804 research outputs found
Three-dimensional parton distribution functions and in the polarized proton-antiproton Drell-Yan process
We present predictions of the unweighted and weighted double spin asymmetries
related to the transversal helicity distribution and the longitudinal
transversity distribution , two of eight leading-twist transverse
momentum dependent parton distributions (TMDs) or three-dimensional parton
distribution functions (3dPDFs), in the polarized proton-antiproton Drell-Yan
process at typical kinematics on the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research
(FAIR). We conclude that FAIR is ideal to access the new 3dPDFs towards a
detailed picture of the nucleon structure.Comment: 6 latex pages, 5 figures, version for publication in EPJ
A Note on Noncommutative Brane Inflation
In this paper, we investigate the noncommutative KKLMMT D3/anti-D3 brane
inflation scenario in detail. Incorporation of the brane inflation scenario and
the noncommutative inflation scenario can nicely explain the large negative
running of the spectral index as indicated by WMAP three-year data and can
significantly release the fine-tuning for the parameter . Using the WMAP
three year results (blue-tilted spectral index with large negative running), we
explore the parameter space and give the constraints and predictions for the
inflationary parameters and cosmological observables in this scenario. We show
that this scenario predicts a quite large tensor/scalar ratio and what is more,
a too large cosmic string tension (assuming that the string coupling is
in its likely range from 0.1 to 1) to be compatible with the present
observational bound. A more detailed analysis reveals that this model has some
inconsistencies according to the fit to WMAP three year results.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in JCA
Revisiting inconsistency in large pharmacogenomic studies
In 2013, we published a comparative analysis of mutation and gene expression profiles and drug sensitivity measurements for 15 drugs characterized in the 471 cancer cell lines screened in the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC) and Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). While we found good concordance in gene expression profiles, there was substantial inconsistency in the drug responses reported by the GDSC and CCLE projects. We received extensive feedback on the comparisons that we performed. This feedback, along with the release of new data, prompted us to revisit our initial analysis. We present a new analysis using these expanded data, where we address the most significant suggestions for improvements on our published analysis - that targeted therapies and broad cytotoxic drugs should have been treated differently in assessing consistency, that consistency of both molecular profiles and drug sensitivity measurements should be compared across cell lines, and that the software analysis tools provided should have been easier to run, particularly as the GDSC and CCLE released additional data. Our re-analysis supports our previous finding that gene expression data are significantly more consistent than drug sensitivity measurements. Using new statistics to assess data consistency allowed identification of two broad effect drugs and three targeted drugs with moderate to good consistency in drug sensitivity data between GDSC and CCLE. For three other targeted drugs, there were not enough sensitive cell lines to assess the consistency of the pharmacological profiles. We found evidence of inconsistencies in pharmacological phenotypes for the remaining eight drugs. Overall, our findings suggest that the drug sensitivity data in GDSC and CCLE continue to present challenges for robust biomarker discovery. This re-analysis provides additional support for the argument that experimental standardization and validation of pharmacogenomic response will be necessary to advance the broad use of large pharmacogenomic screens
Azimuthal asymmetries in lepton-pair production at a fixed-target experiment using the LHC beams (AFTER)
A multi-purpose fixed-target experiment using the proton and lead-ion beams
of the LHC was recently proposed by Brodsky, Fleuret, Hadjidakis and Lansberg,
and here we concentrate our study on some issues related to the spin physics
part of this project (referred to as AFTER). We study the nucleon spin
structure through and processes with a fixed-target experiment using
the LHC proton beams, for the kinematical region with 7 TeV proton beams at the
energy in center-of-mass frame of two nucleons GeV. We calculate
and estimate the azimuthal asymmetries of unpolarized and
dilepton production processes in the Drell--Yan continuum region and at the
-pole. We also calculate the , and
azimuthal asymmetries of and dilepton production
processes with the target proton and deuteron longitudinally or transversally
polarized in the Drell--Yan continuum region and around resonances region.
We conclude that it is feasible to measure these azimuthal asymmetries,
consequently the three-dimensional or transverse momentum dependent parton
distribution functions (3dPDFs or TMDs), at this new AFTER facility.Comment: 15 pages, 40 figures. Version accepted for publication in EPJ
Search for Light Weakly-Interacting-Massive-Particle Dark Matter by Annual Modulation Analysis with a Point-Contact Germanium Detector at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory
We present results on light weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP)
searches with annual modulation (AM) analysis on data from a 1-kg mass -type
point-contact germanium detector of the CDEX-1B experiment at the China Jinping
Underground Laboratory. Datasets with a total live time of 3.2 yr within a 4.2
yr span are analyzed with analysis threshold of 250 eVee. Limits on
WIMP-nucleus (-) spin-independent cross sections as function of WIMP
mass () at 90\% confidence level (C.L.) are derived using the dark
matter halo model. Within the context of the standard halo model, the 90\% C.L.
allowed regions implied by the DAMA/LIBRA and CoGeNT AM-based analysis are
excluded at 99.99\% and 98\% C.L., respectively. These results correspond to
the best sensitivity at 6 among WIMP AM
measurements to date.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Constraints on Spin-Independent Nucleus Scattering with sub-GeV Weakly Interacting Massive Particle Dark Matter from the CDEX-1B Experiment at the China Jin-Ping Laboratory
We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles
(WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses () via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent
scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on time-integrated (TI)
and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1
kgday exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5
kgday exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive
windows in are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses
with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on at
90\% confidence level are derived as 1010
for TI analysis at 50180 MeV/, and
1010 for AM analysis at
75 MeV/3.0 GeV/.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Systems analysis of bioenergetics and growth of the extreme halophile Halobacterium salinarum
Halobacterium salinarum is a bioenergetically flexible, halophilic microorganism that can generate energy by respiration, photosynthesis, and the fermentation of arginine. In a previous study, using a genome-scale metabolic model, we have shown that the archaeon unexpectedly degrades essential amino acids under aerobic conditions, a behavior that can lead to the termination of growth earlier than necessary. Here, we further integratively investigate energy generation, nutrient utilization, and biomass production using an extended methodology that accounts for dynamically changing transport patterns, including those that arise from interactions among the supplied metabolites. Moreover, we widen the scope of our analysis to include phototrophic conditions to explore the interplay between different bioenergetic modes. Surprisingly, we found that cells also degrade essential amino acids even during phototropy, when energy should already be abundant. We also found that under both conditions considerable amounts of nutrients that were taken up were neither incorporated into the biomass nor used as respiratory substrates, implying the considerable production and accumulation of several metabolites in the medium. Some of these are likely the products of forms of overflow metabolism. In addition, our results also show that arginine fermentation, contrary to what is typically assumed, occurs simultaneously with respiration and photosynthesis and can contribute energy in levels that are comparable to the primary bioenergetic modes, if not more. These findings portray a picture that the organism takes an approach toward growth that favors the here and now, even at the cost of longer-term concerns. We believe that the seemingly "greedy" behavior exhibited actually consists of adaptations by the organism to its natural environments, where nutrients are not only irregularly available but may altogether be absent for extended periods that may span several years. Such a setting probably predisposed the cells to grow as much as possible when the conditions become favorable
Influence of Natural Organic Matter Fouling and Osmotic Backwash on Pressure Retarded Osmosis Energy Production from Natural Salinity Gradients
Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) has the potential to produce clean, renewable energy from natural salinity gradients. However, membrane fouling can lead to diminished water flux productivity, thus reducing the extractable energy. This study investigates organic fouling and osmotic backwash cleaning in PRO and the resulting impact on projected power generation. Fabricated thin-film composite membranes were fouled with model river water containing natural organic matter. The water permeation carried foulants from the feed river water into the membrane porous support layer and caused severe water flux decline of ∼46%. Analysis of the water flux behavior revealed three phases in membrane support layer fouling. Initial foulants of the first fouling phase quickly adsorbed at the active-support layer interface and caused a significantly greater increase in hydraulic resistance than the subsequent second and third phase foulants. The water permeability of the fouled membranes was lowered by ∼39%, causing ∼26% decrease in projected power density. A brief, chemical-free osmotic backwash was demonstrated to be effective in removing foulants from the porous support layer, achieving ∼44% recovery in projected power density. The substantial performance recovery after cleaning was attributed to the partial restoration of the membrane water permeability. This study shows that membrane fouling detrimentally impacts energy production, and highlights the potential strategies to mitigate fouling in PRO power generation with natural salinity gradients
Understanding the proton's spin structure
We discuss the tremendous progress that has been towards an understanding of
how the spin of the proton is distributed on its quark and gluon constituents.
This is a problem that began in earnest twenty years ago with the discovery of
the proton ``spin crisis'' by the European Muon Collaboration. The discoveries
prompted by that original work have given us unprecedented insight into the
amount of spin carried by polarized gluons and the orbital angular momentum of
the quarks.Comment: Review article for J. Phys. G, 1 figure, 22 page
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