Illuminating dark matter and primordial black holes with interstellar antiprotons

Interstellar antiproton fluxes can arise from dark matter annihilating or decaying into quarks or gluons that subsequently fragment into antiprotons. Evaporation of primordial black holes also can produce a significant antiproton cosmic-ray flux. Since the background of secondary antiprotons from spallation has an interstellar energy spectrum that peaks at \sim 2\gev and falls rapidly for energies below this, low-energy measurements of cosmic antiprotons are useful in the search for exotic antiproton sources. However, measurement of the flux near the earth is challenged by significant uncertainties from the effects of the solar wind. We suggest evading this problem and more effectively probing dark-matter signals by placing an antiproton spectrometer aboard an interstellar probe currently under discussion. We address the experimental challenges of a light, low-power-consuming detector, and present an initial design of such an instrument. This experimental effort could significantly increase our ability to detect, and have confidence in, a signal of exotic, nonstandard antiproton sources. Furthermore, solar modulation effects in the heliosphere would be better quantified and understood by comparing results to inverse modulated data derived from existing balloon and space-based detectors near the earth.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure

Preliminary report on IUE spectra of the Crab Nebula

The Crab Nebula is marginally observable with the IUE. Observations of the optically brightest filamentary regions, made with IUE in August 1979, show the C IV lambda 1549, He II lambda 1640, and C III lambda 1909 emission lines. The intensities of these lines were compared with the visual wavelength data. It appears that carbon is not overabundant in the Crab; carbon/oxygen is approximately normal and oxygen is slightly scarcer than normal as a fraction of the total mass

Treatment of psychoses in patients with epilepsy: an update.

Psychotic disorders represent a relatively rare but serious comorbidity in epilepsy. Current epidemiological studies are showing a point prevalence of 5.6% in unselected samples of people with epilepsy going up to 7% in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, with a pooled odds ratio of 7.8 as compared with the general population. This is a narrative review of the most recent updates in the management of psychotic disorders in epilepsy, taking into account the clinical scenarios where psychotic symptoms occur in epilepsy, interactions with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and the risk of seizures with antipsychotics. Psychotic symptoms in epilepsy can arise in a number of different clinical scenarios from peri-ictal symptoms, to chronic interictal psychoses, comorbid schizophrenia and related disorders to the so-called forced normalization phenomenon. Data on the treatment of psychotic disorders in epilepsy are still limited and the management of these problems is still based on individual clinical experience. For this reason, guidelines of treatment outside epilepsy should be adopted taking into account epilepsy-related issues including interactions with AEDs and seizure risk. Second-generation antipsychotics, especially risperidone, can represent a reasonable first-line option because of the low propensity for drug-drug interactions and the low risk of seizures. Quetiapine is burdened by a clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction with enzyme-inducing drugs leading to undetectable levels of the antipsychotic, even for dosages up to 700 mg per day

Temporal Variability of the X-ray Emission of the Crab Nebula Torus

We have analyzed five ROSAT HRI images of the Crab Nebula spanning the years 1991 to 1997 and have found significant changes in the emission structure of the X-ray torus surrounding the pulsar. Certain regions increase in brightness by about 20% over the six years, while others show decreases in surface brightness. The origin of these changes is unclear, but a possible explanation is that the bulk velocity of the synchrotron radiating electrons has decreased on the order of 20% as well.Comment: 15 pages plus 6 figures, figure 1 and figure 6 are in color, to appear in The Astrophysical Journal, Jan 1, 1999, Vol. 510, #