Propagation of mesons in asymmetric nuclear matter in a density dependent coupling model

We study the propagation of the light mesons sigma, omega, rho, and a0(980) in dense hadronic matter in an extended derivative scalar coupling model. Within the scheme proposed it is possible to unambiguously define effective density-dependent couplings at the Lagrangian level. We first apply the model to study asymmetric nuclear matter with fixed isospin asymmetry, and then we pay particular attention to hypermatter in beta-equilibrium. The equation of state and the potential contribution to the symmetry coefficient arising from the mean field approximation are investigated.Comment: 17 pages, 15 PostScript figure

Landau parameters for isospin asymmetric nuclear matter based on a relativistic model of composite and finite extension nucleons

We study the properties of cold asymmetric nuclear matter at high density, applying the quark meson coupling model with excluded volume corrections in the framework of the Landau theory of relativistic Fermi liquids. We discuss the role of the finite spatial extension of composite baryons on dynamical and statistical properties such as the Landau parameters, the compressibility, and the symmetry energy. We have also calculated the low lying collective eigenfrequencies arising from the collisionless quasiparticle transport equation, considering both unstable and stable modes. An overall analysis of the excluded volume correlations on the collective properties is performed.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure

Postmortem tissue distribution of morphine and its metabolites in a series of heroin related deaths

The abuse of heroin (diamorphine) and heroin deaths are growing around the world. The interpretation of the toxicological results from suspected heroin deaths is notoriously difficult especially in cases where there may be limited samples. In order to help forensic practitioners with heroin interpretation we determined the concentration of morphine (M), morphine‐3‐glucuronide (M3G) and morphine‐6‐glucuronide (M6G) in blood (femoral and cardiac), brain (thalamus), liver (deep right lobe), bone marrow (sternum), skeletal muscle (psoas) and vitreous humor in 44 heroin related deaths. The presence of 6‐monoacetylmorphine (6‐MAM) in any of the postmortem samples was used as confirmation of heroin use. Quantitation was carried out using a validated LC‐MS/MS method with solid phase extraction. We also determined the presence of papaverine, noscapine and codeine in the samples, substances often found in illicit heroin and that may help determine illicit heroin use. The results of this study show that vitreous is the best sample to detect 6‐MAM (100% of cases), and thus heroin use. The results of the M, M3G and M6G quantitation in this study allow a degree of interpretation when samples are limited. However in some cases it may not be possible to determine heroin/morphine use as in 4 cases in muscle (3 cases in bone marrow) no morphine, morphine‐3‐glucuronide or morphine‐6‐glucuronide was detected, even though they were detected in other case samples. As always postmortem cases of suspected morphine/heroin intoxication should be interpreted with care and with as much case knowledge as possible