6,417 research outputs found
On Electron-Positron Annihilation into Nucleon-Antinucleon Pairs
We discuss the puzzling experimental results on baryon-antibaryon production
in e+e- annihilation close to the threshold, in particular the fact that
sigma(e+e- --> nbar n) >~ sigma(e+e- --> pbar p). We discuss an interpretation
in terms of a two-step process, via an intermediate coherent isovector state
serving as an intermediary between e+e- and the baryon-antibaryon system. We
provide evidence that the isovector channel dominates both e+e- --> pions and
from Nbar N annihilation at rest, and show that the observed ratio of
sigma(e+e- --> nbar n)/sigma(e+e- --> pbarp p) can be understood quantitatively
in this picture.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure
Monolithic Pixel Sensors in Deep-Submicron SOI Technology
Monolithic pixel sensors for charged particle detection and imaging
applications have been designed and fabricated using commercially available,
deep-submicron Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) processes, which insulate a thin
layer of integrated full CMOS electronics from a high-resistivity substrate by
means of a buried oxide. The substrate is contacted from the electronics layer
through vias etched in the buried oxide, allowing pixel implanting and reverse
biasing. This paper summarizes the performances achieved with a first prototype
manufactured in the OKI 0.15 micrometer FD-SOI process, featuring analog and
digital pixels on a 10 micrometer pitch. The design and preliminary results on
the analog section of a second prototype manufactured in the OKI 0.20
micrometer FD-SOI process are briefly discussed.Comment: Proceedings of the PIXEL 2008 International Workshop, FNAL, Batavia,
IL, 23-26 September 2008. Submitted to JINST - Journal of Instrumentatio
Active site serine-193 modulates activity of human aromatic amino acid decarboxylase
Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme responsible for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. Here, by a combination of bioinformatic predictions and analyses, phosphorylation assays, spectroscopic investigations and activity measurements, we determined that Ser-193, a conserved residue located at the active site, can be phosphorylated, increasing catalytic efficiency. In order to determine the molecular basis for this functional improvement, we determined the structural and kinetic properties of the site-directed variants S193A, S193D and S193E. While S193A retains 27% of the catalytic efficiency of wild-type, the two acidic side chain variants are impaired in catalysis with efficiencies of about 0.15% with respect to the wild-type. Thus, even if located at the active site, Ser-193 is not essential for enzyme activity. We advance the idea that this residue is fundamental for the correct architecture of the active site in terms of network of interactions triggering catalysis. This role has been compared with the properties of the Ser-194 of the highly homologous enzyme histidine decarboxylase whose catalytic loop is visible in the spatial structure, allowing us to propose the validation for the effect of the phosphorylation. The effect could be interesting for AADC deficiency, a rare monogenic disease, whose broad clinical phenotype could be also related to post translational AADC modifications
Electromagnetic form factors in the J/\psi mass region: The case in favor of additional resonances
Using the results of our recent analysis of e^+e^- annihilation, we plot the
curves for the diagonal and transition form factors of light hadrons in the
time-like region up to the production threshold of an open charm quantum
number. The comparison with existing data on the decays of J/\psi into such
hadrons shows that some new resonance structures may be present in the mass
range between 2 GeVand the J/\psi mass. Searching them may help in a better
understanding of the mass spectrum in both the simple and a more sophisticated
quark models, and in revealing the details of the three-gluon mechanism of the
OZI rule breaking in K\bar K channel.Comment: Formulas are added, typo is corrected, the text is rearranged.
Replaced to match the version accepted in Phys Rev
Isoscalar resonances with J^{PC}=1^{--} in e^+e^-annihilation
The analysis of the vector isoscalar excitations in the energy range between
1 and 2 GeV of the annihilation is presented for the final states
, , , and
. The effects of both the resonance mixing and the
successive opening of multiparticle channels, with the energy dependent partial
widths, are taken into account. The work extends our previous analysis
hep-ph/9609216 of the vector isovector excitations and is aimed to compare the
existing data with the predictions of the model. It is shown that
this hypothesis does not contradict the data.Comment: 16 pages, revtex, 6 ps figures. Clarifying remarks, a table, and
references are added. Accepted in Phys. Rev.
The influence of N-terminal acetylation on micelle-induced conformational changes and aggregation of α-Synuclein
The biological function of α-Synuclein has been related to binding to lipids and membranes but these interactions can also mediate α-Synuclein aggregation, which is associated to Parkinson's disease and other neuropathologies. In brain tissue α-Synuclein is constitutively N-acetylated, a modification that plays an important role in its conformational propensity, lipid and membrane binding, and aggregation propensity. We studied the interactions of the lipid-mimetic SDS with N-acetylated and non-acetylated α-Synuclein, as well as their early-onset Parkinson's disease variants A30P, E46K and A53T. At low SDS/protein ratios α-Synuclein forms oligomeric complexes with SDS micelles with relatively low α-helical structure. These micellar oligomers can efficiently nucleate aggregation of monomeric α-Synuclein, with successive formation of oligomers, protofibrils, curly fibrils and mature amyloid fibrils. N-acetylation reduces considerably the rate of aggregation of WT α-Synuclein. However, in presence of any of the early-onset Parkinson's disease mutations the protective effect of N-acetylation against micelle-induced aggregation becomes impaired. At higher SDS/protein ratios, N-acetylation favors another conformational transition, in which a second type of α-helix-rich, non-aggregating oligomers become stabilized. Once again, the Parkinson's disease mutations disconnect the influence of N-acetylation in promoting this transition. These results suggest a cooperative link between the N-terminus and the region of the mutations that may be important for α-Synuclein function
Rho primes in analyzing e+e- annihilation, MARK III, LASS and ARGUS data
The results of an analysis are presented of some recent data on the reactions
, with the
subtracted events, , , , , the decays
,
, upon taking into account both the strong energy
dependence of the partial widths on energy and the previously neglected mixing
of the type resonances. The above effects are shown to exert an
essential influence on the specific values of masses and coupling constants of
heavy resonances and hence are necessary to be accounted for in establishing
their true nature.Comment: 20 pages, ReVTeX, 9 Postscript figures As compared to hep-ph/9607398,
new material concerning the analysis of the ARGUS data on the tau decays into
four pion hadronic states is adde
Precise method for the determination of the neutron electric form factor based on a relativistic analysis of the process $d(e,e'n)p
We generalize the recoil polarization method for the determination of the
proton form factor to the case of the disintegration of vector polarized
deuterons by longitudinally polarized electrons, . We
suggest to measure for this reaction, in the kinematics of quasi-elastic
-scattering, the ratio of the asymmetries induced by the
- and -components of the deuteron vector polarization. In the framework
of the relativistic impulse approximation the ratio is sensitive to
in a wide interval of momentum transfer squared, whereas it depends
weakly on the details of the -interaction and on the choice of the deuteron
wave function. Moreover, in the range 1.5 GeV, the ratio
shows a smooth dependence on , making the analysis simpler.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figs, 1 tabl
LNL irradiation facilities for radiation damage studies on electronic devices
In this paper we will review the wide range of irradiation facilities installed at the INFN Legnaro National Laboratories and routinely used for radiation damage studies on silicon detectors, electronic components and systems. The SIRAD irradiation facility, dedicated to Single Event Effect (SEE) and bulk damage studies, is installed at the 14MV Tandem XTU accelerator and can deliver ion beams from H up to Au in the energy range from 28MeV to 300 MeV. An Ion Electron Emission Microscope, also installed at SIRAD, allows SEE testing with micrometric sensitivity. For total dose tests, two facilities are presently available: an X-rays source and a 60Co Îł-ray source. The 7MV Van de Graaff CN accelerator provides 1H beams in the energy range 2â7MeV and currents up to few ÎŒA for both total dose and bulk damage studies. At this facility, very high dose rates (up to âŒ100 krad/s (SiO2)) can be achieved. Finally, also neutron beams are available,
produced at the CN accelerator, by the reaction d + Be â n+B
Does fix the Electromagnetic Form Factor at ?
We show that the decay is a reliable
source of information for the electromagnetic form factor of the pion at
by using general arguments to estimate, or
rather, put upper bounds on, the background processes that could spoil this
extraction. We briefly comment on the significance of the resulting
.Comment: 10 pages revtex manuscript, one figure--not included, U. of MD PP
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