Approaching the knee -- balloon-borne observations of cosmic ray composition

Below the knee in the cosmic ray spectrum, balloon and spacecraft experiments offer the capability of direct composition and energy measurements on the primary particles. A major difficulty is obtaining enough exposure to extend the range of direct measurements sufficiently high in energy to permit overlap with ground-based observations. Presently, balloon and space measurements extend only up to ~100 TeV, well below the range of ground-based experiments. The prospect of Ultra-Long Duration Balloon missions offers the promise of multiple long flights that can build up exposure. The status of balloon measurements to measure the high energy proton and nuclear composition and spectrum is reviewed, and the statistical considerations involved in searching for a steepening in the spectrum are discussed. Given the very steeply falling spectrum, it appears unlikely that balloon experiments will be able to extend the range of direct measurements beyond 1000 TeV any time in the near future. Especially given the recent suggestions from KASCADE that the proton spectrum steepens only at 4000-5000 TeV, the chance of detecting the knee with direct measurements of protons to iron on balloons is not likely to occur without significant increases in the payload and flight duration capabilities of high altitude balloons.Comment: 10 pages, to be published, J. Phys. Conf. Ser. (Proc. Workshop on Physics at the End of the Galactic Cosmic Ray Spectrum, Aspen, April 2005

Investigation of effectiveness of surgical treatment of chronic dacryocystitis - endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy.

Prolonged and conti­nuous lacrimation (symptom of epiphora) causes discomfort, inclination to conjunctiva infect, reduces visual acuity and ultimately the quality of life of the patient. Despite the fact that there is a large number of various surgical interventions to restore tearing in patients with chronic dacryocystitis, the problem of lacrimation remains relevant. We have studied the operation of endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy and its long-term consequences. Surgical intervention in endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy is aimed at eliminating lacrimation by eliminating stenosis and forming a new combination of the cavity of the laryngeal canal with the nasal cavity, as well as the sanation of purulent foci of infection in the throat. There were 8 surgical interventions. Period of observation of patients in the postoperative period by ophthalmologist and ENT-doctor is from 1.5 to 2 years. The evaluation of the result was carried out in 6 months or more after the operation. A complete recovery with the recovery of the tear excretion in the nasal cavity has been achieved in all patients. The formed rhinostoma was wide, well functioning. Thus, endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy is a highly effective and should be a method of choice for inflammation of the lacrimal sac at any stage of development