Theoretical description of deformed proton emitters: nonadiabatic coupled-channel method

The newly developed nonadiabatic method based on the coupled-channel Schroedinger equation with Gamow states is used to study the phenomenon of proton radioactivity. The new method, adopting the weak coupling regime of the particle-plus-rotor model, allows for the inclusion of excitations in the daughter nucleus. This can lead to rather different predictions for lifetimes and branching ratios as compared to the standard adiabatic approximation corresponding to the strong coupling scheme. Calculations are performed for several experimentally seen, non-spherical nuclei beyond the proton dripline. By comparing theory and experiment, we are able to characterize the angular momentum content of the observed narrow resonance.Comment: 12 pages including 10 figure

The low-lying quadrupole collective excitations of Ru and Pd isotopes

Quadrupole excitations of even-even Ru and Pd isotopes are described within microscopic approach based on the general collective Bohr model which includes the effect of coupling with the pairing vibrations. The excitation energies and E2 transition probabilities observed in 104-114Ru and 106-110Pd are reproduced in the frame of the calculation containing no free parameters.Comment: 11 pages, 18 figures in EPS forma

Anomalous Behavior of 2+ Excitations around 132Sn

In certain neutron-rich Te isotopes, a decrease in the energy of the first excited 2+ state is accompanied by a decrease in the E2 strength to that state from the ground state, contradicting simple systematics and general intuition about quadrupole collectivity. We use a separable quadrupole-plus-pairing Hamiltonian and the quasiparticle random phase approximation to calculate energies, B(E2,0+ -> 2+) strengths, and g factors for the lowest 2+ states near 132Sn (Z >= 50). We trace the anomalous behavior in the Te isotopes to a reduced neutron pairing above the N = 82 magic gap.Comment: 1 figure added. to be published in Phys. Rev.

Microglia control small vessel calcification via TREM2.

Microglia participate in central nervous system (CNS) development and homeostasis and are often implicated in modulating disease processes. However, less is known about the role of microglia in the biology of the neurovascular unit (NVU). In particular, data are scant on whether microglia are involved in CNS vascular pathology. In this study, we use a mouse model of primary familial brain calcification, Pdgfb <sup>ret/ret</sup> , to investigate the role of microglia in calcification of the NVU. We report that microglia enclosing vessel calcifications, coined calcification-associated microglia, display a distinct activation phenotype. Pharmacological ablation of microglia with the CSF1R inhibitor PLX5622 leads to aggravated vessel calcification. Mechanistically, we show that microglia require functional TREM2 for controlling vascular calcification. Our results demonstrate that microglial activity in the setting of pathological vascular calcification is beneficial. In addition, we identify a previously unrecognized function of microglia in halting the expansion of vascular calcification

Description of superdeformed nuclei in the interacting boson model

The interacting boson model is extended to describe the spectroscopy of superdeformed bands. Microscopic structure of the model in the second minimum is discussed and superdeformed bosons are introduced as the new building blocks. Solutions of a quadrupole Hamiltonian are implemented through the $1/N$ expansion method. Effects of the quadrupole parameters on dynamic moment of inertia and electric quadrupole transition rates are discussed and the results are used in a description of superdeformed bands in the Hg-Pb and Gd-Dy regions.Comment: 18 pages revtex, 9 figures available upon reques

How magic is the magic 68Ni nucleus?

We calculate the B(E2) strength in 68Ni and other nickel isotopes using several theoretical approaches. We find that in 68Ni the gamma transition to the first 2+ state exhausts only a fraction of the total B(E2) strength, which is mainly collected in excited states around 5 MeV. This effect is sensitive to the energy splitting between the fp shell and the g_{9/2}orbital. We argue that the small experimental B(E2) value is not strong evidence for the double-magic character of 68Ni.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure