Search for universal extra dimensions in pp collisions

We present a search for Kaluza-Klein (KK) particles predicted by models with universal extra dimensions (UED) using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.3 fb(-1), collected by the D0 detector at a pp center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The decay chain of KK particles can lead to a final state with two muons of the same charge. This signature is used to set a lower limit on the compactification scale of R(-1)>260 GeV in a minimal UED model.     

Measurement of the W boson mass with the D0 detector

We present a measurement of the W boson mass using data corresponding to 4.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector during Run II at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider. With a sample of 1,677,394 W → eν candidate events, we measure M(W) = 80.367 ± 0.026 GeV. This result is combined with an earlier D0 result determined using an independent Run II data sample, corresponding to 1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity, to yield M(W) = 80.375 ± 0.023 GeV.     

Evidence for re-entrant behavior in laponite–PEO systems

We observe evidence of re-entrant behavior in dispersions of a discotic clay, laponite, with added polymer. Under basic conditions, neat laponite forms a disordered colloidal glass. Rheologically, this phase behaves as a viscoelastic solid, and dynamic light scattering shows evidence of non-ergodic behavior. Addition of low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) melts the glass, resulting in a low-viscosity liquid with fast dynamics. We believe this is due to a depletion force caused by excess PEO chains in solution. A viscoelastic solid is re-formed with the addition of high molecular weight PEO, which we believe to be caused by polymer chains bridging between laponite particles. The physics in our system is quite different from the hard sphere/nonadsorbing polymer systems for which re-entrant glass transitions have been reported in the literature; however, we believe there may be similarities between these phenomena. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of a type of re-entrant behavior in anisotropic colloids.     

Catalytic Activity and Morphological Properties of Ni/MgO Catalysts for the Oxidative Coupling of Methane

The catalytic activity of Ni/MgO catalysts was studied for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). The catalysts were characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and XRD. The increase in C2+ selectivity of Ni/MgO was attributed to the presence of bulk dislocations and MgNiO₂ phase. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Positive Definite Functions and Operator Inequalities

We construct several examples of positive definite functions,and use the positive definite matrices arising from them toderive several inequalities for norms of operators. 1991 MathematicsSubject Classification 42A82, 47A63, 15A45, 15A60.     

More Operator Versions of the Schwarz Inequality

Some new operator versions of the Schwarz inequality are obtained. One of them is a counterpart of the variance-covariance inequality in the context of noncommutative probability. Received: 14 April 2000 / Accepted: 10 May 2000     

Laser spectroscopy and imaging of gallbladder stones, tissue and bile

Laser spectroscopic study of billary calculi and tissues is described. Fluorescence spectra of human gallbladder stones, bile and tissues were recorded with streak camera in the frequency and time domain. Potential of fluorescence as a diagnostic tool to discriminate between the intended target and the surrounding tissues and bile is evaluated. Initiation of fragmentation process is visualized by high-speed shadowgraphy, interferometry performed during the laser impact and generation of plasma causing growth and collapse of bubbles.     

Eigenvalues of symmetrizable matrices

New perturbation theorems for matrices similar to Hermitian matrices are proved for a class of unitarily invariant norms calledQ-norms. These theorems improve known results in certain circumstances and extend Lu's theorems for the spectral norm, see [Numerical Mathematics: a Journal of Chinese Universities, 16 (1994), pp. 177–185] toQ-norms. This material is based in part upon the third author's work supported from August 1995 to December 1997 by a Householder Fellowship in Scientific Computing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, supported by the Applied Mathematical Sciences Research Program, Office of Energy Research, United States Department of Energy contract DE-AC05-96OR22464 with Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.