Probing neutrino masses with future galaxy redshift surveys

We perform a new study of future sensitivities of galaxy redshift surveys to the free-streaming effect caused by neutrino masses, adding the information on cosmological parameters from measurements of primary anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Our reference cosmological scenario has nine parameters and three different neutrino masses, with a hierarchy imposed by oscillation experiments. Within the present decade, the combination of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and CMB data from the PLANCK experiment will have a 2-sigma detection threshold on the total neutrino mass close to 0.2 eV. This estimate is robust against the inclusion of extra free parameters in the reference cosmological model. On a longer term, the next generation of experiments may reach values of order sum m_nu = 0.1 eV at 2-sigma, or better if a galaxy redshift survey significantly larger than SDSS is completed. We also discuss how the small changes on the free-streaming scales in the normal and inverted hierarchy schemes are translated into the expected errors from future cosmological data.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Added results with the KAOS proposal and 1 referenc

Linear and non-linear perturbations in dark energy models

I review the linear and second-order perturbation theory in dark energy models with explicit interaction to matter in view of applications to N-body simulations and non-linear phenomena. Several new or generalized results are obtained: the general equations for the linear perturbation growth; an analytical expression for the bias induced by a species-dependent interaction; the Yukawa correction to the gravitational potential due to dark energy interaction; the second-order perturbation equations in coupled dark energy and their Newtonian limit. I also show that a density-dependent effective dark energy mass arises if the dark energy coupling is varying.Comment: 12 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev; v2: added a ref. and corrected a typ

Results from the ULTRA experiment in the framework of the EUSO project

The detection of Cerenkov light from EAS in a delayed coincidence with fluorescence light gives a strong signature to discriminate protons and neutrinos in cosmic rays. For this purpose, the ULTRA experiment has been designed with 2 detectors: a small EAS array (ETscope) and an UV optical device including wide field (Belenos) and narrow field (UVscope) Cerenkov light detectors. The array measures the shower size and the arrival direction of the incoming EAS, while the UV devices, pointing both to zenith and nadir, are used to determine the amount of direct and diffused coincident Cerenkov light. This information, provided for different diffusing surfaces, will be used to verify the possibility of detecting from Space the Cerenkov light produced by UHECRs with the EUSO experiment, on board the ISS

Extreme Energy Cosmic Rays (EECR) Observation Capabilities of an "Airwatch from Space'' Mission

The longitudinal development and other characteristics of the EECR induced atmospheric showers can be studied from space by detecting the fluorescence light induced in the atmospheric nitrogen. According to the Airwatch concept a single fast detector can be used for measuring both intensity and time development of the streak of fluorescence light produced by the atmospheric shower induced by an EECR. In the present communication the detection capabilities for the EECR observation from space are discussed.Comment: 3 pages (LaTeX). To appear in the Proceedings of TAUP'9

Integrated genomics analysis of gene and miRNA expression profiles in clear cell renal carcinoma cell lines

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common and malignant tumor in the adult kidney, representing 75-80% of renal primary malignancies. Inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene, by mutation, deletion and promoter methylation, occurs in most sporadic ccRCCs and in all inherited cases. Recent evidences showed that microRNAs (miRNAs) are often dysregulated in many tumors, including ccRCC. We used Caki-1, Caki-2 and A498 cell lines as in vitro model of ccRCC pathology, and HK-2 (normal proximal tubular epithelial cell line) as reference sample. We characterized the VHL status by direct sequencing and the HIF status by western blot. Affymetrix microarray technology was applied to assess miRNA (onto GeneChip\uae miRNA Array) and gene expression profiles (onto GeneChip\uae Human Gene 1.0 ST Array). Analysis of common differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in RCC cell lines outlined specific miRNAs to be involved in ccRCC and in cancer (e.g. miR-145, miR-29a, miR-342-3p, miR-205, miR-183, miR-197, miR-132, miR-146a and miR-34a). Functional enrichment analysis of common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) highlighted some genes involved in leucocyte transendothelial migration, focal adhesion and p53 signalling pathways (e.g. ATM, FER, CDC27 and GRB10). Additionally, we conducted an integrated analysis to combine gene and miRNA expression profiles and to reconstruct miRNA-gene post-transcriptional regulatory networks involved in RCC pathology. We also compared our expression data with RCC datasets publicly available from NCBI GEO microarray repository. We selected potentially interesting miRNAs and target genes for further validation (by qPCR). This integrated analysis approach may help to unravel the molecular complexity characterizing ccRCC biology, and it will facilitate the elucidation of regulatory circuits important for tumorigenesis and the biological processes under relevant post-transcriptional regulation in ccRCC

The fully differential single-top-quark cross section in next-to-leading order QCD

We present a new next-to-leading order calculation for fully differential single-top-quark final states. The calculation is performed using phase space slicing and dipole subtraction methods. The results of the methods are found to be in agreement. The dipole subtraction method calculation retains the full spin dependence of the final state particles. We show a few numerical results to illustrate the utility and consistency of the resulting computer implementations.Comment: 37 pages, latex, 2 ps figure

WARP liquid argon detector for dark matter survey

The WARP programme is a graded programme intended to search for cold Dark Matter in the form of WIMP's. These particles may produce via weak interactions nuclear recoils in the energy range 10-100 keV. A cryogenic noble liquid like argon, already used in the realization of very large detector, permits the simultaneous detection of both ionisation and scintillation induced by an interaction, suggesting the possibility of discriminating between nuclear recoils and electrons mediated events. A 2.3 litres two-phase argon detector prototype has been used to perform several tests on the proposed technique. Next step is the construction of a 100 litres sensitive volume device with potential sensitivity a factor 100 better than presently existing experiments.Comment: Proceeding of the 6th UCLA Symposium on Sources and detection of Dark Matter and dark Energy in the Univers

PYTHIA 6.4 Physics and Manual

The PYTHIA program can be used to generate high-energy-physics `events', i.e. sets of outgoing particles produced in the interactions between two incoming particles. The objective is to provide as accurate as possible a representation of event properties in a wide range of reactions, within and beyond the Standard Model, with emphasis on those where strong interactions play a role, directly or indirectly, and therefore multihadronic final states are produced. The physics is then not understood well enough to give an exact description; instead the program has to be based on a combination of analytical results and various QCD-based models. This physics input is summarized here, for areas such as hard subprocesses, initial- and final-state parton showers, underlying events and beam remnants, fragmentation and decays, and much more. Furthermore, extensive information is provided on all program elements: subroutines and functions, switches and parameters, and particle and process data. This should allow the user to tailor the generation task to the topics of interest.Comment: 576 pages, no figures, uses JHEP3.cls. The code and further information may be found on the PYTHIA web page: http://www.thep.lu.se/~torbjorn/Pythia.html Changes in version 2: Mistakenly deleted section heading for "Physics Processes" reinserted, affecting section numbering. Minor updates to take into account referee comments and new colour reconnection option

Performance of the First ANTARES Detector Line

In this paper we report on the data recorded with the first Antares detector line. The line was deployed on the 14th of February 2006 and was connected to the readout two weeks later. Environmental data for one and a half years of running are shown. Measurements of atmospheric muons from data taken from selected runs during the first six months of operation are presented. Performance figures in terms of time residuals and angular resolution are given. Finally the angular distribution of atmospheric muons is presented and from this the depth profile of the muon intensity is derived.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure