Forward Di-hadron Asymmetries from p + p at √s = 200 GeV at STAR

One unresolved question in hadronic physics is the origin of large transverse single-spin asymmetries, AN, observed in hadron production from high-energy polarized-proton collisions. Collinear perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (pQCD) predicts that AN should scale with the quark mass, however, experiments have since reported large AN for inclusive hadron production. Recent measurements from RHIC experiments show examples of these asymmetries at forward angles in a kinematic region where pQCD cross-section calculations reasonably agree with measured cross-sections. Disentangling dynamical contributions to AN from hadro-production requires moving beyond inclusive measurements. One possibility is to investigate asymmetries in two-particle correlations due to Interference Fragmentation Functions (IFF) and the Sivers effect. In 2008, RHIC dedicated a portion of the run to transversely polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. STAR was equipped with a Foward Meson Spectrometer (FMS) and a Forward Time Projection Chamber (FTPC), overlapping in the pseudorapidity range of 2.5 < eta &lt; 4. By analyzing neutral pions with the FMS correlated with charged particles from the FTPC, correlation asymmetries can be measured at kinematics where large inclusive asymmetries have been measured. Correlations are measured for pi^0's with 2 &lt; pT, pi^0 &lt; 5 GeV/c and associated charged particles in two ranges of transverse momentum: 1 &lt; pT, ch &lt; 2 GeV/c and 0.5 &lt; pT, ch &lt; 1 GeV/c. IFF and Sivers asymmetries manifest themselves through the correlation of two particles from the same jet. These events are selected through a cut on the pair radius, delta R. Gain non-uniformities and electronics failures have resulted in large holes in trigger acceptance and associated particle acceptance, respectively. This non-uniform acceptance allows the Sivers and IFF effects to mix and distort the raw asymmetries. Techniques are developed to measure this leak-through by means of unpolarized yields and event weighting. They result in small corrections to the asymmetries. IFF and Sivers asymmetries both for xF > 0 and for xF &lt; 0 are reported for forward-angle pi^0-charged particle correlations from polarized-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. Asymmetries are shown corrected for full underlying-event and pileup backgrounds, as well as corrected only for pile-up contributions. It appears the asymmetries are less sensitive to delta R when corrected for the full underlying-event background. Unfortunately, statistics limitations preclude a firm conclusion

The RHIC SPIN Program: Achievements and Future Opportunities

Time and again, spin has been a key element in the exploration of fundamental physics. Spin-dependent observables have often revealed deficits in the assumed theoretical framework and have led to novel developments and concepts. Spin is exploited in many parity-violating experiments searching for physics beyond the Standard Model or studying the nature of nucleon-nucleon forces. The RHIC spin program plays a special role in this grand scheme: it uses spin to study how a complex many-body system such as the proton arises from the dynamics of QCD. Many exciting results from RHIC spin have emerged to date, most of them from RHIC running after the 2007 Long Range Plan. In this document we present highlights from the RHIC program to date and lay out the roadmap for the significant advances that are possible with future RHIC running

Allergen-specific immunotherapy provides immediate, long-term and preventive clinical effects in children and adults: the effects of immunotherapy can be categorised by level of benefit -the centenary of allergen specific subcutaneous immunotherapy

Allergen Specific Immunotherapy (SIT) for respiratory allergic diseases is able to significantly improve symptoms as well as reduce the need for symptomatic medication, but SIT also has the capacity for long-term clinical effects and plays a protective role against the development of further allergies and symptoms. The treatment acts on basic immunological mechanisms, and has the potential to change the pathological allergic immune response. In this paper we discuss some of the most important achievements in the documentation of the benefits of immunotherapy, over the last 2 decades, which have marked a period of extensive research on the clinical effects and immunological background of the mechanisms involved. The outcome of immunotherapy is described as different levels of benefit from early reduction in symptoms over progressive clinical effects during treatment to long-term effects after discontinuation of the treatment and prevention of asthma. The efficacy of SIT increases the longer it is continued and immunological changes lead to potential long-term benefits. SIT alone and not the symptomatic treatment nor other avoidance measures has so far been documented as the therapy with long-term or preventive potential. The allergic condition is driven by a subset of T-helper lymphocytes (Th2), which are characterised by the production of cytokines like IL-4, and IL-5. Immunological changes following SIT lead to potential curative effects. One mechanism whereby immunotherapy suppresses the allergic response is through increased production of IgG4 antibodies. Induction of specific IgG4 is able to influence the allergic response in different ways and is related to immunological effector mechanisms, also responsible for the reduced late phase hyperreactivity and ongoing allergic inflammation. SIT is the only treatment which interferes with the basic pathophysiological mechanisms of the allergic disease, thereby creating the potential for changes in the long-term prognosis of respiratory allergy. SIT should not only be recognised as first-line therapeutic treatment for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis but also as secondary preventive treatment for respiratory allergic diseases

Methods for a blind analysis of isobar data collected by the STAR collaboration

In 2018, the STAR collaboration collected data from 4496Ru+4496Ru role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3e9644Ru+9644Ru4496Ru+4496Ru and 4096Zr+4096Zr role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3e9640Zr+9640Zr4096Zr+4096Zr at sNN=200 role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3eNN‾‾‾‾√=200sNN=200 GeV to search for the presence of the chiral magnetic effect in collisions of nuclei. The isobar collision species alternated frequently between 4496Ru+4496Ru role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3e9644Ru+9644Ru4496Ru+4496Ru and 4096Zr+4096Zr role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3e9640Zr+9640Zr4096Zr+4096Zr. In order to conduct blind analyses of studies related to the chiral magnetic effect in these isobar data, STAR developed a three-step blind analysis procedure. Analysts are initially provided a “reference sample” of data, comprised of a mix of events from the two species, the order of which respects time-dependent changes in run conditions. After tuning analysis codes and performing time-dependent quality assurance on the reference sample, analysts are provided a species-blind sample suitable for calculating efficiencies and corrections for individual ≈30 role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3e≈30≈30-min data-taking runs. For this sample, species-specific information is disguised, but individual output files contain data from a single isobar species. Only run-by-run corrections and code alteration subsequent to these corrections are allowed at this stage. Following these modifications, the “frozen” code is passed over the fully un-blind data, completing the blind analysis. As a check of the feasibility of the blind analysis procedure, analysts completed a “mock data challenge,” analyzing data from Au+Au role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3eAu+AuAu+Au collisions at sNN=27 role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3eNN‾‾‾‾√=27sNN=27 GeV, collected in 2018. The Au+Au role= presentation style= box-sizing: inherit; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; max-height: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative; \u3eAu+AuAu+Au data were prepared in the same manner intended for the isobar blind data. The details of the blind analysis procedure and results from the mock data challenge are presented

Constraining Transversity and Nucleon Transverse-polarization Structure Through Polarized-proton Collisions at STAR

Studies of jet and di-hadron production from polarized-proton collisions can expand current knowledge of nucleon transverse-polarization structure. In data collected in 2006 at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV, STAR observes for the first time in $p^{\uparrow}+p$ nonzero asymmetries from transversity coupled to Collins and di-hadron fragmentation functions. Measurements at $500$ GeV allow sensitivity to different mixes of partonic subprocesses; and comparisons of all measurements at $200$ and $500$ GeV may enlighten theoretical questions concerning evolution, universality, and factorization-breaking in non-collinear formulations of pQCD. Results from analyses of STAR data collected in 2011 at $\sqrt{s}=500$ GeV are presented, including first-ever measurements offering constraints on models involving gluon linear polarization

Measurement of inclusive J / ψ polarization in p + p collisions at √ s = 200 GeV by the STAR experiment

We report on new measurements of inclusive J/ψ polarization at midrapidity in p+p collisions at √s=200  GeV by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The polarization parameters, λθ, λϕ, and λθϕ, are measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) in both the helicity and Collins-Soper (CS) reference frames within pT\u3c10  GeV/c. Except for λθ in the CS frame at the highest measured pT, all three polarization parameters are consistent with 0 in both reference frames without any strong pT dependence. Several model calculations are compared with data, and the one using the Color Glass Condensate effective field theory coupled with nonrelativistic QCD gives the best overall description of the experimental results, even though other models cannot be ruled out due to experimental uncertainties