Landau-Migdal vs. Skyrme

The magnitude and density-dependence of the non-spin dependent Landau-Migdal parameters are derived from Skyrme energy functionals and compared with the phenomenological ones. We perform RPA calculations with various approximations for the Landau-Migdal particle-hole interaction and compare them with the results obtained with the full Skyrme interaction. For the first time the next to leading order in the Landau-Migdal approach is considered in nuclear structure calculations.Comment: Dedicated to the memory of G.E. Brow

Spontaneous fission modes and lifetimes of super-heavy elements in the nuclear density functional theory

Lifetimes of super-heavy (SH) nuclei are primarily governed by alpha decay and spontaneous fission (SF). Here we study the competing decay modes of even-even SH isotopes with 108 <= Z <= 126 and 148 <= N <= 188 using the state-of-the-art self-consistent nuclear density functional theory framework capable of describing the competition between nuclear attraction and electrostatic repulsion. The collective mass tensor of the fissioning superfluid nucleus is computed by means of the cranking approximation to the adiabatic time-dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach. Along the path to fission, our calculations allow for the simultaneous breaking of axial and space inversion symmetries; this may result in lowering SF lifetimes by more than seven orders of magnitude in some cases. We predict two competing SF modes: reflection-symmetric and reflection-asymmetric.The shortest-lived SH isotopes decay by SF; they are expected to lie in a narrow corridor formed by $^{280}$Hs, $^{284}$Fl, and $^{284}_{118}$Uuo that separates the regions of SH nuclei synthesized in "cold fusion" and "hot fusion" reactions. The region of long-lived SH nuclei is expected to be centered on $^{294}$Ds with a total half-life of ?1.5 days.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Extended Theory of Finite Fermi Systems: Application to the collective and non-collective E1 strength in 208^{208}Pb

The Extended Theory of Finite Fermi Systems is based on the conventional Landau-Migdal theory and includes the coupling to the low-lying phonons in a consistent way. The phonons give rise to a fragmentation of the single-particle strength and to a compression of the single-particle spectrum. Both effects are crucial for a quantitative understanding of nuclear structure properties. We demonstrate the effects on the electric dipole states in $^{208}$Pb (which possesses 50% more neutrons then protons) where we calculated the low-lying non-collective spectrum as well as the high-lying collective resonances. Below 8 MeV, where one expects the so called isovector pygmy resonances, we also find a strong admixture of isoscalar strength that comes from the coupling to the high-lying isoscalar electric dipole resonance, which we obtain at about 22 MeV. The transition density of this resonance is very similar to the breathing mode, which we also calculated. We shall show that the extended theory is the correct approach for self-consistent calculations, where one starts with effective Lagrangians and effective Hamiltonians, respectively, if one wishes to describe simultaneously collective and non-collective properties of the nuclear spectrum. In all cases for which experimental data exist the agreement with the present theory results is good.Comment: 21 figures corrected typos in author fiel

Self-consistent calculations of the electric giant dipole resonances in light and heavy mass nuclei

While bulk properties of stable nuclei are successfully reproduced by mean-field theories employing effective interactions, the dependence of the centroid energy of the electric giant dipole resonance on the nucleon number A is not. This problem is cured by considering many-particle correlations beyond mean-field theory, which we do within the "Quasiparticle Time Blocking Approximation". The electric giant dipole resonances in $^{16}$O, $^{40}$Ca, and $^{208}$Pb are calculated using two new Skyrme interactions.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

A particle-hole model approach for hypernuclei

A particle-hole model is developed to describe the excitation spectrum of single lambda hypernuclei and the possible presence of collective effects is explored by making a comparison with the mean-field calculations. Results for the spectra of 12C, 16O, 40Ca, 90Zr and 208Pb single lambda hypernuclei are shown. The comparison with the available experimental data is satisfactory. We find that collective phenomena are much less important in hypernuclei than in ordinary nuclei.Comment: 24 pages, 5 eps figures, accepted for publication in Nucl. Phys.

Description of the Giant Monopole Resonance in the Even-A 112−124^{112-124}Sn Isotopes within the Microscopic Model Including Quasiparticle-Phonon Coupling

We have calculated the strength distributions of the giant monopole resonance in the even-A tin isotopes (A = 112-124) which were recently measured in inelastic $\alpha$-scattering. The calculations were performed within two microscopic models: the quasiparticle random phase approximation (QRPA) and the quasiparticle time blocking approximation which is an extension of the QRPA including quasiparticle-phonon coupling. We used a self-consistent calculational scheme based on the HF+BCS approximation. The single-particle continuum was exactly included on the RPA level. The self-consistent mean field and the effective interaction were derived from the Skyrme energy functional. In the calculations, two Skyrme force parametrizations were used. The T5 parametrization with comparatively low value of the incompressibility of infinite nuclear matter ($K_{\infty}$ = 202 MeV) gives theoretical results in good agreement with the experimental data including the resonance widths.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures; the figures have been modified: experimental data are shown in Fig.

Shape Coexistence and the Effective Nucleon-Nucleon Interaction

The phenomenon of shape coexistence is discussed within the self-consistent Hartree-Fock method and the nuclear shell model. The occurrence of the coexisting configurations with different intrinsic shapes is traced back to the properties of the effective Hamiltonian.Comment: 40 pages (16 text, 24 figures). The file may also be retrieved at http://csep2.phy.ornl.gov/theory_group/people/dean/shape_coex/shapes.htm

Evidence for bystander signalling between human trophoblast cells and human embryonic stem cells

Maternal exposure during pregnancy to toxins can occasionally lead to miscarriage and malformation. It is currently thought that toxins pass through the placental barrier, albeit bilayered in the first trimester, and damage the fetus directly, albeit at low concentration. Here we examined the responses of human embryonic stem (hES) cells in tissue culture to two metals at low concentration. We compared direct exposures with indirect exposures across a bi-layered model of the placenta cell barrier. Direct exposure caused increased DNA damage without apoptosis or a loss of cell number but with some evidence of altered differentiation. Indirect exposure caused increased DNA damage and apoptosis but without loss of pluripotency. This was not caused by metal ions passing through the barrier. Instead the hES cells responded to signalling molecules (including TNF-α) secreted by the barrier cells. This mechanism was dependent on connexin 43 mediated intercellular ‘bystander signalling’ both within and between the trophoblast barrier and the hES colonies. These results highlight key differences between direct and indirect exposure of hES cells across a trophoblast barrier to metal toxins. It offers a theoretical possibility that an indirectly mediated toxicity of hES cells might have biological relevance to fetal development

FGF4 Independent Derivation of Trophoblast Stem Cells from the Common Vole

The derivation of stable multipotent trophoblast stem (TS) cell lines from preimplantation, and early postimplantation mouse embryos has been reported previously. FGF4, and its receptor FGFR2, have been identified as embryonic signaling factors responsible for the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of multipotent TS cells. Here we report the derivation of stable TS-like cell lines from the vole M. rossiaemeridionalis, in the absence of FGF4 and heparin. Vole TS-like cells are similar to murine TS cells with respect to their morphology, transcription factor gene expression and differentiation in vitro into derivatives of the trophectoderm lineage, and with respect to their ability to invade and erode host tissues, forming haemorrhagic tumours after subcutaneous injection into nude mice. Moreover, vole TS-like cells carry an inactive paternal X chromosome, indicating that they have undergone imprinted X inactivation, which is characteristic of the trophoblast lineage. Our results indicate that an alternative signaling pathway may be responsible for the establishment and stable proliferation of vole TS-like cells