Comments on quasiparticle models of quark–gluon plasma

Here we comment on the thermodynamic inconsistency problem and the reformulation of statistical mechanics of widely studied quasiparticle models of quark–gluon plasma. Their starting relation, the expression for pressure itself is a wrong choice and lead to thermodynamic inconsistency and the requirements of the reformulation of statistical mechanics. We propose a new approach to the problem using the standard statistical mechanics and is thermodynamically consistent. We also show that the other quasiparticle models may be obtained from our general formalism as a special case under certain restrictive condition. Further, as an example, we have applied our model to explain the nonideal behaviour of gluon plasma and obtained a remarkable good fit to the lattice results by adjusting just a single parameter.     

Self-consistent quasi-particle model

Here we review the recently developed self-consistent quasi-particle model of QGP and apply it to fit the lattice QCD data on (2+1) flavor QGP.     

SCQGP in quark stars

From an analogy with non-relativistic degenerate QED plasma we make an estimate of the coupling strength of QGP hypothesized to be present in compact star interiors. At densities ranging from 3ρ ₀–10ρ ₀ (normal nuclear density ρ ₀=0.16 fm⁻³), quark matter is found to be strongly to intermediately coupled. The equation of state for QED plasma obtained via Pade approximation, modified to QGP, yields stable stellar sequences with maximum mass ≳2M _⊙ for B ^1/4≲215 MeV.     

Neutrino beam plasma instability

We derive relativistic fluid set of equations for neutrinos and electrons from relativistic Vlasov equations with Fermi weak interaction force. Using these fluid equations, we obtain a dispersion relation describing neutrino beam plasma instability, which is little different from normal dispersion relation of streaming instability. It contains new, nonelectromagnetic, neutrino-plasma (or electroweak) stable and unstable modes also. The growth of the instability is weak for the highly relativistic neutrino flux, but becomes stronger for weakly relativistic neutrino flux in the case of parameters appropriate to the early universe and supernova explosions. However, this mode is dominant only for the beam velocity greater than 0.25c and in the other limit electroweak unstable mode takes over.     

Quark–gluon plasma as a strongly coupled color-Coulombic plasma

We show that the extensively studied equation of state (EOS) of strongly coupled QED plasma fits the recent lattice EOS data of gluon plasma remarkably well, with appropriate modifications to take account of color degrees of freedom and the running coupling constant. Hence we conclude that the quark–gluon plasma near the critical temperature is a strongly coupled color-Coulombic plasma. Received: 13 January 1999 / Revised version: 22 March 1999 / Published online: 14 October 1999     

Stability of quark gluon plasma to nielsen-olesen mode

Nielsen and Olesen showed that perturbative vacuum with uniform chromomagnetic field in one space and one color direction is unstable. This instability is called Nielsen-Olesen instability (NOI), and leads to formation of a ‘spaghetti of flux tubes’ as a model for non-perturbative vacuum and confinement. We re-examine this instability in presence of color sources, quarks and gluons, at a finite temperature and find that at sufficiently high temperature NOI is stabilized due to an ‘effective mass’ of gluons arising through plasma effects. This explains how a QGP with no confinement effects may exist at high temperature. As the temperature is lowered, NOI reappears at a valueT=T _c, which is very close to confinement-deconfinement transition from hadrons to QGP..     

Activation of p300 histone acetyltransferase by small molecules altering enzyme structure: probed by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Reversible acetylation of nucleosomal histones and nonhistone proteins play pivotal roles in the regulation of all the DNA templated phenomenon. Dysfunction of the enzymes involved in the acetylation/deacetylation leads to several diseases. Therefore, these enzymes are the targets for new generation therapeutics. Here, we report the synthesis of trifluoromethyl phenyl benzamides and their effect on histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of p300. One of these benzamides, CTPB (N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxy-6-pentadecyl-benzamide), was discovered as a potent activator of the p300 HAT activity. We have found that pentadecyl hydrocarbon chain of CTPB is required to activate the HAT only under certain context. Furthermore, our results show that the relative position of -CF3 and -Cl in CTB (N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxy-benzamide) is also very critical for the activation. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of p300 and the HAT activator complexes evidently suggest that the activation of HAT activity is achieved by the alteration of p300 structure. Therefore, apart from elucidating the chemical basis for small molecule mediated activation of p300, this report also describes, for the first time, Raman spectroscopic analysis of the complexes of histone-modifying enzymes and their modulators, which may be highly useful for therapeutic applications.     

Anti-cancer activity of novel dibenzo[b,f]azepine tethered isoxazoline derivatives

Background  

Nef is an HIV-1 accessory protein essential for viral replication and AIDS progression. Nef interacts with a multitude of host cell signaling partners, including members of the Src kinase family. Nef preferentially activates Hck, a Src-family kinase (SFK) strongly expressed in macrophages and other HIV target cells, by binding to its regulatory SH3 domain. Recently, we identified a series of kinase inhibitors that preferentially inhibit Hck in the presence of Nef. These compounds also block Nef-dependent HIV replication, validating the Nef-SFK signaling pathway as an antiretroviral drug target. Our findings also suggested that by binding to the Hck SH3 domain, Nef indirectly affects the conformation of the kinase active site to favor inhibitor association.     

Static analysis of a long and thick orthotropic circular cylindrical shell of revolution

Summary An elasticity solution has been obtained for a long, thick transversely isotropic circular cylindrical shell subjected to distributed pinch load using a set of three displacement functions. Numerical results are presented for different materials and thickness to mean radius ratios. The results obtained from this analysis have been compared with classical and first-order shear deformation shell theories of Flugge, Sanders, Love and Donnell.     

Infrared Polaritonic Biosensors Based on Two-Dimensional Materials

In recent years, polaritons in two-dimensional (2D) materials have gained intensive research interests and significant progress due to their extraordinary properties of light-confinement, tunable carrier concentrations by gating and low loss absorption that leads to long polariton lifetimes. With additional advantages of biocompatibility, label-free, chemical identification of biomolecules through their vibrational fingerprints, graphene and related 2D materials can be adapted as excellent platforms for future polaritonic biosensor applications. Extreme spatial light confinement in 2D materials based polaritons supports atto-molar concentration or single molecule detection. In this article, we will review the state-of-the-art infrared polaritonic-based biosensors. We first discuss the concept of polaritons, then the biosensing properties of polaritons on various 2D materials, then lastly the impending applications and future opportunities of infrared polaritonic biosensors for medical and healthcare applications.