Activation mechanisms of butyrylcholinesterase by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, 3,3-dimethylbutyl-N-n-butylcarbamate, and 2-trimethylsilyl-ethyl-N-n-butylcarbamate

The goal of this work was to propose a possible mechanism for the butyrylcholinesterase activation by 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 3,3-dimethylbutyl-N-n-butylcarbamate (1), and 2-trimethylsilyl-ethyl-N-n-butylcarbamate (2). Kinetically, TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 were characterized as the nonessential activators of butyrylcholinesterase. TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 were hydrophobic compounds and were proposed to bind to the hydrophobic activator binding site, which was located outside the active site gorge of the enzyme. The conformational change from a normal active site gorge to a more accessible active site gorge of the enzyme was proposed after binding of TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 to the activator binding site of the enzyme. Therefore, TNT, and compounds 1 and 2 may act as the excess of butyrylcholine in the substrate activator for the butyrylcholinesterase catalyzed reactions

Three-Particle Correlations from Parton Cascades in Au+Au Collisions

We present a study of three-particle correlations among a trigger particle and two associated particles in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV using a multi-phase transport model (AMPT) with both partonic and hadronic interactions. We found that three-particle correlation densities in different angular directions with respect to the triggered particle (`center', `cone', `deflected', `near' and `near-away') increase with the number of participants. The ratio of `deflected' to `cone' density approaches to 1.0 with the increasing of number of participants, which indicates that partonic Mach-like shock waves can be produced by strong parton cascades in central Au+Au collisions.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures; Final version to appear in Physics Letters

System-size scan of dihadron azimuthal correlations in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions

System-size dependence of dihadron azimuthal correlations in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collision is simulated by a multi-phase transport model. The structure of correlation functions and yields of associated particles show clear participant path-length dependences in collision systems with a partonic phase. The splitting parameter and root-mean-square width of away-side correlation functions increase with collision system size from $^{14}$N+$^{14}$N to $^{197}$Au+$^{197}$Au collisions. The double-peak structure of away-side correlation functions can only be formed in sufficient "large" collision systems under partonic phase. The contrast between the results with partonic phase and with hadron gas could suggest some hints to study onset of deconfinment.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; Nucl. Phys. A (accepted

Scaling of anisotropy flows in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions

Anisotropic flows ($v_1$, $v_2$ and $v_4$) of light nuclear clusters are studied by a nucleonic transport model in intermediate energy heavy ion collisions. The number-of-nucleon scalings of the directed flow ($v_1$) and elliptic flow ($v_2$) are demonstrated for light nuclear clusters. Moreover, the ratios of $v_4/v_2^2$ of nuclear clusters show a constant value of 1/2 regardless of the transverse momentum. The above phenomena can be understood by the coalescence mechanism in nucleonic level and are worthy to be explored in experiments.Comment: Invited talk at "IX International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions", Rio de Janeiro, Aug 28- Sept 1, 2006; to appear on the proceeding issue in Nuclear Physics

Scaling of Anisotropic Flow and Momentum-Space Densities for Light Particles in Intermediate Energy Heavy Ion Collisions

Anisotropic flows ($v_2$ and $v_4$) of light nuclear clusters are studied by Isospin-Dependent Quantum Molecular Dynamics model for the system of $^{86}$Kr + $^{124}$Sn at intermediate energy and large impact parameters. Number-of-nucleon scaling of the elliptic flow ($v_2$) are demonstrated for the light fragments up to $A$ = 4, and the ratio of $v_4/v_2^2$ shows a constant value of 1/2. In addition, the momentum-space densities of different clusters are also surveyed as functions of transverse momentum, in-plane transverse momentum and azimuth angle relative to the reaction plane. The results can be essentially described by momentum-space power law. All the above phenomena indicate that there exists a number-of-nucleon scaling for both anisotropic flow and momentum-space densities for light clusters, which can be understood by the coalescence mechanism in nucleonic degree of freedom for the cluster formation.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; to be published in Physics Letters

Dark Matter Assimilation into the Baryon Asymmetry

Pure singlets are typically disfavored as dark matter candidates, since they generically have a thermal relic abundance larger than the observed value. In this paper, we propose a new dark matter mechanism called "assimilation", which takes advantage of the baryon asymmetry of the universe to generate the correct relic abundance of singlet dark matter. Through assimilation, dark matter itself is efficiently destroyed, but dark matter number is stored in new quasi-stable heavy states which carry the baryon asymmetry. The subsequent annihilation and late-time decay of these heavy states yields (symmetric) dark matter as well as (asymmetric) standard model baryons. We study in detail the case of pure bino dark matter by augmenting the minimal supersymmetric standard model with vector-like chiral multiplets. In the parameter range where this mechanism is effective, the LHC can discover long-lived charged particles which were responsible for assimilating dark matter.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables; v2, references added, switched to JCAP format; v3, references added, version published in JCA

Security and Privacy Issues in Wireless Mesh Networks: A Survey

This book chapter identifies various security threats in wireless mesh network (WMN). Keeping in mind the critical requirement of security and user privacy in WMNs, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of various possible attacks on different layers of the communication protocol stack for WMNs and their corresponding defense mechanisms. First, it identifies the security vulnerabilities in the physical, link, network, transport, application layers. Furthermore, various possible attacks on the key management protocols, user authentication and access control protocols, and user privacy preservation protocols are presented. After enumerating various possible attacks, the chapter provides a detailed discussion on various existing security mechanisms and protocols to defend against and wherever possible prevent the possible attacks. Comparative analyses are also presented on the security schemes with regards to the cryptographic schemes used, key management strategies deployed, use of any trusted third party, computation and communication overhead involved etc. The chapter then presents a brief discussion on various trust management approaches for WMNs since trust and reputation-based schemes are increasingly becoming popular for enforcing security in wireless networks. A number of open problems in security and privacy issues for WMNs are subsequently discussed before the chapter is finally concluded.Comment: 62 pages, 12 figures, 6 tables. This chapter is an extension of the author's previous submission in arXiv submission: arXiv:1102.1226. There are some text overlaps with the previous submissio