress was the reduction of the cooling time by a factor of 50, which made possible to detect radionuclides with half-life of less than 90 min.

Distribution of 60Co in steel samples from Hiroshima

This paper describes ultra low-level gamma-ray spectrometry measurements of the (60)Co activity distribution inside one 52 mm and one 41 mm thick steel sample. The samples had been exposed to the Hiroshima atomic bomb and were from the Aioi bridge and the Yokogawa bridge. Both samples were measured in a recent study aiming to back up model calculation of Hiroshima dosimetry. The (60)Co activity distributions found in this study support the assumptions made in the previous study.

Charged fusion product loss measurements using nuclear activation

In ITER, α particle loss measurements will be required in order to understand the alpha particle physics. Techniques capable of operating in a fusion reactor environment need further development. Recent experimental studies on JET demonstrated the potential of nuclear activation to measure the flux of escaping MeV ions. New results from MeV ion induced activation of metallic, ceramic, and crystal samples placed near the plasma edge are reported. Activation products were measured as function of orientation with respect to the magnetic field as well as function of the distance to the plasma. Sample activity was measured using ultralow-level gamma-ray spectrometry. Distribution of 14.68 MeV fusion proton induced activation products is strongly anisotropic in agreement with simulations and falls off sharply with increasing distance to the plasma. Prospects for using the technique in ITER are discussed.

Smallest known Q value of any nuclear decay: the rare beta;{-} decay of ;{115}In(9/2;{+}) --> ;{115}Sn(3/2;{+})

The ground-state-to-ground-state Q_{beta;{-}} value of ;{115}In was determined to 497.68(17) keV using a high-precision Penning trap facility at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. From this, a Q_{beta;{-}} value of 0.35(17) keV was obtained for the rare beta;{-} decay to the first excited state of ;{115}Sn at 497.334(22) keV. The partial half-life was determined to 4.1(6) x 10;{20} yr using ultra low-background gamma-ray spectrometry in an underground laboratory. Theoretical modeling of this 2nd-forbidden unique beta;{-} transition was also undertaken and resulted in Q_{beta;{-}} = 57_{-12};{+19} eV using the measured half-life. The discrepancy between theory and experiment could be attributed to atomic effects enhanced by the low Q value. The present study implies that this transition has the lowest Q value of any known nuclear beta decay.

EC intercomparisons for laboratories monitoring environmental radioactivity

International measurement comparisons are organised regularly for EU laboratories involved in monitoring radioactivity, with emphasis on meeting routine measurement conditions. Using the recent comparison of 137Cs in air filters as an example, the whole cycle is described: establishment of traceable reference values, spiking of individual filters for the comparison and their quality assurance, treatment and measurement of filters in the participating laboratories and evaluation of comparison results. The treatment of an individual result, deviating widely from the reference value, is discussed. Monte-Carlo simulations allow to estimate the maximum errors possibly made due to a non-suitable measurement geometry.

Underground measurements of radioactivity

The exceptional sensitivity of gamma-ray spectrometry in underground laboratories has increasing application because of the important science and technology that it allows to be studied. Early work focused on rare fundamental phenomena, e.g. double beta decay, but a growing number of underground measurements is being performed in fields such as environmental monitoring, surveillance of nuclear activities, benchmarking of other physical techniques and materials selection for equipment which require materials with extremely low levels of radioactivity. This report describes the state of the art in underground gamma-ray spectrometry. Backgrounds of HPGe-detectors at various underground laboratories are presented and compared. Improved techniques and detectors are described and needs of deep underground facilities for higher sensitivity measurements are discussed.

Reference measurements of low levels of 60Co in steel

Analysis of 60Co traces in the matrix steel has recently gained in importance. This paper deals with the low-level gamma-ray spectrometry measurements that were part of a recent German survey aiming at determining the present levels of artificial radionuclides in commercial steel. Specific 60Co activities in the order of 10(-5) Bq g(-1) were measured. To show equivalence in these measurements, a comparison exercise of European underground laboratories has been carried out, additionally.

Human and rodent type 1 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases are 7beta-hydroxycholesterol dehydrogenases involved in oxysterol metabolism

Interconversion between cortisone and the glucocorticoid receptor ligand cortisol is carried out by 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD)isozymes and constitutes a medically important example of pre-receptor control of steroid hormones. The enzyme 11beta-HSD type 1 (11beta-HSD1) catalyzes the conversion of cortisone to its active receptor-binding derivative cortisol, whereas 11beta-HSD type 2 performs the reverse reaction. Specific inhibitors against the type 1 enzyme lower intracellular levels of glucocorticoid hormone, with an important clinical application in insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders. We report here on the in vitro oxysterol-metabolizing properties of human and rodent 11beta-HSD1. The enzyme, either as full-length, membrane-attached, or as a transmembrane domain-deleted, soluble form, mediates exclusively conversion between 7-ketocholesterol and 7beta-hydroxycholesterol with similar k(cat) values as observed with glucocorticoid hormones. Thus, human, rat, and mouse 11beta-HSD1 have dual enzyme activities like the recently described 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from hamster liver, but differ fundamentally from the latter in that 7beta-OH rather than 7alpha-OH dehydrogenase constitutes the second activity. These results demonstrate an enzymatic origin of species differences in 7-oxysterol metabolism, establish the origin of endogenous 7beta-OH cholesterol in humans, and point to a possible involvement of 11beta-HSD1 in atherosclerosis.