The OPERA experiment: on the way to the direct observation of νμ→ντ\nu_\mu \to \nu_\tau oscillation

OPERA (\emph{O}scillation \emph{P}roject with \emph{E}mulsion t\emph{R}acking \emph{A}pparatus) is a long-baseline neutrino experiment, designed to provide the first direct proof of $\nu_\mu \to \nu_\tau$ oscillation in the atmospheric sector using the \emph{C}ERN \emph{N}eutrinos to \emph{G}ran \emph{S}asso (CNGS) $\nu_\mu$ beam. The detector, consisting of a modular target made of lead - nuclear emulsion units complemented by electronic trackers and muon spectrometers, has been conceived to select $\rm{\nu_\tau}$ charged current interactions, among all neutrino flavour events, through the observation of the outcoming tau leptons and subsequent decays. In this paper, the detector, the event analysis chain and the preliminary results from the first OPERA physics run are reported.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of DPF-2009, Detroit, MI, July 2009, eConf C09072

Indagine esplorativa sui problemi e i bisogni delle famiglie di malati oncologici per migliorare l’assistenza, sia domiciliare sia in hospice

The objective of this study is to know what are the main difficulties that caregivers of cancer patients meet during the health care activity. With this aim in mind, an ad hoc questionnaire was built: the QATIP The questionnaire examines the emotions, needs and problems that the caregiver faces in helping a sick person. This study wished to provide initial input for reflection, focusing a proper attention to needs and problems faced by the figure of the caregive

Observation ofνμ→ ντoscillations in the CNGS beam with the OPERA experiment

The OPERA long-baseline neutrino experiment was exposed to the CNGS νμ beam from 2008 to 2012, collecting 19505 interactions in the target. The evidence for oscillated ντ appearance, based on the observation of three ντ candidate events, has been previously reported. A fourth candidate event has been recently found in an extended data sample, corresponding to about 89% of the final statistics. The absence of a signal from νμ → ντ oscillations is currently excluded at 4.2σ. The status of the analysis is described in detail with special emphasis on the procedures applied for the selection of signal candidate events and the assessment of efficiencies and background. The fourth ντ candidate event is presented and the significance of the observation is discussed