Manifestation of pairing modes in nuclear collisions

We discuss the possible manifestation of pairing dynamics in nuclear collisions beyond the standard quasi-static treatment of pairing correlations. These involve solitonic excitations induced by pairing phase difference of colliding nuclei and pairing dynamic enhancement in the di-nuclear system formed by merging nuclei.Comment: 2 figures, 56th Zakopane Conference On Nuclear Physic

Exploring Zeptosecond Quantum Equilibration Dynamics: From Deep-Inelastic to Fusion-Fission Outcomes in 58^{58}Ni+60^{60}Ni Reactions

Energy dissipative processes play a key role in how quantum many-body systems dynamically evolve towards equilibrium. In closed quantum systems, such processes are attributed to the transfer of energy from collective motion to single-particle degrees of freedom; however, the quantum many-body dynamics of this evolutionary process are poorly understood. To explore energy dissipative phenomena and equilibration dynamics in one such system, an experimental investigation of deep-inelastic and fusion-fission outcomes in the $^{58}$Ni+$^{60}$Ni reaction has been carried out. Experimental outcomes have been compared to theoretical predictions using Time Dependent Hartree Fock and Time Dependent Random Phase Approximation approaches, which respectively incorporate one-body energy dissipation and fluctuations. Excellent quantitative agreement has been found between experiment and calculations, indicating that microscopic models incorporating one-body dissipation and fluctuations provide a potential tool for exploring dissipation in low-energy heavy ion collisions.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, including Supplemental Material - Version accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Transport and Magnetic Studies on the Spin State Transition of Pr1-xCaxCoO3 up to High Pressure

Transport and magnetic measurements and structural and NMR studies have been carried out on (Pr1-yR'y)1-xAxCoO3 {R'=(rare earth elements and Y); A=(Ca, Ba and Sr)} at ambient pressure or under high pressure. The system exhibits a phase transition from a nearly metallic to an insulating state with decreasing temperature T, where the low spin (LS) state of Co3+ is suddenly stabilized. For y=0, we have constructed a T-x phase diagram at various values of the external pressure p. It shows that the (T, x) region of the low temperature phase, which is confined to a very narrow region around x=0.5 at ambient pressure, expands as p increases, suggesting that the transition is not due to an order-disorder type one. For the occurrence of the transition, both the Pr and Ca atoms seem to be necessary. The intimate relationship between the local structure around the Co ions and the electronic (or spin) state of Co3+ ions is discussed: For the smaller unit cell volume or the smaller volume of the CoO6 octahedra and for the larger tilting angle of the octahedra, the temperature of the transition becomes higher. The role of the carriers introduced by the doping of the A atoms, is also discussed. By analyzing the data of 59Co-NMR spectra and magnetic susceptibilities of Pr1-xCaxCoO3 the energy separations among the different spin states of Co3+ and Co4+ are roughly estimated.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, 2 tables, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Benefits of air quality for human health resulting from climate change mitigation through dietary change and food loss prevention policy

Food production, particularly cattle husbandry, contributes significantly to air pollution and its associated health hazards. However, making changes in dietary habits, such as reducing red meat consumption and minimizing food waste, can lead to substantial improvements in both air quality and human health. In this study, we explored the impact of dietary changes on future air quality and human wellbeing. We also assessed the influence of dietary transformation policies in the context of climate change mitigation, with the objective of understanding how policies can effectively complement each other. We used a chemical transport model and an integrated assessment model to determine changes in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) concentrations. Then, an exposure model was applied to estimate premature deaths as a consequence of air pollution. Our results showed that dietary changes could play a crucial role in mitigating air pollution, particularly in regions where agricultural activities emit significant quantities of ammonia. In the European Union, for example, dietary changes could lead to a reduction of 5.34% in PM2.5 by 2050. Similarly, in Asia, the models projected a reduction of 6.23% in PM2.5 by 2100. Ground surface O3 levels in Southeast Asia were projected to drop by as much as 12.93% by 2100. Our results further showed that dietary changes could lead to significant reductions in global mortality associated with PM2.5 and O3, with 187,500 and 131,110 avoided deaths per year expected by 2100. A combined approach that integrates dietary changes with climate change mitigation measures could lead to more comprehensive air quality improvements in specific regions. However, careful consideration is needed to address any potential adverse effects on O3 concentrations in some areas

Association analysis of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase2 gene polymorphisms with COPD in Egyptians

AbstractProteinase/antiproteinase imbalance is recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A relative increase in the activities of matrix metalloproteinases might be caused by mutations of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase2 (TIMP2). Recently, two polymorphisms of the TIMP2 gene, +853 G/A and −418 G/C (+551 and −720 from the translation initiation site), have been shown to be associated with the development of COPD in the Japanese population. In this study, a case-control association analysis for these polymorphisms was conducted in the Egyptian population using 106 COPD patients and 72 healthy controls. The genotype frequency of +853 G/A was significantly different between the patient and the control groups (P=0.029), although no significant difference was detected in the allele frequency between the two groups. These results suggest that the +853 G/A polymorphism of the TIMP2 gene might be associated with COPD across ethnicities. In contrast, neither the distributions of genotype nor allele frequencies of –418 G/C were significantly different between the two groups, raising the possibility that a combination of different genetic factors contributes to the development of COPD in different ethnic groups

Cryo-EM structure of lysenin pore elucidates membrane insertion by an aerolysin family protein

Lysenin from the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia fetida belongs to the aerolysin family of small β-pore-forming toxins (β-PFTs), some members of which are pathogenic to humans and animals. Despite efforts, a high-resolution structure of a channel for this family of proteins has been elusive and therefore the mechanism of activation and membrane insertion remains unclear. Here we determine the pore structure of lysenin by single particle cryo-EM, to 3.1 Å resolution. The nonameric assembly reveals a long β-barrel channel spanning the length of the complex that, unexpectedly, includes the two pre-insertion strands flanking the hypothetical membrane-insertion loop. Examination of other members of the aerolysin family reveals high structural preservation in this region, indicating that the membrane-insertion pathway in this family is conserved. For some toxins, proteolytic activation and pro-peptide removal will facilitate unfolding of the pre-insertion strands, allowing them to form the β-barrel of the channel

SPring-8 BL36XU: Catalytic Reaction Dynamics for Fuel Cells

A tapered undulator beamline BL36XU was constructed at SPring-8 to conduct structural and electronic analysis of dynamic events on polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) cathode catalysts for the development of next-generation PEFCs. BL36XU provides various time and spatially resolved XAFS techniques in an energy range from 4.5 to 35 keV for investigating PEFCs under the operating conditions. In addition, we developed in-situ complementary measurement systems, such as in-situ time-resolved XAFS/XRD and ambient pressure HAXPES systems. This report describes the performance and present status of the BL36XU