Muon ID- Taking Care of Lower Momenta Muons

In the Muon package under study, the tracks are extrapolated using an algorithm which accounts for the magnetic field and the ionization (dE/dx). We improved the calculation of the field dependent term to increase the muon detection efficiency at lower momenta using a Runge-Kutta method. The muon identification and hadron separation in b-bbar jets is reported with the improved software. In the same framework, the utilization of the Kalman filter is introduced. The principle of the Kalman filter is described in some detail with the propagation matrix, with the Runge-Kutta term included, and the effect on low momenta single muons particles is described.Comment: PDF,5pages,2 Figures,1 Table,Presented at the 2005 International Linear Collider Physics and Detectors Workshop,Snowmass,Colorado,14-27 Aug. 2005, PSN1011 in the proceedin

Muon ID at the ILC

This paper describes a new way to reconstruct and identify muons with high efficiency and high pion rejection. Since muons at the ILC are often produced with or in jets, for many of the physics channels of interest[1], an efficient algorithm to deal with the identification and separation of particles within jets is important. The algorithm at the core of the method accounts for the effects of the magnetic field and for the loss of energy by charged particles due to ionization in the detector. We have chosen to develop the analysis within the setup of one of the Linear Collider Concept Detectors adopted by the US. Within b-pair production jets, particles cover a wide range in momenta; however ~ 80% of the particles have a momentum below 30 GeV[2]. Our study, focused on bbar-b jets, is preceded by a careful analysis of single energy particles between 2 and 50 GeV. As medium energy particles are a substantial component of the jets, many of the particles lose part of their energy in the calorimeters and the solenoid coil before reaching the muon detector where they may have energy below 2 GeV. To deal with this problem we have implemented a Runge-Kutta correction of the calculated trajectory to better handle these lower energy particles. The multiple scattering and other stochastic processes, more important at lower energy, is addressed by a Kalman-filter integrated into the reconstruction algorithm. The algorithm provides a unique and powerful separation of muons from pions. The 5 Tesla magnetic field from a solenoid surrounds the hadron calorimeter and allows the reconstruction and precision momentum measurement down to a few GeV

Neutrinos that violate CPT, and the experiments that love them

Recently we proposed a framework for explaining the observed evidence for neutrino oscillations without enlarging the neutrino sector, by introducing CPT violating Dirac masses for the neutrinos. In this paper we continue the exploration of the phenomenology of CPT violation in the neutrino sector. We show that our CPT violating model fits the existing SuperKamiokande data at least as well as the standard atmospheric neutrino oscillation models. We discuss the challenge of measuring CP violation in a neutrino sector that also violates CPT. We point out that the proposed off-axis extension of MINOS looks especially promising in this regard. Finally, we describe a method to compute CPT violating neutrino effects by mocking them up with analog matter effects.Comment: 17 pages, 3 eps figure

Charged-Current Disappearance Measurements in the NuMI Off-Axis Beam

This article studies the potential of combining charged-current disappearance measurements of \nu_{\mu} to \nu_{\tau} from MINOS and an off-axis beam. I find that the error on \Delta m^2 from a 100 kt-yr off-axis measurement is a few percent of itself. Further, I find little improvement to an off-axis measurement by combining it with MINOS.Comment: Presented at NuFact'02. Four pages, three figure

Neutrino oscillation probabilities: Sensitivity to parameters

We study in detail the sensitivity of neutrino oscillation probabilities to the fundamental neutrino parameters and their possible determination through experiments. The first part of the paper is devoted to the broad theme of isolating regions in the neutrino (and anti-neutrino) energy and propagation length that are sensitive to the oscillation parameters. Such a study is relevant to neutrinos both from the Earth's atmosphere or from a neutrino factory. For completeness we discuss the sensitivity, however small, to the parameters involved in a three-generation framework, and to the Earth matter density profile. We then study processes relevant to atmospheric neutrinos which are sensitive to and allow precision measurements of the mixing angle theta_23 and mass-squared difference delta_32 apart from the mixing angle theta_13. Crucial to this analysis is charge identification; detectors having this capability can isolate these matter effects. In particular, we address the issue of using matter effects to determine whether the mixing angle theta_23 is maximal, and, if not, to explore how well its octant can be determined. When realistic detector resolutions are included, we find that deviations of about 15% (20%) from a maximal value of sin^2 theta_23=1/2 can be measured at 95% (99%) CL provided theta_13 is non-zero, sin^2 theta_13 >= 0.015, and the neutrino mass ordering is normal, with fairly large exposures of 1000 kton-years.Comment: 37 pages Latex file, 30 eps figure files; minor typos fixe

Dysphagia: What we know? a minireview

Dysphagia refers either to the difficulty someone may have with the initial phases of a swallow (usually described as oropharyngeal dysphagia, “OD”) or to the sensation that foods and or liquids are somehow being obstructed in their passage from the mouth to the stomach (usually described as “esophageal dysphagia”). In patients with no indication of a somatic disease or abnormality, psychiatric conditions must be considered as a possible cause of OD. Moreover, diagnosis and treatment of dysphagia are not standardized. There is no universal standard tool for screening or clinical assessment of OD. Education of health professionals on early diagnosis and improvement of therapeutic strategies are mainstays to allow maximal recovery potential in this population. Future studies, clinical trials, clinical evidence and clear guidelines are needed to manage this condition

Nanoparticles in the treatment of chronic lung diseases

Nanoparticles, although considered a topic of modern medicine, actually have an interesting history. Currently, advances in nanomedicine hold great promise as drug carrier systems for sustained release and targeted delivery of diverse therapeutic agents. Nanoparticles can be defined as complex drug carrier systems which incorporate and protect a certain drug or particle. Nanoparticles can be administered via different routes, such as intravenous injection, oral administration, or pulmonary inhalation. Even though the use of nano-carriers via pulmonary inhalation is heavily debated, this system represents an attractive alternative to the intravenous or oral routes, due to the unique anatomical and physiological features of the lungs and the minimal interactions between the targeted site and other organs. Some of the widely used nano-carriers for the treatment of chronic pulmonary diseases, via pulmonary route, are as follows: polymeric nanoparticles, liposomal nano-carriers, solid lipid nanoparticles, and submicron emulsions. Nano-carrier systems provide the advantage of sustained-drug release in the lung tissue resulting in reduced dosing frequency and improved patient compliance. Further studies focusing on understanding the mechanisms of action of nanoparticles and improving their chemical structure are required in order to better understand the potential long-term risk of excipient toxicity and nanoscale carriers