KM3NeT broadcast optical data transport system

The optical data transport system of the KM3NeT neutrino telescope at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea will provide more than 6000 optical modules in the detector arrays with a point-to-point optical connection to the control stations onshore. The ARCA and ORCA detectors of KM3NeT are being installed at a depth of about 3500 m and 2500 m, respectively and their distance to the control stations is about 100 kilometers and 40 kilometers. In particular, the two detectors are optimised for the detection of cosmic neutrinos with energies above about 1 TeV (ARCA) and for the detection of atmospheric neutrinos with energies in the range 1 GeV-1 TeV (ORCA). The expected maximum data rate is 200 Mbps per optical module. The implemented optical data transport system matches the layouts of the networks of electro-optical cables and junction boxes in the deep sea. For efficient use of the fibres in the system the technology of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing is applied. The performance of the optical system in terms of measured bit error rates, optical budget are presented. The next steps in the implementation of the system are also discussed

Association of maternal KIR gene content polymorphisms with reduction in perinatal transmission of HIV-1

The role of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) in the transmission of HIV-1 has not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the association of KIR gene content polymorphisms with perinatal HIV-1 transmission. The KIR gene family comprising 16 genes was genotyped in 313 HIV-1 positive Kenyan mothers paired with their infants. Gene content polymorphisms were presented as presence of individual KIR genes, haplotypes, genotypes and KIR gene concordance. The genetic data were analyzed for associations with perinatal transmission of HIV. There was no association of infant KIR genes with perinatal HIV-1 transmission. After adjustment for gravidity, viral load, and CD4 cell count, there was evidence of an association between reduction in perinatal HIV-1 transmission and the maternal individual KIR genes KIR2DL2 (adjusted OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.24–1.02, P = 0.06), KIR2DL5 (adjusted OR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23–0.95, P = 0.04) and KIR2DS5 (adjusted OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.18–0.80, P = 0.01). Furthermore, these maternal KIR genes were only significantly associated with reduction in perinatal HIV transmission in women with CD4 cell count ≥ 350 cells/ μl and viral load <10000 copies/ml. Concordance analysis showed that when both mother and child had KIR2DS2, there was less likelihood of perinatal HIV-1 transmission (adjusted OR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20–0.96, P = 0.039). In conclusion, the maternal KIR genes KIR2DL2, KIR2DL5, KIR2DS5, and KIR2DS2 were associated with reduction of HIV-1 transmission from mother to child. Furthermore, maternal immune status is an important factor in the association of KIR with perinatal HIV transmission

MUTATION IN DHP RECEPTOR ALPHA-1 SUBUNIT (CACLN1A3) GENE IN A DUTCH FAMILY WITH HYPOKALEMIC PERIODIC PARALYSIS

Hypokalaemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) is characterised by transient attacks of muscle weakness of varying duration and severity accompanied by a drop in serum potassium concentration during the attacks. The largest known HypoPP family is of Dutch origin and consists of 277 members in the last five generations, 55 of whom have HypoPP inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Forty-eight persons including 28 patients with a proven diagnosis of HypoPP were used for linkage analysis. Microsatellite markers were used to exclude 45 to 50% of the genome and linkage to chromosome 1q31-32 was found. No recombinants were found between HypoPP and D1S412 and a microsatellite contained within the DHP receptor alpha 1 subunit (CACLN1A3) gene. A previously reported G to A mutation causing an arginine to histidine substitution at residue 528 in the transmembrane segment IIS4 of the CACLN1A3 gene was shown in patients by restriction analysis of genomic PCR products

Measurement of the KL−KSK_{L}-K_{S} mass difference using semileptonic decays of tagged neutral kaons

We report on a new measurement of the \kl--\ks\ mass difference \dm\ using the CPLEAR full data sample of neutral-kaon decays to \semi. The result is \dm = (0.5295 \pm 0.0020_{\stat} \pm 0.0003_{\syst}) \times 10^{10}\ \hbs. It includes earlier data reported in Ref. \cite{deltam1}. A measurement of the \dsdq\ violating parameter \rex\ is also obtained

The CPLEAR-experiment at CERN

The CPLEAR experiment uses tagged K-0 and (K) over bar(0) produced in p (p) over bar annihilation at rest to measure CP-, T- and CPT-violation parameters in the neutral kaon system. The results of these measurements and some implications are reported

Evaluation of the phase of the CP violation parameter eta(+-) and the K-L-K-S mass difference from a correlation analysis of different experiments

The best estimation of phi+- (the phase of the CP violation parameter eta+-) and of Delta m (the K-L - K-S mass difference) is obtained by averaging the results of different experiments, taking into account the different correlation, existing for most of the experiments, between the measurement of phi+- and hm. Including the recent measurements, we obtain the average values (Delta m) = (530.7 +/- 1.3) x 10(7) &lt;(h)over bar/s&gt; and (phi+-) = 43.82 degrees +/- 0.63 degrees. This value of phi+- is in good agreement with the superweak phase phi(SW) = 43.49 degrees +/- 0.08 degrees

CPLEAR results on the CP parameters of neutral kaons decaying to pi(+)pi(-)pi(0)

The CPLEAR experiment measured time-dependent decay-rate asymmetries of K-0 and (K) over bar(0) decaying to pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) in order to study the interference between the decay amplitudes of K-S(0) - either CP-violating or CP-conserving - and the CP-conserving K-L(0) decay amplitude. From the analysis of the complete data set we find for the CP-violating parameter eta(+-0), Re((+-0)) = (-2 +/- 7 stat. (+4)(-1) syst.) x 10(-3), Im(eta(+-0)) = (-2 +/- 9 stat. (+2)(-1) syst.) x 10(-3) and for the CP-conserving parameter lambda, Re(lambda) = (+28 +/- 7 stat. +/-3 syst.) x 10(-3), Im(lambda) = (-10 +/- 8 stat. +/- 2 syst.) x 10(-3). From the latter, the branching ratio of the CP-conserving (KS)-S-0 –&gt; pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) decay is deduced to be B = (2.5(-1.0)(+1.3) stat. (+0.5)(-0.6) systs.) x 10(-7). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V