26 research outputs found
Experimental Detection of the CNO Cycle
Borexino recently reported the first experimental evidence for a CNO neutrino. Since this process accounts for only about 1% of the Sunâs total energy production, the associated neutrino flux is remarkably low compared to that of the pp chain, the dominant hydrogen-burning process. This experimental evidence for the existence of CNO neutrinos was obtained using a highly radio-pure Borexino liquid scintillator. Improvements in the thermal stabilization of the detector over the last five years have allowed us to exploit a method of constraining the rate of 210Bi background. Since the CNO cycle is dominant in massive stars, this result is the first experimental evidence of a major stellar hydrogen-to-helium conversion mechanism in the Universe
Solar and geoneutrinos
Thanks to the progress of neutrino physics, today we are able of exploiting neutrinos as a tool to study astrophysical objects. The latter in turn serve as unique sources of elusive neutrinos, which fundamental properties are still to be understood. This contribution attempts to summarize the latest results obtained by measuring neutrinos emitted from the Sun and geoneutrinos produced in radioactive decays inside the Earth, with a particular focus on a recent discovery of the CNO-cycle solar neutrinos by Borexino. Comprehensive measurement of the pp-chain solar neutrinos and the first directional detection of sub-MeV solar neutrinos by Borexino, the updated 8B solar neutrino results of Super-Kamiokande, as well as the latest Borexino and KamLAND geoneutrino measurements are also discussed
Identification of the cosmogenic 11C background in large volumes of liquid scintillators with Borexino
Cosmogenic radio-nuclei are an important source of background for low-energy neutrino experiments. In Borexino, cosmogenic 11C decays outnumber solar pep and CNO neutrino events by about ten to one. In order to extract the flux of these two neutrino species, a highly efficient identification of this background is mandatory. We present here the details of the most consolidated strategy, used throughout Borexino solar neutrino measurements. It hinges upon finding the space-time correlations between 11C decays, the preceding parent muons and the accompanying neutrons. This article describes the working principles and evaluates the performance of this Three-Fold Coincidence (TFC) technique in its two current implementations: a hard-cut and a likelihood-based approach. Both show stable performances throughout Borexino Phases II (2012â2016) and III (2016â2020) data sets, with a 11C tagging efficiency of âŒ90 % and ⌠63â66 % of the exposure surviving the tagging. We present also a novel technique that targets specifically 11C produced in high-multiplicity during major spallation events. Such 11C appear as a burst of events, whose space-time correlation can be exploited. Burst identification can be combined with the TFC to obtain about the same tagging efficiency of âŒ90% but with a higher fraction of the exposure surviving, in the range of ⌠66â68 %
First Directional Measurement of sub-MeV Solar Neutrinos with Borexino
We report the measurement of sub-MeV solar neutrinos through the use of their associated Cherenkov radiation, performed with the Borexino detector at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso. The measurement is achieved using a novel technique that correlates individual photon hits of events to the known position of the Sun. In an energy window between 0.54 to 0.74 MeV, selected using the
dominant scintillation light, we have measured 10 887ĂŸ2386 Ă°statĂ ïżœ 947Ă°systĂ (68% confidence interval) â2103 solar neutrinos out of 19904 total events. This corresponds to a 7Be neutrino interaction rate of 51.6ĂŸ13.9 counts=Ă°day · 100 tonĂ, which is in agreement with the standard solar model predictions and the â12.5 previous spectroscopic results of Borexino. The no-neutrino hypothesis can be excluded with > 5Ï confidence level. For the first time, we have demonstrated the possibility of utilizing the directional Cherenkov information for sub-MeV solar neutrinos, in a large-scale, high light yield liquid scintillator detector. This measurement provides an experimental proof of principle for future hybrid event reconstruction using both Cherenkov and scintillation signatures simultaneously
Mitochondrial genome variability: the effect on cellular functional activity
Aleksandrina S Volobueva,1 Alexandra A Melnichenko,2 Andrey V Grechko,3 Alexander N Orekhov2,4 1Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Biocad Biotechnology Company, Saint-Petersburg, Strelnya, Russia; 2Laboratory of Angiopathology, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; 3Federal Scientific Clinical Center for Resuscitation and Rehabilitation, Moscow, Russia; 4Institute for Atherosclerosis Research, Skolkovo Innovative Center, Moscow, Russia Abstract: Mitochondria are the key players in cell metabolism, calcium homeostasis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Mitochondrial genome alterations are reported to be associated with numerous human disorders affecting nearly all tissues. In this review, we discuss the available information on the involvement of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in cell dysfunction. Keywords: mitochondria, mutation, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species, ATP, electron transfer chai
The Impact of Patient Adherence to Dual Antiplatelet Medication Following Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on the Occurrence of Adverse Cardiovascular Events
J A Mansurova, Andrey Orekhov, A S Zhunuspekova, A A Kassymova, L K Karazhanova Department of Therapy, Non-Commercial Joint-Stock Company âSemey Medical Universityâ, Semey, The Republic of KazakhstanCorrespondence: Andrey Orekhov, Department of Therapy, Non-Commercial Joint-Stock Company âSemey Medical Universityâ, Molodogvardeyskaya 34-1 Street, Semey, F18E9T9, The Republic of Kazakhstan, Tel +87774141476, Email [email protected]: The objective of this study is to examine the impact of medication adherence on the timing of non-cardiovascular serious events (NCDS) onset in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: This prospective study was conducted at a single center and involved 220 ACS patients who underwent sequential PCI with stenting. The Morisky Green Levine Medication Adherence Scale was employed to assess adherence to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and its impact on NCDS occurrence. Early in their hospitalization, all patients received education at the Coronary Heart Disease School. The survival rates of patients in both the main group and a control group (n=355) were subsequently evaluated.Results: The study findings indicated an inverse relationship between stent thrombosis development (Rho=â 0.334; p=0.001) and the timing of recurrent myocardial ischemia. There was also an inverse correlation between patient adherence and stent thrombosis development (Rho=â 0.275; p=0.009). Non-adherent individuals had a 16.8 times higher likelihood of experiencing stent thrombosis compared to compliant patients (p< 0.001). Following participation in the CHD School program, treatment adherence increased from 56.5% to 88.2%. Education for ACS patients post-stenting was significantly associated with all-cause mortality within the first 6 months (p=0.040).Conclusion: Secondary preventive measures, including education, impact the success of endovascular interventions in both the early hospital phase and the long term. Patient education can serve as a supplementary intervention to enhance DAPT adherence, thus diminishing the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events and mortality post endovascular intervention.Keywords: acute coronary syndrome, percutaneous coronary intervention, adherence, education, dual antiplatelet therap
Mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease: Current status of translational research/clinical and therapeutic implications
Mitochondria provide energy to the cell during aerobic respiration by supplying ~95% of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules via oxidative phosphorylation. These organelles have various other functions, all carried out by numerous proteins, with the majority of them being encoded by nuclear DNA (nDNA). Mitochondria occupy ~1/3 of the volume of myocardial cells in adults, and function at levels of high-efficiency to promptly meet the energy requirements of the myocardial contractile units. Mitochondria have their own DNA (mtDNA), which contains 37 genes and is maternally inherited. Over the last several years, a variety of functions of these organelles have been discovered and this has led to a growing interest in their involvement in various diseases, including cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Mitochondrial dysfunction relates to the status where mitochondria cannot meet the demands of a cell for ATP and there is an enhanced formation of reactive-oxygen species. This dysfunction may occur as a result of mtDNA and/or nDNA mutations, but also as a response to aging and various disease and environmental stresses, leading to the development of cardiomyopathies and other CV diseases. Designing mitochondria-targeted therapeutic strategies aiming to maintain or restore mitochondrial function has been a great challenge as a result of variable responses according to the etiology of the disorder. There have been several preclinical data on such therapies, but clinical studies are scarce. A major challenge relates to the techniques needed to eclectically deliver the therapeutic agents to cardiac tissues and to damaged mitochondria for successful clinical outcomes. All these issues and progress made over the last several years are herein reviewed