Measurement of Final-State Correlations in Neutrino Muon-Proton Mesonless Production on Hydrocarbon at ⟨E_{ν}⟩=3 GeV.

Final-state kinematic imbalances are measured in mesonless production of ν_{µ}+A→µ^{-}+p+X in the MINERvA tracker. Initial- and final-state nuclear effects are probed using the direction of the µ^{-}-p transverse momentum imbalance and the initial-state momentum of the struck neutron. Differential cross sections are compared to predictions based on current approaches to medium modeling. These models underpredict the cross section at intermediate intranuclear momentum transfers that generally exceed the Fermi momenta. As neutrino interaction models need to correctly incorporate the effect of the nucleus in order to predict neutrino energy resolution in oscillation experiments, this result points to a region of phase space where additional cross section strength is needed in current models, and demonstrates a new technique that would be suitable for use in fine-grained liquid argon detectors where the effect of the nucleus may be even larger.

Publisher's Note: Identification of Nuclear Effects in Neutrino-Carbon Interactions at Low Three-Momentum Transfer [Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 071802 (2016)].

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.071802.

Antineutrino Charged-Current Reactions on Hydrocarbon with Low Momentum Transfer.

We report on multinucleon effects in low momentum transfer (<0.8 GeV/c) antineutrino interactions on plastic (CH) scintillator. These data are from the 2010-2011 antineutrino phase of the MINERvA experiment at Fermilab. The hadronic energy spectrum of this inclusive sample is well described when a screening effect at a low energy transfer and a two-nucleon knockout process are added to a relativistic Fermi gas model of quasielastic, Δ resonance, and higher resonance processes. In this analysis, model elements introduced to describe previously published neutrino results have quantitatively similar benefits for this antineutrino sample. We present the results as a double-differential cross section to accelerate the investigation of alternate models for antineutrino scattering off nuclei.

Measurement of Neutral-Current K

Neutral-current production of K^{+} by atmospheric neutrinos is a background in searches for the proton decay p→K^{+}ν[over ¯]. Reactions such as νp→νK^{+}Λ are indistinguishable from proton decays when the decay products of the Λ are below detection threshold. Events with K^{+} are identified in MINERvA by reconstructing the timing signature of a K^{+} decay at rest. A sample of 201 neutrino-induced neutral-current K^{+} events is used to measure differential cross sections with respect to the K^{+} kinetic energy, and the non-K^{+} hadronic visible energy. An excess of events at low hadronic visible energy is observed relative to the prediction of the neut event generator. Good agreement is observed with the cross section prediction of the genie generator. A search for photons from π^{0} decay, which would veto a neutral-current K^{+} event in a proton decay search, is performed, and a 2σ deficit of detached photons is observed relative to the genie prediction.

Direct Measurement of Nuclear Dependence of Charged Current Quasielasticlike Neutrino Interactions Using MINERvA.

Charged-current ν_{µ} interactions on carbon, iron, and lead with a final state hadronic system of one or more protons with zero mesons are used to investigate the influence of the nuclear environment on quasielasticlike interactions. The transferred four-momentum squared to the target nucleus, Q^{2}, is reconstructed based on the kinematics of the leading proton, and differential cross sections versus Q^{2} and the cross-section ratios of iron, lead, and carbon to scintillator are measured for the first time in a single experiment. The measurements show a dependence on the atomic number. While the quasielasticlike scattering on carbon is compatible with predictions, the trends exhibited by scattering on iron and lead favor a prediction with intranuclear rescattering of hadrons accounted for by a conventional particle cascade treatment. These measurements help discriminate between different models of both initial state nucleons and final state interactions used in the neutrino oscillation experiments.

Evidence for Neutral-Current Diffractive π

The MINERvA experiment observes an excess of events containing electromagnetic showers relative to the expectation from Monte Carlo simulations in neutral-current neutrino interactions with mean beam energy of 4.5 GeV on a hydrocarbon target. The excess is characterized and found to be consistent with neutral-current π^{0} production with a broad energy distribution peaking at 7 GeV and a total cross section of 0.26±0.02(stat.)±0.08(sys.)×10^{-39} cm^{2}. The angular distribution, electromagnetic shower energy, and spatial distribution of the energy depositions of the excess are consistent with expectations from neutrino neutral-current diffractive π^{0} production from hydrogen in the hydrocarbon target. These data comprise the first direct experimental observation and constraint for a reaction that poses an important background process in neutrino-oscillation experiments searching for ν_{µ} to ν_{e} oscillations.

Evidence of Coherent K

Neutrino-induced charged-current coherent kaon production ν_{µ}A→µ^{-}K^{+}A is a rare, inelastic electroweak process that brings a K^{+} on shell and leaves the target nucleus intact in its ground state. This process is significantly lower in rate than the neutrino-induced charged-current coherent pion production because of Cabibbo suppression and a kinematic suppression due to the larger kaon mass. We search for such events in the scintillator tracker of MINERvA by observing the final state K^{+}, µ^{-}, and no other detector activity, and by using the kinematics of the final state particles to reconstruct the small momentum transfer to the nucleus, which is a model-independent characteristic of coherent scattering. We find the first experimental evidence for the process at 3σ significance.

Identification of Nuclear Effects in Neutrino-Carbon Interactions at Low Three-Momentum Transfer.

Two different nuclear-medium effects are isolated using a low three-momentum transfer subsample of neutrino-carbon scattering data from the MINERvA neutrino experiment. The observed hadronic energy in charged-current ν_{µ} interactions is combined with muon kinematics to permit separation of the quasielastic and Δ(1232) resonance processes. First, we observe a small cross section at very low energy transfer that matches the expected screening effect of long-range nucleon correlations. Second, additions to the event rate in the kinematic region between the quasielastic and Δ resonance processes are needed to describe the data. The data in this kinematic region also have an enhanced population of multiproton final states. Contributions predicted for scattering from a nucleon pair have both properties; the model tested in this analysis is a significant improvement but does not fully describe the data. We present the results as a double-differential cross section to enable further investigation of nuclear models. Improved description of the effects of the nuclear environment are required by current and future neutrino oscillation experiments.

Measurement of Electron Neutrino Quasielastic and Quasielasticlike Scattering on Hydrocarbon at ⟨E_{ν}⟩=3.6 GeV.

The first direct measurement of electron neutrino quasielastic and quasielasticlike scattering on hydrocarbon in the few-GeV region of incident neutrino energy has been carried out using the MINERvA detector in the NuMI beam at Fermilab. The flux-integrated differential cross sections in the electron production angle, electron energy, and Q^{2} are presented. The ratio of the quasielastic, flux-integrated differential cross section in Q^{2} for ν_{e} with that of similarly selected ν_{µ}-induced events from the same exposure is used to probe assumptions that underpin conventional treatments of charged-current ν_{e} interactions used by long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. The data are found to be consistent with lepton universality and are well described by the predictions of the neutrino event generator GENIE.

Measurement of ratios of νµ charged-current cross sections on C, Fe, and Pb to CH at neutrino energies 2-20 GeV.

We present measurements of ν(µ) charged-current cross section ratios on carbon, iron, and lead relative to a scintillator (CH) using the fine-grained MINERvA detector exposed to the NuMI neutrino beam at Fermilab. The measurements utilize events of energies 2

Measurement of coherent production of π(±) in neutrino and antineutrino beams on carbon from Eν of 1.5 to 20 GeV.

Neutrino-induced coherent charged pion production on nuclei νµA→µ(±)π(∓)A is a rare, inelastic interaction in which a small squared four-momentum |t| is transferred to the recoil nucleus, leaving it intact in the reaction. In the scintillator tracker of MINERvA, we remove events with evidence of particles from nuclear breakup and reconstruct |t| from the final-state pion and muon. We select low |t| events to isolate a sample rich in coherent candidates. By selecting low |t| events, we produce a model-independent measurement of the differential cross section for coherent scattering of neutrinos and antineutrinos on carbon. We find poor agreement with the predicted kinematics in neutrino generators used by current oscillation experiments.

Association of Clostridium difficile infection with outcomes of hospitalized solid organ transplant recipients: results from the 2009 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database.

BACKGROUND: Diarrhea is a frequent and potentially severe complication in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. One of the most common infectious etiologies of diarrhea in these patients is Clostridium difficile. Our objective was to investigate the association of C. difficile infection (CDI) with the outcomes of hospitalized SOT patients. METHODS: We extracted all adult cases with discharge diagnoses of SOT or CDI from the United States Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 2009 database. We collected outcome variables (mortality, length of hospital stay [LOS], hospitalization charges, complications of the transplanted organ, and colectomy), demographic information, and comorbidity data for each of the cases. The data were evaluated using univariate and multiple variable regression analyses. RESULTS: We identified 49,198 cases with SOT of which 2.7% had CDI. Univariate comparisons of cases with SOT + CDI to those with SOT-only revealed significant differences in the evaluated outcomes including in-hospital mortality (7.4% vs. 2.4%, P < 0.001), LOS (median 9 days vs. 4 days, P < 0.001), charges (median $53,808 vs. $31,488, P < 0.001), organ complications (38.1% vs. 33.9%, P < 0.001), and colectomy (1.1% vs. 0.3%, P < 0.001). Using multiple variable regression analyses, in the SOT cohort (SOT-only and SOT + CDI), CDI was independently associated with greater mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.22, 2.76, P < 0.001), longer LOS (difference 9.6 days, 95% CI = 9.3, 9.9, P < 0.001), higher charges (difference $69,647, 95% CI = $66,190, $73,104, P < 0.001), more complications of the transplanted organ (aOR 1.36, 95% CI = 1.28, 1.44, P < 0.001), and increased need for colectomy (aOR 3.10, 95% CI = 2.35, 4.08, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that CDI is associated with overall significantly worse outcomes in hospitalized patients with SOT.

Cytoplasmic and nuclear interaction between Rb family proteins and PAI-2: a physiological crosstalk in human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells.

Extracellular plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2) is a potent inhibitor of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and also acts as a multifunctional protein. However, the biological activity of intracellular PAI-2, as well as its intracellular targets, until now remain an enigma. Here, we show that pRb2/p130 and Rb1/p105, but not p107, interact with PAI-2 in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of normal primary human corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells. We provided the first in vivo evidence that a specific fragment of the PAI-2 promoter is bound simultaneously by pRb2/ p130, PAI-2, E2F5, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), and histone methyltransferase (SUV39H1), in normal primary human corneal epithelial cells, and by pRb2/p130, PAI-2, E2F5, HDAC1, and DNMT1, in normal primary human conjunctiva epithelial cells. Our results strongly indicate a physiological interaction between pRb family members and PAI-2, suggesting the hypothesis that pRb2/p130 and PAI-2 may cooperate in modulating PAI-2 gene expression by chromatin remodeling, in normal corneal and conjunctival cells.

The effect of azaserine upon the proline and methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport systems of rat renal brush-border membranes.

An inhibitory effect of azaserine on Na+ dependent proline and methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport of the rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles has been demonstrated. The inhibitory effects of azaserine were not the results of the drug disrupting the membrane vesicles as shown in osmolarity studies, nor did it affect the transport systems' affinities for Na+. Azaserine acts as a non-competitive inhibitor for the proline transport system in renal brush-border membranes by lowering 37% and 27% in the Vmax1 and Vmax2, respectively, when compared to that of control proline transport system. Azaserine had no effect upon the two Km values for proline uptake. Azaserine inhibition of methyl alpha-D-glucoside uptake by vesicles in the presence of 7.2 mM azaserine at 22 degrees C resulted in 66% increase in Km1 value and 44% decrease in Vmax1 as compared to that of control vesicles. There was no detectable effect upon the Km2 and Vmax2 of the methyl alpha-D-glucoside transport system. No effect of the drug was observed when sodium was equilibrated across the membrane, indicating that azaserine altered the driving force exerted by a sodium gradient. Azaserine only slightly affected the relative contribution of the two Km systems to total proline uptake. Contrary to the observed effect of azaserine upon the proline transport system, azaserine exerted a distinct effect upon the relative contribution to total uptake by the two Km systems in the low methyl alpha-D-glucoside concentration range. In the presence of 7.2 mM azaserine, the low-affinity, high-Km transport system becomes the major contributor to total methyl alpha-D-glucoside uptake by isolated renal brush-border vesicles.

The effect on amino acid transport of trypsin treatment of rat renal brush border membranes.

Trypsin treatment of isolated rat renal brush border membrane vesicles which preferentially releases L-leucine aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.2) decreases their ability to take up a variety of amino acids under Na+ -gradient conditions. Such treatment did not alter the osmotic properties of the vesicles nor affect their fragility. A linear correlation could be demonstrated between the L-leucine aminopeptidase activity of the membranes and the initial rate of uptake of L-leucine and L-proline. Velocity of uptake-concentration dependence studies with these substrates indicate that the major effect of trypsinization is to decrease the maximum velocity (Vmax1) of the low-Km high-affinity system with little effect on the Vmax2 of the high-Km low-affinity transport process and no effect on the apparent Michaelis constants of either. Although the data indicate that L-leucine aminopeptidase activity and uptake of l-leucine and L-proline are affected in parallel, they should not be construed to imply a role of the enzyme in the transport process, especially in view of the global decrease in the uptake of various amino acids and sugars.

The effect of papain upon proline and sodium transport of rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles.

Treatment of renal brush-border membrane vesicles with papain resulted in the removal of the activity of maltase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and leucine aminopeptidase by 85, 50 and 75%, respectively. Stripping of these membrane enzyme activities constituted about 2% of the total membrane proteins and resulted in a widespread diminution in the ability of a variety of amino acids and sugars to be taken up by the membrane vesicles which remained osmotically responsive. Kinetic analysis of the uptake of proline, which was shown previously to be transported by both sodium-dependent and sodium-independent systems, revealed that the Vmax for the sodium-dependent system and Km for the sodium-independent system were halved, but other parameters were not affected indicating that the papain treatment altered sodium-gradient-stimulated entry and the affinity of the sodium-gradient-independent system for proline. Experiments on sodium entry and efflux demonstrate a marked enhancement of flux, so that equilibration of the sodium gradient occurred about 5-times more rapidly than in untreated vesicles. This occurred without any change in the osmotic properties of the vesicle with regard to sodium or amino acid uptake. Studies of fluorescence polarization suggest that incubation with papain does not alter the lipid domains of the membrane.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate induces plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 expression in epidermal keratinocytes in vivo and in vitro.

The detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate is a well-known inducer of irritant contact dermatitis. In this study we show that sodium dodecyl sulfate induces the serine proteinase inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2, in epidermal keratinocytes. The enhancement in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 mRNA and antigen is observed both when sodium dodecyl sulfate is applied topically to normal human skin as well as when it is added to the growth medium of cultured human keratinocytes. In vitro, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 mRNA is increased within 4-8 h after addition of the detergent, and the increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 antigen occurs slightly later. The enhancing effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 is not related to nonspecific cell lysis nor is it secondary to induction of tumor necrosis factor alpha. Similarities between our in vitro and in vivo findings lead us to hypothesize that sodium dodecyl sulfate may exert its effect on epidermal plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 via interaction with the keratinocyte.

Inhibition of rat aorta semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase by 2-phenyl-3-haloallylamines and related compounds.

The inhibition of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) in rat aorta homogenates by some 2-phenyl-3-haloallylamines has been studied. Derivatives containing a fluorine atom were approximately three times more potent than the corresponding 3-chloroallylamines. These halogen-containing compounds were irreversible inhibitors of SSAO after preincubation with aorta homogenates; kinetic evidence for an initial competitive, reversible interaction (Ki around 0.4-0.6 microM) was found with two compounds (MDL 72145 and 72274). A similar Ki (approx. 0.7 microM) was obtained with 2-phenylallylamine (MDL 72200). However, this compound which lacks a halogen atom was a reversible inhibitor, even after preincubation. The use of a spectrophotometric assay to measure H2O2 production from amine metabolism demonstrated that MDL 72200 was a substrate (Km = 1.4 microM) for SSAO, with a Vmax approximately five times smaller than that of benzylamine (Km = 8.1 microM). Of particular interest in this study is the finding that (E)-2-phenyl-3-chloroallylamine (MDL 72274) is highly selective as an inhibitor of SSAO, compared with MAO-A or B activities, and may be a useful compound for investigating the importance of SSAO in animal tissues.

Emesis in infants as a consequence of feedings.

Emesis is a common symptom resulting from adverse food reactions in infants. In this article the terms food allergy and food intolerance are defined and differentiated. The immunopathophysiology of food allergies is discussed along with useful diagnostic tests. Adverse reactions to common infant nutrients such as cow's milk and soy milk are described, and therapeutic use of "hypoallergenic" formulas is outlined.

Further studies on the metabolism of methylamine by semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activities in human plasma, umbilical artery and rat aorta.

An ion exchange radiochemical assay has been developed to study the deamination of [14C]methylamine (MA) in homogenates of rat aorta and human umbilical artery, as well as in samples of human plasma. MA metabolism was found to be inhibited almost completely by 1 mM semicarbazide, but virtually unaffected by 0.1 mM clorgyline, suggesting that MA is a substrate for the semicarbazide-sensitive amino oxidase (SSAO) activities which also metabolize benzylamine (BZ) in these sources. Mean Km values for MA metabolism by aorta, umbilical artery and plasma were 182, 832 and 516 microM, respectively, with corresponding Vmax values in aorta and umbilical artery of 100 and 590 nmol (mg prot.)-1 h-1, and in plasma of 48 nmol (mL serum)-1 h-1. Kinetic constants determined for [14C]BZ metabolism in plasma (by an organic solvent extraction assay) and in umbilical artery (by the ion exchange assay) yielded mean Km values of 225 microM (plasma), 222 microM (umbilical artery), and Vmax values of 28 nmol (mL serum)-1 h-1 (plasma) and 377 nmol (mg prot.)-1 h-1 (umbilical artery). The deamination of [14C]MA was inhibited competitively by unlabelled BZ, with Ki values in umbilical artery and plasma of 220 and 172 microM, respectively. Also, metabolite formation from mixtures of [14C]BZ (200 microM) and [14C]MA (800 microM) was extremely close to that predicted for a single enzyme capable of metabolizing two alternative substrates in a competitive fashion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)