Optimization of neutrino fluxes for future long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments

AbstractOne of the main goals of the Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation experiment (LBNO) experiment is to study the L/E behaviour of the electron neutrino appearance probability in order to determine the unknown phase δCP. In the standard neutrino 3-flavour mixing paradigm, this parameter encapsulates a possibility of a CP violation in the lepton sector that in turn could help explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. In LBNO, the measurement of δCP would rely on the observation of the electron appearance probability in a broad energy range covering the 1st and 2nd maxima of the oscillation probability. An optimization of the energy spectrum of the neutrino beam is necessary to find the best coverage of the neutrino energies of interest. This in general is a complex task that requires exploring a large parameter space describing hadron target and beamline focusing elements. In this paper we will present a numerical approach of finding a solution to this difficult optimization problem often encountered in design of modern neutrino beamlines and we will show the improved LBNO sensitivity to the presence of the leptonic CP violation attained after the neutrino beam optimization

Optimization of neutrino fluxes for future long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments

One of the main goals of the Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillation experiment (LBNO) experiment is to study the L/E behaviour of the electron neutrino appearance probability in order to determine the unknown phase $\delta_{CP}$. In the standard neutrino 3-flavour mixing paradigm, this parameter encapsulates a possibility of a CP violation in the lepton sector that in turn could help explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. In LBNO, the measurement of $\delta_{CP}$ would rely on the observation of the electron appearance probability in a broad energy range covering the 1$^{st}$ and 2$^{nd}$ maxima of the oscillation probability. An optimization of the energy spectrum of the neutrino beam is necessary to find the best coverage of the neutrino energies of interest. This in general is a complex task that requires exploring a large parameter space describing hadron target and beamline focusing elements. In this paper we will present a numerical approach of finding a solution to this difficult optimization problem often encountered in design of modern neutrino beamlines and we will show the improved LBNO sensitivity to the presence of the leptonic CP violation attained after the neutrino beam optimization

PREVALÊNCIA DE HIPOTENSÃO ORTOSTÁTICA E FATORES ASSOCIADOS NO ESTUDO LONGITUDINAL DE SAÚDE DO ADULTO (ELSA-BRASIL)

A Hipotensão Ortostática (HO) é uma redução sustentada da pressão arterial após a adoção da ortostase causada por falha nos mecanismos compensatórios da redução do retorno venoso. Em estudos de populações representativas da população geral a HO tem sido associada a comorbidades cardiovasculares, como doença coronariana, fibrilação atrial, hipertensão, insuficiência cardíaca, Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC), rigidez arterial, doença renal crônica, além de um estado geral de saúde debilitado e mortalidade. Apesar das associações expostas a HO tem sido frequentemente negligenciada na prática clínica e há poucos estudos epidemiológicos sobre o seu dimensionamento, sendo inexistentes estudos na população brasileira. Esta tese tem como objetivo estimar a prevalência de HO e seus fatores associados entre os participantes da coorte brasileira Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil). Utilizaram-se os dados coletados na linha de base referentes aos 14.833 participantes (ambos os sexos, 35-74 anos) do ELSA que possuíam dados completos da manobra postural. A manobra postural foi realizada após repouso de 20 minutos na posição supina por adoção ativa da postura ereta. A Pressão Arterial (PA) foi medida em supino e aos 2, 3 e 5 minutos de ortostase. A HO foi definida por queda &#8805;20 mmHg na PA sistólica e/ou queda &#8805;10 mmHg na PA diastólica aos 3 minutos de ortostase. A distribuição da variação da PA após a manobra postural foi determinada em uma subamostra (N= 8.011) após exclusão de participantes com morbidade cardiovascular e diabetes. Os fatores associados foram verificados por meio de um estudo transversal. As covariáveis analisadas foram sexo, faixa etária, raça/cor, escolaridade, estado nutricional, circunferência da cintura, alteração no índice tornozelo braquial, velocidade de onda de pulso, doença cardíaca, Infarto Agudo do Miocárdio (IAM)/revascularização, AVC, diabetes, hipertensão, uso de anti-hipertensivo, PA casual sistólica e diastólica, colesterol, triglicérides, sorologia para Chagas, presença de sintomas no teste postural e variação da frequência cardíaca. A prevalência de HO encontrada foi de 2,0% (IC95%: 1,8-2,3), semelhante entre os sexos, com frequência crescente com a idade (1,2% na idade <45 anos e 3,4% nos com mais de 65 anos). Se o critério for queda pressórica em qualquer medida da PA, a prevalência se eleva para 4,3% (IC95%: 4,0-4,7). Em presença de HO houve relato de sintomas (tontura, alterações visuais, náuseas, etc.) em 19,7% (IC95%: 15,6-24,6) e em apenas 1,4% (IC95%: 1,2- 1,6) nos participantes sem HO. Os escores-Z -2 das variações da pressão antes e após a manobra postural na subamostra foram de -14,1 mmHg na PA sistólica e -5,4 mmHg na PA diastólica. A HO foi significativamente associada à maior faixa etária, OR: 1,83 (IC95%:1,14-2,95); alteração no índice tornozelo braquial, OR: 2,8 (IC95%: 1,13-6,88), IAM/revascularização, OR: 1,70 (IC95%: 1,01-2,87); relato de doença cardíaca, OR: 3,03 (IC95%: 1,71-5,36); aumento da PA sistólica, OR: 1,012 (IC95%: 1,006-1,019); sorologia positiva para Chagas, OR: 2,29 (IC95%: 1,23-4,27) e relato de sintomas na mudança postural, OR: 20,81 (IC95%: 14,81-29,24). A prevalência de HO varia substancialmente dependendo do momento de aferição da pressão. Os pontos de corte atuais adotados podem subestimar a real ocorrência de HO na população. A presença de HO pode ser de grande utilidade como alerta de potencial comprometimento cardiovascular, e, portanto uma ferramenta de rastreamento e prevenção

Systemically Administered Ligands of Toll-Like Receptor 2, -4, and -9 Induce Distinct Inflammatory Responses in the Murine Lung

Objective. To determine whether systemically administered TLR ligands differentially modulate pulmonary inflammation. Methods. Equipotent doses of LPS (20 mg/kg), CpG-ODN (1668-thioat 1 nmol/g), or LTA (15 mg/kg) were determined via TNF activity assay. C57BL/6 mice were challenged intraperitoneally. Pulmonary NFκB activation (2 h) and gene expression/activity of key inflammatory mediators (4 h) were monitored. Results. All TLR ligands induced NFκB. LPS increased the expression of TLR2, 6, and the cytokines IL-1αβ, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12p35/p40, CpG-ODN raised TLR6, TNF-α, and IL12p40. LTA had no effect. Additionally, LPS increased the chemokines MIP-1α/β, MIP-2, TCA-3, eotaxin, and IP-10, while CpG-ODN and LTA did not. Myeloperoxidase activity was highest after LPS stimulation. MMP1, 3, 8, and 9 were upregulated by LPS, MMP2, 8 by CpG-ODN and MMP2 and 9 by LTA. TIMPs were induced only by LPS. MMP-2/-9 induction correlated with their zymographic activities. Conclusion. Pulmonary susceptibility to systemic inflammation was highest after LPS, intermediate after CpG-ODN, and lowest after LTA challenge

Structural analysis and corrosion studies on an ISO 5832-9 biomedical alloy with TiO2 sol–gel layers

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between the structural and corrosion properties of an ISO 5832-9 biomedical alloy modified with titanium dioxide (TiO2) layers. These layers were obtained via the sol–gel method by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide in isopropanol solution. To obtain TiO2 layers with different structural properties, the coated samples were annealed at temperatures of 200, 300, 400, 450, 500, 600 and 800 C for 2 h. For all the prepared samples, accelerated corrosion measurements were performed in Tyrode’s physiological solution using electrochemical methods. The most important corrosion parameters were determined: corrosion potential, polarization resistance, corrosion rate, breakdown and repassivation potentials. Corrosion damage was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Structural analysis was carried out for selected TiO2 coatings annealed at 200, 400, 600 and 800 C. In addition, the morphology, chemical composition, crystallinity, thickness and density of the deposited TiO2 layers were determined using suitable electron and X-ray measurement methods. It was shown that the structure and character of interactions between substrate and deposited TiO2 layers depended on annealing temperature. All the obtained TiO2 coatings exhibit anticorrosion properties, but these properties are related to the crystalline structure and character of substrate–layer interaction. From the point of view of corrosion, the best TiO2 sol–gel coatings for stainless steel intended for biomedical applications seem to be those obtained at 400 C.This study was supported by Grant No. N N507 501339 of the National Science Centre. The authors wish to express their thanks to J. Borowski (MEDGAL, Poland) for the Rex 734 alloy