Partonic effects on higher-order anisotropic flows in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Higher-order anisotropic flows $v_{4}$ and $v_{6}$ in heavy ion collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider are studied in a multiphase transport model that has previously been used successfully for describing the elliptic flow $v_2$ in these collisions. We find that the same parton scattering cross section of about 10 \textrm{mb} used in explaining the measured $v_2$ can also reproduce the recent data on $v_{4}$ and $v_{6}$ from Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ \textrm{AGeV}. It is further found that the $$ is a more sensitive probe of the initial partonic dynamics in these collisions than $v_{2}$. Moreover, higher-order parton anisotropic flows are nonnegligible and satisfy the scaling relation $v_{n,q}(p_{T})\sim v_{2,q}^{n/2}(p_{T})$, which leads naturally to the observed similar scaling relation among hadron anisotropic flows when the coalescence model is used to describe hadron production from the partonic matter.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, version to appear in PRC as a Rapid Communicatio

A numerical study of diffusive shock acceleration of cosmic rays in supernova shocks

The evolution of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays accelerated by the first order Fermi mechanism, by a supernova remnant shock wave, including adiabatic deceleration effects behind the front, is carried out by means of a time-dependent numerical code. The calculations apply to the adiabatic stage (or Sedov stage) of the supernova explosion, and the energetic particle spectrum is calculated in the test particle limit (i.e., the back reaction of the cosmic rays on the flow is not included). The particles are injected mono-energetically at the shock. The radial distribution, The radial distribution, and the spectrum of the accelerated and decelerated particles is shown

Contribution of b→sggb \to sgg through the QCD anomaly in exclusive decays B±→(η′,η)(K±,K∗±)B^{\pm}\to (\eta^{\prime},\eta)(K^{\pm}, K^{*\pm}) and B0→(η′,η)(K0,K∗0)B^{0}\to (\eta^{\prime},\eta)(K^{0},K^{*0})

We compute the decay rates for the exclusive decays $B^{\pm} \to (\eta^{\prime},\eta) (K^{\pm}, K^{*\pm})$ and $B^{0}\to (\eta^{\prime},\eta) (K^{0}, K^{*0})$ in a QCD-improved factorization framework by including the contribution from the process $b\to sgg \to s (\eta^{\prime}, \eta)$ through the QCD anomaly. This method provides an alternative estimate of the contribution $b \to s c\bar{c} \to s(\eta,\eta^\prime)$ to these decays as compared to the one using the intrinsic charm content of the $\eta^{\prime}$ and $\eta$ mesons determined through the decays $J/\psi \to (\eta,\eta^\prime ,\eta_c) \gamma$. The resulting branching ratios are compared with the CLEO data on $B^{\pm} \to \eta^{\prime} K^{\pm}$ and $B^{0} \to \eta^{\prime} K^{0}$ and predictions are made for the rest.Comment: 16 pages including 4 postscript figures; uses epsfig. The most recent branching ratios from CLEO, ref. [5], are taken into account. The theory part is unchange

Hadron production from quark coalescence and jet fragmentation in intermediate energy collisions at RHIC

Transverse momentum spectra of pions, protons and antiprotons in Au+Au collisions at intermediate RHIC energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=62$ GeV are studied in a model that includes both quark coalescence from the dense partonic matter and fragmentation of the quenched perturbative minijet partons. The resulting baryon to meson ratio at intermediate transverse momenta is predicted to be larger than that seen in experiments at higher center of mass energies.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Figures replaced to differentially address the high-pT behavior of baryon versus antibaryon to meson ratio

Antrodia cinnamomea reduces obesity and modulates the gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed mice.

BackgroundObesity is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, disrupted intestinal barrier and chronic inflammation. Given the high and increasing prevalence of obesity worldwide, anti-obesity treatments that are safe, effective and widely available would be beneficial. We examined whether the medicinal mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea may reduce obesity in mice fed with a high-fat diet (HFD).MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were fed a HFD for 8 weeks to induce obesity and chronic inflammation. The mice were treated with a water extract of A. cinnamomea (WEAC), and body weight, fat accumulation, inflammation markers, insulin sensitivity and the gut microbiota were monitored.ResultsAfter 8 weeks, the mean body weight of HFD-fed mice was 39.8±1.2 g compared with 35.8±1.3 g for the HFD+1% WEAC group, corresponding to a reduction of 4 g or 10% of body weight (P<0.0001). WEAC supplementation reduced fat accumulation and serum triglycerides in a statistically significant manner in HFD-fed mice. WEAC also reversed the effects of HFD on inflammation markers (interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α), insulin resistance and adipokine production (leptin and adiponectin). Notably, WEAC increased the expression of intestinal tight junctions (zonula occludens-1 and occludin) and antimicrobial proteins (Reg3g and lysozyme C) in the small intestine, leading to reduced blood endotoxemia. Finally, WEAC modulated the composition of the gut microbiota, reducing the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and increasing the level of Akkermansia muciniphila and other bacterial species associated with anti-inflammatory properties.ConclusionsSupplementation with A. cinnamomea produces anti-obesogenic, anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects in HFD-fed mice by maintaining intestinal integrity and modulating the gut microbiota

Spontaneous Ratchet Effect in a Granular Gas

The spontaneous clustering of a vibrofluidized granular gas is employed to generate directed transport in two different compartmentalized systems: a "granular fountain" in which the transport takes the form of convection rolls, and a "granular ratchet" with a spontaneous particle current perpendicular to the direction of energy input. In both instances, transport is not due to any system-intrinsic anisotropy, but arises as a spontaneous collective symmetry breaking effect of many interacting granular particles. The experimental and numerical results are quantitatively accounted for within a flux model.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures; Fig. 4 has been reduced in size and qualit

Three Dimensional Structure and Energy Balance of a Coronal Mass Ejection

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) observed Doppler shifted material of a partial Halo Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on December 13 2001. The observed ratio of [O V]/O V] is a reliable density diagnostic important for assessing the state of the plasma. Earlier UVCS observations of CMEs found evidence that the ejected plasma is heated long after the eruption. We have investigated the heating rates, which represent a significant fraction of the CME energy budget. The parameterized heating and radiative and adiabatic cooling have been used to evaluate the temperature evolution of the CME material with a time dependent ionization state model. The functional form of a flux rope model for interplanetary magnetic clouds was also used to parameterize the heating. We find that continuous heating is required to match the UVCS observations. To match the O VI-bright knots, a higher heating rate is required such that the heating energy is greater than the kinetic energy. The temperatures for the knots bright in Ly$\alpha$ and C III emission indicate that smaller heating rates are required for those regions. In the context of the flux rope model, about 75% of the magnetic energy must go into heat in order to match the O VI observations. We derive tighter constraints on the heating than earlier analyses, and we show that thermal conduction with the Spitzer conductivity is not sufficient to account for the heating at large heights.Comment: 40 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ For associated mpeg file, please see https://www.cora.nwra.com/~jylee/mpg/f5.mp

Lymphotoxins and cytomegalovirus cooperatively induce interferon-beta, establishing host-virus détente

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related cytokines regulate cell death and survival and provide strong selective pressures for viruses, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), to evolve counterstrategies in order to persist in immune-competent hosts. Signaling by the lymphotoxin (LT)-β receptor or TNF receptor-1, but not Fas or TRAIL receptors, inhibits the cytopathicity and replication of human CMV by a nonapoptotic, reversible process that requires nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-dependent induction of interferon-β (IFN-β). Efficient induction of IFN-β requires virus infection and LT signaling, demonstrating the need for both host and viral factors in the curtailment of viral replication without cellular elimination. LTα-deficient mice and LTβR-Fc transgenic mice were profoundly susceptible to murine CMV infection. Together, these results reveal an essential and conserved role for LTs in establishing host defense to CMV