Nucleon momentum distribution in deuteron and other nuclei within the light-front dynamics method

The relativistic light-front dynamics (LFD) method has been shown to give a correct description of the most recent data for the deuteron monopole and quadrupole charge form factors obtained at the Jefferson Laboratory for elastic electron-deuteron scattering for six values of the squared momentum transfer between 0.66 and 1.7 (GeV/c)$^{2}$. The good agreement with the data is in contrast with the results of the existing non-relativistic approaches. In this work we firstly make a complementary test of the LFD applying it to calculate another important characteristic, the nucleon momentum distribution $n(q)$ of the deuteron using six invariant functions $f_{i}$ $(i=1,...,6)$ instead of two ($S$- and $D$-waves) in the nonrelativistic case. The comparison with the $y$-scaling data shows the decisive role of the function $f_{5}$ which at $q\geq$ 500 MeV/c exceeds all other $f$-functions (as well as the $S$- and $D$-waves) for the correct description of $n(q)$ of the deuteron in the high-momentum region. Comparison with other calculations using $S$- and $D$-waves corresponding to various nucleon-nucleon potentials is made. Secondly, using clear indications that the high-momentum components of $n(q)$ in heavier nuclei are related to those in the deuteron, we develop an approach within the natural orbital representation to calculate $n(q)$ in $(A,Z)$-nuclei on the basis of the deuteron momentum distribution. As examples, $n(q)$ in $^{4}$He, $^{12}$C and $^{56}$Fe are calculated and good agreement with the $y$-scaling data is obtained.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, corrected, to appear in Phys. Rev. C in February 200

Regulation of peripheral blood flow in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: clinical implication for symptomatic relief and pain management

Background. During the chronic stage of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), impaired microcirculation is related to increased vasoconstriction, tissue hypoxia, and metabolic tissue acidosis in the affected limb. Several mechanisms may be responsible for the ischemia and pain in chronic cold CPRS. Discussion. The diminished blood flow may be caused by either sympathetic dysfunction, hypersensitivity to circulating catecholamines, or endothelial dysfunction. The pain may be of neuropathic, inflammatory, nociceptive, or functional nature, or of mixed origin. Summary. The origin of the pain should be the basis of the symptomatic therapy. Since the difference in temperature between both hands fluctuates over time in cold CRPS, when in doubt, the clinician should prioritize the patient's report of a persistent cold extremity over clinical tests that show no difference. Future research should focus on developing easily applied methods for clinical use to differentiate between central and peripheral blood flow regulation disorders in individual patients

Extracellular vesicle sorting of α-Synuclein is regulated by sumoylation

Extracellular α-Synuclein has been implicated in interneuronal propagation of disease pathology in Parkinson’s Disease. How α-Synuclein is released into the extracellular space is still unclear. Here, we show that α-Synuclein is present in extracellular vesicles in the central nervous system. We find that sorting of α-Synuclein in extracellular vesicles is regulated by sumoylation and that sumoylation acts as a sorting factor for targeting of both, cytosolic and transmembrane proteins, to extracellular vesicles. We provide evidence that the SUMO-dependent sorting utilizes the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) by interaction with phosphoinositols. Ubiquitination of cargo proteins is so far the only known determinant for ESCRT-dependent sorting into the extracellular vesicle pathway. Our study reveals a function of SUMO protein modification as a Ubiquitin-independent ESCRT sorting signal, regulating the extracellular vesicle release of α-Synuclein. We deciphered in detail the molecular mechanism which directs α-Synuclein into extracellular vesicles which is of highest relevance for the understanding of Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis and progression at the molecular level. We furthermore propose that sumo-dependent sorting constitutes a mechanism with more general implications for cell biology.Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plat

On the relationship between microhardness and glass transition temperature of some amorphous polymers

7 pags., 1 fig., 2 tabs.On the basis of microhardness (H) data measured at room temperature only for a number of polymers in the glassy state, a linear correlation between H and the glass transition temperature Tg has been found (H = 1.97 Tg - 571). By means of this relationship, the deviation of the H values from the additivity law for some multicomponent and/or multiphase polymeric systems can be accounted for. The latter usually contains a liquidlike soft component and/or phase with Tg below room temperature. A completely different deformation mechanism in comparison to systems with Tg above room temperature is invoked. A novel expression for the hardness of polymers in terms of crystallinity of the single components and/or phases, the Tg values, and the mass fraction of each component is proposed. This expression permits the calculation of (i) the room-temperature H value of amorphous polymers, mainly containing single bonds in the main chain, provided Tg is known, and of (ii) the contribution of the soft liquidlike components (phases) to the hardness of the entire multiphase system.Grateful acknowledgment is due to DGICYT (GrantPB94-0049), Spain, for the support of this investiga-tion. The partial support of NATO (Grant No. CRG920985 and NIG 951394) is also highly appreciated. Itis a pleasure for one of us (S.F.) to acknowledge thetenure of a sabbatical grant from DGICYT, Spai

Morphology and toughness of coextruded PS/PMMA multilayers

The micromechanical behaviour of multilayered tapes made of two brittle incompatible amorphous polymers PS and PMMA was studied by means of an optical and a High Voltage Electron Microscope (HVEM). Microlayers of PS and PMMA were coextruded with varying number of layers: 64, 512 and 4096 layers. Mechanical properties of the PS/PMMA tapes were also examined. An increase in layer numbers was found to lead to a decrease in layer thickness that, in turn, resulted in: a) formation of thicker and longer crazes and, therefore, increased volume of the material involved in the plastic deformation; b) a noticeable increase in strength and strain at break (i.e. of toughness) of the samples. Enhanced toughness of the multilayered tapes is accounted for by massive cooperating crazing and yielding of both PS and PMMA phases