Suppression Pattern of Neutral Pions at High Transverse Momentum in Au plus Au Collisions at root S(NN)=200 GeV and Constraints on Medium Transport Coefficients

For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, we measure neutral pion production with good statistics for transverse momentum, p(T), up to 20 GeV/c. A fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 < p(T) < 20 GeV/c. Experimental uncertainties are small enough to constrain any model-dependent parametrization for the transport coefficient of the medium, e. g., <(q) over cap > in the parton quenching model. The spectral shape is similar for all collision classes, and the suppression does not saturate in Au + Au collisions.

Onset of pi(0) Suppression Studied in Cu plus Cu Collisions at root s(NN)=22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV

Neutral pion transverse momentum (p(T)) spectra at midrapidity (|y| less than or similar to 0.35) were measured in Cu + Cu collisions at root s(NN) = 22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV. Relative to pi(0) yields in p + p collisions scaled by the number of inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions (N(coll)) the pi(0) yields for p(T) greater than or similar to 2 GeV/c in central Cu + Cu collisions are suppressed at 62.4 and 200 GeV whereas an enhancement is observed at 22.4 GeV. A comparison with a jet-quenching model suggests that final state parton energy loss dominates in central Cu + Cu collisions at 62.4 and 200 GeV, while the enhancement at 22.4 GeV is consistent with nuclear modifications in the initial state alone.

Event structure and double helicity asymmetry in jet production from polarized p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV

We report on the event structure and double helicity asymmetry (A(LL)) of jet production in longitudinally polarized p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV. Photons and charged particles were measured by the PHENIX experiment at midrapidity vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.35 with the requirement of a high-momentum (> 2 GeV/c) photon in the event. Event structure, such as multiplicity, p(T) density and thrust in the PHENIX acceptance, were measured and compared with the results from the PYTHIA event generator and the GEANT detector simulation. The shape of jets and the underlying event were well reproduced at this collision energy. For the measurement of jet A(LL), photons and charged particles were clustered with a seed-cone algorithm to obtain the cluster pT sum (p(T)(reco)). The effect of detector response and the underlying events on p(T)(reco) was evaluated with the simulation. The production rate of reconstructed jets is satisfactorily reproduced with the next-to-leading-order and perturbative quantum chromodynamics jet production cross section. For 4< p(T)(reco) < 12 GeV/c with an average beam polarization of < P > = 49% we measured Lambda(LL) = -0.0014 +/- 0.0037(stat) at the lowest p(T)(reco) bin (4-5 GeV= c) and -0.0181 +/- 0.0282(stat) at the highest p(T)(reco) bin (10-12 GeV= c) with a beam polarization scale error of 9.4% and a pT scale error of 10%. Jets in the measured p(T)(reco) range arise primarily from hard-scattered gluons with momentum fraction 0: 02 < x < 0: 3 according to PYTHIA. The measured A(LL) is compared with predictions that assume various Delta G(x) distributions based on the Gluck-Reya-Stratmann-Vogelsang parameterization. The present result imposes the limit -a.1 < integral(0.3)(0.02) dx Delta G(x, mu(2) = GeV2) < 0.4 at 95% confidence level or integral(0.3)(0.002) dx Delta G(x, mu(2) = 1 GeV2) < 0.5 at 99% confidence level.

Charged hadron multiplicity fluctuations in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions from root S(NN) = 22.5 to 200 GeV

A comprehensive survey of event-by-event fluctuations of charged hadron multiplicity in relativistic heavy ions is presented. The survey covers Au+Au collisions at s(NN)=62.4 and 200 GeV, and Cu+Cu collisions at s(NN)=22.5,62.4, and 200 GeV. Fluctuations are measured as a function of collision centrality, transverse momentum range, and charge sign. After correcting for nondynamical fluctuations due to fluctuations in the collision geometry within a centrality bin, the remaining dynamical fluctuations expressed as the variance normalized by the mean tend to decrease with increasing centrality. The dynamical fluctuations are consistent with or below the expectation from a superposition of participant nucleon-nucleon collisions based upon p+p data, indicating that this dataset does not exhibit evidence of critical behavior in terms of the compressibility of the system. A comparison of the data with a model where hadrons are independently emitted from a number of hadron clusters suggests that the mean number of hadrons per cluster is small in heavy ion collisions.

Dihadron azimuthal correlations in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

Azimuthal angle (Delta phi) correlations are presented for a broad range of transverse momentum (0.4 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c) and centrality (0-92%) selections for charged hadrons from dijets in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. With increasing p(T), the away-side Delta phi distribution evolves from a broad and relatively flat shape to a concave shape, then to a convex shape. Comparisons with p + p data suggest that the away-side distribution can be divided into a partially suppressed ""head"" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi, and an enhanced ""shoulder"" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi +/- 1.1. The p(T) spectrum for the associated hadrons in the head region softens toward central collisions. The spectral slope for the shoulder region is independent of centrality and trigger p(T). The properties of the near-side distributions are also modified relative to those in p + p collisions, reflected by the broadening of the jet shape in Delta phi and Delta eta, and an enhancement of the per-trigger yield. However, these modifications seem to be limited to p(T)less than or similar to 4 GeV/c, above which both the hadron pair shape and per-trigger yield become similar to p + p collisions. These observations suggest that both the away- and near-side distributions contain a jet fragmentation component which dominates for p(T) greater than or similar to 5 GeV/c and a medium-induced component which is important for p(T) less than or similar to 4 GeV/c. We also quantify the role of jets at intermediate and low p(T) through the yield of jet-induced pairs in comparison with binary scaled p + p pair yield. The yield of jet-induced pairs is suppressed at high pair proxy energy (sum of the p(T) magnitudes of the two hadrons) and is enhanced at low pair proxy energy. The former is consistent with jet quenching; the latter is consistent with the enhancement of soft hadron pairs due to transport of lost energy to lower p(T).

Quantitative constraints on the transport properties of hot partonic matter from semi-inclusive single high transverse momentum pion suppression in Au plus Au collisions at root S(NN)=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment has measured the suppression of semi-inclusive single high-transverse-momentum pi(0)'s in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. The present understanding of this suppression is in terms of energy loss of the parent (fragmenting) parton in a dense color-charge medium. We have performed a quantitative comparison between various parton energy-loss models and our experimental data. The statistical point-to-point uncorrelated as well as correlated systematic uncertainties are taken into account in the comparison. We detail this methodology and the resulting constraint on the model parameters, such as the initial color-charge density dN(g)/dy, the medium transport coefficient <(q) over cap >, or the initial energy-loss parameter epsilon(0). We find that high-transverse-momentum pi(0) suppression in Au+Au collisions has sufficient precision to constrain these model-dependent parameters at the +/- 20-25% (one standard deviation) level. These constraints include only the experimental uncertainties, and further studies are needed to compute the corresponding theoretical uncertainties.

Cold nuclear matter effects on J/psi production as constrained by deuteron-gold measurements at root S(NN)=200 GeV

We present a new analysis of J/psi production yields in deuteron-gold collisions at root s(NN) =200 GeV using data taken from the PHENIX experiment in 2003 and previously published in S. S. Adler [Phys. Rev. Lett 96, 012304 (2006)]. The high statistics proton-proton J/psi data taken in 2005 are used to improve the baseline measurement and thus construct updated cold nuclear matter modification factors (R(dAu)). A suppression of J/psi in cold nuclear matter is observed as one goes forward in rapidity (in the deuteron-going direction), corresponding to a region more sensitive to initial-state low-x gluons in the gold nucleus. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to theoretical calculations of nuclear shadowing to which a J/psi (or precursor) breakup cross section is added. Breakup cross sections of sigma(breakup)=2.8(-1.4)(+1.7) (2.2(-1.5)(+1.6)) mb are obtained by fitting these calculations to the data using two different models of nuclear shadowing. These breakup cross-section values are consistent within large uncertainties with the 4.2 +/- 0.5 mb determined at lower collision energies. Projecting this range of cold nuclear matter effects to copper-copper and gold-gold collisions reveals that the current constraints are not sufficient to firmly quantify the additional hot nuclear matter effect.

Transverse momentum and centrality dependence of dihadron correlations in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV: Jet quenching and the response of partonic matter

Azimuthal angle (Delta phi) correlations are presented for charged hadrons from dijets for 0.4 < p(T)< 10 GeV/c in Au+Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV. With increasing p(T), the away-side distribution evolves from a broad and relatively flat shape to a concave shape, then to a convex shape. Comparisons to p+p data suggest that the away-side can be divided into a partially suppressed ""head"" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi and an enhanced ""shoulder"" region centered at Delta phi similar to pi +/- 1.1. The p(T) spectrum for the head region softens toward central collisions, consistent with the onset of jet quenching. The spectral slope for the shoulder region is independent of centrality and trigger p(T), which offers constraints on energy transport mechanisms and suggests that it contains the medium response to energetic jets.

Identified charged hadron production in p plus p collisions at root s=200 and 62.4 GeV

Transverse momentum distributions and yields for pi(+/-), K(+/-), p, and (p) over bar in p + p collisions at root s = 200 and 62.4 GeV at midrapidity are measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). These data provide important baseline spectra for comparisons with identified particle spectra in heavy ion collisions at RHIC. We present the inverse slope parameter T(inv), mean transverse momentum < p(T)>, and yield per unit rapidity dN/dy at each energy, and compare them to other measurements at different root s in p + p and p + (p) over bar collisions. We also present the scaling properties such as m(T) scaling and x(T) scaling on the p(T) spectra between different energies. To discuss the mechanism of the particle production in p + p collisions, the measured spectra are compared to next-to-leading-order or next-to-leading-logarithmic perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations.

Letters and cities: reading the urban environment with the help of perception theories

When wandering around a city such as Sao Paulo, we are surrounded by letters, numbers and symbols. These elements form part of an environment full of signs in many shapes and sizes that compete for our attention. Our perception of these elements contributes towards our spatial guidance and sense of place. The idea of `reading` the city, or urban environment, was introduced by Kevin Lynch, for whom reading the urban structure follows on from recognizing or identifying its numerous visual elements, not necessarily verbal ones. Beginning with a brief bibliographic review of perception theories, this article combines concepts from environmental psychology with concerns brought up by the fields of information design and epigraphy studies, setting out the basis of a methodological proposal for the study of typography and lettering in the urban environment.

Characterization of calcium-activated chloride channels in patches excised from the dendritic knob of mammalian olfactory receptor neurons

We investigated the properties of calcium-activated chloride channels in inside-out membrane patches from the dendritic knobs of acutely dissociated rat olfactory receptor neurons. Patches typically contained large calcium-activated currents, with total conductances in the range 30-75 nS. The dose response curve for calcium exhibited an EC50 of about 26 mu M. In symmetrical NaCl solutions, the current-voltage relationship reversed at 0 mV and was linear between -80 and +70 mV. When the intracellular NaCl concentration was progressively reduced from 150 to 25 mM, the reversal potential changed in a manner consistent with a chloride-selective conductance. Indeed, modeling these data with the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation revealed a P-Na/P-Cl of 0.034. The halide permeability sequence was P-Cl > P-F > P-I > P-Br indicating that permeation through the channel was dominated by ion binding sites with a high field strength. The channels were also permeable to the large organic anions, SCN-, acetate(-), and gluconate(-), with the permeability sequence P-Cl > P-SCN > gluconaie. Significant permeation to gluconate ions suggested that the channel pore had a minimum diameter of at least 5.8 Angstrom.

Molecular cocrystals of carboxylic acids. XXVII - An investigation into the use of triphenylphosphine oxide cocrystals for non-linear optics: the crystal structure of the adduct of triphenylphosphine oxide with N-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acid

Four adducts of triphenylphosphine oxide with aromatic carboxylic acids have been synthesized and tested for second-order non-linear optical properties. These were with N-methylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (I), indole-2-carboxylic acid (2), 3-dimethylaminobenzoic acid (3), and thiophen-2-carboxylic acid (4). Compound (1) produced clear, colourless crystals (space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) With a 9.892(1), b 14.033(1), c 15.305(1) Angstrom, Z 4) which allowed the structure to be determined by X-ray diffraction.

Nitric oxide inhibition of the rat olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel

The effects of nitric oxide (NO) and other cysteine modifying agents were examined on cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channels from rat olfactory receptor neurons. The NO compounds, S-nitroso-cysteine (SNC) and 3-morpholino-sydnonomine (SIN-1), did not activate the channels when applied for up to 10 min. The cysteine alkylating agent, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), and the oxidising agent, dithionitrobensoate (DTNB), were also without agonist efficacy. Neither SNC nor DTNB altered the cAMP sensitivity of the channels. However, 2-min applications of SIN-1, SNC and DTNB inhibited the cAMP-gated current to approximately 50% of the control current level. This inhibition showed no spontaneous reversal for 5 min but was completely reversed by a 2-min exposure to DTT. The presence of cAMP protected the channels against NO-induced inhibition. These results indicate that inhibition is caused by S-nitrosylation of neighboring sulfhydryl groups leading to sulfhydryl bond formation. This reaction is favored in the closed channel state. Since recombinantly expressed rat olfactory alpha and beta CNG channel homomers and alpha/beta heteromers are activated and not inhibited by cysteine modification, the results of this study imply the existence of a novel subunit or tightly bound factor which dominates the effect of cysteine modification in the native channels. As CNG channels provide a pathway for calcum influx, the results may also have important implications for the physiological role of NO in mammalian olfactory receptor neurons.

Zinc potentiation of the glycine receptor chloride channel is mediated by allosteric pathways

Molecular mechanisms of zinc potentiation were investigated in recombinant human alpha 1 glycine receptors (GlyRs) by whole-cell patch-clamp recording and [H-3]strychnine binding assays. In the wild-type (WT) GlyR, 1 mu M zinc enhanced the apparent binding affinity of the agonists glycine and taurine and reduced their concentrations required for half-maximal activation. Thus, in the WT GlyR, zinc potentiation apparently occurs by enhancing agonist binding. However, analysis of GlyRs incorporating mutations in the membrane-spanning domain M1-M2 and M2-M3 loops, which are both components of the agonist gating mechanism, indicates that most mutations uncoupled zinc potentiation from glycine-gated currents but preserved zinc potentiation of taurine-gated currents. One such mutation in the M2-M3 loop, L274A, abolished the ability of zinc to potentiate taurine binding but did not inhibit zinc potentiation of taurine-gated currents. In this same mutant where taurine acts as a partial agonist, zinc potentiated taurine-gated currents but did not potentiate taurine antagonism of glycine-gated currents, suggesting that zinc interacts selectively with the agonist transduction pathway. The intracellular M246A mutation, which is unlikely to bind zinc, also disrupted zinc potentiation of glycine currents. Thus, zinc potentiation of the GlyR is mediated via allosteric mechanisms that are independent of its effects on agonist binding.