Polarised Quark Distributions in the Nucleon from Semi-Inclusive Spin Asymmetries

We present a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range $0.003$1 GeV$^2$. Compared to our previous publication on this subject, with the new data the statistical errors have been reduced by nearly a factor of two. From these asymmetries and our inclusive spin asymmetries we determine the polarised quark distributions of valence quarks and non-strange sea quarks at $Q^2$=10 GeV$^2$. The polarised $u$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta u_v(x)$, is positive and the polarisation increases with $x$. The polarised $d$ valence quark distribution, $\Delta d_v(x)$, is negative and the non-strange sea distribution, $\Delta \bar q(x)$, is consistent with zero over the measured range of $x$. We find for the first moments $\int_0^1 \Delta u_v(x) dx = 0.77 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.08$, $\int_0^1 \Delta d_v(x) dx = -0.52 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.09$ and $\int_0^1 \Delta \bar q(x) dx= 0.01 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$, where we assumed $\Delta \bar u(x) = \Delta \bar d(x)$. We also determine for the first time the second moments of the valence distributions $\int_0^1 x \Delta q_v(x) dx$.Comment: 17 page

Spin asymmetries A1 and structure functions g1 of the proton and the deuteron from polarized high energy muon scattering.

Adeva B, Akdogan T, Arik E, et al. Spin asymmetries A(1) and structure functions g(1) of the proton and the deuteron from polarized high energy muon scattering. Phys.Rev. D. 1998;58(11): 112001.We present the final results of the spin asymmetries A(1) and the spin structure functions g(1) of the proton and the deuteron in the kinematic range 0.0008 < x < 0.7 and 0.2 < Q(2) < 100 GeV2. For the determination of A(1), in addition to the usual method which employs inclusive scattering events and includes a large radiative background at low x, we use a new method which minimizes the radiative background by selecting events with at least one hadron as well as a muon in the final state. We find that this hadron method gives smaller errors for x < 0.02, so it is combined with the usual method to provide the optimal set of results. [S0556-2821(98)07017-9]

Association of Birth Weight With Type 2 Diabetes and Glycemic Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Study

IMPORTANCE Observational studies have shown associations of birth weight with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and glycemic traits, but it remains unclear whether these associations represent causal associations.OBJECTIVE To test the association of birth weight with T2D and glycemic traits using a mendelian randomization analysis.DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This mendelian randomization study used a genetic risk score for birth weight that was constructed with 7 genome-wide significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The associations of this score with birth weight and T2D were tested in a mendelian randomization analysis using study-level data. The association of birth weight with T2D was tested using both study-level data (7 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were used as an instrumental variable) and summary-level data from the consortia (43 single-nucleotide polymorphismswere used as an instrumental variable). Data from 180 056 participants from 49 studies were included.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Type 2 diabetes and glycemic traits.RESULTS This mendelian randomization analysis included 49 studies with 41 155 patients with T2D and 80 008 control participants from study-level data and 34 840 patients with T2D and 114 981 control participants from summary-level data. Study-level data showed that a 1-SD decrease in birth weight due to the genetic risk score was associated with higher risk of T2D among all participants (odds ratio [OR], 2.10; 95% CI, 1.69-2.61; P=4.03 x 10-5), among European participants (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.42-2.71; P=.04), and among East Asian participants (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.18-1.62; P=.04). Similar results were observed from summary-level analyses. In addition, each 1-SD lower birth weight was associated with 0.189 SD higher fasting glucose concentration (beta=0.189; SE=0.060; P=.002), but not with fasting insulin, 2-hour glucose, or hemoglobin A1c concentration.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this study, a genetic predisposition to lower birth weight was associated with increased risk of T2D and higher fasting glucose concentration, suggesting genetic effects on retarded fetal growth and increased diabetes risk that either are independent of each other or operate through alterations of integrated biological mechanisms

A New Polarized Target for Neutron-scattering Studies On Biomolecules - 1st Results From Apoferritin and the Deuterated 50s Subunit of Ribosomes

A new polarized target for neutron scattering has been designed by CERN and tested successfully using the reactor FRG-1 at the GKSS Research Centre. The nuclear spins are aligned with respect to the external field - parallel or antiparallel - by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). To avoid absorption of neutrons by He-3 the frozen solutions of biomolecules are immersed in liquid He-4 which in turn is thermally coupled to the cooling mixture of He-3/He-4 of the dilution refrigerator. Compared with earlier experiments where the sample had been cooled directly by He-3, the rate of detectable neutrons increased by a factor of 30. Another factor of 30 is due to the installation of the cold source and the beryllium reflector in FRG-1. Polarized neutron scattering from apoferritin in deuterated solvent shows that the proton spin polarization is homogeneous in apoferritin molecules. After saturation of proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), polarized neutron scattering is dominated by deuteron spin contrast. With the deuterated large subunit of E. coli ribosomes, three different basic scattering functions are derived from spin-contrast variation, reflecting the known scattering-length-density distribution of the architecture of rRNA and ribosomal proteins. The planned in situ structure determination of a mRNA fragment is discussed in the light of the present results

Polarized Neutron-scattering From Dynamic Polarized Targets in Biology

The contrast giving rise to neutron small-angle scattering can be enhanced considerably by polarisation of the hydrogen nuclei [J. des Coizeaux and G. Jannink, Les Polymeres en Solution, Les Editions de Physique, F-91944 Les Ulis, France (1987)]. Using polarised neutrons the scattering from protonated labels in a deuterated matrix will increase by an order of magnitude. This is the basis of nuclear spin contrast variation, a method which is of particular interest for the in situ structure determination of macromolecular components. A new polarised target for neutron scattering has been designed by CERN and tested successfully at FRG-1 of the GKSS research centre. For the purpose of thermal-neutron scattering the frozen solutions of biomolecules are immersed in liquid helium 4, which is thermally coupled to the cooling mixture of helium 3/helium 4 of the dilution refrigerator. The nuclear spins are aligned with respect to the external magnetic field - parallel or antiparallel - by dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP). The gain in neutron scattering compared to earlier experiments using direct cooling of the sample by helium 3 is a factor of 30. Another factor of 30 arises from the installation of the cold source and the beryllium reflector in FRG-1 [W. Knop et al., J. Appl. Cryst. 22 (1989) 352]. Pure nuclear spin targets are produced from dynamic polarised targets by selective depolarisation. In biological material only the hydrogen isotopes contribute significantly to polarised neutron scattering. Thus, saturation of the proton NMR yields a deuteron target, provided the target material has been enriched by the latter isotope. A proton target is obtained from the dynamic polarised target by saturation of deuteron NMR. This leads to six additional scattering functions reflecting the proton and dueteron spin densities and the correlations between the polarised isotopes. Polarised neutron scattering from nuclear spin targets of apoferritin and various derivatives of the large ribosomal subunits differing in the deuteration of their components yielded the following results. (i) Biomolecules frozen in glycerol-water mixtures give rise to the same scattering as they would at room temperature. (ii) Proton spin polarisation is homogeneous up to a structural resolution of 40 angstrom. These results provide the basis for the in situ structure determination of relatively small macromolecular labels in large particles like ribosomes