Cosmic ray muon charge ratio in the MINOS far detector

The MINOS Far Detector is a 5.4 kiloton (5.2 kt steel plus 0.2 kt scintillator plus aluminum skin) magnetized tracking calorimeter located 710 meters underground in the Soudan mine in Northern Minnesota. MINOS is the first large, deep underground detector with a magnetic field and thus capable of making measurements of the momentum and charge of cosmic ray muons. Despite encountering unexpected anomalies in distributions of the charge ratio (N{sub {mu}{sup +}}/N{sub {mu}{sup -}}) of cosmic muons, a method of canceling systematic errors is proposed and demonstrated. The result is R{sub eff} = 1.346 {+-} 0.002 (stat) {+-} 0.016 (syst) for the averaged charge ratio, and a result for a rising fit to slant depth of R(X) = 1.300 {+-} 0.008 (stat) {+-} 0.016 (syst) + (1.8 {+-} 0.3) x 10{sup -5} x X, valid over the range of slant depths from 2000 < X < 6000 MWE. This slant depth range corresponds to minimum surface muon energies between 750 GeV and 5 TeV

Rare K-Decays as Crucial Tests for Unified Models with Gauged Baryon Number:

In the grand-unified models based on SU(15) and SU(16) in which the quarks and leptons are un-unified at the intermediate stages, we show that ${\rm BR}\; (K_L \to \mu e) \leq 10^{-14}$ and ${\rm BR}\; (K^+ \to \pi^+\mu e) \leq 10^{-14}$ despite the presence of leptoquark gauge bosons. Thus, the observation of these processes in the ongoing or upcoming experiments will rule out the models.Comment: (7 pages, LATEX, including figures drawn by LATEX) DOE-ER40200-304 CPP-5

Detection of high energy X-rays from the galactic center region

Observations of the galactic center region made with the high energy X-ray detector on OSO-8 are discussed. A strong hard X-ray which was detected during these observations from the vicinity of the galactic center are examined. The counting rate spectrum and the photon number spectrum of the flux are determined. Comparisons with the high energy X-ray fluxes observed from sources in the region by others are discussed

Observations of celestial X-ray sources above 20 keV with the high-energy scintillation spectrometer on board OSO 8

High-energy X-ray spectra of the Crab Nebula, Cyg- XR-1, and Cen A were determined from observations with the scintillation spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite, launched in June, 1975. Each of these sources was observed over two periods of 8 days or more, enabling a search for day-to-day and year to year variations in the spectral and temporal characteristics of the X-ray emission. No variation in the light curve of the Crab pulsar was found from observations which span a 15-day period in March 1976, with demonstrable phase stability. Transitions associated with the binary phase of Cyg XR-1 and a large change in the emission from Con A are reported

Applications of aerospace technology in biology and medicine

Utilization of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) technology in medicine is discussed. The objective is best obtained by stimulation of the introduction of new or improved commercially available medical products incorporating aerospace technology. A bipolar donor/recipient model of medical technology transfer is presented to provide a basis for the team's methodology. That methodology is designed to: (1) identify medical problems and NASA technology that, in combination, constitute opportunities for successful medical products; (2) obtain the early participation of industry in the transfer process; and (3) obtain acceptance by the medical community of new medical products based on NASA technology. Two commercial transfers were completed: the Stowaway, a lightweight wheelchair that provides mobility for the disabled and elderly in the cabin of commercial aircraft, and Micromed, a portable medication infusion pump for the reliable, continuous infusion of medications such as heparin or insulin. The marketing and manufacturing factors critical to the commercialization of the lightweight walker incorporating composite materials were studied. Progress was made in the development and commercialization of each of the 18 currently active projects

Infrared activity of hydrogen molecules trapped in Si

The rovibrational-translational states of a hydrogen molecule moving in a cage site in Si, when subjected to an electrical field arising from its surroundings, are investigated. The wave functions are expressed in terms of basis functions consisting of the eigenfunctions of the molecule confined to move in the cavity and rovibrational states of the free molecule. The energy levels, intensities of infrared and Raman transitions, effects of uniaxial stress, and a neighboring oxygen defect are found and compared with existing experimental data

Factors Affecting the Association of Single- and Double-Stranded RNAs with Montmorillonite Nanoclays

Montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclays exist as single and stacked sheet-like structures with large surface areas that can form stable associations with many naturally occurring biomolecules, including nucleic acids. They have been utilized successfully as vehicles for delivery of both drugs and genes into cells. Most previous studies have focused on interactions of MMT with DNA. In the current study, we have investigated the binding of small RNAs similar to those used for RNA interference (RNAi) therapy to two major forms of the clay, Na-MMT and Ca-MMT. Association of both forms of MMT with several double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), including 25mers, 54mers and cloverleaf-shaped transfer RNAs, was weak and increased only slightly after addition of Mg2+ ions to the binding reactions. By contrast, ssRNA 25mers and 54mers bound poorly to Na-MMT but interacted strongly with Ca-MMT. The weak binding of ssRNAs to Na-MMT could be strongly enhanced by addition of Mg2+ ions. The strength of MMT-ssRNA interactions was also examined using inorganic anion competition and displacement assays, as well as electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs). The aggregate results point to a cation-bridging mechanism for binding of ssRNAs, but not dsRNAs, in the presence of divalent metal cations