3,277 research outputs found
Study of the electromagnetic transition form-factors in \eta -> \mu^+\mu^-\gamma and \omega -> \mu^+\mu^-\pi^0 decays with NA60
The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has studied low-mass muon pairs in 158A
GeV In-In collisions. The mass and pT spectra associated with peripheral
collisions can quantitatively be described by the known neutral meson decays.
The high data quality has allowed to remeasure the electromagnetic transition
form factors of the Dalitz decays \eta -> \mu^+\mu^-\gamma and \omega ->
\mu^+\mu^-\pi^0. Using the usual pole approximation F =
(1-M_{\mu\mu}^{2}/\Lambda^{2})^{-1} for the form factors, we find \Lambda^{-2}
(in GeV^{-2}) to be 1.95+-0.17(stat.)+-0.05(syst.) for the \eta and
2.24+-0.06(stat.)+-0.02(syst.) for the \omega. While the values agree with
previous results from the Lepton-G experiment, the errors are greatly improved,
confirming now on the level of 10\sigma the strong enhancement of the \omega
form factor beyond the expectation from vector meson dominance. An improved
value of the branching ratio BR(\omega -> \mu^+\mu^-\pi^0) =
[1.73+-0.25(stat.)+-0.14(syst.)]*10^{-4} has been obtained as a byproduct.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.
A Fixed-Target ExpeRiment at the LHC (AFTER@LHC) : luminosities, target polarisation and a selection of physics studies
We report on a future multi-purpose fixed-target experiment with the proton
or lead ion LHC beams extracted by a bent crystal. The multi-TeV LHC beams
allow for the most energetic fixed-target experiments ever performed. Such an
experiment, tentatively named AFTER for "A Fixed-Target ExperRiment", gives
access to new domains of particle and nuclear physics complementing that of
collider experiments, in particular at RHIC and at the EIC projects. The
instantaneous luminosity at AFTER using typical targets surpasses that of RHIC
by more than 3 orders of magnitude. Beam extraction by a bent crystal offers an
ideal way to obtain a clean and very collimated high-energy beam, without
decreasing the performance of the LHC. The fixed-target mode also has the
advantage of allowing for spin measurements with a polarised target and for an
access over the full backward rapidity domain up to xF ~ - 1. Here, we
elaborate on the reachable luminosities, the target polarisation and a
selection of measurements with hydrogen and deuterium targets.Comment: 6 pages. Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Quarks
and Nuclear Physics QNP2012 (16-20 April 2012, Ecole Polytechnique,
Palaiseau,France
Medium Effects in rho-Meson Photoproduction
We compute dilepton invariant mass spectra from the decays of rho mesons
produced by photon reactions off nuclei. Our calculations employ a realistic
model for the rho photoproduction amplitude on the nucleon which provides fair
agreement with measured cross sections. Medium effects are implemented via an
earlier constructed rho propagator based on hadronic many-body theory. At
incoming photon energies of 1.5 -3 GeV as used by the CLAS experiment at JLAB,
the average density probed for iron targets is estimated at about half
saturation density. At the pertinent rho-meson 3-momenta the predicted medium
effects on the rho propagator are rather moderate. The resulting dilepton
spectra approximately agree with recent CLAS data.Comment: One numerical error corrected, conclusions unchange
Spin physics at A Fixed-Target ExpeRiment at the LHC (AFTER@LHC)
We outline the opportunities for spin physics which are offered by a next
generation and multi-purpose fixed-target experiment exploiting the proton LHC
beam extracted by a bent crystal. In particular, we focus on the study of
single transverse spin asymetries with the polarisation of the target.Comment: Contributed to the 20th International Spin Physics Symposium,
SPIN2012, 17-22 September 2012, Dubna, Russia, 4 pages, LaTe
Clinical and MRI Predictors of Conversion From Mild Behavioural Impairment to Dementia
As an analogy with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the mild behavioral impairment (MBI) construct has been proposed as a diagnostic label for those presenting late-onset behavioral symptoms. To date, however, the clinical, cognitive, and structural imaging features associated with an increased risk of conversion from MBI to dementia are poorly understood.
METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed the cognitive performance and structural brain MRI of 113 subjects, with a clinical follow-up of at least 4 years available. Subjects were randomly assigned to a Group A (56 subjects; age: 65.4 \ub1 7.9 years, 15 females, MMSE score: 28.4 \ub1 2.3)) or to a Group B (57 subjects, age: 66.6 \ub1 6.4, 17 females, MMSE score: 28.0 \ub1 1.4). In the Group A, cognitive and structural variables were compared between converters (at 4 years) and nonconverters and then verified in the Group B group.
RESULTS:
In the Group A, 14 patients converted to behavioral-variant of frontotemporal dementia (bv-FTD) and 4 to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Converters presented at baseline lower executive function scores and total Theory of Mind (ToM scores), as well as more severe focal frontal atrophy. In the Group B, 13 subjects converted to bv-FTD and none to AD. The combination of the variables identified in the Group A significantly (p <0.001) discriminated between converters and nonconverters in the Group B with a sensitivity of 0.615 and a specificity of 1 (total accuracy 91.22%).
CONCLUSION:
The combined presence of executive deficit, impaired ToM, and presence of isolated frontal atrophy was associated with risk of progression from MBI to a clinically evident neurodegenerative condition, mainly bv-FTD, over a 4-year period
Prospectives for A Fixed-Target ExpeRiment at the LHC: AFTER@LHC
We argue that the concept of a multi-purpose fixed-target experiment with the
proton or lead-ion LHC beams extracted by a bent crystal would offer a number
of ground-breaking precision-physics opportunities. The multi-TeV LHC beams
will allow for the most energetic fixed-target experiments ever performed. The
fixed-target mode has the advantage of allowing for high luminosities, spin
measurements with a polarised target, and access over the full backward
rapidity domain --uncharted until now-- up to x_F ~ -1.Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, LaTeX. Proceedings of the 36th International
Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP2012), 4-11 July 2012, Melbourne,
Australi
Recent Heavy-Flavor results at STAR
We present the recent results on non-photonic electron (NPE) yields from RHIC
run8 p+p collisions. The ratio as a function of in run8 with a
factor of 10 reduction of the inner detector material at STAR is found to be
consistent with those results from run3 taking into account the NPE from charm
leptonic decay and the difference of photonic electron yield from photon
conversion in detector material. \Jpsi spectra in \pp and \cucu collisions at
\sNN = 200 GeV with high sampled luminosity \Jpsi spectrum at high-\pT follows
scaling, but the scaling is violated at low \pT. -hadron
correlations in \pp collisions are studied to understand the \Jpsi production
mechanism at high . We observed an absence of charged hadrons accompanying
\Jpsi on the near-side, in contrast to the strong correlation peak in the
di-hadron correlations. This constrains the -meson contribution and jet
fragmentation to inclusive \Jpsi to be . Yields in
minimum-bias \cucu collisions are consistent with those in \pp collisions
scaled by the underlying binary nucleon-nucleon collisions in the measured \pT
range. Other measurements and future projects related to heavy-flavors are
discussed.Comment: 8 pages 4 figures, proceedings of the International Conference on
Strangeness in Quark Matter 2008 - Beijing, China, Oct. 6-10, 200
Quarkonia Measurements with STAR
We report results on quarkonium production from the STAR experiment at the
Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC). J/psi spectra in p+p and Cu+Cu
collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV with transverse momenta in the range of 0.5-14
GeV/c and 5-8 GeV/c, respectively, are presented. We find that for p_T > 5
GeV/c yields in p+p collisions are consistent with those in minimum-bias Cu+Cu
collisions scaled with the respective number of binary nucleon-nucleon
collisions. In this range the nuclear modification factor, R_AA, is measured to
be 0.9+-0.2(stat). For the first time at RHIC, high-p_T J/psi-hadron
correlations were studied in p+p collisions. Implications from our measurements
on J/psi production mechanisms, constraints on open bottom yields, and J/psi
dissociation mechanisms at high-p_T are discussed. In addition, we give a brief
status of measurements of Upsilon production in p+p and Au+Au collisions and
present projections of future quarkonia measurements based on an upgrades to
the STAR detector and increased luminosity achieved through stochastic cooling
of RHIC.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Prepared for 3rd International Conference on Hard
and Electromagnetic Probes of High-Energy Nuclear Collisions (Hard Probes
2008), A Toxa, Spain, June 8-14, 200
Colour Deconfinement and Quarkonium Binding
At high temperatures, strongly interacting matter becomes a plasma of
deconfined quarks and gluons. In statistical QCD, deconfinement and the
properties of the resulting quark-gluon plasma can be investigated by studying
the in-medium behaviour of heavy quark bound states. In high energy nuclear
interactions, quarkonia probe different aspects of the medium formed in the
collision. We survey the results of recent charmonium production studies in SPS
and RHIC experiments.Comment: 50 pages, 53 figures; revised section 6.
NA60 results on thermal dimuons
The NA60 experiment at the CERN SPS has measured muon pairs with
unprecedented precision in 158A GeV In-In collisions. A strong excess of pairs
above the known sources is observed in the whole mass region 0.2<M<2.6 GeV. The
mass spectrum for M<1 GeV is consistent with a dominant contribution from
pi+pi- -> rho -> mu+mu- annihilation. The associated rho spectral function
shows a strong broadening, but essentially no shift in mass. For M>1 GeV, the
excess is found to be prompt, not due to enhanced charm production, with
pronounced differences to Drell-Yan pairs. The slope parameter Teff associated
with the transverse momentum spectra rises with mass up to the rho, followed by
a sudden decline above. The rise for M<1 GeV is consistent with radial flow of
a hadronic emission source. The seeming absence of significant flow for M>1 GeV
and its relation to parton-hadron duality is discussed in detail, suggesting a
dominantly partonic emission source in this region. A comparison of the data to
the present status of theoretical modeling is also contained. The accumulated
empirical evidence, including also a Planck-like shape of the mass spectra at
low pT and the lack of polarization, is consistent with a global interpretation
of the excess dimuons as thermal radiation. We conclude with first results on
omega in-medium effects.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Eur. Phys. J.
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