Rapid discharges in a model Veterans Hospital

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Magnetic effects at the interface between nonmagnetic oxides

The electronic reconstruction at the interface between two insulating oxides can give rise to a highly-conductive interface. In analogy to this remarkable interface-induced conductivity we show how, additionally, magnetism can be induced at the interface between the otherwise nonmagnetic insulating perovskites SrTiO3 and LaAlO3. A large negative magnetoresistance of the interface is found, together with a logarithmic temperature dependence of the sheet resistance. At low temperatures, the sheet resistance reveals magnetic hysteresis. Magnetic ordering is a key issue in solid-state science and its underlying mechanisms are still the subject of intense research. In particular, the interplay between localized magnetic moments and the spin of itinerant conduction electrons in a solid gives rise to intriguing many-body effects such as Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions, the Kondo effect, and carrier-induced ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductors. The conducting oxide interface now provides a versatile system to induce and manipulate magnetic moments in otherwise nonmagnetic materials.Comment: Nature Materials, July issu

Phosphorylation regulates targeting of cytoplasmic dynein to kinetochores during mitosis

Cytoplasmic dynein functions at several sites during mitosis; however, the basis of targeting to each site remains unclear. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis of mitotic dynein revealed a phosphorylation site in the dynein intermediate chains (ICs) that mediates binding to kinetochores. IC phosphorylation directs binding to zw10 rather than dynactin, and this interaction is needed for kinetochore dynein localization. Phosphodynein associates with kinetochores from nuclear envelope breakdown to metaphase, but bioriented microtubule (MT) attachment and chromosome alignment induce IC dephosphorylation. IC dephosphorylation stimulates binding to dynactin and poleward streaming. MT depolymerization, release of kinetochore tension, and a PP1-γ mutant each inhibited IC dephosphorylation, leading to the retention of phosphodynein at kinetochores and reduced poleward streaming. The depletion of kinetochore dynactin by moderate levels of p50(dynamitin) expression disrupted the ability of dynein to remove checkpoint proteins by streaming at metaphase but not other aspects of kinetochore dynein activity. Together, these results suggest a new model for localization of kinetochore dynein and the contribution of kinetochore dynactin

Differential branching fraction and angular analysis of the decay B0→K∗0μ+μ−

The angular distribution and differential branching fraction of the decay B 0→ K ∗0 μ + μ − are studied using a data sample, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1. Several angular observables are measured in bins of the dimuon invariant mass squared, q 2. A first measurement of the zero-crossing point of the forward-backward asymmetry of the dimuon system is also presented. The zero-crossing point is measured to be q20=4.9±0.9GeV2/c4 , where the uncertainty is the sum of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are consistent with the Standard Model predictions

Measurements of the branching fractions of B+→ppK+ decays

The branching fractions of the decay B+ → pp̄K+ for different intermediate states are measured using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb-1, collected by the LHCb experiment. The total branching fraction, its charmless component Mpp̄ < 2.85 GeV/c2 and the branching fractions via the resonant cc̄ states η c(1S) and ψ(2S) relative to the decay via a J/ψ intermediate state are [Equation not available: see fulltext.] Upper limits on the B + branching fractions into the η c(2S) meson and into the charmonium-like states X(3872) and X(3915) are also obtained

Searches for B0(s)→J/ψppˉ and B+→J/ψppˉπ+ decays

The results of searches for B0(s)→J/ψ pp¯ and B + → J/ψ p p¯ π+ decays are reported. The analysis is based on a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 of pp collisions, collected with the LHCb detector. An excess with 2.8 σ significance is seen for the decay B0s→J/ψ pp¯ and an upper limit on the branching fraction is set at the 90 % confidence level: B(B0s→J/ψ pp¯) < 4.8 × 10−6, which is the first such limit. No significant signals are seen for B0 → J/ψ pp¯ and B+ → J/ψ pp¯ π + decays, for which the corresponding limits are set: B(B0→J/ψ pp¯) < 5.2 × 10−7, which significantly improves the existing limit; and B(B+→J/ψ pp¯π+) < 5.0 × 10−7, which is the first limit on this branching fraction

Measurement of the relative rate of prompt χc0, χc1 and χc2 production at √s=7TeV

Prompt production of charmonium χc0, χc1 and χc2 mesons is studied using proton-proton collisions at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of √s=7TeV. The χc mesons are identified through their decay to J/ψγ, with J/ψ→μ+mu− using photons that converted in the detector. A data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector, is used to measure the relative prompt production rate of χc1 and χc2 in the rapidity range 2.0<y<4.5 as a function of the J/ψ transverse momentum from 3 to 20 GeV/c. First evidence for χc0 meson production at a hadron collider is also presented

Opposite-side flavour tagging of B mesons at the LHCb experiment

The calibration and performance of the oppositeside flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with B + →J/ψK +, B0 →J/ψK ∗0 and B0 →D ∗− μ + νμ decay modes with 0.37 fb−1 of data collected in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV during the 2011 physics run. The oppositeside tagging power is determined in the B + → J/ψK + channel to be (2.10 ± 0.08 ± 0.24) %, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic

Search for CP violation in D+→K−K+π+D^{+} \to K^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+} decays

A model-independent search for direct CP violation in the Cabibbo suppressed decay $D^+ \to K^- K^+\pi^+$ in a sample of approximately 370,000 decays is carried out. The data were collected by the LHCb experiment in 2010 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb$^{-1}$. The normalized Dalitz plot distributions for $D^+$ and $D^-$ are compared using four different binning schemes that are sensitive to different manifestations of CP violation. No evidence for CP asymmetry is found.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.