J/psi production as a function of charged-particle pseudorapidity density in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

We report measurements of the inclusive J/ψ yield and average transverse momentum as a function of charged-particle pseudorapidity density dNch/dη in p–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The observables are normalised to their corresponding averages in non-single diffractive events. An increase of the normalised J/ψ yield with normalised dNch/dη, measured at mid-rapidity, is observed at mid-rapidity and backward rapidity. At forward rapidity, a saturation of the relative yield is observed for high charged-particle multiplicities. The normalised average transverse momentum at forward and backward rapidities increases with multiplicity at low multiplicities and saturates beyond moderate multiplicities. In addition, the forward-to-backward nuclear modification factor ratio is also reported, showing an increasing suppression of J/ψ production at forward rapidity with respect to backward rapidity for increasing charged-particle multiplicity

Difference between endothelium-dependent relaxation in arterial and in venous coronary bypass grafts

Both the internal mammary artery and the saphenous vein are used to construct coronary-artery bypass grafts. We hypothesized that the release or production of endothelium-derived relaxing factor, which regulates blood flow and inhibits platelet function, may differ in venous and arterial grafts. We therefore studied endothelium-dependent relaxation in internal mammary arteries, internal mammary veins, and saphenous veins obtained from 58 patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery. Vascular rings with and without endothelium were suspended in organ chambers, and isometric tension was recorded. Acetylcholine (10(-8) to 10(-4) M), thrombin (1 U per milliliter), and adenosine diphosphate (10(-7) to 10(-4) M) evoked potent endothelium-dependent relaxation in the mammary artery but weak response in the saphenous vein (P less than 0.005; n = 6 to 27). In the mammary artery, relaxation was greatest in response to acetylcholine (86 +/- 4 percent reduction in norepinephrine-induced tension), followed by thrombin (44 +/- 7 percent) and adenosine diphosphate (39 +/- 8 percent). In the saphenous and mammary veins, relaxation was less than 25 percent. Relaxation was unaffected by indomethacin but was inhibited by methylene blue and hemoglobin (P less than 0.005 and 0.01, respectively), which suggests that endothelium-derived relaxing factor was the mediator. Endothelium-independent relaxation in response to sodium nitroprusside was similar in arteries and veins. We conclude that endothelium-dependent relaxation is greater in the mammary artery than in the saphenous vein. The possibility that this contributes to the higher patency rate among arterial grafts than among venous grafts will require further study