Hart, Mark M. | Search NASA

DOE OSTI2023

Introduction to Fentanyl: What, Why, When, Where, How

This primer is designed to distill the subject of fentanyl and its analogs into simple terms. It is not an assessment. Its audience is the public, i.e., nonexperts that are curious about the topic. Therefore, the descriptions are broad rather than deep. As substantial information is available on fentanyl, our aim is to distill the information into a format that answers basic questions: What is fentanyl? Why is it dangerous? When is fentanyl most deadly? Where does it act in the body? How can its effect be mitigated? References and appendices are provided as supporting scientific information, and footnotes provide technical definitions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Boson Fermion Nucleus Explanation for Violation of Parity in the Radioactive Decay of Cobalt-60: Monograph #12

In 1957, Chien-Shuing Wu subjected cobalt-60 to supercooled temperatures and a strong magnetic field while measuring radioactive decay. This experiment showed violation of parity— a long-held, fundamental precept in physics stating that nuclear radioactive-decay emission flux will not vary in the solid angle about the nucleus. During Wu’s experiment, beta particles (electrons) exhibited asymmetry, preferentially exiting the cobalt-60 nuclei in the polar region opposite the applied magnetic field. Gamma-ray emissions were anisotropic, preferring to exit the nucleus around the equatorial region. The boson fermion nucleus (BFN) explains the origins of these observed phenomena, where the nuclear structure is pinned in the strong magnetic field with minimal motion in supercooled conditions, while beta particles and gamma rays are emitted from specific locations within the nuclear structure.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗