718 research outputs found
Empirical description of beta-delayed fission partial half-lives
Background: The process of beta-delayed fission (bDF) provides a versatile
tool to study low-energy fission in nuclei far away from the beta-stability
line, especially for nuclei which do not fission spontaneously. Purpose: The
aim of this paper is to investigate systematic trends in bDF partial
half-lives. Method: A semi-phenomenological framework was developed to
systematically account for the behavior of bDF partial half-lives. Results: The
bDF partial half-life appears to exponentially depend on the difference between
the Q value for beta decay of the parent nucleus and the fission-barrier energy
of the daughter (after beta decay) product. Such dependence was found to arise
naturally from some simple theoretical considerations. Conclusions: This
systematic trend was confirmed for experimental bDF partial half-lives spanning
over 7 orders of magnitudes when using fission barriers calculated from either
the Thomas-Fermi or the liquid-drop fission model. The same dependence was also
observed, although less pronounced, when comparing to fission barriers from the
finite-range liquid-drop model or the Thomas-Fermi plus Strutinsky Integral
method.Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
The hydrogenation of metals upon interaction with water
Hydrogen evolution at 600 deg and 5 x 10 to the 7th power - 10 to the 6th power torr from AVOOO Al samples, which were pickled in 10 percent NaOH, is discussed. An H evolution kinetic equation is derived for samples of equal vol. and different surfaces (5 and 20 sq cm). The values of the H evolution coefficient K indicated an agreement with considered H diffusion mechanism through an oxide layer. The activation energy for the H evolution process, obtained from the K-temp. relation, was 13,000 2000 cal/g-atom
The detection of patients at risk of gastrointestinal toxicity during pelvic radiotherapy by electronic nose and FAIMS : a pilot study
It is well known that the electronic nose can be used to identify differences between human health and disease for a range of disorders. We present a pilot study to investigate if the electronic nose and a newer technology, FAIMS (Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry), can be used to identify and help inform the treatment pathway for patients receiving pelvic radiotherapy, which frequently causes gastrointestinal side-effects, severe in some. From a larger group, 23 radiotherapy patients were selected where half had the highest levels of toxicity and the others the lowest. Stool samples were obtained before and four weeks after radiotherapy and the volatiles and gases emitted analysed by both methods; these chemicals are products of fermentation caused by gut microflora. Principal component analysis of the electronic nose data and wavelet transform followed by Fisher discriminant analysis of FAIMS data indicated that it was possible to separate patients after treatment by their toxicity levels. More interestingly, differences were also identified in their pre-treatment samples. We believe these patterns arise from differences in gut microflora where some combinations of bacteria result to give this olfactory signature. In the future our approach may result in a technique that will help identify patients at “high risk” even before radiation treatment is started
Structural evolution in Pt isotopes with the Interacting Boson Model Hamiltonian derived from the Gogny Energy Density Functional
Spectroscopic calculations are carried out, for the description of the
shape/phase transition in Pt nuclei in terms of the Interacting Boson Model
(IBM) Hamiltonian derived from (constrained) Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB)
calculations with the finite range and density dependent Gogny-D1S Energy
Density Functional. Assuming that the many-nucleon driven dynamics of nuclear
surface deformation can be simulated by effective bosonic degrees of freedom,
the Gogny-D1S potential energy surface (PES) with quadrupole degrees of freedom
is mapped onto the corresponding PES of the IBM. Using this mapping procedure,
the parameters of the IBM Hamiltonian, relevant to the low-lying quadrupole
collective states, are derived as functions of the number of valence nucleons.
Merits of both Gogny-HFB and IBM approaches are utilized so that the spectra
and the wave functions in the laboratory system are calculated precisely. The
experimental low-lying spectra of both ground-state and side-band levels are
well reproduced. From the systematics of the calculated spectra and the reduced
E2 transition probabilities (E2), the prolate-to-oblate shape/phase
transition is shown to take place quite smoothly as a function of neutron
number in the considered Pt isotopic chain, for which the -softness
plays an essential role. All these spectroscopic observables behave
consistently with the relevant PESs and the derived parameters of the IBM
Hamiltonian as functions of . Spectroscopic predictions are also made for
those nuclei which do not have enough experimental E2 data.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Energy-resolved electron-spin dynamics at surfaces of p-doped GaAs
Electron-spin relaxation at different surfaces of p-doped GaAs is
investigated by means of spin, time and energy resolved 2-photon photoemission.
These results are contrasted with bulk results obtained by time-resolved
Faraday rotation measurements as well as calculations of the Bir-Aronov-Pikus
spin-flip mechanism. Due to the reduced hole density in the band bending region
at the (100) surface the spin-relaxation time increases over two orders of
magnitude towards lower energies. At the flat-band (011) surface a constant
spin relaxation time in agreement with our measurements and calculations for
bulk GaAs is obtained.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Shape of primary proton spectrum in multi-TeV region from data on vertical muon flux
It is shown, that primary proton spectrum, reconstructed from sea-level and
underground data on muon spectrum with the use of QGSJET 01, QGSJET II, NEXUS
3.97 and SIBYLL 2.1 interaction models, demonstrates not only model-dependent
intensity, but also model-dependent form. For correct reproduction of muon
spectrum shape primary proton flux should have non-constant power index for all
considered models, except SIBYLL 2.1, with break at energies around 10-15 TeV
and value of exponent before break close to that obtained in ATIC-2 experiment.
To validate presence of this break understanding of inclusive spectra behavior
in fragmentation region in p-air collisions should be improved, but we show,
that it is impossible to do on the basis of the existing experimental data on
primary nuclei, atmospheric muon and hadron fluxes.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier protects from excitotoxic neuronal death.
Glutamate is the dominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, but under conditions of metabolic stress it can accumulate to excitotoxic levels. Although pharmacologic modulation of excitatory amino acid receptors is well studied, minimal consideration has been given to targeting mitochondrial glutamate metabolism to control neurotransmitter levels. Here we demonstrate that chemical inhibition of the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) protects primary cortical neurons from excitotoxic death. Reductions in mitochondrial pyruvate uptake do not compromise cellular energy metabolism, suggesting neuronal metabolic flexibility. Rather, MPC inhibition rewires mitochondrial substrate metabolism to preferentially increase reliance on glutamate to fuel energetics and anaplerosis. Mobilizing the neuronal glutamate pool for oxidation decreases the quantity of glutamate released upon depolarization and, in turn, limits the positive-feedback cascade of excitotoxic neuronal injury. The finding links mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism to glutamatergic neurotransmission and establishes the MPC as a therapeutic target to treat neurodegenerative diseases characterized by excitotoxicity
State of the Short Dipole Model Program for the LHC
Superconducting single and twin aperture 1-m long dipole magnets are currently being fabricated at CERN at a rate of about one per month in the framework of the short dipole model program for the LHC. The program allows to study performance improvements coming from refinements in design, components and assembly options and to accumulate statistics based on a small-scale production. The experience thus gained provides in turn feedback into the long magnet program in industry. In recent models initial quenching fields above 9 T have been obtained and after a short training the conductor limit at 2 K is reached, resulting in a central bore field exceeding 10 T. The paper describes the features of recent single aperture models, the results obtained during cold tests and the plans to ensure the continuation of a vigorous model program providing input for the fabrication of the main LHC dipoles
Present State of the Single and Twin Aperture Short Dipole Model Program for the LHC
The LHC model program for main dipoles is based on the design, fabrication and testing at CERN of a number of single and twin aperture 1m long magnets. So far, a number of single aperture models, each with specific characteristics, were tested at 2 K at a rate of about one per month. These magnets are the main tool used to check coil performance as a function of design and assembly options in view of optimizing and finalizing choices of components and procedures. Initial quenching field levels of 8.8 T were obtained and the short sample limit of the cable at 1.9 K was reached corresponding to a central bore field of 10 T. A few twin aperture dipole models were also built and tested, using the same structural components as for the long magnets which are now being built in industry. The paper discusses the main characteristics of the models built so far, the instrumentation developed to date and the experience obtained. Finally it describes the plans aimed at continuing a vigorous program to provide input to the long magnet program in industry
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