275 research outputs found
Signals for Lorentz Violation in Electrodynamics
An investigation is performed of the Lorentz-violating electrodynamics
extracted from the renormalizable sector of the general Lorentz- and
CPT-violating standard-model extension. Among the unconventional properties of
radiation arising from Lorentz violation is birefringence of the vacuum. Limits
on the dispersion of light produced by galactic and extragalactic objects
provide bounds of 3 x 10^{-16} on certain coefficients for Lorentz violation in
the photon sector. The comparative spectral polarimetry of light from
cosmologically distant sources yields stringent constraints of 2 x 10^{-32}.
All remaining coefficients in the photon sector are measurable in
high-sensitivity tests involving cavity-stabilized oscillators. Experimental
configurations in Earth- and space-based laboratories are considered that
involve optical or microwave cavities and that could be implemented using
existing technology.Comment: 23 pages REVTe
Phenomenology of Particle Production and Propagation in String-Motivated Canonical Noncommutative Spacetime
We outline a phenomenological programme for the search of effects induced by
(string-motivated) canonical noncommutative spacetime. The tests we propose are
based, in analogy with a corresponding programme developed over the last few
years for the study of Lie-algebra noncommutative spacetimes, on the role of
the noncommutativity parameters in the dispersion relation. We focus on
the role of deformed dispersion relations in particle-production collision
processes, where the noncommutativity parameters would affect the threshold
equation, and in the dispersion of gamma rays observed from distant
astrophysical sources. We emphasize that the studies here proposed have the
advantage of involving particles of relatively high energies, and may therefore
be less sensitive to "contamination" (through IR/UV mixing) from the UV sector
of the theory. We also explore the possibility that the relevant deformation of
the dispersion relations could be responsible for the experimentally-observed
violations of the GZK cutoff for cosmic rays and could have a role in the
observation of hard photons from distant astrophysical sources.Comment: With respect to the experimental information available at the time of
writing version 1 of this manuscript (hep-th/0109191v1) the situation has
evolved significantly. Our remarks on the benefits of high-energy
observations found additional encouragement from the results reported in
hep-th/020925
Nanobody-enabled monitoring of kappa opioid receptor states
Recent studies show that GPCRs rapidly interconvert between multiple states although our ability to interrogate, monitor and visualize them is limited by a relative lack of suitable tools. We previously reported two nanobodies (Nb39 and Nb6) that stabilize distinct ligand- and efficacy-delimited conformations of the kappa opioid receptor. Here, we demonstrate via X-ray crystallography a nanobody-targeted allosteric binding site by which Nb6 stabilizes a ligand-dependent inactive state. As Nb39 stabilizes an active-like state, we show how these two state-dependent nanobodies can provide real-time reporting of ligand stabilized states in cells in situ. Significantly, we demonstrate that chimeric GPCRs can be created with engineered nanobody binding sites to report ligand-stabilized states. Our results provide both insights regarding potential mechanisms for allosterically modulating KOR with nanobodies and a tool for reporting the real-time, in situ dynamic range of GPCR activity
A Model for the Development of the Rhizobial and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses in Legumes and Its Use to Understand the Roles of Ethylene in the Establishment of these two Symbioses
We propose a model depicting the development of nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizae. Both processes are dissected into many steps, using Pisum sativum L. nodulation mutants as a guideline. For nodulation, we distinguish two main developmental programs, one epidermal and one cortical. Whereas Nod factors alone affect the cortical program, bacteria are required to trigger the epidermal events. We propose that the two programs of the rhizobial symbiosis evolved separately and that, over time, they came to function together. The distinction between these two programs does not exist for arbuscular mycorrhizae development despite events occurring in both root tissues. Mutations that affect both symbioses are restricted to the epidermal program. We propose here sites of action and potential roles for ethylene during the formation of the two symbioses with a specific hypothesis for nodule organogenesis. Assuming the epidermis does not make ethylene, the microsymbionts probably first encounter a regulatory level of ethylene at the epidermis–outermost cortical cell layer interface. Depending on the hormone concentrations there, infection will either progress or be blocked. In the former case, ethylene affects the cortex cytoskeleton, allowing reorganization that facilitates infection; in the latter case, ethylene acts on several enzymes that interfere with infection thread growth, causing it to abort. Throughout this review, the difficulty of generalizing the roles of ethylene is emphasized and numerous examples are given to demonstrate the diversity that exists in plants
Demonstration of the temporal matter-wave Talbot effect for trapped matter waves
We demonstrate the temporal Talbot effect for trapped matter waves using
ultracold atoms in an optical lattice. We investigate the phase evolution of an
array of essentially non-interacting matter waves and observe matter-wave
collapse and revival in the form of a Talbot interference pattern. By using
long expansion times, we image momentum space with sub-recoil resolution,
allowing us to observe fractional Talbot fringes up to 10th order.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figure
Azimuthal anisotropy at RHIC: the first and fourth harmonics
We report the first observations of the first harmonic (directed flow, v_1),
and the fourth harmonic (v_4), in the azimuthal distribution of particles with
respect to the reaction plane in Au+Au collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion
Collider (RHIC). Both measurements were done taking advantage of the large
elliptic flow (v_2) generated at RHIC. From the correlation of v_2 with v_1 it
is determined that v_2 is positive, or {\it in-plane}. The integrated v_4 is
about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8)
harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.Comment: 6 pages with 3 figures, as accepted for Phys. Rev. Letters The data
tables are at
http://www.star.bnl.gov/central/publications/pubDetail.php?id=3
Kaon Production and Kaon to Pion Ratio in Au+Au Collisions at \snn=130 GeV
Mid-rapidity transverse mass spectra and multiplicity densities of charged
and neutral kaons are reported for Au+Au collisions at \snn=130 GeV at RHIC.
The spectra are exponential in transverse mass, with an inverse slope of about
280 MeV in central collisions. The multiplicity densities for these particles
scale with the negative hadron pseudo-rapidity density. The charged kaon to
pion ratios are and
for the most central collisions. The ratio is lower than the same
ratio observed at the SPS while the is higher than the SPS result.
Both ratios are enhanced by about 50% relative to p+p and +p
collision data at similar energies.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl
Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV
We present the first measurement of directed flow () at RHIC. is
found to be consistent with zero at pseudorapidities from -1.2 to 1.2,
then rises to the level of a couple of percent over the range . The latter observation is similar to data from NA49 if the SPS rapidities
are shifted by the difference in beam rapidity between RHIC and SPS.
Back-to-back jets emitted out-of-plane are found to be suppressed more if
compared to those emitted in-plane, which is consistent with {\it jet
quenching}. Using the scalar product method, we systematically compared
azimuthal correlations from p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions. Flow and non-flow
from these three different collision systems are discussed.Comment: Quark Matter 2004 proceeding, 4 pages, 3 figure
Azimuthal anisotropy: the higher harmonics
We report the first observations of the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the
azimuthal distribution of particles at RHIC. The measurement was done taking
advantage of the large elliptic flow generated at RHIC. The integrated v_4 is
about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8)
harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the Quark Matter 2004 proceeding
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