Investigation of double beta decay with the NEMO-3 detector

The double beta decay experiment NEMO~3 has been taking data since February 2003. The aim of this experiment is to search for neutrinoless ($0\nu\beta\beta$) decay and investigate two neutrino double beta decay in seven different isotopically enriched samples ($^{100}$Mo, $^{82}$Se, $^{48}$Ca, $^{96}$Zr, $^{116}$Cd, $^{130}$Te and $^{150}$Nd). After analysis of the data corresponding to 3.75 y, no evidence for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay in the $^{100}$Mo and $^{82}$Se samples was found. The half-life limits at the 90% C.L. are $1.1\cdot 10^{24}$ y and $3.6\cdot 10^{23}$ y, respectively. Additionally for $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay the following limits at the 90% C.L. were obtained, $> 1.3 \cdot 10^{22}$ y for $^{48}$Ca, $> 9.2 \cdot 10^{21}$ y for $^{96}$Zr and $> 1.8 \cdot 10^{22}$ y for $^{150}$Nd. The $2\nu\beta\beta$ decay half-life values were precisely measured for all investigated isotopes.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables; talk at conference on "Fundamental Interactions Physics" (ITEP, Moscow, November 23-27, 2009

The event generator DECAY4 for simulation of double beta processes and decay of radioactive nuclei

The computer code DECAY4 is developed to generate initial energy, time and angular distributions of particles emitted in radioactive decays of nuclides and nuclear (atomic) deexcitations. Data for description of nuclear and atomic decay schemes are taken from the ENSDF and EADL database libraries. The examples of use of the DECAY4 code in several underground experiments are described.Comment: 8 pages, 1 fi

Continuing education on Paleontology: the experience with the project “Workshop on Paleontology: fossils inside the classroom”

The Natural Sciences are essential in the education of citizens aware of the reality in which they live. In this context, Paleontology has an important in basic education, given its multidisciplinary nature, what enables the integrated understanding of the events and phenomena that changed natural environments during the geological history of our planet. In addition, its teaching promotes the awareness of the importance of the fossils as public patrimony, essential for their preservation. Even though current technology allows quick and easy access to information, the selection of subjects and practical activities is often inadequate, as most teachers do not have expertise in paleontology. With this scenario in mind, we created the “Workshop on Paleontology: fossils inside the classroom”, culminating in a continuing education workshop, aiming to promote better education of Palentology in schools (basic education). The project already held two workshops, in which several theoretical-practical activities were carried out with teachers and future educators of the public-school network of Ribeirão Preto and Jaboticabal cities, possible multipliers of scientific and patrimonial knowledge within the classroom. After the second workshop, a questionnaire was conducted with students and aimed to assess the course and improve upcoming workshops.O ensino das Ciências Naturais é essencial na formação de cidadãos como seres cientes da realidade em que vivem. No contexto da formação básica, a Paleontologia tem papel importante, dada sua natureza multidisciplinar, e seu estudo auxilia na compreensão integrada dos eventos e fenômenos que transformaram ambientes durante a história geológica do nosso planeta. Ademais, seu ensino promove a conscientização da importância dos fósseis como patrimônio público, essencial para sua preservação. Mesmo com a atual facilidade de acesso à informação, a seleção de conteúdos e práticas adequadas nem sempre é apropriada, uma vez que poucos professores têm experiência com a Paleontologia. Tendo tais desafios em mente, formulamos o projeto "Oficina de Paleontologia: os fósseis dentro da sala de aula", no formato de um curso de extensão de educação continuada, com o objetivo de fomentar o ensino elementar de qualidade em Paleontologia nas escolas. Em duas edições, diversas atividades teórico-práticas foram realizadas com professores e futuros educadores da rede escolar pública de Ribeirão Preto e Jaboticabal, possíveis multiplicadores do conhecimento científico e patrimonial dentro da sala de aula. Após o término da segunda oficina, um questionário realizado com os participantes visou avaliar o curso, criando um espaço para críticas e sugestões

Recent advances in neutrinoless double beta decay search

Even after the discovery of neutrino flavour oscillations, based on data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator experiments, many characteristics of the neutrino remain unknown. Only the neutrino square-mass differences and the mixing angle values have been estimated, while the value of each mass eigenstate still hasn't. Its nature (massive Majorana or Dirac particle) is still escaping. Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu$-DBD) experimental discovery could be the ultimate answer to some delicate questions of elementary particle and nuclear physics. The Majorana description of neutrinos allows the $0\nu$-DBD process, and consequently either a mass value could be measured or the existence of physics beyond the standard should be confirmed without any doubt. As expected, the $0\nu$-DBD measurement is a very difficult field of application for experimentalists. In this paper, after a short summary of the latest results in neutrino physics, the experimental status, the R&D projects, and perspectives in $0\nu$-DBD sector are reviewed.Comment: 36 pages, 7 figures, To be publish in Czech Journal of Physic

An Estimate of the Incidence of Prostate Cancer in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Prostate cancer (PCa) is rated the second most common cancer and sixth leading cause of cancer deaths among men globally. Reports show that African men suffer disproportionately from PCa compared to men from other parts of the world. It is still quite difficult to accurately describe the burden of PCa in Africa due to poor cancer registration systems.We systematically reviewed the literature on prostate cancer in Africa and provided a continentwide incidence rate of PCa based on available data in the regio

The potential of antisense oligonucleotide therapies for inherited childhood lung diseases.

Antisense oligonucleotides are an emerging therapeutic option to treat diseases with known genetic origin. In the age of personalised medicines, antisense oligonucleotides can sometimes be designed to target and bypass or overcome a patient's genetic mutation, in particular those lesions that compromise normal pre-mRNA processing. Antisense oligonucleotides can alter gene expression through a variety of mechanisms as determined by the chemistry and antisense oligomer design. Through targeting the pre-mRNA, antisense oligonucleotides can alter splicing and induce a specific spliceoform or disrupt the reading frame, target an RNA transcript for degradation through RNaseH activation, block ribosome initiation of protein translation or disrupt miRNA function. The recent accelerated approval of eteplirsen (renamed Exondys 51™) by the Food and Drug Administration, for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and nusinersen, for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy, herald a new and exciting era in splice-switching antisense oligonucleotide applications to treat inherited diseases. This review considers the potential of antisense oligonucleotides to treat inherited lung diseases of childhood with a focus on cystic fibrosis and disorders of surfactant protein metabolism