Transcriptome analysis of hepatic gene expression and DNA methylation in methionine- and betaine-supplemented geese (Anser cygnoides domesticus)

Dietary methionine (Met) restriction produces a coordinated series of transcriptional responses in the liver that limits growth performance and amino acid metabolism. Methyl donor supplementation with betaine (Bet) may protect against this disturbance and affect the molecular basis of gene regulation. However, a lack of genetic information remains an obstacle to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Met and Bet supplementation and its effects on genetic mechanisms. The goal of this study was to identify the effects of dietary supplementation of Met and Bet on growth performance, transcriptomic gene expression, and epigenetic mechanisms in geese on a Met-deficient diet. One hundred and fifty 21-day-old healthy male Yangzhou geese of similar body weight were randomly distributed into 3 groups with 5 replicates per treatment and 10 geese per replicate: Met-deficient diet (Control), Control+1.2 g/kg of Met (Met), and Control+0.6 g/kg of Bet (Bet). All geese had free access to the diet and water throughout rearing. Our results indicated that supplementation of 1.2 g/kg of Met in Met-deficient feed increased growth performance and plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels, indicating increased transsulfuration flux in the liver. Supplementation of 0.6 g/kg Bet had no apparent sparing effect on Met needs for growth performance in growing geese. The expression of many genes critical for Met metabolism is increased in Met supplementation group. In the Bet-supplemented group, genes involved in energy production and conversion were up-regulated. Dietary supplementation with Bet and Met also altered DNA methylation. We observed changes in the methylation of the LOC106032502 promoter and corresponding changes in mRNA expression. In conclusion, Met and Bet supplementation in geese affects the transcriptional regulatory network and alters the hepatic DNA methylation of LOC106032502

Neutron/proton ratio of nucleon emissions as a probe of neutron skin

The dependence between neutron-to-proton yield ratio ($R_{np}$) and neutron skin thickness ($\delta_{np}$) in neutron-rich projectile induced reactions is investigated within the framework of the Isospin-Dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics (IQMD) model. The density distribution of the Droplet model is embedded in the initialization of the neutron and proton densities in the present IQMD model. By adjusting the diffuseness parameter of neutron density in the Droplet model for the projectile, the relationship between the neutron skin thickness and the corresponding $R_{np}$ in the collisions is obtained. The results show strong linear correlation between $R_{np}$ and $\delta_{np}$ for neutron-rich Ca and Ni isotopes. It is suggested that $R_{np}$ may be used as an experimental observable to extract $\delta_{np}$ for neutron-rich nuclei, which is very significant to the study of the nuclear structure of exotic nuclei and the equation of state (EOS) of asymmetric nuclear matter.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures; accepted by Phys. Lett.

Nucleon-nucleon momentum correlation function for light nuclei

Nucleon-nucleon momentum correlation function have been presented for nuclear reactions with neutron-rich or proton-rich projectiles using a nuclear transport theory, namely Isospin-Dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics model. The relationship between the binding energy of projectiles and the strength of proton-neutron correlation function at small relative momentum has been explored, while proton-proton correlation function shows its sensitivity to the proton density distribution. Those results show that nucleon-nucleon correlation function is useful to reflect some features of the neutron- or proton-halo nuclei and therefore provide a potential tool for the studies of radioactive beam physics.Comment: Talk given at the 18th International IUPAP Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics (FB18), Santos, Brasil, August 21-26, 2006. To appear in Nucl. Phys.

Population Monte Carlo algorithms

We give a cross-disciplinary survey on ``population'' Monte Carlo algorithms. In these algorithms, a set of ``walkers'' or ``particles'' is used as a representation of a high-dimensional vector. The computation is carried out by a random walk and split/deletion of these objects. The algorithms are developed in various fields in physics and statistical sciences and called by lots of different terms -- ``quantum Monte Carlo'', ``transfer-matrix Monte Carlo'', ``Monte Carlo filter (particle filter)'',``sequential Monte Carlo'' and ``PERM'' etc. Here we discuss them in a coherent framework. We also touch on related algorithms -- genetic algorithms and annealed importance sampling.Comment: Title is changed (Population-based Monte Carlo -> Population Monte Carlo). A number of small but important corrections and additions. References are also added. Original Version is read at 2000 Workshop on Information-Based Induction Sciences (July 17-18, 2000, Syuzenji, Shizuoka, Japan). No figure

Scaling of anisotropy flows in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions

Anisotropic flows ($v_1$, $v_2$ and $v_4$) of light nuclear clusters are studied by a nucleonic transport model in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions. The number-of-nucleon scalings of the directed flow ($v_1$) and elliptic flow ($v_2$) are demonstrated for light nuclear clusters. Moreover, the ratios of $v_4/v_2^2$ of nuclear clusters show a constant value of 1/2 regardless of the transverse momentum. The above phenomena can be understood by the coalescence mechanism in nucleonic level and are worthy to be explored in experiments.Comment: Invited talk at "IX International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions", Rio de Janeiro, Aug 28- Sept 1, 2006; to appear on the proceeding issue in Nuclear Physics

Scaling of Anisotropic Flow and Momentum-Space Densities for Light Particles in Intermediate Energy Heavy Ion Collisions

Anisotropic flows ($v_2$ and $v_4$) of light nuclear clusters are studied by Isospin-Dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics model for the system of $^{86}$Kr + $^{124}$Sn at intermediate energy and large impact parameters. Number-of-nucleon scaling of the elliptic flow ($v_2$) are demonstrated for the light fragments up to $A$ = 4, and the ratio of $v_4/v_2^2$ shows a constant value of 1/2. In addition, the momentum-space densities of different clusters are also surveyed as functions of transverse momentum, in-plane transverse momentum and azimuth angle relative to the reaction plane. The results can be essentially described by momentum-space power law. All the above phenomena indicate that there exists a number-of-nucleon scaling for both anisotropic flow and momentum-space densities for light clusters, which can be understood by the coalescence mechanism in nucleonic degree of freedom for the cluster formation.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; to be published in Physics Letters

Glueball spectrum based on a rigorous three-dimensional relativistic equation for two-gluon bound states I: Derivation of the relativistic equation

A rigorous three-dimensional relativistic equation satisfied by two-gluon bound states is derived from the QCD with massive gluons. With the gluon fields and the quark fields being expanded in terms of the gluon multipole fields and the spherical Dirac spinors respectively, the equation is well established in the angular momentum representation and hence is much convenient for solving the problem of two-gluon glueball spectra. In particular, the interaction kernel in the equation is exactly derived and given a closed expression which includes all the interactions taking place in the two-gluon glueballs. The kernel contains only a few types of Green's functions and commutators. Therefore, it is not only easily calculated by the perturbation method, but also provides a suitable basis for nonperturbative investigations

Glueball spectrum based on a rigorous three-dimensional relativistic equation for two-gluon bound states II: calculation of the glueball spectrum

In the preceding paper, a rigorous three-dimensional relativistic equation for two-gluon bound states was derived from the QCD with massive gluons and represented in the angular momentum representation. In order to apply this equation to calculate the glueball spectrum, in this paper, the equation is recast in an equivalent three-dimensional relativistic equation satisfied by the two-gluon positive energy state amplitude. The interaction Hamiltonian in the equation is exactly derived and expressed as a perturbative series. The first term in the series describes the one-gluon exchange interaction which includes fully the retardation effect in it. This term plus the linear confining potential are chosen to be the interaction Hamiltonian and employed in the practical calculation. With the integrals containing three and four spherical Bessel functions in the QCD vertices being analytically calculated, the interaction Hamiltonian is given an explicit expression in the angular momentum representation. Numerically solving the relativistic equation with taking the contributions arising from the retardation effect and the longitudinal mode of gluon fields into account, a set of masses for the $0^{++},0^{-+},1^{++},1^{-+},2^{++}$ and $2^{-+\text{}}$ glueball states are obtained and are in fairly good agreement with the predictions given by the lattice simulatio

Azimuthal asymmetry of direct photons in intermediate energy heavy-ion collisions

Hard photon emitted from energetic heavy ion collisions is of very interesting since it does not experience the late-stage nuclear interaction, therefore it is useful to explore the early-stage information of matter phase. In this work, we have presented a first calculation of azimuthal asymmetry, characterized by directed transverse flow parameter $F$ and elliptic asymmetry coefficient $v_2$, for proton-neutron bremsstrahlung hard photons in intermediate energy heavy-ion collisions. The positive $F$ and negative $v_2$ of direct photons are illustrated and they seem to be anti-correlated to the corresponding free proton's flow.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; accepted by Physics Letters