Polarization Rotation Effects due to Parity Violation in Atoms

We present a study of parity (P) violating polarization rotations of atoms in external electric fields. Five different types of rotations are identified and the consequences of time reversal invariance (T) are discussed. The role played by Zeldovich's electric dipole moment of unstable states is elucidated. To calculate the effects, we use the standard model of elementary particle physics where P violation in atoms is due to the exchange of the Z boson between the quarks in the nucleus and the atomic electrons. We consider in detail hydrogen-like systems in $n=2$ states, especially $^1_1$H, $^4_2$He$^+$, and $^{12}_6$C$^{5+}$. We discuss ways to obtain in some cases large enhancement factors for the P-violating polarization rotations and show that e.g. for $^1_1$H one could in principle observe rotations as large as a few percent, where for a statistically significant result one would need a total of $10^{15}$ polarized atoms. We point out that some of our P-violating polarization rotations are very sensitive to the nuclear spin-dependent part of the P-violating Hamiltonian which receives a contribution from the polarized strange quark density in polarized nuclei.Comment: 71 pages, LaTeX (uses rotating.sty), 27 pages with figures (compressed ps-file, uuencoded) appended at the en

CP Violation and the Width Z→bbˉZ\rightarrow b\bar{b}

We discuss the effect of CP-violating $Zb\bar{b}$, $Zb\bar{b}G$ and $Zb\bar{b}\gamma$ couplings on the width $\Gamma(Z\rightarrow b\bar bX)$. The presence of such couplings leads in a natural way to an increase of this width relative to the prediction of the standard model. Various strategies of a direct search for such CP-violating couplings by using CP-odd observables are outlined. The number of $Z$ bosons required to obtain significant information on the couplings in this way is well within the reach of present LEP experiments.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, no figure

Soft Color Interactions and Diffractive Hard Scattering at the Fermilab Tevatron

An improved understanding of nonperturbative QCD can be obtained by the recently developed soft color interaction models. Their essence is the variation of color string-field topologies, giving a unified description of final states in high energy interactions, e.g., diffractive and nondiffractive events in ep and ppbar. Here we present a detailed study of such models (the soft color interaction model and the generalized area law model) applied to ppbar, considering also the general problem of the underlying event including beam particle remnants. With models tuned to HERA ep data, we find a good description also of Tevatron data on production of W, beauty and jets in diffractive events defined either by leading antiprotons or by one or two rapidity gaps in the forward or backward regions. We also give predictions for diffractive J/psi production where the soft exchange mechanism produces both a gap and a color singlet ccbar state in the same event. This soft color interaction approach is also compared with Pomeron-based models for diffraction, and some possibilities to experimentally discriminate between these different approaches are discussed.Comment: 35 pages, 15 figures, uses REVTeX. Minor changes, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Soft Photons in Hadron-Hadron Collisions: Synchrotron Radiation from the QCD Vacuum?

We discuss the production of soft photons in high energy hadron-hadron collisions. We present a model where quarks and antiquarks in the hadrons emit ``synchrotron light'' when being deflected by the chromomagnetic fields of the QCD vacuum, which we assume to have a nonperturbative structure. This gives a source of prompt soft photons with frequencies $\omega <= 300 MeV$ in the c.m. system of the collision in addition to hadronic bremsstrahlung. In comparing the frequency spectrum and rate of ``synchrotron'' photons to experimental results we find some supporting evidence for their existence. We make an exclusive--inclusive connection argument to deduce from the ``synchrotron'' effect a behaviour of the neutron electric formfactor $G_E^n(Q^2)$ proportional to $(Q^2)^{1/6}$ for $Q^2 < 20 fm^{-2}$. We find this to be consistent with available data. In our view, soft photon production in high energy hadron-hadron and lepton-hadron collisions as well as the behaviour of electromagnetic hadron formfactors for low $Q^2$ are thus sensitive probes of the nonperturbative structure of the QCD vacuum.Comment: Heidelberg preprint HD-THEP-94-36, 31 pages, LaTeX + ZJCITE.sty (included), 12 figures appended as uuencoded compressed ps-fil

Evidence for an Excess of Soft Photons in Hadronic Decays of Z^0

Soft photons inside hadronic jets converted in front of the DELPHI main tracker (TPC) in events of qqbar disintegrations of the Z^0 were studied in the kinematic range 0.2 < E_gamma < 1 GeV and transverse momentum with respect to the closest jet direction p_T < 80 MeV/c. A clear excess of photons in the experimental data as compared to the Monte Carlo predictions is observed. This excess (uncorrected for the photon detection efficiency) is (1.17 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet in the specified kinematic region, while the expected level of the inner hadronic bremsstrahlung (which is not included in the Monte Carlo) is (0.340 +/- 0.001 +/- 0.038) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet. The ratio of the excess to the predicted bremsstrahlung rate is then (3.4 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.8), which is similar in strength to the anomalous soft photon signal observed in fixed target experiments with hadronic beams.Comment: 37 pages, 9 figures, Accepted by Eur. Phys. J.

Lack of Galanin 3 Receptor Aggravates Murine Autoimmune Arthritis

Neurogenic inflammation mediated by peptidergic sensory nerves has a crucial impact on the pathogenesis of various joint diseases. Galanin is a regulatory sensory neuropeptide, which has been shown to attenuate neurogenic inflammation, modulate neutrophil activation, and be involved in the development of adjuvant arthritis, but our current understanding about its targets and physiological importance is incomplete. Among the receptors of galanin (GAL1-3), GAL3 has been found to be the most abundantly expressed in the vasculature and on the surface of some immune cells. However, since there are minimal in vivo data on the role of GAL3 in joint diseases, we analyzed its involvement in different inflammatory mechanisms of the K/BxN serum transfer-model of autoimmune arthritis employing GAL 3 gene-deficient mice. After arthritis induction, GAL3 knockouts demonstrated increased clinical disease severity and earlier hindlimb edema than wild types. Vascular hyperpermeability determined by in vivo fluorescence imaging was also elevated compared to the wild-type controls. However, neutrophil accumulation detected by in vivo luminescence imaging or arthritic mechanical hyperalgesia was not altered by the lack of the GAL3 receptor. Our findings suggest that GAL3 has anti-inflammatory properties in joints by inhibiting vascular hyperpermeability and consequent edema formation

Role of PACAP and VIP Signalling in Regulation of Chondrogenesis and Osteogenesis

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are multifunctional proteins that can regulate diverse physiological processes. These are also regarded as neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory substances in the CNS, and PACAP is reported to prevent harmful effects of oxidative stress. In the last decade more and more data accumulated on the similar function of PACAP in various tissues, but its cartilage- and bone-related presence and functions have not been widely investigated yet. In this summary we plan to verify the presence and function of PACAP and VIP signalling tool kit during cartilage differentiation and bone formation. We give evidence about the protective function of PACAP in cartilage regeneration with oxidative or mechanically stress and also with the modulation of PACAP signalling in vitro in osteogenic cells. Our observations imply the therapeutic perspective that PACAP might be applicable as a natural agent exerting protecting effect during joint inflammation and/or may promote cartilage regeneration during degenerative diseases of articular cartilage

Sub sea floor boiling of Red Sea Brines - New indication from noble gas data

Hydrothermal brines from the Atlantis II Deep, Red Sea, have been sampled in situ and analyzed for noble gases. The atmospheric noble gas concentrations (Ne, Aratm, Kr, Xe) in the deepest layer (LCL) are depleted by 20 to 30% relative to the initial concentrations in ambient Red Sea Deep Water without a systematic mass fractionation between the different noble gases. Sub surface boiling during the hydrothermal circulation and subsequent phase separation is shown to be a consistent explanation for the observed depletion pattern. Using a conceptual model of phase separation under sub-critical conditions, in which gases are partitioned according to Henry's Law, we reconstruct the fluid history before injection into the Atlantis II Deep: after having circulated through evaporites and young oceanic crust, where it becomes enriched in HeMORB and ArMORB, the ascending fluid boils, and the residual liquid becomes depleted in noble gas concentrations. The depleted fluid rises to the sediment surface and feeds the Atlantis II basin. The relatively low boiling degree of about 3% (i.e., the percentage of fluid removed as vapor) derived from the model indicates that the Atlantis II system represents an early stage of boiling with relatively small gas loss, in contrast to hydrothermal systems at sediment-free mid-ocean ridges