The Microscopic Approach to Nuclear Matter and Neutron Star Matter

We review a variety of theoretical and experimental investigations aimed at improving our knowledge of the nuclear matter equation of state. Of particular interest are nuclear matter extreme states in terms of density and/or isospin asymmetry. The equation of state of matter with unequal concentrations of protons and neutrons has numerous applications. These include heavy-ion collisions, the physics of rare, short-lived nuclei and, on a dramatically different scale, the physics of neutron stars. The "common denominator" among these (seemingly) very different systems is the symmetry energy, which plays a crucial role in both the formation of the neutron skin in neutron-rich nuclei and the radius of a neutron star (a system 18 orders of magnitude larger and 55 orders of magnitude heavier). The details of the density dependence of the symmetry energy are not yet sufficiently constrained. Throughout this article, our emphasis will be on the importance of adopting a microscopic approach to the many-body problem, which we believe to be the one with true predictive power.Comment: 56 pages, review article to appear in the International Journal of Modern Physics

CD4+ T-cell responses to Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA1 in Chinese populations are highly focused on novel C-terminal domain-derived epitopes

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA1, the one viral protein uniformly expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), represents a prime target for T-cell-based immunotherapy. However, little is known about the EBNA1 epitopes, particularly CD4 epitopes, presented by HLA alleles in Chinese people, the group at highest risk for NPC. We analyzed the CD4$^+$ T-cell responses to EBNA1 in 78 healthy Chinese donors and found marked focusing on a small number of epitopes in the EBNA1 C-terminal region, including a DP5- restricted epitope that was recognized by almost half of the donors tested and elicited responses able to recognize EBNA1-expressing, DP5-positive target cells

Electronic Structures of Quantum Dots and the Ultimate Resolution of Integers

The orbital angular momentum L as an integer can be ultimately factorized as a product of prime numbers. We show here a close relation between the resolution of L and the classification of quantum states of an N-electron 2-dimensional system. In this scheme, the states are in essence classified into different types according to the m(k)-accessibility, namely the ability to get access to symmetric geometric configurations. The m(k)-accessibility is an universal concept underlying all kinds of 2-dimensional systems with a center. Numerical calculations have been performed to reveal the electronic structures of the states of the dots with 9 and 19 electrons,respectively. This paper supports the Laughlin wave finction and the composite fermion model from the aspect of symmetry.Comment: Two figure

Variational method and duality in the 2D square Potts model

The ferromagnetic q-state Potts model on a square lattice is analyzed, for q>4, through an elaborate version of the operatorial variational method. In the variational approach proposed in the paper, the duality relations are exactly satisfied, involving at a more fundamental level, a duality relationship between variational parameters. Besides some exact predictions, the approach is very effective in the numerical estimates over the whole range of temperature and can be systematically improved.Comment: 20 pages, 5 EPS figure

Thermal excitation of heavy nuclei with 5-15 GeV/c antiproton, proton and pion beams

Excitation-energy distributions have been derived from measurements of 5.0-14.6 GeV/c antiproton, proton and pion reactions with $^{197}$Au target nuclei, using the ISiS 4$\pi$ detector array. The maximum probability for producing high excitation-energy events is found for the antiproton beam relative to other hadrons, $^3$He and $\bar{p}$ beams from LEAR. For protons and pions, the excitation-energy distributions are nearly independent of hadron type and beam momentum above about 8 GeV/c. The excitation energy enhancement for $\bar{p}$ beams and the saturation effect are qualitatively consistent with intranuclear cascade code predictions. For all systems studied, maximum cluster sizes are observed for residues with E*/A $\sim$ 6 MeV.Comment: 14 pages including 5 figures and 1 table. Accepted in Physics Letter B. also available at http://nuchem.iucf.indiana.edu

Abordaxe fisioterápico no asma infantil

[Resumen] Objetivo: analizar qué intervenciones se están llevando a cabo por parte de la fisioterapia en la patología del asma. Material y métodos: revisión de artículos en los cuales se lleven a cabo intervenciones de fisioterapia en niños asmáticos. La búsqueda se efectuó en las bases de datos Pubmed, PEDro, Web of Science y Scopus, seleccionando artículos publicados entre 2013 y 2017 en lengua inglesa, portuguesa y española. Resultados: se seleccionaron 6 artículos, la mayoría de calidad intermedia, con variabilidad en el número de sujetos en cada estudio. La población que se seleccionó comprende desde el nacimiento hasta los 18 años. Las terapias fisioterápicas empleadas son variables. Se realiza en todos los casos un tratamiento enfocado al abordaje de las capacidades físicas por medio de diferentes programas de entrenamiento que cada estudio enfocó de forma diferente. Los aspectos más evaluados han sido la función pulmonar, la calidad de vida y la disnea, medidos a través de diferentes test y pruebas funcionales. Se obtienen resultados positivos en el manejo del asma con cada uno de estos programas de entrenamiento físico. Conclusiones: existen múltiples programas de intervención fisioterápica sobre el asma. Se llevan a cabo programas de entrenamiento de la musculatura inspiratoria, entrenamiento aeróbico, anaeróbico, de fuerza y equilibrio por parte de la fisioterapia en el abordaje de esta patología y todos presentan beneficio sobre ella. Asimismo, se objetivó que el programa de tratamiento que engloba un entrenamiento basado en ejercicio aeróbico y ejercicios respiratorios presenta una mayor eficacia.[Abstract] Objective: to analyze what interventions are being carried out by physiotherapy in the pathology of asthma. Material and methods: review of articles in which physiotherapy interventions are carried out in asthmatic children. The search was carried out in the Pubmed, PEDro, Web of Science and Scopus databases, selecting articles published between 2013 and 2017 in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Results: Six articles were selected, most of intermediate quality, with variability in the number of subjects in each study. The population that was selected comprises from birth to 18 years. The physiotherapeutic therapies used are variable. In all cases, a treatment focused on addressing physical abilities is carried out through different training programs that each study focused on differently. The most evaluated aspects have been pulmonary function, quality of life and dyspnea, measured through different tests and functional tests. Positive results are obtained in the management of asthma with each of these physical training programs. Conclusions: There are multiple programs of physiotherapy intervention on asthma. Training programs for inspiratory musculature, aerobic, anaerobic, strength and balance training are carried out by physiotherapy in the approach to this pathology and all have benefit over it. Likewise, it was found that the treatment program that includes a training based on aerobic exercise and breathing exercises is more effective.[Resumo] Obxectivo: analizar que intervencións se están a facer por parte da fisioterapia na patoloxía da asma. Material e metodoloxía: revisión de artículos nos que se fagan intervencións de fisioterapia en nenos asmáticos. A búsqueda efectuouse nas bases de datos Pubmed, PEDro, Web of Science y Scopus, seleccionando artículos publicados entre 2013 y 2017 en lingua inglesa, portuguesa e española. Resultados: seleccionáronse 6 artigos, a maioría de calidade intermedia, con variabilidade no número de suxeitos en cada estudo. A poboación que se seleccionou comprende dende o nacemento ata os 18 anos. As terapias fisioterápicas empregadas son variables. Realizouse en todos os casos un tratamento enfocado á abordaxe das capacidades físicas por medio de diferentes programas de entrenamento que cada estudo enfocou de forma diferente. Os aspectos máis avaliados foron a función pulmonar, a calidade da vida e a disnea, medidos a través de diferentes test e probas funcionais. Obtéñense resultados positivos no manexo do asma con cada un destes programas de entrenamento físico. Conclusións: existen múltiples programas de intervención fisioterápica sobre a asma infantil. Lévanse a cabo programas de entrenamento da musculatura inspiratoria, entrenamiento aeróbico, anaeróbico, de forza e equilibrio por parte da fisioterapia no abordaxe desta patoloxía e todos presentan beneficio sobre ela. Así mesmo obxectivouse que o programa de tratamento que engloba un entrenamento baseado no exercicio aeróbico e exercicios respiratorios presenta unha maior eficacia.Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FCS). Fisioterapia. Curso 2017/201

Isospin Effects in Nuclear Multifragmentation

We develop an improved Statistical Multifragmentation Model that provides the capability to calculate calorimetric and isotopic observables with precision. With this new model we examine the influence of nuclear isospin on the fragment elemental and isotopic distributions. We show that the proposed improvements on the model are essential for studying isospin effects in nuclear multifragmentation. In particular, these calculations show that accurate comparisons to experimental data require that the nuclear masses, free energies and secondary decay must be handled with higher precision than many current models accord.Comment: 46 pages, 16 figure

Isotopic Scaling in Nuclear Reactions

A three parameter scaling relationship between isotopic distributions for elements with Z$\leq 8$ has been observed that allows a simple description of the dependence of such distributions on the overall isospin of the system. This scaling law (termed iso-scaling) applies for a variety of reaction mechanisms that are dominated by phase space, including evaporation, multifragmentation and deeply inelastic scattering. The origins of this scaling behavior for the various reaction mechanisms are explained. For multifragmentation processes, the systematics is influenced by the density dependence of the asymmetry term of the equation of state.Comment: 10 Pages, 2 Figure

Correlations in intermediate-energy two-proton removal reactions

We report final-state-exclusive measurements of the light charged fragments in coincidence with 26Ne residual nuclei following the direct two-proton removal from a neutron-rich 28Mg secondary beam. A Dalitz-plot analysis and comparisons with simulations show that a majority of the triple- coincidence events with two protons display phase-space correlations consistent with the (two-body) kinematics of a spatially-correlated pair-removal mechanism. The fraction of such correlated events, 56(12) %, is consistent with the fraction of the calculated cross section, 64 %, arising from spin S = 0 two-proton configurations in the entrance-channel (shell-model) 28Mg ground state wave function. This result promises access to an additional and more specific probe of the spin and spatial correlations of valence nucleon pairs in exotic nuclei produced as fast secondary beams.Comment: accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter