Numerical study of axisymmetric vortex breakdowns

Axisymmetric flow of rotating stream analyzed to determine conditions allowing isolated vortex breakdown to develo

Pygmy dipole strength close to particle-separation energies - the case of the Mo isotopes

The distribution of electromagnetic dipole strength in 92, 98, 100 Mo has been investigated by photon scattering using bremsstrahlung from the new ELBE facility. The experimental data for well separated nuclear resonances indicate a transition from a regular to a chaotic behaviour above 4 MeV of excitation energy. As the strength distributions follow a Porter-Thomas distribution much of the dipole strength is found in weak and in unresolved resonances appearing as fluctuating cross section. An analysis of this quasi-continuum - here applied to nuclear resonance fluorescence in a novel way - delivers dipole strength functions, which are combining smoothly to those obtained from (g,n)-data. Enhancements at 6.5 MeV and at ~9 MeV are linked to the pygmy dipole resonances postulated to occur in heavy nuclei.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, proceedings Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics II, May 16-20, Debrecen, Hungary. The original publication is available at www.eurphysj.or

Level densities and γ\gamma-strength functions in 148,149^{148,149}Sm

The level densities and $\gamma$-strength functions of the weakly deformed $^{148}$Sm and $^{149}$Sm nuclei have been extracted. The temperature versus excitation energy curve, derived within the framework of the micro canonical ensemble, shows structures, which we associate with the break up of Cooper pairs. The nuclear heat capacity is deduced within the framework of both the micro canonical and the canonical ensemble. We observe negative heat capacity in the micro canonical ensemble whereas the canonical heat capacity exhibits an S-shape as function of temperature, both signals of a phase transition. The structures in the $\gamma$-strength functions are discussed in terms of the pygmy resonance and the scissors mode built on exited states. The samarium results are compared with data for the well deformed $^{161,162}$Dy, $^{166,167}$Er and $^{171,172}$Yb isotopes and with data from (n,$\gamma$)-experiments and giant dipole resonance studies.Comment: 12 figure

Photon strength distributions in stable even-even molybdenum isotopes

Electromagnetic dipole-strength distributions up to the particle separation energies are studied for the stable even-even nuclides $^{92,94,96,98,100}$Mo in photon scattering experiments at the superconducting electron accelerator ELBE of the Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. The influence of inelastic transitions to low-lying excited states has been corrected by a simulation of $\gamma$ cascades using a statistical model. After corrections for branching ratios of ground-state transitions, the photon-scattering cross-sections smoothly connect to data obtained from $(\gamma,n)$-reactions. With the newly determined electromagnetic dipole response of nuclei well below the particle separation energies the parametrisation of the isovector giant-dipole resonance is done with improved precision.Comment: Proceedings Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics 3, March 2007, Dresden Journal of Physics G, IOP Publishin

Low-lying dipole response in the Relativistic Quasiparticle Time Blocking Approximation and its influence on neutron capture cross sections

We have computed dipole strength distributions for nickel and tin isotopes within the Relativistic Quasiparticle Time Blocking approximation (RQTBA). These calculations provide a good description of data, including the neutron-rich tin isotopes $^{130,132}$Sn. The resulting dipole strengths have been implemented in Hauser-Feshbach calculations of astrophysical neutron capture rates relevant for r-process nucleosynthesis studies. The RQTBA calculations show the presence of enhanced dipole strength at energies around the neutron threshold for neutron rich nuclei. The computed neutron capture rates are sensitive to the fine structure of the low lying dipole strength, which emphasizes the importance of a reliable knowledge of this excitation mode.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, Accepted in Nucl. Phys.

Baryon Charge Radii and Quadrupole Moments in the 1/N_c Expansion: The 3-Flavor Case

We develop a straightforward method to compute charge radii and quadrupole moments for baryons both with and without strangeness, when the number of QCD color charges is N_c. The minimal assumption of the single-photon exchange ansatz implies that only two operators are required to describe these baryon observables. Our results are presented so that SU(3) flavor and isospin symmetry breaking can be introduced according to any desired specification, although we also present results obtained from two patterns suggested by the quark model with gluon exchange interactions. The method also permits to extract a number of model-independent relations; a sample is r^2_Lambda / r_n^2 = 3/(N_c+3), independent of SU(3) symmetry breaking.Comment: 30 pages, no figures, REVTeX

Constraints on new interactions from neutron scattering experiments

Constraints for the constants of hypothetical Yukawa-type corrections to the Newtonian gravitational potential are obtained from analysis of neutron scattering experiments. Restrictions are obtained for the interaction range between 10^{-12} and 10^{-7} cm, where Casimir force experiments and atomic force microscopy are not sensitive. Experimental limits are obtained also for non-electromagnetic inverse power law neutron-nucleus potential. Some possibilities are discussed to strengthen these constraints.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure

Combined intervention with pioglitazone and n-3 fatty acids in metformin-treated type 2 diabetic patients: improvement of lipid metabolism

Background: The marine n-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) exert numerous beneficial effects on health, but their potency to improve treatment of type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients remains poorly characterized. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a combination intervention using EPA?+?DHA and the insulin-sensitizing drug pioglitazone in overweight/obese T2D patients already treated with metformin.Methods: In a parallel-group, four-arm, randomized trial, 69 patients (66 % men) were assigned to 24-week-intervention using: (i) corn oil (5 g/day; Placebo), (ii) pioglitazone (15 mg/day; Pio), (iii) EPA?+?DHA concentrate (5 g/day, containing ~2.8 g EPA?+?DHA; Omega-3), or (iv) pioglitazone and EPA?+?DHA concentrate (Pio&amp; Omega-3). Data from 60 patients were used for the final evaluation. At baseline and after intervention, various metabolic markers, adiponectin and cytokines were evaluated in serum using standard procedures, EPA?+?DHA content in serum phospholipids was evaluated using shotgun lipidomics and mass spectrometry, and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and meal test were also performed. Indirect calorimetry was conducted after the intervention. Primary endpoints were changes from baseline in insulin sensitivity evaluated using hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and in serum triacylglycerol concentrations in fasting state. Secondary endpoints included changes in fasting glycemia and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), changes in postprandial glucose, free fatty acid and triacylglycerol concentrations, metabolic flexibility assessed by indirect calorimetry, and inflammatory markers.Results: Omega-3 and Pio&amp; Omega-3 increased EPA?+?DHA content in serum phospholipids. Pio and Pio&amp; Omega-3 increased body weight and adiponectin levels. Both fasting glycemia and HbA1c were increased by Omega-3, but were unchanged by Pio&amp; Omega-3. Insulin sensitivity was not affected by Omega-3, while it was improved by Pio&amp; Omega-3. Fasting triacylglycerol concentrations and inflammatory markers were not significantly affected by any of the interventions. Lipid metabolism in the meal test and metabolic flexibility were additively improved by Pio&amp; Omega-3.Conclusion: Besides preventing a modest negative effect of n-3 fatty acids on glycemic control, the combination of pioglitazone and EPA?+?DHA can be used to improve lipid metabolism in T2D patients on stable metformin therapy.Trial registration: EudraCT number 2009-011106-42.<br/

Location of Mn sites in GaMnAs thin films studied by means of X-ray diffuse scattering

n/

Level density and thermal properties in rare earth nuclei

A convergent method to extract the nuclear level density and the gamma-ray strength function from primary gamma-ray spectra has been established. Thermodynamical quantities have been obtained within the microcanonical and canonical ensemble theory. Structures in the caloric curve and in the heat capacity curve are interpreted as fingerprints of breaking of Cooper pairs and quenching of pairing correlations. The strength function can be described using models and common parameterizations for the E1, M1 and pygmy resonance strength. However, a significant decrease of the pygmy resonance strength at finite temperatures has been observed.Comment: 15 pages including 8 figures. Proceedings article for the conference Nuclear Structure and Related Topics, Dubna, Russia, June 6-10, 200