Solving the degeneracy of the lepton-flavor mixing angle theta_atm by the T2KK two detector neutrino oscillation experiment

If the atmospheric neutrino oscillation amplitude, sin^2 2theta_atm is not maximal, there is a two fold ambiguity in the neutrino parameter space: sin^2 theta_atm>0.5 or sin^2 theta_atm<0.5. In this article, we study the impact of this degeneracy, the so-called octant degeneracy, on the T2KK experiment, which is a proposed extension of the T2K (Tokai-to-Kaimoka) neutrino oscillation experiment with an additional water cherenkov detector placed in Korea. We find that the degeneracy between sin^2 theta_atm= 0.40 and 0.60 can be resolved at the 3sigma level for sin^2 2theta_rct>0.12 (0.08) for the optimal combination of a 3.0^circ off-axis beam (OAB) at SK (L=295km) and a 0.5^circ OAB at L=1000km with a far detector of 100kton volume, after 5 years of exposure with 1.0(5.0) time 10^21 POT/year, if the hierarchy is normal. We also study the influence of the octant degeneracy on the capability of T2KK experiment to determine the mass hierarchy and the leptonic CP phase. The capability of rejecting the wrong mass hierarchy grows with increasing sin^2 theta_atm when the hierarchy is normal, whereas it is rather insensitive to sin^2 theta_atm for the inverted hierarchy. We also find that the 1sigma allowed region of the CP phase is not affected significantly even when the octant degeneracy is not resolved. All our results are obtained for the 22.5 kton Super-Kamiokande as a near detector and without an anti-neutrino beam.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figure

Asymptotic Regge Trajectories of Non-strange Mesons

We analyze the asymptotic behavior of Regge trajectories of non-strange mesons. In contrast to an existing belief, it is demonstrated that for the asymptotically linear Regge trajectories the width of heavy hadrons cannot linearly depend on their mass. Using the data on masses and widths of rho_J, omega_J, a_J and f_J mesons for the spin values J \leq 6, we extract the parameters of the asymptotically linear Regge trajectory predicted by the finite width model of quark gluon bags. As it is shown the obtained parameters for the data set B correspond to the cross-over temperature lying in the interval 170.9-175.3 MeV which is consistent with the kinetic freeze-out temperature of early hadronizing particles found in relativistic heavy ion collisions at and above the highest SPS energy.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates: Occurrence rates, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and molecular typing in the global SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, 1997-1999

During 1997–1999, a total of 70,067 isolates (6631 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates) were analyzed in the SENTRY program by geographic region and body site of infection. The respiratory tract was the most common source of P. aeruginosa. P. aeruginosa isolation rates increased during the study interval. Europe was the only region to show a significant decline in β-lactam and aminoglycoside susceptibility rates. There was a reduction in the rates of susceptibility of Canadian isolates to imipenem and of Latin American isolates to meropenem. A total of 218 multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates (MDR-PSA; resistant to piperacillin, ceftazidime, imipenem, and gentamicin) were observed; MDR-PSA occurrence rates (percentages of all isolates) ranged from 8.2% (Latin America) to 0.9% (Canada). No antimicrobial inhibited >50% of MDR-PSA strains. Molecular characterization of selected, generally resistant strains was performed. Isolates showing unique ribogroups were found in Europe, Latin America, and the United States, but clonal spread was documented in several medical centers.A. C. Gales, R. N. Jones, J. Turnidge, R. Rennie, and R. Rampha

Stable Field Emitters for a Miniature X-ray Tube Using Carbon Nanotube Drop Drying on a Flat Metal Tip

Stable carbon nanotube (CNT) field emitters for a vacuum-sealed miniature X-ray tube have been fabricated. The field emitters with a uniform CNT coating are prepared by a simple drop drying of a CNT mixture solution that is composed of chemically modified multi-walled CNTs, silver nanoparticles, and isopropyl alcohol on flat tungsten tips. A highly thermal- and electrical-conductive silver layer strongly attaches CNTs to the tungsten tips. Consequently, the field emitters exhibit good electron emission stability: continuous electron emission of around 100 μA at 2.3 V/μm has stably lasted over 40 h even at non-high vacuum ambient (~10−3 Pa)

The T7-Related Pseudomonas putida Phage ϕ15 Displays Virion-Associated Biofilm Degradation Properties

Formation of a protected biofilm environment is recognized as one of the major causes of the increasing antibiotic resistance development and emphasizes the need to develop alternative antibacterial strategies, like phage therapy. This study investigates the in vitro degradation of single-species Pseudomonas putida biofilms, PpG1 and RD5PR2, by the novel phage ϕ15, a ‘T7-like virus’ with a virion-associated exopolysaccharide (EPS) depolymerase. Phage ϕ15 forms plaques surrounded by growing opaque halo zones, indicative for EPS degradation, on seven out of 53 P. putida strains. The absence of haloes on infection resistant strains suggests that the EPS probably act as a primary bacterial receptor for phage infection. Independent of bacterial strain or biofilm age, a time and dose dependent response of ϕ15-mediated biofilm degradation was observed with generally a maximum biofilm degradation 8 h after addition of the higher phage doses (104 and 106 pfu) and resistance development after 24 h. Biofilm age, an in vivo very variable parameter, reduced markedly phage-mediated degradation of PpG1 biofilms, while degradation of RD5PR2 biofilms and ϕ15 amplification were unaffected. Killing of the planktonic culture occurred in parallel with but was always more pronounced than biofilm degradation, accentuating the need for evaluating phages for therapeutic purposes in biofilm conditions. EPS degrading activity of recombinantly expressed viral tail spike was confirmed by capsule staining. These data suggests that the addition of high initial titers of specifically selected phages with a proper EPS depolymerase are crucial criteria in the development of phage therapy

Transcriptome Analysis of Synaptoneurosomes Identifies Neuroplasticity Genes Overexpressed in Incipient Alzheimer's Disease

In Alzheimer's disease (AD), early deficits in learning and memory are a consequence of synaptic modification induced by toxic beta-amyloid oligomers (oAβ). To identify immediate molecular targets downstream of oAβ binding, we prepared synaptoneurosomes from prefrontal cortex of control and incipient AD (IAD) patients, and isolated mRNAs for comparison of gene expression. This novel approach concentrates synaptic mRNA, thereby increasing the ratio of synaptic to somal mRNA and allowing discrimination of expression changes in synaptically localized genes. In IAD patients, global measures of cognition declined with increasing levels of dimeric Aβ (dAβ). These patients also showed increased expression of neuroplasticity related genes, many encoding 3′UTR consensus sequences that regulate translation in the synapse. An increase in mRNA encoding the GluR2 subunit of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) was paralleled by elevated expression of the corresponding protein in IAD. These results imply a functional impact on synaptic transmission as GluR2, if inserted, maintains the receptors in a low conductance state. Some overexpressed genes may induce early deficits in cognition and others compensatory mechanisms, providing targets for intervention to moderate the response to dAβ

Genomics and epidemiology for gastric adenocarcinomas (GE4GAC): a Brazilian initiative to study gastric cancer

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common type of cancer worldwide with high incidences in Asia, Central, and South American countries. This patchy distribution means that GC studies are neglected by large research centers from developed countries. The need for further understanding of this complex disease, including the local importance of epidemiological factors and the rich ancestral admixture found in Brazil, stimulated the implementation of the GE4GAC project. GE4GAC aims to embrace epidemiological, clinical, molecular and microbiological data from Brazilian controls and patients with malignant and pre-malignant gastric disease. In this letter, we summarize the main goals of the project, including subject and sample accrual and current findings