Generalized parton distributions and constituent quarks

An approach is described to calculate Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) in Constituent Quark Models (CQM). The GPDs are obtained from wave functions to be evaluated in a given CQM. The general relations linking the twist-two GPDs to the form factors and to the leading twist quark densities are recovered. Results for the leading twist, unpolarized GPD in the Isgur and Karl model are presented.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures; Contribution to the European Workshop on the QCD Structure of the Nucleon (QCD-N'02), Ferrara, Italy, 3-6 Apr 200

A quark model analysis of the Sivers function

We develop a formalism to evaluate the Sivers function. The approach is well suited for calculations which use constituent quark models to describe the structure of the nucleon. A non-relativistic reduction of the scheme is performed and applied to the Isgur-Karl model of hadron structure. The results obtained are consistent with a sizable Sivers effect and the signs for the u and d flavor contributions turn out to be opposite. This pattern is in agreement with the one found analyzing, in the same model, the impact parameter dependent generalized parton distributions. The Burkardt Sum Rule turns out to be fulfilled to a large extent. We estimate the QCD evolution of our results from the momentum scale of the model to the experimental one and obtain reasonable agreement with the available data.Comment: 31 pages, 4 figures. Extended version, discussion of the Burkardt Sum Rule added, references added, minor changes in the numerical results, same interpretation. Final version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Model calculations of the Sivers function satisfying the Burkardt Sum Rule

It is shown that, at variance with previous analyses, the MIT bag model can explain the available data of the Sivers function and satisfies the Burkardt Sum Rule to a few percent accuracy. The agreement is similar to the one recently found in the constituent quark model. Therefore, these two model calculations of the Sivers function are in agreement with the present experimental and theoretical wisdom.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures; one figure added; references added; slightly revised version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

The scalar glueball spectrum

We discuss scenarios for scalar glueballs using arguments based on sum rules, spectral decomposition, the $\frac{1}{N_c}$ approximation, the scales of the strong interaction and the topology of the flux tubes. We analyze the phenomenological support of those scenarios and their observational implications. Our investigations hint a rich low lying glueball spectrum.Comment: 11 pages: New title, figure, table and a more detailed comparison with experiment

Studying the Sivers function by model calculations

A formalism is presented to evaluate the Sivers function in constituent quark models. A non-relativistic reduction of the scheme is performed and applied to the Isgur-Karl model. The sign for the $u$ and $d$ flavor contributions that we obtained turns out to be opposite. The Burkardt Sum Rule is fulfilled to a large extent. After the estimate of the QCD evolution of the results from the momentum scale of the model to the experimental one, a reasonable agreement with the available data is obtained.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of Diffraction 2008: International Workshop On Diffraction In High Energy Physics, 9-14 Sep 2008, La Londe-les-Maures, France. Misprints corrected, reference adde

Parton distributions in a constituent quark scenario

A simple picture of the constituent quark as a composite system of point-like partons is used to construct the unpolarized and polarized parton distributions by a convolution between constituent quark momentum distributions and constituent quark structure functions. We achieve good agreement with experiments in the unpolarized, as well as, in the polarized case. When our results are compared with similar calculations using non-composite constituent quarks, the accord with the experiments of the present scheme is impressive. We conclude that DIS data are consistent with a low energy scenario dominated by composite constituents of the nucleon.Comment: 4 pages; latex using espcrc1.sty; 4 postscript figures; Invited talk at the Workshop ``Nucleon '99'', Frascati; Italy 7-9 June 1999. Submitted to Nuc. Phys.

Sivers Asymmetry for the proton and the neutron

A formalism is presented to evaluate the Sivers function in constituent quark models. A non-relativistic reduction of the scheme is performed and applied to the Isgur-Karl model. The results obtained are consistent with a sizable Sivers effect and the signs for the u and d flavor contributions turn out to be opposite. The Burkardt Sum Rule is fulfilled to a large extent. After the estimate of the QCD evolution of the results from the momentum scale of the model to the experimental one, a reasonable agreement with the available data is obtained. A calculation of nuclear effects in the extraction of neutron single spin asymmetries in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off 3He is also described. In the kinematics of forth-coming experiments at JLab, it is found that the nuclear effects arising within an Impulse Approximation approach are under control.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, Invited talk at the "6th International Conference on Hadronic Physics", ICTP, Trieste, Italy, 12-16 May 2008. To appear in AIP Proceedings Serie

Hadron Correlators and the Structure of the Quark Propagator

The structure of the quark propagator of $QCD$ in a confining background is not known. We make an Ansatz for it, as hinted by a particular mechanism for confinement, and analyze its implications in the meson and baryon correlators. We connect the various terms in the K\"allen-Lehmann representation of the quark propagator with appropriate combinations of hadron correlators, which may ultimately be calculated in lattice $QCD$. Furthermore, using the positivity of the path integral measure for vector like theories, we reanalyze some mass inequalities in our formalism. A curiosity of the analysis is that, the exotic components of the propagator (axial and tensor), produce terms in the hadron correlators which, if not vanishing in the gauge field integration, lead to violations of fundamental symmetries. The non observation of these violations implies restrictions in the space-time structure of the contributing gauge field configurations. In this way, lattice $QCD$ can help us analyze the microscopic structure of the mechanisms for confinement.Comment: 12 pp in LaTeX, preprint Univ. of Valencia, FTUV/94-16, IFIC/94-15. To appear in Z.Phys.

Parthenolide induces caspase-independent cell death in osteosarcoma, melanoma and breast cancer cells through the induction of oxidative stress.

Parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone found in European feverfew, is used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, parthenolide has been considered as a novel and effective anti-tumor agent because it induces cytotoxic effects in several tumor cell lines. Our studies demonstrated that parthenolide exerted strong cytotoxic effects in osteosarcoma MG63 and melanoma SK-Mel28 cells in culture. Staining with Hoechst 33342 revealed in most cells after brief periods of treatments (3-5h) chromatin condensation and fragmentation, while only few cells were PI-positive. Prolonging the treatment (5-14h) PI-positive cells strongly augmented, denouncing the increase of necrotic effects. All these effects were prevented by NAC, while caspase inhibitors were ineffective, thus suggesting a caspase-independent cell death. The study of the mechanism of action provided evidence that treatment with parthenolide rapidly stimulated (1-2 h) ROS generation, in particular by inducing activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 and NADPH oxidase. This event caused depletion of thiol groups and glutathione, NF-\u3baB inhibition, JNK activation and cell detachment from the matrix. ROS generation together with mitochondrial accumulation of Ca2+ favoured dissipation of \u394\u3c8m, which appeared primarily determined by the opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP), since \u394\u3c8m loss was partially prevented by cyclosporin A, an inhibitor of PTP opening. Recently, we focused our attention on MDA-MB231 cells, a very aggressive and poorly differentiated breast cancer cell line, which is negative for estrogen receptor alpha. Preliminary results suggested that parthenolide induced cell death in these cells with a mechanism similar to that demonstrated in osteosarcoma and melanoma cells. Interestingly, we demonstrated that in MDA-MB231 cells the effect of parthenolide was potentiated by the addition of z-VAD-fmk, a general inhibitor of caspases. Studies are in progress to elucidate the mechanism of this interaction which could suggest new strategies for the treatment of ER-\u3b1 negative breast cancer