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Biomedical subjects

R De Leo

Publications and source records attributed to R De Leo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Double-hadron leptoproduction in the nuclear medium.

The first measurements of double-hadron production in deep-inelastic scattering within the nuclear medium were made with the HERMES spectrometer at DESY HERA using a 27.6 GeV positron beam. By comparing data for deuterium, nitrogen, krypton, and xenon nuclei, the influence of the nuclear medium on the ratio of double-hadron to single-hadron yields was investigated. Nuclear effects on the additional hadron are clearly observed, but with little or no difference among nitrogen, krypton, or xenon, and with smaller magnitude than effects seen on previously measured single-hadron multiplicities. The data are compared with models based on partonic energy loss or prehadronic scattering and with a model based on a purely absorptive treatment of the final-state interactions. Thus, the double-hadron ratio provides an additional tool for studying modifications of hadronization in nuclear matter.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of the tensor structure function b1 of the deuteron.

The Hermes experiment has investigated the tensor spin structure of the deuteron using the 27.6 GeV/c positron beam of DESY HERA. The use of a tensor-polarized deuteron gas target with only a negligible residual vector polarization enabled the first measurement of the tensor asymmetry A(d)zz and the tensor structure function b(d)1 for average values of the Bjorken variable 0.01< <0.45 and of the negative of the squared four-momentum transfer 0.5 GeV2 < <5 GeV2. The quantities A(d)zz and b(d)1 are found to be nonzero. The rise of b(d)1 for decreasing values of x can be interpreted to originate from the same mechanism that leads to nuclear shadowing in unpolarized scattering.

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Recoil polarization for delta excitation in pion electroproduction.

We measured angular distributions of recoil-polarization response functions for neutral pion electroproduction for W = 1.23 GeV at Q(2) = 1.0 (GeV/c)(2), obtaining 14 separated response functions plus 2 Rosenbluth combinations; of these, 12 have been observed for the first time. Dynamical models do not describe quantities governed by imaginary parts of interference products well, indicating the need for adjusting magnitudes and phases for nonresonant amplitudes. We performed a nearly model-independent multipole analysis and obtained values for Re (S(1+)/M(1+)) = -(6.84 +/- 0.15)% and Re (E(1+)/M(1+)) = -(2.91 +/- 0.19)% that are distinctly different from those from the traditional Legendre analysis based upon M1+ dominance and ll(pi) < or = 1 truncation.

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Quasielastic 3He(e,e'p)2H reaction at Q2 = 1.5 GeV2 for recoil momenta up to 1 GeV/c.

We have studied the quasielastic 3He(e,e(')p)2H reaction in perpendicular coplanar kinematics, with the energy and the momentum transferred by the electron fixed at 840 MeV and 1502 MeV/c, respectively. The 3He(e,e(')p)2H cross section was measured for missing momenta up to 1000 MeV/c, while the A(TL) asymmetry was extracted for missing momenta up to 660 MeV/c. For missing momenta up to 150 MeV/c, the cross section is described by variational calculations using modern 3He wave functions. For missing momenta from 150 to 750 MeV/c, strong final-state interaction effects are observed. Near 1000 MeV/c, the experimental cross section is more than an order of magnitude larger than predicted by available theories. The A(TL) asymmetry displays characteristic features of broken factorization with a structure that is similar to that generated by available models.

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Measurement of the 3He(e,e'p)pn reaction at high missing energies and momenta.

Results of the Jefferson Lab Hall A quasielastic 3He(e,e'p)pn measurements are presented. These measurements were performed at fixed transferred momentum and energy, q=1502 MeV/c and omega=840 MeV, respectively, for missing momenta p(m) up to 1 GeV/c and missing energies in the continuum region, up to pion threshold; this kinematic coverage is much more extensive than that of any previous experiment. The cross section data are presented along with the effective momentum density distribution and compared to theoretical models.

Journal Article↗

Single-spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering on a transversely polarized hydrogen target.

Single-spin asymmetries for semi-inclusive electroproduction of charged pions in deep-inelastic scattering of positrons are measured for the first time with transverse target polarization. The asymmetry depends on the azimuthal angles of both the pion (phi) and the target spin axis (phi(S)) about the virtual-photon direction and relative to the lepton scattering plane. The extracted Fourier component sin((phi+phi(S))(pi)(UT) is a signal of the previously unmeasured quark transversity distribution, in conjunction with the Collins fragmentation function, also unknown. The component sin((phi-phi(S)(pi)(UT) arises from a correlation between the transverse polarization of the target nucleon and the intrinsic transverse momentum of quarks, as represented by the previously unmeasured Sivers distribution function. Evidence for both signals is observed, but the Sivers asymmetry may be affected by exclusive vector meson production.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of the generalized polarizabilities of the proton in virtual Compton scattering at Q2=0.92 and 1.76 GeV2.

We report a virtual Compton scattering study of the proton at low c.m. energies. We have determined the structure functions P(LL)-P(TT)/epsilon and P(LT), and the electric and magnetic generalized polarizabilities (GPs) alpha(E)(Q2) and beta(M)(Q2) at momentum transfer Q(2)=0.92 and 1.76 GeV2. The electric GP shows a strong falloff with Q2, and its global behavior does not follow a simple dipole form. The magnetic GP shows a rise and then a falloff; this can be interpreted as the dominance of a long-distance diamagnetic pion cloud at low Q2, compensated at higher Q2 by a paramagnetic contribution from piN intermediate states.

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Flavor decomposition of the sea-quark helicity distributions in the nucleon from semiinclusive deep inelastic scattering.

Double-spin asymmetries of semiinclusive cross sections for the production of identified pions and kaons have been measured in deep inelastic scattering of polarized positrons on a polarized deuterium target. Five helicity distributions including those for three sea quark flavors were extracted from these data together with reanalyzed previous data for identified pions from a hydrogen target. These distributions are consistent with zero for all three sea flavors. A recently predicted flavor asymmetry in the polarization of the light quark sea appears to be disfavored by the data.

Journal Article↗

Precision measurement of the neutron spin asymmetryA(n)(1) and spin-flavor decomposition in the valence quark region.

We have measured the neutron spin asymmetry A(n)(1) with high precision at three kinematics in the deep inelastic region at x=0.33, 0.47, and 0.60, and Q(2)=2.7, 3.5, and 4.8 (GeV/c)(2), respectively. Our results unambiguously show, for the first time, that A(n)(1) crosses zero around x=0.47 and becomes significantly positive at x=0.60. Combined with the world proton data, polarized quark distributions were extracted. Our results, in general, agree with relativistic constituent quark models and with perturbative quantum chromodynamics (PQCD) analyses based on the earlier data. However they deviate from PQCD predictions based on hadron helicity conservation.

Journal Article↗

Polarization transfer in the 4He(e-->,e'p-->)3H reaction up to Q2=2.6 (GeV/c)2.

We have measured the proton recoil polarization in the 4He(e-->,e(')p-->)4H reaction at Q(2)=0.5, 1.0, 1.6, and 2.6 (GeV/c)(2). The measured ratio of polarization transfer coefficients differs from a fully relativistic calculation, favoring the inclusion of a medium modification of the proton form factors predicted by a quark-meson coupling model. In addition, the measured induced polarizations agree reasonably well with the fully relativistic calculation indicating that the treatment of final-state interactions is under control.

Journal Article↗

Evidence for quark-hadron duality in the proton spin asymmetry A1.

Spin-dependent lepton-nucleon scattering data have been used to investigate the validity of the concept of quark-hadron duality for the spin asymmetry A1. Longitudinally polarized positrons were scattered off a longitudinally polarized hydrogen target for values of Q2 between 1.2 and 12 GeV2 and values of W2 between 1 and 4 GeV2. The average double-spin asymmetry in the nucleon resonance region is found to agree with that measured in deep-inelastic scattering at the same values of the Bjorken scaling variable x. This finding implies that the description of A1 in terms of quark degrees of freedom is valid also in the nucleon resonance region for values of Q2 above 1.6 GeV2.

Journal Article↗

Q2 dependence of nuclear transparency for exclusive rho0 production.

Exclusive coherent and incoherent electroproduction of the rho(0) meson from 1H and 14N targets has been studied at the HERMES experiment as a function of coherence length (l(c)), corresponding to the lifetime of hadronic fluctuations of the virtual photon, and squared four-momentum of the virtual photon (-Q2). The ratio of 14N to 1H cross sections per nucleon, called nuclear transparency, was found to increase (decrease) with increasing l(c) for coherent (incoherent) rho(0) electroproduction. For fixed l(c), a rise of nuclear transparency with Q2 is observed for both coherent and incoherent rho(0) production, which is in agreement with theoretical calculations of color transparency.

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Measurement of G(E(p))/G(M(p)) in e(-->)p---> e(-->)p to Q(2) = 5.6 GeV(2).

The ratio of the electric and magnetic form factors of the proton G(E(p))/G(M(p)), which is an image of its charge and magnetization distributions, was measured at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) using the recoil polarization technique. The ratio of the form factors is directly proportional to the ratio of the transverse to longitudinal components of the polarization of the recoil proton in the elastic e(-->)p---> e(-->)p reaction. The new data presented span the range 3.5< Q(2)< 5.6 GeV(2) and are well described by a linear Q(2) fit. Also, the ratio sqrt[Q(2)] F(2(p))/F(1(p)) reaches a constant value above Q(2) = 2 GeV(2).

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Dynamics of the 16O(e, e'p) reaction at high missing energies.

We measured the cross section and response functions for the quasielastic 16O(e,e'p) reaction for missing energies 25< or =E(m)< or =120 MeV at missing momenta P(m)< or =340 MeV/c. For 25<E(m)<50 MeV and P(m) approximately 60 MeV/c, the reaction is dominated by a single 1s(1/2) proton knockout. At larger P(m), the single-particle aspects are increasingly masked by more complicated processes. Calculations which include pion exchange currents, isobar currents, and short-range correlations account for the shape and the transversity, but for only half of the magnitude of the measured cross section.

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Role for p300 in Pax 8 induction of thyroperoxidase gene expression.

The nuclear p300 protein functions as a co-activator of gene transcription. Here we show that p300 works as a co-activator of the transcription factor Pax 8 on the thyroperoxidase gene promoter. Consistent with its role as co-activator, p300 potentiates Pax 8-activated transcription. Furthermore, we provide evidence supporting the formation of a complex between both factors in vivo and in vitro. This interaction involves the amino-terminal and CH3 domains of p300 and the trans-activation domain of Pax 8 at its carboxyl-terminal end. We show that the CH3 domain is crucial for the co-activator role of p300 on the thyroperoxidase gene promoter. In agreement with our finding and with the ability of the adenoviral protein E1A to bind p300, we show that E1A down-regulates Pax 8 activity.

Base Sequence↗

Giant dystrophin deletion associated with congenital cataract and mild muscular dystrophy.

We report a patient with a large intragenic dystrophin deletion of exons 17-51 inclusive associated with congenital cataract and mild Becker muscular dystrophy. The cataract was similar to the congenital cataract described in the mdx mouse. The loss of 68% of the rod domain including hinge 2 and 3 regions did not adversely affect the correct localization of the dystrophin and the association with the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex. This observation may have implications for minigenes suitable for gene therapy.

Cataract↗

Analysis of beta-thalassemia mutations in the United Arab Emirates provides evidence for recurrent origin of the IVSI nt 5 (G-C) mutation.

Beta-thalassemia mutations were characterized in a sample of 70 patients from United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), resulting in an enlargement of the spectrum of types found in the country. The complete association between the most common IVS I nt 5 (G-C) mutation and a specific haplotype reveals an independent origin of this mutation in U.A.E.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗

A report on 528 intragenic deletions detected in DMD and BMD patients by an Italian collaborative study.

The results of a collaborative study involving about one third of the total DMD and BMD cases living in the Italian territory are reported. The analysis of the breakpoint frequency by intron revealed significant differences among regional groups of DMD patients (for introns 2, 11 and 50 in Sardinia and for introns 9 and 45 in northeastern Italy), whereas no regional differences were observed among regional groups of BMD patients. These differences involve the same Italian regions which previous studies, performed by different markers, identified as "genetically differentiated". The data support the possibility of a differential distribution among populations of some intronic sequences, facilitating the origin of deletion breakpoints within the dystrophin gene.

Dystrophin↗