Nuclear structure calculations for astrophysical applications

Relative to other fields of physics, astrophysics is probably unique in its requirement that a very large number of physical environments be modeled to achieve a satisfactory description of the phenomena under study. The dynamics of the cosmos is governed by interactions that span a vast range, from subnucleon, nucleon and nuclear distances to distances affected by the gravitational interactions, which extends over the width of a galaxy and beyond, to the edge of the universe. It is the nuclear processes that provide much of the energy that drives the macroscopic behavior of the cosmos. Through this energy release the behavior on the very small scale is coupled to the very large-scale behavior. On the nuclear level, cross sections, nuclear decay energies and nuclear decay paths are but a few examples of quantities that are of paramount importance in astrophysical models. Because nuclei of extreme composition, quite different from what can be studied on earth, exist in stellar environments, an understanding of the nuclear structure properties of these nuclei can only be obtained through theoretical means. This presents a continuing, stimulating challenge to the nuclear-physics community. Here we present calculated results on such diverse properties as nuclear energy levels, ground-state masses and shapes, {beta}-decay properties and fission-barrier heights. Our approach to these calculations is to use a unified theoretical framework within which the above properties can all be studied. The results are obtained in the macroscopic-microscopic approach in which a microscopic nuclear-structure single-particle model with extensions is combined with a macroscopic model, such as the liquid-drop model

Hic-5 Communicates between Focal Adhesions and the Nucleus through Oxidant-Sensitive Nuclear Export Signal

hic-5 was originally isolated as an H(2)O(2)-inducible cDNA clone whose product was normally found at focal adhesions. In this study, we found that Hic-5 accumulated in the nucleus in response to oxidants such as H(2)O(2). Other focal adhesion proteins including paxillin, the most homologous to Hic-5, remained in the cytoplasm. Mutation analyses revealed that the C- and N-terminal halves of Hic-5 contributed to its nuclear localization in a positive and negative manner, respectively. After the finding that leptomycin B (LMB), an inhibitor of nuclear export signal (NES), caused Hic-5 to be retained in the nucleus, Hic-5 was demonstrated to harbor NES in the N-terminal, which was sensitive to oxidants, thereby regulating the nuclear accumulation of Hic-5. NES consisted of a leucine-rich stretch and two cysteines with a limited similarity to Yap/Pap-type NES. In the nucleus, Hic-5 was suggested to participate in the gene expression of c-fos. Using dominant negative mutants, we found that Hic-5 was actually involved in endogenous c-fos gene expression upon H(2)O(2) treatment. Hic-5 was thus proposed as a focal adhesion protein with the novel aspect of shuttling between focal adhesions and the nucleus through an oxidant-sensitive NES, mediating the redox signaling directly to the nucleus