201 research outputs found
Mixtures of planetary ices at extreme conditions.
The interiors of Neptune and Uranus are believed to be primarily composed of a fluid mixture of methane and water. The mixture is subjected to pressures up to several hundred gigapascal, causing the ionization of water. Laboratory and simulation studies so far have focused on the properties of the individual components. Here we show, using first-principle molecular dynamic simulations, that the properties of the mixed fluid are qualitatively different with respect to those of its components at the same conditions. We observe a pressure-induced softening of the methane-water intermolecular repulsion that points to an enhancement of mixing under extreme conditions. Ionized water causes the progressive ionization of methane and the mixture becomes electronically conductive at milder conditions than pure water, indicating that the planetary magnetic field of Uranus and Neptune may originate at shallower depths than currently assumed
Effect of geometric and electronic structures on the finite temperature behavior of Na, Na, and Na clusters
An analysis of the evolutionary trends in the ground state geometries of
Na to Na reveals Na, an electronic closed--shell system,
shows namely an electronically driven spherical shape leading to a disordered
but compact structure. This structural change induces a strong {\it
connectivity} of short bonds among the surface atoms as well as between core
and surface atoms with inhomogeneous strength in the ground state geometry,
which affects its finite--temperature behavior. By employing {\it ab initio}
density--functional molecular dynamics, we show that this leads to two distinct
features in specific heat curve compared to that of Na: (1) The peak is
shifted by about 100 K higher in temperature. (2) The transition region becomes
much broader than Na. The inhomogeneous distribution of bond strengths
results in a broad melting transition and the strongly connected network of
short bonds leads to the highest melting temperature of 375 K reported among
the sodium clusters. Na, which has one electron less than Na,
also possesses stronger short--bond network compared with Na, resulting
in higher melting temperature (350 K) than observed in Na. Thus, we
conclude that when a cluster has nearly closed shell structure not only
geometrically but also electronically, it show a high melting temperature. Our
calculations clearly bring out the size--sensitive nature of the specific heat
curve in sodium clusters.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure
First principles investigation of finite-temperature behavior in small sodium clusters
A systematic and detailed investigation of the finite-temperature behavior of
small sodium clusters, Na_n, in the size range of n= 8 to 50 are carried out.
The simulations are performed using density-functional molecular-dynamics with
ultrasoft pseudopotentials. A number of thermodynamic indicators such as
specific heat, caloric curve, root-mean-square bond length fluctuation,
deviation energy, etc. are calculated for each of the clusters. Size dependence
of these indicators reveals several interesting features. The smallest clusters
with n= 8 and 10, do not show any signature of melting transition. With the
increase in size, broad peak in the specific heat is developed, which
alternately for larger clusters evolves into a sharper one, indicating a
solidlike to liquidlike transition. The melting temperatures show irregular
pattern similar to experimentally observed one for larger clusters [ M. Schmidt
et al., Nature (London) 393, 238 (1998) ]. The present calculations also reveal
a remarkable size-sensitive effect in the size range of n= 40 to 55. While
Na_40 and Na_55 show well developed peaks in the specific heat curve, Na_50
cluster exhibits a rather broad peak, indicating a poorly-defined melting
transition. Such a feature has been experimentally observed for gallium and
aluminum clusters [ G. A. Breaux et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 126, 8628 (2004); G.
A.Breaux et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 173401 (2005) ].Comment: 8 pages, 11 figure
Electronic structures, equilibrium geometries, and finite-temperature properties of Na<SUB>n</SUB> (n=39-55) from first principles
Density-functional theory has been applied to investigate systematics of sodium clusters Nan in the size range of n=39-55. A clear evolutionary trend in the growth of their ground-state geometries emerges. The clusters at the beginning of the series (n=39-43) are symmetric and have partial icosahedral (two-shell) structure. The growth then goes through a series of disordered clusters (n=44-52) where the icosahedral core is lost. However, for n≥53, a three-shell icosahedral structure emerges. This change in the nature of the geometry is abrupt. In addition, density-functional molecular dynamics has been used to calculate the specific heat curves for the representative sizes n=43, 45, 48, and 52. These results along with already available thermodynamic calculations for n=40, 50, and 55 enable us to carry out a detailed analysis of the heat capacity curves and their relationship with respective geometries for the entire series. Our results clearly bring out strong correlation between the evolution of the geometries and the nature of the shape of the heat capacities. The results also firmly establish the size-sensitive nature of the heat capacities in sodium clusters
Geometric, electronic properties and the thermodynamics of pure and Al--doped Li clusters
The first--principles density functional molecular dynamics simulations have
been carried out to investigate the geometric, the electronic, and the finite
temperature properties of pure Li clusters (Li, Li) and Al--doped
Li clusters (LiAl, LiAl). We find that addition of two Al
impurities in Li results in a substantial structural change, while the
addition of one Al impurity causes a rearrangement of atoms. Introduction of
Al--impurities in Li establishes a polar bond between Li and nearby Al
atom(s), leading to a multicentered bonding, which weakens the Li--Li metallic
bonds in the system. These weakened Li--Li bonds lead to a premelting feature
to occur at lower temperatures in Al--doped clusters. In LiAl, Al
atoms also form a weak covalent bond, resulting into their dimer like behavior.
This causes Al atoms not to `melt' till 800 K, in contrast to the Li atoms
which show a complete diffusive behavior above 400 K. Thus, although one Al
impurity in Li cluster does not change its melting characteristics
significantly, two impurities results in `surface melting' of Li atoms whose
motions are confined around Al dimer.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Evidence for nitrogen gas surface doping of the BiSe topological insulator
Using scanning tunneling spectroscopy we have studied the effects of nitrogen
gas exposure on the bismuth selenide density of states. We observe a shift in
the Dirac point which is qualitatively consistent with theoretical modeling of
nitrogen binding to selenium vacancies. In carefully controlled measurements,
BiSe crystals were initially cleaved in a helium gas environment and
then exposed to a 22 SCFH flow of ultra-high purity N gas. We observe a
resulting change in the spectral curves, with the exposure effect saturating
after approximately 50 minutes, ultimately bringing the Dirac point about 50
meV closer to the Fermi level. These results are compared to density functional
theoretical calculations, which support a picture of molecules
physisorbing near Se vacancies and dissociating into individual N atoms which
then bind strongly to Se vacancies. In this interpretation, the binding of the
N atom to a Se vacancy site removes the surface defect state created by the
vacancy and changes the position of the Fermi energy with respect to the Dirac
point.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure
Vardenafil Enhances Oxytocin Expression in the Paraventricular Nucleus without Sexual Stimulation
PurposeOxytocin is associated with the ability to form normal social attachments. c-Fos is an immediate early gene whose expression is used as a marker for stimulus-induced changes in neurons. The effect of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors on oxytocin activation in the brain without sexual stimuli has not yet been reported. In the present study, we investigated the effects of vardenafil on oxytocin and c-Fos expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of conscious rats.MethodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 300±10 g were divided into 6 groups (n=5 in each group): the control group, the 1-day-0.5 mg/kg, the 1-day-1 mg/kg, the 1-day-2 mg/kg, the 3-day-1 mg/kg, and the 7-day-1 mg/kg vardenafil administration group. The experiment was conducted without sexual stimulation. Vardenafil was orally administered. The animals in the control group received an equivalent amount of distilled water orally. The expression of oxytocin and c-Fos in the PVN was detected by immunohistochemistry.ResultsOxytocin expression in the PVN was increased by 1 day administration of 2 mg/kg vardenafil, and this effect of vardenafil appeared in a duration-dependent manner. c-Fos in the oxytocin neurons of the PVN was increased by 1 day administration of 2 mg/kg vardenafil, and this effect of vardenafil also appeared in a duration-dependent manner. These results showed that vardenafil augments the expression of oxytocin with activation of oxytocin neurons in the PVN.ConclusionsIn this study, we showed that the PDE-5 inhibitor, vardenafil directly enhances oxytocin expression and also activates oxytocin neurons in the PVN, which indicates that vardenafil may exert positive effects on affiliation behavior and social interaction
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