Specific volumes of the Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10.0Be22.5 alloy in the liquid, glass, and crystalline states

The specific volumes of the Zr41.2Ti13.8CU12.5Ni10.0Be2.25 alloy as a function of temperature, T, are determined by employing an image digitizing technique and numerical calculation methods applied to the electrostatically levitated spherical alloy. The linear fitting of the volumes of the alloy in the liquid, V-l, glass, V-g, and crystalline V-c, states in the temperature ranges shown in parentheses are V-l(T) = 0.1583 + 8.877 x 10(-6)T(cm^(3)/g) (700-1300 K); V-g(T) = 0.1603 + 5.528 x 10^(-6)T (400-550 K); V-c(T) = 0.1583 + 6.211 x 10(-6)T(400-850 K). The average volume thermal expansion coefficients within the temperature ranges are determined to be 5.32, 3.39, and 3.83 x 10^(-5) (1/K) for the liquid, glass, and crystalline states, respectively

G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 regulates mitochondrial bioenergetics and impairs myostatin-mediated autophagy in muscle cells

G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is an important protein involved in β-adrenergic receptor desensitization. In addition, studies have shown GRK2 can modulate different metabolic processes in the cell. For instance, GRK2 has been recently shown to promote mitochondrial biogenesis and increase ATP production. However, the role of GRK2 in skeletal muscle and the signaling mechanisms that regulate GRK2 remain poorly understood. Myostatin is a well-known myokine that has been shown to impair mitochondria function. Here, we have assessed the role of myostatin in regulating GRK2 and the subsequent downstream effect of myostatin regulation of GRK2 on mitochondrial respiration in skeletal muscle. Myostatin treatment promoted the loss of GRK2 protein in myoblasts and myotubes in a time- and dose-dependent manner, which we suggest was through enhanced ubiquitin-mediated protein loss, as treatment with proteasome inhibitors partially rescued myostatin-mediated loss of GRK2 protein. To evaluate the effects of GRK2 on mitochondrial respiration, we generated stable myoblast lines that overexpress GRK2. Stable overexpression of GRK2 resulted in increased mitochondrial content and enhanced mitochondrial/oxidative respiration. Interestingly, although overexpression of GRK2 was unable to prevent myostatin-mediated impairment of mitochondrial respiratory function, elevated levels of GRK2 blocked the increased autophagic flux observed following treatment with myostatin. Overall, our data suggest a novel role for GRK2 in regulating mitochondria mass and mitochondrial respiration in skeletal muscle

Microscopic description of Gamow-Teller transitions in middle pf--shell nuclei by a realistic shell model calculation

GT transitions in $N=28\sim 30$ nuclei are studied in terms of a large-scale realistic shell-model calculation, by using Towner's microscopic parameters. $B({\rm GT})$ values to low-lying final states are reproduced with a reasonable accuracy. Several gross properties with respect to the GT transitions are investigated with this set of the wavefunctions and the operator. While the calculated total GT$^-$ strengths show no apparent disagreement with the measured ones, the calculated total GT$^+$ strengths are somewhat larger than those obtained from charge-exchange experiments. Concerning the Ikeda sum-rule, the proportionality of $S_{\rm GT}$ to $(N-Z)$ persists to an excellent approximation, with a quenching factor of 0.68. For the relative GT$^-$ strengths among possible isospin components, the lowest isospin component gathers greater fraction than expected by the squared CG coefficients of the isospin coupling. It turns out that these relative strengths are insensitive to the size of model space. Systematics of the summed $B({\rm GT})$ values are discussed for each isospin component.Comment: IOP-LaTeX 23 pages, to appear in J. Phys. G., 5 Postscript figures available upon reques

Extending acoustic in‐line pipe rheometry and friction factor modelling to low‐Reynolds‐number, non‐Newtonian slurries

The rheology of non‐Newtonian slurries are measured in a recirculating pipe loop using an acoustic velocimetry‐pressure drop technique at very low flow rates and variable solids loadings. The technique avoids (a) settling at low solids concentration, a shortcoming of bench rheometry, by using a vertical test section, and (b) physical sampling, providing greater safety. Speed of sound in the suspensions is also modelled. In‐line and off‐line data are used to assess the suitability of several non‐Newtonian models to describe observed flow behaviour. Measured and predicted values of the friction factor are compared, with the Madlener et al. (2009) Herschel‐Bulkley Extended model found to be superior. The dependence of yield stress and viscosity on solids loading and particle size is investigated, showing complexities from aggregation on the particle size distribution require more interpretation than the choice of rheological or friction‐factor model

Composite Polarons in Ferromagnetic Narrow-band Metallic Manganese Oxides

A new mechanism is proposed to explain the colossal magnetoresistance and related phenomena. Moving electrons accompanied by Jahn-Teller phonon and spin-wave clouds may form composite polarons in ferromagnetic narrow-band manganites. The ground-state and finite-temperature properties of such composite polarons are studied in the present paper. By using a variational method, it is shown that the energy of the system at zero temperature decreases with the formation of composite polaron; the energy spectrum and effective mass of the composite polaron at finite temperature is found to be strongly renormalized by the temperature and the magnetic field. It is suggested that the composite polaron contribute significantly to the transport and the thermodynamic properties in ferromagnetic narrow-band metallic manganese oxides.Comment: Latex, no figur

First decay study of the very neutron-rich isotope Br-93

The decay of the mass-separated, very neutron-rich isotope Br-93 has been studied by gamma-spectroscopy. A level scheme of its daughter Kr-93 has been constructed. Level energies, gamma-ray branching ratios and multipolarities suggest spins and parities which are in accord with a smooth systematics of the N=57 isotones for Z less-equal 40, suggesting the N=56 shell closure still to be effective in Kr isotopes. So far, there is no indication of a progressive onset of deformation in neutron-rich Kr isotopes.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, Phys. Rev. C, in prin

Quadrupole and Hexadecapole Correlations in Rotating Nuclei Studied within the Single-j Shell Model

The influence of quadrupole and hexadecapole residual interactions on rotational bands is investigated in a single-j shell model. An exact shell-model diagonalization of quadrupole-plus-hexadecapole interaction can sometimes produce a staggering of energy levels in the yrast bands.Comment: 15 pages, 9 Postscript figures, REVTEX, to be published in PR

Application of the extended P+QQ force model to N≈ZN \approx Z fp shell nuclei

To study collective motion, the extended pairing plus $QQ$ force model proposed recently is applied to $A$=46, 48 and 50 nuclei in the $fp$ shell region. Exact shell model calculations in the truncated model space $(f_{7/2},p_{3/2},p_{1/2})$ prove the usefulness of the interaction. The simple model with the pairing plus quadrupole pairing plus $QQ$ force and $J$-independent isoscalar proton-neutron force reproduces unexpectedly well observed binding energies, energy levels of collective (yrast) states and reduced $E2$ transition probabilities in $^{46}$Ti, $^{46}$V, $^{48}$V, $^{48}$Cr, $^{50}$Cr and $^{50}$Mn. The correspondence between theory and experiment is almost comparable to that attained by the full $fp$ shell model calculations with realistic effective interactions. Some predictions are made for energy levels and variations of $B(E2)$ in the yrast bands, in these nuclei. Characteristics of the interaction are investigated by comparing with the realistic effective interactions.Comment: 34 pages including 14 figure