Results of the Search for Strange Quark Matter and Q-balls with the SLIM Experiment

The SLIM experiment at the Chacaltaya high altitude laboratory was sensitive to nuclearites and Q-balls, which could be present in the cosmic radiation as possible Dark Matter components. It was sensitive also to strangelets, i.e. small lumps of Strange Quark Matter predicted at such altitudes by various phenomenological models. The analysis of 427 m^2 of Nuclear Track Detectors exposed for 4.22 years showed no candidate event. New upper limits on the flux of downgoing nuclearites and Q-balls at the 90% C.L. were established. The null result also restricts models for strangelets propagation through the Earth atmosphere.Comment: 14 pages, 11 EPS figure

New MACRO results on atmospheric neutrino oscillations

The final results of the MACRO experiment on atmospheric neutrino oscillations are presented and discussed. The data concern different event topologies with average neutrino energies of ~3 and ~50 GeV. Multiple Coulomb Scattering of the high energy muons in absorbers was used to estimate the neutrino energy of each event. The angular distributions, the L/E_nu distribution, the particle ratios and the absolute fluxes all favour nu_mu --> nu_tau oscillations with maximal mixing and Delta m^2 =0.0023 eV^2. A discussion is made on the Monte Carlos used for the atmospheric neutrino flux. Some results on neutrino astrophysics are also briefly discussed.Comment: Invited Paper at the NANP03 Int. Conf., Dubna, 200

First events from the CNGS neutrino beam detected in the OPERA experiment

The OPERA neutrino detector at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS) was designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in appearance mode, through the study of nu_mu to nu_tau oscillations. The apparatus consists of a lead/emulsion-film target complemented by electronic detectors. It is placed in the high-energy, long-baseline CERN to LNGS beam (CNGS) 730 km away from the neutrino source. In August 2006 a first run with CNGS neutrinos was successfully conducted. A first sample of neutrino events was collected, statistically consistent with the integrated beam intensity. After a brief description of the beam and of the various sub-detectors, we report on the achievement of this milestone, presenting the first data and some analysis results.Comment: Submitted to the New Journal of Physic

Observation of a first ντ\nu_\tau candidate in the OPERA experiment in the CNGS beam

The OPERA neutrino detector in the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory (LNGS) has been designed to perform the first detection of neutrino oscillations in direct appearance mode through the study of the $\nu_\mu\rightarrow\nu_\tau$ channel. The hybrid apparatus consists of an emulsion/lead target complemented by electronic detectors and it is placed in the high energy long-baseline CERN to LNGS beam (CNGS) 730 km away from the neutrino source. Runs with CNGS neutrinos were successfully carried out in 2008 and 2009. After a brief description of the beam, the experimental setup and the procedures used for the analysis of the neutrino events, we describe the topology and kinematics of a first candidate $\nu_\tau$ charged-current event satisfying the kinematical selection criteria. The background calculations and their cross-check are explained in detail and the significance of the event is assessed.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figure

Contrarrestar el estigma hacia las personas con esquizofrenia en el ámbito sanitario: una experiencia piloto en una muestra de estudiantes italianos de medicina

The article is based of the concern about the negative effects, found in many international publications, that stigma has on the quality of care that people with schizophrenia receive in the field of health services, in connection with their physical health, often deteriorated. As a result of the lack of knowledge about the causes and characteristics of this disease and the misconceptions that many professionals share with the general population about the dangerousness and lack of recovery of the people affected by this disorder, they are usually subject of lack of respect and poor care into general health services. Very important to improve the information and correct erroneous attitudes is the period of training of professionals and in this regard are presented the first results of a pilot project, developed between students of Medicine of an Italian University, consisting in a brief course on stigma and schizophrenia. Although the results must be confirmed by other studies, they noted the evident positive changes occurring in the knowledge and attitudes of students with a brief educational intervention, associated with the participation of users, also confirming other international studies.El artículo parte de la preocupación por los efectos negativos, constatados en múltiples publicaciones internacionales, que el estigma tiene sobre la calidad de la atención que reciben las personas con esquizofrenia en el ámbito de los servicios sanitarios y en relación con su salud física, frecuentemente deteriorada. Como consecuencia del desconocimiento sobre las causas y características de esta enfermedad y las ideas erróneas que muchos profesionales comparten con la población general sobre la peligrosidad e incurabilidad de las personas afectadas por este trastorno, son habitualmente objeto de falta de respeto y mala atención en los servicios sanitarios generales. Un momento importante para mejorar la información y corregir las ideas erróneas es el periodo de formación de los profesionales y a ese respecto se presentan los primeros resultados de una experiencia piloto, desarrollada entre estudiantes de Medicina de una Universidad italiana, consistente en la inclusión de un curso breve sobre el estigma y la esquizofrenia. Aunque los resultados deben ser confirmados por otros estudios, permiten constatar los evidentes cambios positivos que se producen en el conocimiento y las actitudes de los estudiantes con una breve intervención educativa, asociada a la participación de usuarios, confirmando también otros estudios internacionales