Real-time evolution method and its application to 3α\alpha cluster system

A new theoretical method is proposed to describe the ground and excited cluster states of atomic nuclei. The method utilizes the equation-of-motion of the Gaussian wave packets to generate the basis wave functions having various cluster configurations. The generated basis wave functions are superposed to diagonalize the Hamiltonian. In other words, this method uses the real time as the generator coordinate. The application to the $3\alpha$ system as a benchmark shows that the new method works efficiently and yields the result consistent with or better than the other cluster models. Brief discussion on the structure of the excited $0^+$ and $1^-$ states is also made

Translating nano-Hertz gravitational wave background into primordial perturbations taking account of the cosmological QCD phase transition

The evidence of the nano-Hertz stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background is reported by multiple pulsar timing array collaborations. While a prominent candidate of the origin is astrophysical from supermassive black hole binaries, alternative models involving GWs induced by primordial curvature perturbations can explain the inferred GW spectrum. Serendipitously, the nano-Hertz range coincides with the Hubble scale during the cosmological quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phase transition. The influence of the QCD phase transition can modify the spectrum of induced GWs within the nano-Hertz frequency range, necessitating careful analysis. We estimate GWs induced by power-law power spectra of primordial curvature perturbations taking account of the QCD phase transition. Then we translate the implication of the NANOGrav data into the constraint on the power spectrum of the primordial curvature perturbation, which suggests that one may miss the correct interpretation if neglecting the QCD effect. We also derive fitting formulae for their amplitude and scale dependence, helping to update the constraint in future experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure

Bazedoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in Ovariectomized rats.

BackgroundEstrogen deficiency is thought to be responsible for the higher frequency of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in post- than premenopausal women. Estrogen replacement therapy appears to reduce this risk but is associated with significant side effects. We tested our hypothesis that bazedoxifene, a clinically used selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator with fewer estrogenic side effects, reduces cerebral aneurysm rupture in a new model of ovariectomized rats.MethodsTen-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to ovariectomy, hemodynamic changes, and hypertension to induce aneurysms (ovariectomized aneurysm rats) and treated with vehicle or with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene. They were compared with sham-ovariectomized rats subjected to hypertension and hemodynamic changes (HT rats). The vasoprotective effects of bazedoxifene and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy were analyzed.ResultsDuring 12 weeks of observation, the incidence of aneurysm rupture was 52% in ovariectomized rats. With no effect on the blood pressure, treatment with 0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg/day bazedoxifene lowered this rate to 11 and 17%, almost the same as in HT rats (17%). In ovariectomized rats, the mRNA level of ERα, ERβ, and the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 was downregulated in the cerebral artery prone to rupture at 5 weeks after aneurysm induction; the mRNA level of interleukin-1β and the matrix metalloproteinase-9 was upregulated. In HT rats, bazedoxifene restored the mRNA level of ERα and ERβ and decreased the level of interleukin-1β and matrix metalloproteinase-9. These findings suggest that bazedoxifene was protective against aneurysmal rupture by alleviating the vascular inflammation and degradation exacerbated by the decrease in ERα and ERβ.ConclusionsOur observation that bazedoxifene decreased the incidence of aneurysmal rupture in ovariectomized rats warrants further studies to validate this response in humans

Manipulating ionization path in a Stark map: Stringent schemes for the selective field ionization in highly excited Rb Rydberg atoms

We have developed a quite stringent method in selectivity to ionize the low angular- momentum ($\ell$) states which lie below and above the adjacent manifold in highly excited Rb Rydberg atoms. The method fully exploits the pulsed field-ionization characteristics of the manifold states in high slew-rate regime: Specifically the low $\ell$ state below (above) the adjacent manifold is firstly transferred to the lowest (highest) state in the manifold via the adiabatic transition at the first avoided crossing in low slew-rate regime, and then the atoms are driven to a high electric field for ionization in high slew-rate regime. These extreme states of the manifold are ionized at quite different fields due to the tunneling process, resulting in thus the stringent selectivity. Two manipulation schemes to realize this method actually are demonstrated here experimentally.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure