CP violation and mass hierarchy at medium baselines in the large theta(13) era

The large value of theta(13) recently measured by rector and accelerator experiments opens unprecedented opportunities for precision oscillation physics. In this paper, we reconsider the physics reach of medium baseline superbeams. For theta(13) ~ 9 degree we show that facilities at medium baselines -- i.e. L ~ O(1000 km) -- remain optimal for the study of CP violation in the leptonic sector, although their ultimate precision strongly depends on experimental systematics. This is demonstrated in particular for facilities of practical interest in Europe: a CERN to Gran Sasso and CERN to Phyasalmi nu_mu beam based on the present SPS and on new high power 50 GeV proton driver. Due to the large value of theta(13), spectral information can be employed at medium baselines to resolve the sign ambiguity and determine the neutrino mass hierarchy. However, longer baselines, where matter effects dominate the nu_mu->nu_e transition, can achieve much stronger sensitivity to sign(Delta m^2) even at moderate exposures.Comment: 14 pages, 14 figures, version to appear in EPJ

Fragmentation cross sections of Fe^{26+}, Si^{14+} and C^{6+} ions of 0.3-10 A GeV on CR39, polyethylene and aluminum targets

New measurements of the total and partial fragmentation cross sections in the energy range 0.3-10 A GeV of Fe^{26+}, Si^{14+} and C^{6+} beams on polyethylene, CR39 and aluminum targets are presented. The exposures were made at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), USA, and Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC), Japan. The CR39 nuclear track detectors were used to identify the incident and survived beams and their fragments. The total fragmentation cross sections for all targets are almost energy independent while they depend on the target mass. The measured partial fragmentation cross sections are also discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 eps figures. Talk given at the 24th International Conference on Nuclear Tracks in Solids, Bologna, Italy, 1-5 September 200

A compact light readout system for longitudinally segmented shashlik calorimeters

The longitudinal segmentation of shashlik calorimeters is challenged by dead zones and non-uniformities introduced by the light collection and readout system. This limitation can be overcome by direct fiber-photosensor coupling, avoiding routing and bundling of the wavelength shifter fibers and embedding ultra-compact photosensors (SiPMs) in the bulk of the calorimeter. We present the first experimental test of this readout scheme performed at the CERN PS-T9 beamline in 2015 with negative particles in the 1-5~GeV energy range. In this paper, we demonstrate that the scheme does not compromise the energy resolution and linearity compared with standard light collection and readout systems. In addition, we study the performance of the calorimeter for partially contained charged hadrons to assess the $e/\pi$ separation capability and the response of the photosensors to direct ionization.Comment: To appear in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research,

Insights into the mode of action of tannin-based feed additives in broiler chickens: looking for connections with the plasma metabolome and caecal microbiota

This study assessed the effects of three tannin-based feed additives on the productive performance, foot-pad conditions, plasma metabolome, and caecal microbiota of meat-type chickens. A total of 2,340 male broilers were divided into 4 treatments (9 replicates each) fed either a commercial basal diet (CON) or the basal diet supplemented with one of the three tested products (A, B, or C) up to 49 days. According to manufacturers\u2019 instructions, product A was added to the basal diet at 0.3% from 0 to 49 d, while B and C at 0.13% from 0 to 21 d and 0.12% from 22 to 49 d. Compared to CON, tannin-supplemented birds consumed less feed (6.59 vs. 6.37, 6.49, and 6.35 kg, for CON vs. A, B, and C, respectively; p <.001) and reached a lower slaughter weight (3,599 vs. 3,494, 3,546, and 3,472 g, for CON vs. A, B, and C, respectively; p <.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not affected by the tannin supplementations, except for the starter phase when CON exhibited lower FCR than the other groups (p <.01). The observed differences in the plasma metabolome between CON and treated groups might indicate an impaired energy metabolism of tannin-supplemented chickens. The significant reduction in the caecal microbial diversity and short-chain fatty acid producer bacteria can also be related to the depressed performance of tannin-fed chickens. In contrast to earlier findings, pododermatitis was unaffected by our treatments. Further dose-response studies can help better exploit tannin-based additives in broiler diets

Time variations in the deep underground muon flux measured by MACRO

More than 30 million of high-energy muons collected with the MACRO detector at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory have been used to search for flux variations of different natures. Two kinds of studies were carried out: search for periodic variations and for the occurrence of clusters of events. Different analysis methods, including Lomb-Scargle spectral analysis and Scan Test statistics have been applied to the data.Comment: 6 pages, 4 EPS figures. Talk given at the 29th ICRC, Pune, India, 3-10 August 200

Rhabdomyosarcoma of Soft Tissues in an Adult Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

This report describes a spontaneously arising rhabdomyosarcoma of soft tissues in a brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The lesion was examined by means of histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cross-reactivity of the primary antibodies used in the IHC was investigated in silico using the Protein Blast system. Microscopically, the lesion appeared as a 'small round cell' undifferentiated sarcoma with rare myotube formation. IHC identified expression of sarcomeric actin and vimentin and these molecules showed the highest protein sequence identity. Lower protein sequence identity coincided with negative immunolabelling for desmin, MyoD1, myogenin and CD3. TEM revealed myofibrils, but without a defined sarcomeric architecture. The diagnosis of solid alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of soft tissues was achieved on the basis of histological and ultrastructural finding

Fragmentation cross sections of 158 A GeV Pb ions in various targets measured with CR39 nuclear track detectors

We report the measurement of the fragmentation cross sections in high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions using the 158 A GeV Pb beam from the CERN-SPS. The fragments have charges changed from that of the incident projectile nucleus by $\Delta Z=Z_{Pb}-Z_{frag}$, with 8 <\Delta Z <75. The targets range from polyethylene to lead. Charge identification is made with CR39 nuclear track detectors, measured with an automatic image analyzer system. The measured fragmentation cross sections are parameterized with an empirical relation in terms of the atomic mass of the target, and of the charge of the final fragment.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Red mark syndrome of trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; Walbaum, 1792): Histopathological scoring and correlation with gross lesions

Red mark syndrome (RMS) is a skin disorder affecting rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The present work aimed to correlate the gross skin lesions affecting 46 fish sampled from farms surveyed for RMS with their microscopic features, identifying histological parameters that may be suggestive of disease progression. Skin lesions were grossly included in one of three categories (types I, II and III) according to the progressive degree of severity. Histological parameters and anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) tissue immunoreactivity were semi-quantitatively assessed. In the dermis, PCNA-positive lymphocytes, fibroblasts and endothelial cells were indicative of active phlogosis. A significant increase in PCNA-immunoreactive lymphocytes, from gross type I to type III cases, was found only in the hypodermis. The histological parameters significantly associated with the gross lesion severity were progressive loss of the epithelium and scales, recruitment of inflammatory cells in the stratum compactum, loss of architecture of the stratum compactum, perivascular and perineural granulomatous inflammation and increase in lymphocyte infiltration of the muscular layer. In the type II and type III categories, inflammation in the hypodermis and muscle displayed a granulomatous pattern, reinforcing the hypothesis of an immunopathological mechanism. The morphological diagnosis of “deep chronic dermatitis associated to panniculitis and myositis, characterised by lympho-histiocytic and granulomatous reaction” is suggested