Second parameter globulars and dwarf spheroidals around the Local Group massive galaxies: What can they evidence?
We suggest that the majority of the "young", so-called "second parameter" globular clusters (SPGCs) have origi- nated in the outer Galactic halo due to a process other than a tidal disruption of the dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies. Basic observational evidence regarding both the dSphs and the SPGCs, coupled with the latest data about a rather large relative num- ber of such clusters among globulars in M 33 and their low portion in M 31, seems to be consistent with the suspected process. It might have taken place within the system of the most massive galaxies of the Local Group (LG) at the earliest stages of their formation and evolution. We argue that the origin and basic characteristics of the SPGCs can naturally be explained as a result of mass outflow from M 31, during and due to formation of its Pop. II stars, and subsequent accretion of gas onto its massive companions, the Galaxy and M 33. An amount of the gas accreted onto the Milky Way is expected to have been quite enough for the formation in the outer Galactic halo not only of the clusters under consideration but also a number of those dSph galaxies which are as young as the SPGCs. A less significant, but notable mass transfer from the starbursting protoGalaxy to the massive members of the LG might have occurred, too.

title: Self-Induced Formaton of Metal-Rich Globulars in Bulges?
abstract: Taken together, key latest observations assume that (i) old metal-rich globular cluster populations (MRGCPs) in bulges were able to form due to essentially increased, self(internally)-induced star formation rate (SFR) in the hosts, while galaxy merging played an additional role; (ii) massive star cluster populations (MSCPs) in irregulars may be young, less prominent counterparts of the old MRGCPs in spheroids.

title: Age Dating of Globular Clusters Using UBV(RI) Main-sequence Photometry in the Two-color Diagram: Age of NGC 6397
abstract: I propose and apply a method for deriving ages of the metal-poor globular clusters (GCs) in a distance-independent way, which is based on age indicator related to the main sequence in the two-color diagrams with U-B index. Age of the metal-poor GC NGC 6397 has been estimated, using Yale isochrones of Demarque et al. (1996), to be close to 16 Gyr provided the cluster metallicity is near [Fe/H]=-2.0.

title: Metal-rich Globular Clusters: An Unaccounted Factor Responsible for Their Formation?
abstract: A presently unaccounted but quite probable “chemical factor” may be responsible for the formation of old metal-rich globular clusters (MRGCs) in spheroids, as well as of their conterparts, young (intermediate–age) massive star clusters (MSCs) in irregulars. Their formation presumably occurs ~ at the same stage of the host galaxies’ chemical evolution and is related to the essentially increased SF activity in the hosts around the same metallicity, ~Z⊙/3 ([Fe/H]~-0.5). It is achieved very soon in massive spheroids, later in lower-mass spheroids, and (much) more later in irregulars.

title: Optical monitoring of the central region of the globular cluster M 15 = NGC 7078: New variable stars
abstract: AbstractWe obtained a series of more than two hundred R-band CCD images for the crowded central (115″×77″) region of the metal-poor globular cluster M 15 with an angular resolution of 
$$0\mathop .\limits^{''} 5 - 0\mathop .\limits^{''} 9$$
 in most images. Optimal image subtraction was used to identify variable stars. Brightness variations were found in 83 stars, 55 of which were identified with known cluster variables and the remaining 28 are candidates for new variables. Two of them are most likely SX Phe variables. The variability type of two more stars is uncertain. The remaining stars were tentatively classified as RR Lyrae variables. A preliminary analysis of published data and our results shows that the characteristics of RR Lyrae variables in the densest part (r<35″) of the cluster probably change. More specifically, the maximum of the period distribution of first-and second-overtone (RR1, RR2) pulsating stars shifts toward shorter periods; i.e., there is an increase in the fraction of stars pulsating with periods 
$$ < 0\mathop .\limits^d 3$$
 and a deficiency of stars with 
$$0\mathop .\limits^d 35 - 0\mathop .\limits^d 40$$
. The ratio of the number of these short-period RR Lyrae variables to the number of fundamental-tone (RR0) pulsating variables changes appreciably. We found and corrected the error of transforming the coordinates of variables V128–155 in M 15 into the coordinate system used in the catalog of variable stars in globular clusters.

title: Massive Star Cluster Populations in Irregular Galaxies as Probable Younger Counterparts of Old Metal-rich Globular Cluster Populations in Spheroids
abstract: Peak metallicities of metal-rich populations of globular clusters (MRGCs) belonging to early-type galaxies and spheroidal subsystems of spiral galaxies (spheroids) of different mass fall within the somewhat conservative -0.7 ? [Fe/H] ? -0.3 range. Indeed, if possible age effects are taken into account, this metallicity range might become smaller. Irregular galaxies such as the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), with longer timescales of formation and lower star formation (SF) efficiency, do not contain old MRGCs with [Fe/H] > -1.0, but they are observed to form populations of young/intermediate-age massive star clusters (MSCs) with masses exceeding 104 M?. Their formation is widely believed to be an accidental process fully dependent on external factors. From the analysis of available data on the populations and their hosts, including intermediate-age populous star clusters in the LMC, we find that their most probable mean metallicities fall within -0.7 ? [Fe/H] ? -0.3, as the peak metallicities of MRGCs do, irrespective of signs of interaction. Moreover, both the disk giant metallicity distribution function (MDF) in the LMC and the MDFs for old giants in the halos of massive spheroids exhibit a significant increase toward [Fe/H] ? -0.5. That is in agreement with a correlation found between SF activity in galaxies and their metallicity. The formation of both the old MRGCs in spheroids and MSC populations in irregular galaxies probably occurs at approximately the same stage of the host galaxies' chemical evolution and is related to the essentially increased SF activity in the hosts around the same metallicity that is achieved very early in massive spheroids, later in lower mass spheroids, and much later in irregular galaxies. Changes in the interstellar dust, particularly in elemental abundances in dust grains and in the mass distribution function of the grains, may be among the factors regulating star and MSC formation activity in galaxies. Strong interactions and mergers affecting the MSC formation presumably play an additional role, although they can substantially intensify the internally regulated MSC formation process. Several implications of our suggestions are briefly discussed.

title: Search for heavy neutrinos at the IHEP-JINR Neutrino Detector
abstract: Data from a proton beam-dump experiment at the 70 GeV Serpukhov accelerator were analysed to search for heavy neutrino decays ν H → e + e − ν e at the IHEP-JINR Neutrino Detector. No signal over background was found. The upper limits on the elements if a mixing matrix | U eH | 2 in the mass range 5 m νH U eH || U μH | in the mass range 3 m νH

title: Yields and elliptic flow of d(anti-d) and He-3(anti-He-3) in Au + Au collisions at s(NN)**(1/2) = 200- GeV

title: Indication of electron neutrino appearance from an accelerator-produced off-axis muon neutrino beam.
abstract: The T2K experiment observes indications of ν(μ) → ν(e) appearance in data accumulated with 1.43×10(20) protons on target. Six events pass all selection criteria at the far detector. In a three-flavor neutrino oscillation scenario with |Δm(23)(2)| = 2.4×10(-3)  eV(2), sin(2)2θ(23) = 1 and sin(2)2θ(13) = 0, the expected number of such events is 1.5±0.3(syst). Under this hypothesis, the probability to observe six or more candidate events is 7×10(-3), equivalent to 2.5σ significance. At 90% C.L., the data are consistent with 0.03(0.04) < sin(2)2θ(13) < 0.28(0.34) for δ(CP) = 0 and a normal (inverted) hierarchy.

title: The Electromagnetic Calorimeter of the BTeV Experiment
abstract: BTeV is a new dedicated B-physics project at Fermilab. It requires excellent photon detection which is crucial to study CP violations in B decays and rare decays of B's to explore physics beyond the standard model. Electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCAL) built of lead tungstate (PbWO 4 ) scintillating crystals can provide excellent energy and position resolution, compact shower size, fast signal, and reasonable radiation hardness. We have carried out beam studies of a prototype of the BTeV electromagnetic calorimeter. The test took place at the Institute for High Energy Physics, Protvino, Russia. The prototype was built of 25 PbWO 4 crystals, from russian and chinese manufacturers. The results of the first set of measurements have confirmed the expected good energy and position resolution of the prototype, though revealed the fact that PbWO 4 was not as radiation hard as expected when irradiated with intense high energy hadron and electron beams. The next step included additional studies of radiation hardness, methods of monitoring changes of crystal signal due to radiation using LEDs with different wavelength, and possible procedures for testing PbWO4 radiation hardness without high energy beams.

title: Study of neutrino and anti-neutrino charged current interactions in U70 wide band beams