Treatment of competition between complete fusion and quasifission in collisions of heavy nuclei

A model of competition between complete fusion and quasifission channels in fusion of two massive nuclei is extended to include the influence of dissipative effects on the dynamics of nuclear fusion. By using the multidimensional Kramers-type stationary solution of the Fokker-Planck equation, the fusion rate through the inner fusion barrier in mass asymmetry is studied. Fusion probabilities in symmetric 90Zr+90Zr, 100Mo+100Mo, 110Pd+110Pd, 136Xe+136Xe, almost symmetric 86Kr+136Xe and 110Pd+136Xe reactions are calculated. An estimation of the fusion probabilities is given for asymmetrical 62Ni+208Pb, 70Zn+208Pb, 82Se+208Pb, and 48Ca+244Pu reactions used for the synthesis of new superheavy elements.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX, including 7 postscript figures, to appear in Nucl. Phys.

FELICS, a new ice core drilling system for high-altitude glaciers

A new solar powered portable system for ice core drilling was developed especially for work on very high altitude glaciers requiring an extremely light and easy to use system. FELICS (Fast Electromechanical Lightweight Ice Coring System), with a net weight of 228kg for the complete drilling system including power supply, represents a new design. The main features are the absence of an outer barrel and a tilting table, and the use of a one-piece cutting ring, which simplify utilisation of the device and make it very efficient. In addition, FELICS is designed to be installed inside a protective tent, effectively allowing a 24 hour working day. The new drilling system has been successfully employed in the European Alps and in the Andes (on Cerro Tapado, Chile at 5536m a. s. l., on Illimani, Bolivia at 6300m a. s. l. and on Chimborazo, Ecuador at 6250m a. s. l.) with a drilling performance of 136m in only 6 working days. In addition, a small version of FELICS for maximum depths of 18m was developed for exploratory studies

Effects of 3'deoxyadenosine and actinomycin D on RNA synthesis in toad bladder: analysis of response to aldosterone

Previous studies have shown that aldosterone increases transepithelial active Na+ transport after a latent period of about 60 min and incorporation of 3H-uridine into polyadenylated RNA (poly(A)(+)RNA) (putatively poly(A)(+)mRNA) as early as 30 min after aldosterone addition. To assess the physiological importance of this pathway, the effects of 3'deoxyadenosine and actinomycin D were compared in studies on the urinary bladder of the toad Bufo marinus. 3'deoxyadenosine (30 microgram/ml) only partially, though significantly, inhibited the aldosterone-dependent increase in Na+ transport measured as short-circuit current (scc). The incorporation of 3H-uridine into poly(A) (+)RNA was inhibited by 70 to 80%. In contrast, Actinomycin D (2 microgram/ml) totally inhibited the aldosterone-dependent increase in scc, and the incorporation of 3H-uridine into poly(A)(+)RNA by 68 to 75%. 3'deoxyadenosine or actinomycin D alone had no significant effects on baseline scc, while inhibiting poly(A)(+)RNA to the same extent. The differential effects of deoxyadenosine and actinomycin on aldosterone-dpendent Na+ transport may be related to their different sites of action on RNA synthesis: both drugs inhibited, to a similar extent, cytoplasmic poly(A)(+)mRNA: however, 3'deoxyadenosine, in contrast to Actinomycin D, failed to inhibit poly(A)(-)RNA, sedimenting between 4S and 18S (putatively poly(A)(-)mRNA). We conclude that the mineralocorticoid action of aldosterone during the first three hours depends on the synthesis of both poly(A)(+)mRNA and poly(A)(-)mRNA

Thyroid hormone antagonizes an aldosterone-induced protein: a candidate mediator for the late mineralocorticoid response

In the urinary bladder of the toad Bufo marinus, the basal rate of synthesis of a number of proteins was modulated in a bidirectional way (i.e., induced or repressed) by aldosterone and by triiodothyronine (T3). Each hormone was therefore characterized by a distinct domain of response. When both hormones were added simultaneously, the two domains consistently overlapped at least for one protein, termed AIP-1, or aldosterone-induced protein 1 (Mr approximately 65 kilodaltons, pi = 6.7, as analyzed by two-dimension gel electrophoresis). The physiological role of AIP-1 is unknown, but could be related to the late mineralocorticoid response. In five experiments, T3 (60 nM, 18-hr incubation) consistently repressed AIP-1, while aldosterone-dependent sodium transport (late response) was significantly inhibited, as previously described. The repression of AIP-1 was also observed as early as 6 hr after aldosterone addition. In addition, sodium butyrate (3 mM), which was previously shown to also selectively inhibit the late mineralocorticoid response, was also able to repress AIP-1. Our results suggest that AIP-1 is one of the proteins involved in the mediation of the late mineralocorticoid response

Accommodation coefficient of HOBr on deliquescent sodium bromide aerosol particles

International audienceUptake of HOBr on sea salt aerosol, sea salt brine or ice is believed to be a key process providing a source of photolabile bromine (Br2) and sustaining ozone depletion cycles in the arctic troposphere. In the present study, uptake of HOBr on sodium bromide (NaBr) aerosol particles was investigated at an extremely low HOBr concentration of 300 cm-3 using the short-lived radioactive isotopes 83-86Br. Under these conditions, at maximum one HOBr molecule was taken up per particle. The rate of uptake was clearly limited by the mass accommodation coefficient, which was calculated to be 0.6±0.2. This value is a factor of 10 larger than estimates used in earlier models. The atmospheric implications are discussed using the box model "MOCCA'', showing that the increase of the accommodation coefficient of HOBr by a factor of 10 only slightly affects net ozone loss, but significantly increases chlorine release

Thyroid hormone-aldosterone interaction on Na+ transport in toad bladder

Repeated administration of thyroxine (T4) in vivo (2 microgram/100 g body wt for 6 days) lowered by 2.3 times (P less than 0.025, df = 18) the basal rate of Na+ transport measured by the short-circuit current (SCC) in vitro in the urinary bladder of the toad (Bufo marinus). This difference was not accounted for by a change in the plasma aldosterone concentration. Moreover the response of the SCC to aldosterone in vitro was markedly inhibited in bladders from T4-treated animals (P less than 0.001, df = 18). These findings raised the possibility of a direct interaction between thyroid hormone and aldosterone in the target cell. The effects of L-triiodothyronine (T3) and aldosterone were examined in vitro. T3 alone (60 nM) had no significant effect on the base-line SCC (deltamuA = -14 +/- 11 (SE) muA per hemibladder; P greater than 0.3, n = 10). By contrast, T3 (60 nM) inhibited the response of the SCC to aldosterone from 6 to 8 h after its addition (deltamuA = -98 +/- 19 muA per hemibladder; P less than 0.001, n = 10). The inhibition by T3 was present at 6 nM (P less than 0.01, n = 10) and became not significant at 0.6 nM. T3 had no significant effect on base-line or aldosterone-stimulated H+ transport. Thyroid hormone might therefore regulate the late response of the SCC to aldosterone at the level of its target cell