Testing creation of matter with neutrinoless double beta decay

In this brief review, the importance of the so called neutrinoless double beta decay transition in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model is emphasized. The expectations for the transition rate are examined in the assumption that ordinary neutrinos have Majorana masses. We stress the relevance of cosmological measurements and discuss the uncertainties implied by nuclear physics.Comment: 9 pages. Based on the review paper Neutrinoless double beta decay: 2015 review, Adv.High Energy Phys. 2016 (2016) 2162659. To appear in the proceedings of the XVII International Workshop on Neutrino Telescopes 13-17 March 2017, Venice, Ital

Forgerers and martyrs : conflicting histories of the Portuguese Inquisition (1598-1647)

The lack of historical works on the Portuguese Inquisition (1536-1821) produced by its members might lead us to conclude that the ministers and officials of the tribunal gave no special value to this form of knowledge. On the contrary, by looking back to the first half of the seventeenth century and focusing on two case studies – that of the Dominican António de Sousa and that of Manuel do Vale de Moura – this article shows how the Portuguese inquisitors were often involved in a struggle to define a historical image of the Holy Office. Original documents, kept under lock and key in the archives of the tribunal, were examined quite early on, but actually gave support to opposing views regarding the interests of the Inquisition. In a complex balance, sometimes the executioners took up the arguments and justifications of their victims, revealing unexpected points of agreement between the two.peer-reviewe

Cell signaling promoting protein carbonylation does not cause sulfhydryl oxidation: implications to the mechanism of redox signaling

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been recognized as second messengers, however, targeting mechanisms for ROS in cell signaling have not been defined. While ROS oxidizing protein cysteine thiols has been the most popular proposed mechanism, our laboratory proposed that ligand/receptor-mediated cell signaling involves protein carbonylation. Peroxiredoxin-6 (Prx6) is one protein that is carbonylated at 10 min after the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. In the present study, the SulfoBiotics Protein Redox State Monitoring Kit Plus (Dojindo Molecular Technologies) was used to test if cysteine residues of Prx6 are oxidized in response to the PDGF stimulation. Human Prx6 has a molecular weight of 25 kDa and contains two cysteine residues. The Dojindo system adds the 15 kDa Protein-SHifter if these cysteine residues are reduced in the cells. Results showed that, in untreated cells, the Prx6 molecule predominantly exhibited the 55 kDa band, indicating that both cysteine residues are reduced in the cells. Treatment of cells with 1 mM H 2O 2 caused the disappearance of the 55 kDa band and the appearance of a 40 kDa band, suggesting that the high concentration of H 2O 2 oxidized one of the two cysteine residues in the Prx6 molecule. By contrast, PDGF stimulation had no effects on the thiol status of the Prx6 molecule. We concluded that protein carbonylation is a more sensitive target of ROS during ligand/receptor-mediated cell signaling than sulfhydryl oxidation

Updated bounds for neutrinoless double beta decay

We study the hypothesis that the Majorana mass of ordinary neutrinos dominates the rate of neutrinoless double beta decay. In particular, we update predictions from neutrino oscillations and we compare them with the results from neutrinoless double beta decay searches. We also evaluate the impact of the quenching of the axial vector coupling constant in the nuclear medium, recently studied by Iachello et al. (Phys. Rev. C, 87 (2013) 014315)

A novel method to titrate Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) using laser-based scanning of near-infrared fluorophores conjugated antibodies

Among several strategies used for Herpes simplex virus (HSV) detection in biological specimens, standard plaque assay (SPA) remains the most reliable method to evaluate virus infectivity and quantify viral replication. However, it is a manual procedure, thereby affected by operator subjectivity, and it may be particularly laborious for multiple sample analysis. Here we describe an innovative method to perform the titration of HSV type 1 (HSV-1) in different samples, using the “In-Cell WesternTM” Assay (ICW) from LI-COR, a quantitative immunofluorescence assay that exploits laser-based scanning of near infrared (NIR). In particular, we employed NIR-immunodetection of viral proteins to monitor foci of HSV-1 infection in cell monolayers, and exploited an automated detection of their fluorescence intensity to evaluate virus titre. This innovative method produced similar and superimposable values compared to SPA, but it is faster and can be performed in 96 well plate, thus allowing to easily and quickly analyze and quantify many samples in parallel. These features make our method particularly suitable for the screening and characterization of antiviral compounds, as we demonstrated by testing acyclovir (ACV), the main anti-HSV-1 drug. Moreover, we developed a new data analysis system that allowed to overcome potential bias due to unspecific florescence signals, thus improving data reproducibility. Overall, our method may represents a useful tool for both clinical and research purposes

Insights on the Italian Seismic Network from location uncertainties

AbstractProbabilistic earthquake locations provide confidence intervals for the hypocentre solutions such as errors encountered in the position, the origin time, and in magnitude. If the relationship of the parameters relative to the local arrangement of the seismic network is considered, such as the node distance, the number of stations, the seismic gap, and the quality of phase readings), the uncertainties can then provide insights on the location capability of the network. In this paper, we collect the earthquake data recorded from the Italian Seismic Network for a time span of 5 years. The data pertain to three different catalogues according to the progressive refinement phases of the location procedure: automatic location, revised location, and published location. By means of spatial analysis, we assess the distribution of the location-related and network-related estimators across the study area. These estimators are subsequently combined to assess the existence of spatial correlations at a local scale. The results indicate that the Italian network is generally able to provide robust locations at the national scale and for smaller earthquakes, and the elongated shape of Italy (and of its network) does not cause systematic bias in the locations. However, we highlight the existence of subregions in which the performance of the network is weaker. At present, a unique 2D, 3-layer velocity model is used for the earthquake location procedure, and this could represent the main limitation for the improvement of the locations. Therefore, the assessment of locally optimized velocity models is the priority for the homogenization and the improvement of the Italian Seismic Network performance

Medios de comunicación y violencia sexual : crítica y propuesta de su tratamiento informativo desde un enfoque feminista

Son patentes los sesgos y malas prácticas que con frecuencia los medios de comunicación reproducen en el tratamiento de la información sobre la violencia sexual (estereotipificación, culpabilización de las víctimas, sensacionalismo…). Frente a ello, se han elaborado diversas herramientas de recomendaciones a nivel internacional, aunque ninguna ha sido elaborada ni aplicada para el contexto español. Sin embargo, casos recientes y de amplia cobertura mediática y polémica social como las violaciones en grupo en Pamplona y Aranda de Duero han puesto en evidencia la mala praxis informativa sobre este tema y la necesidad de contar con herramientas prácticas que orienten un tratamiento informativo adecuado y sensible al género de la violencia sexual. Con objeto de cubrir esta laguna, en este trabajo se presenta una revisión crítica desde una perspectiva criminológica y feminista de las guías más relevantes para realizar una propuesta integrada con las principales recomendaciones que medios deberían considerar.We can clearly see many media’s bad practices when they report information that contains sexual violence, such as stereotyping, victim blaming, sensationalism… To eliminate that, there have been created different international tip sheets to help journalists. Nevertheless, none of them has been created or put into practice in Spain, even if recent cases such as the collective rape during San Fermín in Pamplona and in Aranda de Duero have revealed all the media’s bad practices and the need of some guidelines to achieve an appropriate reporting method when it comes to sexual violence. To help in this way, this document presents a critical revision of the most important tip sheets with a criminological and feminist approaching to make an integrated proposal with the main guidelines that media should consider