8,148 research outputs found
Searching for statistical equilibrium in a dynamical multifragmentation path
A method for identifying statistical equilibrium stages in dynamical
multifragmentation paths as provided by transport models, already successfully
tested for for the reaction ^{129}Xe+^{119}Sn at 32 MeV/u is applied here to a
higher energy reaction, ^{129}Xe+^{119}Sn at 50 MeV/u. The method evaluates
equilibrium from the point of view of the microcanonical multifragmentation
model (MMM) and reactions are simulated by means of the stochastic mean field
model (SMF). A unique solution, corresponding to the maximum population of the
system phase space, was identified suggesting that a huge part of the available
phase space is occupied even in the case of the 50 MeV/u reaction, in presence
of a considerable amount of radial collective flow. The specific equilibration
time and volume are identified and differences between the two systems are
discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Isovector Vibrations in Nuclear Matter at Finite Temperature
We consider the propagation and damping of isovector excitations in heated
nuclear matter within the Landau Fermi-liquid theory. Results obtained for
nuclear matter are applied to calculate the Giant Dipole Resonance (GDR) at
finite temperature in heavy spherical nuclei within Steinwedel and Jensen
model.
The centroid energy of the GDR slightly decreases with increasing temperature
and the width increases as for temperatures MeV in agreement with
recent experimental data for GDR in Pb and Sn.
The validity of the method for other Fermi fluids is finally suggested.Comment: gzipped LaTeX file with text: 19 pages, 26 blocks; 3 gzipped *.ps
files with figures: 50 block
Statistical analysis of a dynamical multifragmentation path
A microcanonical multifragmentation model (MMM) is used for investigating
whether equilibration really occurs in the dynamical evolution of two heavy ion
collisions simulated via a stochastic mean field approach (SMF). The standard
deviation function between the dynamically obtained freeze-out fragment
distributions corresponding to the reaction Xe+Sn at 32 MeV/u
and the MMM ones corresponding to a wide range of mass, excitation energy,
freeze-out volume and nuclear level density cut-off parameter shows a unique
minimum. A distinct statistically equilibrated stage is identified in the
dynamical evolution of the system.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Nuclear collective dynamics within Vlasov approach
We discuss, in an investigation based on Vlasov equation, the properties of
the isovector modes in nuclear matter and atomic nuclei in relation with the
symmetry energy. We obtain numerically the dipole response and determine the
strength function for various systems, including a chain of Sn isotopes. We
consider for the symmetry energy three parametrizations with density providing
similar values at saturation but which manifest very different slopes around
this point. In this way we can explore how the slope affects the collective
response of finite nuclear systems. We focus first on the dipole polarizability
and show that while the model is able to describe the expected mass dependence,
A^{5/3}, it also demonstrates that this quantity is sensitive to the slope
parameter of the symmetry energy. Then, by considering the Sn isotopic chain,
we investigate the emergence of a collective mode, the Pygmy Dipole Resonance
(PDR), when the number of neutrons in excess increases. We show that the total
energy-weighted sum rule exhausted by this mode has a linear dependence with
the square of isospin I=(N-Z)/A, again sensitive to the slope of the symmetry
energy with density. Therefore the polarization effects in the isovector
density have to play an important role in the dynamics of PDR. These results
provide additional hints in the investigations aiming to extract the properties
of symmetry energy below saturation.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Dynamics of Phase Transitions in Asymmetric Nuclear Matter
We present several possibilities offered by the reaction dynamics of
dissipative heavy ion collisions to study in detail the symmetry term of the
nuclear equation of state, . In particular we discuss isospin effects on
the nuclear liquid-gas phase transition, {\it Isospin Distillation}, and on
collective flows. We stress the importance of a microscopic relativistic
structure of the effective interaction in the isovector channel. The
possibility of an {\it early} transition to deconfined matter in high isospin
density regions is also suggested. We finally select {\it Eleven} observables,
in different beam energy regions, that appear rather sensitive to the isovector
part of the nuclear , in particular in more exclusive experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, ISPUN02 Conference, Halong-Vietnam, Nov.20-25
2002, to appear in Nucl.Phys.A. Elsevier Proceedings Styl
Robustness of a high-resolution central scheme for hydrodynamic simulations in full general relativity
A recent paper by Lucas-Serrano et al. indicates that a high-resolution
central (HRC) scheme is robust enough to yield accurate hydrodynamical
simulations of special relativistic flows in the presence of ultrarelativistic
speeds and strong shock waves. In this paper we apply this scheme in full
general relativity (involving {\it dynamical} spacetimes), and assess its
suitability by performing test simulations for oscillations of rapidly rotating
neutron stars and merger of binary neutron stars. It is demonstrated that this
HRC scheme can yield results as accurate as those by the so-called
high-resolution shock-capturing (HRSC) schemes based upon Riemann solvers.
Furthermore, the adopted HRC scheme has increased computational efficiency as
it avoids the costly solution of Riemann problems and has practical advantages
in the modeling of neutron star spacetimes. Namely, it allows simulations with
stiff equations of state by successfully dealing with very low-density
unphysical atmospheres. These facts not only suggest that such a HRC scheme may
be a desirable tool for hydrodynamical simulations in general relativity, but
also open the possibility to perform accurate magnetohydrodynamical simulations
in curved dynamic spacetimes.Comment: 4 pages, to be published in Phys. Rev. D (brief report
Imbalance of p75(NTR)/TrkB protein expression in Huntington's disease: Implication for neuroprotective therapies
Neuroprotective therapies based on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) administration have been proposed for Huntington's disease (HD) treatment. However, our group has recently reported reduced levels of TrkB in HD mouse models and HD human brain suggesting that besides a decrease on BDNF levels a reduction of TrkB expression could also contribute to diminished neurotrophic support in HD. BDNF can also bind to p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) modulating TrkB signaling. Therefore, in this study we have analyzed the levels of p75(NTR) in several HD models, as well as in HD human brain. Our data demonstrates a p75(NTR)/TrkB imbalance in the striatum of two different HD mouse models, Hdh(Q111/111) homozygous knockin mice and R6/1 mice that was also manifested in the putamen of HD patients. The imbalance between TrkB and p75(NTR) levels in a HD cellular model did not affect BDNF-mediated TrkB activation of prosurvival pathways but induced activation of apoptotic cascades as demonstrated by increased JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, BDNF failed to protect mutant huntingtin striatal cells transfected with p75(NTR) against NMDA-mediated excitotoxicity, which was associated with decreased Akt phosphorylation. Interestingly, lack of Akt activation following BDNF and NMDA treatment correlated with increased PP1 levels. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of PP1 by okadaic acid (OA) prevented mutant huntingtin striatal cell death induced by NMDA and BDNF. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that the p75(NTR)/TrkB imbalance induced by mutant huntingtin in striatal cells associated with the aberrant activity of PP1 disturbs BDNF neuroprotection likely contributing to increasing striatal vulnerability in HD. On the basis of this data we hypothesize that normalization of p75(NTR) and/or TrkB expression or their signaling will improve BDNF neuroprotective therapies in HD. Cell Death and Disease (2013) 4, e595; doi:10.1038/cddis.2013.116; published online 18 April 201
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