Precision Constraints for Three-Flavor Neutrino Oscillations from the Full MINOS+ and MINOS Dataset.

We report the final measurement of the neutrino oscillation parameters Δm_{32}^{2} and sin^{2}θ_{23} using all data from the MINOS and MINOS+ experiments. These data were collected using a total exposure of 23.76×10^{20} protons on target producing ν_{µ} and ν[over ¯]_{µ} beams and 60.75 kt yr exposure to atmospheric neutrinos. The measurement of the disappearance of ν_{µ} and the appearance of ν_{e} events between the Near and Far detectors yields |Δm_{32}^{2}|=2.40_{-0.09}^{+0.08}(2.45_{-0.08}^{+0.07})×10^{-3} eV^{2} and sin^{2}θ_{23}=0.43_{-0.04}^{+0.20}(0.42_{-0.03}^{+0.07}) at 68% C.L. for normal (inverted) hierarchy.

Search for Sterile Neutrinos in MINOS and MINOS+ Using a Two-Detector Fit.

A search for mixing between active neutrinos and light sterile neutrinos has been performed by looking for muon neutrino disappearance in two detectors at baselines of 1.04 and 735 km, using a combined MINOS and MINOS+ exposure of 16.36×10^{20} protons on target. A simultaneous fit to the charged-current muon neutrino and neutral-current neutrino energy spectra in the two detectors yields no evidence for sterile neutrino mixing using a 3+1 model. The most stringent limit to date is set on the mixing parameter sin^{2}θ_{24} for most values of the sterile neutrino mass splitting Δm_{41}^{2}>10^{-4} eV^{2}.

Search for Sterile Neutrinos Mixing with Muon Neutrinos in MINOS.

We report results of a search for oscillations involving a light sterile neutrino over distances of 1.04 and 735 km in a ν_{µ}-dominated beam with a peak energy of 3 GeV. The data, from an exposure of 10.56×10^{20} protons on target, are analyzed using a phenomenological model with one sterile neutrino. We constrain the mixing parameters θ_{24} and Δm_{41}^{2} and set limits on parameters of the four-dimensional Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata matrix, |U_{µ4}|^{2} and |U_{τ4}|^{2}, under the assumption that mixing between ν_{e} and ν_{s} is negligible (|U_{e4}|^{2}=0). No evidence for ν_{µ}→ν_{s} transitions is found and we set a world-leading limit on θ_{24} for values of Δm_{41}^{2}≲1 eV^{2}.

Representing the thermal state in time-dependent density functional theory.

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) provides a powerful and widely used approach to determining thermodynamic properties by integrating the classical equations of motion of a system of atoms. Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) provides a powerful and increasingly useful approach to integrating the quantum equations of motion for a system of electrons. TDDFT efficiently captures the unitary evolution of a many-electron state by mapping the system into a fictitious non-interacting system. In analogy to MD, one could imagine obtaining the thermodynamic properties of an electronic system from a TDDFT simulation in which the electrons are excited from their ground state by a time-dependent potential and then allowed to evolve freely in time while statistical data are captured from periodic snapshots of the system. For a variety of systems (e.g., many metals), the electrons reach an effective state of internal equilibrium due to electron-electron interactions on a time scale that is short compared to electron-phonon equilibration. During the initial time-evolution of such systems following electronic excitation, electron-phonon interactions should be negligible, and therefore, TDDFT should successfully capture the internal thermalization of the electrons. However, it is unclear how TDDFT represents the resulting thermal state. In particular, the thermal state is usually represented in quantum statistical mechanics as a mixed state, while the occupations of the TDDFT wavefunctions are fixed by the initial state in TDDFT. We work to address this puzzle by (A) reformulating quantum statistical mechanics so that thermodynamic expectations can be obtained as an unweighted average over a set of many-body pure states and (B) constructing a family of non-interacting (single determinant) TDDFT states that approximate the required many-body states for the canonical ensemble.

Combined analysis of νµ disappearance and νµâ†’νe appearance in MINOS using accelerator and atmospheric neutrinos.

We report on a new analysis of neutrino oscillations in MINOS using the complete set of accelerator and atmospheric data. The analysis combines the ν(µ) disappearance and ν(e) appearance data using the three-flavor formalism. We measure |Δm(32)(2)| = [2.28-2.46] × 10(-3) eV(2) (68% C.L.) and sin(2)θ(23) = 0.35-0.65 (90% C.L.) in the normal hierarchy, and |Δm(32)(2)| = [2.32-2.53] × 10(-3) eV(2) (68% C.L.) and sin(2)θ(23) = 0.34-0.67 (90% C.L.) in the inverted hierarchy. The data also constrain δ(CP), the θ(23} octant degeneracy and the mass hierarchy; we disfavor 36% (11%) of this three-parameter space at 68% (90%) C.L.

First measurement of neutrino and antineutrino coherent charged pion production on argon.

We report on the first cross section measurements for charged current coherent pion production by neutrinos and antineutrinos on argon. These measurements are performed using the ArgoNeuT detector exposed to the NuMI beam at Fermilab. The cross sections are measured to be 2.6(-1.0)(+1.2)(stat)(-0.4)(+0.3)(syst)×10(-38) cm(2)/Ar for neutrinos at a mean energy of 9.6 GeV and 5.5(-2.1)(+2.6)(stat)(-0.7)(+0.6)(syst)×10(-39) cm(2)/Ar for antineutrinos at a mean energy of 3.6 GeV.

Measurement of neutrino and antineutrino oscillations using beam and atmospheric data in MINOS.

We report measurements of oscillation parameters from ν(µ) and ν(µ) disappearance using beam and atmospheric data from MINOS. The data comprise exposures of 10.71×10(20) protons on target in the ν(µ)-dominated beam, 3.36×10(20) protons on target in the ν(µ)-enhanced beam, and 37.88 kton yr of atmospheric neutrinos. Assuming identical ν and ν oscillation parameters, we measure |Δm2| = (2.41(-0.10)(+0.09))×10(-3) eV2 and sin2(2θ) = 0.950(-0.036)(+0.035). Allowing independent ν and ν oscillations, we measure antineutrino parameters of |Δm2| = (2.50(-0.25)(+0.23))×10(-3) eV2 and sin2(2θ) = 0.97(-0.08)(+0.03), with minimal change to the neutrino parameters.

Electron neutrino and antineutrino appearance in the full MINOS data sample.

We report on ν(e) and ν(e) appearance in ν(µ) and ν(µ) beams using the full MINOS data sample. The comparison of these ν(e) and ν(e) appearance data at a 735 km baseline with θ13 measurements by reactor experiments probes δ, the θ23 octant degeneracy, and the mass hierarchy. This analysis is the first use of this technique and includes the first accelerator long-baseline search for ν(µ) → ν(e). Our data disfavor 31% (5%) of the three-parameter space defined by δ, the octant of the θ23, and the mass hierarchy at the 68% (90%) C.L. We measure a value of 2sin(2)(2θ13)sin(2)(θ23) that is consistent with reactor experiments.

Improved measurement of muon antineutrino disappearance in MINOS.

We report an improved measurement of ν(µ) disappearance over a distance of 735 km using the MINOS detectors and the Fermilab Main Injector neutrino beam in a ν(µ)-enhanced configuration. From a total exposure of 2.95×10(20) protons on target, of which 42% have not been previously analyzed, we make the most precise measurement of Δm2=[2.62(-0.28)(+0.31)(stat)±0.09(syst)]×10(-3) eV2 and constrain the ν(µ) mixing angle sin2(2θ)>0.75 (90% C.L.). These values are in agreement with Δm2 and sin2(2θ) measured for ν(µ), removing the tension reported in [P. Adamson et al. (MINOS), Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 021801 (2011).].

Improved search for Muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino oscillations in MINOS.

We report the results of a search for ν(e) appearance in a ν(µ) beam in the MINOS long-baseline neutrino experiment. With an improved analysis and an increased exposure of 8.2 × 10(20) protons on the NuMI target at Fermilab, we find that 2 sin(2) (θ(23))sin(2)(2θ(13))<0.12(0.20) at 90% confidence level for δ = 0 and the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy, with a best-fit of 2sin(2) (θ(23))sin(2)(2θ(13)) = 0.041(-0.031)(+0.047) (0.079(-0.053) (+0.071)). The θ(13) = 0 hypothesis is disfavored by the MINOS data at the 89% confidence level.

Active to sterile neutrino mixing limits from neutral-current interactions in MINOS.

Results are reported from a search for active to sterile neutrino oscillations in the MINOS long-baseline experiment, based on the observation of neutral-current neutrino interactions, from an exposure to the NuMI neutrino beam of 7.07×10(20) protons on target. A total of 802 neutral-current event candidates is observed in the Far Detector, compared to an expected number of 754 ± 28(stat) ± 37(syst) for oscillations among three active flavors. The fraction f(s) of disappearing ν(µ) that may transition to ν(s) is found to be less than 22% at the 90% C.L.

First direct observation of muon antineutrino disappearance.

This Letter reports the first direct observation of muon antineutrino disappearance. The MINOS experiment has taken data with an accelerator beam optimized for ν(µ) production, accumulating an exposure of 1.71 × 10²° protons on target. In the Far Detector, 97 charged current ν(µ) events are observed. The no-oscillation hypothesis predicts 156 events and is excluded at 6.3σ. The best fit to oscillation yields |Δm²| = [3.36(-0.40)(+0.46)(stat) ± 0.06(syst)] × 10⁻³ eV², sin²(2θ) = 0.86(-0.12)(+0.11)(stat) ± 0.01(syst). The MINOS ν(µ) and ν(µ) measurements are consistent at the 2.0% confidence level, assuming identical underlying oscillation parameters.

Measurement of the neutrino mass splitting and flavor mixing by MINOS.

Measurements of neutrino oscillations using the disappearance of muon neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI neutrino beam as observed by the two MINOS detectors are reported. New analysis methods have been applied to an enlarged data sample from an exposure of 7.25×10(20) protons on target. A fit to neutrino oscillations yields values of |Δm(2)|=(2.32(-0.08)(+0.12))×10(-3) eV(2) for the atmospheric mass splitting and sin(2)(2θ)>0.90 (90% C.L.) for the mixing angle. Pure neutrino decay and quantum decoherence hypotheses are excluded at 7 and 9 standard deviations, respectively.

Search for Lorentz invariance and CPT violation with the MINOS far detector.

We searched for a sidereal modulation in the MINOS far detector neutrino rate. Such a signal would be a consequence of Lorentz and CPT violation as described by the standard-model extension framework. It also would be the first detection of a perturbative effect to conventional neutrino mass oscillations. We found no evidence for this sidereal signature, and the upper limits placed on the magnitudes of the Lorentz and CPT violating coefficients describing the theory are an improvement by factors of 20-510 over the current best limits found by using the MINOS near detector.

Testing Lorentz invariance and CPT conservation with NuMI neutrinos in the MINOS near detector.

A search for a sidereal modulation in the MINOS near detector neutrino data was performed. If present, this signature could be a consequence of Lorentz and CPT violation as predicted by the effective field theory called the standard-model extension. No evidence for a sidereal signal in the data set was found, implying that there is no significant change in neutrino propagation that depends on the direction of the neutrino beam in a sun-centered inertial frame. Upper limits on the magnitudes of the Lorentz and CPT violating terms in the standard-model extension lie between 10(-4) and 10(-2) of the maximum expected, assuming a suppression of these signatures by a factor of 10(-17).

Predictions: the future of family planning.

PIP: This article presents three predictions pertaining to the future of family planning. The most important advance in family planning will be the development of vaginal spermicides that also effectively kill the bacteria and viruses that cause infection. This advancement is extraordinarily important because many women simply cannot count on men to cooperate in the prevention of infection and/or in the prevention of an unintended pregnancy. It is also predicted that a nearly 100% effective approach to preventing pregnancy the day after intercourse will be a very close possibility. The third prediction is the development of hormonal pills or injections for men. However, this method may not work since men are required to use them and there is doubt that pills or injections for men would be received any more positively. Moreover, in order for these advancements in reproductive health to take place, the status of women in the home, in various cultures and ethnic groups, in religious bodies, and in medical communities must improve.^ieng

Prenatal exposure to cocaine and other drugs. Outcome at four to six years.

In a longitudinal, prospective study, 95 children born to mothers who used cocaine and other drugs during pregnancy and 75 matched, nonexposed children born to mothers who had no evidence of alcohol or illicit substance use during pregnancy were evaluated for cognitive and behavioral outcome at 6 years of age. Prenatal exposure to cocaine and other drugs had no direct effect on the child's cognitive outcome (measured as IQ), but it had an indirect effect as mediated through the home environment. However, prenatal exposure to cocaine and other drugs did have a direct effect on the child's behavioral characteristics at 4-6 years of age, with the home environment having little impact. This study helps us to understand the fragile interaction of biological and environmental factors affecting the cognitive and behavioral development of children prenatally exposed to cocaine and other drugs.

Facilitating condom use with clients during commercial sex in Nevada's legal brothels.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined condom use in legal Nevada brothels. METHODS: Forty female prostitutes in two brothels were interviewed about client resistance to condoms and techniques for facilitating condom use. RESULTS: Of 3290 clients in the previous month, 2.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2%,3.4%) were reluctant to use condoms. Of these individuals, 72% ultimately used condoms, while 12% chose nonpenetrative sex without condoms. The remaining 16% left the brothels without services. Condom use rates were markedly lower with nonpaying sex partners (lowers) than with clients. CONCLUSIONS: Brothel prostitutes may be at greater risk for acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases from lovers than from clients.

10 common questions on emergency contraception.

PIP: This article answers some questions about use of emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) in the US. It is acceptable to prescribe ECPs over the telephone. ECPs should not be given to women with severe migraine headaches with neurologic impairment. ECPs are acceptable for women who are smokers and over 35 years old, diabetics with vascular disease, women with a history of severe migraine, and women with a benign or malignant liver tumor. Women who seek ECPs over 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse could have ECPs, insertion of a Copper T380 IUD, or Ru-486, when available in the US. Lo-Ovral4+4 is the preferred ECP. Ovral2+2 is less often available and tends to cost more. An ECP prescription might indicate Phenergan (25 mg), 4 tablets, taken between 6 and 7 PM, and repeated in 12 hours. Another ECP prescription might indicate Lo-Ovral (21-pill pack), 4 tablets taken one half hour after anti-nausea medication, and repeated in 12 hours. If nausea is severe from the first or second dose of Lo-Ovral, an extra tablet of Phenergan may be taken. For continued contraception, the patient should be prescribed a low-dose pill and not a 50 mcg pill. The most common transition from ECP combined pills to regular oral contraception is to prescribe 4 tablets followed by 4 tablets 12 hours later, and to start a new package of pills the Sunday after menstruation begins. Nonlapsed pill taking involves taking the 4 tablets, followed by 4 tablets in 12 hours, and 1 tablet taken daily for the next 13 days (with backup contraception the first 7 days), and a lapse for 7 days. Nothing needs to be done for vomiting. Women are not likely to abuse this option. It should be widely known and appreciated that mistakes do happen, emergency contraception does work, and women should be aware of ECPs. 98% of women bleed by 21 days after ECP use. There appears to be no increased risk of birth defects among pill users who become pregnant.^ieng

Depo-provera: an excellent contraceptive for those who continue to use it.

Objective: This paper focuses on the user profile, side effects, and discontinuation rates of Depo-Provera users at Grady Memorial Hospital, a large inner-city hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.Methods: Between July 1993 and April 1996 baseline and follow-up interviews were conducted with African-American and Caucasian women who were using a contraceptive method. Women had to choose a method that they had not used in the previous 3 months.Results: Depo-Provera was one of the top two contraceptive methods chosen at Grady Memorial Hospital. Convenience and effectiveness were the main reasons for its selection. Of the total Grady Hospital sample (n = 1,346), 404 women (30%) selected Depo-Provera as their method of contraception. Approximately 70% of the Depo-Provera users were aged 16-25 years, African American (98.3%), had never been married (88%), were on Medicaid (73.5%), and had had at least one pregnancy (94.3%). Depo-Provera users experienced menstrual (92.6%) and non-menstrual (67.6%) side effects. Menstrual side effects included amenorrhea, irregular cycles, spotting, and long menses. The most prevalent non-menstrual side effects were weight gain and headaches.The 12-month discontinuation rate of Depo-Provera was 49.2%, compared to oral contraceptives (66%) and Norplant (15%). The main reason cited for discontinuation of Depo-Provera was non-menstrual side effects (35.6%), menstrual side effects (23.1%), and inconvenience (12.0%). Of all women who initiated Depo-Provera use, 11.0% were pregnant at 12 months and 16.5% became pregnant by the first follow-up survey (average of 17 months).Conclusions: At Grady Memorial Hospital, Depo-Provera was a popular birth control method with high discontinuation rates. Menstrual, non-menstrual side effects, and inconvenience were the chief discontinuation factors. The impact of Depo-Provera discontinuation upon the pregnancy rate is substantial.