Centrality and Energy Dependence of Proton, Light Fragment and Hyperon Production

Recent results of the NA49 collaboration are discussed. These include the energy dependence of stopping and the production of the light fragments t and 3He. New data on the system size dependence of hyperon production at 40A and 158AGeV are also presented.Comment: 4 pages, Quark Matter 2006 proceeding

Transverse momentum distributions and their forward- backward correlations in the percolating colour string approach

The forward-backward correlations in the $p_T$ distributions, which present a clear signature of non-linear effects in particle production, are studied in the model of percolating colour strings. Quantitative predictions are given for these correlations at SPS, RHIC and LHC energies. Interaction of strings also naturally explains the flattening of $p_T$ distributions and increase of $$ with energy and atomic number for nuclear collisionsComment: 6 pages in LaTex, 3 figures in Postscrip

Dynamical phase diagram of the dc-driven underdamped Frenkel-Kontorova chain

Multistep dynamical phase transition from the locked to the running state of atoms in response to a dc external force is studied by MD simulations of the generalized Frenkel-Kontorova model in the underdamped limit. We show that the hierarchy of transition recently reported [Braun et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 1295 (1997)] strongly depends on the value of the friction constant. A simple phenomenological explanation for the friction dependence of the various critical forces separating intermediate regimes is given.Comment: 12 Revtex Pages, 4 EPS figure

Superconductivity in iron silicide Lu2Fe3Si5 probed by radiation-induced disordering

Resistivity r(T), Hall coefficient RH(T), superconducting temperature Tc, and the slope of the upper critical field -dHc2/dT were studied in poly- and single-crystalline samples of the Fe-based superconductor Lu2Fe3Si5 irradiated by fast neutrons. Atomic disordering induced by the neutron irradiation leads to a fast suppression of Tc similarly to the case of doping of Lu2Fe3Si5 with magnetic (Dy) and non-magnetic (Sc, Y) impurities. The same effect was observed in a novel FeAs-based superconductor La(O-F)FeAs after irradiation. Such behavior is accounted for by strong pair breaking that is traceable to scattering at non-magnetic impurities or radiation defects in unconventional superconductors. In such superconductors the sign of the order parameter changes between the different Fermi sheets (s+- model). Some relations that are specified for the properties of the normal and superconducting states in high-temperature superconductors are also observed in Lu2Fe3Si5. The first is the relationship -dHc2/dT ~ Tc, instead of the one expected for dirty superconductors -dHc2/dT ~ r0. The second is a correlation between the low-temperature linear coefficient a in the resistivity r = r0 + a1T, which appears presumably due to the scattering at magnetic fluctuations, and Tc; this correlation being an evidence of a tight relation between the superconductivity and magnetism. The data point to an unconventional (non-fononic) mechanism of superconductivity in Lu2Fe3Si5, and, probably, in some other Fe-based compounds, which can be fruitfully studied via the radiation-induced disordering.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Ontogeny of purinergic receptor-regulated Ca2+ signaling in mouse cortical collecting duct epithelium

Changes in ATP-induced increase in {[}Ca2+], during collecting duct ontogeny were studied in primary monolayer cultures of mouse ureteric bud (UB) and cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells by Fura-PE3 fluorescence ratio imaging. In UB (embryonic day E14 and postnatal day P1) the ATIP-stimulated increase (EC50 approximate to 1 muM) in fluorescence ratio (DeltaR(ATP)) was independent of extracellular Ca2+ and insensitive to the P2 purinoceptor-antagonist suramin (1 mM). From day P7 onward when CCD morphogenesis had been completed DeltaR(ATP) increased and became dependent on extracellular Ca2+. This ATP-stimulated Ca2+ entry into CCD cells was non-capacitative and suramin (11 mM)insensitive, but sensitive to nifedipine (30 muM) and enhanced by Bay K8644 (15 muM), a blocker and an agonist of L-type Ca2+ channels, respectively. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated similar mRNA expression of L-type Ca2+ channel alpha1-subunit, P2Y(1), P2Y(2), and P2X(4b) purinoceptors in UB and CCD monolayers while the abundance of P2X(4) mRNA increased with CCD morphogenesis. In conclusion, both embryonic and postnatal cells express probably P2Y(2)-stimulated Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. With development, the CCD epithelium acquires ATP-stimulated Ca2+ entry via L-type Ca2+ channels. This pathway might by mediated by the increasing expression of P2X(4)-receptors resulting in an increasing ATP-dependent membrane depolarization and activation of L-type Ca2+ channels. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

The Properties of Satellite Galaxies in External Systems. I. Morphology and Structural Parameters

We present the first results of an ongoing project to study the morphological, kinematical, dynamical, and chemical properties of satellite galaxies of external giant spiral galaxies. The sample of objects has been selected from the catalogue by Zaritsky et al. (1997). The paper analyzes the morphology and structural parameters of a subsample of 60 such objects. The satellites span a great variety of morphologies and surface brightness profiles. About two thirds of the sample are spirals and irregulars, the remaining third being early-types. Some cases showing interaction between pairs of satellites are presented and briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophys. Journal Supp. Se