Nuclear shadowing from exclusive quarkonium photoproduction at the BNL RHIC and CERN LHC

The photonuclear production of vector mesons in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions is investigated within the collinear approach using different parameterizations for the nuclear gluon distribution. The integrated cross section and the rapidity distribution for the $AA \to V AA$ ($V = J/\Psi, \Upsilon$) process are computed for energies of RHIC and LHC. A comparison with the recent PHENIX data on coherent production of $J/\Psi$ mesons is also presented. We demonstrate that the study of the exclusive quarkonium photoproduction can be used to constrain the nuclear effects in the gluon distribution.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables. Version to be published in Physical Review

Low-temperature study of a new nevirapine pseudopolymorph

The title compound (systematic name: 11-cyclo­propyl-4-methyl-5,11-dihydro-6H-dipyrido[3,2-b:2′,3′-e][1,4]diazepin-6-one butanol 0.3-solvate), C15H14N4O·0.3C4H9OH, was crystallized in a new triclinic pseudopolymorphic form, a butanol solvate, and the crystal structure determined at 150 K. The mol­ecular conformation of this new form differs from that reported previously, although the main inter­molecular hydrogen-bond pattern remains the same. N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds [N⋯O = 2.957 (3) Å] form centrosymmetric dimers and the crystal packing of this new pseudopolymorph generates infinite channels along the b axis

Fermion scattering off electroweak phase transition kink walls with hypermagnetic fields

We study the scattering of fermions off a finite width kink wall during the electroweak phase transition in the presence of a background hypermagnetic field. We derive and solve the Dirac equation for such fermions and compute the reflection and transmission coefficients for the case when the fermions move from the symmetric to the broken symmetry phase. We show that the chiral nature of the fermion coupling with the background field in the symmetric phase generates an axial asymmetry in the scattering processes. We discuss possible implications of such axial charge segregation for baryon number generation.Comment: 9 pages, 3 Postscript figures, uses RevTeX4. Expanded discussion, published versio

Extended analytic QCD model with perturbative QCD behavior at high momenta

In contrast to perturbative QCD, the analytic QCD models have running coupling whose analytic properties correctly mirror those of spacelike observables. The discontinuity (spectral) function of such running coupling is expected to agree with the perturbative case at large timelike momenta; however, at low timelike momenta it is not known. In the latter regime, we parametrize the unknown behavior of the spectral function as a sum of (two) delta functions; while the onset of the perturbative behavior of the spectral function is set to be 1.0-1.5 GeV. This is in close analogy with the "minimal hadronic ansatz" used in the literature for modeling spectral functions of correlators. For the running coupling itself, we impose the condition that it basically merges with the perturbative coupling at high spacelike momenta. In addition, we require that the well-measured nonstrange semihadronic (V+A) tau decay ratio value be reproduced by the model. We thus obtain a QCD framework which is basically indistinguishable from perturbative QCD at high momenta (Q > 1 GeV), and at low momenta it respects the basic analyticity properties of spacelike observables as dictated by the general principles of the local quantum field theories.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures; in v2 Sec.IV is extended after Eq.(48) and refs.[51-52] added; v2 published in Phys.Rev.D85,114043(2012

Low-energy theorems of QCD and bulk viscosity at finite temperature and baryon density in a magnetic field

The nonperturbative QCD vacuum at finite temperature and a finite baryon density in an external magnetic field is studied. Equations relating nonperturbative condensates to the thermodynamic pressure for $T\neq 0$, $\mu_q \neq 0$ and $H\neq 0$ are obtained, and low-energy theorems are derived. A bulk viscosity $\zeta(T, \mu, H)$ is expressed in terms of basic thermodynamical quantities describing the quark-gluon matter at $T\neq 0$, $\mu_q \neq 0$, and $H\neq 0$. Various limiting cases are also considered.Comment: 12 pages; v2: title changed, new section about bulk viscosity and new references added; v3: new discussion adde

A new species in the major malaria vector complex sheds light on reticulated species evolution

Complexes of closely related species provide key insights into the rapid and independent evolution of adaptive traits. Here, we described and studied Anopheles fontenillei sp.n., a new species in the Anopheles gambiae complex that we recently discovered in the forested areas of Gabon, Central Africa. Our analysis placed the new taxon in the phylogenetic tree of the An. gambiae complex, revealing important introgression events with other members of the complex. Particularly, we detected recent introgression, with Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii, of genes directly involved in vectorial capacity. Moreover, genome analysis of the new species allowed us to clarify the evolutionary history of the 3La inversion. Overall, An. fontenillei sp.n. analysis improved our understanding of the relationship between species within the An. gambiae complex, and provided insight into the evolution of vectorial capacity traits that are relevant for the successful control of malaria in Africa

Size of Fireballs Created in High Energy Lead-Lead Collisions as Inferred from Coulomb Distortions of Pion Spectra

We compute the Coulomb effects produced by an expanding, highly charged fireball on the momentum distribution of pions. We compare our results to data on Au+Au at 11.6 A GeV from E866 at the BNL AGS and to data on Pb+Pb at 158 A GeV from NA44 at the CERN SPS. We conclude that the distortion of the spectra at low transverse momentum and mid-rapidity can be explained in both experiments by the effect of the large amount of participating charge in the central rapidity region. By adjusting the fireball expansion velocity to match the average transverse momentum of protons, we find a best fit when the fireball radius is about 10 fm, as determined by the moment when the pions undergo their last scattering. This value is common to both the AGS and CERN experiments.Comment: Enlarged discussion, new references added, includes new analysis of pi-/pi+ at AGS energies. 12 pages 5 figures, uses LaTex and epsfi

The mechanical hybrid vehicle: an investigation of a flywheel-based vehicular regenerative energy capture system

Capturing braking energy by regeneration into an onboard energy storage unit offers the potential to reduce significantly the fuel consumption of vehicles. A common technique is to generate electricity in the motors of a hybrid electric vehicle when braking, and to use this to charge an onboard electrochemical battery. However, such batteries are costly, bulky, and generally not amenable to fast charging as this affects battery life and capacity. In order to overcome these problems, a mechanical energy storage system capable of accepting and delivering surges of power is proposed and investigated. A scale physical model of the system, based around a flywheel, a planetary gear set, and a brake, was built and operated in a laboratory. Tests showed that the proposed system could be used to store and provide braking energy between a flywheel and a vehicle, the latter emulated by an air-drag dynamometer. This validated the operating principle of the system and its computational model. Further, a computational analysis of a full-size vehicle incorporating the mechanical energy storage system was conducted. The results showed that the utilization of this system in a vehicle, when compared with a conventional vehicle, led to reductions in emissions and fuel consumption

Geometric Scaling in Inclusive Charm Production

We show that the cross section for inclusive charm production exhibits geometric scaling in a large range of photon virtualities. In the HERA kinematic domain the saturation momentum $Q_{sat}^2(x)$ stays below the hard scale $\mu_c^2=4m_c^2$, implying charm production probing mostly the color transparency regime and unitarization effects being almost negligible. We derive our results considering two saturation models which are able to describe the DESY ep collider HERA data for the proton structure function at small values of the Bjorken variable $x$. A striking feature is the scaling on $\tau=Q_2^2/Q_{sat}^2(x)$ above saturation limit, corroborating recent theoretical studies.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Version to be published in Physical Review Letter

Enhanced mitochondrial superoxide scavenging does not Improve muscle insulin action in the high fat-fed mouse

Improving mitochondrial oxidant scavenging may be a viable strategy for the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes. Mice overexpressing the mitochondrial matrix isoform of superoxide dismutase (sod2(tg) mice) and/or transgenically expressing catalase within the mitochondrial matrix (mcat(tg) mice) have increased scavenging of O2(˙-) and H2O2, respectively. Furthermore, muscle insulin action is partially preserved in high fat (HF)-fed mcat(tg) mice. The goal of the current study was to test the hypothesis that increased O2(˙-) scavenging alone or in combination with increased H2O2 scavenging (mtAO mice) enhances in vivo muscle insulin action in the HF-fed mouse. Insulin action was examined in conscious, unrestrained and unstressed wild type (WT), sod2(tg), mcat(tg) and mtAO mice using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps (insulin clamps) combined with radioactive glucose tracers following sixteen weeks of normal chow or HF (60% calories from fat) feeding. Glucose infusion rates, whole body glucose disappearance, and muscle glucose uptake during the insulin clamp were similar in chow- and HF-fed WT and sod2(tg) mice. Consistent with our previous work, HF-fed mcat(tg) mice had improved muscle insulin action, however, an additive effect was not seen in mtAO mice. Insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation in muscle from clamped mice was consistent with glucose flux measurements. These results demonstrate that increased O2(˙-) scavenging does not improve muscle insulin action in the HF-fed mouse alone or when coupled to increased H2O2 scavenging