458 research outputs found
Kaon Energies in Dense Matter
We discuss the role of kaon-nucleon and nucleon-nucleon correlations in kaon
condensation in dense matter. Correlations raise the threshold density for kaon
condensation, possibly to densities higher than those encountered in stable
neutron stars.Comment: RevTeX, 11 pages, 2 PostScript figures; manuscript also available, in
PostScript form, at http://www.nordita.dk/locinfo/preprints.htm
On Neutrino Emission From Dense Matter Containing Meson Condensates
We consider the rate at which energy is emitted by neutrinos from the dense
interior of neutron stars containing a Bose condensate of pions or kaons. The
rates obtained are larger, by a factor of 2, than those found earlier, and are
consistent with those found for the direct Urca processes.Comment: RevTeX, 10 page
Kaon Zero-Point Fluctuations in Neutron Star Matter
We investigate the contribution of zero-point motion, arising from
fluctuations in kaon modes, to the ground state properties of neutron star
matter containing a Bose condensate of kaons. The zero-point energy is derived
via the thermodynamic partition function, by integrating out fluctuations for
an arbitrary value of the condensate field. It is shown that the vacuum
counterterms of the chiral Lagrangian ensure the cancellation of divergences
dependent on , the charge chemical potential, which may be regarded as an
external vector potential. The total grand potential, consisting of the
tree-level potential, the zero-point contribution, and the counterterm
potential, is extremized to yield a locally charge neutral, beta-equilibrated
and minimum energy ground state. In some regions of parameter space we
encounter the well-known problem of a complex effective potential. Where the
potential is real and solutions can be obtained, the contributions from
fluctuations are found to be small in comparison with tree-level contributions.Comment: 40 pages RevTeX, 3 epsf figure
Kaon Condensation in the Bound-State Approach to the Skyrme Model
We explore kaon condensation using the bound-state approach to the Skyrme
model on a 3-sphere. The condensation occurs when the energy required to
produce a falls below the electron fermi level. This happens at the
baryon number density on the order of 3--4 times nuclear density.Comment: LaTeX format, 15 pages. 3 Postscript figures, compressed and
uuencode
- nucleus relativistic mean field potentials consistent with kaonic atoms
atomic data are used to test several models of the nucleus
interaction. The t() optical potential, due to coupled channel
models incorporating the (1405) dynamics, fails to reproduce these
data. A standard relativistic mean field (RMF) potential, disregarding the
(1405) dynamics at low densities, also fails. The only successful
model is a hybrid of a theoretically motivated RMF approach in the nuclear
interior and a completely phenomenological density dependent potential, which
respects the low density theorem in the nuclear surface region. This best-fit
optical potential is found to be strongly attractive, with a depth of 180
\pm 20 MeV at the nuclear interior, in agreement with previous phenomenological
analyses.Comment: revised, Phys. Rev. C in pres
Nonequilibrium Weak Processes in Kaon Condensation I --- Reaction rate for the thermal kaon process ---
We investigate the thermal kaon process,in which kaons are thermally produced
via nucleon-nucleon collisions.This process is relevant to nonequilibrium
dynamics of kaon condensation inside neutron stars.The reaction rates for these
processes are calculated, and their temperature and density dependences are
compared with those of other reaction rates.It is shown that the thermal kaon
process is dominant over other relevant weak reactions throughout the
nonequilibrium process, such as the kaon-induced Urca and the modified Urca
reactions, and may control the entire evolution of the kaon condensate. The
characteristic role of the soft and hard kaons during the evolution is
explained, and implications for astrophysical phenomena are briefly discussed.Comment: 31 pages,incl.10 eps figures,RevTe
Asymmetric nuclear matter and neutron star properties
In this work we calculate the total mass, radius, moment of inertia, and
surface gravitational redshift for neutron stars using various equations of
state (EOS). Modern meson-exchange potential models are used to evaluate the
-matrix for asymmetric nuclear matter. We calculate both a non-relativistic
and a relativistic EOS. Of importance here is the fact that relativistic
Brueckner-Hartree-Fock calculations for symmetric nuclear matter fit the
empirical data, which are not reproduced by non-relativistic calculations.
Relativistic effects are known to be important at high densities, giving an
increased repulsion. This leads to a stiffer EOS compared to the EOS derived
with a non-relativistic approach. Both the non-relativistic and the
relativistic EOS yield moments of inertia and redshifts in agreement with the
accepted values. The relativistic EOS yields, however, too large mass and
radius. The implications are discussed.Comment: Revtex, 16 pages, 6 figures include
Altered fibroblast proteoglycan production in COPD
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Airway remodeling in COPD includes reorganization of the extracellular matrix. Proteoglycans play a crucial role in this process as regulators of the integrity of the extracellular matrix. Altered proteoglycan immunostaining has been demonstrated in COPD lungs and this has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis. The major cell type responsible for production and maintenance of ECM constituents, such as proteoglycans, are fibroblasts. Interestingly, it has been proposed that central airways and alveolar lung parenchyma contain distinct fibroblast populations. This study explores the hypothesis that altered depositions of proteoglycans in COPD lungs, and in particular versican and perlecan, is a result of dysregulated fibroblast proteoglycan production.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Proliferation, proteoglycan production and the response to TGF-β<sub>1 </sub>were examined <it>in vitro </it>in centrally and distally derived fibroblasts isolated from COPD patients (GOLD stage IV) and from control subjects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Phenotypically different fibroblast populations were identified in central airways and in the lung parenchyma. Versican production was higher in distal fibroblasts from COPD patients than from control subjects (p < 0.01). In addition, perlecan production was lower in centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients than from control subjects (p < 0.01). TGF-β<sub>1 </sub>triggered similar increases in proteoglycan production in distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients and control subjects. In contrast, centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients were less responsive to TGF-β<sub>1 </sub>than those from control subjects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results show that fibroblasts from COPD patients have alterations in proteoglycan production that may contribute to disease development. Distally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients have enhanced production of versican that may have a negative influence on the elastic recoil. In addition, a lower perlecan production in centrally derived fibroblasts from COPD patients may indicate alterations in bronchial basement membrane integrity in severe COPD.</p
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