Thermodynamic Geometric Stability of Quarkonia states

We compute exact thermodynamic geometric properties of the non-abelian quarkonium bound states from the consideration of one-loop strong coupling. From the general statistical principle, the intrinsic geometric nature of strongly coupled QCD is analyzed for the Columbic, rising and Regge rotating regimes. Without any approximation, we have obtained the non-linear mass effect for the Bloch-Nordsieck rotating strongly coupled quarkonia. For a range of physical parameters, we show in each cases that there exists a well-defined, non-degenerate, curved, intrinsic Riemannian manifold. As the gluons become softer and softer, we find in the limit of the Bloch-Nordsieck resummation that the strong coupling obtained from the Sudhakov form factor possesses exact local and global thermodynamic properties of the underlying mesons, kaons and $D_s$ particles.Comment: 45 pages, 17 figures, Keywords: Thermodynamic Geometry, Quarkonia, Massive Quarks, QCD Form Factor. PACS: 02.40.-k; 14.40.Pq; 12.40.Nn; 14.70.D

Strong Interactions, (De)coherence and Quarkonia

Quarkonia are the central objects to explore the non-perturbative nature of non-abelian gauge theories. We describe the confinement-deconfinement phases for heavy quarkonia in a hot QCD medium and thereby the statistical nature of the inter-quark forces. In the sense of one-loop quantum effects, we propose that the "quantum" nature of quark matters follows directly from the thermodynamic consideration of Richardson potential. Thereby we gain an understanding of the formation of hot and dense states of quark gluon plasma matter in heavy ion collisions and the early universe. In the case of the non-abelian theory, the consideration of the Sudhakov form factor turns out to be an efficient tool for soft gluons. In the limit of the Block-Nordsieck resummation, the strong coupling obtained from the Sudhakov form factor yields the statistical nature of hadronic bound states, e.g. kaons and Ds particles.Comment: 8 pages, Keywords: CPT symmetry, decoherence, Lorentz symmetry breaking; PACS: 02.40.-k; 14.40.Pq; 12.40.Nn; 14.70.Dj; conference proceeding of Discrete 2010, 6-11 December 2010, Roma (Italy); the Symposium proceedings will be published online in a special volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Serie

Observations of the Crab Nebula with MACE (Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment)

The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) is a large size (21m) Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) installed at an altitude of 4270m above sea level at Hanle, Ladakh in northern India. Here we report the detection of Very High Energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission from Crab Nebula above 80 GeV. We analysed ~15 hours of data collected at low zenith angle between November 2022 and February 2023. The energy spectrum is well described by a log-parabola function with a flux of ~(3.46 +/- 0.26stat) x 10-10 TeV-1 cm-2 s-1, at 400 GeV with spectral index of 2.09 +/- 0.06stat and a curvature parameter of 0.08 +/- 0.07stat. The gamma-rays are detected in an energy range spanning from 80 GeV to ~5 TeV. The energy resolution improves from ~34% at an analysis energy threshold of 80 GeV to ~21% above 1 TeV. The daily light curve and the spectral energy distribution obtained for the Crab Nebula is in agreement with previous measurements, considering statistical and systematic uncertainties.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic

Search for New Physics with Jets and Missing Transverse Momentum in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search for new physics is presented based on an event signature of at least three jets accompanied by large missing transverse momentum, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns collected in proton--proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. No excess of events is observed above the expected standard model backgrounds, which are all estimated from the data. Exclusion limits are presented for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Cross section limits are also presented using simplified models with new particles decaying to an undetected particle and one or two jets

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

Evasion of anti-growth signaling: a key step in tumorigenesis and potential target for treatment and prophylaxis by natural compounds

The evasion of anti-growth signaling is an important characteristic of cancer cells. In order to continue to proliferate, cancer cells must somehow uncouple themselves from the many signals that exist to slow down cell growth. Here, we define the anti-growth signaling process, and review several important pathways involved in growth signaling: p53, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), retinoblastoma protein (Rb), Hippo, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A), Notch, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) pathways. Aberrations in these processes in cancer cells involve mutations and thus the suppression of genes that prevent growth, as well as mutation and activation of genes involved in driving cell growth. Using these pathways as examples, we prioritize molecular targets that might be leveraged to promote anti-growth signaling in cancer cells. Interestingly, naturally-occurring phytochemicals found in human diets (either singly or as mixtures) may promote anti-growth signaling, and do so without the potentially adverse effects associated with synthetic chemicals. We review examples of naturally-occurring phytochemicals that may be applied to prevent cancer by antagonizing growth signaling, and propose one phytochemical for each pathway. These are: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for the Rb pathway, luteolin for p53, curcumin for PTEN, porphyrins for Hippo, genistein for GDF15, resveratrol for ARID1A, withaferin A for Notch and diguelin for the IGF1-receptor pathway. The coordination of anti-growth signaling and natural compound studies will provide insight into the future application of these compounds in the clinical setting

Clinical isolates of the modern Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 4 evade host defense in human macrophages through eluding IL-1\u3b2-induced autophagy article

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), has infected over 1.7 billion people worldwide and causes 1.4 million deaths annually. Recently, genome sequence analysis has allowed the reconstruction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) evolution, with the identification of seven phylogeographic lineages: four referred to as evolutionarily "ancient", and three "modern". The MTBC strains belonging to "modern" lineages appear to show enhanced virulence that may have warranted improved transmission in humans over ancient lineages through molecular mechanisms that remain to be fully characterized. To evaluate the impact of MTBC genetic diversity on the innate immune response, we analyzed intracellular bacterial replication, inflammatory cytokine levels, and autophagy response in human primary macrophages infected with MTBC clinical isolates belonging to the ancient lineages 1 and 5, and the modern lineage 4. We show that, when compared to ancient lineage 1 and 5, MTBC strains belonging to modern lineage 4 show a higher rate of replication, associated to a significant production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1\u3b2, IL-6, and TNF-\u3b1) and induction of a functional autophagy process. Interestingly, we found that the increased autophagic flux observed in macrophages infected with modern MTBC is due to an autocrine activity of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1\u3b2, since autophagosome maturation is blocked by an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Unexpectedly, IL-1\u3b2-induced autophagy is not disadvantageous for the survival of modern Mtb strains, which reside within Rab5-positive phagosomal vesicles and avoid autophagosome engulfment. Altogether, these results suggest that autophagy triggered by inflammatory cytokines is compatible with a high rate of intracellular bacilli replication and may therefore contribute to the increased pathogenicity of the modern MTBC lineages

Performance and Operation of the CMS Electromagnetic Calorimeter

The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented