54 research outputs found
Search for neutrino oscillations on a long base-line at the CHOOZ nuclear power station
This final article about the CHOOZ experiment presents a complete description
of the electron antineutrino source and detector, the calibration methods and
stability checks, the event reconstruction procedures and the Monte Carlo
simulation. The data analysis, systematic effects and the methods used to reach
our conclusions are fully discussed. Some new remarks are presented on the
deduction of the confidence limits and on the correct treatment of systematic
errors.Comment: 41 pages, 59 figures, Latex file, accepted for publication by
Eur.Phys.J.
The sperm factor: paternal impact beyond genes
The fact that sperm carry more than the paternal DNA has only been discovered just over a decade ago. With this discovery, the idea that the paternal condition may have direct implications for the fitness of the offspring had to be revisited. While this idea is still highly debated, empirical evidence for paternal effects is accumulating. Male condition not only affects male fertility but also offspring early development and performance later in life. Several factors have been identified as possible carriers of non-genetic information, but we still know little about their origin and function and even less about their causation. I consider four possible non-mutually exclusive adaptive and non-adaptive explanations for the existence of paternal effects in an evolutionary context. In addition, I provide a brief overview of the main non-genetic components found in sperm including DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, RNAs and proteins. I discuss their putative functions and present currently available examples for their role in transferring non-genetic information from the father to the offspring. Finally, I identify some of the most important open questions and present possible future research avenues
Large underground, liquid based detectors for astro-particle physics in Europe: scientific case and prospects
This document reports on a series of experimental and theoretical studies
conducted to assess the astro-particle physics potential of three future
large-scale particle detectors proposed in Europe as next generation
underground observatories. The proposed apparatus employ three different and,
to some extent, complementary detection techniques: GLACIER (liquid Argon TPC),
LENA (liquid scintillator) and MEMPHYS (\WC), based on the use of large mass of
liquids as active detection media. The results of these studies are presented
along with a critical discussion of the performance attainable by the three
proposed approaches coupled to existing or planned underground laboratories, in
relation to open and outstanding physics issues such as the search for matter
instability, the detection of astrophysical- and geo-neutrinos and to the
possible use of these detectors in future high-intensity neutrino beams.Comment: 50 pages, 26 figure
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