The neutron and its role in cosmology and particle physics

Experiments with cold and ultracold neutrons have reached a level of precision such that problems far beyond the scale of the present Standard Model of particle physics become accessible to experimental investigation. Due to the close links between particle physics and cosmology, these studies also permit a deep look into the very first instances of our universe. First addressed in this article, both in theory and experiment, is the problem of baryogenesis ... The question how baryogenesis could have happened is open to experimental tests, and it turns out that this problem can be curbed by the very stringent limits on an electric dipole moment of the neutron, a quantity that also has deep implications for particle physics. Then we discuss the recent spectacular observation of neutron quantization in the earth's gravitational field and of resonance transitions between such gravitational energy states. These measurements, together with new evaluations of neutron scattering data, set new constraints on deviations from Newton's gravitational law at the picometer scale. Such deviations are predicted in modern theories with extra-dimensions that propose unification of the Planck scale with the scale of the Standard Model ... Another main topic is the weak-interaction parameters in various fields of physics and astrophysics that must all be derived from measured neutron decay data. Up to now, about 10 different neutron decay observables have been measured, much more than needed in the electroweak Standard Model. This allows various precise tests for new physics beyond the Standard Model, competing with or surpassing similar tests at high-energy. The review ends with a discussion of neutron and nuclear data required in the synthesis of the elements during the "first three minutes" and later on in stellar nucleosynthesis.Comment: 91 pages, 30 figures, accepted by Reviews of Modern Physic

Colour changes of infrared dried apples slices

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań dotyczące wpływu parametrów suszenia przy wykorzystaniu promieniowania podczerwonego, tj. prędkości przepływu powietrza oraz odległości źródła promieniowania od powierzchni suszonego materiału, na barwę tkanki jabłka. Wyniki porównywano z barwą suszu jabłkowego suszonego metodą konwekcyjną w temperaturze 70°C. Zakresy pracy obejmował analizę parametrów barwy w układzie CIE Lab: L*, a*. b*. nasycenia i bezwzględnej różnicy barwy. Otrzymane wyniki wskazują iż suszenie konwekcyjne z wykorzystaniem promieniowania podczerwonego powoduje ciemnienie tkanki jabłka, tym intensywniejsze, im czas suszenia jest dłuższy. Temperatura materiału ma natomiast mniejszy wpływ na wartość L* jabłek suszonych promiennikowo. Podczas suszenia następuje również istotny wzrost udziału barwy czerwonej (a*) i żółtej (b*) oraz nasycenia. Najlepszymi właściwościami optycznymi charakteryzuje się susz uzyskany przy parametrach: prędkość powietrza 1,2 m/s i odległość 20 cm.The aim of this study was investigation of the influence of convective-infrared drying parameters, like air velocity and distance from infrared radiator to surface of dried material, on colour of dried apple slices. The results were compared with convective dried apples, dried at 70$C temperature The range of the .study comprised the measurement of colour parameters in Lab system: L*,a*,b*, saturation (C) and total colour difference (E) for external surface of apple tissue Achieved results indicated that infrared drying cause apple tissue darkening and that darkening was more intensive when drying time was longer. Apple tissue temperature had lower influence on parameter L* of infrared dried apples. During drying the increase of participation of red and yellow colour and saturation took place Dried apples slices, obtained with the parameters, distance 20 cm and velocity 1.2 m/s, had the best optical property

Ways to increase the level of physical activity among office workers

W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań ankietowych w wybranej grupie pracowników biurowych 111 instytucji, głównie samorządowych, z terenu województwa lubelskiego. Celem podjęcia badań było określenie sytuacji mogących zachęcić pracowników do zwiększenia swojej aktywności ruchowej. W artykule przedstawiono również rozwiązania wspierające aktywność ruchową w miejscu pracy i poza nią. Analiza wyników badań pozwoliła wyodrębnić dominujące czynniki, które zdaniem badanych wpłynęłyby na zmianę stylu życia z biernego na bardziej aktywny. Należą do nich: większa ilość czasu wolnego, otrzymywanie karnetów od pracodawcy oraz obniżenie opłat za korzystanie z obiektów sportowych Informacje te mogą stanowić podstawę do podejmowania kompleksowych działań prewencyjnych i edukacyjnych w zakładach pracy.This article presents the results of a survey conducted among a selected group of office workers from 111 institutions, mainly local government institutions, from Lublin Province. The aim of this research was to determine the factors that could encourage workers to increase their physical activity. To that end, this article presents available solutions supporting physical activity in- and outside the workplace. As a result of the analysis of the research the dominant factors emerged witch, according to the respondent; could influence a change in their lifestyles from inactive to more active ones. Those include having more free time, receiving season tickets from the employer, e. g., to the gym, and a discounts at sports facilities. This information may provide a basis for taking comprehensive preventive and educational measures in workplaces

Point Investigation Method for Cancer Changed Tissues

In this paper we describe the method of point investigation for cancer changed tissues with application of fluorescence phenomenon. The measurements have been made using a specially constructed scanning setup and fiber sensors. The experiment with investigation of endogenous fluorescence has been made on different types of slide tissues (e.g. breast and intestine tumor or precancerous and pathological skin tissues). The obtained spectral characteristics of fluorescence, with typical intensity peaks in 480-520 nm range, have explicitly outlined healthy and pathologically changed areas. The intensity of detected fluorescence determines the evaluation of disease advancement. Moreover, the ability to scan the surface of a tissue sample with constantly moving step of scanning setup in X-Y axis allows us to present the results in a spatial distribution of fluorescence intensity

Evolution of γ\gamma Collectivity — (n,γ)(n,\gamma ) Spectroscopy of 98^{98}Mo with FIPPS

International audienceExcited states in 98Mo have been populated in (n,γ) reaction and studied using γ-ray coincidences measured with Germanium Clover detectors of the new instrument FIPPS. The aim of the study is to investigate the evolution of γ collectivity in Mo isotopes in its early-development stage. The ground state of 97Mo 5/2+ should allow the observation of the γ band in 98Mo up to spin 7+. This is sufficient to measure interesting properties of the γ band, such as mixing ratios

Low-spin excitations in <math><mmultiscripts><mi>Zr</mi><mprescripts/><none/><mn>95</mn></mmultiscripts></math>

International audienceThe low-spin structure of the Zr95 nucleus was investigated at Institut Laue-Langevin (Grenoble) by employing three complementary methods: Either cold-neutron capture on Zr94 or cold-neutron-induced fission of U235, both using the highly efficient EXILL array of high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors, or β decay of mass-separated Y95 ions at the focal point of the Lohengrin fission-fragment separator. Together 21 new levels and 44 new transitions were placed in the level scheme. Spin-parity assignments to most of the levels in Zr95 were significantly improved