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The muon content of EAS detected at Haverah Park has been measured using both shielded scintillators and neon flashtube tracking arrays. The primary energy range covered was from 1015 up to 1020 eV with a muon energy threshold of 300 MeV. The lateral distributions of muon density are fitted to the observed data in each decade of primary energy over appropriate core-distance ranges. In the range 1501200 m the observed densities fall below the predictions of this LDF. At lower primary energies (Ep<1016 eV) and for R<150 m a simple power-law LDF fits the observed data. However, the best-fit power index increases with Ep up to approximately 3*1015 eV and then appears to remain constant at higher energies.

BackgroundEarly detection of ovarian cancer remains a challenge due to widespread metastases and a lack of biomarkers for early-stage disease. This study was conducted to identify relevant biomarkers for both laparoscopic and serum diagnostics in ovarian cancer.MethodsBioinformatics analysis and expression screening in ovarian cancer cell lines were employed. Selected biomarkers were further validated in bio-specimens of diverse cancer types and ovarian cancer subtypes. For non-invasive detection, biomarker proteins were evaluated in serum samples from ovarian cancer patients.ResultsTwo kallikrein (KLK) serine protease family members (KLK6 and KLK7) were found to be significantly overexpressed relative to normal controls in most of the ovarian cancer cell lines examined. Overexpression of KLK6 and KLK7 mRNA was specific to ovarian cancer, in particular to serous and papillary serous subtypes. In situ hybridization and histopathology further confirmed significantly elevated levels of KLK6 and KLK7 mRNA and proteins in tissue epithelium and a lack of expression in neighboring stroma. Lastly, KLK6 and KLK7 protein levels were significantly elevated in serum samples from serous and papillary serous subtypes in the early stages of ovarian cancer, and therefore could potentially decrease the high “false negative” rates found in the same patients with the common ovarian cancer biomarkers human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and cancer antigen 125 (CA-125).ConclusionKLK6 and KLK7 mRNA and protein overexpression is directly associated with early-stage ovarian tumors and can be measured in patient tissue and serum samples. Assays based on KLK6 and KLK7 expression may provide specific and sensitive information for early detection of ovarian cancer.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13048-014-0109-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Describes the results and conclusions from an experiment set up to measure the time spread of muons in extensive air showers (EAS) detected at the Haverah Park EAS detector array, UK. The pulse risetimes (T70) from 10% to 70% amplitude of the responses from 3*10 m2 muon detectors are studied, and the anomalous pulse structure is investigated. The mean T70 is studied as a function of shower size, zenith angle and core distance and its dependence on shower size is related to the elongation length of the EAS. Fluctuations in T70 are studied as a method of yielding the mass composition of the primary particles. The measured fluctuations in T70 are related to fluctuations in the depth of the electromagnetic cascade maximum. The results yield the same value for both the elongation rate and the fluctuation in the depth of maximum sigma (Xm) of 58(+or-23) g cm-2. The results are consistent with simulation studies that assume protons are still the dominant component of cosmic rays in the energy range 1017 to 1018 eV.

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