1. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Measurements of Elliptic and Triangular Flow in High-Multiplicity He-3 + Au Collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV
- 2015
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In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 115:14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the first measurement of elliptic (v(2)) and triangular (v(3)) flow in high-multiplicity He-3 + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. Two-particle correlations, where the particles have a large separation in pseudorapidity, are compared in He-3 + Au and in p + p collisions and indicate that collective effects dominate the second and third Fourier components for the correlations observed in the He-3 + Au system. The collective behavior is quantified in terms of elliptic v(2) and triangular v(3) anisotropy coefficients measured with respect to their corresponding event planes. The v(2) values are comparable to those previously measured in d + Au collisions at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy. Comparisons with various theoretical predictions are made, including to models where the hot spots created by the impact of the three He-3 nucleons on the Au nucleus expand hydrodynamically to generate the triangular flow. The agreement of these models with data may indicate the formation of low-viscosity quark-gluon plasma even in these small collision systems.
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2. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Medium Modification of Jet Fragmentation in Au plus Au Collisions at root S-NN=200 GeV Measured in Direct Photon-Hadron Correlations
- 2013
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 111:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The jet fragmentation function is measured with direct photon-hadron correlations in p + p and Au + Au collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV. The P-T of the photon is an excellent approximation to the initial P-T of the jet and the ratio Z(T) = P-T(h)/P-T(gamma) is used as a proxy for the jet fragmentation function. A statistical subtraction is used to extract the direct photon-hadron yields in Au + Au collisions while a photon isolation cut is applied in p + p. I-AA, the ratio of hadron yield opposite the photon in Au + Au to that in p + p, indicates modification of the jet fragmentation function. Suppression, most likely due to energy loss in the medium, is seen at high Z(T). The associated hadron yield at low Z(T) is enhanced at large angles. Such a trend is expected from redistribution of the lost energy into increased production of low-momentum particles.
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3. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Search for dark photons from neutral meson decays in p plus p and d plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 91:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The standard model (SM) of particle physics is spectacularly successful, yet the measured value of the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g - 2)mu deviates from SM calculations by 3.6 sigma. Several theoretical models attribute this to the existence of a "dark photon," an additional U(1) gauge boson, which is weakly coupled to ordinary photons. The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has searched for a dark photon, U, in pi(0), eta -> gamma e(+)e(-) decays and obtained upper limits of O(2 x 10(-6)) on U-gamma mixing at 90% C.L. for the mass range 30 < m(U) < 90 MeV/c(2). Combined with other experimental limits, the remaining region in the U-gamma mixing parameter space that can explain the (g - 2)(mu) deviation from its SM value is nearly completely excluded at the 90% confidence level, with only a small region of 29 < m(U) < 32 MeV/c(2) remaining.
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4. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Centrality dependence of low-momentum direct-photon production in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 91:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured the centrality dependence of the direct photon yield from Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV down to pT = 0.4 GeV/c. Photons are detected via photon conversions to e(+)e(-) pairs and an improved technique is applied that minimizes the systematic uncertainties that usually limit direct photon measurements, in particular at low pT. We find an excess of direct photons above the N-coll-scaled yield measured in p + p collisions. This excess yield is well described by an exponential distribution with an inverse slope of about 240 MeV/c in the pT range 0.6-2.0 GeV/c. While the shape of the pT distribution is independent of centrality within the experimental uncertainties, the yield increases rapidly with increasing centrality, scaling approximately with N-part(alpha), where alpha = 1.38 +/- 0.03(stat) +/- 0.07(syst).
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5. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
gamma (1S+2S+3S) production in d plus Au and p plus p collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV and cold-nuclear-matter effects
- 2013
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 87:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The three gamma states, gamma (1S + 2S + 3S), are measured in d + Au and p + p collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV and rapidities 1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. Cross sections for the inclusive gamma (1S + 2S + 3S) production are obtained. The inclusive yields per binary collision for d + Au collisions relative to those in p + p collisions (R-dAu) are found to be 0.62 +/- 0.26 (stat) +/- 0.13 (syst) in the gold-going direction and 0.91 +/- 0.33 (stat) +/- 0.16 (syst) in the deuteron-going direction. The measured results are compared to a nuclear-shadowing model, EPS09 [Eskola et al., J. High Energy Phys. 04 (2009) 065], combined with a final-state breakup cross section, sigma(br), and compared to lower energy p + A results. We also compare the results to the PHENIX J/psi results [Adare et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 107, 142301 (2011)]. The rapidity dependence of the observed gamma suppression is consistent with lower energy p + A measurements. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.87.044909
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6. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Measurement of higher cumulants of net-charge multiplicity distributions in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=7.7-200 GeV
- 2016
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 93:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report the measurement of cumulants (C-n,n = 1, ..., 4) of the net-charge distributions measured within pseudorapidity (vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.35) in Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 7.7-200 GeV with the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The ratios of cumulants (e.g., C-1/C-2, C-3/C-1) of the net-charge distributions, which can be related to volume independent susceptibility ratios, are studied as a function of centrality and energy. These quantities are important to understand the quantum-chromodynamics phase diagram and possible existence of a critical end point. The measured values are very well described by expectation from negative binomial distributions. We do not observe any nonmonotonic behavior in the ratios of the cumulants as a function of collision energy. The measured values of C-1/C-2 and C-3/C-1 can be directly compared to lattice quantum-chromodynamics calculations and thus allow extraction of both the chemical freeze-out temperature and the baryon chemical potential at each center-of-mass energy. The extracted baryon chemical potentials are in excellent agreement with a thermal-statistical analysis model.
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7. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Low-mass vector-meson production at forward rapidity in p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV
- 2014
-
In: Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology). - 1550-2368. ; 90:5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has measured low-mass vector-meson ,omega, rho, and phi, production through the dimuon decay channel at forward rapidity (1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2) in p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV. The differential cross sections for these mesons are measured as a function of both p(T) and rapidity. We also report the integrated differential cross sections over 1 < p(T) < 7 GeV/c and 1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2: d sigma/dy(omega + rho rho -> mu mu) = 80 +/- 6(stat) +/- 12(syst)nb and d sigma/dy(phi -> mu mu) = 27 +/- 3(stat) +/- 4(syst)nb. These results are compared with midrapidity measurements and calculations.
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8. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of gamma(1S+2S+3S) production in p plus p and Au plus Au collisions at root sNN=200 GeV
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 91:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Measurements of bottomonium production in heavy-ion and p + p collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) are presented. The inclusive yield of the three states, (1S + 2S + 3S), was measured in the PHENIX experiment via electron-positron decay pairs at midrapidity for Au + Au and p + p collisions at root sNN = 200 GeV. The (1S + 2S + 3S) -> e(+)e(-) differential cross section at midrapidity was found to be B(ee)d sigma/dy = 108 +/- 38 (stat) +/- 15 (syst) +/- 11 (luminosity) pb in p + p collisions. The nuclear modification factor in the 30% most central Au + Au collisions indicates a suppression of the total. state yield relative to the extrapolation from p + p collision data. The suppression is consistent with measurements made by STAR at RHIC and at higher energies by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider.
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9. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Charged-pion cross sections and double-helicity asymmetries in polarized p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology). - 1550-2368. ; 91:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present midrapidity charged-pion invariant cross sections, the ratio of the pi(-) to pi(+) cross sections and the charge-separated double-spin asymmetries in polarized p + p collisions at root s = p + 200 GeV. While the cross section measurements are consistent within the errors of next-to-leading-order (NLO) perturbative quantum chromodynamics predictions (pQCD), the same calculations overestimate the ratio of the charged-pion cross sections. This discrepancy arises from the cancellation of the substantial systematic errors associated with the NLO-pQCD predictions in the ratio and highlights the constraints these data will place on flavor-dependent pion fragmentation functions. The charge-separated pion asymmetries presented here sample an x range of similar to 0.03-0.16 and provide unique information on the sign of the gluon-helicity distribution.
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10. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Cold-Nuclear-Matter Effects on Heavy-Quark Production at Forward and Backward Rapidity in d + Au Collisions at root s(NN) = GeV
- 2014
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 112:25
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PHENIX experiment has measured open heavy-flavor production via semileptonic decay over the transverse momentum range 1 < p(T) < 6 GeV/c at forward and backward rapidity (1.4 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.0) in d + Au and p + p collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV. In central d + Au collisions, relative to the yield in p + p collisions scaled by the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, a suppression is observed at forward rapidity (in the d-going direction) and an enhancement at backward rapidity (in the Au-going direction). Predictions using nuclear-modified-parton-distribution functions, even with additional nuclear-p(T) broadening, cannot simultaneously reproduce the data at both rapidity ranges, which implies that these models are incomplete and suggests the possible importance of final-state interactions in the asymmetric d + Au collision system. These results can be used to probe cold-nuclear-matter effects, which may significantly affect heavy-quark production, in addition to helping constrain the magnitude of charmonia-breakup effects in nuclear matter.
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11. |
- Adare, A, et al.
(author)
-
Measurement of Long-Range Angular Correlation and Quadrupole Anisotropy of Pions and (Anti)Protons in Central d+Au Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV.
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 114:19
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present azimuthal angular correlations between charged hadrons and energy deposited in calorimeter towers in central d+Au and minimum bias p+p collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV. The charged hadron is measured at midrapidity |η|<0.35, and the energy is measured at large rapidity (-3.7<η<-3.1, Au-going direction). An enhanced near-side angular correlation across |Δη|>2.75 is observed in d+Au collisions. Using the event plane method applied to the Au-going energy distribution, we extract the anisotropy strength v_{2} for inclusive charged hadrons at midrapidity up to p_{T}=4.5 GeV/c. We also present the measurement of v_{2} for identified π^{±} and (anti)protons in central d+Au collisions, and observe a mass-ordering pattern similar to that seen in heavy-ion collisions. These results are compared with viscous hydrodynamic calculations and measurements from p+Pb at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV. The magnitude of the mass ordering in d+Au is found to be smaller than that in p+Pb collisions, which may indicate smaller radial flow in lower energy d+Au collisions.
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12. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Cross Section and Parity-Violating Spin Asymmetries of W-+/- Boson Production in Polarized p plus p Collisions at root s=500 Gev
- 2011
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 106:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Large parity-violating longitudinal single-spin asymmetries A(L)(e+) = 0.86(-0.14)(+0.30) and Ae(L)(e-) = 0.88(-0.71)(+0.12) are observed for inclusive high transverse momentum electrons and positrons in polarized p + p collisions at a center-of-mass energy of root s = 500 GeV with the PHENIX detector at RHIC. These e(+/-) come mainly from the decay of W-+/- and Z(0) bosons, and their asymmetries directly demonstrate parity violation in the couplings of the W-+/- to the light quarks. The observed electron and positron yields were used to estimate W-+/- boson production cross sections for the e(+/-) channels of sigma(pp -> W+X) X BR(W+ -> e(+) nu(e)) = 144.1 +/- 21.2(stat)(-10.3)(+3.4)(syst) +/- 21.6(norm) pb, and sigma(pp -> W-X) X BR(W- -> e(-) (nu) over bar (e)) = 3.17 +/- 12.1(stat)(-8.2)(+10.1)(syst) +/- 4.8(norm) pb.
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13. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Double-spin asymmetry of electrons from heavy-flavor decays in p plus p collisions at root s=200 GeV
- 2013
-
In: Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology). - 1550-2368. ; 87:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the first measurement of the double-spin asymmetry, A(LL), of electrons from the decays of hadrons containing heavy flavor in longitudinally polarized p + p collisions at root s = 200 GeV for p(T) = 0.5 to 3.0 GeV/c. The asymmetry was measured at midrapidity (vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.35) with the PHENIX detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The measured asymmetries are consistent with zero within the statistical errors. We obtained a constraint for the polarized gluon distribution in the proton of vertical bar Delta g/g(log(10)(x) = -1.6(-0.4)(+0.5), mu = m(T)(c)vertical bar(2) < 0.030 (1 sigma) based on a leading-order perturbative quantum chromodynamics model, using the measured asymmetry. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.87.012011
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14. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Evolution of pi(0) Suppression in Au plus Au Collisions from root s(NN)=39 to 200 GeV
- 2012
-
In: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 109:15
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neutral-pion pi(0) spectra were measured at midrapidity (vertical bar y vertical bar < 0.35) in Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 39 and 62.4 GeV and compared with earlier measurements at 200 GeV in a transverse-momentum range of 1 < p(T) < 10 GeV/c. The high-p(T) tail is well described by a power law in all cases, and the powers decrease significantly with decreasing center-of-mass energy. The change of powers is very similar to that observed in the corresponding spectra for p + p collisions. The nuclear modification factors (RAA) show significant suppression, with a distinct energy, centrality, and p(T) dependence. Above p(T) = 7 GeV/c, R-AA is similar for root sNN = 62.4 and 200 GeV at all centralities. Perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics calculations that describe R-AA well at 200 GeV fail to describe the 39 GeV data, raising the possibility that, for the same p(T) region, the relative importance of initial-state effects and soft processes increases at lower energies. The p(T) range where pi(0) spectra in central Au + Au collisions have the same power as in p + p collisions is approximate to 5 and 7 GeV/c for root sNN = 200 and 62.4 GeV, respectively. For the root sNN = 39 GeV data, it is not clear whether such a region is reached, and the x(T) dependence of the x(T)-scaling power-law exponent is very different from that observed in the root sNN = 62 and 200 GeV data, providing further evidence that initial-state effects and soft processes mask the in-medium suppression of hardscattered partons to higher p(T) as the collision energy decreases.
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15. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Heavy-quark production and elliptic flow in Au plus Au collisions at root(NN)-N-S=62.4 GeV
- 2015
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 91:4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present measurements of electrons and positrons from the semileptonic decays of heavy-flavor hadrons at midrapidity (vertical bar gamma vertical bar < 0.35) in Au + Au collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 62.4 GeV. The data were collected in 2010 by the PHENIX experiment that included the new hadron-blind detector. The invariant yield of electrons from heavy-flavor decays is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 1 < p(T)(e) < 5 GeV/c. The invariant yield per binary collision is slightly enhanced above the p + p reference in Au + Au 0%-20%, 20%-40%, and 40%-60% centralities at a comparable level. At this low beam energy this may be a result of the interplay between initial-state Cronin effects, final-state flow, and energy loss in medium. The v(2) of electrons from heavy-flavor decays is nonzero when averaged between 1.3 < p(T)(e) < 2.5 GeV/c for 0%-40% centrality collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 62.4 GeV. For 20%-40% centrality collisions, the v(2) at root(NN)-N-S = 62.4 GeV is smaller than that for heavy-flavor decays at root(NN)-N-S = 200 GeV. The v2 of the electrons from heavy-flavor decay at the lower beam energy is also smaller than v(2) for pions. Both results indicate that the heavy quarks interact with the medium formed in these collisions, but they may not be at the same level of thermalization with the medium as observed at root(NN)-N-S = 200 GeV.
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16. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
-
Inclusive double-helicity asymmetries in neutral-pion and eta-meson production in + collisions at root s=200 GeV
- 2014
-
In: Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology). - 1550-2368. ; 90:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Results are presented from data recorded in 2009 by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider for the double-longitudinal spin asymmetry, A(LL), for pi(0) and eta production in root s = 200 GeV polarized p + p collisions. Comparison of the pi(0) results with different theory expectations based on fits of other published data showed a preference for small positive values of gluon polarization, Delta G, in the proton in the probed Bjorken x range. The effect of adding the new 2009 pi(0) data to a recent global analysis of polarized scattering data is also shown, resulting in a best fit Delta G(DSSV)([0.05,0.2]) = 0.06(-0.15)(+0.11) in the range 0.05 < x < 0.2, with the uncertainty at Delta chi(2) = 9 when considering only statistical experimental uncertainties. Shifting the PHENIX data points by their systematic uncertainty leads to a variation of the best-fit value of Delta G(DSSV)([0.05,0.2]) between 0.02 and 0.12, demonstrating the need for full treatment of the experimental systematic uncertainties in future global analyses.
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17. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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J/psi suppression at forward rapidity in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=39 and 62.4 GeV
- 2012
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 86:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present measurements of the J/psi invariant yields in root s(NN) = 39 and 62.4 GeV Au + Au collisions at forward rapidity (1.2 < vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.2). Invariant yields are presented as a function of both collision centrality and transverse momentum. Nuclear modifications are obtained for central relative to peripheral Au + Au collisions (R-CP) and for various centrality selections in Au + Au relative to scaled p + p cross sections obtained from other measurements (R-AA). The observed suppression patterns at 39 and 62.4 GeV are quite similar to those previously measured at 200 GeV. This similar suppression presents a challenge to theoretical models that contain various competing mechanisms with different energy dependencies, some of which cause suppression and others enhancement. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevC.86.064901
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18. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Inclusive cross section and double-helicity asymmetry for pi(0) production at midrapidity in p plus p collisions at root s=510 GeV
- 2016
-
In: Physical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology). - 1550-2368. ; 93:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PHENIX measurements are presented for the cross section and double-helicity asymmetry (A(LL)) in inclusive pi(0) production at midrapidity from p + p collisions at root s = 510 GeV from data taken in 2012 and 2013 at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. The next-to-leading-order perturbative-quantum-chromodynamics theory calculation is in excellent agreement with the presented cross section results. The calculation utilized parton-to-pion fragmentation functions from the recent DSS14 global analysis, which prefer a smaller gluon-to-pion fragmentation function. The pi(0)A(LL) results follow an increasingly positive asymmetry trend with p(T) and root s with respect to the predictions and are in excellent agreement with the latest global analysis results. This analysis incorporated earlier results on pi(0) and jet A(LL) and suggested a positive contribution of gluon polarization to the spin of the proton Delta G for the gluon momentum fraction range x > 0.05. The data presented here extend to a currently unexplored region, down to x similar to 0.01, and thus provide additional constraints on the value of Delta G.
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19. |
- Adare, A., et al.
(author)
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Nuclear matter effects on J/psi production in asymmetric Cu plus Au collisions at root S-NN=200 GeV
- 2014
-
In: Physical Review C (Nuclear Physics). - 0556-2813. ; 90:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on J/psi production from asymmetric Cu + Au heavy-ion collisions at root S-NN = 200 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at both forward (Cu-going direction) and backward (Au-going direction) rapidities. The nuclear modification of J/psi yields in Cu + Au collisions in the Au-going direction is found to be comparable to that inAu + Au collisions when plotted as a function of the number of participating nucleons. In the Cu-going direction, J/psi production shows a stronger suppression. This difference is comparable in magnitude and has the same sign as the difference expected from shadowing effects due to stronger low-x gluon suppression in the larger Au nucleus.
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20. |
- Marinucci, A., et al.
(author)
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Polarization constraints on the X-ray corona in Seyfert Galaxies : MCG-05-23-16
- 2022
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 516:4, s. 5907-5913
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We report on the first observation of a radio-quiet active galactic nucleus (AGN) in polarized X-rays: the Seyfert 1.9 galaxy MCG-05-23-16. This source was pointed at with the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) starting on 2022 May 14 for a net observing time of 486 ks, simultaneously with XMM-Newton (58 ks) and NuSTAR (83 ks). A polarization degree Π smaller than 4.7 per cent (at the 99 per cent confidence level) is derived in the 2–8 keV energy range, where emission is dominated by the primary component ascribed to the hot corona. The broad-band spectrum, inferred from a simultaneous fit to the IXPE, NuSTAR, and XMM-Newton data, is well reproduced by a power law with photon index Γ = 1.85 ± 0.01 and a high-energy cutoff EC = 120 ± 15 keV. A comparison with Monte Carlo simulations shows that a lamp-post and a conical geometry of the corona are consistent with the observed upper limit, a slab geometry is allowed only if the inclination angle of the system is less than 50°.
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21. |
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22. |
- Vidal, R. M., et al.
(author)
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Colonization factors among enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolates from children with moderate-to-severe diarrhea and from matched controls in the Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS)
- 2019
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In: Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1935-2735. ; 13:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) encoding heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) alone or with heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) cause moderate-to-severe diarrhea (MSD) in developing country children. The Global Enteric Multicenter Study (GEMS) identified ETEC encoding ST among the top four enteropathogens. Since the GEMS objective was to provide evidence to guide development and implementation of enteric vaccines and other interventions to diminish diarrheal disease morbidity and mortality, we examined colonization factor (CF) prevalence among ETEC isolates from children age <5 years with MSD and from matched controls in four African and three Asian sites. We also assessed strength of association of specific CFs with MSD. Methodology/Principal findings MSD cases enrolled at healthcare facilities over three years and matched controls were tested in a standardized manner for many enteropathogens. To identify ETEC, three E. coli colonies per child were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect genes encoding LT, ST; confirmed ETEC were examined by PCR for major CFs (Colonization Factor Antigen I [CFA/I] or Coli Surface [CS] antigens CS1-CS6) and minor CFs (CS7, CS12, CS13, CS14, CS17, CS18, CS19, CS20, CS21, CS30). ETEC from 806 cases had a single toxin/CF profile in three tested strains per child. Major CFs, components of multiple ETEC vaccine candidates, were detected in 66.0% of LT/ST and ST-only cases and were associated with MSD versus matched controls by conditional logistic regression (p0.006); major CFs detected in only 25.0% of LT-only cases weren't associated with MSD. ETEC encoding exclusively CS14, identified among 19.9% of 291 ST-only and 1.5% of 259 LT/ST strains, were associated with MSD (p = 0.0011). No other minor CF exhibited prevalence 5% and significant association with MSD. Conclusions/Significance Major CF-based efficacious ETEC vaccines could potentially prevent up to 66% of pediatric MSD cases due to ST-encoding ETEC in developing countries; adding CS14 extends coverage to similar to 77%. Author summary Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) were found to be one of the four most consistently important agents that cause moderate-to-severe diarrhea among children <5 years of age in a large case-control study, the Global Enteric Multicenter Study, performed in four countries in sub-Saharan Africa and three in South Asia. ETEC attach to the lining of the human small intestine by means of protein colonization factors (CFs), after which bacterial toxins stimulate intestinal secretion resulting in diarrhea. Moderate-to-severe diarrhea in young children in developing countries can lead to malnutrition and death. Vaccines are being developed to prevent ETEC diarrhea and its consequences. Several ETEC vaccines aim to stimulate antibodies (protective proteins) that will bind CFs and prevent the bacteria from attaching to intestinal cells, which should, in turn, prevent ETEC diarrhea. Different types of CFs exist. To guide the development of vaccines intending to provide broad protection against ETEC, one must know the frequency with which the different major CFs are produced by ETEC. This paper reports an extensive systematic survey of ETEC CFs and provides helpful information to guide the development of ETEC vaccines.
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