Structure properties of even-even actinides

Structure properties of fifty five even-even actinides have been calculated using the Gogny D1S force and the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach as well as the configuration mixing method. Theoretical results are compared with experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, proceeding of FUSION0

Structure of even-even nuclei using a mapped collective Hamiltonian and the D1S Gogny interaction

A systematic study of low energy nuclear structure at normal deformation is carried out using the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory extended by the Generator Coordinate Method and mapped onto a 5-dimensional collective quadrupole Hamiltonian. Results obtained with the Gogny D1S interaction are presented from dripline to dripline for even-even nuclei with proton numbers Z=10 to Z=110 and neutron numbers N less than 200. The properties calculated for the ground states are their charge radii, 2-particle separation energies, correlation energies, and the intrinsic quadrupole shape parameters. For the excited spectroscopy, the observables calculated are the excitation energies and quadrupole as well as monopole transition matrix elements. We examine in this work the yrast levels up to J=6, the lowest excited 0^+ states, and the two next yrare 2^+ states. The theory is applicable to more than 90% of the nuclei which have tabulated measurements. The data set of the calculated properties of 1712 even-even nuclei, including spectroscopic properties for 1693 of them, are provided in CEA website and EPAPS repository with this article \cite{epaps}.Comment: 51 pages with 26 Figures and 4 internal tables; this version is accepted by Physical Review

effect of continuous heat exposure on sleep during partial sleep deprivation

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Secular dynamics of a planar model of the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus system; effective stability into the light of Kolmogorov and Nekhoroshev theories

We investigate the long-time stability of the Sun-Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus system by considering a planar secular model, that can be regarded as a major refinement of the approach first introduced by Lagrange. Indeed, concerning the planetary orbital revolutions, we improve the classical circular approximation by replacing it with a solution that is invariant up to order two in the masses; therefore, we investigate the stability of the secular system for rather small values of the eccentricities. First, we explicitly construct a Kolmogorov normal form, so as to find an invariant KAM torus which approximates very well the secular orbits. Finally, we adapt the approach that is at basis of the analytic part of the Nekhoroshev's theorem, so as to show that there is a neighborhood of that torus for which the estimated stability time is larger than the lifetime of the Solar System. The size of such a neighborhood, compared with the uncertainties of the astronomical observations, is about ten times smaller.Comment: 31 pages, 2 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1010.260

The enrichment of an alkaliphilic biofilm consortia capable of the anaerobic degradation of isosaccharinic acid from cellulosic materials incubated within an anthropogenic, hyperalkaline environment.

Anthropogenic hyper-alkaline sites provide an environment that is analogous to proposed cementitious geological disposal facilities (GDF) for radioactive waste. Under anoxic, alkaline conditions cellulosic wastes will hydrolyse to a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP) dominated by isosaccharinic acids (ISA). In order to investigate the potential for microbial activity in a cementitious GDF, cellulose samples were incubated in the alkaline (∼pH 12), anaerobic zone of a lime kiln waste site. Following retrieval, these samples had undergone partial alkaline hydrolysis and were colonised by a Clostridia dominated biofilm community, where hydrogenotrophic, alkaliphilic methanogens were also present. When these samples were used to establish an alkaline CDP fed microcosm, the community shifted away from Clostridia, methanogens became undetectable and a flocculate community dominated by Alishewanella sp. established. These flocs were composed of bacteria embedded in polysaccharides and protein stabilised by extracellular DNA. This community was able to degrade all forms of ISA with >60% of the carbon flow being channelled into extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production. This study demonstrated that alkaliphilic microbial communities can degrade the CDP associated with some radioactive waste disposal concepts at pH 11. These communities divert significant amounts of degradable carbon to EPS formation, suggesting that EPS has a central role in the protection of these communities from hyper-alkaline conditions

UC Updatable Databases and Applications

We define an ideal functionality \Functionality_{\UD} and a construction \mathrm{\Pi_{\UD}} for an updatable database (\UD). \UD is a two-party protocol between an updater and a reader. The updater sets the database and updates it at any time throughout the protocol execution. The reader computes zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs of knowledge of database entries. These proofs prove that a value is stored at a certain position in the database, without revealing the position or the value. (Non-)updatable databases are implicitly used as building block in priced oblivious transfer, privacy-preserving billing and other privacy-preserving protocols. Typically, in those protocols the updater signs each database entry, and the reader proves knowledge of a signature on a database entry. Updating the database requires a revocation mechanism to revoke signatures on outdated database entries. Our construction \mathrm{\Pi_{\UD}} uses a non-hiding vector commitment (NHVC) scheme. The updater maps the database to a vector and commits to the database. This commitment can be updated efficiently at any time without needing a revocation mechanism. ZK proofs for reading a database entry have communication and amortized computation cost independent of the database size. Therefore, \mathrm{\Pi_{\UD}} is suitable for large databases. We implement \mathrm{\Pi_{\UD}} and our timings show that it is practical. In existing privacy-preserving protocols, a ZK proof of a database entry is intertwined with other tasks, e.g., proving further statements about the value read from the database or the position where it is stored. \Functionality_{\UD} allows us to improve modularity in protocol design by separating those tasks. We show how to use \Functionality_{\UD} as building block of a hybrid protocol along with other functionalities

Dementia and guardianship: challenges in social work practice in a health care setting

This thesis critically examines social work practice in complex and disputed situations where an alternative legal decision-maker is perceived as necessary for a person with dementia. Australia has unique adult guardianship legislation and social workers are actively engaged in the process in a variety of ways, such as weighing the benefits against the possible harm and lodging applications. Yet within the profession this is an area where there is very little research. The purpose of this study is therefore to enable social workers to better understand the dynamics involved in adult guardianship proceedings for a person with dementia and provide knowledge that can be used for more effective practice. The theoretical approach is to use perspectives from social constructionism, with the links which can be made to modernism and postmodernism being taken into account. Five research case studies were investigated drawing from the caseload of social workers in an aged care service at a large metropolitan hospital in Australia. A thematic network analysis of the findings showed that the research case studies are constantly evolving, where different players participate by bringing their own perspectives, and in this process alliances are formed which reflect underlying dynamics of power. There are many diverse and contested issues, such as varied understandings of dementia and capacity and differing constructions of the notions of risk, protection and responsibility. The implications for social work practice are that in a contemporary health and welfare context social work is well placed to make an important contribution through its traditional roles of negotiation, interpretation and mediation between those who have discursive rights and those who do not

Systematics of collective correlation energies from self-consistent mean-field calculations

The collective ground-state correlations stemming from low-lying quadrupole excitations are computed microscopically. To that end, the self-consistent mean-field model is employed on the basis of the Skyrme-Hartre-Fock (SHF) functional augmented by BCS pairing. The microscopic-macroscopic mapping is achieved by quadrupole-constrained mean-field calculations which are processed further in the generator-coordinate method (GCM) at the level of the Gaussian overlap approximation (GOA). We study the correlation effects on energy, charge radii, and surface thickness for a great variety of semi-magic nuclei. A key issue is to work out the influence of variations of the SHF functional. We find that collective ground-state correlations (GSC) are robust under change of nuclear bulk properties (e.g., effective mass, symmetry energy) or of spin-orbit coupling. Some dependence on the pairing strength is observed. This, however, does not change the general conclusion that collective GSC obey a general pattern and that their magnitudes are rather independent of the actual SHF parameters.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure