85 research outputs found
Spectroscopy of P using the one-proton knockout reaction
The structure of P was studied with a one-proton knockout reaction
at88~MeV/u from a S projectile beam at NSCL. The rays from
thedepopulation of excited states in P were detected with GRETINA,
whilethe P nuclei were identified event-by-event in the focal plane of
theS800 spectrograph. The level scheme of P was deduced up to 7.5 MeV
using coincidences. The observed levels were attributed to
protonremovals from the -shell and also from the deeply-bound
orbital.The orbital angular momentum of each state was derived from the
comparisonbetween experimental and calculated shapes of individual
(-gated)parallel momentum distributions. Despite the use of different
reactions andtheir associate models, spectroscopic factors, , derived
from theS knockout reaction agree with those obtained earlier
fromS(,\nuc{3}{He}) transfer, if a reduction factor , as
deducedfrom inclusive one-nucleon removal cross sections, is applied to the
knockout transitions.In addition to the expected proton-hole configurations,
other states were observedwith individual cross sections of the order of
0.5~mb. Based on their shiftedparallel momentum distributions, their decay
modes to negative parity states,their high excitation energy (around 4.7~MeV)
and the fact that they were notobserved in the (,\nuc{3}{He}) reaction, we
propose that they may resultfrom a two-step mechanism or a nucleon-exchange
reaction with subsequent neutronevaporation. Regardless of the mechanism, that
could not yet be clarified, thesestates likely correspond to neutron core
excitations in \nuc{35}{P}. Thisnewly-identified pathway, although weak, offers
the possibility to selectivelypopulate certain intruder configurations that are
otherwise hard to produceand identify.Comment: 5 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Development of the (d,n) proton-transfer reaction in inverse kinematics for structure studies
Transfer reactions have provided exciting opportunities to study the
structure of exotic nuclei and are often used to inform studies relating to
nucleosynthesis and applications. In order to benefit from these reactions and
their application to rare ion beams (RIBs) it is necessary to develop the tools
and techniques to perform and analyze the data from reactions performed in
inverse kinematics, that is with targets of light nuclei and heavier beams. We
are continuing to expand the transfer reaction toolbox in preparation for the
next generation of facilities, such as the Facility for Rare Ion Beams (FRIB),
which is scheduled for completion in 2022. An important step in this process is
to perform the (d,n) reaction in inverse kinematics, with analyses that include
Q-value spectra and differential cross sections. In this way, proton-transfer
reactions can be placed on the same level as the more commonly used
neutron-transfer reactions, such as (d,p), (9Be,8Be), and (13C,12C). Here we
present an overview of the techniques used in (d,p) and (d,n), and some recent
data from (d,n) reactions in inverse kinematics using stable beams of 12C and
16O.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, presented at the XXXV Mazurian Lakes Conference
on Physics, Piaski, Polan
Thrombin-induced CCN2 expression as a target for anti-fibrotic therapy in scleroderma
Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis, SSc) is a fibrotic disease for which there is no therapy. CCN2 (connective tissue growth factor, CTGF) is a marker and mediator of fibrosis. Previously, it has been shown that thrombin induces CCN2 expression in fibroblasts. In a recent fascinating report, Bogatkevich et al. (Arthritis Rheum 60:3455â3464, 2009) show that dabigatran, an inhibitor of thrombin action, blocks the overexpression of CCN2 by scleroderma fibroblasts and reverses the contractile phenotype of these cells. These results strongly suggest that dabigatran may be a potential antifibrotic drug for the treatment of fibrosing diseases such as scleroderma
New -ray Transitions Observed in Ne with Implications for the O(,)Ne Reaction Rate
The O(,)Ne reaction is responsible for breakout
from the hot CNO cycle in Type I x-ray bursts. Understanding the properties of
resonances between and 5 MeV in Ne is crucial in the
calculation of this reaction rate. The spins and parities of these states are
well known, with the exception of the 4.14- and 4.20-MeV states, which have
adopted spin-parities of 9/2 and 7/2, respectively. Gamma-ray
transitions from these states were studied using triton--
coincidences from the F(He,)Ne reaction measured
with GODDESS (Gammasphere ORRUBA Dual Detectors for Experimental Structure
Studies) at Argonne National Laboratory. The observed transitions from the
4.14- and 4.20-MeV states provide strong evidence that the values are
actually 7/2 and 9/2, respectively. These assignments are consistent
with the values in the F mirror nucleus and in contrast to previously
accepted assignments
Key Ne states identified affecting -ray emission from F in novae
Detection of nuclear-decay rays provides a sensitive thermometer of
nova nucleosynthesis. The most intense -ray flux is thought to be
annihilation radiation from the decay of F, which is destroyed
prior to decay by the F(,)O reaction. Estimates of
F production had been uncertain, however, because key near-threshold
levels in the compound nucleus, Ne, had yet to be identified. This
Letter reports the first measurement of the
F(He,)Ne reaction, in which the placement of two
long-sought 3/2 levels is suggested via triton--
coincidences. The precise determination of their resonance energies reduces the
upper limit of the rate by a factor of at nova temperatures and
reduces the average uncertainty on the nova detection probability by a factor
of 2.1.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Spectroscopy of Na: shell evolution toward the drip line
Excited states in Na have been studied using the -decay of
implanted Ne ions at GANIL/LISE as well as the in-beam -ray
spectroscopy at the NSCL/S800 facility. New states of positive
(J=3,4) and negative (J=1-5) parity are proposed. The
former arise from the coupling between 0d protons and a 0d
neutron, while the latter are due to couplings with 1p or 0f
neutrons. While the relative energies between the J=1-4 states are
well reproduced with the USDA interaction in the N=17 isotones, a progressive
shift in the ground state binding energy (by about 500 keV) is observed between
F and Al. This points to a possible change in the proton-neutron
0d-0d effective interaction when moving from stability to the
drip line. The presence of J=1-4 negative parity states around 1.5
MeV as well as of a candidate for a J=5 state around 2.5 MeV give
further support to the collapse of the N=20 gap and to the inversion between
the 0f and 1p levels below Z=12. These features are discussed
in the framework of Shell Model and EDF calculations, leading to predicted
negative parity states in the low energy spectra of the F and O
nuclei.Comment: Exp\'erience GANIL/LISE et NSCL/S80
Search for Superscreening effect in Superconductor
4 pages, 3 figures, Expérience au GANIL avec SPIRAL/EXOGAMThe decay of O() and Ne() implanted in niobium in its superconducting and metallic phase was measured using purified radioactive beams produced by the SPIRAL/GANIL facility. Half-lives and branching ratios measured in the two phases are consistent within one-sigma error bar. This measurement casts strong doubts on the predicted strong electron screening in superconductor, the so-called superscreening. The measured difference in screening potential energy is 110(90) eV for Ne and 400(320) eV for O. Precise determinations of the half-lives were obtained for O: 26.476(9)~s and Ne: 17.254(5)~s
Conformation and dynamics of human urotensin II and urotensin related peptide in aqueous solution
Conformation
and dynamics of the vasoconstrictive peptides human
urotensin II (UII) and urotensin related peptide (URP) have been investigated
by both unrestrained and enhanced-sampling molecular-dynamics (MD)
simulations and NMR spectroscopy. These peptides are natural ligands
of the G-protein coupled urotensin II receptor (UTR) and have been
linked to mammalian pathophysiology. UII and URP cannot be characterized
by a single structure but exist as an equilibrium of two main classes
of ring conformations, <i>open</i> and <i>folded</i>, with rapidly interchanging subtypes. The <i>open</i> states
are characterized by turns of various types centered at K<sup>8</sup>Y<sup>9</sup> or F<sup>6</sup>W<sup>7</sup> predominantly with no
or only sparsely populated transannular hydrogen bonds. The <i>folded</i> conformations show multiple turns stabilized by highly
populated transannular hydrogen bonds comprising centers F<sup>6</sup>W<sup>7</sup>K<sup>8</sup> or W<sup>7</sup>K<sup>8</sup>Y<sup>9</sup>. Some of these conformations have not been characterized previously.
The equilibrium populations that are experimentally difficult to access
were estimated by replica-exchange MD simulations and validated by
comparison of experimental NMR data with chemical shifts calculated
with density-functional theory. UII exhibits approximately 72% <i>open</i>:28% <i>folded</i> conformations in aqueous
solution. URP shows very similar ring conformations as UII but differs
in an <i>open:folded</i> equilibrium shifted further toward <i>open</i> conformations (86:14) possibly arising from the absence
of folded N-terminal tail-ring interaction. The results suggest that
the different biological effects of UII and URP are not caused by
differences in ring conformations but rather by different interactions
with UTR
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