Antineutrinos from Earth: A reference model and its uncertainties

We predict geoneutrino fluxes in a reference model based on a detailed description of Earth's crust and mantle and using the best available information on the abundances of uranium, thorium, and potassium inside Earth's layers. We estimate the uncertainties of fluxes corresponding to the uncertainties of the element abundances. In addition to distance integrated fluxes, we also provide the differential fluxes as a function of distance from several sites of experimental interest. Event yields at several locations are estimated and their dependence on the neutrino oscillation parameters is discussed. At Kamioka we predict N(U+Th)=35 +- 6 events for 10^{32} proton yr and 100% efficiency assuming sin^2(2theta)=0.863 and delta m^2 = 7.3 X 10^{-5} eV^2. The maximal prediction is 55 events, obtained in a model with fully radiogenic production of the terrestrial heat flow.Comment: 24 pages, ReVTeX4, plus 7 postscript figures; minor formal changes to match version to be published in PR

KamLAND neutrino spectra in energy and time: Indications for reactor power variations and constraints on the georeactor

The Kamioka Liquid scintillator Anti-Neutrino Detector (KamLAND) is sensitive to the neutrino event spectrum from (mainly Japanese) nuclear reactors in both the energy domain and the time domain. While the energy spectrum of KamLAND events allows the determination of the neutrino oscillation parameters, the time spectrum can be used to monitor known and unknown neutrino sources. By using available monthly-binned data on event-by-event energies in KamLAND and on reactor powers in Japan, we perform a likelihood analysis of the neutrino event spectra in energy and time, and find significant indications in favor of time variations of the known reactor sources, as compared with the hypothetical case of constant reactor neutrino flux. We also find that the KamLAND data place interesting upper limits on the power of a speculative nuclear reactor operating in the Earth's core (the so-called georeactor); such limits are strengthened by including solar neutrino constraints on the neutrino mass and mixing parameters. Our results corroborate the standard interpretation of the KamLAND signal as due to oscillating neutrinos from known reactor sources.Comment: 22 pages, including 9 figure

Primordial black holes in braneworld cosmologies: astrophysical constraints

In two recent papers we explored the modifications to primordial black hole physics when one moves to the simplest braneworld model, Randall--Sundrum type II. Both the evaporation law and the cosmological evolution of the population can be modified, and additionally accretion of energy from the background can be dominant over evaporation at high energies. In this paper we present a detailed study of how this impacts upon various astrophysical constraints, analyzing constraints from the present density, from the present high-energy photon background radiation, from distortion of the microwave background spectrum, and from processes affecting light element abundances both during and after nucleosynthesis. Typically, the constraints on the formation rate of primordial black holes weaken as compared to the standard cosmology if black hole accretion is unimportant at high energies, but can be strengthened in the case of efficient accretion.Comment: 17 pages RevTeX4 file with three figures incorporated; final paper in series astro-ph/0205149 and astro-ph/0208299. Minor changes to match version accepted by Physical Review

Primordial Nucleosynthesis for the New Cosmology: Determining Uncertainties and Examining Concordance

Big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) have a long history together in the standard cosmology. The general concordance between the predicted and observed light element abundances provides a direct probe of the universal baryon density. Recent CMB anisotropy measurements, particularly the observations performed by the WMAP satellite, examine this concordance by independently measuring the cosmic baryon density. Key to this test of concordance is a quantitative understanding of the uncertainties in the BBN light element abundance predictions. These uncertainties are dominated by systematic errors in nuclear cross sections. We critically analyze the cross section data, producing representations that describe this data and its uncertainties, taking into account the correlations among data, and explicitly treating the systematic errors between data sets. Using these updated nuclear inputs, we compute the new BBN abundance predictions, and quantitatively examine their concordance with observations. Depending on what deuterium observations are adopted, one gets the following constraints on the baryon density: OmegaBh^2=0.0229\pm0.0013 or OmegaBh^2 = 0.0216^{+0.0020}_{-0.0021} at 68% confidence, fixing N_{\nu,eff}=3.0. Concerns over systematics in helium and lithium observations limit the confidence constraints based on this data provide. With new nuclear cross section data, light element abundance observations and the ever increasing resolution of the CMB anisotropy, tighter constraints can be placed on nuclear and particle astrophysics. ABRIDGEDComment: 54 pages, 20 figures, 5 tables v2: reflects PRD version minor changes to text and reference

Measurement of the longitudinal diffusion of ionization electrons in the MicroBooNE detector

Abstract: Accurate knowledge of electron transport properties is vital to understanding the information provided by liquid argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). Ionization electron drift-lifetime, local electric field distortions caused by positive ion accumulation, and electron diffusion can all significantly impact the measured signal waveforms. This paper presents a measurement of the effective longitudinal electron diffusion coefficient, DL, in MicroBooNE at the nominal electric field strength of 273.9 V/cm. Historically, this measurement has been made in LArTPC prototype detectors. This represents the first measurement in a large-scale (85 tonne active volume) LArTPC operating in a neutrino beam. This is the largest dataset ever used for this measurement. Using a sample of ∼70,000 through-going cosmic ray muon tracks tagged with MicroBooNE's cosmic ray tagger system, we measure DL = 3.74+0.28 -0.29 cm2/s

The Earthʼs mantle and geoneutrinos.

The KamLAND and Borexino experiments have observed, each at ~4σ level, signals of electron antineutrinos produced in the decay chains of thorium and uranium in the Earth's crust and mantle (Th and U geoneutrinos). Various pieces of geochemical and geophysical information allow an estimation of the crustal geoneutrino flux components with relatively small uncertainties. The mantle component may then be inferred by subtracting the estimated crustal flux from the measured total flux. We find that crust-subtracted signals show hints of a residual mantle component, emerging at ~2.4σ level by combining the KamLAND and Borexino data. The inferred mantle flux, slightly favoring scenarios with relatively high Th and U abundances, within ~1σ uncertainties is comparable to the predictions from recent mantle models

Scientific And Technological Aspects Of Using Probiotic Cultures To Produce Fermented Dairy Products: Review [aspectos Científicos E Tecnológicos Do Emprego De Culturas Probióticas Na Elaboração De Produtos Lácteos Fermentados: Revisão]

The present work by means of a literature review had the aim of presenting the health benefits of probiotic dairy products ingestion and the countless scientific and technological aspects related to their processing. Moreover, it points out the utilization of exopolysaccharide-producing strains of lactic acid bacteria, as well as the development of new classes of functional products combined to probiotic microorganisms and prebiotics compounds (synbiotic foods). Selection of a microorganism with probiotic properties requires the observation of three factors: safety, functional characteristics and technological characteristics. Therefore, when observed all the approached aspects it will be possible to obtain a probiotic product with the quality required and in its maximum functionality.2818596Akin, M.S., Güller-Akin, M.B., Effect of different incubation temperatures on the microflora, chemical composition and sensory characteristics of bio-yogurt (2005) Italian Journal of Food Science, 17 (1), pp. 67-74Begley, M., Hill, C., Gahan, C.G.M., Bile salt hydrolase activity in probiotics (2006) Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72 (3), pp. 1729-1738Broadbent, J.R., McMahon, D.J., Welker, D.L., Oberg, C.J., Moineau, S., Biochemistry, genetics, and applications of exopolysaccharide production in Streptococcus thermophilus: A review (2003) Journal of Dairy Science, 86 (2), pp. 407-423Corcoran, B.M., Stanton, C., Fitzgerald, G.F., Ross, R.P., Survival of probiotic Lactobacilli in acidic environments is enhanced in the presence of metabolizable sugars (2005) Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 71 (6), pp. 3060-3067Dave, R.I., Shah, N.P., Ingredient supplementation effects on viability of probiotic bacteria in yogurt (1998) Journal of Dairy Science, 81 (11), pp. 2804-2816Degeest, B., Mozzi, F., De Vuyst, L., Effect of medium composition and temperature and pH changes on exopolysaccharide yields and stability during Streptococcus thermophilus LY03 fermentations (2002) International Journal of Food Microbiology, 79 (3), pp. 161-174De Vuyst, L., Zamfir, M., Mozzi, F., Adriany, T., Marshall, V., Degeest, B., Vaningelgem, F., Exopolysaccharide-producing Streptococcus thermophilus strains as functional starter cultures in the production of fermented milks (2003) International Dairy Journal, 13 (8), pp. 707-717Donkor, O.N., Henriksson, A., Vasiljevic, T., Shah, N.P., Effect of acidification on the activity of probiotics in yoghurt during cold storage (2006) International Dairy Journal, 16 (10), pp. 1181-1189Fooks, L.J., Fuller, R., Gibson, G.R., Prebiotics, probiotics and human gut microbiology (1999) International Dairy Journal, 9 (1), pp. 53-61Gomes, A.M.P., Malcata, F.X., Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus acidophilus: Biological, biochemical, technological and therapeutical properties relevant for use as probiotics (1999) Trends In Food Science & Technology, 10 (4-5), pp. 139-157Heller, K.J., Probiotic bacteria in fermented foods: Product characteristics and starter organisms (2001) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73 (SUPPL.), pp. 374S-379SHolzapfel, W.H., Haberer, P., Geisen, R., Björkroth, J., Schillinger, U., Taxonomy and important features of probiotic microorganisms in food and nutrition (2001) American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73 (SUPPL.), pp. 365S-373SItsaranuwat, P., Shal-Haddad, K., Robinson, R.K., The potential therapeutic benefits of consuming 'health-promoting' fermented dairy products: A brief update (2003) International Journal of Dairy Technology, 56 (4), pp. 203-210Jolly, L., Stingele, F., Molecular organization and functionality of exopolysaccharide gene clusters in lactic acid bacteria (2001) International Dairy Journal, 11 (9), pp. 733-745Kirjavainen, P.V., Ouwehand, A.C., Isolauri, E., Salminen, S.J., The ability of probiotic bacteria to bind to human intestinal mucus (1998) FEMS Microbiology Letters, 167 (2), pp. 185-189Laws, A.P., Marshall, V.M., The relevance of exopolysaccharides to the rheological properties in milk fermented with ropy strains of lactic acid bacteria (2001) International Dairy Journal, 11 (9), pp. 709-721Leahy, S.C., Higgins, D.G., Fitzgerald, G.F., van Sinderen, D., Getting better with bifidobacteria (2005) Journal of Applied Microbiology, 98 (6), pp. 1303-1315Lin, T.Y., Chang, C.M.-F., Exopolysaccharides production as affected by lactic acid bacteria and fermentation time (2007) Food Chemistry, 100 (4), pp. 1419-1423Lin, W.-H., Hwang, C.-F., Chen, L.-W., Tsen, H.-Y., Viable counts, characteristic evaluation for commercial lactic acid bacteria products (2006) Food Microbiology, 23 (1), pp. 74-81Madigan, M.T., Martinko, J.M., Parker, J., (2004) Microbiologia De Brock, p. 608. , 10. ed. 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The A3 adenosine receptor induces cytoskeleton rearrangement in human astrocytoma cells via a specific action on Rho proteins

In previous studies, we have demonstrated that exposure of astroglial cells to A3 adenosine receptor agonists results in dual actions on cell survival, with "trophic" and antiapoptotic effects at nanomolar concentrations and induction of cell death at micromolar agonist concentrations. The protective actions of A3 agonists have been associated with a reinforcement of the actin cytoskeleton, which likely results in increased resistance of cells to cytotoxic stimuli. The molecular mechanisms at the basis of this effect and the signalling pathway(s) linking the A3 receptor to the actin cytoskeleton have never been elucidated. Based on previous literature data suggesting that the actin cytoskeleton is controlled by small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family, in the study reported here we investigated the involvement of these proteins in the effects induced by A3 agonists on human astrocytoma ADF cells. The presence of the A3 adenosine receptor in these cells has been confirmed by immunoblotting analysis. As expected, exposure of human astrocytoma ADF cells to nanomolar concentrations of the selective A3 agonist 2-chloro-N6-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide (CI-IB-MECA) resulted in formation of thick actin positive stress fibers. Preexposure of cells to the C3B toxin that inactivates Rho-proteins completely prevented the actin changes induced by CI-IB-MECA. Exposure to the A3 agonist also resulted in significant reduction of Rho-GDI, an inhibitory protein known to maintain Rho proteins in their inactive state, suggesting a potentiation of Rho-mediated effects. This effect was fully counteracted by the concomitant exposure to the selective A3 receptor antagonist MRS1191. These results suggest that the reinforcement of the actin cytoskeleton induced by A3 receptor agonists is mediated by an interference with the activation/inactivation cycle of Rho proteins, which may, therefore, represent a biological target for the identification of novel neuroprotective strategies