Low‐temperature crystallization of La0.15Sr0.775TiO3 using ionic liquids

The n‐type thermoelectric oxide La0.15Sr0.775TiO3 (LST) has been synthesized at 600°C using an ionic liquid method. The method uses the ionic liquid 1‐ethyl 3‐methylimidazolium acetate as the sole complexing agent: the lack of a second, carbon‐rich template decreases the quantity of reduced intermediate phases which form during heating. By suppressing these phases, greatly reduced temperatures can be used to crystallize the perovskite LST phase, on the nanoscale. These nanoparticles have the potential to be used to increase the figure of merit in n‐type thermoelectric oxide devices

Gaseous Dark Matter Detectors

Dark Matter detectors with directional sensitivity have the potential of yielding an unambiguous positive observation of WIMPs as well as discriminating between galactic Dark Matter halo models. In this article, we introduce the motivation for directional detectors, discuss the experimental techniques that make directional detection possible, and review the status of the experimental effort in this field.Comment: 19 pages, review on gaseous directional dark matter detectors submitted to New Journal of Physic

The Spinel LiCoMnO4: 5V cathode and conversion anode

LiCoMnO4 was made at 550 °C in 2 h using a novel biotemplating synthetic methodology. High temperature heat treatment under flowing N2 was then used to prepare the cation-disordered rock salt, LiCoMnO3. We demonstrate for the first time that both phases can operate as conversion anodes in lithium-ion batteries, operating at ~ 0.7 V with specific capacities of ~ 400 mAh g-1. We also demonstrate that 1,3-propane sultone can be used as an electrolytic additive to provide a modest boost to specific capacity in cells cycled at high potentials with LiCoMnO4 as the cathode

Production of antihydrogen at reduced magnetic field for anti-atom trapping

We have demonstrated production of antihydrogen in a 1$,$T solenoidal magnetic field. This field strength is significantly smaller than that used in the first generation experiments ATHENA (3$,$T) and ATRAP (5$,$T). The motivation for using a smaller magnetic field is to facilitate trapping of antihydrogen atoms in a neutral atom trap surrounding the production region. We report the results of measurements with the ALPHA (Antihydrogen Laser PHysics Apparatus) device, which can capture and cool antiprotons at 3$,$T, and then mix the antiprotons with positrons at 1$,$T. We infer antihydrogen production from the time structure of antiproton annihilations during mixing, using mixing with heated positrons as the null experiment, as demonstrated in ATHENA. Implications for antihydrogen trapping are discussed

CFEOM1, the classic familial form of congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles, is genetically heterogeneous but does not result from mutations in ARIX

BACKGROUND: To learn about the molecular etiology of strabismus, we are studying the genetic basis of 'congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles' (CFEOM). These syndromes are characterized by congenital restrictive ophthalmoplegia affecting muscles in the oculomotor and trochlear nerve distribution. Individuals with the classic form of CFEOM are born with bilateral ptosis and infraducted globes. When all affected members of a family have classic CFEOM, we classify the family as a CFEOM1 pedigree. We have previously determined that a CFEOM1 gene maps to the FEOM1 locus on chromosome 12cen. We now identify additional pedigrees with CFEOM1 to determine if the disorder is genetically heterogeneous and, if so, if any affected members of CFEOM1 pedigrees or sporadic cases of classic CFEOM harbor mutations in ARIX, the CFEOM2 disease gene. RESULTS: Eleven new CFEOM1 pedigrees were identified. All demonstrated autosomal dominant inheritance, and nine were consistent with linkage to FEOM1. Two small CFEOM1 families were not linked to FEOM1, and both were consistent with linkage to FEOM3. We screened two CFEOM1 families consistent with linkage to FEOM2 and 5 sporadic individuals with classic CFEOM and did not detect ARIX mutations. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype of two small CFEOM1 families does not map to FEOM1, establishing genetic heterogeneity for this disorder. These two families may harbor mutations in the FEOM3 gene, as their phenotype is consistent with linkage to this locus. Thus far, we have not identified ARIX mutations in any affected members of CFEOM1 pedigrees or in any sporadic cases of classic CFEOM

Towards \u3csup\u3e26\u3c/sup\u3eNa via (d,p) with SHARC and TIGRESS and a novel zero-degree detector

Nucleon transfer experiments have in recent years begun to be exploited in the study of nuclei far from stability, using radioactive beams in inverse kinematics. New techniques are still being developed in order to perform these experiments. The present experiment is designed to study the odd-odd nucleus 26Na which has a high density of states and therefore requires gamma-ray detection to distinguish between them. The experiment employed an intense beam of up to 3×107 pps of 25Na at 5.0 MeV/nucleon from the ISAC-II facility at triumf. The new silicon array SHARC was used for the first time and was coupled to the segmented clover gamma-ray array TIGRESS. A novel thin plastic scintillator detector was employed at zero degrees to identify and reject reactions occurring on the carbon component of the (CD)2 target. The efficiency of the background rejection using this detector is described with respect to the proton and gamma-ray spectra from the (d,p) reaction. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

The Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay (LEGEND)

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0${\nu}{\beta}{\beta}$) would show that lepton number is violated, reveal that neutrinos are Majorana particles, and provide information on neutrino mass. A discovery-capable experiment covering the inverted ordering region, with effective Majorana neutrino masses of 15 - 50 meV, will require a tonne-scale experiment with excellent energy resolution and extremely low backgrounds, at the level of $\sim$0.1 count /(FWHM$\cdot$t$\cdot$yr) in the region of the signal. The current generation $^{76}$Ge experiments GERDA and the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR utilizing high purity Germanium detectors with an intrinsic energy resolution of 0.12%, have achieved the lowest backgrounds by over an order of magnitude in the 0${\nu}{\beta}{\beta}$ signal region of all 0${\nu}{\beta}{\beta}$ experiments. Building on this success, the LEGEND collaboration has been formed to pursue a tonne-scale $^{76}$Ge experiment. The collaboration aims to develop a phased 0${\nu}{\beta}{\beta}$ experimental program with discovery potential at a half-life approaching or at $10^{28}$ years, using existing resources as appropriate to expedite physics results.Comment: Proceedings of the MEDEX'17 meeting (Prague, May 29 - June 2, 2017

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Suppresses Gonadotropin-Stimulated Estradiol Release from Zebrafish Ovarian Follicles

While stress is known to impact reproductive performance, the pathways involved are not entirely understood. Corticosteroid effects on the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis are thought to be a key aspect of stress-mediated reproductive dysfunction. A vital component of the stress response is the pituitary secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which binds to the melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) in the adrenal glands and activates cortisol biosynthesis. We recently reported MC2R mRNA abundance in fish gonads leading to the hypothesis that ACTH may be directly involved in gonadal steroid modulation. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovarian follicles, we tested the hypothesis that acute ACTH stimulation modulates cortisol and estradiol (E2) secretion. ACTH neither affected cortisol nor unstimulated E2 release from ovarian follicles. However, ACTH suppressed human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-stimulated E2 secretion in a dose-related manner, with a maximum decrease of 62% observed at 1 I.U. ACTH mL−1. This effect of ACTH on E2 release was not observed in the presence of either 8-bromo-cAMP or forskolin, suggesting that the mechanism(s) involved in steroid attenuation was upstream of adenylyl cyclase activation. Overall, our results suggest that a stress-induced rise in plasma ACTH levels may initiate a rapid down-regulation of acute stimulated E2 biosynthesis in the zebrafish ovary, underscoring a novel physiological role for this pituitary peptide in modulating reproductive activity

The TRIUMF nuclear structure program and TIGRESS

The isotope separator and accelerator (ISAC) facility located at the TRIUMF laboratory in Vancouver, Canada, is one of the world\u27s most advanced isotope separator on-line-type radioactive ion beam facilities. An extensive γ-ray spectroscopy programme at ISAC is centred around two major research facilities: (i) the 8π γ-ray spectrometer for β-delayed γ-ray spectroscopy experiments with the low-energy beams from ISAC-I, and (ii) the next generation TRIUMF-ISAC gamma-ray escape suppressed spectrometer (TIGRESS) for in-beam experiments with the accelerated radioactive-ion beams. An overview of these facilities and recent results from the diverse programme of nuclear structure and fundamental interaction studies they support is presented. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved