Determination of the axial-vector weak coupling constant with ultracold neutrons.

A precise measurement of the neutron decay ß asymmetry A0 has been carried out using polarized ultracold neutrons from the pulsed spallation ultracold neutron source at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Combining data obtained in 2008 and 2009, we report A0 = -0.119 66±0.000 89{-0.001 40}{+0.001 23}, from which we determine the ratio of the axial-vector to vector weak coupling of the nucleon g{A}/g{V}=-1.275 90{-0.004 45}{+0.004 09}.

Do genes on rat chromosomes 9, 13, 16, 18, and 20 contribute to regulation of breathing?

As part of a large scale, high through-put physiologic genomics study, we sought to determine whether genes on rat chromosomes 9, 13, 16, 18, and 20 contribute to phenotypic differences in the control of breathing between two inbred rat strains (SS/Mcw and BN/Mcw). Through a chromosomal substitution breeding strategy, we created 5 consomic rat strains (SS.BN9, SS.BN13, SS.BN16, SS.BN18, and SS.BN20), which were BN/Mcw homozygous at only one chromosome and SS/Mcw homozygous at all other chromosomes. Standard plethsmography was used to assess eupneic breathing and ventilatory responses to CO(2) (FI(CO(2))=0.07) and hypoxia (FI(CO(2))=0.12), and Pa(CO(2)) during treadmill exercises provided the index of the exercise hyperpnea. There were no robust differences in eupneic breathing between any strains. The ventilatory response to CO(2) was 150% greater (P<0.001) in the SS/Mcw rats than in the BN/Mcw rats and all consomic strains had the SS/Mcw phenotype. Hyperventilation during hypoxia did not differ between the parental and the consomic strains, but ventilation during hypoxia was greater (P<0.001) in the SS/Mcw than in the BN/Mcw, and the SS.BN9, and SS.BN18 appeared to acquire this BN/Mcw phenotype. The hyperventilation during treadmill walking was greater (P<0.006) in the BN/Mcw and the SS.BN18 rats than in the SS/Mcw rats. Finally, the duration of the apnea following an augmented breath (post sigh apnea, PSA) was greater (P<0.001) in the BN/Mcw and the SS.BN9 rats than all other strains. We conclude that the robust difference between the parental strains in ventilatory CO(2) sensitivity is not due to genotypic differences on the 5 chromosomes studied to date, but genotypic differences on chromosomes 9 and 18 contribute to differences in ventilatory responses to hypoxia, exercise, and/or to the differences in the PSA.

Postnatal ventilatory response to CO2 in awake piglets.

Abnormal ventilatory responses to increased levels of inspired CO2 during postnatal development may pose a risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, primarily during periods of vulnerability. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that in awake piglets the ventilatory response to hypercapnia would be attenuated between 10 and 15 days of age relative to younger and older ages. To test this hypothesis, we measured the ventilatory response to 5% inspired CO2 in piglets from postnatal (PN) days 1 through PN28. Piglets were divided into groups and exposed to 5% CO2 daily, every 3rd day or on and after PN20-21 only to avoid any plasticity that may result from repeated exposure to CO2. Room air ventilation normalized to body weight (V˙(E), ml/min/kg) declined with postnatal age in piglets from all groups. The ventilatory response to 5% inspired CO2 (expressed as % change from control) was present at birth, and we did not find an age-dependent change from PN1 to PN28 (p > 0.1). In addition, we did not find that repeated exposure (daily or every 3rd day) to 5% inspired CO2 altered the ventilatory response during this period of development. We conclude that the previously documented apparent critical period of development in piglets between 10 and 15 days of age is not associated with attenuation of the ventilatory response to 5% inspired CO2.

First measurement of the neutron beta asymmetry with ultracold neutrons.

We report the first measurement of an angular correlation parameter in neutron beta decay using polarized ultracold neutrons (UCN). We utilize UCN with energies below about 200 neV, which we guide and store for approximately 30 s in a Cu decay volume. The interaction of the neutron magnetic dipole moment with a static 7 T field external to the decay volume provides a 420 neV potential energy barrier to the spin state parallel to the field, polarizing the UCN before they pass through an adiabatic fast passage spin flipper and enter a decay volume, situated within a 1 T field in a 2x2pi solenoidal spectrometer. We determine a value for the beta-asymmetry parameter A_{0}=-0.1138+/-0.0046+/-0.0021.

Measurements of ultracold-neutron lifetimes in solid deuterium.

We present the first measurements of the survival time of ultracold neutrons (UCNs) in solid deuterium (SD2). This critical parameter provides a fundamental limitation to the effectiveness of superthermal UCN sources that utilize solid ortho-deuterium as the source material. These measurements are performed utilizing a SD2 source coupled to a spallation source of neutrons, providing a demonstration of UCN production in this geometry and permitting systematic studies of the influence of thermal up-scatter and contamination with para-deuterium on the UCN survival time.