CERN West Area neutrino facility beam line alignment

This papers describes the alignment of the West Area Neutrino Beam Line at CERN to the two neutrino experiments CHORUS and NOMAD. The T9 neutrino (n) target position and the position of the magnetic horn were optimised using the secondary muon intensity profiles from the muon pits in the shielding. In the experiments the improved geometry provides a better centred beam (< 5 cm) and a measured increase in the n flux of 8%

Возможности реабилитации детей с синдромом ДЦП с применением роботизированных устройств и биологической обратной связи

This article overviews and systemizes published data on the ways of implementing different methods of biofeedback, robotic devices, and brain-computer interfaces (BCI) for rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP).Aim. To survey implementation practices and clinical outcomes of rehabilitation technologies and possible neurophysiological mechanisms underlying their efficacy in patients with CP. We searched PubMed, Web of Science and eLIBRARY.ru databases for relevant publications using specified keywords.Results. The analysis of relevant literature has shown that robotic technologies and BCIs with biofeedback based on electroencephalography and electromyography parameters are rapidly developing and implemented for the rehabilitation of children with CP. The first evidence of effectiveness for such methods and approaches has been found. However, there is a lack of fully developed conventional standards for the use of such rehabilitation methods and protocols in children. Control groups comprising of children with CP are often absent in such studies. In many cases, the variations of neurophysiological and neurochemical parameters before and after a course of rehabilitation are not evaluated. Having such data would help clarify physiological mechanisms underlying effective rehabilitation of motor functions and then design more adequate rehabilitation procedures and medication protocols.Обзор литературы посвящен систематизации имеющихся данных о применении методики биологической обратной связи, роботизированных устройств и интерфейсов «мозг – компьютер» в реабилитации детей с синдромом детского церебрального паралича (ДЦП).Цель – изучить опыт применения, клиническую эффективность реабилитационных технологий у пациентов с ДЦП и возможные нейрофизиологические механизмы, лежащие в их основе. Поиск по ключевым словам (дети, ДЦП, биологическая обратная связь, роботизированные устройства, интерфейс «мозг – компьютер», экзоскелеты) был проведен с использованием баз научной литературы Pubmed, Web of Science,  eLIBRARY.ru.Результаты. Проведенный анализ данных литературы показывает, что в настоящее время в реабилитации детей с синдромом ДЦП активно развивается применение роботизированных устройств и интерфейсов «мозг – компьютер» с биологической обратной связью по параметрам электроэнцефалограммы и электромиограммы. Получены первые доказательства эффективности указанных методов и подходов. В то же время не полностью разработаны стандарты использования таких методов в реабилитационной практике и протоколы работы с детьми. Не всегда создавались контрольные группы из детей с ДЦП. Во многих исследованиях не оценивалась динамика нейрофизиологических и нейрохимических показателей до и после курса реабилитации. Такие данные позволили бы уточнить физиологические механизмы восстановления моторных функций и более корректно подходить к назначению реабилитационных процедур и медикаментозного лечения

Prospects for K+→π+ννˉK^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar{ \nu } at CERN in NA62

The NA62 experiment will begin taking data in 2015. Its primary purpose is a 10% measurement of the branching ratio of the ultrarare kaon decay $K^+ \to \pi^+ \nu \bar{ \nu }$, using the decay in flight of kaons in an unseparated beam with momentum 75 GeV/c.The detector and analysis technique are described here.Comment: 8 pages for proceedings of 50 Years of CP

The Polarised Valence Quark Distribution from semi-inclusive DIS

The semi-inclusive difference asymmetry A^{h^{+}-h^{-}} for hadrons of opposite charge has been measured by the COMPASS experiment at CERN. The data were collected in the years 2002-2004 using a 160 GeV polarised muon beam scattered off a large polarised ^6LiD target and cover the range 0.006 < x < 0.7 and 1 < Q^2 < 100 (GeV/c)^2. In leading order QCD (LO) the asymmetry A_d^{h^{+}-h^{-}} measures the valence quark polarisation and provides an evaluation of the first moment of Delta u_v + Delta d_v which is found to be equal to 0.40 +- 0.07 (stat.) +- 0.05 (syst.) over the measured range of x at Q^2 = 10 (GeV/c)^2. When combined with the first moment of g_1^d previously measured on the same data, this result favours a non-symmetric polarisation of light quarks Delta u-bar = - Delta d-bar at a confidence level of two standard deviations, in contrast to the often assumed symmetric scenario Delta u-bar = Delta d-bar = Delta s-bar = Delta s.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, COMPASS, revised: details added, author list update

ChPT tests at the NA48 and NA62 experiments at CERN

The NA48/2 Collaboration at CERN has accumulated unprecedented statistics of rare kaon decays in the Ke4 modes: Ke4(+-) ($K^\pm \to \pi^+ \pi^- e^\pm \nu$) and Ke4(00) ($K^\pm \to \pi^0 \pi^0 e^\pm \nu$) with nearly one percent background contamination. The detailed study of form factors and branching rates, based on these data, has been completed recently. The results brings new inputs to low energy strong interactions description and tests of Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) and lattice QCD calculations. In particular, new data support the ChPT prediction for a cusp in the $\pi^0\pi^0$ invariant mass spectrum at the two charged pions threshold for Ke4(00) decay. New final results from an analysis of about 400 $K^\pm \to \pi^\pm \gamma \gamma$ rare decay candidates collected by the NA48/2 and NA62 experiments at CERN during low intensity runs with minimum bias trigger configurations are presented. The results include a model-independent decay rate measurement and fits to ChPT description.Comment: XIIth International Conference on Heavy Quarks and Leptons 2014, Mainz, German

Recent NA48/2 and NA62 results

The NA48/2 Collaboration at CERN has accumulated and analysed unprecedented statistics of rare kaon decays in the $K_{e4}$ modes: $K_{e4}(+-)$ ($K^\pm \to \pi^+ \pi^- e^\pm \nu$) and $K_{e4}(00)$ ($K^\pm \to \pi^0 \pi^0 e^\pm \nu$) with nearly one percent background contamination. It leads to the improved measurement of branching fractions and detailed form factor studies. New final results from the analysis of 381 $K^\pm \to \pi^\pm \gamma \gamma$ rare decay candidates collected by the NA48/2 and NA62 experiments at CERN are presented. The results include a decay rate measurement and fits to Chiral Perturbation Theory (ChPT) description.Comment: Prepared for the Proceedings of "Moriond QCD and High Energy Interactions. March 22-29 2014." conferenc

Quasi free-standing one-dimensional nanocrystals of PbTe grown in 1.4 nm SWNTs

Here, we show successful filling of 1.4 nm single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with PbTe nanocrystals. The structure of one-dimensional PbTe in SWNT was determined using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The electronic structure of composites was studied by optical absorbance and Raman spectroscopies indicating no noticeable interaction of encapsulated PbTe with SWNT wall. Experimental data are supported by ab-initio calculations, showing non-zero density of states at the Fermi level of PbTe@SWNT(10,10) provided by both SWNT and PbTe states and thus metallic conductivity of the composite

First observation of the KS->pi0 gamma gamma decay

Using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS, 31 KS->pi0 gamma gamma candidates with an estimated background of 13.7 +- 3.2 events have been observed. This first observation leads to a branching ratio of BR(KS->pi0 gamma gamma) = (4.9 +- 1.6(stat) +- 0.9(syst)) x 10^-8 in agreement with Chiral Perturbation theory predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures submitted to Phys. Lett.

Measurement of the branching ratio of the decay Ξ0→Σ+μ−νˉμ\Xi^{0}\rightarrow \Sigma^{+} \mu^{-} \bar{\nu}_{\mu}

From the 2002 data taking with a neutral kaon beam extracted from the CERN-SPS, the NA48/1 experiment observed 97 $\Xi^{0}\rightarrow \Sigma^{+} \mu^{-} \bar{\nu}_{\mu}$ candidates with a background contamination of $30.8 \pm 4.2$ events. From this sample, the BR($\Xi^{0}\rightarrow \Sigma^{+} \mu^{-} \bar{\nu}_{\mu}$) is measured to be $(2.17 \pm 0.32_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm 0.17_{\mathrm{syst}})\times10^{-6}$

Observation of the rare decay K_S -> pi^0mu^+mu^-

A search for the decay K_S -> pi^0mu^+mu^- has been made by the NA48/1 Collaboration at the CERN SPS accelerator. The data were collected during 2002 with a high-intensity K_S beam. Six events were found with a background expectation of 0.22^+0.18_-0.11 event. Using a vector matrix element and unit form factor, the measured branching ratio is B(K_S -> pi^0mu^+mu^-)=[2.9^+1.5_-1.2(stat)+/-0.2(syst)]x10^{-9}.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables. To be published in Physics Letters