Measurement of the 2νßß Decay Half-Life of

We report on the results obtained with the global CUPID-0 background model, which combines the data collected in the two measurement campaigns for a total exposure of 8.82 kg×yr of ^{82}Se. We identify with improved precision the background sources within the 3 MeV energy region, where neutrinoless double ß decay of ^{82}Se and ^{100}Mo is expected, making more solid the foundations for the background budget of the next-generation CUPID experiment. Relying on the excellent data reconstruction, we measure the two-neutrino double ß-decay half-life of ^{82}Se with unprecedented accuracy: T_{1/2}^{2ν}=[8.69±0.05(stat)_{-0.06}^{+0.09}(syst)]×10^{19} yr.

Somatosensory input in the context of transcranial magnetic stimulation coupled with electroencephalography: An evidence-based overview.

The transcranial evoked potential (TEP) is a powerful technique to investigate brain dynamics, but some methodological issues limit its interpretation. A possible contamination of the TEP by electroencephalographic (EEG) responses evoked by the somatosensory input generated by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been postulated; nonetheless, a characterization of these responses is lacking. The aim of this work was to review current evidence about possible somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) induced by sources of somatosensory input in the craniofacial region. Among these, only contraction of craniofacial muscle and stimulation of free cutaneous nerve endings may be able to induce EEG responses, but direct evidence is lacking due to experimental difficulties in isolating these inputs. Notably, EEG evoked activity in this context is represented by a N100/P200 complex, reflecting a saliency-related multimodal response, rather than specific activation of the primary somatosensory cortex. Strategies to minimize or remove these responses by EEG processing still yield uncertain results; therefore, data inspection is of paramount importance to judge a possible contamination of the TEP by multimodal potentials caused by somatosensory input.

Quantitative measures of the resting EEG in stroke: a systematic review on clinical correlation and prognostic value.

OBJECT: Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) has shown promising results as a predictor of clinical impairment in stroke. We systematically reviewed published papers that focus on qEEG metrics in the resting EEG of patients with mono-hemispheric stroke, to summarize current knowledge and pave the way for future research. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we systematically searched the literature for papers that fitted our inclusion criteria. Rayyan QCRR was used to allow deduplication and collaborative blinded paper review. Due to multiple outcomes and non-homogeneous literature, a scoping review approach was used to address the topic. RESULTS: Or initial search (PubMed, Embase, Google scholar) yielded 3200 papers. After proper screening, we selected 71 papers that fitted our inclusion criteria and we developed a scoping review thar describes the current state of the art of qEEG in stroke. Notably, among selected papers 53 (74.3%) focused on spectral power; 11 (15.7%) focused on symmetry indexes, 17 (24.3%) on connectivity metrics, while 5 (7.1%) were about other metrics (e.g. detrended fluctuation analysis). Moreover, 42 (58.6%) studies were performed with standard 19 electrodes EEG caps and only a minority used high-definition EEG. CONCLUSIONS: We systematically assessed major findings on qEEG and stroke, evidencing strengths and potential pitfalls of this promising branch of research.

Observation of a Nuclear Recoil Peak at the 100 eV Scale Induced by Neutron Capture.

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering and low-mass dark matter detectors rely crucially on the understanding of their response to nuclear recoils. We report the first observation of a nuclear recoil peak at around 112 eV induced by neutron capture. The measurement was performed with a CaWO_{4} cryogenic detector from the NUCLEUS experiment exposed to a ^{252}Cf source placed in a compact moderator. We identify the expected peak structure from the single-γ de-excitation of ^{183}W with 3σ and its origin by neutron capture with 6σ significance. This result demonstrates a new method for precise, in situ, and nonintrusive calibration of low-threshold experiments.

Final Result on the Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay of

CUPID-0, an array of Zn^{82}Se cryogenic calorimeters, was the first medium-scale demonstrator of the scintillating bolometers' technology. The first project phase (March 2017-December 2018) allowed the most stringent limit on the neutrinoless double beta decay half-life of the isotope of interest, ^{82}Se, to be set. After a six month long detector upgrade, CUPID-0 began its second and last phase (June 2019-February 2020). In this Letter, we describe the search for neutrinoless double beta decay of ^{82}Se with a total exposure (phase I+II) of 8.82 kg yr^{-1} of isotope. We set a limit on the half-life of ^{82}Se to the ground state of ^{82}Kr of T_{1/2}^{0ν}(^{82}Se)>4.6×10^{24} yr (90% credible interval), corresponding to an effective Majorana neutrino mass m_{ßß}<(263-545) meV. We also set the most stringent lower limits on the neutrinoless decays of ^{82}Se to the 0_{1}^{+}, 2_{1}^{+}, and 2_{2}^{+} excited states of ^{82}Kr, finding 1.8×10^{23} yr, 3.0×10^{23} yr, and 3.2×10^{23} yr (90% credible interval) respectively.

Background identification in cryogenic calorimeters through α - α delayed coincidences.

Localization and modeling of radioactive contaminations is a challenge that ultra-low background experiments are constantly facing. These are fundamental steps both to extract scientific results and to further reduce the background of the detectors. Here we present an innovative technique based on the analysis of α - α delayed coincidences in 232 Th and 238 U decay chains, developed to investigate the contaminations of the ZnSe crystals in the CUPID-0 experiment. This method allows to disentangle surface and bulk contaminations of the detectors relying on the different probability to tag delayed coincidences as function of the α decay position.

Reducing the impact of radioactivity on quantum circuits in a deep-underground facility.

As quantum coherence times of superconducting circuits have increased from nanoseconds to hundreds of microseconds, they are currently one of the leading platforms for quantum information processing. However, coherence needs to further improve by orders of magnitude to reduce the prohibitive hardware overhead of current error correction schemes. Reaching this goal hinges on reducing the density of broken Cooper pairs, so-called quasiparticles. Here, we show that environmental radioactivity is a significant source of nonequilibrium quasiparticles. Moreover, ionizing radiation introduces time-correlated quasiparticle bursts in resonators on the same chip, further complicating quantum error correction. Operating in a deep-underground lead-shielded cryostat decreases the quasiparticle burst rate by a factor thirty and reduces dissipation up to a factor four, showcasing the importance of radiation abatement in future solid-state quantum hardware.

Poststroke shoulder pain in subacute patients and its correlation with upper limb recovery after robotic or conventional treatment: A secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Poststroke shoulder pain is a common complication. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of poststroke shoulder pain, with attention to the neuropathic component, and the relationship between poststroke shoulder pain and upper limb improvement in motor function, strength, disability, and quality of life after upper limb rehabilitation. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare upper limb conventional or robotic rehabilitation on 224 patients enrolled in eight rehabilitation centers. We assessed poststroke shoulder pain (using the Numerical Rating Scale and the Douleur Neuropathique 4), and upper limb motor function, strength, disability, and quality of life at baseline (T0), after 30 rehabilitation sessions (T1), and three months after the end of rehabilitation (T2). RESULTS: A moderate/severe poststroke shoulder pain was reported by 28.9% of patients, while 19.6% of them showed a neuropathic component. At T0, the intensity of pain was higher in women and in patients with neglect syndrome, positively correlated with the time since stroke and disability and negatively correlated with motor function, strength, and the physical aspects of the quality of life.Moderate/severe pain and neuropathic component significantly reduced after both treatments and this reduction was maintained at T2. Finally, the intensity of pain at baseline was negatively correlated with the improvement of upper limb motor function. CONCLUSIONS: Poststroke shoulder pain negatively impact on motor performance, strength, disability, and physical aspects of the quality of life as well as on upper limb motor recovery; however, it can be reduced after a robotic or a conventional rehabilitation. Therefore, we suggest considering poststroke shoulder pain when planning the rehabilitation intervention.

Efficacy of focal muscular vibration in the treatment of upper limb spasticity in subjects with stroke outcomes: randomized controlled trial.

Focal muscular vibration (FMV) is a non-invasive technique that showed positive effects on spasticity of the upper limb in stroke subjects but different protocols have been proposed so the studies are not comparable and, to date, it is not clear which muscles should be treated, agonist, or antagonist muscles to obtain the better result on spasticity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects on spasticity of FMV on the upper limb flexor spastic muscles compared to the effects of FMV on the upper limb extensor muscles in subacute stroke patients. We treated 28 subacute stroke patients (mean age 64.28±13.79) randomized into two groups: Group A and Group B. Group A was treated by applying FMV to the flexor muscles of the upper limb, while Group B was treated by applying FMV to the extensor muscles of the upper limb. The effects on spasticity were assessed by Modified Ashworth Scale (primary outcome) and the upper limb motor function by instrumental robotic outcomes; moreover, muscle strength and pain were evaluated using Motricity Index and Numerical Rating Scale, respectively (secondary outcomes). Patients were subjected to FMV for three consecutive days and were evaluated three times: before treatment (T0), after a week (T1) and after a month (T2) from the end of treatment. Within group, analysis showed statistically significant changes over time of the MAS at the three joints (shoulder, elbow and wrist) in both groups, but post-hoc analysis showed that, only in Group A, MAS was significantly lower at T2, when compared with T0 at the shoulder and elbow. NRS, significantly changed over time only in the Group B. Motricity Index, did not change over time neither in the Group A, nor in the Group B. No statistically significant differences were detected in the between group analysis. Regarding the instrumental robotic outcomes, we detected a statistically significant reduction of the time required to complete the task (Duration) in both group a T2. In conclusion, this study highlighted how the same treatment protocol can determine an improvement in muscle tone and in the Duration to perform a task, regardless of the muscles treated, while the pain improves if we treat the agonist muscles.

Time course of the upper limb motor recovery in subacute stroke patients undergoing conventional or robotic rehabilitation. A preliminary report.

Upper limb recovery is a complex process and a strong challenge in the rehabilitation of patients after stroke. Several studies have been conducted to compare the efficacy of conventional and robotic rehabilitation to restore the upper limb motor impairment following a stroke. However, the evolution of the upper limb motor ability during an intervention, as well as the time point when the patient stops improving (the so call plateau), are rarely measured, and never compared between the two approaches. These latter aspects are very important considering the need for an optimization of the economic resources. In this study, the time course of the upper limb motor recovery of 24 subacute stroke patients undergoing a 30-session robotic or conventional treatment was analyzed through the upper extremity portion of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scale (FMA-UE). The FMA-UE was administered before the treatment, and after 10, 20, and 30 rehabilitation sessions. Statistical analysis showed that, according to the FMA-UE, the time course in the two groups was similar: patients did not change between the baseline and the 10-session assessment, while they improved between 10 and 20 sessions, and between 20 and 30 sessions, with most of the gain observed between 10 and 20 sessions. This result suggests that 30-session robotic or conventional rehabilitation programs induce a similar curve trend in the upper limb motor recovery of patients with subacute stroke, with an important increase in the middle of the program and without reaching a clear plateau in the analyzed time interval.

Cognitive reserve as a useful variable to address robotic or conventional upper limb rehabilitation treatment after stroke: a multicentre study of the Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rehabilitation plays a central role in stroke recovery. Besides conventional therapy, technological treatments have become available. The effectiveness and appropriateness of technological rehabilitation are not yet well defined; hence, research focused on different variables impacting recovery is needed. Results from the literature identified cognitive reserve (CR) as a variable impacting on the cognitive outcome. In this paper, the aim was to evaluate whether CR influences the motor outcome in patients after stroke treated with conventional or robotic therapy and whether it may influence one treatment rather than another. METHODS: Seventy-five stroke patients were enrolled in five Italian neurological rehabilitation centres. Patients were assigned either to a robotic group, rehabilitation by means of robotic devices, or to a conventional group, where a traditional approach was used. Patients were evaluated at baseline and after rehabilitation treatment of 6 weeks through the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), the Motricity Index (MI) and the Barthel Index (BI). CR was assessed at baseline using the Cognitive Reserve Index (CRI) questionnaire. RESULTS: Considering all patients, a weak correlation was found between the CRI related to leisure time and MI evolution (r = 0.276; P = 0.02). Amongst the patients who performed a robotic rehabilitation, a moderate correlation emerged between the CRI related to working activities and MI evolution (r = 0.422; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CR may influence the motor outcome. For each patient, CR and its subcategories should be considered in the choice between conventional and robotic treatment.

Final Result of CUPID-0 Phase-I in the Search for the

CUPID-0 is the first pilot experiment of CUPID, a next-generation project for the measurement of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νDBD) with scintillating bolometers. The detector, consisting of 24 enriched and 2 natural ZnSe crystals, has been taking data at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso from June 2017 to December 2018, collecting a ^{82}Se exposure of 5.29 kg×yr. In this Letter we present the phase-I results in the search for 0νDBD. We demonstrate that the technology implemented by CUPID-0 allows us to reach the lowest background for calorimetric experiments: (3.5_{-0.9}^{+1.0})×10^{-3} counts/(keV kg yr). Monitoring 3.88×10^{25} ^{82}Se nuclei×yr we reach a 90% credible interval median sensitivity of T_{1/2}^{0ν}>5.0×10^{24} yr and set the most stringent limit on the half-life of ^{82}Se 0νDBD: T_{1/2}^{0ν}>3.5×10^{24} yr (90% credible interval), corresponding to m_{ßß}<(311-638) meV depending on the nuclear matrix element calculations.

Evidence of Single State Dominance in the Two-Neutrino Double-ß Decay of

We report on the measurement of the two-neutrino double-ß decay of ^{82}Se performed for the first time with cryogenic calorimeters, in the framework of the CUPID-0 experiment. With an exposure of 9.95 kg yr of Zn^{82}Se, we determine the two-neutrino double-ß decay half-life of ^{82}Se with an unprecedented precision level, T_{1/2}^{2ν}=[8.60±0.03(stat) _{-0.13}^{+0.19}(syst)]×10^{19} yr. The very high signal-to-background ratio, along with the detailed reconstruction of the background sources allowed us to identify the single state dominance as the underlying mechanism of such a process, demonstrating that the higher state dominance hypothesis is disfavored at the level of 5.5σ.

First Result on the Neutrinoless Double-ß Decay of

We report the result of the search for neutrinoless double beta decay of ^{82}Se obtained with CUPID-0, the first large array of scintillating Zn^{82}Se cryogenic calorimeters implementing particle identification. We observe no signal in a 1.83 kg yr ^{82}Se exposure, and we set the most stringent lower limit on the 0νßß ^{82}Se half-life T_{1/2}^{0ν}>2.4×10^{24} yr (90% credible interval), which corresponds to an effective Majorana neutrino mass m_{ßß}<(376-770) meV depending on the nuclear matrix element calculations. The heat-light readout provides a powerful tool for the rejection of α particles and allows us to suppress the background in the region of interest down to (3.6_{-1.4}^{+1.9})×10^{-3} counts/(keV kg yr), an unprecedented level for this technique.

Search of the neutrino-less double beta decay of 82 Se into the excited states of 82 Kr with CUPID-0.

The CUPID-0 experiment searches for double beta decay using cryogenic calorimeters with double (heat and light) read-out. The detector, consisting of 24 ZnSe crystals 95 % enriched in 82 Se and two natural ZnSe crystals, started data-taking in 2017 at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. We present the search for the neutrino-less double beta decay of 82 Se into the 0 1 + , 2 1 + and 2 2 + excited states of 82 Kr with an exposure of 5.74 kg · yr (2.24 × 10 25  emitters · yr). We found no evidence of the decays and set the most stringent limits on the widths of these processes: Γ ( 82 Se → 82 Kr 0 1 + )8.55 × 10 - 24  yr - 1 , Γ ( 82 Se → 82 Kr 2 1 + ) < 6.25 × 10 - 24  yr - 1 , Γ ( 82 Se → 82 Kr 2 2 + )8.25 × 10 - 24  yr - 1 (90 % credible interval).

Analysis of cryogenic calorimeters with light and heat read-out for double beta decay searches.

The suppression of spurious events in the region of interest for neutrinoless double beta decay will play a major role in next generation experiments. The background of detectors based on the technology of cryogenic calorimeters is expected to be dominated by α particles, that could be disentangled from double beta decay signals by exploiting the difference in the emission of the scintillation light. CUPID-0, an array of enriched Zn 82 Se scintillating calorimeters, is the first large mass demonstrator of this technology. The detector started data-taking in 2017 at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso with the aim of proving that dual read-out of light and heat allows for an efficient suppression of the α background. In this paper we describe the software tools we developed for the analysis of scintillating calorimeters and we demonstrate that this technology allows to reach an unprecedented background for cryogenic calorimeters.

CUPID-0: the first array of enriched scintillating bolometers for 0 ν ß ß decay investigations.

The CUPID-0 detector hosted at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy, is the first large array of enriched scintillating cryogenic detectors for the investigation of 82 Se neutrinoless double-beta decay ( 0 ν ß ß ). CUPID-0 aims at measuring a background index in the region of interest (RoI) for 0 ν ß ß at the level of 10 - 3  counts/(keV kg years), the lowest value ever measured using cryogenic detectors. CUPID-0 operates an array of Zn 82 Se scintillating bolometers coupled with bolometric light detectors, with a state of the art technology for background suppression and thorough protocols and procedures for the detector preparation and construction. In this paper, the different phases of the detector design and construction will be presented, from the material selection (for the absorber production) to the new and innovative detector structure. The successful construction of the detector lead to promising preliminary detector performance which is discussed here.

First array of enriched Zn[Formula: see text]Se bolometers to search for double beta decay.

The R&D activity performed during the last years proved the potential of ZnSe scintillating bolometers to the search for neutrino-less double beta decay, motivating the realization of the first large-mass experiment based on this technology: CUPID-0. The isotopic enrichment in [Formula: see text]Se, the Zn[Formula: see text]Se crystals growth, as well as the light detectors production have been accomplished, and the experiment is now in construction at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy). In this paper we present the results obtained testing the first three Zn[Formula: see text]Se crystals operated as scintillating bolometers, and we prove that their performance in terms of energy resolution, background rejection capability and intrinsic radio-purity complies with the requirements of CUPID-0.

CALDER: neutrinoless double-beta decay identification in TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers with kinetic inductance detectors.

Next-generation experiments searching for neutrinoless double-beta decay must be sensitive to a Majorana neutrino mass as low as 10[Formula: see text]. CUORE , an array of 988 TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers being commissioned at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, features an expected sensitivity of 50-130[Formula: see text] at 90 % C.L. The background is expected to be dominated by [Formula: see text] radioactivity, and can be in principle removed by detecting the small amount of Cherenkov  light emitted by the [Formula: see text] signal. The Cryogenic wide-Area Light Detectors with Excellent Resolution project aims at developing a small prototype experiment consisting of TeO[Formula: see text] bolometers coupled to high-sensitivity light detectors based on kinetic inductance detectors. The R&D is focused on the light detectors in view of the implementation in a next-generation neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment.

Community-dwelling Adults Versus Older Adults: Psychopathology and the Continuum Hypothesis.

Little empirical evidence is available on older adults regarding the existence of a continuum between "normal" personality traits and DSM-IV-TR Axes I and II disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Given the typical complexity of clinical presentations in advanced age, it is feasible to expect a dimensional conceptualization of psychopathology to apply to older adults. In this pilot investigation, we first tested age differences in psychopathology, upholding the view that older adults should be considered separately from younger individuals in research on psychopathology. Then, in support of the dimensional approach, we tested the hypothesized continuity between normality and psychopathology by verifying the fulfillment of two operational criteria of continuity. A non-clinical sample of 100 Italian respondents was divided into two groups (50 people per group, 25 women and 25 men), aged 25-64 and 65-84, respectively. The instruments used were a measure of normal personality, SFERAS (Boncori & Barruffi, 2004) and one of Axes I and II psychopathology, TALEIA-400A (Boncori, 2007). MANOVA analyses demonstrated a significant effect on both measures, with older adults achieving higher Axis I scores and higher scores on normal personality traits connected to anxiety. The continuum hypothesis was confirmed on older and younger adults through correlational analyses that verified the fulfillment of both continuity criteria. Our results show that Italian older adults differ significantly in psychopathology from younger individuals; however, contrary to findings from other countries, in a negative direction. The continuity results (although in need of replication with larger samples, utilizing statistical methods better suited for these analyses, such as taxometric procedures) offer preliminary support for the notion that the dimensional approach to psychopathology could work well in older age.