First Results of the Search for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay with the NEMO 3 Detector

The NEMO 3 detector, which has been operating in the Frejus underground laboratory since February 2003, is devoted to the search for neutrinoless double beta decay (bb0nu). Half-lives of the two neutrino double beta decays (bb2nu) have been measured for 100Mo and 82Se. After 389 effective days of data collection from February 2003 until September 2004 (Phase I), no evidence for neutrinoless double beta decay was found from ~7kg of 100Mo and ~1 kg of 82Se. The corresponding lower limits for the half-lives are 4.6 x 10^23 years for 100Mo and 1.0 x10^23 years for 82Se (90% C.L.). Depending on the nuclear matrix elements calculation, limits for the effective Majorana neutrino mass are < 1.7-4.9 eV for 82Se

Advanced Concepts in Desalination

The Advanced Concepts Desalination program at Sandia National Laboratories aims to increase the availability of fresh water through cost-effective developments in desalination technology, particularly for treatment of brackish ground water. The major obstacles to widespread implementation of desalination are the high energy consumption of current reverse osmosis (RO) technology, low recovery due to concentration of low solubility salts, and the limited options for concentrate disposal. In this talk we review a number of efforts initiated by Sandia to address these problems. Near-term projects focus on increasing fresh water recovery and concentrate management. An innovative hybrid RO-electrodialysis system isolates and removes sparingly soluble calcium salts from an RO concentrate stream, allowing recycling of the concentrate and additional water recovery. A similar concept uses an inter-stage precipitator to remove slightly soluble salts prior to additional RO treatment. Where deep well injection is the preferred method of concentrate disposal, geochemical modeling is being used to evaluate the compatibility and chemical stability of the concentrate with the disposal reservoir. Long-range R&D programs include development of high-efficiency nanostructured membranes for RO and electrodialysis that may substantially decrease the energy requirements for production of fresh water. New concepts in membrane module construction are being examined to make the best use of high efficiency membranes. New treatments for preventing and controlling membrane biofouling will increase the efficiency and lower the cost of operation of membrane processes

Water Management Strategies to Preserve Groundwater in Texas\u27 Region A

The Ogallala aquifer in the heavily irrigated, northern region of Texas continues to decline and has no appreciable rate of recharge. Under the water planning efforts in Texas, the regional water planning group identified a goal of limiting water use to an annual average of 1.25% of saturated thickness to preserve water availability for future generations. As a part of that effort, water management strategies that could be potentially implemented to reduce the rate of irrigation water use were identified and evaluated. The assessment of conservation strategies included the use of the ET network for irrigation scheduling, changes in crop variety, irrigation equipment improvements, changes in crop type, implementation of conservation tillage methods, precipitation enhancement, the conversion from irrigated to dryland farming, and brush control measures. While all of the strategies evaluated resulted in water savings, several have negative impacts on the economy of the region. If water savings are the principle objective, the strategies of changing crop variety and the use of conservation tillage should be potentially be dropped from consideration. The strategies of changing crop type and conversion of irrigated to dryland production generate the largest water savings, but had the largest negative impacts on the regional economy. The strategies of precipitation enhancement and irrigation scheduling were estimated to provide both a substantial water savings and have a positive impact on the regional economy. Regardless of the conservation strategy evaluated given the implementation level, the demand shortage could not be met with conservation alone in all areas

Ökologisch bewirtschaftete Ackerflächen - eine ökologische Leistung? Ein ergebnisorientierter Ansatz für die Praxis

Zielorientierte bzw. ergebnisorientierte Ansätze zur Erfassung ökologischer Leistungen der Landwirtschaft könnten künftig eine wesentliche Grundlage für die Bemsessung landwirtschaftlicher Direktzahlungen werden. Als ökologische Leistungen sollte alles abgegolten werden, was über die gute fachliche Praxis im Rahmen der landwirtschaftlichen Fachrechte und des Bundesnaturschutzgestz hinausgeht

K(892)* resonance production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200GeV

The short-lived K(892)* resonance provides an efficient tool to probe properties of the hot and dense medium produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We report measurements of K* in sqrt[sNN]=200GeV Au+Au and p+p collisions reconstructed via its hadronic decay channels K(892)*0-->K pi and K(892)*±-->K0S pi ± using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The K*0 mass has been studied as a function of pT in minimum bias p+p and central Au+Au collisions. The K*pT spectra for minimum bias p+p interactions and for Au+Au collisions in different centralities are presented. The K*/K yield ratios for all centralities in Au+Au collisions are found to be significantly lower than the ratio in minimum bias p+p collisions, indicating the importance of hadronic interactions between chemical and kinetic freeze-outs. A significant nonzero K*0 elliptic flow (v2) is observed in Au+Au collisions and is compared to the K0S and Lambda v2. The nuclear modification factor of K* at intermediate pT is similar to that of K0S but different from Lambda . This establishes a baryon-meson effect over a mass effect in the particle production at intermediate pT (2<pT <= 4GeV/c)

Centrality and pseudorapidity dependence of charged hadron production at intermediate pT in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=130 GeV

We present STAR measurements of charged hadron production as a function of centrality in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=130 GeV . The measurements cover a phase space region of 0.2 pcutT , and studied the results in the framework of participant and binary scaling. No clear evidence is observed for participant scaling of charged hadron yield in the measured pT region. The relative importance of hard scattering processes is investigated through binary scaling fraction of particle production

Production of e+ e- pairs accompanied by nuclear dissociation in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions

We present data on e+ e- pair production accompanied by nuclear breakup in ultraperipheral gold-gold collisions at a center of mass energy of 200 GeV per nucleon pair. The nuclear breakup requirement selects events at small impact parameters, where higher-order diagrams for pair production should be enhanced. We compare the data with two calculations: one based on the equivalent photon approximation, and the other using lowest-order quantum electrodynamics (QED). The data distributions agree with both calculations, except that the pair transverse momentum spectrum disagrees with the equivalent photon approach. We set limits on higher-order contributions to the cross section

Pseudorapidity asymmetry and centrality dependence of charged hadron spectra in d+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=200 GeV

The pseudorapidity asymmetry and centrality dependence of charged hadron spectra in d+Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=200 GeV are presented. The charged particle density at midrapidity, its pseudorapidity asymmetry, and centrality dependence are reasonably reproduced by a multiphase transport model, by HIJING, and by the latest calculations in a saturation model. Ratios of transverse momentum spectra between backward and forward pseudorapidity are above unity for pT below 5 GeV/c . The ratio of central to peripheral spectra in d+Au collisions shows enhancement at 2< pT <6 GeV/c , with a larger effect at backward rapidity than forward rapidity. Our measurements are in qualitative agreement with gluon saturation and in contrast to calculations based on incoherent multiple partonic scatterings

CFTR genotype and maximal exercise capacity in cystic fibrosis: a cross-sectional study

RATIONALE: Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is expressed in human skeletal muscle cells. Variations of CFTR dysfunction among patients with CF may present an important determinant of aerobic exercise capacity in CF. Previous studies on the relationship between CFTR genotype and aerobic exercise capacity are scarce and contradictory. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to explore factors influencing aerobic exercise capacity, expressed as peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) with a specific focus on CFTR genotype in children and adults with CF. METHODS: In an international, multicenter cross-sectional study we collected data on CFTR genotype and cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) in patients with CF eight years and older. CFTR mutations were classified into functional classes I-V. RESULTS: The final analysis included 726 patients (45% females, age 8 to 61 years, FEV1 16 to 123 % predicted) from 17 CF centers in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia whom all had both valid maximal CPET and complete CFTR genotype data. Overall, patients exhibited exercise intolerance (VO2peak, 77.3±19.1 % predicted), but values were comparable among different CFTR classes. Using linear regression analysis adjusted for relevant confounders, lung function and body mass index, but not CFTR genotype were the main predictors of VO2peak. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that lung disease severity and reduced nutritional status rather than CFTR genotypes are the major determinants of aerobic exercise capacity in patients with CF