Thermal rates for baryon and anti-baryon production

We use a form of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem to derive formulas giving the rate of production of spin-1/2 baryons in terms of the fluctuations of either meson or quark fields. The most general formulas do not assume thermal or chemical equilibrium. When evaluated in a thermal ensemble we find equilibration times on the order of 10 fm/c near the critical temperature in QCD.Comment: 22 pages, 4 tables and 2 figures, REVTe

Formation of dense partonic matter in relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions at RHIC: Experimental evaluation by the PHENIX collaboration

Extensive experimental data from high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions were recorded using the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The comprehensive set of measurements from the first three years of RHIC operation includes charged particle multiplicities, transverse energy, yield ratios and spectra of identified hadrons in a wide range of transverse momenta (p_T), elliptic flow, two-particle correlations, non-statistical fluctuations, and suppression of particle production at high p_T. The results are examined with an emphasis on implications for the formation of a new state of dense matter. We find that the state of matter created at RHIC cannot be described in terms of ordinary color neutral hadrons.Comment: 510 authors, 127 pages text, 56 figures, 1 tables, LaTeX. Submitted to Nuclear Physics A as a regular article; v3 has minor changes in response to referee comments. Plain text data tables for the points plotted in figures for this and previous PHENIX publications are (or will be) publicly available at http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/papers.htm

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease

The Compensated Pulsed Alternator: Preliminary Test Results

An engineering prototype compensated pulsed alternator (Compulsator) has been designed and fabricated at the Center for Electromechanics of The University of Texas at Austin. The prototype compulsator is designed to drive a load consisting of sixteen parallel xenon flashlamps, 1 .5 cm in diameter by 112 cm in length. The power conditioning equipment and flashlamp load have been provided by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The engineering prototype compulsator test facility is described, and the sequence of operation of the pulsed power circuit is discussed. Initial measurements of alternator parameters are given, including static armature inductance variation, the open circuit field excitation characteristic, and the first rotor critical frequency measurement.Center for Electromechanic

Engineering Analysis for LINUS Imploding Liquid Liner Systems

The Center for Electromechanics (CEM) of The University of Texas at Austin has completed an engineering analysis of controlled imploding liquid metal liner (LINUS) devices for the Naval Research Laborotory (NRL). NRL is involved in the development of this type of high energy density system which has potential use in the areas of compact fusion and pulsed electrical power sources and advanced weapon systems. Although NRL is presently operating two experimental machines, HELIUS and LINUS-0, the mechanical stresses, electromechanical behavior, and dynamic behavior of larger LINUS-type devices operating repetitively at elevated temperatures have not been completely established. The limitations imposed by these considerations significantly affect the design of these devices. In this paper, dynamic instabilities, material considerations, injection systems, rotor geometries, mechanical stresses and the effect of elevated temperatures are discussed. The effect of these items also influence the choice between a rotating or a stationary reactor vessel.Center for Electromechanic

Is kairomone a valid and useful term?

SCOPUS: le.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe